Oct 28th to 30th - Mesa

Oct 28^th – Sun – Mesa

Yep, time to do laundry again.  We have been driving to the laundry room with the clothes, walk back while they wash, walk up to put them in the driers, come back one more time and then walk back to hang, fold & put everything back in the truck.  I used to stay and read while the clothes were in the washers & driers but at least we get a little bit of exercise this way.  After the laundry was all done, I made breakfast for lunch.

We took tables & chairs down the street a couple of sites to Moe & Trish’s as they are having people over for dinner.  We were sitting outside watching golf on TV when Dennis & Gloria stopped to visit.  Then it was time to join Dennis & Gloria, Bob & Darlene, Ron & Terri, Bev and Joe & Stella for dinner at Moe & Trish’s.  We had a wonderful evening.

Oct 29^th – Mon

We were just leaving for breakfast and a bit of shopping when Jerry & Becky came by with Becky’s cape for Halloween.  I had told her that I would try to modify it to add a hood so we decided to get it done and eat later.  It’s a good thing that I have a heavy jacket with a hood that I could use as a model!

We got back from a late breakfast and picking up a few items at WalMart when Terri came to the door with her dress for Halloween that needed a couple of seams fixed.  I knew she would be over so had left out the sewing machine.  Then I worked on altering a pair of shorts for Terry – next time I won’t let him buy shorts that don’t fit right, I don’t care how good the price might be! – and finished up by shortening a T-shirt for me.

While I was sewing, I made a batch of seasoned pretzels.  Ann stopped by for a while which gave me a break.  Then I finished up deviled eggs for this afternoon.

Just after 4 we loaded up our booze bag, a cooler of ice, pretzels, eggs & a wash cloth and went to the bocce courts for another get-together.   The wash cloth was to clean the tables and the large serving bar.  29 of us brought drinks and “heavy appies”, had dinner and played bocce ball.  The courts are lighted so it was nice to wait until the sun went down and it cooled off.  Some people had never played bocce ball before so Dennis & Gloria – and anyone else who thought they knew what they were doing - helped with instructions.

We left earlier than some others and went to Dennis & Gloria’s to watch DWTS which they were recording.  By speeding through the commercials we were able to finish watching it just after it finished “live” at 9.

Oct 30^th – Tues

I went golfing at Royal Palms this morning with Terri, Darlene & Susie.  It is a short, 9 hole course that we walk so I took everyone in the truck since others’ vehicles will hold 4 people & clubs but not pull carts as well.  When I got back, we went to the post office to check for the November calendar but somehow our mailbox was missed.  We checked with the activity center and they said all the calendars were at the post office so back to the post office where Sandy “borrowed” a calendar from another slot as she had returned unused calendars to the office!

We were then heading to Julie’s when we saw Ron & Ria who just got here on Saturday.  We came back to our place and had coffee while catching up.  They were actually coming to tell us about a dance lesson at 1:30.  We went to the courtyard and had lunch at the grill – chicken taco salads.

The dance lesson was for a line dance to the Red Solo Cup song that the band will play at the Halloween dance tomorrow.  The song has a fast beat so we did the dance to slower songs after the first disastrous try with Red Solo Cup.  Then we found out that the instructors couldn’t get tickets to our dance and will not be there to lead us!

After the dance lesson, we went right to the courtyard to listen to music.  I had kind of wound down so I left at 4:45 after having one drink.  I took aspirin for the beginning of a headache, worked on the blog & email and generally enjoyed some quiet time before Terry got back close to 6.  We finished up some Chinese pork and I made fried rice for the rest of our dinner.  Terri came over as we were finishing the rice and asked if Terry could think of someone to play golf with the guys on Thursday as Mike & Susie bought a new house in the Rancho’s area of the park and Mike is kind of busy.  After we finished watching DWTS, we went to ask Bruce to play golf and ended up visiting with him & Ann for well over an hour.

Oct 25th to 27th - Mesa

Oct 25^th – Thurs – Mesa

I talked to sister Marg briefly this morning and found out that my younger brother (youngest of us 4 siblings) is now a grandfather.  Our morning exercise was walking to get 3 gallons of water!  We went to look for some type of Halloween costume and decided that we needed to get some breakfast first so we stopped at The 5’n Diner where it took so long to get our food that we called it an early lunch.  We settled on a couple of T-shirts for the Halloween dance.

At 3 we went to the courtyard to listen to Midnight Moon and danced quite a bit.  It is harder work than usual with rubber soles on pavers.  Afterwards we went to Moe & Trish’s for a drink and were joined by Joe & Stella and Bev.  We ended up teaching Trish, Stella & Bev the Electric Slide which is the most common line dance.  Terry had to BBQ in the dark for dinner.

