June 23, 2002 | Some of my friends decided to take me out for dinner and an evening of games at Dave and Busters in the Great Mall in Milpitas. They were very secretive about it all: "We'll pick you up and meet the others there." I was told only to dress casually and that I would not be embarassed. (They didn't mention humiliation and roasting.) more
Lovely parting gifts
June 26, 2002 | My workgroup staged a celebration lunch for the three early retirees from the group: Angel, Angelina, and me. There were suitable gifts for us all. more
Retirement day
June 28, 2002 | June 28 was my last day as an HP employee. I am now an official "retiree" with a gold badge. more
Vandalized at Storage USA
July 23, 2002 | When I went to retrieve my belongings from a locker at Storage USA, I found that the locker had been broken into and most of the boxes opened and rifled through. more
Moving to Palm Springs
July 24, 2002 | One of my friends, Ken, said, "Hire a mover. Spend the money. It's worth it." Did I listen? No. more
First guests
August 2, 2002 | Friends Jenifer and Richard came to visit, with the furniture in but not much else. All the boxes were still in the garage and the cupboards were bare. But not to worry — they brought an ample supply of snacks and refreshments. They were terrific guests (read: self-sufficient), and we had a great time. more
But it's a dry heat
August 11, 2002 | It's 9:30am, and the temperature here in Palm Springs is already 90°F. Because of the high humidity today (35%) the "real feel" is 92°F. more
My people
August 14, 2002 | Meet my new roommates. They're called "Stands Strong" and "Reaching Out" by Shelley Rapp Evans, an artist in Laguna Beach. more
Closed for August vacation
August 19, 2002 | Life in Palm Springs has a certain rhythm to it, influenced by the calendar and climate. more
Happy hour
August 23, 2002 | In June when I retired from HP it was just too chaotic to organize a retirement party for myself — thousands of other retirees were having theirs at the same time! — and I decided to postpone the festivities until the dust had settled. more
Patio pain
August 30, 2002 | Getting new patio furniture should be a pleasure, and assembly should be a snap. Should be. more
First guests II
September 3, 2002 | After the visit of Jenifer and Richard at the very end of July, I dubbed them "First Guests to Sleep in a Bed." That title, however, has been contested. Loathe to commit an injustice, however inadvertent, I've decided to re-open the question of First Guests to Sleep in a Bed. more
Coup in the kitchen
September 7, 2002 | In a surprise move last week, Mr Coffee and Moulinex Coffee and Spice Mill were deposed without ceremony, and Krups and Capresso were installed as mainstay appliances Chez Paul, Palm Springs. more
More visitors
September 30, 2002 | They say that September hath 30 days, but I'm damned if I know where they all went! One minute I was waiting for my friends from Vancouver to arrive for a visit, next thing I know, it's been a month since they were here! So, this is a catch-up article. more
Grass is always greener
October 4, 2002 | One of the distinctive characteristics of Palm Springs is certainly the lush green landscaping in the middle of the desert. It is an incredible contrast with the sand and rock. It turns out that there's more to all that green grass than water. I've been surprised to learn that the grass is reseeded every spring and fall. more
Furnishings
October 14, 2002 | New chairs and stools round out the furnishings for the dining area and patio. Serendipitously, I came across these at Pier 1 Imports while in search of accessories for the new atrium. more
I'm calling to close my account
October 16, 2002 | Over the years I picked up a great many credit cards, far more than a fiscally prudent person needs. more
Parade of planes
October 24, 2002 | No end of surprises! While out doing errands yesterday, I was astonished to find the street I was on blocked off and turned into a parking lot for airplanes, extending around three sides of the Wyndham hotel. more
Golf cart parade
November 10, 2002 | Every year the city of Palm Desert holds a Golf Cart Parade on the first Sunday in November. It's the real deal – floats (all built on golf carts), marching bands, flag twirlers, dignitaries, pre-parade and post-parade entertainment, and so forth. more
Today I ate a grapefruit
November 12, 2002 | Life is good. Today I ate a grapefruit for breakfast. Not just any grapefruit, but one harvested from a tree a few steps from my gate, the first of the season. It did not disappoint. I ate the whole thing. more
Threat of retaliation
November 18, 2002 | My friend Jim reports a rash of retaliatory attacks by appliances that knew they were being replaced. He fears that in replacing some of my kitchen appliances, I may have put myself in danger. Accordingly, I am setting my personal threat-level to yellow (elevated) and will take heed to remain on high alert. more
People and their machines
November 24, 2002 | Recent entries in these pages have resulted in a flurry of stories (OK, two stories) describing others' experiences when they have considered replacing one of their machines. more
Thanksgiving 2002
November 28, 2002 | Three friends joined me for Thanksgiving dinner, the first Thanksgiving Chez Paul. Ken is an old friend from HP days, Roy is a new friend and Ken's neighbor, and Bret is an old friend from Vancouver who has been staying a few days, taking refuge from the cold and wet of Vancouver. more
Birdspotting
December 3, 2002 | The population of migratory snowbirds continues to build as Palm Springs enters high season. So far, species have been spotted from 38 US states, 4 Canadian provinces, and 1 Mexican state. Quite a few more than that, actually, but they were moving too fast to photograph. more
Brrr!
December 3, 2002 | I have to say it: it's cold! And the forecast for this week includes days when the temperature is not expected to reach 70° F. more
Festival of Lights parade 2002
December 9, 2002 | Saturday night, over 70,000 people thronged downtown to line Palm Canyon Drive for the 11th annual Festival of Lights parade. (Bear in mind that the population of Palm Springs is less than 45,000.) more
I try my hand at gardening
December 10, 2002 | I was born with the gene for black-thumb. I can kill off a plant faster than almost anybody. Last week, for example, I brought home from the nursery two fine poinsettia plants, apparently in good health, as a concession to holiday decorating. Within 24 hours, one of the plants had developed black and white spots on its red leaves, and the leaves soon thereafter began to drop. more
Big wind
December 16, 2002 | On returning home from depositing my final bonus check from HP, I was shocked to find my holiday poinsettia plants tipped over. One had even fallen to the floor. more
More brrrr!
December 23, 2002 | I don't mean to whine, but it's true! — the weather really has been frightful. Cold, cloudy, and wet. more
