Scribblings From the Desert

I am a published author and produced screenwriter living in Rancho Mirage, California with my wife, Beth, and two dogs, Crystal and Misty. I have spent most of my life in and around the Hollywood Motion Picture Business.

Name:
Location: Rancho Mirage, California, United States

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Our Ship - The MS Zandaam - we leave for Hawaii tomorrow

To market after meeting to get a couple of things for Beth. See Theresa Grippi. Gas up at Nader's - topped it off. Home and check e-mail and news sites. Beth home. I to bank and cash Bryan Turner's check (he bought And Action!). Home again and start packing with Beth. Check out ship online. I to computer. Brenda over to talk to Beth; I join in. We to lunch at Dogo's. Home; Brenda leaves. Beth gets close to finishing up packing; I down to nap with girls. Up and Beth has already brought in mail this morning. Feed girls. Into office and continue packing my stuff. Talk with Beth. Everything appears to be in order for cruise. Some last-minute packing late afternoon; then we eat. Then we watch movie: Sandra Bullock in The Blind Side. Later ~

Friday, October 22, 2010

One of my favorites, Bob Steele

To market after meeting to buy wedding and birthday cards for Beth. Drop wedding card to Beth at her place of employment. Home. Brenda's there cleaning office. I try TV - there is a problem and I think I fixed it. Work in office for awhile. Then it's over to Beth's workplace and drop off paper that hadn't arrived before we left for the meeting this morning. Stop to pick up a Western Bacon Cheeseburger on way home. Watch some westerns while I eat. Down for nap with girls. Up and bring in mail. Feed girls. Open mail for Beth. Get out shirts I'll be taking on cruise; plus sport coat and slacks. Put all on wire hangers per Beth. She calls and I over to pick her up and we to airport to pick up Tracker - her employers are not coming in. Home and write here. Beth home. I cook and we eat. Both work in office intermixed with packing for cruise. Later ~

Thursday, October 21, 2010


Stop by Nader's on way home for gas. Hi to Nader; tell him we're sailing to Hawaii on Sunday. Home. Check e-mail and news sites with girls and cookies. Beth calls. I drive to her place of employment and we take Tracker to Bermuda Dunes airport. Drop Beth off then drive home. No Lawman. Watch beginning of Ridin' on a Rainbow, with Gene Autry and Mary Lee. Work a little on getting cruise papers in order. Down for nap with girls. Up and bring in mail. Feed girls. Open mail for Beth. Clean up side yard. Back to printing out new boarding passes and other stuff. Beth home and I help her bring in her stuff. We talk for awhile; then we get ready and drive to Monterey Country Club for a dinner given by Misty Snowden. Sit with several nice couples. Home while it's still early. Check e-mail. Call brother Bobby and sing Happy Birthday to his recorder - not home. Write here. Both of us get ready for bed. Later ~

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Our little senior citizen - Crystal

Stop Albertson's after meeting for pee. On to Walgreen's to buy some cologne for trip. I thought I had ordered some weeks ago but I never got a conformation notice. Meet with Justin at Hearing Aid place where he cleans and resets my hearing aids. Give him an And Action! book. Home and get phone message and e-mail from Syble re new upgrade on cruise to a different class cabin. Call Beth with the news - she delighted. Work at computer printing out new boarding passes, etc. Meet Beth at 10:00 at nail place for pedicure; stop and get Western bacon burger on way home. Watch recorded episode of Blue Bloods while eating burger. Talk to Beth. Down for nap with girls. Up and bring in mail. Feed girls. Open mail for Bethie. Joel by to learn how to park cars while we're gone. Into office and start getting our boarding passes in order. Clean up side yard. Sweep tile floors. Start O'Reilly. Beth home. She does my pills for cruise. I cook and we eat. After we watch yesterday's NCIS. To office and work. Later ~

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Custer sees the vast Indian camp for the first time - Son of the Morning Star

RAIN
Leave meeting 5-mins early on principle. Home and check e-mail and news sites with girls and cookies. Work at computer for awhile. Call Beth at her place of employment. She stayed late at Hall with leaks in new roof - called the contractor. I move into living room. Make a sandwich and watch Lawman, recorded this morning. Follow it with final Bighorn battle in Son of the Morning Star. Talk Beth. Down for nap with girls. Up and bring in mail. Feed girls. Open mail for Beth. Clean up side yard. Sweep tile inside. Write here. I am aware Beth will be late; she's meeting with the contractor who enlarged the small room at the Hall. I turn on lights early as clouds make it darker than usual. Watch entire O'Reily Show. Write here some more at 6:00. Beth home and we eat. Later ~

