Jan 27th to 29th - Mesa

Jan 27^th – Sun

Gloria came over later in the morning to have me copy an item on the printer.  Terry picked up Dennis to go to Total Wine as they discussed yesterday.  When I finished the printing, Gloria & I went shopping.  By now it was 11:30 so we called the guys and suggested we meet at the Five and Diner restaurant for breakfast/lunch.

Gloria & I made one stop before going to the restaurant where we arrived before the guys and put our name on the list for a table – we didn’t think about the after church lunch crowd.  The guys arrived in a downpour.  We all had good breakfasts and it was only drizzling when we left.

Gloria & I made another stop where we found what we were looking for and then went to her place to work on our project which I can’t elaborate on as it is a surprise for later.  Terry & Dennis watched TV & napped in their respective living rooms.

We went to Moe & Trish’s for happy hour and to meet Moe’s sister-in-law Theda and her husband Bob.  They are staying just down the road at Venture Out for a month.  We came home for dinner and a bit later called Larry & Suz and invited them over for dessert.  We had a nice time chatting with them and watching How It’s Made on TV.

Jan 28^th – Mon

I have been having light flashes and more floaters in my left eye for some time and I had a lot of “stringy” floaters for a short time at the dance last night so I made an appointment with an ophthalmologist for this afternoon.  We otherwise had a lazy morning and I made a nice late breakfast.

The weather is getting nicer again so there are lots of little groups of people meeting & chatting on the streets. 

We went for my appointment at 2 to fill out paperwork.  I got in a little late (2:40) and ended up waiting for the doctor after the nurse did her preliminary checks and put the dilating drops in my eyes.  The doctor did not find anything to be concerned about which is great.  Even though the bill was $245(!) I am glad that I had things checked out.

We went to Moe & Trish’s for a drink before we, they and Chuck & Echo went to dinner at the Texas Roadhouse.  When we got back, we picked up a container of change and went to Chuck & Echo’s for dessert and to play the nickel card game that we learned at Dennis & Gloria’s.  This time we didn’t win so our change container was lighter when we headed home about 10.

I had double dilating drops in my eyes and they were still not back to normal when we got home!

Jan 29^th – Tues

We did some clean up & organizing of “junk” this morning and determined what size containers we need to keep things neater.  About 11:30 Larry & Suz rode by on their bikes and gave us an activity calendar for next month.  They were bored so we asked if they wanted to go to Sam’s Club and Costco as we have a Costco membership and they have Sam’s Club.  They needed a short time to walk their dog and we picked them up.

We had a hot dog at Sam’s Club and shopped there.  Then we shopped at Costco and had ice cream for dessert.  We stopped at Garden Ridge which is a huge “warehousy” store that blew Larry & Suz’s minds.  We got our organizing items and were back at 4:30.

We labeled cables & chargers and put everything away neatly.  Will have to see how long that lasts!  I went next door to Ron & Terri’s to talk about dinner plans for tomorrow and found Brian & Bev and Bob & Darlene there having a drink.  They invited us to join them so I got Terry and our drinks.  Terry had just refreshed our drinks when we mentioned that line dance lessons are tonight and someone said it was already 6:48.  We rushed home for our name badges and headed to the ballroom where we found everyone lined up to learn the first dance.

We reviewed 2 dances and then learned a new one.  Luckily Terry brought home leftovers last night so I could make a quick, light dinner when we got back.

Jan 24th to 26th - Mesa

Jan 24^th – Thurs

We checked in at the doctor’s office at 8 and were sent by golf cart across the parking lot to the hospital for x-rays which took nearly an hour (!!).  It turned out that Terry saw a PA (physician’s assistant) but I guess that is the American way with specialists.  He said the x-ray showed a torn tendon, checked with a doctor, wrapped Terry’s hand in a temporary cast/bandage and made an appointment for tomorrow with a hand specialist.

When we got back to the park there was time for everyone to come over and see what the doctor said before we went to a Manager’s Reception in the ballroom.  The Manager’s Reception is a thank you from Kevin & Nancy (park managers) and this year the theme was “Wild about Seniors”.  The ballroom cannot possibly hold everyone at once so there were 2 today and 3 tomorrow.  The ballroom was beautifully decorated in a jungle theme and set up for a sit-down lunch.  Beverages – beer, wine, lemonade & water – were on the tables and more was provided when needed.  Lunch of chicken pot pie, salad and a roll was served by volunteers and work campers.  The Camping World ambassador, who lives in our park, provided many door prizes and Kevin & Nancy gave away a table top propane heater which was won by Bev.

