Oct 27th – Wed – Mesa
Gym & water exercises this morning followed by coffee & reading before making breakfast. This is getting to be a nice routine with Terry hooked on Jewel Quest on the computer.
We went for a walk to pick up our utility bill at the post office and then to the office to pay it. We detoured past the puzzle room and both worked on puzzles for a bit. I stayed there while Terry went back and did some research on the computer. He picked me up and we tried to find a shop to get a bed liner sprayed in our truck. It appears as if he found another business that no longer exists in the spot shown on the internet. We stopped at Camping World but there was no one there to talk to about getting a satellite on our rig.
We wanted something to eat but not a lot so used a “2 for 1” coupon and had ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery. It is good ice cream but too expensive for me to enjoy normally!
We had a quiet evening by ourselves for a change.
Oct 28th – Thurs – Mesa
We went for coffee & doughnuts in the ballroom this morning and listened to all the news. I picked up a new book at the library on the way back. Then we went to a huge rummage sale at a church where we ran into Billy, Lauri & Julie. We were all looking for items to put together Halloween costumes for the “Hillbilly Halloween” dance on Saturday and did pretty good. Terry & I went for lunch on the way home. I am going to get my food handlers’ card so I can volunteer for things if I want too so we picked up a study guide at the office and I started to read it & do the practice questions.
At 3, Terry & I went to the courtyard to listen to a singer who was not very good. We sat with our neighbors Larry & Norma. I started dinner when we got back and Terry found the 2nd game of the World Series on the outside TV. Larry & Norma were outside eating dinner so we asked them over to watch the game. We lit our buddy burner and had a good time – too bad the game was so lopsided. I finished going through my study guide after the game finished.
Oct 29th – Fri – Mesa
I skipped water aerobics this morning (but not the gym) to take my food handlers’ test. It took us much longer to find the place where the testing was taking place than it took me to successfully complete the short test.
We found a shop that does bed liners and Terry made an appointment to get the truck done next week. We did not have time to get it done when we bought the truck. We also stopped at a grocery store. While I was putting groceries away and making breakfast, Terry tried on his Halloween costume and then set up my sewing machine. I shortened swim shorts for Terry and then we went to Neil & Robin’s to see if Robin wanted me to do some sewing for her. On the way back, we stopped at Lauri’s to get her Halloween dress that I will be altering. Terry went to Costco with Billy and I was just finishing sewing some lace on Lauri’s dress when Robin came over & the guys returned. I sewed some trim on Robin’s Olive Oyl skirt and then finished a bit more on Lauri’s dress.
Robin asked if I wanted to go with her to return a couple of items at Target and try to figure out what to use to make Popeye’s (Neil’s) muscular forearms. So I took off for a bit while Terry got his game fix in on the computer.
We had been invited to dinner at Billy & Lauri’s and Larry & Julie were already there when I returned. So I went home to get Terry and our happy hour bag. We had a good dinner and a lot of laughs as usual. Billy’s trip to Costco was to get a pumpkin pie for dessert (which I am storing in our fridge) but we were all too full to eat it!
Friday, October 29, 2010
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Oct 23rd to 26th - Mesa
Oct 23rd – Sat – Mesa
Terry had what we thought was a good idea today – a drive to the Swap Meet at Goodyear which is west of Phoenix. We drove the 41 miles (45 minutes on freeways) to discover that the swap meet is not open and from the look of the place may not be open this year. Of course, once we saw the closed swap meet, we had to drive another 5 miles or so to the next exit.
Shortly after we left the park earlier, we drove past several yard sale signs which Julie & Lauri wanted to check out so now we could do so. At one sale, we got a map of a neighborhood sale and hit a few of those before everyone was hungry – and needing “facilities”. We went to a sports bar for lunch and a beer and then went back to the sales. Unfortunately, or fortunately for the guys, a lot of them were closing by then. The largest purchase was a bicycle for Julie which she does not know how to ride and we are all afraid that she will get hurt learning.
Oct 24th – Sun – Mesa
I don’t know what I ate that disagreed with me but I did not have a comfortable night as I spent quite a bit of it appreciating the porcelain toilet in our rig. I didn’t feel well most of the day so was content to be very lazy. We took a short walk and stopped at Larry & Julie’s for a bit. Terry went back to get some wrenches so he & Bill could adjust the seat & brakes on Julie’s bike but she was still scared on a short test ride with Bill running alongside and holding her.
Oct 25th – Mon – Mesa
I had a great sleep last night and felt all better this morning.
We went to Camping World to talk to a knowledgeable employee about a satellite dish to be mounted on the roof of the 5th wheel. With the information from him we realize that we will be much better off with the more expensive model so will think about that for a bit.
Then we went grocery shopping at Fry’s. I forgot the store card in the truck and tried every phone number that made sense at the checkout but none worked. A lady behind me said to use her card so I did and then went to the customer service center to get things straightened out. There was a line of customers and one clerk so Terry had just about given up on me when I finally got it all done. For some reason, the phone number on our account was not linked to the card so it wouldn’t pull up. Good thing we are retired and have lots of time!!
Julie invited us and Billy & Lauri over for what she calls a “summer dinner” – brats, potato salad & baked beans. Of course she also made appetizers and Lauri brought a Waldorf salad. And let’s not forget the spice cake for dessert. I will have to increase my treadmill time!
Oct 26th – Tues – Mesa
Our cooler was making so much noise last night that I got up at 3 and went outside to unplug it as it was plugged into a DC plug in the compartment. Before I could get the compartment door unlocked, Terry was out there is his underwear helping me – which I mention since there was a nearly full moon and it was very light out.
After the gym, the pool and breakfast, we went to WalMart to get a new cooler. From our experience and comments of others, it appears as if the coolers only last about a year but it is really nice to have one even with our larger fridge.
We went over to say hello to new neighbors across the street – Larry & Norma from Colorado – and ended up staying & chatting for a while.
Later in the afternoon, we went to Lauri & Billy’s so I could help Lauri on her computer. I think part of her problems is a slow park wifi connection so I suggested she take her computer to a spot in the park that is closer to a signal. While we were working on the computer, Terry went back and got our happy hour supplies. Bill & Lauri’s new neighbors -Neil & Robin from Cle Elum WA - joined us.
