Mar 25th to 30th - Yuma to Hemet

Mar 25th - Tues - Yuma
I had an interesting book to finish in bed this morning before getting up and making banana chocolate chip muffins. A shelf in the pantry was on a slant so I spent some time figuring out where to put some heavier items. This led to cleaning and sorting out other storage areas. Amazing how hard it is to toss or give away items that we no longer use - have to be ruthless in this small space.
Terry & I ran some errands, brought some groceries back to the rig, ate lunch and then headed back to the casino. Rick & Pat were off doing their own thing so Pat missed out on the casino. I ended up $20 ahead which didn’t quite cover the $28 that Terry spent. Cheap entertainment today!
When we got back I breaded some shrimp for dinner and washed a load of clothes. We spent time with Rick & Pat going over their travel destinations (after they leave us) to try to point out places that we saw and liked.
Another shared dinner with deep fried shrimp (from San Carlos) and potatoes & salad made by Pat. Pat makes a dipping sauce that Terry loves but it varies each time depending on the exact ingredients and proportions. We made a new batch this morning starting with some sauce that I had bought and adding her Szechuan sauce and sesame oil. I mistakenly put some on the salad instead of the sweet & sour Italian that I had made. The combination actually made a very good salad dressing.
After dinner Terry packed up chairs, mats, etc as we are going to Quartzsite tomorrow morning.

Mar 26th - Wed - to Quartzsite
Not far to go so we didn’t get on the road until 9:15. Lots of RVs heading north out of Yuma - winter visitors heading home.
We arrived at the RV park in Quartzsite just before 11, got a spot and set up. We are here to see our South Dakota friends, Clem & Marlene. We also called Larry & Barb from Monroe. They were in Casa Grande and were leaving today so they agreed to come here overnight . They traveled with us and Clem & Marlene in Alaska last summer so we were having a mini-reunion. Rick & Pat are also here for one night.
We sat around and chatted all afternoon and then had another great baby back rib dinner with food contributed by everyone.

Mar 27th - Thurs - Quartzsite
We heard Larry & Barb leave at 6:48 this morning - good thing we said our goodbyes last night.
Rick & Pat went for a drive and a hike this morning so we sat and had coffee with Clem & Marlene before going out for breakfast with them. We were going to take our truck but - surprise! - the battery was dead and the truck would not start. This had happened a couple of times in Mexico but Terry thought it might be associated with the instrument panel problem so figured he would wait and see if it happened any more. After breakfast Terry got a jump start from Clem and took the truck to a little repair shop who had and put in two new batteries.
By the time we got back from breakfast, Rick & Pat had returned and packed up. So we said goodbye to them and then headed out with Clem & Marlene to Ehrenburg to pick up their mail and then to Parker so they could do some banking. Since we were in Parker, we had to go to the casino. Nobody won anything so we had an early dinner and came back.
Clem & Marlene are also leaving tomorrow so they did some packing and then came over so we could bore them with a lot of pictures and stories. They do not have internet access and do not read our blog so everything is new to them.

Mar 28th - Fri - to TwentyNine Palms
We left this morning with every intention of ending up at Hemet. But I started thinking about other spots in between where we have not been and started looking in the PA and CampClub USA books for half price RV parks. I found TwentyNine Palms Resort, called for a reservation, reprogrammed Wanda and here we are!
When we checked in just before 11, the lady helping us said that she wasn’t sure what time it ended but the golf course right next door was having an RV park appreciation day with free golf for people staying in the park. We set up, had a quick lunch and walked to the golf course. The manager said they had teed off at 9:30 and most were done and having a beer to be followed by lunch. Then they would be teeing off at 1:30 for another 9 holes. He said we were welcome to join them and we did. We joined up with another couple who were not staying in the park and played a terrible game of golf! But, as usual, we had fun.
It was very warm so the pool sounded great after the golf mess. We started talking to a couple in the pool who turned out to be our neighbors. They had been on a 28 day Mexico caravan trip and are heading home to Alberta. They were not towing a car as it was not recommended on their trip and they were talking about renting a car to explore around here. So we asked them to join us tomorrow and they accepted the offer.
After dinner we went next door to sit by a propane “campfire” until the cool wind sent us inside their rig. We were amazed to see when we got back to our rig that it was 10:45.

Mar 29th - Sat - TwentyNine Palms
We left with our neighbors, Ernie & Doreen, at 8 o’clock to go exploring. We stopped at the Joshua Tree National Park visitor center so Terry could buy his $10 lifetime golden age pass for admission to national parks & monuments. Took a little walk to he Oasis of Mara and then headed into the park. We stopped at a lot of points of interest and took a walk around the Cholla Cactus Garden which was really interesting. The park has two distinct areas - Mohave Desert with Joshua trees and Colorado Desert without.
We were lucky enough to be here when the Joshua trees were blooming and there were lots of other blooming wildflowers. We drove about halfway through the park, backtracked a little and then took another road back to the town of Joshua Tree where we stopped at a fun little café for lunch. Back to TwentyNine Palms to have a look at most of the 21 huge murals on the sides of buildings.
We all went for a cooling swim when we returned to the park. Then we got together again for a fish fry dinner at the RV activity center. Dinner was followed by dancing with live music.
The nice evening was dampened by a phone call from Terry’s brother Gary. Since everything was uncertain, I didn’t include in our blog the information that Terry’s Mom had a stroke a week ago. She was initially in bad shape with paralysis and an inability to swallow food. She rallied and was moved to a rehab center today but had another stroke during the move. She is unconscious with an uncertain future. We made a reservation today for a week in Hemet so we have to decide whether we will go there or head for Spokane.

Mar 30th - Sun - to Hemet
We decided to go to Hemet and have Terry fly to Spokane from here if necessary. Our friends Barry & Yvonne live here so Dolly & I will have company. Terry talked to Gary again and their Mom is conscious again. A new doctor said she is doing OK so Terry is going to see her.
Yvonne called as we were eating breakfast after getting set up and they came to see us. I was trying to get an airline reservation and getting very frustrated. I tried 3 times to get a reservation online (after talking to a helpline person after the first failed try) and then went to Orbitz. In the time from when I started, a morning flight filled up so Terry will be leaving from Ontario, CA at 4:30 tomorrow afternoon.
Barry & Yvonne took us on a long drive around Hemet and then we went to their place for a nice dinner. Yvonne had me take my laundry so it was great to be able to do a couple of loads while we were sightseeing and eating. We went for a soak in a Jacuzzi before coming back and crashing.

Mar 21st to 24th - Yuma

Mar 21 - Fri - Yuma
I finally posted my blog this morning before we all headed for the Arizona Marketplace again. We looked through some used RVs before going into the market so Pat could buy a metal lizard wall hanging that she had seen on a previous trip. We went to a WalMart for some groceries, dropped them off at the rigs and then headed to Quiznos for lunch.
The weather is continuing warm so we all headed to the pool to cool down. We went our separate ways for dinner for a change and I enjoyed a long phone call with Bill & Georgia.

Mar 22nd - Sat - Yuma
I got up early this morning to make my Danish Puff pastry for breakfast. It has to cook for an hour so I had it in the oven at just after 7 and then went back to bed for a while. I threw a load of sheets in the washer and hemmed the second pair of Terry’s new shorts before making breakfast. Felt like I accomplished something!
We and Rick & Pat went touring. We went to Imperial Dam, Martinez Lake and the Imperial National Wildlife Refuge. They are all located off I-95 north of Yuma. There is a large RV park and mobile home community (Hidden Shores) at Imperial Dan - we were all surprised to see it there, basically in the middle of nowhere. We went on a 1.3 mile self-guided walk in the Wildlife Refuge. It was very warm but there was a nice breeze and we carried water so it was comfortable and very enjoyable. Terry spotted some lizards which made Pat’s day.
We hit the pool again when we got back. There were very few people there, guess they were all doing Easter things. We relaxed in our air-conditioned RV while I used the internet to find a Chinese food restaurant. One restaurant (Gene’s Restaurant) had a good review so we went there for dinner. Much to my relief (since I picked the place!), the food was very good.
I chatted a bit with our neighbors from Gig Harbor, WA when we got back and then joined Terry at Rick & Pat’s for a bit.

Mar 23rd - Sun - Yuma - HAPPY EASTER!
Terry washed the truck this morning as it was pretty dirty after our drive yesterday. I helped with the windows and inside and then we went to the grocery store. We enjoyed the swimming pool again and then joined Rick & Pat for a drink and a wonderful turkey dinner prepared by Pat - I didn’t have to do anything! I even cheated and bought “Dibs” ice cream bites for dessert rather than making something.
I sneaked in a load of laundry between the pool and dinner. The RV park is long & narrow and there is one washer & dryer in a rec building right behind us. So it is really easy to just throw in a load.

Mar 24th - Mon - Yuma
We all played golf again this morning. We had an 8:37 tee time so it did not get too hot before we finished at 10:30. I had a great first 9 (35) and Terry had a super back 9 (32) - keep in mind that this is a par 3 course! I did get the only birdie!
Pat invited us for turkey buns for lunch (great!) and then we had to go cool off in the pool again. Terry, Pat & I went for a visit to the Paradise Casino before dinner. I finally won some money and just before we left, Terry won and ended up ahead as well.
I made turkey enchiladas (turkey compliments of Pat) for all of us for dinner. I may have said this before but - we do eat well! Rick & Pat stayed to watch “Dancing with the Stars” and then headed home.

March 14th to 20th - Yuma

Mar 14th - Fri - Yuma
Rick had new tires put on his truck this morning so we picked them up at the tire shop and went to a nearby WalMart. Then we dropped off Rick’s truck and our shopping and headed to the Paradise Casino after lunch. I went up and down at the casino, Terry just went down and Pat won a few dollars. We stopped at a grocery store on the way home. We used some of the wonderful prawns that we brought frozen from Mexico to make scampi with Cointreau and then watched a movie on TV.

Mar 15th - Sat - Yuma
Today was pancake breakfast here at the RV park - pancakes, sausage patties, scrambled eggs, juice & coffee for $4 each. Nice change once in a while.
The weather has turned cooler and windy. We went to the “other” swap meet this morning which is close to our RV park. It is mostly used, yard-sale type goods and some produce stands - nothing that we were interested in. Then we went back to the Arizona Marketplace as Pat wanted to buy a new recliner type lawn chair. She got her chair and then we went for lunch at Applebees. I put a pasta salad together for a shared dinner so it could sit while we had our nightly “relax with a drink” ritual.