We still had a lot of the afternoon left so of course Terry was restless and we went to a casino.  We asked Dennis & Gloria if they wanted to come with us but they were already relaxing in front of the TV so we went by ourselves to lose money!

Jan 25^th – Fri

We had a shorter drive to the doctor’s office this morning and arrived with lots of time for Terry to pace.  It is a huge, busy orthopedic clinic.  He emerged this time with a metal “splint” and a smaller wrap on his hand that will probably be required for 6 weeks.  At least we can change the wrapping when it gets dirty or wet – like daily!!  In case anyone cares – Marg & Val? – he has a sagittal band rupture.  It is on the baby finger side of the middle finger which requires the middle and index finger to be wrapped together and makes it harder to do anything with that hand.  If Terry is good about keeping the fingers from bending, it should heal without surgery.

We were ready for breakfast so we went to MickeyD’s so Terry could get his biscuit & gravy fix.  We stopped at WalMart for some “medical” supplies and a few groceries before heading home to the interested neighbors.

I was a couple of days past due on the laundry so I sorted it out and we drove to the laundromat where I got the washers going while Terry bought 3 jugs of filtered water.  We walked back and I got a book to pass the time.  When I was ready to hang dry shirts, I realized the hangers were still in the locked truck so I had to make a quick trip to get the keys from Terry who was visiting with neighbors.  Dennis & Gloria rode by on their bikes and asked us to come over for a drink so we put the clothes away and headed to their place where we were joined by Bruce & Ann.

From there we went to Duane & Sue’s for dinner.  Of course that was preceded by another drink but first I downed a bottle of water!  After dinner we played Ponytail Canasta.  We taught them to play last year but they hadn’t played since so Sue needed quite a bit of refreshing of the rules.  Duane played canasta years ago so the game is easier for him to learn.  The ladies got off to a great start but the guys ended up winning by a thin margin.

Jan 26^th – Sat

I absolutely bucketed rain last night and was still raining this morning.  We had made plans last night to go to an RV show with Duane & Sue and they still wanted to go so we picked them up at 10 and went to the University of Phoenix stadium which is 40 miles from here.  We splashed through puddles from the parking lot and checked out lots of new 5^th wheels.  We aren’t looking for a new rig but it is fun to browse.  Of course we had to see what $300,000 motor homes had to offer!  Obviously there isn’t much rain in this part of the country as the stadium was leaking pretty badly. 

We went to the Walking Stick casino for lunch and to gamble for a bit.  This was a new casino for Duane & Sue.  I did OK for a while but we both ended up losing again. 

I had put a roast in the crock pot before we left so I put sweet potatoes in the microwave for a light, easy dinner before we went to a dance.  The band was Reign’N Country and they played danceable music from 7 to 10.  We joined Duane & Sue, Vic & Jackie and Dennis & Gloria at Moe & Trish’s for a nightcap after the dance.

Jan 20th to 23rd - Mesa

Jan 20^th – Sun

We were slow to get going this morning and I think I finally made breakfast about 11.

At 2 we loaded up food & drink and went to the bocce court for a birthday party for Terry.  I started washing counters and then Trish & Moe arrived and washed tables.  Everyone else arrived in short order - 24 in all - and we all played bocce ball.  At 4 we turned on the grill and Bev heated garlic bread while it got hot enough for steaks.  The grill wasn’t big enough for all the food at one time so we kind of ate in shifts which worked out just fine.

It was cooling down – with a gorgeous sunset – by the time we finished eating so we lit a propane heater in the middle of a big coffee table and lit 3 tall patio heaters which made it quite comfortable.  It is really nice to be able to reserve the park areas for private parties and the propane heaters are provided by the park.

Jan 21^st – Mon

I took cold capsules this morning and went back to bed to read for an hour while Terry played computer games.  We walked to get water and pay our utility bill and then went out on our bikes to Larry & Suz’s to deliver the last BBQ invitation.  Larry was cleaning the roof of his motor home and was happy to come down and chat with us.  By the time we left it was too hot for him to continue on the roof!

We stopped to say hi to Duane and ended up going with him & Sue to have lunch in the courtyard.  Later I opted to stay home & rest while Terry went back to listen to music in the courtyard.  Our lunch was late so we had leftovers for dinner.  Then Terry went to line dance lessons.  I downloaded music to our tablet and did more online research about the tablet.

Duane knocked on our door at 9 and said he had lost track of days – so easy to do!! – and his wife Sue’s birthday is tomorrow.  We said we could have a happy/appy hour at our place so I made a few phone calls to invite people.