Terry had what we thought was a good idea today – a drive to the Swap Meet at Goodyear which is west of Phoenix. We drove the 41 miles (45 minutes on freeways) to discover that the swap meet is not open and from the look of the place may not be open this year. Of course, once we saw the closed swap meet, we had to drive another 5 miles or so to the next exit.
Shortly after we left the park earlier, we drove past several yard sale signs which Julie & Lauri wanted to check out so now we could do so. At one sale, we got a map of a neighborhood sale and hit a few of those before everyone was hungry – and needing “facilities”. We went to a sports bar for lunch and a beer and then went back to the sales. Unfortunately, or fortunately for the guys, a lot of them were closing by then. The largest purchase was a bicycle for Julie which she does not know how to ride and we are all afraid that she will get hurt learning.
Oct 24th – Sun – Mesa
I don’t know what I ate that disagreed with me but I did not have a comfortable night as I spent quite a bit of it appreciating the porcelain toilet in our rig. I didn’t feel well most of the day so was content to be very lazy. We took a short walk and stopped at Larry & Julie’s for a bit. Terry went back to get some wrenches so he & Bill could adjust the seat & brakes on Julie’s bike but she was still scared on a short test ride with Bill running alongside and holding her.
Oct 25th – Mon – Mesa
I had a great sleep last night and felt all better this morning.
We went to Camping World to talk to a knowledgeable employee about a satellite dish to be mounted on the roof of the 5th wheel. With the information from him we realize that we will be much better off with the more expensive model so will think about that for a bit.
Then we went grocery shopping at Fry’s. I forgot the store card in the truck and tried every phone number that made sense at the checkout but none worked. A lady behind me said to use her card so I did and then went to the customer service center to get things straightened out. There was a line of customers and one clerk so Terry had just about given up on me when I finally got it all done. For some reason, the phone number on our account was not linked to the card so it wouldn’t pull up. Good thing we are retired and have lots of time!!
Julie invited us and Billy & Lauri over for what she calls a “summer dinner” – brats, potato salad & baked beans. Of course she also made appetizers and Lauri brought a Waldorf salad. And let’s not forget the spice cake for dessert. I will have to increase my treadmill time!
Oct 26th – Tues – Mesa
Our cooler was making so much noise last night that I got up at 3 and went outside to unplug it as it was plugged into a DC plug in the compartment. Before I could get the compartment door unlocked, Terry was out there is his underwear helping me – which I mention since there was a nearly full moon and it was very light out.
After the gym, the pool and breakfast, we went to WalMart to get a new cooler. From our experience and comments of others, it appears as if the coolers only last about a year but it is really nice to have one even with our larger fridge.
We went over to say hello to new neighbors across the street – Larry & Norma from Colorado – and ended up staying & chatting for a while.
Later in the afternoon, we went to Lauri & Billy’s so I could help Lauri on her computer. I think part of her problems is a slow park wifi connection so I suggested she take her computer to a spot in the park that is closer to a signal. While we were working on the computer, Terry went back and got our happy hour supplies. Bill & Lauri’s new neighbors -Neil & Robin from Cle Elum WA - joined us.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Oct 20th to 22nd - Mesa
Oct 20th – Wed – Mesa
So far, so good – the gym & water exercises again in the morning. Then Terry & I went out for breakfast, went to the produce market (we are eating a lot of fruit), fueled up the truck and stopped at the bank. Then on to Kohl’s as Lauri said there was a big sale going on. We met Billy, Lauri & Julie coming out of Kohl’s and they gave me a coupon that they did not use. I tried of some clothes and ended up buying a pair of capris, Terry didn’t find anything.
We came back to drop off the produce and Terry was bored so we went to the casino. He played 21 and after 2 ½ hours finally lost $20. My first $20 lasted a long time but my second $20 disappeared in the usual hurry!
Oct 21st – Thurs – Mesa
Rain kept me awake several times last night so I woke up a little late to get to the gym and still be on time for coffee & doughnuts so skipped the gym. I figured I would still go to water aerobics since they start later on Thursday but announcements & such ran too long so didn’t make that either. We met some nice people and one guy (Tom & wife Arlene) insisted on giving us a ride back on his golf cart. After they saw our rig & truck, we went to their place. They have a double wide in the Rancho section of the RV park. It is about 1200 sq ft and very nice. They have empty lots on both sides of them that are too small for houses so they look after them and also have nice landscaping on their place with lots of flowering shrubs & trees.
We had just got back when Billy asked if we wanted to go for a hike in about an hour so we had some lunch and headed out. We drove a few miles and then walked up a hill on a road that is old and closed to traffic. The road goes around the hill but is fairly steep so was a good workout. The top is flat so we could walk around and get a 360 degree view and take pictures.
At 3:30 we went to the courtyard for a musical program at 4. A young lady (Tina Peoples) with a lovely voice was the entertainer. Unfortunately, it started to rain about 4:30 so everyone took shelter and she took a break. We were all able to return to our seats after a bit and the show went on. Dinner & TV filled the rest of the evening.
Oct 22nd – Fri – Mesa
After the gym & water aerobics (cool weather but warm water), we went to the Marketplace to exchange one of the metal art pieces that we got last week for a larger version of the same item. It is over the slide in the kitchen and was just not large enough for the spot. The new one looks much better. We also found 3 cats to put on our highest shelf on the end of the kitchen cabinets. We had just finished getting the items secured when Billy stopped by and said yes when we asked if they wanted to join us on a trip to Trader Joe’s. When we got back, we stopped at Larry & Julie’s to set a time to go to dinner.
There was plenty of time for a drink before going to dinner so we gathered at our place. The weather has cooled down a lot and it is nice to sit outside. We drove everyone to the Chinese buffet that we and Billy & Lauri have gone to previously. Everyone enjoyed too much food.
So far, so good – the gym & water exercises again in the morning. Then Terry & I went out for breakfast, went to the produce market (we are eating a lot of fruit), fueled up the truck and stopped at the bank. Then on to Kohl’s as Lauri said there was a big sale going on. We met Billy, Lauri & Julie coming out of Kohl’s and they gave me a coupon that they did not use. I tried of some clothes and ended up buying a pair of capris, Terry didn’t find anything.
We came back to drop off the produce and Terry was bored so we went to the casino. He played 21 and after 2 ½ hours finally lost $20. My first $20 lasted a long time but my second $20 disappeared in the usual hurry!