Monday, October 18, 2010

CSI: Miami Stars


Home after meeting. Check e-mail and news sites with girls and Fritos. Beth calls. Call Jimmy George and talk for awhile. Work at computer some more. To bank with Beth's deposit. Home and fix lunch and eat while watching latest episode of Boardwalk Empire on HBO on Demand. Talk Beth. Down for nap with girls. Up and bring in mail. Feed girls. Open mail for Beth. Western Calendars from Larry Welsh. Clean up side yard. Sweep tiles inside. Beth later than usual We eat. Watch CSI: Miami recording. Later ~

Sunday, October 17, 2010

Johnny Mack Brown vs. George Elderige in Riders of the San Joaquin

Sleep in day. Beth up and off to Hall to meet Brenda and Delisa for cleaning. I sleep until 5:30. Up and shower - get dressed and bring in paper. Cook and eat while reading paper. Trim beard. Finish up news sites on computer. Brenda here; followed by Beth. They plan their Sam's shopping then off to Sam's Club. I make some lunch and watch a Johnny Mack Brown-Tex Ritter Universal B-Western, Raiders of San Joaquin. Down for nap with girls. Up a little before 3:00. Check e-mail; then to kitchen where she's reading Sunday paper. I feed girls. Clean up side yard. Out to shed to pull two more suitcases. She works in back and side yards. I work computer. Call in order at Papa Dan's. Down to pick it up. Home and we eat. After dessert we watch recording of Blue Bloods. Do a few more things. Later ~

Saturday, October 16, 2010


Grocery shopping after meeting while Beth hits Edie's to check up on house. Home and put away stuff. Check e-mail and news sites with cookies and girls. Beth by and pick me up and we take off for Indio. Stop for a chili-cheese burger on way to Leather Plus where Joel is having an auction today to get rid of some old stock. See Joel and gang. We get three twin-beds for a friend in need. Then we to Wal-Mart to get the accessories. Stop by Edie's then home. I down for nap while she reads paper and mail. I up 4:00. Beth and I work in office. I into kitchen and start cooking. We eat and have dessert. After, we watch three of the shows we recorded while we were in Bozeman. Later ~

Friday, October 15, 2010

CSI: Vegas cast

Home from meeting. Gardeners here trimming trees and scalping. I check e-mail and news sites with girls. Brenda here to clean - she gets started. I make popcorn for Brenda and me; and while she starts cleaning in office I watch a CSI:Vegas Beth didn't want to watch (vampires and wolfmen). Into office and take care of some business. To living room around 10:30 and watch today's recorded episode of Lawman. Brenda leaves. I watch a California Gold episode on the Transamerica pyramid in SF. Down for nap with girls. Up and bring in mail; feed girls; open mail for Beth. Clean up side yard. Back to office and work. Write here. Spend some time in office working on pictures we took in Montana. Surf the net for awhile. Start dinner as Beth is getting hair done and will be late. Beth home and I help her in with her stuff. Continue cooking then we eat dinner. After we watch recording of this week's NCIS. Both to office. Later ~

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Scene from Blue Bloods

Leave meeting early again - this time for a blood draw. Home and check on girls. Check e-mail with girls and cookies. Talk to Beth. Take Dodge down for an oil change. They bring me home. Beth picks me up and we to Sam's Club where she shops for Hall while I shop for us. She drops me at Tony's where I pick up my car. She back to work; I home and fix lunch. Watch recorded episode of Blue Bloods; followed by today's Lawman segment. Down for nap with girls. Up and bring in mail. Feed girls. Open mail for Beth. Sit down and vote - fill out our ballots - takes time. To office to get stamps then write here. Work on computer trying to find maps to cruise dock in San Diego. Beth home. I help her in with her stuff. Clean up side yard and start getting trash ready. We talk in kitchen. She to office; I start dinner. We eat and talk. Ice cream for dessert. Both work in office. Then we watch recording of CSI: Miami premiere. To office while she showers. Later ~

Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Mark Harmon on NCIS

Leave meeting early so I have time to get home to put away groceries before heading off to Skin doctor appointment. After, by Beth's place of employment and drop off camera. Home and make sandwich - watch recording of Boardwalk Empire and today's Lawman. Down for nap with girls. Up and bring in mail. Feed girls. Spend time on phone with Mark trying to fix my AOL mail. Open mail for Beth. Got new stateroom for cruise - mid-ship upgrade and more. Clean up after girls. Sweep tiles. Work at computer. The fix I gave AOL erased all my saved mail files. Beth home and I help her in with some of her stuff. Talk; then she into office while I make dinner. We eat. We work in office until 7:00. Watch last week's NCIS (have to catch up on recordings some way. Write here while she showers. Later ~

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

John Russell as Dan Troop - Lawman


Leave meeting early and to Albertson's for essentials. To Sherry's for haircut. Home for a few minutes or so. Off to appointment with Dr. Sommaro. By Carl's Jr. and pick up burger and take home. Eat while watching Lawman. Call Beth. Down for nap with girls. Up and bring in mail. Feed girls. Open mail for Beth. Clean up side yard. Out to get car washed and see Blue. Download pics from trip. Put away some more things. Beth home and unload ironing. Into house and we talk. I fix chips and dip and we call it dinner. Watch Hawaii 5-0 recorded last week. Both into office. Later ~

Monday, October 11, 2010

Up in Mesquite, NV. Pack and check out. Beth picks up some paint for Sam then we're on the way. Mesquite, NV to home 7-hours. Greeted by girls. Unload and start unpacking. Beth to her place of employment to check in. When she's back I to pick up pizza. Home and we eat. She makes phone calls. We get ready for bed. She watches DWTS - I to sleep. Later ~

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Up and take off ay 4:30 - drive from Bozeman, Mt. to Mesquite, NV in close to 12:00 hours (nearly 900 miles). Check into Best Western. Dinner at Mexican Restaurant; then back to room and sleep. Later ~

Saturday, October 09, 2010

Up 4:30; shower. Wake up Beth. Meet Shannon, Conrad and Linda for breakfast in hotel restaurant. Girls off at 10:00 to work at wedding site setting up for wedding and dinner. Conrad and I hang loose back at hotel with lunch together then I to room for nap. Girls back and we all to rooms to dress for wedding. We ride with Conrad and Shannon to this mountain retreat where the wedding is held outside (Burrrr); followed by the wedding dinner inside. Home later than expected. Beth packs some more - Conrad and Shan by to help load our car and say our good-byes. We sleep. Later ~

Friday, October 08, 2010

Wake up in Bozeman - get ready and meet Shan, Linda, and Conrad for breakfast in hotel dining room. Have a lights out moment as power fails. Lights on and we eat. Back to our room for awhile. Meet them in lobby before 10:00. Girls to a wedding shower for Stephanie. Conrad and I to get our windshield fixed. Pit in windshield was caused by a small rock kicked up by a truck on our way here. Back to hotel and have lunch with Conrad in hotel restaurant. We back to our rooms; where I take 2-hr. nap. Corad calls and we meet in lobby,where we're joined by my 2nd cousins, Wendell and Virginia (Bell) brother and sister. Girls back from shower with "hellos" all around. All to rooms then meet and have light dinner. Then we all off to a meet and greet at the C'Mon Inn. Take pics of all and mingle. Back to hotel and to room. I write here while she showers. I get ready then: Later ~

Thursday, October 07, 2010

Waiting for our food in Bozeman, Mt. restaurant

Up in Butte. Breakfast. Pack it all up and head out to Bozeman by 8:00 am. Arrive in Bozeman and have to wait for room. Across street to Wal-Mart looking for hearing aid dehumidifier cup I thought I'd left in Utah. None there. Back to hotel and meet Shannon and Conrad in lobby,Theresa and her sister, Bonnie, with her boy friend, John, show and we to lunch at restaurant in hotel Check in after lunch. All to see Stephanie's two Great Dane puppies. To our room and relax Check a zillion e-mails then she to meet girls in lobby for talk while I down for my nap. Up after an hour. Do the rest of the remaining e-mails and Beth back We talk. Meet Shannon, Conrad, and new arrival, sister Linda in lobby. We across street to Mexican place to eat; then stop at hotel for coffee and ice cream. Theresa by table with pizza she bought for Colin and Amanda, who will be in later on tonight. We to our room. I write here while she showers. Later ~ `

