Mar 8th to 12th - DHS

Mar 8th – Tues
It was much more enjoyable playing golf today with just a few gusts of wind. We both played much better and my round took only just over the normal 2 hours. I wrote a short, detailed grocery list for Terry as he had lots of time to go to the store before I finished golfing. The only surprise was organic bananas – not bad!
After lunch, we walked to the trash compacter, checked out a possible site for next year and went to see Cliff & Pauline as we haven’t seen them for a while. Actually, we ran into them as we were heading their way so we chatted while they had lunch and then played a card game of Golf as we were waiting for company to arrive.
Dennis & Gloria (neighbors in Mesa last fall) called at 3:40 to say they had arrived at their hotel. We gave them driving directions, finished our card game and walked to the community center to get our tee times for tomorrow. By this time it was after 4 so I called Gloria to give them the gate code as the gate is locked at 4. We waited for them at our road and started a very enjoyable evening of drinks, talking, dinner, talking, dessert and more talking.

Mar 9th – Wed
We played the last game of the tournament this morning and then joined Dennis & Gloria in the pool area of Miracle Springs Spa where they are staying. It was very nice to lounge in the sun, sit in a Jacuzzi, float around in a pool and enjoy a drink in the shade.
We came back to shower & get ready for an evening out. Dennis & Gloria came over and then Terry drove to the River in Rancho Mirage where we had dinner at Babe’s. Terry has been wanting to eat there as it is a very well known BBQ restaurant specializing in ribs. Our meals were good but there was a glitch and my meal was not served until the others were half way through theirs.
Then it was on to the Follies where we lucked out and got a nearby parking spot. The Follies are a Palm Springs “must see” and are celebrating their 20th anniversary this year. All of the cast are seniors – up to age 78 - and are amazing singers & dancers. There was also an incredible juggler and the MC was super. Dennis & Gloria stayed for a nightcap before heading to their hotel.

Mar 10th – Thurs
Dennis & Gloria came over for a late breakfast this morning. We set up a table outside – in the shade! – and had a relaxing time. Then we went up the Palm Springs Tram as they have not been there. It was very warm so we didn’t even take jackets to the top. Next we went to one of my favorite stores – The Alley. It is a large store with house wares & home décor including some furniture. Then on to the Spa Casino where Terry & I gambled a bit and Dennis & Gloria found a bar.
As we walked back to the Thursday Street Fair, we went past our truck and saw a guy checking out our truck. I told Terry to honk the horn but he started the truck instead and we shared a laugh with the 2 couples admiring the truck. We went to a Mexican restaurant – the same one we went to with Marg – and had an early dinner. We saw the same 2 couples who were looking at the truck come into the restaurant so we went past them as we left and asked if they were following us.
We wandered the entire length of the Street Fair and Dennis & Gloria made a few purchases. We also stopped for ice cream which I definitely didn’t need but I did stick to the kids’ cup. When we went back to the truck, the 2 couples we saw earlier were just getting into their vehicle so we shared another laugh.
We got back early enough to play a couple of games of Golf (cards of course) with Dennis & Gloria.

Mar 11th - Fri
We played in the scramble this morning – Terry’s team did OK and my team didn’t. But it was a beautiful day with a light breeze and we had fun as usual. As soon as we finished, we took our clubs back and went to help Gilbert & Grace with invitations for their 50th wedding anniversary celebration later this year. Their son created a file with the times, etc superimposed over their wedding picture but Gilbert could not get it to print correctly on the invitations. I tried a couple of things and then Terry got our computer so I could use Print Shop. That was OK but I could not print to their printer which is exactly the same one that we use. So Terry got our printer. Good thing that we can cut through friends’ sites so he wasn’t walking far each time. After much trial & error, we got the invitations to print and saved files to Gilbert’s computer so he can print the rest. In the meantime, Grace was making lunch which was a lot better than the hot dogs that we would have eaten for the scramble lunch.
We had time to relax before going to Moe & Trish’s for happy hour & dinner. Also there were Cliff & Pauline, Bob & Doreen, Lynn, Gilbert & Grace and Russ & Judy stopped by after dinner. We all sat outside for drinks & snacks and then moved inside for dinner. Six women at the dining table and the guys in the living room worked very well. As usual, we were in the last group to leave!