Oct 26^th – Fri

We had a very lazy morning – reading, computer games, vacuuming, a visit to the library – and I made a nice late breakfast - or an early lunch if you want to count pineapple as breakfast!  We went hunting for white balsamic vinegar which I have not found at our regular stores and finally found some.

Just after 3, Terri asked if we wanted to join them at Appleby’s for happy hour – ½ off some appetizers & drinks.  Bob & Darlene where also going so we drove.  When we got back we went to see Bruce & Ann to determine if they wanted to drive together for golf tomorrow.  Moe & Trish came by our place with a drink so we sat out with them for a bit and then all went to a “coffeehouse” entertainment here at the park.  Dennis & Gloria, Bev, Ron & Terri and Bob & Darlene also went.  Pender & Donna who we met here last year just arrived and were at the table beside us.  Tommy G. sang songs from the 60’s & 70’s, coffee & “fixins” (Kahlua, Baileys, whipped cream, flavored creamers) and desserts were provided.  The songs were pretty laid back so Terry left after an hour at a break and I followed about ½ hour later.  A lot of people were leaving early so it wasn’t one of the most successful activities.

Neil & Robin dropped by after Neil won the weekly poker game and we had a nice visit.

Oct 27^th – Sat

4 couples went golfing this morning – us, Ron & Terri, Bruce & Ann and Bob & Darlene – at Desert Sands GC which is an executive course with only one par 5 – I think par is 62.  The men teed off at 7:40 and the women followed right behind.  It was breezy and not too hot and the course was in nice shape.  We went to a sports bar afterwards for beer & sandwiches and were able to sit in the outside patio – very nice. 

We chatted with Moe & Trish when we got back and then went to the pool to cool off.  We came back early enough to BBQ the steaks that we put back in the fridge yesterday when we went to Appleby’s.  We were in bed early watching TV.

Oct 21st to 24th - Mesa

Oct 21^st – Sun – Mesa

It was a perfect morning to sit outside with coffee and a book.  The wind did pick up enough during the day to wad up unsecured patio mats but it was still plenty warm.  After breakfast we went for a bike ride to see if Chris & Iris had arrived as expected but we didn’t see them in their spot from last year.  We chatted a bit with Larry & Norma, Bill & Lauri’s car was gone and no one out & about at Neal & Judi’s.  We stopped at Larry & Julie’s so I could give their dog Bandit the treat in my pocket.  We ended up looking at a couple of kitchen drawers that weren’t sliding properly and putting glue & clamps on some split wood.  Terry tried to set Larry’s TV so he could get local channels as well as satellite but decided he probably needed a small antenna.  We went to Dennis & Gloria’s to see their new countertops and to check what time we should go there for dinner.

We went to the airport to pick up Phyllis who was coming in from Minnesota.  By the time her luggage showed up and we made sure everything was OK in her park model, it was 1:40.  Terry was supposed to go to Total Wine with Moe so we gave them 30 minutes to get ready and we went back to Larry & Julie’s to finish fixing the drawers and to hook up the antenna that Larry bought.  Terry still could only get a few channels so will go back tomorrow to figure out what is going on.

Trish felt worn out after showering so she & I didn’t go with the guys to Total Wine.  They returned in record time with boxes of booze and then we all went to Dennis & Gloria’s for dinner.  Just as we finished eating a lovely dinner, we heard fireworks and went outside to watch a nice display.  Bruce & Ann came home as we were outside and joined us to watch the fireworks and to chat for a while afterwards.  We didn’t know where the fireworks were being set off.

Oct 22^nd – Mon

Apparently the fireworks last night were at a taco festival at Tempe Town Lake.  Terry was engrossed in his computer game so I rode my bike to the hair salon to make an appointment for a haircut and then enjoyed my book.  Terry spent time with Moe & Joe trying to figure out why Moe’s slides & jacks won’t work.  

Terry thinks we need a small fridge for pop, water & beer as the fan in our plug-in cooler is kind of noisy.  I am resisting the idea so he finally moved the cooler outside, I found the converter plug and he hooked it up.  I was happy to clean up the cooler and the cupboard where it had been.  Ron & Terri got a nice little fridge that does not have the useless little freezer.  They will use it here for 6 months and then store it at someone’s park model for the summer.

We went to the pool later in the afternoon and then went for a nice dinner at Bruce & Mary’s along with Jamie & Lorraine and Bev.  We sat outside to watch DWTS – later than usual because of the presidential debate – and were joined by Bob & Darlene.