Oct 21st – Thurs – Mesa
Rain kept me awake several times last night so I woke up a little late to get to the gym and still be on time for coffee & doughnuts so skipped the gym. I figured I would still go to water aerobics since they start later on Thursday but announcements & such ran too long so didn’t make that either. We met some nice people and one guy (Tom & wife Arlene) insisted on giving us a ride back on his golf cart. After they saw our rig & truck, we went to their place. They have a double wide in the Rancho section of the RV park. It is about 1200 sq ft and very nice. They have empty lots on both sides of them that are too small for houses so they look after them and also have nice landscaping on their place with lots of flowering shrubs & trees.
We had just got back when Billy asked if we wanted to go for a hike in about an hour so we had some lunch and headed out. We drove a few miles and then walked up a hill on a road that is old and closed to traffic. The road goes around the hill but is fairly steep so was a good workout. The top is flat so we could walk around and get a 360 degree view and take pictures.
At 3:30 we went to the courtyard for a musical program at 4. A young lady (Tina Peoples) with a lovely voice was the entertainer. Unfortunately, it started to rain about 4:30 so everyone took shelter and she took a break. We were all able to return to our seats after a bit and the show went on. Dinner & TV filled the rest of the evening.
Oct 22nd – Fri – Mesa
After the gym & water aerobics (cool weather but warm water), we went to the Marketplace to exchange one of the metal art pieces that we got last week for a larger version of the same item. It is over the slide in the kitchen and was just not large enough for the spot. The new one looks much better. We also found 3 cats to put on our highest shelf on the end of the kitchen cabinets. We had just finished getting the items secured when Billy stopped by and said yes when we asked if they wanted to join us on a trip to Trader Joe’s. When we got back, we stopped at Larry & Julie’s to set a time to go to dinner.
There was plenty of time for a drink before going to dinner so we gathered at our place. The weather has cooled down a lot and it is nice to sit outside. We drove everyone to the Chinese buffet that we and Billy & Lauri have gone to previously. Everyone enjoyed too much food.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Oct 16th to 19th - Mesa
Oct 16th – Sat – Mesa
Terry & I went to the Mesa Marketplace (Swap Meet) this morning. Before we went we printed discount coupons from the internet for breakfast and used one when we got there. We wandered around a bit and then bought 2 more metal art wall decorations for our home.
We stopped at Costco and then the produce market on the way back.
Lauri made dinner for our group today. I didn’t bring anything for dinner – all we did was help Julie carry 8 pieces of chocolate cake from the Octoberfest dinner last night! Apparently there were 4 pieces of cake per person provided for dinner so there was a lot left over.
Oct 17th – Sun – Mesa
I went for a bike ride with Terry around the park (6 miles) this morning instead of going to the gym. The weather has been cooler at night so it is still nice to ride in the morning.
We were taking a turn for dinner today and found out I was missing an ingredient so had to go to a grocery store. We also were looking for tablecloths for our two metal tables that we use together for more than 4 people. We compromised on an inexpensive vinyl cloth that was big enough to cut and make separate covers for each table.
I did some dinner prep and then we went to the pool for a while before everyone came over. I used the crock pot again for a beef roast & gravy this time. Again, a good time was had by all.
Oct 18th – Mon – Mesa
When I got back from the gym this morning, Billy called to say that there was a water aerobics class at 9 so I had some fruit & coffee and joined them there. Terry was playing a game on the computer and was not interested in the pool. There were only 2 other women at the class but it was fun.
Terry was really involved in his game so I read, did some cleaning, read some more, baked some cookies and read some more. Lovely, lazy day. We finally walked to get a couple gallons of water and invited some neighbors over for a drink. Gary & Rosie from Bismarck, ND came over and we talked non-stop until after 7. They will only be here for a couple more days and then will fly home and return in January.
We had an easy, leftovers dinner and watched TV.
Oct 19th – Tues – Mesa
I did the gym & water aerobics this morning while Terry was glued to the computer and his game. After a late breakfast, we found a place to get a haircut for me and then I cut Terry’s hair.
At 3 we went to the courtyard to listen to music (Curtis Knox), have a drink and a couple of dances. Julie & Larry got there early and saved a table for our group. The park provided some snacks (meatballs, wings, wrapped wieners and chips & salsa) and you could buy drinks or take your own which we did.
The music was over at 5. We went to Lauri & Bill’s to help Lauri finish a jigsaw puzzle which she had on a table outside and wanted to complete in case it rained tonight. Then we came back and made dinner. We walked to the library so I could get a couple of books and settled in for the evening.
Terry & I went to the Mesa Marketplace (Swap Meet) this morning. Before we went we printed discount coupons from the internet for breakfast and used one when we got there. We wandered around a bit and then bought 2 more metal art wall decorations for our home.
We stopped at Costco and then the produce market on the way back.
Lauri made dinner for our group today. I didn’t bring anything for dinner – all we did was help Julie carry 8 pieces of chocolate cake from the Octoberfest dinner last night! Apparently there were 4 pieces of cake per person provided for dinner so there was a lot left over.
Oct 17th – Sun – Mesa
I went for a bike ride with Terry around the park (6 miles) this morning instead of going to the gym. The weather has been cooler at night so it is still nice to ride in the morning.
We were taking a turn for dinner today and found out I was missing an ingredient so had to go to a grocery store. We also were looking for tablecloths for our two metal tables that we use together for more than 4 people. We compromised on an inexpensive vinyl cloth that was big enough to cut and make separate covers for each table.
I did some dinner prep and then we went to the pool for a while before everyone came over. I used the crock pot again for a beef roast & gravy this time. Again, a good time was had by all.
Oct 18th – Mon – Mesa
When I got back from the gym this morning, Billy called to say that there was a water aerobics class at 9 so I had some fruit & coffee and joined them there. Terry was playing a game on the computer and was not interested in the pool. There were only 2 other women at the class but it was fun.
Terry was really involved in his game so I read, did some cleaning, read some more, baked some cookies and read some more. Lovely, lazy day. We finally walked to get a couple gallons of water and invited some neighbors over for a drink. Gary & Rosie from Bismarck, ND came over and we talked non-stop until after 7. They will only be here for a couple more days and then will fly home and return in January.
We had an easy, leftovers dinner and watched TV.