Mar 12th – Sat
We got out at 8 this morning and walked around the entire park shopping at “yard” sales. There weren’t a lot of sales and all we bought was a toaster for Moe as their new rental doesn’t have one. After breakfast we went to the office to see what sites are available for next year. We had to play golf before we had enough time at the office so a very nice employee looked up all the sites while we were golfing and marked them on a map.
We golfed with Grace & Gilbert and all of us had great shots & bad shots. I was quite pleased to par 3 of the 4 par 3’s but some other holes were not so nice. It was fairly windy so the course was not crowded and we did not have to wait which makes for an enjoyable game.
We dropped of f our clubs, got our bicycles and spent a couple of hours checking sites and visiting with friends. Larry & Terry ended up going out & making decisions so Larry & Barb will be moving quite a ways down the street that they are on now and we will be taking Gilbert & Grace’s site as they bought Lynn’s park model. Whew!
All this thinking called for a drink with Larry & Barb. They have both been sick but are recovering and nearly ready to get back on the golf course.
We didn’t have lunch so headed home at 4 to get dinner started. Gilbert stopped by with printer ink and stayed for a drink. He had barely left when Grace came looking for him as they were going out to dinner. Oops. We had a good dinner and relaxed after a busy day.

Mar 5th to 7th - DHS

Mar 5th – Sat
We went for a hike today with Larry & Barb, Grace & Gilbert and Moe & Trish. We left about 8:30 for the 47 mile drive to Ladder & Painted Canyons. After a stop at a service station to use the “facilities”, we arrived at the parking area and started walking. After a while we figured we must have missed the turn and asked another group if they knew where it was. Turns out we had not gone far enough on the road (didn’t read the GPS which showed another 3/10’s of a mile!!) so we went back, moved the trucks and headed out in the correct canyon.
In addition to rocks to climb over, there is one ladder going down and 2 ladders going up in Ladder Canyon. Out of Ladder Canyon, you ascend quite a bit more on open ground before descending into Painted Canyon. We sat on a rock pile on top and had lunch before continuing to Painted Canyon which is spectacular. You won’t find pictures from this trip as we did the climb last year and posted pictures.
We tried to find a bar with cold beer on the way back but didn’t see anything promising so Larry provided the beer when we got back. We came home for dinner and then attended a show at the hall. Husband & wife Jerome & Jeanne sang and played many instruments. Jeanne has a lovely voice and actually played most of the instruments with Jerome specializing in “picking” but on a guitar, not a banjo.

Mar 6th – Sun
I had a few sore muscles today to remind me that I did some “work” yesterday. We were slow to get going this morning and spent some interesting time finding Ladder & Painted Canyons on Google Earth.
The wind really picked up yesterday afternoon and last night so it was off to a casino again! We were ready for dinner and nearly done gambling when I won some money on a bonus on a machine that we had never played before. So after dinner we had to stay a while longer!
Barb had left a message asking me to look for a coupon for the Best Buy Geek Squad as they got a virus on their computer and had to take it in for repair. The technician thought there was a coupon in the paper but they couldn’t find it so Barb thought there might be one online. I exhausted my search capabilities but couldn’t find anything for her.

Mar 7th – Mon
The men’s & women’s clubs championship golf tournaments started today and what a terrible day it was for golf. It was incredibly windy. The wind would move balls sitting on the green and if you happened to be addressing the ball before a putt it would be a stroke on your score. After golf bags & carts blew over a few times, we started walking to the next ball in pairs so one person could hold the carts while the other person hit. With everyone waiting on the green so the ball wouldn’t move and the time it took to upright bags & pick up stuff that fell out, it took nearly 3 hours for the round that usually takes 2 hours. We golf 2 more days but the wind is forecast to let up.
I sorted the laundry before I left. Terry was waiting when I finished and told me that he had brought the laundry over. I asked if he also brought the stain remover and he said the clothes were already in the dryers. Unfortunately, the stains were also still in 6 shirts and we had to go back to the laundry room to find a missing pillow case so I spot treated the shirts, grabbed a few more items that I hadn’t got to earlier and went to do another load while Terry got hamburgers for our late lunch.
We relaxed, napped (Terry) and worked on the computer (me) until Moe & Trish stopped by to ask us over for a drink. They have moved to a different park model which is much nicer for entertaining. Since we had a late lunch and a few snacks, I worked hard and made a grilled cheese sandwich for dinner.