Oct 23^rd – Tues

I had a lovely morning while Terry played golf – got a haircut, went for a bike ride, checked out the bocce courts with Dennis & Gloria, worked on the blog & emails and finished reading a book.  The flowers that I helped plant are looking very nice.  I just hope that the resident rabbits don’t eat the flowers that are in the ground rather than in pots.  Terry was later than usual getting back from golf so I assumed correctly that they were eating lunch and went ahead and made lunch for myself.

We went to listen to music in the courtyard at 3.  Terry put on his swim suit but I didn’t feel like swimming.  The band was North Star which is a favorite so there were a lot of people trying to find a shady spot to sit.  Some clouds moved in so a group of us eventually ended up on a comfy seating area by the pool where you could still hear the music.

A large group went to the Organ Stop Pizza for dinner.  There were us, Joe & Stella, Moe & Trish, Ron & Terri, Bev, Jamie & Lorraine, Bruce & Mary and two other couples who travelled earlier with Ron & Terri. Several people had not been there before and it is great to watch their reaction to the pipe organ and the music.  And the pizza is good as well.

Joe & Stella and Moe & Trish were riding with us and we stopped at Larry & Julie’s on the way back as they had some people over for dinner and told us to stop by.  We met Jim & Carolyn who are Larry & Julie’s neighbors but they are only here for short periods of time and rent out their park model the rest of the time.

Oct 24^th – Wed

I made cinnamon rolls for breakfast and took some to Joe & Stella.  We went for a bike ride and stopped to say good morning to Julie and gave Bandit his treat.  Neil had taken Larry to the VA hospital to see if he could get new hearing aids.

We took Moe & Trish to Costco to get a small fridge to use for beverages while they are here.  They took advantage of the truck to get a table and a couple of folding chairs as well and we got a few items.  Terry & Moe had set up the fridge when Dennis & Gloria stopped by to check it out.  Terry had picked up a package of baby backs so we decided to have Moe & Trish and Dennis & Gloria over for a late lunch/early dinner.  We had a bit of time while the ribs were boiling so Trish went to pick up a phone and Terry went to get some flowers for Phyllis as we had her birthday marked on the calendar.  We took the flowers over and found out that her birthday is not until next month!

We were finished eating when Bev stopped by and then Larry & Julie.  At 5:45 Dennis & Gloria and we had to leave to play miniature golf in a park function.   4 person teams played the 18 hole course and prizes were given out for lowest team score, lowest individual score and highest score.  Dennis & I both got a hole-in-one but some lady got 3 hole-in-ones in a row!  We sat out for a nightcap when we got back and Joe & Stella joined us for a while.

Oct 18th to 20th - Mesa

Oct 18^th – Thurs – Mesa

Terry left early again to golf with Ron, Bob & Mike.  I went to the coffee & doughnuts meeting and sat with Dennis & Gloria.  They said that they talked about asking us if we wanted to go to the Chinese buffet yesterday!

I had time to get home, mix up a spice rub and put a roast in the crock pot before Robin stopped by and asked if I would help plant flowers again.  I changed back into my dirty shorts and ended up working for only an hour as they ran out of topsoil again.  I made myself some breakfast and then shortened some T-shirts which I was still working on when Terry got home at noon.  I heated up some chicken and sliced a tomato for his lunch.

We went with Ron & Terri to look for Halloween costumes.  We started at Good Life RV park which is a Cal-Am park (same as our park) and has 2 park models filled with costumes – one for men and one for women.  We didn’t find anything that would be light enough for the weather.  Then we went to a costume shop – no luck – and then to Goodwill where Terri got a dress and a hat with attached hair for a witch costume.  As we were driving back into the park, Dennis called and asked if Terry could help him attach a sheet of paneling in his bathroom.  Dennis has had knee surgery and cannot kneel to do such jobs.  We walked over, got it done and had a glass of lemonade with them.

We saw Moe & Trish’s motor home when we got back but their car was gone and they hadn’t set up.  We found out a bit later that Trish had a pain in her side and they had gone to an emergency ward.  We went to the pool for a while and listened to music in the courtyard.

Dennis & Gloria came over for dinner.  We were still having a drink and an appy when Bev joined us so we invited her for dinner as well.  It was dark when we ate so we pulled the table closer to the bucket light.  When we finished, Joe & Stella, Ron & Terri and Dave came over to enjoy a drink and the buddy burner.  Moe finally arrived and said Trish was waiting to have her appendix removed.