Oct 19th – Tues – Mesa
I did the gym & water aerobics this morning while Terry was glued to the computer and his game. After a late breakfast, we found a place to get a haircut for me and then I cut Terry’s hair.
At 3 we went to the courtyard to listen to music (Curtis Knox), have a drink and a couple of dances. Julie & Larry got there early and saved a table for our group. The park provided some snacks (meatballs, wings, wrapped wieners and chips & salsa) and you could buy drinks or take your own which we did.
The music was over at 5. We went to Lauri & Bill’s to help Lauri finish a jigsaw puzzle which she had on a table outside and wanted to complete in case it rained tonight. Then we came back and made dinner. We walked to the library so I could get a couple of books and settled in for the evening.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Oct 13th to 15th - Mesa
Oct 13th – Wed - Mesa
We spent a lot of time today getting everything together to renew my passport which of course is Canadian. I filled in the form on the computer and messed up (I know, hard to believe!) before I got it printed and had to fill it out all over again. Then I needed photos – not so easy in the US to get the size required for a Canadian passport. First we went to a CVS pharmacy but they did not have a Canadian template. Then we tried a post office and IF they could have done it we would have needed an appointment. They suggested a Motophoto store – the first one was no longer there and the second had moved and left a phone number to make an appointment. After getting more ideas from a phone book, we decided it was time for a late breakfast. After eating, we found a nearby Walgreens store with a new employee who found that, yes, they did have a Canadian template but we would have to cut the pictures. I think I can handle that. She took a couple pictures which did not work and took another one. Then we wandered around the store for 20 minutes and she was still on the phone as she had a problem with the printer so we left. We stopped at a UPS store and were told that normally they do passport photos but their camera was broken! So on to another Walgreens store where we found a very knowledgeable employee and got the pictures in about 10 minutes. We got back in time to put everything together and get to the post office here which is only open until 2.
From 4 until 6 we all went to an afternoon dance which they call The Watering Hole. There was a band which looked country and played a mix of music – mostly danceable which provided my second workout of the day. BYOB which keeps the cost down.
I made a light dinner and we went to bed early to watch TV which results in Terry falling asleep and me reading for hours!
Oct 14th – Thurs – Mesa
I went to the gym earlier than usual this morning so I would have time to decompress (quit sweating!) and clean up before going for coffee & doughnuts. Anyone see a problem with “gym” and “doughnuts” in the same sentence?
Then it was time to do laundry again and luckily a short water outage was fixed by the time we got everything sorted out. I made lunch and had time for a quick visit to the library & puzzle room before we picked up the group for a trip to an Eagles club to play bingo.
Bingo started at 3 and we had plenty of time to get cards and learn the ropes before it started. It was kind of expensive - $1 per card per game and $5 for the last game (10 games total) – but there were not too many players so the odds of winning were better than at big games I guess. Terry won one game ($50) and I split one win ($26.50) so we came out ahead but the rest of our group did not win. Pitchers of beer were only $3.25, the AC was nice & cool and Julie could smoke there so it was an OK activity.
Dinner & TV for the rest of the evening.
Oct 15th – Fri – Mesa
I vacuumed this morning while I was still in my sweaty workout clothes. We had our mail forwarded so we went through that and then made a trip to the bank, the grocery store and the produce market.
The temperature did not reach 100 today but it was still plenty warm and called for a trip to the pool. Billy & Lauri and Larry & Julie were shopping so we were out of the pool by the time Billy & Lauri headed over there.
At 4 we all went to an Octoberfest dinner & dance here at the park. Our rent package included 5 complementary parties and this was the first. There was a 2 man band – accordion & drums – that was very good. They played “oompa” music before dinner, switched to slower, quieter dinner music and then kicked it up again for dancing. Dinner was brats, hot potato salad, sauerkraut & German chocolate cake. We received 2 tickets each for wine or beer but then they just opened another keg of beer and more wine and opened up the bar. We danced until 7 when the band quit and by then most of the tables were totally cleared and stacked with chairs.
We make fun of the early hours kept by a lot of the residents of RV parks in the sun belt but we are picking up the habit. We went to bed at 8:30 to watch TV and I know Terry didn’t see the end of the program.
We spent a lot of time today getting everything together to renew my passport which of course is Canadian. I filled in the form on the computer and messed up (I know, hard to believe!) before I got it printed and had to fill it out all over again. Then I needed photos – not so easy in the US to get the size required for a Canadian passport. First we went to a CVS pharmacy but they did not have a Canadian template. Then we tried a post office and IF they could have done it we would have needed an appointment. They suggested a Motophoto store – the first one was no longer there and the second had moved and left a phone number to make an appointment. After getting more ideas from a phone book, we decided it was time for a late breakfast. After eating, we found a nearby Walgreens store with a new employee who found that, yes, they did have a Canadian template but we would have to cut the pictures. I think I can handle that. She took a couple pictures which did not work and took another one. Then we wandered around the store for 20 minutes and she was still on the phone as she had a problem with the printer so we left. We stopped at a UPS store and were told that normally they do passport photos but their camera was broken! So on to another Walgreens store where we found a very knowledgeable employee and got the pictures in about 10 minutes. We got back in time to put everything together and get to the post office here which is only open until 2.
From 4 until 6 we all went to an afternoon dance which they call The Watering Hole. There was a band which looked country and played a mix of music – mostly danceable which provided my second workout of the day. BYOB which keeps the cost down.
I made a light dinner and we went to bed early to watch TV which results in Terry falling asleep and me reading for hours!
Oct 14th – Thurs – Mesa
I went to the gym earlier than usual this morning so I would have time to decompress (quit sweating!) and clean up before going for coffee & doughnuts. Anyone see a problem with “gym” and “doughnuts” in the same sentence?
Then it was time to do laundry again and luckily a short water outage was fixed by the time we got everything sorted out. I made lunch and had time for a quick visit to the library & puzzle room before we picked up the group for a trip to an Eagles club to play bingo.
Bingo started at 3 and we had plenty of time to get cards and learn the ropes before it started. It was kind of expensive - $1 per card per game and $5 for the last game (10 games total) – but there were not too many players so the odds of winning were better than at big games I guess. Terry won one game ($50) and I split one win ($26.50) so we came out ahead but the rest of our group did not win. Pitchers of beer were only $3.25, the AC was nice & cool and Julie could smoke there so it was an OK activity.