Mar 16th - Sun - Yuma
Started out going to the Bealls store which is a clearance/overstock type store like Ross or TJ Max. Then we had to go to the large shopping mall. Wandered through a few stores but didn’t buy much - shopped out I guess. So we decided that we needed to check out the Cocopah casino. Terry had just got ahead a few dollars when we told him we had to leave in order to get ribs cooked for dinner.
We had such a wonderful baby back rib dinner that I think Terry forgave us for dragging him from the casino.

Mar 17th - Mon - Yuma
We received a big batch of forwarded mail this morning which took awhile to go through. Then Terry cleaned the truck while I did some chores and had a nice long chat with Ella Mae (Terry’s mom). We ate a late breakfast and then headed out to run some errands. I have been wanting a sewing machine almost since we started traveling so we decided to get one. I ended up getting a Singer Inspiration model at Sears which is right down the street from the RV park. Then I needed some thread and stupidly did not think about going directly back to WalMart but tried to find a fabric store using the GPS. After about 4 tries I remembered WalMart and we got the thread!
When we got back I had to try the sewing machine right away and especially the needle threaded that I wanted. I could not get the needle threaded to work! I finally threaded the needle manually just so I could try sewing something.
We all went for a corned beef dinner (St. Patrick’s Day) put on by the RV the park. The time listed was 5 to 6:30. We walked in about 5:45 and a guy outside told us that we were the last 4 and everyone was waiting to serve us. We had to buy tickets ahead of time so they knew how many had showed up. Pretty good dinner - lots of food. The chocolate cupcakes for dessert had the weirdest tasting frosting so we came back to our rig for ice cream.

Mar 18th - Tues - Yuma
Rick & Pat had a repair guy come by this morning to work on their oven so I used the time to shorten a new pair of shorts & mend some old shorts for Terry on my new sewing machine.
We went to old Yuma as a neighbor told us there was a street market there on Tuesdays. He had told us about a bike route to get there (about 5 ½ to 6 miles) but it sounded kind of tricky with spots where you had to walk your bike through sandy spots or down/up ditches. So we decided to drive. The street market was not very large so we wandered through it and some other stores and had an ice cream cone.
We figured it would be fun to kayak on the Colorado River so we checked out a park where we could take out and then went looking for a spot to put in. We drove quite a ways along a gravel levee road and got our newly cleaned truck all dusty but did not find a spot to put kayaks into the river.
Pat had put dinner into her now working oven before we left so we didn’t have much to do to fix dinner. In fact, I had nothing to do!

Mar 19th - Wed - Yuma
Terry took our truck in this morning to get a recall/advisory done. The gauges can (and ours did) all stop working and then start again. We got the notice when we had our mail forwarded in January and made the appointment when we first got to Yuma. We were over the stated max mileage but the dealership here waived that limit and Chev replaced the entire instrument cluster at no cost to us. Terry is very happy to have it done.
Rick & Pat and we went to Algadones, Mexico after Pat fixed us a nice breakfast. There were a lot of people leaving when we got there about 11 and we wondered how early they arrived. We parked on the US side and walked across the border. After wandering around the shops for a about an hour and a half, we discovered why people go and leave early - there was a LONG line to get back across the border. It took us an hour to get through the line. Most of it was shaded by an awning over the sidewalk so it wasn’t too hot.
We went to the Paradise Casino in Yuma for some lunch and a little gambling before we had to pick up our truck. On the way back to the rig we stopped for diesel, Strawberry Daiquiri mix and to get the truck washed. After a daiquiri with Rick & Pat, we all went for a swim in the heated pool here at the park. Sat in the hot tub for a bit and then went our own way for dinner and the evening.

Mar 20th - Thurs - Yuma
We had some time before our 11:22 tee time so I tried shortening Terry’s second pair of shorts while Terry cleaned one side of the 5th wheel. I messed up the sewing so ripped it out and put it aside for later.
Our round of golf was at an 18 hole par 3 course. It was quite warm by the time we finished but it only took us 2 hours. It was fun and humbling - shows how much we need to practice our short games!
We dropped off the clubs, washed our sweaty faces and went to Quiznos for lunch. Hit the grocery store and then the swimming pool. We cooked steaks about 7:30 since we had a late lunch. Terry & Pat went to the casino. I tried to finish my blog and checked email before sitting down to read with an ice pack on my ankle - it still swells and hurts after golf!

March 8th to 13th - San Carlos to Yuma

Mar 8th - Sat - San Carlos
I did a couple of loads of laundry this morning so I wouldn’t have to worry about it as soon as we get to Yuma. Chores & errands took up the rest of the morning for everyone. Terry & I went to Jax Snax for a hamburger for lunch.
Pat, Val, Terry & I went golfing. Craig showed up before we had teed off so Terry played with him instead of with us ladies. I started out OK and went downhill. Pat started out not so good and got better. Actually, I got on the green for the first time on the first par 3 that is well guarded by a sand trap and did par the hole so it made the whole round worthwhile. Terry got a 44 so he was very pleased.
We had our clam feed this evening. Our 6, Les & Wendy, Bill & Joyce and Gary from a couple doors down. Again, excellent clams with absolutely no grit. It was hot during the day and stayed warm enough to sit out in shorts and short sleeves until suddenly a cool breeze came up about 8:30 and chased everyone in.

Mar 9th - Sun - San Carlos
Cathy came in from the lot to join our group of 6 for a morning kayak trip in the estuary. The weather was wonderful and the tide was in enough that some of us only had to walk our kayaks over a couple of sand bars. Cathy left and the rest of us went to the Soggy Peso Bar for lunch. It was very windy - not cold but not pleasant enough to stay for more than one beer.
Terry continued packing up stuff to get ready to leave and I organized stuff inside and worked on our contribution to a shared dinner with Rick & Pat and Claude & Val. We all watched Oprah’s “Big Give” after dinner.

Mar 10th - Mon - San Carlos
I got a load of sheets & towels on the line before Terry took me to get a haircut at 11. The water was running really slowly into the washers so we did the “bucket brigade” to speed things up. After lunch, I made a couple of things for an Appy Happy Hour gathering this evening and then Terry & I went to buy a souvenir T-shirt for me. All this time in San Carlos and I did not get a T-shirt!
We had our 5th wheel washed this afternoon. A group of us sat in the shade and watched Victor (park employee) work. They charge $30 (plus a tip for Victor) for this service.
All 4 couples from the lot joined us for Happy Hour(s). Joyce & Bill and Les & Wendy were also there and later Gary & Virginia joined us.
I had Dolly out with me for a while and when I took her in and set her down she let out a yelp and started packing her left back leg. I felt her leg and she yelped again. The only thing I could figure was that her leg caught in my sweatshirt pocket when I set her down. She started putting some weight on it later in the evening.

Mar 11th - Tues - leaving San Carlos
Dolly’s leg is much better today.
Rick & Pat are traveling and staying with us in Yuma. We left at 8:15 and got a very special sendoff - a BA from Claude and “torso” flashing from Cathy & Linda.
Highway 15 to Santa Ana seemed to have more potholes than 3 months ago when we traveled south. At Santa Ana we turned west on Hwy 2 to enter the US at Lukeville, AZ. From Santa Ana, the highway is 4 lane concrete for a ways - very nice. Then we got into construction for quite a ways - sometimes we were on one lane of new concrete which was scary because it was narrow with about a foot vertical drop off on each side and sometimes we were “in the ditch” on a temporary dirt road past the construction. Sure am glad we got the 5th wheel washed yesterday! After the construction, the road was still better than the potholes on Hwy 15.
We had to stop and turn in our vehicle permits about 17 km from the border. It is such a weird setup. You have to go past a little booth on the left of the highway, turn around in a dirt pullout and enter a road going past the other side of the little booth. The person working there has to verify that the vehicle matches the paperwork for the decal before they give you a razor blade to scrape it off the windshield. Then another U-turn out of this area and back onto the highway heading north.
No problems at the border crossing. The agent asked very few questions and we had gotten rid of meat, fruit & veggies that weren’t allowed.
We were told that there was a casino - with a restaurant - at Why so that is where we headed. It is 27 miles from the border. We were directed a couple of miles off the highway and found the “casino” and an RV park. We set up, relaxed with a drink and went to get some dinner. The “restaurant” is a snack bar but since we didn’t have groceries and didn’t want to cook, we had chicken strips & fries for dinner which actually were good - just not what we had our mouths set on.
While we waited for our food to cook and after we ate, Pat, Terry & I tried out nearly all of the 30 or so slot machines in the casino.

Mar 12th - Wed - to Yuma
Relaxed with coffee and left about 9. We planned on stopping in Ajo for breakfast but there were no obvious eating places so we carried on to Gila Bend. Stopped at a service station to top up and then ate next door at McDonalds since we could not find anywhere else on the GPS and it is a little difficult to drive two 5th wheels around town looking for a restaurant.
We stopped at Wellton to visit Canadian friends Nicole & Francis who stay there for the winter. They are leaving tomorrow so we just stayed for a short while and left them to their packing.
Rick & Pat needed a repair on their toilet so we stopped at a small shop in Wellton that Francis told Rick about. The guy could put in a new toilet today so we left the truck & 5th wheel there and all drove to Yuma in our rig to get an RV site.
I had made phone calls to RV parks while we were driving (nice to have phone service again!) and had selected one. When we got here, all the office personnel were at a lunch so we called the number they had left and they said we could park our rig by the pool and they would get us a site when they returned. We had to get some groceries so we unhooked the 5th wheel and went shopping. We were just paying for groceries when the shop in Wellton phoned to say Rick’s rig was ready. We drove out there, dropped off Rick & Pat, came back to the RV park, hooked up, got a site, parked and set up. Pat & I had planned a shared dinner while we were shopping. It was so nice that we dished up and ate outside.

Mar 13th - Thurs - Yuma
Should always do things right the first time! We knew our rig was a little high on one side when we parked but figured it was not enough to have to level with a board. Well, even Terry noticed it so he hooked up this morning and we did the job right. We ended up having to push gravel out of the way and only put one wheel on a board or else the other side was too high.
By 9:30 we were ready to leave for the Arizona Marketplace (“swap meet”). We had lunch there and left there just before 3 - and we hadn’t even walked through all of it. We had a wonderful surprise when Terry spotted Clem - our friend from South Dakota - while we were shopping. Marlene was somewhere else in the market with another lady so Clem’s friend called his wife and asked the ladies to come see them. Marlene was really shocked when we came out of a store when she got there. We didn’t chat for long as Rick & Pat were moseying down the aisle and Clem & Marlene were there with friends. They are staying in Quartzsite and just drove to Yuma for the day.
We relaxed for a bit after our strenuous day and then Terry and I made a quick trip to get some pork chops for dinner. About 8:30, Pat came over to see if I wanted to go in the hot tub with her. There was one other guy in the hot tub by the time we got there but it is huge so no problem. We cooled off with a swim in the pool, warmed up again in the hot tub and then showered to rinse body and bathing suits before heading home.
I was reading a book that I knew would have a tearjerky ending so I wanted to finish it at night instead of outside during the day. I finally finished it at 11 - didn’t think it would take so long.