Oct 19^th – Fri

It was time to do laundry again today so we got it done in the morning.  We wanted to check out a store that Stella told us about so we stopped at the Good Egg restaurant for a late breakfast on the way to Dillards Outlet.  We did not find anything that we wanted so we carried on and stopped at Big Lots & KMart for a few items.

We read and relaxed before changing to go to an afternoon dance –  a Watering Hole – from 4 to 6.  We joined 2 tables full of friends and enjoyed country music by the band Reign N Country.  We danced to most of the songs including some line dances.  I made pulled pork sandwiches with leftovers from yesterday which we were just finished eating when Larry & Julie came over with their dinner – cheese, salami & crackers.  Bev joined us and then Ron & Terri and Joe & Stella.  Finally, about 9, here come Moe & Trish!!  We could not believe that she was out of the hospital and willing to visit with all of us for a while.  Ron got Duane & Sue on the phone and we all got to say hi.  They will hopefully be here in January.

Oct 20^th – Sat

We got up early to play golf at Sunland Village Springs with Marv & Diane Thompson from Alaska.  Marv is Terry’s fishing buddy from Washington who moved to Seward and became a fishing charter guide.  They have a condo in Scottsdale where they come for the winter.  Diane is a Physician’s Assistant and returns to Alaska every 2 or 4 weeks to work on the North Slope.

The golf course that we played is a short course with 27 holes (3 nine hole courses) so you can play different combinations each time.

We went to Fat Willy’s for lunch – and a large mug of beer!  When we came back to the park we drove around to give Marv & Diane a tour and then walked thru the main building and courtyard area with them.  They wanted to see the inside of a park model so we walked past Dennis & Gloria’s but they weren’t home.

We were contemplating going to the pool when Moe came over and asked us to join them and Dennis & Gloria for happy hour.  After a while, Joe & Stella also came over.  Trish is doing OK but probably trying to do too much.  We had snacks with our drinks so settled for bacon & tomato sandwiches for dinner.

Oct 14th to 17th - Mesa

Oct 14^th – Sun – Mesa

After posting the blog, I made breakfast at breakfast time for a change!  Bev had a low tire on their truck and tried to inflate it with a small pump which didn’t work too well so Terry got to use his new compressor again.  We walked to the library to exchange a book and I worked on a jigsaw puzzle for a short time while Terry checked the mail box.

Ron & Terri surprised us by arriving today around noon rather than tomorrow.  They left Albuquerque at 3:50 am so they wouldn’t get locked in by road closures for the Balloon Fiesta which they had attended for 4 days.

I didn’t have anything easy in the fridge for lunch so we went to Burger King.  Dennis & Gloria came over to say hi to Ron & Terri and we all sat around catching up for a while.  Then it was time for a cooling swim.  There was a large group at the pool today.  I left early as I had been blowing my nose all day and felt like I might be coming down with a cold.  When Terry got back, I had everything ready to make a stir fry for dinner.

Oct 15^th – Mon

Don’t know what caused the runny nose yesterday as I was fine when I woke up.  Karen borrowed my bike to go to water aerobics so we didn’t go for a ride this morning.  Terry drilled a couple of holes in the concrete patio and put in eye bolts to secure the awning so we don’t have to worry about a sudden wind.

We decided to get rid of our old TV as it was still sitting by the garbage can.  I had checked online and found that Best Buy will take them so we went there, put the TV in a cart and wheeled it to the help desk for super easy disposal.  Our new ice maker just started to make only 5 regular cubes and 4 tiny ones each time so we took it back to Fry’s and exchanged it for another one.  They were really nice about it and it was no hassle to get it done.  We got a few groceries while we were there, returned home, put everything away and plugged in the ice maker.

Now we decided it was time for a trip to a casino.  We went to Ft. McDowell and probably won’t return any time soon!  When we got back about 4:30, everyone was at the pool so we walked up but didn’t put our suits on – just sat & chatted.  I started dinner when we came back from the pool and we were just finishing eating when Dennis & Gloria came over to watch DWTS on the outside TV.  Our neighbors Joe & Stella soon joined us along with Bev, Mike & Susie, Ron & Terri, and Bob & Darlene (met them briefly last year).  The group was loud so the TV had to be louder – good thing neighbors on both sides were here.

Oct 16^th – Tues

Terry left early to play golf so after I called sister Marg, I went to help plant flowers in the park.  We had mega quantities of petunia & alyssum bedding plants that needed to go in planters and flower beds.  Of course there was not enough potting soil, not enough water hoses and too much sunshine!  Quite a few volunteers did their best and were “rewarded” with hamburgers at the grill for lunch.