Dinner & TV for the rest of the evening.
Oct 15th – Fri – Mesa
I vacuumed this morning while I was still in my sweaty workout clothes. We had our mail forwarded so we went through that and then made a trip to the bank, the grocery store and the produce market.
The temperature did not reach 100 today but it was still plenty warm and called for a trip to the pool. Billy & Lauri and Larry & Julie were shopping so we were out of the pool by the time Billy & Lauri headed over there.
At 4 we all went to an Octoberfest dinner & dance here at the park. Our rent package included 5 complementary parties and this was the first. There was a 2 man band – accordion & drums – that was very good. They played “oompa” music before dinner, switched to slower, quieter dinner music and then kicked it up again for dancing. Dinner was brats, hot potato salad, sauerkraut & German chocolate cake. We received 2 tickets each for wine or beer but then they just opened another keg of beer and more wine and opened up the bar. We danced until 7 when the band quit and by then most of the tables were totally cleared and stacked with chairs.
We make fun of the early hours kept by a lot of the residents of RV parks in the sun belt but we are picking up the habit. We went to bed at 8:30 to watch TV and I know Terry didn’t see the end of the program.
Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Oct 10th to 12th - Mesa
Oct 10th – Sun – Mesa
We made dinner for the group today so after the gym and posting the blog, we put a pork roast in the crock pot and then went to the produce market and a grocery store. I did some prep work, made lunch and then we hit the pool with everyone else.
We had time to set up tables and lights before our guests arrived for drinks & appetizers. We made bruschetta on the BBQ and Julie brought shrimp and homemade dipping sauce. Terry hung his fluorescent BBQ light under the sun shade so we were able to enjoy dinner outside in the cooler weather once the sun went down. The menu – pork roast with applesauce, Acorn squash, asparagus, cabbage/apple slaw, onion/poppy seed pull-apart bread and ginger cookie/whipped cream dessert. Is anyone hungry?!
Oct 11th – Mon – Mesa
After the gym, coffee & breakfast, Terry & I went to find a different K-Mart to see if they had another pair of clearance priced shorts for me as I love the ones I bought. We went all the way (9 miles?) to Tempe and then there was no store when Wanda said “arriving at Kmart on right”. Right across the street was a huge shopping center and we saw a JC Penney Outlet Store so we checked it out. Nothing there that we couldn’t pass up so we wandered down the mall a bit and realized we were at Arizona Mills Outlet Mall which I have heard of in previous visits.
Unfortunately, we were now close to a casino so we had to check it out. Probably won’t go back there as it didn’t take too long to lose our decreased allowance.
We had a snack, watched TV & were too lazy to go to the pool when we got back. Lauri & Julie went to the casino this morning to play bingo but didn’t win anything.
Larry & Billy came over for a drink and then it was just us for dinner & watching TV (DWTS for me of course). It cooled down enough to turn off the AC and open windows – very nice.
Oct 12th – Tues – Mesa
I went to the gym, did some work on the computer and then went back to the gym for a class by a trainer on using the equipment properly. Just after 10, “the group” piled into our truck for an outing – first to Goldfield which is a reconstructed western/mining town touristy place and then to Tortilla Flat for lunch. After lunch we continued 7 miles on the road past Tortilla Flat to a lookout point and took a little walk to admire the views. The road turned to bumpy gravel for the last 1 ½ miles and we were all glad that we were going back the same way rather than continuing on for the rest of the 20 miles of gravel. We stopped at a bar & restaurant called Filly’s for a cold beer and arrived back just after 4.
When I opened our 5th wheel, the heat hit me like a hammer. Terry had closed up the windows and turned on the AC when I was gone this morning but he didn’t put on glasses and read the setting so we had only the fan running while we were away. It was 105 inside! Terry went outside to watch TV but it was still too hot for me so I went to the puzzle room for a while and picked up another book from the library. With everything in the rig being so hot, it took the AC a long time to cool the place down so it was good thing that I could make leftovers for Terry for dinner and a big fruit salad for me.
We made dinner for the group today so after the gym and posting the blog, we put a pork roast in the crock pot and then went to the produce market and a grocery store. I did some prep work, made lunch and then we hit the pool with everyone else.
We had time to set up tables and lights before our guests arrived for drinks & appetizers. We made bruschetta on the BBQ and Julie brought shrimp and homemade dipping sauce. Terry hung his fluorescent BBQ light under the sun shade so we were able to enjoy dinner outside in the cooler weather once the sun went down. The menu – pork roast with applesauce, Acorn squash, asparagus, cabbage/apple slaw, onion/poppy seed pull-apart bread and ginger cookie/whipped cream dessert. Is anyone hungry?!
Oct 11th – Mon – Mesa
After the gym, coffee & breakfast, Terry & I went to find a different K-Mart to see if they had another pair of clearance priced shorts for me as I love the ones I bought. We went all the way (9 miles?) to Tempe and then there was no store when Wanda said “arriving at Kmart on right”. Right across the street was a huge shopping center and we saw a JC Penney Outlet Store so we checked it out. Nothing there that we couldn’t pass up so we wandered down the mall a bit and realized we were at Arizona Mills Outlet Mall which I have heard of in previous visits.
Unfortunately, we were now close to a casino so we had to check it out. Probably won’t go back there as it didn’t take too long to lose our decreased allowance.
We had a snack, watched TV & were too lazy to go to the pool when we got back. Lauri & Julie went to the casino this morning to play bingo but didn’t win anything.
Larry & Billy came over for a drink and then it was just us for dinner & watching TV (DWTS for me of course). It cooled down enough to turn off the AC and open windows – very nice.
Oct 12th – Tues – Mesa
I went to the gym, did some work on the computer and then went back to the gym for a class by a trainer on using the equipment properly. Just after 10, “the group” piled into our truck for an outing – first to Goldfield which is a reconstructed western/mining town touristy place and then to Tortilla Flat for lunch. After lunch we continued 7 miles on the road past Tortilla Flat to a lookout point and took a little walk to admire the views. The road turned to bumpy gravel for the last 1 ½ miles and we were all glad that we were going back the same way rather than continuing on for the rest of the 20 miles of gravel. We stopped at a bar & restaurant called Filly’s for a cold beer and arrived back just after 4.