March 5th to 7th - San Carlos

Mar 5th - Wed - San Carlos
Now it is Rick’s turn to be sick. He had a bad headache yesterday so I gave him a couple of extra strength Excedrin when we got back from dinner. He had eaten a lot of dinner and they figured the combination of that and the pills gave him really bad indigestion in the middle of the night. He felt puny all day and finally had chicken soup for dinner.
Pat, Val, Cathy & I went shopping and then had a lovely lunch at a restaurant near the marina. Terry took Claude to the Soggy Peso bar to have paninis (grilled, flatbread sandwiches) for lunch. It was warm enough to sit out for a while this evening and then everyone went their own way for dinner.

Mar 6th - Thurs - San Carlos
Terry & I had to make a trip to town for coffee first thing this morning - we hoped ours would last until we left but we used the last of it yesterday and then forgot to get some. Later we rode our bikes into town with Claude & Val. We went to JJ’s for lunch and introduced Claude to the Big Donkey burrito - way too much food for lunch but he & Terry both ate a whole one. We stopped at Tony’s for some produce on the way back.
I put a chicken in the crock pot before Terry, Pat and I went to Guaymas for dentist appointments. I had an appointment for 2 fillings at 3:30 so they dropped me off and they went to the casino. Terry brought Pat back for her appointment which was supposed to be at 4:30. I was still in the chair (almost done) when she arrived at 4:40 as the dentist did not show up for me until 4:00. Somehow, I expect professionals in Mexico to be on time even if nothing else is!
Terry & I came back as Pat had 4 fillings and expected to be a couple of hours. She took the bus back and I fed Rick dinner. When Pat got back, she came over for a drink and then we heated up a plate of dinner for her. This was the last of the dentist appointments - yeah!!

Mar 7th - Fri - San Carlos
The condos next door have a wonderful little library that is open Friday mornings to borrow and exchange books. Val, Pat & I took over a couple bags of books and replenished our stock. Pat & Rick both read so I have been getting books from them and I still have a couple that Margo traded with me. Val recommended some books that were in the library so I am set for a while. Last Sunday we went to the lot for potluck and Val had some books for Linda. We decided that I could read them before I left and then return them to Linda. I finished the second one Wednesday morning - good books!
We all (including Les & Wendy from beside us) went clamming about 11:30. We stopped at the Ley in Guaymas for a couple of items on the way out. It was a warm day but with a breeze to keep us comfortable while we dug. We stopped by the estuary on the way back to get clean salt water and then made a stop at Tony’s for a couple of steaks for dinner. We were hoping to finally go on the glass bottom boat but it was too windy again this evening. So we had a lot of laughs at Happy Hour with Bill & Joyce and Les & Wendy joining our group of 6.

March 2nd to 4th - San Carlos

Mar 2nd - Sun - San Carlos
The cupboards were a little bare this morning so Terry & I did some grocery shopping so I could make a nice breakfast. The weather has gotten lovely even though we had to put up our awning because of some big wind gusts. We haven’t taken the time to lay by the pool. The pool is not heated so I imagine it needs a few more hot days to be comfortable.
We were invited to a pot luck dinner at the lot today. I have a great recipe for a potato casserole (Kathy’s recipe and Terry’s favorite) which takes frozen shredded hash browns. These are impossible to find here (and in Canada) so Pat & I partially cooked and then shredded potatoes. What a sticky, starchy mess - but the casserole was a hit. The wind continued in the evening so we couldn’t have a campfire and we all left just after 7. It worked out OK as I wanted to catch Oprah’s much-advertised “Big Give” on TV.

Mar 3rd - Mon - San Carlos
Our time here is getting short - we are leaving on the 11th - so we are planning what we want to do and see before we leave. Rick, Pat & I all still have dentist appointments so we have to fit things around them.
We all went golfing this afternoon and Cathy joined us. Pat & I had good games - Pat got a par on a par 5 hole which is excellent. I got 52 and Pat got 55.
We joined some neighbors for a drink before going our separate ways for dinner. We are trying to use up groceries that we can’t take back into the U.S. so have to be creative with meals.

Mar 4th - Tues - San Carlos
Since Pat & I did pretty well at golf yesterday, we figured we should go again today. We just have a few prepaid golf tickets to use up now. Val & Claude ended up wanting to go again as well so Terry & Claude played together and Pat, Val & I followed them. Rick was at the dentist for a cleaning and hopefully his last appointment. Pat & I both ended up with the same scores as yesterday!
Today is Val’s birthday so they, Rick & Pat and we went for dinner at the Fiesta. The price of the chateaubriand has gone up and possibly the drink prices as well but it was still a great dinner. Claude & Val came to our rig afterwards to talk and share a very good tequila/almond liqueur with us.

Feb 26th to March 1st - San Carlos

Feb 26th - Tues - San Carlos
Lovely day, just right for being lazy and reading - and a bit of cleaning. Not such a good day for talking to Marg on Skype - got cut off a couple of times. Found out that she has an early set of twin lambs and is all set for the rest of the ewes to start lambing the beginning of March. Marg also thinks she is invincible with her new knees and crashed on the cross-country skiing trails. Had to remind her that she is getting older with the rest of us!
Terry & Rick went golfing. I still felt iffy about going so Pat made a bunch of phone calls and we both got to visit with Cathy when she dropped in from the lot.
Terry finally beat Pat at Canasta. Guess he is a pretty good student - and lucky with wild cards!


Feb 27th - Wed - San Carlos
Errands today including bank and groceries. Seems like the nice weather is making everyone a bit lazy so we visited with several neighbors today.
We went out in the kayaks late this afternoon as Pat wanted to see if she could get some good sunset pictures from the entrance to the estuary. The tide was out too much so we didn’t get very far when we were grounded. Terry towed his kayak and me for a while but as the birds were wading all the way across the estuary we realized we wouldn’t do better further on. So we turned around and soon had enough water to paddle back in.
It was nice enough to sit out for one drink with Rick and Pat and by then it was 7:30 which is a late dinner hour for us.


Feb 28th - Thurs - San Carlos
Washed one load this morning and had to wait to get it on the line until a couple of men finished spray painting a repair job on our neighbor’s motor home. We went to Guaymas with Pat & Rick to make dentist appointments. We all had appointments previously that were cancelled when the dentist had a car accident and had to get his car repaired. We stopped at the Ley for a few items on the way back. Pat had seen a guy selling strawberries on the street when we went in and we saw him at the bus stop in front of the Ley when we drove out. Rick pulled over to see if we could buy some strawberries and the guy asked if we were going to San Carlos and if he could get a ride. A bus pulled up behind us and had to wait while the guy carefully put his 4 flats of berries in the truck and hoped in the back with them. When we got back to the RV park, Pat & I both bought 3 cartons of berries which are very good.
I just had time to boil up some ribs for dinner while I made lunch before we had to leave to play golf. Rick & Pat and Terry & I played together for a change and it was very nice. We all played decently (as opposed to brilliantly, which we were hoping for!) and had a good time.
Got together for the shared rib dinner and then Terry & I headed home when Terry started nodding at 8:15!


Feb 29th - Fri - San Carlos
My ankle was complaining today about playing golf yesterday.
We got an early start this morning and went kayaking with Rick & Pat, Cathy, Diane and (neighbor) Virginia. Actually, I ended up not kayaking as the tide was out, the spot to put in was rocky and all I need to do is twist my ankle again. A couple of seals were swimming near the kayakers when they first went out. Terry did not stay out too long as he had urgent need of restroom facilities (or a large bush!).
Terry & I took Dolly on the bicycles and rode to the lot to visit and get some exercise. Dolly was not really happy as there are too many bumps - I bounced her right off her feet on the speed bump (tope) in front of the park office.
Fog rolled in just after 3 and it was very damp. Pat & I were watching “Ellen” and “Oprah”. The guys ended up joining us inside where we stayed until we set up the camp stove to deep fry some prawns and french fries for dinner.
Pat & I vs. Rick & Terry at Canasta after dinner.


March 1st - Sat - San Carlos
The internet keeps being down when I am ready to post my blog - hope it stays up a while today.
We did some neglected chores and organizing in the rig today while Pat got some laundry on the line. After a shared breakfast of pancakes & bacon, we all went for a drive to find a place for Rick & Pat to try some fishing. The tide was way out so the first place we stopped was no good. They tried a few casts on both sides of the next rock outcropping but kept getting hung up on the rocks and seaweed. Terry & I picked up a few shells. We went to another beach to sit and have a snack and then headed back.
Claude & Val (friends from Canada who have been traveling on the Baja) had arrived and set up right next to us. It is so nice to see them again - I am sure we will spend many hours swapping stories.
We tried to go on the glass bottom boat ride again but this time the captain said that there needed to be some “paying” customers in order for us to go out. It was also breezy by the time we went to the marina so, once again, maybe not the best time to be on the water. We spent time visiting with neighbors and admiring shell collections. Our neighbor Bill is a goldsmith and has his rock saw with him. It is fascinating to see what shells and rocks look like when they are cut.
We stumbled onto a movie on TV (Secondhand Lions) which turned out to be very good. I threw a brownie mix in the oven and we had brownie sundaes with ice cream provided by Pat!

Feb 26th to March 1st - San Carlos

Feb 26th - Tues - San Carlos
Lovely day, just right for being lazy and reading - and a bit of cleaning. Not such a good day for talking to Marg on Skype - got cut off a couple of times. Found out that she has an early set of twin lambs and is all set for the rest of the ewes to start lambing the beginning of March. Marg also thinks she is invincible with her new knees and crashed on the cross-country skiing trails. Had to remind her that she is getting older with the rest of us!
Terry & Rick went golfing. I still felt iffy about going so Pat made a bunch of phone calls and we both got to visit with Cathy when she dropped in from the lot.
Terry finally beat Pat at Canasta. Guess he is a pretty good student - and lucky with wild cards!

Feb 27th - Wed - San Carlos
Errands today including bank and groceries. Seems like the nice weather is making everyone a bit lazy so we visited with several neighbors today.
We went out in the kayaks late this afternoon as Pat wanted to see if she could get some good sunset pictures from the entrance to the estuary. The tide was out too much so we didn’t get very far when we were grounded. Terry towed his kayak and me for a while but as the birds were wading all the way across the estuary we realized we wouldn’t do better further on. So we turned around and soon had enough water to paddle back in.
It was nice enough to sit out for one drink with Rick and Pat and by then it was 7:30 which is a late dinner hour for us.