Jan 22^nd – Tues

We invited more people to the birthday party and ended up chatting in the beautiful sunshine.  Terry returned Larry’s golf cart batteries to Costco as he had to get new ones.  Moe & Terry set up tables & chairs and took off on their bikes to run some errands while I worked on setting up a playlist on the tablet.  We fit in a quick sandwich for lunch.

At 3 people started arriving and about 3:30 Duane & Sue returned from shopping & lunch.  The party was a surprise for Sue and Duane finally confessed that he came to us for help.  We ended up with 35 people and quite a few of us line dancing in the street.

It was after 6 when everyone left so we went across the street to McDonalds for a burger and then went to line dance lessons.  There were people sitting around a propane fire at Brian & Bev’s when we got back but we were ready to call it a night.

Jan 23^rd – Thurs

Another lovely sunny day.

I searched the internet for a hand clinic as Terry has something weird going on with his right hand.  When we got home on Sunday, he moved his hand and something “caught” and then clicked.  Now you can see a tendon move to the side of his knuckle when he bends his hand so we have an appointment for Thursday.  Anyone who knows Terry will also understand that he figures he doesn’t have to go to a doctor because it doesn’t hurt even though by now the back of his hand is swollen!!  Dennis dropped by for a coffee while Gloria was at a meeting.

I made lunch and then we headed for a casino to try to get Terry to forget about the doctor tomorrow.  A couple of times at the casino he did feel a twinge in his hand so maybe that was a good thing to do to persuade him to keep the appointment.  Didn’t win this time.

We went to dinner at Dennis & Gloria’s along with Moe & Trish.  After a great dinner, we learned a new card game that involves money.  Terry won the first large “pot” and I lucked out and won the last one.  Dennis & Gloria taught us the game and neither of them won!!  We left shortly after 9 as Moe & Trish are going to be up early tomorrow for a day trip to Quartzsite.

Jan 17th to 19th - Mesa

Jan 17^th – Thurs

Our freezing temperatures are done for the year!  And the longer days are noticeable so we should start getting up a little earlier!

We went to Ernie & Dianne’s to quiz them about their Samsung tablet and found a Costco that had some in stock so that’s where we headed next and bought one.  We want to be able to practice line dances on the street or patio so we also got a Bluetooth speaker.  Then it was on to WalMart for a printer.  Our printer ran out of ink this morning so we decided to buy a printer with wireless capability rather than putting half the amount of a new printer into ink for the old printer.   On the way back we stopped for breakfast/lunch at IHop.

We had a lot of charging and set up to do when we got back.  We printed “business” cards and got the tablet talking to the speaker before I went to see Gloria & Trish to organize another get-together. 

We didn’t get to the courtyard until 3:30 and found a lot of people enjoying the music & the sunshine.  I made dinner and then we joined Larry & Julie and Larry & Suz at Sun Life RV park for a dance with North Star.  We were amazed at how few people attended the dance.  There were quite a few line dancers and they did a different dance to nearly every song!  The only one that we knew was the Electric Slide and the first time was a slightly different version.  We were able to join in the second time for the well-known version.

Jan 18^th – Fri

We played with our new toys this morning and I was just ready to vacuum when Dianne called.  They were going to Arizona Mills shopping center to get a protective coating on their tablet so I put away the vacuum and we joined them and Doug & Shirley.  We had to wait to get all the coatings installed so we went for lunch at the Rainforest Café in the mall.  We looked for a cover for Doug’s tablet and also saw a mini SD drive for more storage on our tablet.  Unfortunately, the only clerk in Radio Shack was on the phone trying to solve some problem with another customer so we left.  Ernie said there was probably a Radio Shack at Fiesta Mall so we stopped, checked the directory and walked to the opposite end of the mall only to find the store had closed.

We still had some BBQ invitations to deliver so we got out the bikes.  We visited with Dennis & Gloria for a short time, took a steak bone to Bandit, talked with Ann and then Bruce when he returned from golfing, stopped back at the rig for dance tickets and delivered them to Rick & Vi who made margaritas.  We returned in time to go to Moe & Trish’s for dinner.

We were having a pre-dinner drink when Trish suggested we might start a game of canasta before dinner.  Terry got our shuffler and folding card table which we put in their living area and we played a couple of hands by which time the guys were way ahead.

After dinner, we resumed the game and the women rallied to a close loss!  Then we beat the guys rather soundly in the second game.

Jan 19^th – Sat

A group of 14 went to play golf this morning.  I played with Terri, Darlene and Trish and our spouses played in a group ahead of us.  Behind us were Ernie & Dianne and Doug & Shirley.  Then there was a twosome – Dale & Deb.  The weather was perfect, too bad my golf game didn’t match the weather!