When I opened our 5th wheel, the heat hit me like a hammer. Terry had closed up the windows and turned on the AC when I was gone this morning but he didn’t put on glasses and read the setting so we had only the fan running while we were away. It was 105 inside! Terry went outside to watch TV but it was still too hot for me so I went to the puzzle room for a while and picked up another book from the library. With everything in the rig being so hot, it took the AC a long time to cool the place down so it was good thing that I could make leftovers for Terry for dinner and a big fruit salad for me.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Oct 6th to 9th - Mesa
Oct 6th – Wed – Mesa
I skipped the gym this morning and took a bike ride with Terry all around the park to check on storm damage. One park model lost the carport and the entire roof from the Arizona room, part of which went over their house and onto the house next door. Parts of other awnings, skirting and window shades were blown away or damaged by hail. A lot of tree branches came down, some on RVs and vehicles. It was sunny and still somewhat cool when we were riding so there were lots of people out cleaning up the mess. During the day today, tornadoes hit the Flagstaff area north of here and caused a lot of damage including 30 RVs at Camping World RV Sales that were pretty much demolished with parts of them tossed onto I40. As I said before, the intensity of these storms is very unusual for this area and we hope they are done for the year.
Terry cleaned a large part of the 5th wheel with some cleaner (Purple Slice) that he got from the guy who did Bill’s wheel skirts. It is a waterless cleaner and did a good job of removing bugs and leaves a very nice shine. I worked on the blog, sorted clothes for the laundry and made breakfast.
We both went to do the laundry and when we were done, Bill & Lauri and Larry & Julie were back from the pool. So instead of going to the pool, we had lunch and then went to return an item to a store and get a few groceries. We also dropped off some clothes at Goodwill as we had to make room for the new clothes.
We went to Bill & Lauri’s for Happy Hour(s) until the sun crept around their rig and then we moved to our patio as it was now in the shade and we could watch the evening news outside on TV. Then a quiet evening of TV & reading.
Oct 7th – Thurs – Mesa
Terry & I went for coffee & doughnuts at the courtyard this morning – yes, I did go to the gym first! The calendar said 8:30 and when we arrived at 8:25 we got the last of the coffee & a seat in the sun as everyone was already there. Seems like you get there earlier and at 8:30 the manager & activities director do little updates & reports.
It had to happen – Terry got restless so we headed to Casino Arizona. We weren’t there very long when we both remembered why we didn’t like it. There are very few 1 cent machines for smaller gamblers like us and none seem to pay out enough to keep you going for a while. We had some points on our cards from previous visits so we were able to have an inexpensive buffet lunch.
When we had lunch, we kind of forgot that we were going to a steak fry for dinner here at the park so when we went to the pool I did a lot of paddling - rather than floating – to work up an appetite. About 160 people had signed up so the ballroom was full of tables. There were huge barbeques outside. As each table number was called, you paid & got your plate, went outside by one door, picked up your steak, went back in by another door and past a huge table with all the other “fixins” – salad, cooked vegetable medley, baked potatoes, rolls, corn on the cob and brownies & cookies for dessert. There was a very good singer (Rick Jones) for entertainment and we even danced a bit in small areas not covered with tables.
Oct 8th – Fri – Mesa
Terry cleaned more of the 5th wheel this morning. We went for a drive and then to Camping World for a couple of items. After lunch, we joined everyone at the pool – except for Julie as she was cooking. Turns out she was making stuffed peppers and had us and Bill & Lauri over for dinner. Their motor home faces the opposite way from us so they get shade all day except late in the afternoon. So I got our large tablecloth and some clothespins to block the sun for about 45 minutes until it went behind buildings.
Oct 9th – Sat – Mesa
We picked up Larry & Julie and Lauri to go to the flea market this morning. Bill was at a completion shoot. First we all went and had breakfast, then Julie had a pair of shoes to exchange and then we all wandered the aisles and each bought something of course. Larry & Julie got an ice maker as none of the Target stores here have any in stock.
After we dropped everyone off and hung up our new wall art, we went to Trader Joe’s for some bruschetta mix and then found a Big Lots that finally had the Anna’s cookies that we have been looking for. We had a snack when we got back and then just kicked back and watched TV.
The weather has cooled off a lot so once our patio was shaded by the neighbor’s house, we sat outside to boil ribs, watch TV and eat dinner.
I skipped the gym this morning and took a bike ride with Terry all around the park to check on storm damage. One park model lost the carport and the entire roof from the Arizona room, part of which went over their house and onto the house next door. Parts of other awnings, skirting and window shades were blown away or damaged by hail. A lot of tree branches came down, some on RVs and vehicles. It was sunny and still somewhat cool when we were riding so there were lots of people out cleaning up the mess. During the day today, tornadoes hit the Flagstaff area north of here and caused a lot of damage including 30 RVs at Camping World RV Sales that were pretty much demolished with parts of them tossed onto I40. As I said before, the intensity of these storms is very unusual for this area and we hope they are done for the year.
Terry cleaned a large part of the 5th wheel with some cleaner (Purple Slice) that he got from the guy who did Bill’s wheel skirts. It is a waterless cleaner and did a good job of removing bugs and leaves a very nice shine. I worked on the blog, sorted clothes for the laundry and made breakfast.
We both went to do the laundry and when we were done, Bill & Lauri and Larry & Julie were back from the pool. So instead of going to the pool, we had lunch and then went to return an item to a store and get a few groceries. We also dropped off some clothes at Goodwill as we had to make room for the new clothes.
We went to Bill & Lauri’s for Happy Hour(s) until the sun crept around their rig and then we moved to our patio as it was now in the shade and we could watch the evening news outside on TV. Then a quiet evening of TV & reading.
Oct 7th – Thurs – Mesa
Terry & I went for coffee & doughnuts at the courtyard this morning – yes, I did go to the gym first! The calendar said 8:30 and when we arrived at 8:25 we got the last of the coffee & a seat in the sun as everyone was already there. Seems like you get there earlier and at 8:30 the manager & activities director do little updates & reports.
It had to happen – Terry got restless so we headed to Casino Arizona. We weren’t there very long when we both remembered why we didn’t like it. There are very few 1 cent machines for smaller gamblers like us and none seem to pay out enough to keep you going for a while. We had some points on our cards from previous visits so we were able to have an inexpensive buffet lunch.