Feb 28th - Thurs - San Carlos
Washed one load this morning and had to wait to get it on the line until a couple of men finished spray painting a repair job on our neighbor’s motor home. We went to Guaymas with Pat & Rick to make dentist appointments. We all had appointments previously that were cancelled when the dentist had a car accident and had to get his car repaired. We stopped at the Ley for a few items on the way back. Pat had seen a guy selling strawberries on the street when we went in and we saw him at the bus stop in front of the Ley when we drove out. Rick pulled over to see if we could buy some strawberries and the guy asked if we were going to San Carlos and if he could get a ride. A bus pulled up behind us and had to wait while the guy carefully put his 4 flats of berries in the truck and hoped in the back with them. When we got back to the RV park, Pat & I both bought 3 cartons of berries which are very good.
I just had time to boil up some ribs for dinner while I made lunch before we had to leave to play golf. Rick & Pat and Terry & I played together for a change and it was very nice. We all played decently (as opposed to brilliantly, which we were hoping for!) and had a good time.
Got together for the shared rib dinner and then Terry & I headed home when Terry started nodding at 8:15!

Feb 29th - Fri - San Carlos
My ankle was complaining today about playing golf yesterday.
We got an early start this morning and went kayaking with Rick & Pat, Cathy, Diane and (neighbor) Virginia. Actually, I ended up not kayaking as the tide was out, the spot to put in was rocky and all I need to do is twist my ankle again. A couple of seals were swimming near the kayakers when they first went out. Terry did not stay out too long as he had urgent need of restroom facilities (or a large bush!).
Terry & I took Dolly on the bicycles and rode to the lot to visit and get some exercise. Dolly was not really happy as there are too many bumps - I bounced her right off her feet on the speed bump (tope) in front of the park office.
Fog rolled in just after 3 and it was very damp. Pat & I were watching “Ellen” and “Oprah”. The guys ended up joining us inside where we stayed until we set up the camp stove to deep fry some prawns and french fries for dinner.
Pat & I vs. Rick & Terry at Canasta after dinner.

March 1st - Sat - San Carlos
The internet keeps being down when I am ready to post my blog - hope it stays up a while today.
We did some neglected chores and organizing in the rig today while Pat got some laundry on the line. After a shared breakfast of pancakes & bacon, we all went for a drive to find a place to Rick & Pat to try some fishing. The tide was way out so the first place we stopped was no good. They tried a few casts on both sides of the next rock outcropping but kept getting hung up on the rocks and seaweed. Terry & I picked up a few shells. We went to another beach to sit and have a snack and then headed back.
Claude & Val (friends from Canada who have been traveling on the Baja) had arrived and set up right next to us. It is so nice to see them again - I am sure we will spend many hours swapping stories.
We tried to go on the glass bottom boat ride again but this time the captain said that there needed to be some “paying” customers in order for us to go out. It was also breezy by the time we went to the marina so, once again, maybe not the best time to be on the water. We spent time visiting with neighbors and admiring shell collections. Our neighbor Bill is a goldsmith and has his rock saw with him. It is fascinating to see what shells and rocks look like when they are cut.
We stumbled onto a movie on TV (Secondhand Lions) which turned out to be very good. I threw a brownie mix in the oven and we had brownie sundaes with ice cream provided by Pat!

Feb 18th - 25th - Copper Canyon trip

Feb 18th - Mon - San Carlos
We are not doing much these days - I am trying not to overuse my ankle so it is keeping us close to the rig. I talked to Marg (sister) & Georgia (friend) on Skype for quite a while - got cut off from Marg a couple of times but had a nice, uninterrupted chat with Georgia. I also updated the blog but haven’t yet put any more pictures on the internet.
Terry and our neighbor Les checked midday and the glass bottom boat was going out today. But when we all showed up at 5 the wind had come up and the guide said it would be best not to go out. He said it would not be much fun. He offered us a margarita anyhow but we decided to go to Charly’s Rock for a drink instead.
I made the new recipe with prawns and it was wonderful! It is a fairly basic scampi recipe with butter, olive oil, garlic and lemon juice but it also has cointreau (orange liqueur) added at the end. The liquid is boiled down and served over rice - truly delicious.

Feb 19th- Tues - San Carlos
Another slow day. Packed for our upcoming Copper Canyon trip and the guys played golf in the afternoon. I made another trip to the lot with some of Dolly’s stuff and another opportunity to acclimate Dolly to the “babysitters”.

Feb 20th - Wed - to El Fuerte
Terry dropped Dolly off at the lot and we (Rick & Pat and us) left for El Fuerte in Rick’s truck just before 8. You head basically south and then turn east for about 25 miles. There are 3 toll stops - 59 pesos each (approx $5.90) - and some federal checkpoints. We were asked for paperwork and Rick’s drivers license to support the vehicle permit at one stop. The person obtaining the permit must always be in the vehicle but does not have to be driving. One checkpoint had a huge line of trucks heading north. We started counting part way through the line and estimated that there were 200 trucks in line. The federales are checking for contraband.
The highway we traveled is good. Still not much shoulder but divided 4 lane. All along the way, people were cutting grass in the median for their animals. They would carry it on bicycles and wagons pulled by horses or donkeys. There were also animals tethered in the median for grazing. In one short section, men had large bags with a square opening and we finally realized that they were harvesting grass seed from mature grass along the median by dragging the edge of the bag over the grass. They had huge bags full.
We drove through Obregon with a stop at Wal Mart for some wine. Once we turned off the highway, we stopped on a side road to eat the lunch that we had packed.
We arrived at El Fuerte about 1:30 and checked into the Choza Hotel. Quite interesting - Rick makes a turn off the road right through a driveway in the outer “wall” of the hotel that is closed with metal gates at night. Our room was very colorful with 2 purple walls, 2 walls with beige on top and yellow on the bottom, pink curtains, bright gold bedspreads and a domed brick ceiling. The inner courtyard was very nicely landscaped and had several large parrots and other birds loose and in cages in a gazebo.
We walked around the town a bit and then relaxed with a drink. We went to a nice bar that has Zorro appearing many evenings along with a 3 piece band. El Fuerte is the said to be the birthplace of Don Alejandro de la Vega - Zorro - so a young man puts on a fun show as Zorro. We returned to our hotel for dinner and then tried to sleep on very hard mattresses.

Feb 21st - Thurs - to Creel
As we are staying at the Choza again when we come back, we can leave the truck in their courtyard while we are gone. After we had breakfast at the hotel, a taxi arrived to take us to the train station. The driver made an entry in his calendar to pick us up when we come back.
The train was a customary one hour late so we boarded at 9:30. We got seats across from each other and Rick & Pat gave us the more scenic side since they have been on the trip previously. The scenery is quite uneventful for the first few hours. It is interesting as there are many different trees, shrubs and cacti and you pass many small villages.
There were 2 tour groups on the train and they reserved the dining car for them - one group from 11 to 12 and the other from 12 to 1. So we had to wait until after 1 to have lunch - good thing we had a few snacks as breakfast was pretty early. There is also a bar car on the train but it was hard to find seats on the “scenic side”.
As the railroad climbs, the view starts to become more scenic. The vegetation changes to include evergreen trees. The railroad is quite an engineering feat with many tunnels and trestles. One tunnel does a 180 degree turn inside the mountain and climbs 100 feet before exiting. You then pass over the section of rail that you were just on in order to climb sharply. In another section, the train comes down one side of a valley, loops around the end on a large, curved bridge, climbs the other side and then makes another turn to end up above and parallel to the previous track. Our destination, Creel, is at 8000 feet above sea level and El Fuerte is not very far above sea level so there is a huge elevation change.
The train stopped in San Rafael for a crew change and women with baskets for sale came to the side of the train and you could make purchases from the platforms between cars. Pat bought a basket but I wanted to wait until I could look at items more closely. We also had a 15 minute stop at Divisadero where you could leave the train. There are lots of little stalls with stuff for sale and a lookout over the canyon. We grabbed a Tshirt for Terry and snapped some pictures before we had to re-board the train.
We arrived at Creel about 4:45 and were taken by bus to the Best Western Hotel. We had very nice, large rooms on the second floor - oversized king bed, gas fireplace, vaulted ceiling and a bright green accent wall this time. We had a drink in the bar while we decided on a tour for tomorrow, returned to the room for one drink and then went to another hotel down the street for dinner.

Feb 22nd - Fri - Creel
Creel is a very nice, clean town. The main street has lots of shops & hotels.
We had breakfast this morning at our hotel and met our tour guide - Pepe - at 9. We had the kitchen prepare box lunches for us - sandwich, bottle of juice, bottle of water, chips, cookies and an orange. Pepe is the guide that Rick & Pat had 3 years ago. He speaks very good English, is a real chatterbox and a lot of fun. We had a 4-wheel drive Toyota pickup for our trip. A high step up with low head clearance so a challenge for me to get into and the first thing Rick did was smack his head on the roof when he got in.
We had arranged for a 4 ½ hour tour which ended up being 5 hours. I will hit the highlights but can’t get into all the details in the blog or I won’t get this posted for 2 more days!
One the way to a church & museum at Cusarare, Pepe pointed out some rock formations with names - elephant & face - and gave us a lot of information about the area. The church & museum where locked so we watched an old guy carving wooden spoons while Pepe found someone to open the buildings. Apparently, the buildings were not open as the Jesuits who own them had not paid the young lady with the keys. The museum contained large paintings that had been rescued from churches (where they were being damaged) and had been restored. There were photos of the pictures prior to restoration and it is amazing what can be done to them.
Everywhere tourists go, women & children appear from nowhere with goods to sell. Sometimes they wait for you to approach their display laid out on blankets on the ground and sometimes children come running to try to sell things. We ended up buying the wooden spoons which are made from madronna trees - very hard, heavy wood.
Next was a drive over rough, dirt roads and through small rivers to the Cusarare waterfall. There is a short walk through rocks & woods to the falls and the path is lined with women selling baskets, weaving and other handmade items. Pepe said they walk about 6 kilometers each way each day to be there. All this is as interesting as the falls themselves which had a low amount of water running over them but were still pretty.
We stopped at a lake and walked down to the shore to eat our lunch. We did not take very long as a couple of hungry dogs, some children and a old man showed up to see what we would give them.
We went to a Tarahumara settlement where we visited the Valley of the Monks and a cave dwelling. The Valley of the Monks has huge rock freestanding columns with many colors of what appears to be lichen but we don’t know what it was. This area is currently being developed for easier tourist access. The cave dwelling is one still inhabited by 3 Tarahumara families. It is black from smoke and there is a private sleeping area for each family. And there is the ever-present display of goods to buy which seems a contradiction to their desire to maintain native ways.
Our last stop was at the “Mushrooms” which are more rock formations that do look like mushrooms. One the way back we passed “the saddle” and “frogs” rocks.
After a quick stop in our room to wash off some dust, we went walking & shopping in town. Unfortunately, it was siesta time so many stores where closed. It seemed like a good time to go back to the room so I could get my foot up for a while. We went back for a little more shopping before Pepe walked us to a restaurant that he recommended for dinner. It was on “the wrong side of the tracks” and we bought beer across the street to have with our dinner. We had barbequed chicken (over a wood fire), pork shank and carne asada which was beef that was too tough to chew. A good experience but not one that any of us wanted to repeat. Then we had to walk back to the hotel though areas that might have been scary in other towns. We listened to Pepe singing in the bar for a bit and then called it a day - actually called it a great day!