10 of us went for “lunch” after the game.  I say “lunch” as we were eating at 4:00.  Moe & Trish were riding with us and we made a quick stop at Costco on the way back.  After we unloaded the truck, we joined a large group across the street at Brian & Bev’s. 

I woke up this morning with symptoms of a cold that has been pretty common in the park.  When the sun went down I headed inside to rest.  Terry stayed a bit longer but he was tired for some reason and ready to crash as well.  At least I didn’t have to make dinner!

Jan 14th to 16th - Mesa

Jan 14^th – Mon

After we went to the ballroom to pick up some tickets, I worked on invitations for our BBQ party.  We received our forwarded mail and went through it.  We went out for lunch and then stopped at Kohls and WalMart on an unsuccessful search for a couple of items and a few groceries.

We went to the ballroom to listen to karaoke.  We don’t usually listen as there are some BAD singers but Ann was going to sing so we wanted to hear & support her.  She does really well and Bruce also sang one song.  It finished a little late at 5:20 and we headed home for dinner and a quiet evening.

Jan 15^th – Tues

At 10 we went to the Fiesta community center to listen to Ernie & Dianne and a couple of friends practice playing guitars and singing.  There were no chairs set up and no other people so we, Moe, Duane and Dianne (when she wasn’t singing) practiced a couple of line dances.  At noon, people came in to set up chairs for a music jam at 1.

Terry & Moe went to get lunch at the courtyard while I made myself a sandwich and sorted out the laundry.  Then we went back to Fiesta (just another section of the RV park), did the laundry there and went next door to listen to music while the laundry was being done.  There is also a jigsaw puzzle set up in this laundry room so I worked on that a bit.  It was not real relaxing when I was drying the clothes as a repair guy was having problems fixing a washer and was repeating beating on the machine with a hammer.  Then he drowned the offending part with WD40 and the whole room smelled awful.

We went to Home Depot to get a board to place in front of our outside TV and protect the screen when we travel.  Music in the courtyard was moved inside due to the cold weather so we line danced to music by Curtis.  Then we went to Duane & Sue’s with Bob & Darlene for another drink.  Luckily we had a few snacks as we didn’t have time for dinner before going to line dance lessons at 7.  We arrived at 7:02 and found the class already mostly done walking through a new dance so we were behind before we started!  Terry’s eye was watering like crazy (happens one in a while) so I sent him home and learned the second dance.

We had some leftover spaghetti for a late dinner and called it a day.

Jan 16^th – Wed

I had just finished printing invitations for the BBQ when Dennis stopped by to visit while Gloria was practicing with the Drillettes – a marching group in the park.  I did some research on Ipads and tablets and then made lunch.

We went shopping to check out tablets – Verizon, Best Buy, Costco – and were more confused than when we started.

At 4 we went to Bob & Darlene’s for happy hour and were joined by Ron & Terri, Brian & Bev, Mike & Susie, Moe & Trish, new acquaintances Dale & Deb, Brad & Clare and Duane & Sue.  At 5:30, 4 buddy burners were brought over & lighted for some warmth.  Just after 6:30 the last of the happy hour group left and we and Moe & Trish went inside to have dinner with Bob & Darlene.    Around 8 Dennis & Gloria stopped in to tell us that Valentine dance tickets are going on sale tomorrow morning.  Of course Darlene had to pour them a drink so they were there for a while.  Terry came back to our rig at one point to turn on the electric mattress pad so it was nice & cozy when we came home at 10.

Jan 11th to 13th - Mesa

Jan 11^th – Fri

Terry & Judy invited us to join a group at the Organ Stop Pizza for a tour & lunch but we had to cancel as we were waiting for the guy to replace our hot water tank.  We made a trip for a few groceries and later Terry took the truck to be washed.  Dennis & Gloria brought over an electric roaster and said they were going for a burger about 4 so we decided to join them.  Darlene invited Larry & Julie over for dinner – Julie’s first outing since she was in the hospital – so a group stopped by to say hi as they were sitting outside in the sun.

Dennis & Gloria picked us up and we went to the Village Inn for a burger.  We packed up our booze bag and a snack and went to the ballroom for a Toga Party where we were joined by Larry & Suz.  But we are costume grinchs and didn’t wear togas!  It was a private party hosted by Bob & Liz and Margaret & Lou and featured chariot races, a dance contest and an all-female band – the Cactus Cowgirls.

