Mar 15th to 17th - Mesa

Mar 15th – Thurs
Terry left early to play golf with Ron. I played 9 holes with Sandy, Susie & Terri. The pace was really slow so the game was not as much fun as it could have been. Later we found out that the guys had a similar problem. The slow games were more frustrating because Gloria was trying to save us seats at the grand opening of the Rancho’s pool & courtyard.
I stopped to order chicken strips for Terry & I to take out for lunch. Terri came back and said the Rancho’s pool area was a madhouse so we joined Ron & Terri and ate at the grill before checking out the grand opening. It turned out that the park was providing hot dog & chips along with wine, beer & lemonade. If you weren’t lucky enough to be under an umbrella, it was VERY hot so we only stayed for about an hour to chat & listen to Curtis sing.
When we got back to our site, Don & Joanne (friends of my cousin Pat) had arrived and started to set up. Very shortly, Pat & Rick arrived also – both couples are staying for 5 days and we got them sites across the street from us.
We all put on swimsuits and headed for the pool to cool off. We dried off in the sun for a while and then moved to the courtyard to listen to music. Van Arlen was supposed to play from 3 to 5 but it was his last performance so he kept playing until 5:30.
We all changed and got into our truck to go to Fat Willy’s for dinner. The service there was a little slow and when we got back we were surprised to see some visitors sitting around a couple of buddy burners at our site. Terry had told some people to come over without thinking about us going out for dinner so they just went ahead without us!

Mar 16th – Fri
We went out for breakfast with Pat & Rick. We went all the way down Main to Micky D’s where for the first time I was a little disappointed in my meal. We stopped at a couple of stores on the way home.
Then it was time for all of us to take a bike ride to show Don & Joanne around the park. We stopped at the bocce courts and played a game to 10 points which the guys won. We each did our own thing for lunch. Don & Joanne and Rick & Pat headed for the pool to enjoy the sunshine while Terry & I joined Larry & Julie in the courtyard to listen to music.
Ron & Terri joined us for a drink before dinner. Pat & Joanne made dinner which we ate outside in perfect weather. Just as we finished eating, Dennis & Gloria came over to visit for a while.

Mar 17th – HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY
We had a lazy morning before going to Mike & Susie’s to watch the St. Patrick’s parade go right past their place. It was a surprisingly large parade with the requisite clowns (kitchen band), marchers (Drillettes), “horses” (medieval group with jousting) and lots of candy thrown to the people watching.
After the parade, the guys (Terry, Rick & Don) went to do “manly” shopping while Pat, Joanne & I walked first to an amazing fabric store and then to a grocery store. Yes, we had a vehicle available but the stores were close by, we all like to walk and it was a gorgeous day.
When we returned, we got books to exchange at the library and decided to have lunch at the grill until we saw that the regular grill was closed due to a hamburger fry after the parade. We exchanged books and came back for a snacky lunch. Terry had called my phone so I called back and found that they were having hamburgers at the grill! I thought we needed to buy advance tickets but they just walked up & bought tickets.
Terry helped some neighbors (Leonard & Mary and Jack & Judy) make buddy burners. I had put a pork roast in the crock pot for a shared dinner with Rick & Pat and Don & Joanne. I baked sweet potatoes and Pat made a salad for a super easy dinner which this time we ate inside as a promised storm is moving in. I introduced them to the “magic” 3-2-1 cake and we had an early evening.