Feb 23rd - Sat - to El Fuerte
We did not have to catch the train until 11:15 today so we walked to another hotel for breakfast and then wandered though town some more. There were a couple of tours getting on the train again but Pat looked after us by squeezing past people and getting us some seats.
We were having a beer in the bar car when we stopped at Divisidero and Pat & I decided that we wanted to try a taco that we had seen on the trip up. So we got some and had them with our drink. I was riding backwards and I don’t know exactly what caused it but I started to feel sick. The rest of the trip was pretty miserable for me with trips to the - luckily - nearby restroom and to the platform between cars for fresh air.
It was a long ride back. We had already seen the sights and the train had to slow down after dark to watch for cows on the track. We were an hour late so pulled in about 7:30 and our taxi was waiting for us.
I crawled into bed while the others sat out on the lovely porch and had a drink. Pat was not hungry so we sent Terry & Rick to the hotel restaurant for dinner.

Feb 24th - Sun - back to San Carlos
I managed one piece of toast and Imodium for the drive back to San Carlos. When we were having breakfast, there were mainly school kids assembling as if for a parade but our waiter did not speak English so we did not know where it was or when it would start so we carried on after a hotel employee juggled some vehicles around so Rick could get his truck out.
We went via Los Mochis, which is near the coast, just to see a bit more country and the road is considerably better than part of the one we came in on. We stopped at the Wal Mart in Obregon again for a few groceries and to grab lunch at McDonalds. Even in Mexico, the Wal Marts have McDonalds!
We got back about 2:30, dumped our stuff and went to pick up Dolly. She did very well while we were gone and provided endless entertainment for the lot inhabitants as they discussed what they could do to her and take pictures for us. I was still feeling pretty queasy so ate very little dinner as I looked forward to sleeping in my own bed.

Feb 25th - Mon - San Carlos
Rick came to the door this morning to let me know that I could use the line to do laundry as Pat was sick and they would not be doing laundry as planned. So we did laundry, went to the lot to pick up our keys which we had forgotten and got some groceries. Pat was in bed nearly all day - rallied enough to shower and dress and bring her soup over while we included Rick in our hamburger dinner. Half a hamburger for me as things are still unsettled stomach-wise. Food does not sound or smell good.
Watched some TV, started the blog entry and crashed.

Feb 14th to 17th - San Carlos

Feb 14th - Thurs - Happy Valentine’s Day!
We invited the “lot residents” for an Appy Happy Hour tonight so I spent time making a layered dip and coated pretzels while Terry visited with neighbors.
The wind came up pretty hard in the afternoon so we thought we would have to move the gathering inside. But at 5:00 when everyone arrived, the wind dropped and we were able to stay outside until it cooled off and everyone left about 7.
Terry watched a 2 hour Lost episode and I moved to the bedroom to watch Survivor. Not often that we do that but it is handy sometimes.

Feb 15th - Fri - San Carlos
We and Rick & Pat went to Guaymas to the Ley for grocery shopping this morning after I got a couple loads of laundry on the line. Stopped at the bank and then at Santa Rosa’s grocery here in San Carlos to pick up some baby back ribs. Watched TV, propped my foot up and prepped for dinner for a lazy afternoon. We were supposed to go on our glass bottom boat ride but the weather did not co-operate.
Had a great rib dinner and then played Canasta - Rick & I just cannot get cards, and the one time we had somewhat of a chance I made a dumb mistake!

Feb 16th - Sat - San Carlos
Pat & Rick had dentist appointments today so we were lazy again. I made devilled eggs to take to a party at the lot just before Linda & Tammy came by to say that the party was being postponed until tomorrow. Tim & Kim (other lot residents) were coming down from Arizona and had an accident with their motor home. A wheel dropped off the road and sent Tim across the median and onto the opposing lane. Luckily, he kept the motor home upright and did not hit anyone else. They had the motor home towed to Hermasillo for repairs while Kim, who was following in a car, came here to get Steve & Bill to go back with her to Hermasillo.
Rick ended up at the dentist for much longer than scheduled so the party being postponed worked out well for them. We checked to see if we could go on the glass bottom boat but it was still too windy. I had started some clam chowder in the crock pot to eat after the boat ride and it turned out great. Pat deep fried some mushrooms and onion rings and we had another gourmet dinner.
Pat, Rick & Terry played canasta so I could observe Pat and hopefully get some pointers on the game.

Feb 17th - Sun - San Carlos
We went to Rosa’s Cantina for a late breakfast with Rick & Pat this morning and then went sightseeing. We drove through a couple of areas with nice, huge houses and wandered through a big hotel that appeared nearly empty. It was built in 1935 and had beautiful wood carvings on the walls, interesting light fixtures, a bar/restaurant with tables set nicely with cloths, a huge dining room, nicely kept grounds and very clean courtyards. Since we were just going to breakfast, neither Pat nor I had taken a camera.
We continued on through Guaymas to Empalme as Pat wanted some oysters. They did not look very good so we ended up getting some prawns so I could try a new recipe. We drove in a very poor area where people lived in what could only be called shacks. Quite a contrast from the large houses a few miles away.
This afternoon we went to a party at the lot. Everyone brought food and drinks. There were 24 people so we had lots of fun visiting, eating, drinking and standing around a campfire after it got dark. I took Dolly so she could continue to get used to everyone and everything and she did very well. She was quite content to let Tammy hold her a couple of times even when I was right beside her. Anyone who knows our “prima donna” dog knows how rare that is!

Feb 11th to 13th - San Carlos

Feb 11th - Mon - San Carlos
Rick had to take his truck in for some maintenance this morning so Terry followed him to Guaymas and brought him back. We had discussed going to Alamos today but figured we could wait a bit for my ankle to heal more.
Rick & Pat and we went for a bike ride to set a date for our glass bottom boat ride. My ankle does fine on the bicycle. We stopped at a couple of places and then had good burgers for lunch at Jax Snax.
Read and did puzzles in the lovely sunshine before going to pick up Rick’s truck. We dropped Rick off and then Terry, Pat & I went to a casino in Guaymas that Rick had discovered. It was small and the slot machines were all the same - choose from multiple games, instructions in English and they took American money. We played for a couple of hours and we all lost. We were surprised that employees came around with free water & pop and little sandwiches - and waved off a tip for doing so.

Feb 12th - Tues - San Carlos
Terry & I visited at the lot this morning. They are going to look after Dolly when we go to the Copper Canyon so I want her to get used to the lot, the people and the dogs. I actually put a couple of pieces in the impossible jigsaw!
Rick & Terry played golf this afternoon while Pat & I went on a fund raiser home tour of 6 houses. Everyone met at the Country Club and we found a lady with room in her car for us so Pat did not have to drive their truck. We went in two groups to lessen the number of cars that had to park at each house. There were probably 15 cars in each group so we made quite a site in town going slowly enough to keep everyone together and get into the correct lane for turns. We saw some very interesting houses. Back at the Country Club, margaritas were provided and there was a raffle for many items - none of which were won by us or the “lot ladies”.
Rick & Terry had already finished golf by the time we got back to the club house so we came back to the park and then went out for pizza for dinner.

Feb 13th - Wed - San Carlos
Got up reasonably early to get a load of sheets & towels on the line so Pat could do laundry later. But we all went for a drive and a walk along a remote beach instead of Pat doing laundry. Then we stopped by the Soggy Peso Bar for lunch. It was a rare day when it was only slightly breezy there and nice enough for Rick to blind us by taking off his shirt to catch some rays after lunch. We made a couple of grocery stops on the way back and had just enough time to put away groceries and relax a bit before Terry took me to a hairdresser here in San Carlos for a cut. Pat had met the hairdresser on Monday at the chiropractor and we saw her on the home tour. She speaks English (raised in Albuquerque) and did a good haircut in about 10 minutes.
A drink and a visit with some neighbors before going our separate ways for dinner & TV watching.

Feb 8th to 10th - San Carlos

Feb 8th - Fri - San Carlos
Rick had another dentist appointment at 1:00 so Rick, Pat, Terry & Craig planned to play golf. Unfortunately, Rick had to wait 1 ½ hours to see the dentist and didn’t get back until 3:10. So Terry & Craig played golf and for the first time continued on and played 18 holes. Terry was pretty tired as they played a fast round and were walking.
I cooked my half of the shrimp that Pat had ordered and she provided the side dishes for another good meal. Pat & Terry then proceeded to be extremely lucky with (wild) card draws and beat Rick & I at Canasta.

Feb 9th - Sat - San Carlos
We went with Rick & Pat to the lot to set up a dinner date with everyone. There were engagement conflicts so we ended up deciding on Valentine’s Day.
All the “lot people” were going to an open house offering a barbeque lunch so we decided to check it out as well. There were actually 5 model homes that were open in a new development. They are built so close together that the view from some windows is only the side of your neighbor’s house. One house had 2 small bedrooms with windows opening to the garage. It is fun to see what is offered for sale here and we had a hamburger for lunch as well!
At 5:00, Pat, Terry & I went to a casino night fund raiser for Rescate which is the ambulance company in a lot of Mexican towns. Rick stayed home as he is not a gambler. It was very well organized. You bought chips and could play 21, roulette, craps and poker. There was a silent auction and a live auction at the end of the evening so you could spend your winnings. Pat & Terry put their winnings together (I did not end up with any winnings!) and we got a glass bottom boat margarita cruise for 4 in the live auction. We also had a roast pig dinner that was very good. We got back at 10:20 and woke up the park slamming the truck doors. We figure it is payback for the people talking outside the window at 6 AM.