I cleaned up and went to join the ribbon cutting at 2 for the new elevator which is finally finished and certified.  I skipped the line for a glass of wine and went to get a seat in the courtyard to listen to Curtis sing at 3.  Terry showed up shortly afterwards – in time to pull another table & chairs to our group.  We left just before 5 to put on swim suits and cool off.  We were home in time to make dinner and watch DWTS elimination.

Oct 17^th – Wed

We went for an early bike ride and saw flowers waiting to be planted again so I changed into my dirty work clothes, left Terry at home and headed out to play in the dirt again.   4 of us went to the bocce ball area and started on planters and a long flower bed with such packed dirt that it had to be turned over with a shovel first.  3 more ladies joined us and when we finished there we all moved to another area with planters that had trees, and at one time, decorative rocks.  Betty, who looked after flowers last year, said the bedding plants did really well there and we filled any empty spot with flowers.  Then it was time to wash & change shoes before lunch.  Terry’s bike was gone so I called and had him join us for lunch.  He felt guilty about not working so paid for his burger!

Terry told Lauri that I would sew a cover for their outside TV and Bill was waiting for us when we got back from lunch.  It was a simple job that the perfectionist in me made slightly harder.  We rode our bikes to their place halfway through to check how to proceed and then we rode back for a drink with them when it was done.  We went to the pool for a dip & chitchat and decided to go for dinner with Joe & Stella.  They asked if anyone knew of a good Chinese restaurant so of course we had to introduce them to the Eastern Super Buffet which was as good as ever.  I wanted to go for a little walk to settle dinner but we only walked a short loop and figured it was enough.

Oct 11th to 13th - Mesa

Oct 11^th – Thurs - Mesa

I hurried out early this morning in my PJs to pull our chairs under the awning and put bags on our bike seats to protect them from rain.

After our “coffee & doughnuts” meeting, we went for a bike ride.  We stopped at Neal & Judi’s as Terry had another idea about his satellite dish – didn’t work – and then stopped for a short chat with Larry & Julie.  I posted the blog and checked email before making a late breakfast.

I vacuumed and did one of my favorite jobs – cleaning the louvers in the door to our closet by the entry door.  Terry took down our sun shade and put up the awning as high winds are predicted today.

We went to Dennis & Gloria’s to pick up some Scotch that they had picked up for Terry when they made a trip to Total Wine.  They are nearly done unpacking everything that they brought down with them.

We went to an Oktoberfest celebration at Tower Point (another Cal-Am park) at 4.  We joined Bill & Lauri, Larry & Julie and Joe & Stella for drinks and dinner.  There was a country group outside to provide music before dinner and an “oompah” band inside.  We were going to sit outside after dinner but just as we found a table, the band quit playing so we headed back to our place and continued the party here - Dennis & Gloria and Bev joined us.  We had to get cozy under the awning when it rained again and there was quite a thunder & lightning show.

Oct 12^th – Fri

Wind gusts continued this morning.  We were having coffee when I called Terry’s attention to our awning bouncing around.  When he went to put it up we saw Bruce & Ann helping Bev control her free standing shade awning.  We went to help and discovered that the wind grabbed hold and actually broke part of the frame.  As we were helping take off the cover, we saw Lorraine holding down their shade awning while Jaime went to the store for a couple more stakes to add tie-down straps on all corners rather than just 3.  Bruce & Terry helped put up Bev’s awning as it had anti-flap straps that require a ladder to undo.  And then the wind gusts pretty much quit!!

Dave & Karen, friends of Bev and Lorraine & Jaime, arrived and were having trouble backing into a site with a tree and a park model on the other side.  Terry got involved and first suggested that they should be coming in the other way.  When Dave backed up to turn around, he couldn’t turn sharp enough to avoid a palm tree.  Since our neighbors were gone and their parking space was empty, Terry then had Dave pull onto their spot and an empty site and then back straight into his spot – phew!  Later Terry apologized for butting in to the ranger who was directing the parking and he said “where were you when I just spent an hour getting someone else parked?”.

Larry & Norma told us that Sears was having great clearance sales so we had to check it out.  I got a pair of “dancing shoes” and was very happy with the $7.50 price!  When we got back I went to chat with Bev for a while.

We went to listen to music in the courtyard at 3.  We joined Larry & Norma at a table and by the time the music started there were 2 other tables pulled up to accommodate everyone.   We spent a rare evening by ourselves.