We just arrived and made a drink (5:30) when Terry got a call from the repair guy saying he was here and ready to put in the new tank!  So Terry missed most of the party.  I danced a few line dances and we had a few more dances when Terry got back at 8 for the last hour of the party which was also a fund raiser for the Sunshine Acres orphanage.

Larry & Suz came back with us for a nightcap.  When they left I remembered that I better go across the road to get my second roaster for tomorrow.  It was 10:30 and I was sneaking onto Deb’s patio with a flashlight when Moe, Trish, Duane & Sue came back from an evening at the Arizona Opry.  Of course they asked to join them for another nightcap and of course we said yes!  It was a good thing that we turned on our electric mattress pad before we left as it was pretty cold in the rig when we got back at 12:30.

Jan 12^th – Sat

I’m not sure we could cram much more into a day than we did today.

We started out by putting 2 turkeys into electric roasters that we borrowed from neighbors.  Then we went for breakfast in the ballroom at 8:40.  It started at 8:30 and there were a lot of people seated & eating and still a huge line in the hall.  Once we got into the ballroom, there was a line all the way down one side to the serving tables.  We got our food about 9:15.

Shortly after we got back, the Party Wagon was delivered to our site.  You can reserve the trailer for any function and it contains tables, chairs, safety cones and a coffee urn if desired.  Terry hung around outside chatting with neighbors and I stayed warm inside.  It was 28 degrees this morning.  Our neighbors were due to arrive today but luckily they did not show up so we were able to use their site – in the sunshine!! – for our dinner at 3:30.   Terry and his helpers set up 6 tables with chairs on the neighbor’s site and 3 tables on our parking spot for the food.  I made turkey and gravy and everyone else brought food.  The food was very good and the group of 33 friends was wonderful.  The sun went down about 5:15 and the temperature dropped immediately.  It didn’t take long for the remainder of the people to leave.

But we aren’t done yet.  At 6:45 we went to the ballroom for a dance with North Star playing.  24 of us that had dinner together were at the dance and mostly sitting side by side at 3 tables.  Good thing we all get along so well!  Julie is doing well and was at both the dinner and the dance.  Terry invited someone over for a nightcap but luckily everyone was as tired as I was so no one accepted the offer.

Jan 13^th – Sun

I made a late breakfast and we went to a casino for a while.  As we were leaving, Trish asked us to come for happy hour so that gave us a deadline to leave the casino.  Terry won $150 shortly after we arrived and then I won $50 to cover my losses so far and then some.  It was kind of nice as we could play for a few more hours and still come out ahead.

We got home about 3:30, made an appetizer and a drink and went to Moe & Trish’s.  We were joined shortly after by Dennis & Gloria and Bruce & Ann.  We had a great time as usual and about 8 I suggested that we could have turkey sandwiches for dinner.  Gloria headed home to get leftover buns, pickles and chips and I brought back turkey and coleslaw.  Trish pulled out Moe’s homemade cranberry sauce, buns, bread and mayo and we had the makings of a fine dinner.  I’m not sure how it got started but we decided to plan our first annual BBQ Fest so Trish got out her trusty IPad and started the guest and food lists.

We were home by 9:30 and hit the sack.

Jan 8th to 10th - Mesa

Jan 8^th – Tues

Terry went with Ron to help him pick up a small storage unit and pavers for a pad for the storage unit.  Once they started putting it together, they decided it could sit on the corner of the concrete parking strip.  That put it almost in front of our only window on that side but the window is by our desk and the blind remains closed against the sun most of the time.  It does give me a good reason to give Ron a bad time!!  With the change in plans, Terry went with Ron again to return the pavers.

In the meantime, I caught up emails and the blog, added money to the laundry card and then did the laundry.  I had just started reading about 1:30 when Moe came over and said that Dennis & Gloria were eating lunch in the courtyard and if we wanted a table to listen to music later we better take over their table as most of the other tables were being used/saved already.  Music doesn’t start until 3 but the band was North Star who is very popular.  I had already planned for us to have lunch there so I called Terry and told him to meet me when he got back.

Food service was slow but we had time to eat before the band started.  At 2:50, Neil called to ask if he could borrow our ladder and if Terry could help for a few minutes to repair something at Julie’s.  Terry took the ladder over and there were 2 other men who could help Neil so Terry came back and just missed one song & line dance.  The band was good and we did a few line dances.  It was warm enough to take off our light jackets when we were dancing.

We chatted with Dennis & Gloria and Bruce & Ann who had sat by the pool to listen to the band and then talked briefly with another group that included Jamie & Lorraine.  We were barely finishing dinner when it was time for line dance lessons.  I didn’t want to go so Terry decided to stay home as well.