Feb 10th - Sun - San Carlos
To use Terry’s words, this was a lazy-ass day! Even though I had some stomach pains this morning, we loaded up to go kayaking with Rick & Pat. But by the time we got to the water, I figured it was not a good idea for me to be in a kayak and maybe having to make a quick exit on a gimpy foot. So Rick & Pat took off and Terry & I went for a little drive and then came back to the park.
My stomach continued to bother me the rest of the day so I spent most of the day in the recliner with my foot up reading a book. Terry has rediscovered Sudoku (number puzzles) so he spent time with that and trying to set up the satellite dish after some neighbors said they could get Dish network. Not so! Then Pat beat Terry at Canasta but Terry is getting very good lessons from their 2-handed games.
Pat & I both had steaks for dinner so got together once again and then watched a couple of movies that a new neighbor lent us. We saw “The Long, Long Trailer” with Lucille Ball (not Terry’s choice but he didn’t fall asleep) and “Wild Hogs”.

Feb 6th & 7th - San Carlos

Feb 6th - Wed - San Carlos
A departing “caravan” of RVs provided entertainment this morning. Bill & Geri were traveling with 4 other rigs as far as Hermisillo where the the 4 others were continuing on to Kino Bay and Bill & Geri were heading north. Everyone had to gather for farewell hugs and good wishes and then all the rigs maneuvered out of their spots and lined up on the main road in the park. Pat did a quick count of 20 people standing around when Bill was backing out! 2 rigs pulled out and when a 5th wheel pulled off the edge of the sidewalk to follow them, they blew a tire on the 5th wheel - Terry figures a loose chunk of concrete got pinched between the dual tires and popped the rear one. Of course all the watching men had to migrate to the road to oversee the tire changing operation which they did quickly. It took less than an hour for the 5 spots to be filled with people who had to camp on the road to wait for a spot.
Rick & Pat and we went to the tourist info center to try to get reservations on the Copper Canyon train. While Pat & I were doing that, the guys went out to the lot to let the dogs out as the “lot people” all went to Hermasillo for the day. Then we went to the Soggy Peso Bar for lunch but it was very windy there so we went down the road to a nice hotel. It was also too windy and cool there so we ended up at a restaurant closer to town that we had not tried before. Had a nice lunch (by this time, a late lunch) and came back to rest & read. Pat & Terry played Canasta. Just after 5 I went to the lot as no one had stopped by for the keys and I thought the dogs might need to go out again. Turns out they had just got back so I visited for a few minutes and brought back some items they had picked up for us and another lady in the park. Pat just barely beat Terry at Canasta.

Feb 7th - Thurs - San Carlos
I did too much walking yesterday - my ankle is sore today. Rick had a dentist appointment today so Terry & I went for a late breakfast at Rosa’s Cantina and then did a bit of grocery shopping. Took it easy the rest of the day so I could get my foot up. Pat had ordered some shrimp that were supposed to be cut in half with the shells left on for barbequing but there was a miscommunication and we got butterflied & shelled. So Pat cooked some on the barbeque with a couple of different seasonings and I made quesadillas and salad for another shared dinner. We do eat well!!
We had Happy Hour with our neighbors until the sun set and it cooled off so we were not done with dinner until nearly 7, just in time for the first episode of Survivor.

Feb 3rd to 5th - San Carlos

Feb 3rd - Sun - San Carlos
We are planning on a Copper Canyon trip later this month. Have reservations for the 21st & 22nd in Creel so will leave here on the 20th. Better watch my step until then!!
Pretty much hung around the park today. Rick, Pat & Terry deserted me and played golf this afternoon. I baked brownies, visited with a neighbor (Diane) and kept my foot up. It is really improving.
Rick & I lost at Canasta tonight. Missed seeing the victory dance!

Feb 4th - Mon - San Carlos
We did a bit of grocery shopping and had a late breakfast at Barracuda Bob’s while Rick & Pat went kayaking and beachcombing. It was pretty breezy so I was happy that I was not in a kayak.
Bill & Geri are leaving on Wednesday so we had a farewell dinner for them. The lot residents (except Craig who was sick) and another couple next to Bill & Geri joined us so there were 13 for hamburgers and assorted other good food. It had been sunny all day but ugly clouds started moving in about 5:30 and everyone took cover from the cool breeze by 7.
Took a break from Canasta and watched TV.

Feb 5th - Tues - San Carlos
We went exploring around San Carlos in the truck with Rick & Pat this morning. There are some really big houses, often right next to not so nice dwellings. We drove though a development where all places had to have an RV as a “starter”. It was interesting to see how the RVs were covered & disguised. We stopped at Jax Snax in town for chimichangas for lunch.
Rick, Pat & Terry went golfing while I took Dolly to visit at “the lot”. All the lot residents are going to look after Dolly when we go to the Copper Canyon so I figured I would try to get her accustomed to the people and the 2 resident dogs - Andie the boxer and Ruby the black lab. I spent a bit of time working on an impossible jigsaw puzzle that is set up in a screen tent at the lot. I like to be able to put in a few puzzle pieces once in a while to keep interested.
Had a drink with Rick & Pat and then went our separate ways for dinner and the rest of the evening.
I was a bit discouraged with my foot today. Each day I have noticed an improvement but not today. Might have to sit around more tomorrow with my foot up.

Jan 30th to Feb 2nd - San Carlos

Jan 30th - Wed - San Carlos
Terry “sweated out” some of his “not feeling well’ last night so I got to start the day by washing sheets again. Lovely sunny day with a slight breeze so they dry quickly on the line. It was Rick’s turn at the dentist today so Pat, Terry & I went for a short bicycle ride to a grocery store.
Geri did not forget about dinner yesterday. She went to tell Rick and he was napping so she left a note stuck on the door and it must have blown away!
A shoe-shine guy came around the park today - an old man with a very built up shoe to compensate for a shorter leg. He sat on part of the box holding his supplies to shine shoes - not while they were on your feet. Pat, I and our neighbor all had a pair done so he did one step on a pair and then worked on another pair while the first one dried. Did a great job for 15 pesos plus a 5 peso tip, roughly $2.
We played golf in the afternoon, got together for a drink and a shared dinner and then a game of Canasta. The internet was still up when Rick & Pat left after cards so I enjoyed a nice talk with Georgia in Spokane and a shorter call to sister Marg before being interrupted by the internet going down.
The town water was shut off sometime this afternoon. Was supposed to be out from noon to 6 pm for maintenance but was still on when we left for golf just before 3. It is still off now (9:50) so have no idea how long it will be off tomorrow. This happens often enough that houses have water reservoirs on roofs and RVers are encouraged to have water in their freshwater tanks to tide them over.

Jan 31st - Thurs - San Carlos
To use a favorite word of my Dad’s - I did a bonehead thing today. I slipped on our outside steps and sprained my ankle. I was so upset because we have reservations to go to the Copper Canyon on Saturday. I am pretty sure that will not work out. We picked this time to go so Geri could look after Dolly for us and they are leaving on Feb 7th.
We went to the bank for pesos so we could pay for our February rent in case we get to go on our trip. Hit Barracuda Bob’s for a late breakfast croissant as I did not feel much like cooking. Pat & I both had steaks for dinner so she got fresh shrimp to go along with them. Then she deep fried so much shrimp that we decided to leave the steak for tomorrow night.
I can walk on my sprained ankle but it is pretty painful to watch. As long as I don’t twist or bend my ankle it is OK so I have to take little steps with a straight leg. Rick just calls me Festus.

Feb 1st - Fri - San Carlos
Rick had another dentist appointment at 10 this morning so Pat went in on the bus to get a haircut and then meet Rick at the dentist’s office. They were going to do some things in Guaymas but Rick was in the dentist chair for 4 hours so they just ran a couple of errands on the way home.
We cancelled our hotel reservation for the Copper Canyon trip and I spent all day inside with my foot up. We had steak dinner with Pat & Rick and headed back to our place for cards and dessert. We changed Canasta partners so it was Rick & I against Terry & Pat. Rick & I won but Terry & Pat made a great comeback and nearly caught us.

Feb 2nd - Sat - San Carlos
Cloudy and cooler again today. I tried to keep my foot up with ice on my ankle. Terry visited with our neighbors and played a beanbag toss game for a bit. We went out looking for playing cards to make up a new Canasta deck - you use 6 decks. We finally found some and broke them in after dinner.
We had Rick & Pat over for dinner tonight. I bought shrimp from the fish guy - it is wonderful. I will miss being able to buy it - and right in front of the door.
Rick & I played Terry & Pat at Canasta and Rick & I won again. Too bad I can’t put the little victory “dance” in here that Rick performs.

Jan 26th to 29th - San Carlos

Jan 26th - Sat - San Carlos
Went with Rick & Pat to do some shopping this morning. Pat had purchased a couple of home décor items (mirror, metal 3-D “picture”) and had her eye on another metal wall sculpture which she bought. Very nice things. We made a trip out to ‘the lot” and then stopped by Tony’s for some veggies.
We bought some fresh crab meat from the fish man so invited Rick & Pat and Bill & Geri for crab tostadas for lunch. I used some of the remaining crab to make a dip to take to the lot for happy hour tonight.
After happy hour(s) at the lot, Pat & I decided we would go very fancy and make beans & wieners for dinner. I had baked brownies earlier so had them for dessert.

Jan 27th - Sun - San Carlos
A group of 10 people in the park wanted to go clamming so Rick said he would show them where we went. Rick & Pat and we led 2 other trucks to the beach and we dug more clams. It is kind of addictive! On the way back, we all stopped at the beach in Empalme where we had found lots of shells on a prior trip. The tide was not out far enough to get shells but a couple told us that further down the beach there were lots of shells so we all took a walk and did find shells.
We joined the clamming group for happy hour. One of the guys (Al Funk) is Rick’s first boss and he and his wife Dolly were here 3 years ago when Rick & Pat were here. It turns out that they know my aunt Barb in Chilliwack (Sardis) B.C. We continue to be amazed at how small the world is!
I made crab cakes for dinner and decided that I would not do that again. We were not crazy about them and the fishy smell took forever to go away.

Jan 28th - Mon - San Carlos
Today was Pat’s birthday and she wanted to spend part of it in Hermasillo (casino included!). So we left about 8:30 and got back about 5. We went to the Mercado (market) there. It had meat & produce for sale and lots of eating spots - mostly counters. It was very clean, unlike the market in Guaymas. The floors were tiled and clean and we would not hesitate to eat at most of the places that we saw. Then we strolled and shopped the small stores in the surrounding area. The sidewalks are narrow and uneven and are much higher (12 inches or so) than the street. But they are not nearly as uneven as the Guaymas sidewalks.
We found a different casino but it ended up being closed. So we went to WalMart right beside it, then ended up at Costco in time for lunch. Hit the casino next for a couple of hours. It was my turn to cover Terry’s losses so was a good day.
The “lot people” joined us (Rick & Pat, Geri & Bill & us) for dinner at a restaurant right outside the RV park - it is owned by Joseph who owns the park. It was OK but different than we expected, probably will not go back. We had purchased a carrot cake at Costco and took it to the restaurant for dessert so were home by 8:00. Terry was feeling a little puny so we went right to bed to watch TV.

