Monday, December 02, 2013

Nov 28th to Dec 1st - Mesa

Nov 28th – HAPPY THANKSGIVING!
We started the day slowly knowing it was going to get more hectic.  We planned Thanksgiving dinner for a large group and there is always some anxiety wondering if it will all work out.
We ended up having a problem with the party wagon which provides tables & chairs.  The problem was that it didn’t show up!!!  Of course the office was not open so Terry checked at the security booth and someone there called Nancy (manager).  She did some checking and discovered that the activity office checked out 3 party wagons for today and there are only 2 which were both at the other sites and in use or locked up.  Nancy’s husband Kevin finally got involved and had Terry & Chuck take their trucks to the ballroom where we got a bunch of tables & chairs.  Of course we then had to load them up after and return them but we did get to sit at tables to eat.
We ate at 3 and dinner was great.  Gloria, Trish & I decided that we wanted to keep the food simple – turkey, potatoes, stuffing, gravy, veggies, sweet potatoes, salad and dessert.  So we had multiple people bring the same specific dish and it worked out super.  After everything was cleared away, several people brought over propane firepits and the last guests left shortly after 9.

Nov 29th – Fri
I went to the ballroom at 9 to help with Christmas decorating.  Jill was in charge and torn in many directions at once but we managed to get a fairly good start with a huge tree and lighted garlands & wreaths.  A group with some decorating talent worked on the front lobby and someone did a cute tree with playing cards in the poker room.  The volunteers received a ticket for $5 at the grill in the courtyard so a group of us went for lunch.  Unfortunately for the afternoon decorating session, it took us over 45 minutes to receive our lunch.  I didn’t work too much longer.
When I got back, Ron & Terri and Terry were talking to Brad & Clare so we ended up over at their place with drinks.  It was nice to have leftovers for dinner later.

Nov 30th – Sat
We got at the laundry fairly early today so we were all done by 10.  Then I took my sewing machine to Trish’s and we went to the sewing room for a big project – shortening her drape for their motor home.
You might notice that I said “drape” singular as it is one large, heavy lined curtain.  It was 8 inches too long and puddled on the dash.  But it needed a longer piece on the portion by the driver’s window so I had to figure out how to put in a “jog”.  Luckily a lady came to the sewing room and gave us a suggestion which worked out well except I sewed the piece on the wrong side! - but I made it work OK.  Terry was running errands on the motorcycle, picked up Dianne and dropped by to see how we were doing.  A bit later, Terry came by with a welcome lunch for all of us from McDonalds.
We finished the alterations at 2:40 except for a bit of hand stitching that Trish could finish.  I just had time to put together a vegetable casserole and change clothes before we had to go to Milo & Laverne’s for dinner.  M&L are friends of Brian & Bev’s and we met them at the Gray Cup party.  They had about 20 people over for turkey dinner at their house in Santan Flats which is a 30 minute drive from here.  We were home at 8:30 and ready to hit the sack & watch TV.

Dec 1st – Sun
This was our golf day with 18 friends.  It was cool in the morning and wet on the course but warmed up nicely.  I had a respectable game and Terry did well.  We all went to Red Robin for lunch and had our usual waiter (Ethan) this time.  He does an amazing job of looking after the long table of diners.
Don & Susan from Saskatchewan arrived today and came by for a drink.  As they left, we went out and admired Ron’s newest Christmas decoration – an inflatable, animated helicopter on the roof of his motor home.  Richard & Nancy came walking down the street so we invited them in for a drink & a chat.  They left to have dinner and we went across the street – actually to 3rd Street – to join a group sitting around a propane fire at Bob & Gail’s site.  Luckily I cooked a turkey on Thursday but just for us so I had leftovers for dinner again.

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