Jan 9^th – Wed

We headed out on our bikes about 9:30 to deliver the rest of the invitations for dinner.  We ended up chatting with people along the way and still weren’t done at noon.  Moe was going to the courtyard for lunch so I asked him to join us for breakfast which he enjoys more than lunch.  Terry & Moe talked with neighbors until our meal was ready.

I went to Larry & Julie’s to help Darlene take down and put away Julie’s Christmas decorations.  Julie is still supposed to be resting but she had put smaller things into storage totes and Darlene had done quite a bit before I got there.  Terry came over in time to troubleshoot a string of lights that wouldn’t work and the lights ended up in the garbage anyhow.

Next it was time to head to the courtyard to listen to music, do some line dances and soak up some sun.  I had an appointment for a haircut at 4:30 but when I went the stylist was running late so I went back to the courtyard for another 20 minutes.  After my haircut, I brushed all the bits from my hair, changed my shirt and went to Moe & Trish’s where they, Terry and Dennis & Gloria were having a drink before going for dinner.

We went to dinner at Carrabba’s Italian restaurant as we enjoyed it so much the last time we went.  Trish was the designated driver of our truck again.  We had a wonderful dinner with super friends.

Jan 10^th – Thurs

Terry was playing the waiting game with a mobile RV repair tech today.  Our hot water tank is leaking and may need to be replaced.  The guy won’t know for sure until he takes out the tank but he has ordered a new tank.  After a late breakfast, I went to the grocery store where I found the parking lot jammed but never did figure out why it was so busy.  After putting the groceries away, I put together a large pot of spaghetti sauce and then made an appetizer for tomorrow.

Terry & Moe went to listen to music in the courtyard but I had to tend the simmering sauce for another hour.  It was warm enough to have the door open and I heard a truck parking an RV.  The only spot left was Duane & Sue’s and sure enough they finally arrived.  I left them setting up and went to the courtyard where Terry was just about ready to leave.  We went to see Duane & Sue and invited them to come over for dinner after they were situated.   We had a lot of fun catching up, eating & drinking.

Jan 5th to 7th - Mesa

Jan 5^th – Sat

We went golfing this morning with Moe & Trish, Bob & Darlene, Brad & Clare, Bruce & Ann and Ron.  Terri was feeling under the weather with a cold and figured golf would not be good.  There was a frost delay of over an hour so we didn’t finish our game until 1:30.  By the time we all went to Red Robin for lunch it was after 3 when we got back.

We rode our bikes to get an update on Julie but we didn’t find Larry even though his car & golf cart were home.  We figured he was having a shower at the pool area which he normally does.  We joined Bob & Darlene at Moe & Trish’s for dinner that they put in the crock pot before golfing.  We didn’t think we would be eating lunch so late but couldn’t push dinner back too much as we all had dance tickets.

The band – Johnny K and Kompany – were good but played rock & roll & big band type music which isn’t as good for us for dancing.  Others really enjoyed it as the dance floor was almost always filled.  They played a couple of songs for the electric slide line dance and then the floor was really full.  There was a new couple who were beautiful, flashy dancers (she is a dance instructor) and we enjoyed watching them and wishing we could dance half as well.

Moe & Trish, Bob & Darlene and Chuck & Echo came back to our place for a nightcap so it was a later night than usual.

 Jan 6^th – Sun

I made dinner invitations for next Saturday on the computer and had Trish OK a sample before printing them on index cards.  We rode our bikes to deliver some of the invitations and to figure out who is bringing what.  We ended up chatting with Ernie & Dianne and saying goodbye to Annette, Mike & Kayah who are leaving this evening for the great white north (Dawson Creek, B.C.).

Just before 2 we changed into our “tropical” shirts and went to Bruce & Ann’s for a tiki party.  Bruce made wonderful mai tais and Ann put together a great table of snacks – with some help from Bruce!  Brad provided the tiki lighting ceremony! Clouds from the morning had moved away so it was great to sit in the sun with a large group of friends.  Shortly before the gathering broke up, Rick & Vi (friends from last year) backed into the site beside Dennis & Gloria.

We had an early dinner so Terry could BBQ steaks in the daylight.  We went to Larry & Julie’s and found Julie home from the hospital.  We had been told that she had pneumonia but apparently that was not the case.  She is on oxygen and will be for some time so she will now have to quit smoking.  We didn’t stay too long as we figured they both needed to rest.

Jan 7^th- Mon

We went to the activity center to reserve a “party wagon” to provide chairs & tables for Saturday and then browsed through the Country Store in the ballroom and outside.  It was sunny and cool but by the time we had breakfast and stood outside chatting with others on our street, I was ready to change into capris to play golf.