Oct 13^th – Sat

We went for a bike ride this morning and returned a book to Julie.  Her nephew, Jess Walters, is an author who lives in Spokane and Julie has lent me some of his books.  I enjoyed the first book much more than this one and have another to read.  We rode 3 miles – our new goal for each ride? – and came back to have a late breakfast. 

I needed some new shorts so we went to Kohl’s where I actually found a pair.  Terry was walking out of his old sandals so we continued on to Penney’s and he got a better deal than I did yesterday – $7!  We were sitting outside watching golf on TV when Bev, Lorraine & Karen returned from a 5 hour shopping trip so I had to go check out their purchases.

We made a drink and walked to Dennis & Gloria’s where we found them chatting with Bruce & Ann who we met earlier and who are just a couple of sites away from Dennis & Gloria.  We stayed for quite a while before heading home for dinner.

Oct 8th to 10th - Mesa

Oct 8^th – Mon – Mesa

I posted the blog and looked after emails while having my morning coffee.  We rode our bikes to Dennis & Gloria’s and hosed off their driveway and a stack of chairs as they will be arriving on Wednesday.   Terry took Bruce to see a truck in the park that Bruce might be interested in buying.  When he got back I had a late breakfast ready.  We did some work for a happy hour this evening – mainly setting tables up with new cloths and food prep.

About 2:30 we joined friends at the pool and came back at 4:30 to change and finish preparing appies for our party.   At 5 people started arriving with food, drinks and chairs.  Attending were Brian & Bev, Jamie & Lorraine, Larry & Norma, Larry & Julie, Neal & Judi, Bruce & Ann (I met Ann in the pool), Bruce & Mary, Joe & Stella and Bill & Lauri.  Lots of new friends, old friends, good food and laughs.  The last folks left about 9:30 and we had just a little cleanup to do.

Oct 9^th – Tues

After coffee, reading & computer games, we went for a bike ride.  We stopped at the office to confirm some arrival dates and checked for mail at the post office.  Brian left early this morning to work for 28 days in Canada.  He flies to a remote area in the Northwest Territories and then has 28 days off when he finishes his work rotation.  Bev has an infection in a tooth and hasn’t slept well for a couple of nights so she asked us to check their mailbox as well.  We stopped to see Julie & Larry and to see how Larry was doing after a little too much to drink last night.  After a little more riding – and visiting - we went by the post office again as they weren’t finished sorting the mail when we stopped the first time and this time our forwarded mail was there.

I made breakfast for an early lunch when we got back and finished going through the mail. 

We hung around in the rig until shortly after 2 when we went to the courtyard to listen to music.  We joined Larry & Norma in a shady spot, had a couple of drinks & some snacks and danced once.  When we were walking back, we saw Bev riding her bike and asked her to join us for a drink.  We snacked on veggies, Bev went home and we came in for dinner and the results show of DWTS.

Oct 10^th – Wed

We lazed around in the morning before we went to do laundry.  We had just finished making the bed and putting clothes away when Neal called and asked if Terry might be able to help him set up his satellite dish.  Terry came back once for some tools but they still weren’t able to get it working.

Dennis & Gloria arrived at our rig just before Terry got back.  They had taken time to unload the back seat of their car and came over to say hello.  We chatted for a time and then went back with them so Terry could help Dennis move a big table back outside and help level their fridge.

We all went to the courtyard to listen to music.  It was pretty hot so I left after about an hour to put on my swimsuit and take Terry’s along so we could fall in the pool.  Dennis & Gloria were smart enough to wear their suits to the courtyard so they joined us in the pool and met Jamie, Lorraine & Bev.

We had Dennis & Gloria over for dinner so they didn’t have to worry about going grocery shopping as soon as they returned.  It had cooled down enough to have drinks & dinner outside.  They left fairly early as they have been traveling & sightseeing for 9 days and were ready to crash.

Oct 5th to 7th - Mesa

Oct 5^th – Fri – Mesa

We left at 7:30 to take Jamie & Lorraine to the Mesa Marketplace.  This was their first trip and Lorraine was excited to get a couple of items.  We started with breakfast and didn’t have to wait in line since it is still too early in the season for a crowd on Friday.  Lorraine & Jamie bought several items and even bought a pair of Dawgs sandals for Bev since she had tried on mine and they fit.  We only shopped 2 aisles and called it quits.  We figure it will give Jamie & Lorraine new things to look at on their next trip.

We came back on Main Street and stopped at a flea market where I got a pottery piece to hold down the table cloth on our round table.  When we got back, Brian had received a phone call that his truck was ready to pick up so Terry took him to get it.  I chatted with Bev until Brian got back.  I made a sandwich for lunch and we hung around the rig for the afternoon.

