Monthly Archives: March 2014

Dark Nights and Fast Boats on Lake Havasu

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Racing down Lake Havasu south from Lake Havasu City, heading toward Parker Dam isn’t such a terrific idea once the sun has set, especially when you pass Havasu Palms. This was especially true a few years back, when navigation lights were even scarcer than they are now.

I remember one year- when we were still at Havasu Palms – a boat raced past the park and veered right, into Whipple Bay, instead of staying in the center of the main channel. This landed the boat on the shoreline across from Havasu Palms’ mobile home park along Whipple Bay.

As was the routine when an accident occurred near the park, someone came to get one of us from Havasu Palms management. After all, it wasn’t like they could call a local cop.

They found Don at the restaurant, and informed him a boat had just crashed on the other side of Whipple Bay; they heard it. Don immediately drove from the restaurant to the mobile home park.

Sound carries exceptionally well across the water. When Don arrived, he could hear shouts of help coming from the darkness, across the bay.

Standing at the shore Don called out, “Is anyone hurt?

“No, we’re fine!” He heard them call back.

Sadly, we’ve seen our share of boating accidents over the years, and often people die. Don was relieved to hear no one was hurt.

The next moment Don heard them call out, “We need a ride to shore!”

Don paused a moment, then shouted back, “You’re already on the shore!”

(Photo: Whipple Bay at Havasu Palms, California)

Don’t tell anyone. It’s a secret.

Road into Havasu PalmsI write about the place where I grew up – Havasu Palms – in two of my books, Havasu Palms, A Hostile Takeover, and Where the Road Ends, Havasu Palms Recipes and Remembrances.

In spite of how it all turned out, we have some incredible memories – not to mention countless humorous anecdotes. One story involves my father’s own brand of humor.

Havasu Palms was a mobile home park, marina and restaurant, located at the end of a 12 mile dirt road and situated along the shores of Lake Havasu. Those last eight miles of road into the park will probably never be paved, not only because of the expense, but because it runs through a wash and is subject to frequent flash flooding.

People were always amazed to find double-wide mobile homes had actually made it over the dirt road. For some people, their first drive into the park was traumatic, focusing not on the spectacular scenery, but the primitive and rough road.

When we moved to the park in 1968 there were about 28 full-time travel trailers and a campground. Most of the tenants didn’t live there full time – but their trailers stayed year round and Havasu Palms was a weekend getaway. When we left around the turn of the century, Havasu Palms had 131 mobile home sites, and no campground.

Onto my story…

One day when my father was working by the Havasu Palms store doing some surveying, one of the more nosey, busybody tenants asked him what he was doing.

“It’s a secret, you have to promise not to tell anyone,” my dad told him. The tenant, now even more curious, vowed to keep the secret.

“Okay, as long as you don’t tell anyone. They’re cutting a new road into the park, which will be paved.”

The tenant couldn’t wait to get back to his trailer. From the store you can look across the bay and see a portion of the trailer park. My father stood by the store and watched as this tenant made his way home, stopping at every occupied trailer along the way.

View To Park

It wasn’t too long before another tenant hurried over to the store, excitedly asking Dad for details about the new road.

Keeping a straight face, Dad asked him what he was talking about, and never fessed up to the falsehood. Of course, that left the second tenant rather pissed off at the first one.

As would be expected, the spreader of the tale returned, upset at Dad and asking him why he had told him the story of a new road.

Once again keeping a straight face, Dad said, “I told you not to tell anyone.”

Living with the Moms

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My husband and I are part of the sandwich generation – which Wikipedia describes as “a generation of people who care for their aging parents while supporting their own children.” Fortunately for us, ours is an open faced sandwich, with only one slice of bread. Our children, ages 31 and 34 are both self-sufficient, and have been for years.

But, we do have both mothers living with us – my mother-in-law and my mom. The ladies will be 86 this year.

Mother’s quarters are on the opposite side of the house from our bedroom, and includes a bedroom, bath and large sitting area. A couple years ago we built a guest house on our property for my mother-in-law. It’s 600 square feet and includes a living room/kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, walk-in closet and laundry room.

So far both women are in extremely good health. They take care of all their own personal needs, which include doing their own laundry and housework. Yet, they do rely on us for transportation – taking them to the store, doctors’ office and other outings.

Both ladies have given up their driver’s licenses. Mom relinquished hers when she was eighty, due to failing eye sight – while my mother-in-law gave up hers after breaking her femur this past spring.

People often ask us questions about living with our moms – the first being, Isn’t it difficult? Sure, it can be. But it isn’t just hard on us, it isn’t easy for them. For my mother-in-law, I don’t suppose she likes having to rely on us for transportation. When she was still driving, her daily routine included going to the grocery store and running other errands. While I detest running errands, it was something she enjoyed. For my mother, I think the hard part is sharing a home where she is no longer in charge.

Another question asked, Do you eat all your meals together? My mother-in-law prepares all her own breakfasts and lunches, and has dinner with us maybe 60 percent of the time – or more. My mother generally prepares her own breakfast and lunch, yet we sometimes take breakfast together – and sometimes she cooks it. As for dinner, mom usually takes that meal with us, unless Don and I are going out for the evening, or I simply don’t feel like cooking that night. Mom helps with the dishes, and regularly cleans the kitchen.

There are special perks for having the moms here – like when our grandchildren visit. Over New Years our daughter, son-in-law, granddaughter and grandson visited us from Alaska. Our granddaughter, who will be four May first, loved visiting the GGs (as she calls them) – and would go out to the guest house and knock on the door of my mother-in-law’s, or visit with Mom in her sitting room.

We also had regular tea parties on the patio. That photo is of our granddaughter and my mother. Mom looks pretty good for 85, doesn’t she?