A group of 11 – us, Trish, Bob & Darlene, Brad, Ron, Ernie & Dianne and Doug & Shirley – played golf at Dreamland which is a 9 hole executive course.  Moe & Terri have not been feeling well and Clare had to wait for a technician to examine their trailer axles.  Terry, Ron, Brad & Bob played with 2 clubs & a putter but the rest of us decided we needed all the help we could get, took all our clubs and probably used 4 clubs and a putter!  Our first tee time was 11:37 and play was REALLY slow – it took us nearly 2 hours to play the first 5 holes.  There was a group of 5 in front of our first group and a group of 6 before the fivesome!  It cooled down and Trish & Dianne were happy to make use of the 2 light jackets that I had in my bag.

All but Ron went to Fat Willy’s for their Monday $5 hamburgers for lunch.  Ron & Terri joined us for a beverage.  It took a while to get our meals so there wasn’t much of the day left when we got back.

We greeted a new couple on our street – Dennis & Ginger – and then walked to Larry & Suz’s to deliver dance tickets that we bought for them.  They just got back from Colorado today so we talked with them a bit and then went to Larry & Norma’s where we caught them eating dinner.  They poured us a drink and we chatted while they finished eating.  They had dance tickets for Saturday that they couldn’t use so we bought them and sold them to Brad & Clare.  Moe figured Terry should get into the ticket scalping business!

At 7 we went to line dance lessons.  We don’t normally go on Monday but Ron & Ria were going to teach a dance called the Clogger.  There was a huge group already learning the electric slide when we arrived.  The usual teacher – Margaret – was not there so Jim was teaching and having problems with some brand new dancers.  The Clogger is very fast with quick turns so some people sat out and I even quit for a while as the large group going in every direction was irritating me!!  Terry was determined to learn and hung in there!

Moe & Trish came back with us for a nightcap.

Jan 2nd to 4th - Mesa

Jan 2^nd – Wed

We got up REALLY early this morning and were at the ballroom at 5:10 to line up to buy tickets for 2 dances in January and one in February.  And we were not the first people in line – there were 4 ahead of us!  Our ballroom is too small for the number of people in the park so if you want tickets at a table with friends you have to go through this routine each month.  One of the dances sold out today and the others have scattered tickets available.  You are supposed to only be able to buy 2 tickets per site and can buy 2 tickets for friends if you have their name badge.  Terry & I cheated and we each got 4 tickets for all the dances.  Now we have 3 couples who are “indebted” to us and can line up early for February and March!!  I forgot to mention that the activity office does not open until 8 so we had 3 hours to chat with a lot of other dance-a-holics!

We had a bowl of cereal when we got back and Terry had a catnap in his chair. 

We took Ron & Terri to Costco to buy a battery for their car but Costco does not carry the right one.  So we stopped at Sears and they got one there.  We dropped them off and then went out for diesel & some groceries and grabbed a burger.  I browned up some meat that had been in the freezer long enough and put a stew in the crock pot as it was a cool, breezy day suited for stew.

Just before 3 we walked to the hair salon so I could make an appointment to get my hair cut and then Terry went to listen to music in the courtyard while I went for a walk.  When I got back to the courtyard, I found that it was cool enough that the music had been moved into the ballroom so I went home and changed into shoes that are better for dancing than sneakers.  Again, with courtyard music moved indoors, there is a lot of line dancing so we were able to practice.

Ron & Terri came over for a drink before we had dinner.  Terry was in bed very early and I stayed up to finish watching a TV show and was in bed fairly early as well.

Jan 3^rd – Thurs

Terry left at 7:50 to play golf.  I spent time on the computer with emails & the blog before I vacuumed and cleaned up some spots on the carpet.

At 11, I went with Terri to pick up Bob & Darlene at the Mesa airport.  On the way back, Bob took us all for lunch at Fat Willy’s where shared Rueben sandwiches were very good and the perfect amount of food.  I searched for recipes on the internet and then went for a walk.  I got back just as Terry & Ron returned from golf which was made more challenging by a lot of wind.

Dennis & Gloria rode by on their bikes and stopped to visit with Moe & Trish so we joined them to chat for a while.

At 3 we went to listen to music in the courtyard which was outside and it was actually quite nice sitting in the sunshine.  We ended up with 2 tables with men at one and the ladies at the other which made for non-stop talk & laughter.  The music was not the best for dancing so we didn’t feel light we missed out on anything.

