I am writing this post on a bit of a dare. If you have been following my blog/Facebook page/life in general, you already know that I am in Palm Desert for a month-long home-exchange. As my husband and I didn’t know a soul who would be in the area during this time, I had assumed that my days here would be quiet. I imagined myself doing long-avoided tasks (like cleaning out my iPhotos) as my husband golfed. Okay, so we already knew that we would be attending the Epic Desert Trip Concert that took place last weekend. We also knew that my parents would visit during our final two days here. But I had no plans for the remaining twenty-three days. Trying to stay active, I decided that I should join a yoga class.
So I did.
The second class that I attended happened to take place on Canadian Thanksgiving. One of the participants overheard that I was Canadian and introduced herself (also a Canadian from the Vancouver area). I asked if she knew where my husband and I could find a place to eat for Thanksgiving dinner. It was an innocent question. “After yoga, I’m on my way to pick up friends from the airport. You and your husband should come join us for dinner”, she generously offered.
So we did.
It was a non-traditional Thanksgiving dinner with barbecued steak that was delicious (we brought the pumpkin pie)! We chatted as if we had known our new friends for years. My husband and I had a fantastic time. We understand about turn-taking and repaying generosity, so naturally we invited the whole gang to dinner at our place (plus their two additional guests who would be staying with them shortly).
“How’s Thursday next week?” I offered. Everyone agreed. I then found out that there is a truly fabulous evening market on Thursday nights in Palm Springs. If avoidable, I didn’t want to miss that. I knew that we couldn’t do the first weekend because of the Desert Trip concert. We couldn’t do the following weekend because the four guests would be gone. “How about Monday next week?” Everyone agreed. Then my husband reminded me that we had planned a quick overnight trip away from the desert for the start of the week, so that date didn’t work either. Tuesday initially sounded good–but would we be back in time to prepare dinner? “Okay so let’s go with Wednesday.” Wait, that’s the night of the U.S. Presidential Debates–which are always best watched alone (especially when friends have different points of view)!
Before I could even suggest Friday, there was a group huddle–without me. “You and Richard are coming here for dinner on Tuesday” I was informed, with no chance to defend myself.
So we did.
The menu was barbecued fish tacos– which were incredible. (We brought the home-made cheesecake).
“You seriously need to post about this,” I was dared.
So I did!
Retirement Reflections 
That is life in the desert!! You are always doing something, that is why we keep coming back!!
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Hi, Georgia. I am so sorry that we will just miss you. We definitely plan to come back again. We have loved it here.
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Go Donna; risk taking, being open to possibility and just great people! Looks like good times to me.
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Just trying to follow the IB Learner Profile! I inquired, communicated, was open-minded, took a risk and then reflected. (I am sure that the other five attributes were also snuck in there somehow). Thanks for commenting and for keeping in touch!
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Connecting with others is what makes travel so wonderful! Good for you for reaching out (even if unintentionally) and good for your new friends for gathering you and your husband into their circle. It looks like a wonderful group of new friends.
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Thanks, Janis. They are a great group of friends. I look forward to meeting another new friend tomorrow!
Donna
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🙂
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I think you hit the jackpot – finding wonderful new friends so quickly into a one month adventure. Sometimes the chemistry just works! Lucky, lucky you 🙂
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Thanks, Joanne – My husband and I are both very grateful indeed!
Donna
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Well, imho, you could have skipped the debate; but it looks like it worked out just fine for you anyway. I am sooooo green with envy to hear that you attended Oldchella … er, I mean, the Desert Concert. Must have been a blast, a memory for a lifetime.
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Thanks, Tom – You are right that I could have skipped the debate. For me, the election coverage has become like a bad season of Gossip Girl! I am totally embarrassed to be watching, but I can’t seem to stop myself! Thanks for mentioning Desert Trip — it was totally amazing (and not as old of a crowd as I had imagined…at least not in the cheap seats)!
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Donna, I am a bit envious. You make it sound so easy and wonderful to find new friends in new places! I live many things thru you vicariously.
It sounds like you had the best of times….when you can’t find a night to have dinner with friends because your calendar is too full….life is “tough” in retirement, huh?
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Thanks, Pat – Retirement has been very good to me so far, and I am very grateful for this. I have been lucky to make great new friends shortly after I moved to Vancouver Island, and now in Palm Desert. In both instances, it was yoga where I made the connection.I do realize that there was much luck in both cases — as well as terrific, outgoing personalities of the people that I met.Thanks for following and commenting. I am also very grateful for my on-line friendships!
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Your new friends are keepers – not trying to make you feel guilty. Retirement takes over and your schedule becomes busy with doing good things for you. Let’s book our days in January before your schedule books up. Keep on enjoying!
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Cheers to new friends, old friends and life-long friends! I am greatly looking forward to our January visit!
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I love spontaneous meetings and invitations like this! Such a fortunate coincidence that your social times all started at yoga class. My husband and I are house and pet sitting as a lifestyle and the one thing we really miss is a social life. We are usually not long enough in one place to make friends, but I do admit that we could do more effort and go to places where we could meet new people. Although, that is hard when the long-term sits are in the middle of the woods, 30′ away from everything! No excuses while we are in the suburbs of California, though… We better get away from our computers and venture out in the neighborhood!
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Hi, Liesbet – I agree that when you are having a short term stay deep in the middle of the woods, it would likely be difficult to meet new people. Although my husband and I travel frequently, I am totally envious of your adventurous lifestyle. If there is a yoga studio nearby, I highly recommend giving it a try–it has been a fantastic way for me to meet new friends.
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Haha, now we are commenting to each other at the same time! There is a yoga studio nearby and I used to like yoga years ago (under the palm trees), so maybe I should pick that up again. If it is not too expensive…
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I loved the simultaneous responses! In Palm Desert, my yoga classes were $30USD for the month, and they offered daily classes.
Often, yoga studios in Canada offer unlimited classes for $50Cdn for your first month, with no obligations to renew (introductory special). Good luck!
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Thanks for that, Donna. I’ll check it out.
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