Feb 28th to Mar 4th - DHS

Feb 28th – Mon
It’s a good thing that we had a lazy morning as the rest of the day certainly was busy.
We played golf with Cliff & Pauline at 12:40 and had lovely weather. I was occasionally too warm in long pants but then a little breeze would come up and I would be comfortable. Doreen & Bob were driving into the park when we were waiting on the 4th tee and stopped on the road. Doreen ran over to the fence and asked us over for happy hour which of course we all accepted.
After golf I put together a small plate of veggies and we went over to Cliff & Pauline’s where Moe & Trish were touring their motor home. Cliff poured us all a small, spicy, beer & clamato juice then we headed over to Bob & Doreen’s. Their frinds Jim & Swanelle were also there.
From there we had a very short walk to Terry & Eileen’s for dinner. Terry had not seen their park model and we were nearly through the tour when Cliff & Pauline also joined us for dinner. We had a lovely evening with a great dinner.

March 1st – Tues
I played golf with the ladies’ club at 8:08. We had just finished a late breakfast when our neighbor Bill asked if we wanted to golf a bit later with him & his wife Carolyn. It was a beautiful day so we were happy to join them. After golf, we sat in the sun behind their rented park model and enjoyed a beer.
A quiet evening with dinner & TV.

Mar 2nd – Wed
It was Terry’s turn for golf this morning which means I get to catch up on emails and such. I also got in gear and did some cleaning. We invited neighbors Eldon & Elaine and Jim & Debbie over for drinks and dinner. Neighbors Paul & Jody also joined us for a drink but had company coming for dinner.
We sat outside for drinks and then moved inside for dinner as it quickly cooled down when the sun went down. I made Frito Pie (chili, fritos, cheese, tomatoes, lettuce & onions) which was enjoyed by all. It was a thoroughly enjoyable evening.

Mar 3rd – Thurs
It was very windy this morning so after breakfast we canceled our tee time and headed for a casino. Not so good this time but we managed to spend many hours there.
We didn’t have lunch so I thawed a couple of steaks for the BBQ and we had an early dinner. This was perfect as there was a dance at the park which started with line dance lessons at 6 which we joined part way through.
We sat with a new group and had a great time. Matt, the musician, said that he would pay $20 to anyone who would jump in the pool fully clothed and come back in soaking wet. No takers. A few songs later he raised the amount to $50 so Terry decided to take him up on it. He handed me his wallet, phone & keys, kicked of his shoes and jumped in. Matt did pay him $50 but after Terry got back from changing clothes, he asked Matt to play “Waltz across Texas” and put $20 in the tip jar. It did liven up the dance!!

Mar 4th – Fri
At the scramble this morning, everyone was talking about Terry jumping in the pool! I played with a fun team and we ended up tying for 5th place. Terry & Barb were on the same team and won the scramble.
After lunch we went grocery shopping. As soon as the groceries were put away, I started preparing a couple of items for a happy hour(s) gathering at our place. I made Salsa Salad & bruschetta while Terry helped me and set up the chairs, tables & bar.
Attending were Russ & Carol (met them at the last dance), John & MaryAnn (golfers), Larry & Barb and Moe & Trish. Everyone left about 7:30 and we realized that Carol had left her sunglasses so we walked over to return them as they are leaving on Sunday. We ended up visiting with them for about 30 minutes before walking home. Lovely weather!

Feb 25th to 27th - DHS

Feb 25th – Fri
The golf scramble was cancelled due to wind this morning but lunch of huge baked potatoes with lots of toppings –sour cream, butter, bacon bits, onions, cheese, salsa and creamed corn - was still served at noon.
So what did we do afterwards? Went to a casino of course! We went to the Morongo casino where Terry won money previously and he won again. I lost very little so we almost covered what we lost on Wed. We took a break for dinner so again I didn’t have to cook.