Jan 29th - Tues - San Carlos
Not much sleep last night. It was warm but windy so just about the time I finally got to sleep, some fellow campers went out and put in their awnings which is impossible to do quietly. Then Terry was up several times with what he calls “the Mexican quick step”.
I did laundry and got it fluffed in the dryer and on the line to dry before Pat & I had to leave for dentist appointments. We also changed the water on the clams before leaving on the bus. The dentist was still working on a patient so Pat’s appointment was late. Then she took longer than scheduled so my appointment was an hour late. Luckily, we are now smart enough to take books to read while we wait for each other.
Terry did not feel well all day. Good day for him to just sleep on the couch. We asked Steve & Linda and Bill & Geri to join us for a clam dinner. Geri must have forgotten as they did not show up . We have a couple of containers of clams to freeze and use for chowder or linguine - yum!

Jan 21st to 25th - San Carlos

Jan 21st - Mon - San Carlos
We spent some time going up to the office for wifi as we could not get it at the site and we needed to call our banker. Then we realized that it was Martin Luther King Day and banks in the US were closed. I called Marg instead (no wifi on Sunday evening) and had a nice chat with her.
I figured that with busy days planned for the week, I better do a couple loads of laundry while I could. We met some new neighbors across the road (from near Puyallup, WA) and chatted with them for a while.
We went golfing with Rick & Pat. Pat put in a roast to cook while we golfed so she made a lovely dinner for us and then we played Canasta.

Jan 22nd - Tues - San Carlos
We went clamming today south of Empalme. Rick & Pat, Geri and Linda went in one vehicle and Terry & I and Cathy were in another. There was a negative tide so we figured clamming would be good. We decided later that we did not need a negative tide as we did very well before the tide was all the way out.
The beach is sandy but shallow so stays kind of muddy when the tide goes out. We rolled up our pants and started raking. You only have to rack a few inches down to find the clams. It probably didn’t take us much more than an hour to get more clams than we thought we could eat in one meal - 3 half buckets and 1/3 bucket for Geri who was working alone. Terry walked way out to get clean water to rinse the clams and to change the water later. We had taken lunches so ate and sat around for a bit. On the way back, we stopped at the estuary to do more rinsing and get more clean water. It was a really fun day.

Jan 23rd - Wed -San Carlos
Dentist appointments again this morning. I went in with Rick & Pat for a 9 o’clock appt. The dentist was late and then Pat took longer than her ½ hour so I didn’t get in until 10. Pat told Terry that I would be about 2 ½ hours so he could come pick me up. There was road paving on the main street in Guaymas so Terry was a bit late and thought I might have given up. So he parked in a no-parking zone and came in to make sure I was still there. By this time, Terry is really fed up with traffic and trying to find a parking spot. After 3 hours in the chair, I went out and found him and we started back. I wanted a few groceries and Terry needed a restroom so we stopped at the Ley. When we came out, the traffic was all rerouted to one narrow exit and we ended up in a minor fender-bender - unfortunately our fault. Luckily, there was a young man next to us who spoke Spanish & English and agreed to interpret. But we (and a truck who pulled out and caused Terry to back up) were causing a bottleneck which attracted the attention of a policemen who was directing traffic around the construction. To make a long story short, it took 2 hours to get things settled with the insurance that we purchased paying for the damage. Steve & Linda were driving past and I motioned them in. They were a great help in communicating with the police (all 3 from the construction zone followed us to another location!) and getting in touch with the insurance company.
For some reason, we did not feel like cooking the clams tonight and instead I ended up making an easy dinner to share with Rick & Pat.

Jan 24th - Thurs - San Carlos
It rained this morning so we thought we would have a day where we could catch up on email & such. But Pat & Rick asked us to join them for a late breakfast. There were going to do laundry and eat at Barracuda Bob’s but too many other people had the same idea and the laundry and café were packed. So we went to Rosa’s Cantina for breakfast and then Pat & Rick did laundry at the park.
I made some salsa and did some prep work for dinner which was the clams that we dug. Pat & I steamed clams and Terry cooked some on the barbeque so we could compare methods. We all preferred the steamed clams so won’t do any on the barbeque again. Bill & Geri joined us and we ate a lot of clams which were excellent. Unfortunately, Rick was not feeling too well so he did not join us for dinner. People stopped by to chat after dinner and the evening flew by.

Jan 25th - Fri - San Carlos
Pat & I took the bus this morning to Guaymas for a dentist appointment for Pat. Then we walked a long ways looking for an interior decorating store which we did not find. However, we saw a lot of interesting places that you just pass right by when driving. We had Chinese food for lunch followed by fresh cooked churros for dessert. Had a wild bus ride home - I think the driver must have been making up time.
Terry & Rick had gone out for lunch while we were gone. Terry had done some chores and Rick enjoyed a book and the internet.
Terry, Pat, Craig & I went golfing shortly after we got back. Neither Pat nor I had a good game but the weather was lovely so can’t complain.
After dinner, Rick & Pat and we played Canasta and the guys finally won a game.

Jan 16th to 20th - San Carlos

Jan 16th - Wed - San Carlos
Caught up on my blog & did some cleaning this morning - fun stuff!
I went to a doctor here in San Carlos to have him look at a mole-type thing on my arm and a dry patch on my ear. The “mole” is totally benign and I will be using Duofilm (a mild acid like that used in Dr Scholl’s corn plasters) which should make it dry up and fall off. For my ears and another spot on my face, I have Efudix which will cause the areas to get very red and nasty looking before the fast-growing cells choke themselves with the medication and die. This is probably too much information but……
More laundry this afternoon. Pat had asked Steve to come for steak dinner as Linda is in Phoenix and I had steaks for dinner also so we did a joint dinner again. It is nice to prepare only part of the dinner each time.

Jan 17th - Thurs - San Carlos
Did some more computer stuff this morning and then wasted most of the afternoon at the dentist getting a root canal. We left early for Guaymas and stopped for a few groceries and then tried to get a parking spot - what a zoo! The dentist is across the street from a school and everyone is picking up their kids from about 1 to 3 as the different age groups get out. A dentist who just does root canals (I think) takes over the other dentist’s office on Thursdays. I had to get a prescription for an antibiotic as there was some inflammation and I guess that is nothing to mess with.
Got back just before happy hour where we enjoyed a dip/spread that I made with some more of the fresh crab meat and Pat made deep fried chicken fingers - yum! I was kind of tired from my dentist phobia so we just watched TV after dinner.

Jan 18th - Fri - San Carlos
Another day interrupted by the dentist. Pat had an appointment at 10:00 so took the bus to Guaymas. Rick had an appointment at 11:30 and I had one at 12:30. Terry & I had a lazy morning, went for breakfast at Barracuda Bob’s and then drove to Guaymas. When I walked into the dentist’s office at 12:25, Rick was still waiting! The dentist had a terrible time getting Pat’s old bridge off. Rick just needed a consultation so only took a short time and then it was my turn about 1:30. Terry was waiting in the truck so Pat told him what was happening. The dentist prepped me for a post and took an impression for a temporary crown so it took just over ½ hour, I think (don’t wear a watch any more!). Terry was across the street having a banana split so I joined him for a chocolate sundae. We stopped to look at a roadside sale and when we got back we had a note from Pat saying they had gone golfing and if we got home early enough we should join them. But it was 3:09 and too late so we went for a walk on the beach instead.
We went with Rick & Pat for dinner at a very nice place called Blackie’s. Good dinner, piano player in the bar, great company - what more can you ask for? Pat came over after to watch TV a bit and then she and Terry played Canasta while I read.

Jan 19th - San Carlos
After breakfast, Terry & I rode our bikes out to “the lot” and met Tim & Kim who are the other couple setting up an RV spot. They are here only for 4 days and then will be back at the beginning of March. Back to the rig for lunch and misc chores. Then Terry & I went golfing with Craig. Pat had another dentist appointment.
Terry & I stayed for a drink at the lot when we dropped Craig off, visited with Rick & Pat while I cooked dinner and then watched TV.

Jan 20th - San Carlos
Today was Terry’s birthday so we spent the day relaxing and eating. Started with a couple of warm, homemade blueberry muffins from Geri to enjoy with our coffee outside in the sunshine.
A bit later, Rick & Pat took us to breakfast at a place at the harbor. Very nice. We sat outside right beside the water and the weather was wonderful. Then we drove to a lookout to see if there were more vendors there. Nothing interesting.
Read, watched TV and ironed some clothes before meeting for one drink before going to dinner. Four couples from “the lots” joined us at the Fiesta. We started outside until the sun set and then moved indoors. Everyone had chateaubriand which was great. I had made a big pan of brownies so everyone returned to our place for dessert. Yes, we fit all 14 people inside as it was too cool outside. Not everyone got to sit but everyone got to eat - again!

Jan 12th to 15th - San Carlos

Jan 12th - Sat - San Carlos
Rick & Pat and we went for a great kayak excursion today. We drove just partway through San Carlos to launch. The water was smooth and the temperature was perfectly warm. We went through a couple of “holes” in rocks that was initially a bit scary for me but ended up being a lot of fun. We took out the kayaks, drove to Catch-22 beach, had lunch at the Soggy Peso Bar and then the guys watched some kite surfers while Pat & I looked for shells.
We all (“group of 8” and “lot people”) went to dinner tonight to say farewell to Dave & Margo who are leaving tomorrow. We went to a Greek restaurant where they roast a whole lamb on Saturdays and have live music several nights a week. Terry & I danced a bit.
We made a special wind chime for Dave & Margo and gave it to them when we got back from dinner. I can’t believe I did not get a picture of the wind chime - we used a huge seed pod from a tree in the park for the “hanger” portion, decorated with a couple of shells and used beer cans for the “chimes”. It turned out much better than this description sounds!

Jan 13th - Sun - San Carlos
We got up early this morning to say goodbye to Dave & Margo. Terry & I went for a bike ride downtown before going to JJ’s for lunch. JJ’s has a central eating area with a grill area, a food prep “building”, a deep fry “building”, an old trailer selling tobacco & cigars and a drink/smoothie “building” around the edges. I put “building” in quotes as they are partially open sided structures. We split their carne asada Donkey which is a large burrito with spiced, grilled meat to which you add your own condiments. Another interesting experience.
Another lovely day for golfing this afternoon.