When the music finished at 5, we went right over to Ron & Terri’s for dinner with Bob & Darlene.  Ron cooked a small turkey on the BBQ and it was very good.  After great food, too much drink and more laughs, we headed home about 11.

Jan 4^th – Fri – HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MARG & ERNIE

After calling sister Marg to wish her a Happy Birthday, we went to get a few groceries so I could make some cookies.  I told Julie that I would make a birthday cake for Ernie and decided to make filled chocolate cookies and put a letter on each cookie.  The batch makes 4 dozen “sandwiches” and each cookie sheet held 12 cookies so I had to bake 8 pans of cookies.  But it turned out really well and on a second pan of completed cookies I wrote a farewell message for Jerry & Becky.  I also made devilled eggs for the get together at Larry & Julie’s.

We took the cookies over about 2:30 and found that Julie was not doing very well with her breathing so we came back for the eggs & a bottle of wine and walked back.  I helped Julie with the last of her appetizers and everyone started arriving.  We had scads of food and everyone enjoyed the cookies.

We all cleaned everything up and left shortly after 5 so Julie could go to the hospital to get her breathing under control.  She should have cancelled the party but she absolutely hates to miss out on anything!!!  She called later to say that she had to stay overnight in the hospital for tests.

We went to Moe & Trish’s for another drink and came home just before 8.  I heated up some leftover stew for a light dinner and we had to drive to Larry & Julie’s to get our camera that I forgot on a table.  And so ends another busy day.

Dec 30th to Jan 1st - Mesa

Dec 30^th – Sun

Terry was restless & bored this morning and I was emotionally wrung out so after breakfast we headed to the Lone Butte Casino.  About 2:30 I was hungry and suggested that we share the huge – 10 inch – hamburger that you can get for $7.77 after you accumulate 10 points on your players’ card.  When I went to get the coupon from the player’s club, I also received a $10 food coupon so it cost us less than $10 for the burger, a couple of fairly expensive beers and the tip.  It takes 25 – 30 minutes to cook the burger so we were quite hungry by the time it came but could still only eat less than half.  We gambled a while longer and headed home.

We barely got back when Bill & Lauri stopped by to tell us about their new condo and to say farewell as they are moving to a different park on the 1^st until their new home is available.  Shortly after they arrived, Gloria called to see if we would be home for a bit so they showed up as well.  Then Ernie & Dianne made it a full house!

Once everyone left we were ready to do nothing except have a brownie sundae for dinner.  

Dec 31^st - Mon

Terry had to get up early to take Dennis & Gloria and Bob & Peggy to Fry’s at 6:30 to catch a bus for a trip to Pasadena.  There weren’t enough people from our park for the bus to stop here.  Just after Terry returned and crawled back in the warm bed, Dennis called to say that they were on the bus and in our park.  Three people had signed up at the last minute so there were actually enough bodies for the bus to stop in the park!  Now we don’t need to pick them up when they return on the 2^nd.

The clothes basket was fairly full so I decided to do laundry as did lots of other people.  But we didn’t have to wait for machines.  I exchanged some books at the library during the wash cycle and returned to hang up delicates while clothes were drying so worked in a tiny bit of exercise!

I made a batch of cookies and then we went for a bike ride.  As we left we saw Clare leaving in the truck so we went to chat.  She & Brad were due to return from Winnipeg in a few days but it was so cold & snowy that they headed out a bit early.  Ron & Terri came over to say hi as well so we invited them all over for a drink.  Brad & Clare had to pick up groceries and get settled so only Ron & Terri came by.  I used the leftover meat from our huge burger to make a hot beef sandwich for dinner.

We went to Ernie & Dianne’s for the evening.  Dianne’s daughter Annette, her husband Mike and their daughter Kayah are here for a visit and we were also joined by Doug & Shirley who are friends of Ernie & Dianne and who are also in our park.  We all kept our eyes open until midnight but left shortly after to the smell of gunpowder from all the fireworks around.

Jan 1^st – Tues

I made cinnamon rolls for breakfast that were the last of a 3 pack that we bought at Costco and won’t buy again!  Moe came over around 11 and told us about their trip to Hawaii – Trish wasn’t feeling too well and was still sleeping.  Moe & Terry went to get a late breakfast but I stayed home, puttered around and had a sandwich for lunch.  Then I went for a walk and ended up at the puzzle room until Terry called and said Robin was here.

We had a drink with Robin and finally Neil called to see where she was.  He brought a couple of appetizers that they bought but didn’t use last night and I got out a couple of munchies which ended up being dinner.  We taught them to play Ponytail Canasta which the guys won by 10 points.