Dec 12th to 15th - Mesa

Dec 12th – Sun – Mesa
I figured that a trip to the gym called for cinnamon rolls for breakfast. Since I was into baking, I mixed up a couple of batches of shortbread cookies and put them in the fridge to bake later.
At 1 we picked up Dennis & Gloria and went to Filly’s in Apache Junction which is a cowboy bar in the most literal sense. People ride up on their horses, hitch them to a rail behind the outdoors bar and hit the dance floor in chaps & spurs. The very enjoyable band has a shelter next to the dance floor and play from 1 to 4 on the weekends. Three couples who camped with Bill & Lauri were also there so we made up a long table. Nearly everyone had a late lunch with pitchers of beer.
Dennis & Gloria came over to watch the last episode of The Amazing Race and to have another brownie sundae. I finished up the evening with a long phone call to sister Marg.

Dec 13th – Mon – Mesa
Shopping, bocce ball, dinner prep, dinner-E&D, D&G, G&S, Harvey
Gloria & I went shopping all morning for something “glitzy” to wear to our New Year’s Eve party. We were only looking for tops and had a heck of a time finding anything suitable – and affordable considering it is something worn only a few times. We both did end up with a purchase.
Terry & Dennis played bocce ball and then Terry noticed a short grocery list and went shopping for me. I made a late lunch and then did dinner prep and relaxed outside in front of the TV.
We had Ernie & Dianne, Dennis & Gloria, Garry & Stephane and Harvey – new acquaintance - over for dinner. Stephane had invited Harvey over for dinner at their place just before I asked them here so we told her to bring him along. We sat outside for drinks & a veggie tray and then moved inside for dinner. After dinner, the guys moved back outside and the ladies did dishes, chatted & laughed a lot. Garry is a smoker so he loves it when the group is outside.

Dec 14th – Tues – Mesa
I made it to the gym this morning but cut it short as there was a physical trainer showing a group how to use the equipment – and I was lazy! Stephane stopped by for some information, I made breakfast and then we rode to Ernie & Dianne’s so he & Terry could work on the brakes on my bike. They were at the gym so we rode around the park until they finished.
We took our ladder bike rack (that we needed to get our bikes from Missoula to Spokane) to Larry & Julie’s and attached it to the ladder on their motor home as Julie bought a trike here and really wanted to be able to take it home with her. It did work but it was a hot, sweaty job for Terry as they are backed up close to a retaining wall and he had to maneuver the trike around a sewer hose & an electric box just to get it to the back of the motor home and then wrestle it sideways to get it up on the rack. Larry & I did what we could to help but there wasn’t much room.
After Terry cleaned up, we went to listen to music & singing at a music jam and then took Ernie & Dianne to WalMart so we could use the truck to bring home bikes that they were buying. We got back in time to listen to the last half hour of Music in the Courtyard.
At 7 we went to line dance lessons. Afterwards, we were supposed to join a group playing cards but no one was in the card rooms. We went to check with Ernie & Dianne and ended up playing Arizona Rummy with them until 11:15.

Dec 15th – Wed – Mesa
We started out with bocce ball this morning. We looked at a newspaper when we were doing laundry and found a BOGO coupon for a restaurant so we went out for a late lunch and then to a grocery store. As we were driving back to our rig, Dennis & Gloria motioned to us to come back to their place for happy hour so we put away groceries and joined them and Gary & Dianne.
Since we had a large lunch, we didn’t need dinner before going to play Bunko at 6:30. Neither of us won this time.