When we had lunch, we kind of forgot that we were going to a steak fry for dinner here at the park so when we went to the pool I did a lot of paddling - rather than floating – to work up an appetite. About 160 people had signed up so the ballroom was full of tables. There were huge barbeques outside. As each table number was called, you paid & got your plate, went outside by one door, picked up your steak, went back in by another door and past a huge table with all the other “fixins” – salad, cooked vegetable medley, baked potatoes, rolls, corn on the cob and brownies & cookies for dessert. There was a very good singer (Rick Jones) for entertainment and we even danced a bit in small areas not covered with tables.
Oct 8th – Fri – Mesa
Terry cleaned more of the 5th wheel this morning. We went for a drive and then to Camping World for a couple of items. After lunch, we joined everyone at the pool – except for Julie as she was cooking. Turns out she was making stuffed peppers and had us and Bill & Lauri over for dinner. Their motor home faces the opposite way from us so they get shade all day except late in the afternoon. So I got our large tablecloth and some clothespins to block the sun for about 45 minutes until it went behind buildings.
Oct 9th – Sat – Mesa
We picked up Larry & Julie and Lauri to go to the flea market this morning. Bill was at a completion shoot. First we all went and had breakfast, then Julie had a pair of shoes to exchange and then we all wandered the aisles and each bought something of course. Larry & Julie got an ice maker as none of the Target stores here have any in stock.
After we dropped everyone off and hung up our new wall art, we went to Trader Joe’s for some bruschetta mix and then found a Big Lots that finally had the Anna’s cookies that we have been looking for. We had a snack when we got back and then just kicked back and watched TV.
The weather has cooled off a lot so once our patio was shaded by the neighbor’s house, we sat outside to boil ribs, watch TV and eat dinner.
Wednesday, October 06, 2010
Oct 3rd to 5th - Mesa
Oct 3rd – Sun – Mesa
When I returned from the gym, I set up the chairs as all the clouds & winds were gone. But the dust & rain made a mess of the truck so after coffee(s) and breakfast, Terry got ambitious and cleaned it up. I felt guilty just working on the computer so I vacuumed and did other small cleaning projects.
When we were done, we headed to the pool to cool off where we were joined by Bill & Lauri and Larry & Julie. People have been arriving at the park for the winter so other people were there for a change. About 3:30, Terry & I were preparing to leave and have a late lunch/early dinner when Bill asked if we wanted to go to the Organ Stop Pizza. We came back & checked the restaurant hours on the computer and decided we’d pick everyone up at 5:15. The Wurlitzer performance & pizza was excellent again.
I had sliced up our remaining strawberries so we all had strawberry shortcake afterwards.
Oct 4th – Mon - Mesa
We had a couple of errands this morning and then stopped at K-Mart to look at some clearance clothes on racks outside. We had been there a few days before but it was well over 100 degrees so looking at clothes outside was not an option. Today, all the clearance items were marked down to $1.99. I got 5 polo shirts & 2 pairs of shorts, Terry got 2 shirts, a pair of shorts and swim shorts – all for $23.87!! Now we have to get rid of some items to make room. We also checked a couple of Target stores to see if they had an ice maker for Julie (no luck).
We took advantage of our coupon book for a late lunch and came back in time to watch it rain again. Lauri invited us all over for dinner so we went there about 6 and sat outside for a drink. They decided we would eat outside and had just set the tables when it started to rain. So a quick change of plans and a move inside for dinner.
Later I walked to the library to borrow a book. It seems smart to use the library books here and save mine for later. I got sidetracked and worked on a fairly easy jigsaw puzzle for a short time. Will have to get back to it later.
Oct 5th – Tues – Mesa
I had a nice long chat with sister Marg this morning and Terry went to the office to get tickets for a steak fry on Thursday. Terry was playing games on the computer when Bill came over to say that a couple was making tire shades for his motor home and said we might want to watch the process. It was interesting. They set up a table & sewing machine behind their van and then the guy measured, cut and installed snaps and the woman sewed the shades. I worked on Lauri’s computer to fix some of the havoc caused by her grandson.
We joined Bill & Lauri on a trip to Costco and had hot dogs for lunch. We stopped at K-Mart so Bill & Lauri could check out the $1.99 items. Terry found 4 more t-shirts, Bill got some shorts and they had both checked out. Then Lauri found a couple of items and I picked up some eye drops for Terry so Bill & I were standing in the checkout line again when the lights went out & right back on. We looked outside and there was a huge storm in progress – high wind, rain, hail & lightning. At some points you could not see across the parking lot. Of course, the computers went down with the power drop and just as they were coming back up, the power went off & on again so back to square one. It didn’t really matter that we were waiting in line as we didn’t want to walk to the car anyhow.
Bill tried to avoid the deepest puddles on the way back and the roads in the park looked bad but the water was not deep.
We dumped water out of chairs, straightened the mat and picked up garbage cans & bicycles. It was still early so we went to the puzzle room and worked on the puzzle that I discovered last night. Then it was time for a drink & dinner.
About 9 another storm hit – wind, rain, hail & constant lightning & thunder. There was a lot of coverage of the storms on the news with people saying they had lived here for up to 40 years and had not seen such bad storms.
When I returned from the gym, I set up the chairs as all the clouds & winds were gone. But the dust & rain made a mess of the truck so after coffee(s) and breakfast, Terry got ambitious and cleaned it up. I felt guilty just working on the computer so I vacuumed and did other small cleaning projects.
When we were done, we headed to the pool to cool off where we were joined by Bill & Lauri and Larry & Julie. People have been arriving at the park for the winter so other people were there for a change. About 3:30, Terry & I were preparing to leave and have a late lunch/early dinner when Bill asked if we wanted to go to the Organ Stop Pizza. We came back & checked the restaurant hours on the computer and decided we’d pick everyone up at 5:15. The Wurlitzer performance & pizza was excellent again.
I had sliced up our remaining strawberries so we all had strawberry shortcake afterwards.
Oct 4th – Mon - Mesa
We had a couple of errands this morning and then stopped at K-Mart to look at some clearance clothes on racks outside. We had been there a few days before but it was well over 100 degrees so looking at clothes outside was not an option. Today, all the clearance items were marked down to $1.99. I got 5 polo shirts & 2 pairs of shorts, Terry got 2 shirts, a pair of shorts and swim shorts – all for $23.87!! Now we have to get rid of some items to make room. We also checked a couple of Target stores to see if they had an ice maker for Julie (no luck).