At 4:30 we went to the ballroom for a steak fry.  Curtis was entertaining and there was an area left between the tables and the stage so we could dance after we finished eating.  It ended shortly after 7 and we called it a day. 

Oct 6^th – Sat

I thought I got going early enough this morning to sew while it was cool but it ended up pretty warm by the time I finished.  I made table cloths for 2 fold-up metal tables and 2 small tables that sit between our chairs.  It turned out that the material was not cut as square as I thought and it took me a while to figure out how to cut it square with only a tape measure and an 8x11 magazine!  The sewing involved mitering the corners to help keep the cloths on in a breeze.  Terry spent most of the time moving up through the levels on his computer game!

By now it was time for a late breakfast and then a trip to Fry’s for a few groceries.  When we returned and put things away, we headed to the pool for a short time.  Then I finished making a salad and we went to Larry & Julie’s for dinner to welcome Neal & Judi.  Bill & Lauri were also there. 

Oct 7^th – Sun

Terry went for a newspaper this morning and also picked up fat pills – aka doughnuts!  We enjoyed sitting outside to drink coffee, eat doughnuts and browse through the paper.  Next it took us a while to complete a short bike ride.  We stopped to visit Bill & Lauri, then Larry was outside so we had to chat with him.  We went by Neil & Robin’s looking for a bowl of ours that she ended up with but they weren’t home so we cruised the rest of the park.

Bill had eye hooks put into concrete blocks to hold down his awning and Terry figured we needed some.  The guy at Home Depot decided it was not such a good idea for him to be so accommodating and would not do it for us!  We made a bad decision to check out the new Winco store.  It should have been a clue when we had to wait for a cart to get into the store!  The lines to get out were worse.  We stopped at Lowe’s for eye hooks, etc and came home in time for a late lunch.

It seemed like only a short while until we made our daily excursion to the pool where we met up with most of the usual group.  We chatted with our next door neighbors – Joe & Stella – when we got back and it was cool enough to sit outside to eat dinner.

Oct 2nd to 4th - Mesa

Oct 2^nd – Tues – Mesa

We went for a bike ride this morning and checked out the bocce courts –they need vacuuming – said hi to Bill and then Larry and then Julie & Larry.  We bought tickets for an afternoon dance that we forgot to get yesterday.

We met the gang at the courtyard for lunch at 1:30.  The grill opened today and there was music from 3 to 5.  The music duo was very good and we danced to a few songs even though it was hot and it is hard to dance in sandals on pavers.  Just as we were leaving for the courtyard, Robin called to ask for a favor.  She, Neil and her niece Jennifer had gone shopping, Robin was dropped off at Home Depot and Neil and Jennifer carried on to Verizon.  When Neil locked the car he realized that he did not have his key and they have a car that does not require a key to start, only that a key is in close proximity to the lock.  In this case, Robin had her key and kept it with her.  Terry went to Home Depot to get the key from Robin and delivered it to Neil down the road a few miles.
Bob & Sandi got in yesterday and Sandi dropped in to say hi at the courtyard so we invited them to dinner.  I had a pork roast in the crock pot so it was easy to make a salad and sweet potatoes.  They are only staying for a week and coming back later so it was nice to have a good visit with them.

Oct 3^rd – Wed

It was time for laundry today so we got it done in the morning – but not real early!  I made an early lunch and then we went shopping at a new store called Garden Ridge that Barb told us about at the laundry room.  It is a huge warehouse store with all kinds of home goods – patio furniture, Christmas decorations, area rugs & mats, storage boxes of all kinds, mirrors, art work for walls, garden décor, beds, bedding, some books, kitchen utensils, party goods and other misc items.  We wandered around and bought a few items.  We stopped at Fry’s on the way back for a few groceries and filled up with diesel.

It was hot again so after putting groceries away it was time to head for the pool.  We didn’t know anyone there for a while but then Jerry & Becky showed up and Brian & Bev weren’t too far behind.  Jamie & Lorraine came by and said that a couple that they knew from a park in BC –Bruce & Mary - was here so Terry showed Bev where they were.  Bruce & Mary showed up after they returned from looking for Brian & Bev!

We talked for a while with everyone and about 6:30 came home for dinner, TV and bed.

Oct 4^th – Thurs

We went for coffee & doughnuts which was shorter than usual since the managers – Kevin & Nancy – are vacationing in Aruba.  It was still cool enough when we got back to make a tablecloth for our round folding table.  We got heavy vinyl at Garden Ridge yesterday and I had to sew strips on 2 sides so we would have more overhang, then cut it in a circle.  It turned out so well that I started a tablecloth for inside from fabric that we got about a week ago.  I didn’t have the right color of thread so we made a trip to WalMart for thread and a couple of grocery items.