Wednesday, October 06, 2010

Moving through Utah and Idaho


Up and leave Filmore, UT 5:00 am. Beth drives toward Salt Lake City in a huge downpour - heavy rain all the way to SLC. Stop for lunch after we crossed the border into Idaho. I take over driving until we stop for the night in Butte, MT. Move into our room. To dinner at hotel cafe. Back to room and she showers and washes her hair, I write here. Both bed early ~ Later

Tuesday, October 05, 2010

Mesquite, NV

Up usual time and shower and dress. Breakfast. Beth up and get underway. Load up last of stuff and take off for Montana. She drives as far as Mesquite, NV. I take over driving chores and we end up in Filmore, UT for the night. Settle in and eat at hotel restaurant. Back to room and she watches DWTS. I sleep. ~Later

Monday, October 04, 2010

Monday, October 4, 2010

Get our car washed after meeting; then to Tony's to get tire pressure set on car. Home. Check e-mail and news sites on my computer with girls. Beth calls. To her place of employment where I pick her up and take her to Bermuda Dunes airport to pick up the Tracker. She back to work while I to AAA place in La Quinta to pick up some maps for trip. Stop for burger on way home; then to fill up gas for tomorrow. Home and watch Boardwalk Empire recording from last night. Almost all of a Lawman episode. Down for nap with girls. Up and bring in mail. Feed girls. Open mail for Beth. Load car with water; empty dishwasher; put dog ramp out back and small suitcase in shed; feed Girls; my boots in a bag and in garage. Clean up side Yard. Sweep some. Beth home and we eat. She watched recording of The Good Wife. When she is ready for bed: DWTS. ~ Later

Sunday, October 03, 2010

October 3, 2010

Beth and Me

Sleep in day. Beth up and to Hall where she'll meet Brenda. I up 5:45 - shower and dress. Check computer and news sites. Make my breakfast and eat with Sunday paper. Trim my beard. Beth home from Hall. We continue packing for trip. Off to pick up her employers' car and take it to Bermuda Dunes airport. Stop for hot dogs then Oreo cookie malt. Shop for pet bed then back to her employers' place. Home and I down for nap with girls. Up and dress. Inti kitchen where she's reading paper. We both back to packing. Take some time out to try and teach Crystal how to use her new pillow bed to get onto our bed - no luck. We into office where Crystal finally eats a Gluclosamine biscuit. We work side by side then I to kitchen to make dinner. We eat. Back to office until bedtime. ~ Later

Saturday, October 02, 2010

With Beth and Brenda

Light grocery shopping after meeting (most for trip); then home. Put stuff away. To computer and check e-mail with girls. Beth home for a few minutes; then we both head off for nail appointment. I get my usual pedicure while she has the same, plus a manicure. I over to Yellow Basket and park. Call Brenda and ask her to meet us. I listen to a Rush re-run. Brenda shows up and we sit in my car and talk until Beth gets there. We order and eat lunch in Yellow Basket. They off to take Tracker to airport. I drive home and down for nap with girls. Up and Beth is home. I bring in mail; she's already fed girls. I open mail for her. Work at computer for awhile - write here. We get ready and go out - she picks up meds at Sav-On; then we meet Grippis at California Pizza for dinner. See Norman there. Nice time with good friends. Home - Ed Mohler calls and we talk. Check e-mail. Later ~

Friday, October 01, 2010

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation cast

Leave meeting when it goes over. Home and check e-mail with girls and cookies. Bring in suitcases from shed. Brenda here and starts cleaning. Beth calls. Call Jimmy George and we talk. Watch recording of Lawman. Brenda leaves and I leave shortly after for my Dr. Stone appointment. All goes well at Stone's. By Beth's place of employment and give her checks that arrived this morning from her boss. I to credit union and deposit her paycheck. Home and make lunch - eat while watching recording of a Huell Howser California Gold show. Down for nap with girls. Up and bring in mail and recycle bin. Feed girls. Open mail for Beth. Clean up side yard. Work at computer until Beth gets home. We talk awhile I fix dinner. Eat; then after we watch CSI: Vegas recorded last night. She to shower; I write here. Later ~