We took advantage of our coupon book for a late lunch and came back in time to watch it rain again. Lauri invited us all over for dinner so we went there about 6 and sat outside for a drink. They decided we would eat outside and had just set the tables when it started to rain. So a quick change of plans and a move inside for dinner.
Later I walked to the library to borrow a book. It seems smart to use the library books here and save mine for later. I got sidetracked and worked on a fairly easy jigsaw puzzle for a short time. Will have to get back to it later.
Oct 5th – Tues – Mesa
I had a nice long chat with sister Marg this morning and Terry went to the office to get tickets for a steak fry on Thursday. Terry was playing games on the computer when Bill came over to say that a couple was making tire shades for his motor home and said we might want to watch the process. It was interesting. They set up a table & sewing machine behind their van and then the guy measured, cut and installed snaps and the woman sewed the shades. I worked on Lauri’s computer to fix some of the havoc caused by her grandson.
We joined Bill & Lauri on a trip to Costco and had hot dogs for lunch. We stopped at K-Mart so Bill & Lauri could check out the $1.99 items. Terry found 4 more t-shirts, Bill got some shorts and they had both checked out. Then Lauri found a couple of items and I picked up some eye drops for Terry so Bill & I were standing in the checkout line again when the lights went out & right back on. We looked outside and there was a huge storm in progress – high wind, rain, hail & lightning. At some points you could not see across the parking lot. Of course, the computers went down with the power drop and just as they were coming back up, the power went off & on again so back to square one. It didn’t really matter that we were waiting in line as we didn’t want to walk to the car anyhow.
Bill tried to avoid the deepest puddles on the way back and the roads in the park looked bad but the water was not deep.
We dumped water out of chairs, straightened the mat and picked up garbage cans & bicycles. It was still early so we went to the puzzle room and worked on the puzzle that I discovered last night. Then it was time for a drink & dinner.
About 9 another storm hit – wind, rain, hail & constant lightning & thunder. There was a lot of coverage of the storms on the news with people saying they had lived here for up to 40 years and had not seen such bad storms.
Sunday, October 03, 2010
Sept 30th to Oct 2nd - Mesa
Sept 30th – Thurs – Mesa
After the gym and breakfast, we loaded our group of 6 in the truck this morning and went to the Fort McDowell casino to play bingo. We had enough time before bingo started at 12:30 to lose some money on the slots! 5 of us played bingo and no one won anything!! We used the totally automated bingo machines which are a little boring. People read & knit to pass the time. After bingo, we played slots a bit more and then lined up for the prime rib buffet special. The food was not exceptional but good enough that we all ate too much.
Oct 1st – Fri – Mesa
Gym, coffee and then we set up and scanned in more photos from our albums. We were working on the first album and the pictures were stuck pretty well which made Terry’s job of removing them take longer – but he could still keep up with me renaming & moving them.
We finished the album and went out for a late lunch. We stopped at the fruit & vegetable market – cantaloupe 3 for $1, strawberries 3# for $1 - then cooled off in the pool of course. Terry played Hand & Foot Canasta at 7. The rules are very different from the ones we learned from Pat & Rick. When he returned just before 9, we had large strawberry shortcakes for dinner.
Oct 2nd – Sat – Mesa
We went fairly early for our first trip to the Flea Market as it is supposed to reach 106 again today. We had breakfast there and walked up & down every row which ends up being about 2 miles as I think each of the 4 rows is ¼ of a mile long. We bought a few items and got back about lunch time.
Billy stopped by to say they were heading to the pool and we joined them after the Ryder Cup (golf) finished for the day about 3:00. One of our purchases at the Flea Market was wireless headphones for hard of hearing husbands – Bill, Larry & Tom - to use when watching TV so the sound does not blast out the wives. Well, we couldn’t figure out how to get them to work except by using the headphone plug which turns off the regular sound. The vendor where we bought them had not used them but I think we will have to take them back and see if he can help us figure it out since his booth is computers & a few TVs.
Just before I was ready to cook dinner, a dust storm moved in. Terry was outside and folded up the chairs and removed the top of the sun shelter so the wind would not blow it away. Bill & Lauri were over at Larry & Julie’s helping them do the same thing. There was quite a bit of sheet lightning and a downpour about 9:30.
After the gym and breakfast, we loaded our group of 6 in the truck this morning and went to the Fort McDowell casino to play bingo. We had enough time before bingo started at 12:30 to lose some money on the slots! 5 of us played bingo and no one won anything!! We used the totally automated bingo machines which are a little boring. People read & knit to pass the time. After bingo, we played slots a bit more and then lined up for the prime rib buffet special. The food was not exceptional but good enough that we all ate too much.
Oct 1st – Fri – Mesa
Gym, coffee and then we set up and scanned in more photos from our albums. We were working on the first album and the pictures were stuck pretty well which made Terry’s job of removing them take longer – but he could still keep up with me renaming & moving them.
We finished the album and went out for a late lunch. We stopped at the fruit & vegetable market – cantaloupe 3 for $1, strawberries 3# for $1 - then cooled off in the pool of course. Terry played Hand & Foot Canasta at 7. The rules are very different from the ones we learned from Pat & Rick. When he returned just before 9, we had large strawberry shortcakes for dinner.
Oct 2nd – Sat – Mesa
We went fairly early for our first trip to the Flea Market as it is supposed to reach 106 again today. We had breakfast there and walked up & down every row which ends up being about 2 miles as I think each of the 4 rows is ¼ of a mile long. We bought a few items and got back about lunch time.
Billy stopped by to say they were heading to the pool and we joined them after the Ryder Cup (golf) finished for the day about 3:00. One of our purchases at the Flea Market was wireless headphones for hard of hearing husbands – Bill, Larry & Tom - to use when watching TV so the sound does not blast out the wives. Well, we couldn’t figure out how to get them to work except by using the headphone plug which turns off the regular sound. The vendor where we bought them had not used them but I think we will have to take them back and see if he can help us figure it out since his booth is computers & a few TVs.
Just before I was ready to cook dinner, a dust storm moved in. Terry was outside and folded up the chairs and removed the top of the sun shelter so the wind would not blow it away. Bill & Lauri were over at Larry & Julie’s helping them do the same thing. There was quite a bit of sheet lightning and a downpour about 9:30.
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