Jan 14th - Mon - San Carlos
Another trip to Hermasillo today. We started with the casino this time and it beat us all up. Then Costco for hot dogs and shopping, Home Depot and Wal Mart. Pat had shopping lists for Geri and Craig so shopping took a while. We wanted to find an outdoor market but decided to get better instructions from Pat’s masseuse instead of driving around the city looking for it.
We got back about 4:30, unloaded everything and then had a drink while we waited for a macaroni casserole (made ahead by Pat) to cook for dinner. Guess we hadn’t crammed enough into the day as we played Canasta again.

Jan 15th - Tues - San Carlos
Laundry this morning and then Pat & I took the bus to Guaymas for dentist appointments. Steve & Linda recommended another dentist. I had my teeth cleaned and had a sensitive tooth looked at. Pat had one filling and a price quote for removing a 3 tooth bridge, doing a filling underneath and replacing the bridge. She had this work priced in Canada for about $1000 more than it will cost her here. I have to get 2 fillings and am going to get a root canal, post and crown on the sensitive tooth that is nearly all metal filling right now. We both liked the dentist and felt very comfortable with his work. He used an ultrasound cleaning system that I have not experienced before and it was wonderful - very gentle and painless. My teeth were not the least bit “sore” after the cleaning as they usually are.
When we returned on the bus, we found that Terry & Rick had gone golfing so we walked to a small store for some groceries so we could make crab tostadas with the fresh crab that I bought from the fish vendor in the park this morning. We walked a little further to a clinic and I made an appointment for tomorrow to have a couple of skin issues looked at. I decided that I didn’t want to go to the dermatologist in Guaymas.
The guys had a great golf game, we had super crab tostadas together and then played Canasta to end a busy day.

Jan 6th to 10th - San Carlos

Jan 6th - Sun - San Carlos
Golf again this afternoon. Then had Rick & Pat and Dave & Margo over for steak & prawn dinner. We watched what Rick said was the last episode of Desperate Housewives. We haven’t watched it for a long time - I think it is time for it to go as they are really reaching for story lines and some characters have become jokes.

Jan 7th - Mon - San Carlos
Laundry this morning. Most of the washers fill up very slowly so we take buckets, fill them with water at a nearby faucet and dump them in the washers for both the wash and rinse cycle. There were some other people doing laundry who didn’t know this trick so Terry ended up carrying water for them too.
We went to Baracuda Bob’s for a late breakfast with Dave & Margo and then went sightseeing on “Snob Hill”. Very narrow streets, some one-way, lovely views.
Pat made dinner for us tonight and then Pat & I showed the guys how to play Canasta.

Jan 8th - Tues - San Carlos
I have a cold now so rather than going kayaking I finally took the time to put comments on a lot of pictures and got them posted on the internet.
I was lucky enough to get to talk to Aunt Jessie this afternoon for over half an hour without getting dropped by Skype/internet. It was so nice!
Terry & I, Dave & Margo and Pat went for a long walk on the beach in the late afternoon. We had to return past the bar at the Fiesta Hotel and Dave was really thirsty so we stopped for our first happy hour drink. Had to hurry up a bit as it got cool & breezy and everyone was in shorts & Tshirts. Pat & Rick joined us for another drink in our rig before dinner.

Jan 9th - Wed - San Carlos
Went with Rick & Pat to Guaymas today. We found a new dentist and made appointments for Pat & I. We also found the office of a dermatologist but he was not there and the receptionist did not speak English so we didn’t make an appointment.
We went to lunch by the harbor and then walked around a bit and shopped before going to the Ley to pick up some groceries. Pat & I had both taken ribs out for dinner so we got together and ate.

Jan 10th - Thurs - San Carlos
I am still feeling a little puny so we had a lazy day and then played golf at 3. I actually did very well on the first 7 holes and then fell to pieces. It was another beautiful day. With the days getting longer, the sun was still up when we finished and we didn’t have to put on light jackets on the final holes.
Rick & Pat and we were going to go out for dinner but by the time we sat and had a drink and some munchies, Pat & I weren’t very hungry. So I made hamburger & noodles for dinner (sorry Rick!). Cable TV was not working again so we watched a movie. Pat & Rick had seen it and it definitely was not good enough to watch again so they left us to finish watching it.

Jan 4th & 5th - San Carlos

Jan 4th - Fri - San Carlos
The cooking class went by bus to the Ley (grocery store) in Guaymas today to buy cheeses. Maria (cooking teacher) also helped us decipher the many types of tequila found in the Ley. Before we went shopping, I had Maria talk to the hairdresser who cut my hair when we first arrived as I needed another haircut but did not know how to instruct the stylist. After shopping, when other women were enjoying coffee, Pat & I both got haircuts. Then Margo, Pat & I walked and shopped further downtown until we arrived at our lunch destination near the harbor. We had a very nice lunch, walked & shopped part way back and then caught the bus back to the RV park. We arrived back just in time for the 3:30 cheese tasting. We tasted 8 cheeses and I think I would only buy 2 of them.
Terry & Dave went clamming while we were gone and got half a bucket of clams. They were not smart enough to stop somewhere for lunch so they went for a hamburger while we were tasting cheese. Rick has a cold so he is taking it easy.
We taught Margo to play Canasta as Margo & Terry played against Pat and me. We each won one game before calling it a night at 10:30.

Jan 5th - Sat - San Carlos
Rick & Pat and we went shopping for some “lot warming” gifts for our friends (Steve & Linda, Craig & Cathy and Bill & Tammy) who are setting up their RV sites on 2 lots and then we delivered the gifts. It was half past lunch time according to Rick’s stomach so Steve & Craig joined us for hot dogs at El Cheque which is a little place on the main street of San Carlos. The guy wraps bacon around the hot dogs before grilling them and the buns are baked in a bakery right next door. We had a large, late breakfast so I just ate a goodie from the bakery but the hot dogs looked good. Pat & I walked to Tony’s (produce stand) for a few items.
Pat made tempura (deep fried) prawns and zucchini for happy hour and I made guacamole. Unfortunately for Dave & Margo, they were having too much fun drinking beer on the beach and didn’t get back until all the prawns & zucchini were gone. “The girls” played Canasta after happy hour and made the guys fend for themselves. Pat & I won but I made the game a lot closer by making a stupid mistake! Oh well!
The weather is warming up during the day but still cool in the evenings.

Jan 2nd & 3rd - San Carlos

Jan 2nd - Wed - San Carlos
Lazy morning with some cleaning and a drive to take some pictures and check out a couple of small grocery stores for “future reference”.
We played golf in the afternoon - Rick, Terry & Craig and Pat, Cathy & I. Cathy has not played much golf lately - at least partly due to tendonitis in both elbows. She was rusty but had some great shots so hope it encourages her to play more with us.
Golf was slow due to groups ahead of us so we got back late and it was quite cool. I had asked Rick & Pat to join us for dinner and then we played Canasta again. Pat & I started out great but then the cards failed us and the guys won again. Maybe they forget who cooks the meals!!

Jan 3rd - Thurs - San Carlos/Empalme
Our “group of 8” went sightseeing today. We went through Guaymas & Empalme to Ortiz to see an old fort that a friend in the park had mentioned. It was an interesting drive with a lot of large cultivated fields and a large dairy past Empalme. The fort was quite large but not maintained - lots of garbage & graffiti. A man and several children came over and the man tried to explain the history but his English was not too good. We gathered that the fort was used for protection of farmers but we don’t know from whom.
From there we went to a large beach near Empalme. We were all walking along the beach when a guy in a rickety bar started putting out tables & chairs on the sand and motioning us to come over. We were looking for a place to have lunch so we went over and ordered beer. I needed to use the restroom so asked if there was one available. He said yes and rushed in ahead of me to take a bucket and rag and wipe down the broken toilet. He provided some TP (common in Mexico) and had placed a container of water on the bar for me to wash my hands when I came out. While we were drinking our beer, he came back out first with a plate of chips & cheetos and then with sliced, salted cucumbers with lemon to squeeze over them - good. He also asked if we would buy him a beer - of course we said yes so he came out with his beer and we asked him a couple of questions which he answered with a bit of English and very good pantomime.
We were not encouraged to have lunch (and were not sure he did more than snacks) so stopped for lunch at the Flamingo Hotel in Guaymas. It was quite good but a couple of orders got confused and Terry & Rick ended up with lamb. They did not figure it out until they had both eaten part of their meal. Geri ended up with enough lamb for a meal.

Dec 30th to Jan 1st 2008 - San Carlos

Dec 30th - Sun - San Carlos
Thought I would be the only one doing laundry on Sunday morning but I was wrong - full house. The washers don’t fill with water very quickly so I had Terry pack buckets of water from a nearby tap to speed up the process. I was finished with drying when a lady who started her wash ahead of me was still on the final spin of one washing machine.
We played golf at 3:00. Bill played with Pat & I and the guys had a foursome. It was a warmer day so was very pleasant, even when the sun went down. The rest of our group joined us for happy hour when we got back and then we went our separate ways for dinner.

Dec 31st - Mon - San Carlos
Rick & Pat, Margo and we went grocery shopping at the Ley in Guaymas this morning. It was quite busy.
We had no group consensus on “appetizer dinner” or dinner out tonight so Pat asked us to share dinner with them. Of course we started with snacks at Happy Hour and then moved to their place. After dinner we came back to our rig so we could set up a table in the middle of the living room area to facilitate card playing. Rick & Pat taught us how to play Hand & Foot Canasta. Pat & I let the guys win! Had a good time.
After dessert, Pat & I walked to the road to check out any New Year’s Eve action. The park, the street and nearby businesses where all very quiet. This was at 10:20 so we thought the nightclub was not going to be open - wrong!! The music did not start until nearly midnight and went until after 6:00 am. I woke a couple of times but luckily went back to sleep fairly quickly. Someone said they expected the nightclub to slow down after the holidays - sure hope they are correct.

Jan 1st - Tues - HAPPY NEW YEAR from San Carlos
I puttered around making salsa and banana coffee cake this morning. We cannot find mild/medium salsa here so I am experimenting with making my own. I shared the coffee cake with our group and Margo asked me for tea as Dave was fishing with a neighbor. Terry was at loose ends so he rode his bicycle to town to find a Mexico map.
Bill & Geri made seafood linguine for our group of 8 and Craig & Cathy and Bill & Tammy. The rest of us provided salad, rolls and dessert. Great food but the flies sure find it quickly. We ate shortly after 3 and then sat around chatting. I started getting cool at 6:45 so headed for home.
Wifi has been sporadic at best for a few days. I managed to call Terry’s mom for a few minutes but gave up after getting dropped the second time.