After lunch, I sewed the tablecloth and then we took Brian & Bev to Garden Ridge.  They wanted some patio furniture and found a table & chairs.  They also got a shade canopy and some material to cover a table that they have outside with stuff stored underneath.  I got 2 more pieces of the vinyl that I used for our outdoor tablecloth.

Of course it was now time to cool off at the pool.  I had put a roast in the crock pot but Bev asked us to join them, Jamie & Lorraine and Bruce & Mary for dinner so the roast & gravy ended up in the fridge for later.  We had a good dinner and a great time with our new friends.  Terry even brought out the buddy burner for “show & tell” since we certainly didn’t need the heat.

Sept 29th to Oct 1st - Mesa

Sept 29^th – Sat – Mesa

I should have taken the computer in the truck when we were waiting for our alignment yesterday so I could have done the blog instead of spending so much time on it this morning.  Terry did more setting up and organizing and discovered that the TV in our compartment had lines on the screen and no picture.  I spent time with the Costco help line and then sent a photo to Vizio for analysis.  We had to wait for a response from them so we went for breakfast at The Waffle House and then got the truck washed and bought a book of tickets so we can get it washed once a month while we are here.  They do such a good job and we are not supposed to wash vehicles at our sites.  You can wash RV’s and there is a wash station for cars & trucks but the water leaves such bad spots that you have to wipe dry very quickly.

When I spoke with the Vizio tech, he said it was obvious from the photo that the TV screen had been hit & damaged so their warranty did not cover it.  We decided that the shade screen that we made for the end of our awning needed to be enlarged so we went to Lowe’s for fabric and another rod for the bottom of the screen and carried on to Costco to look at TVs.  We got a 32” Phillips which we did not have time to finish setting up before Julie called to say they were going to the pool with Bill & Lauri who arrived today.

We were hot & ready for a dip so we joined them in the pool.  Neil & Robin were also there with Robin’s sisters Terri & Lauri.  Julie did not have anything planned for dinner as she thought Bill would want to go to Fat Willy’s for wings.  Lauri had dinner planned so we and Larry & Julie went to Fat Willy’s anyhow.  We had a long and kind of stressful day so we went to bed early.

Sept 30^th – Sun

We finished setting up the TV this morning.  Terry hooked it up the same as the old one but could only get a black and white picture.  I was getting ready to call Costco’s help line when Brian came over to see if Terry had a compass and figured out how the TV should be connected.

After breakfast, I put some ribs on to boil, did some cleaning, worked on the blog & email and finally gave Terry an overdue haircut.  We watched the disastrous Ryder Cup (golf) and played computer games before eating leftovers from last night for a late lunch.

We went to Fry’s for groceries and then headed to the pool.  Larry & Julie and Larry & Norma were there and then we were joined by Brian & Bev, Jamie & Lorraine and Jerry & Becky who we met in the pool yesterday.  We left just after 6 so Terry could barbeque in daylight.  Turns out we left it too late and he had to get out a flashlight to finish cooking.

Oct 1^st – Mon

We went to the activity center this morning to get tickets to parties & dances.  We receive some tickets for free with the fall special that we are taking advantage of but we still have to pick them up when they become available.  We went for a bike ride to see where some people were parked and stopped to say hi to Julie & Larry.  Terry checked Larry’s bike as a tire would not stay inflated and told Larry he would have to get a new tube.

A bit later, Larry brought his bicycle over so Terry could change the tire and pump it up.  Then they had to rehydrate with red beer!!  After I made a late breakfast/early lunch, we just hung around watching TV & playing computer games until it was time for a swim.

We met “the gang” again at the pool and decided to go to Fat Willy’s at 5 for the Monday special of $5.00 burgers.  We talked yesterday about going today but hadn’t set a time.  The group was us, Brian & Bev, Larry & Julie, Bill & Lauri, Jamie & Lorraine and Jerry & Becky.  We were seated together as there was a spot where three tables could be put in a row and 2 servers were assigned to us.  Fat Willy’s is a sports bar so we were amazed that they were out of Bud beer and out of Chardonnay wine.  If this was the first time that I had a burger there, I might not want to go back as it was not as good as usual.  But they will probably get another chance.

We sat outside with Brian & Bev for a nightcap and watched part of DWTS then watched the rest of the show inside when Brian & Bev left.