Feb 26th – Sat
After a nice breakfast, we went grocery shopping at WalMart. On the way back we stopped to check out the laundry room where the washers were mostly empty. Terry put away groceries while I quickly got the laundry ready. When we got back to the laundry room, some of the machines had been used but there were enough for me. A jigsaw puzzle filled some of the wait time again.
Larry came by just as we were starting the laundry and asked us over later to meet Barb’s brother Wes and his wife Sonya. Barb had a big pot of soup on the stove so we all had dinner. Wes & Sonya are looking for a 5th wheel so Barb asked if they could look at ours. After the “tour”, Larry & Barb stayed to have a nightcap with us.

Feb 27th – Sun
We had a flashback to Florida this morning – strawberry shortcake for breakfast! I puttered around with email, dinner prep & some cleaning while I watched a golf tournament with Terry. The wind died down after lunch so we went for a walk around the park, made a tee time and chatted with neighbors – it was beautiful out.
We had Cliff & Pauline over for dinner & cards. We were not always nice to each other as we played Wizard which can be a very irritating card game at times! Of course, Pauline liked it as she won both games.
You might remember that Marg’s suitcase didn’t make it to Bellingham with her and was to be delivered in a few days. Well, she did finally get it 13 days later.

Feb 22nd to 24th - DHS

Feb 22nd – Tues
I called for a tee time and was told that the earliest time was 3:40. Since we were having company later, that didn’t work for us. Then our neighbors asked if we wanted to join them at 11:12. We had to make a trip to Trader Joe’s and decided that we had to go before golf so we made a flying trip to pick up bruschetta mix and got back just in time to put on golf shoes and get to the course. We actually teed off a little early and didn’t have to wait so it was a nice round.
After lunch (we didn’t have time for breakfast so were starving), Terry went to the store for a couple of items that we couldn’t get this morning and I made some appies for happy hour.
About 4, Jerry & Aileen, Sonny & Liz, Dave & Laraine (all from Canada) and Larry & Barb arrived. We ate, drank, talked, laughed and later huddled around the buddy burner until 7:30.
By then the neighbors were probably glad that the noisy gathering broke up.

Feb 23rd – Wed
Terry played golf with the men’s club this morning and then helped Sonny with the beer & wine sales. I went to see if I could get a haircut but my stylist wasn’t in so I went across the road to Burke’s Outlet and shopped – unsuccessfully – for a few clothing items. Terry had booked a tee time for 1:12 but didn’t call and tell me what time so I got back too late and he had canceled it. Also, the wind had gotten worse and it would not have been much fun.
We went to the Agua Caliente casino which turned out to be a big mistake. We are going to have to find another diversion for windy days!
I was lazy so we stopped to pick up Kentucky Fried Chicken for dinner.

Feb 24th – Thurs
We played golf with Moe & Trish at 8 this morning. It was cool at first and windy the whole time but we were all glad that we played. We went to the hair salon and the stylist said she could fit me in in 35 minutes which gave us time to grab a quick breakfast at McDonalds and pick up a couple of grocery items.
We were in the 12 o’clock seating at the owners’ appreciation lunch so we added vodka to a carton of OJ and walked up early. It was supposed to be at the pool but because of the wind they moved it into the hall. We sat by the pool and shared our OJ with Moe & Trish before having lunch. It was Larry & Barb’s 49th anniversary today so Matt played a special song for a short dance for them.
We picked up forwarded mail after lunch and saw Dave & Laraine on the first tee. I ran over and asked if we could join them on the third hole. They said “of course” so we hurried back to get our clubs and they were just getting on the 2nd green when we got back.
After our game, Laraine invited us over for a drink which turned into more and included Bea and then Thomas dropping in to chat. I had the foresight to put a small pork roast in the crock pot so I nuked a sweet potato and made a simple salad for a quick dinner since it was 7:30 when we left Dave & Laraine’s.

Feb 19th to 21st - DHS

Feb 19th – Sat
It rained most of last night which resulted in some roads being closed where they cross washes but they were all open by the time we got going after coffee & breakfast. We filled a propane tank, got some new head covers for my golf clubs (some of the originals were ripping already!), went to Costco and then to WalMart.
We had an early dinner, dug out an umbrella as it was raining a bit, and went to a show here at the park. The guy (Bobby Freeman) sings, tells good jokes and plays a “Flaming Piano”. He has written many songs for well known singers and has quite a few number 1 songs of his own. The music was rock & roll – 50’s & 60’s. The limit in the hall is 175 people and there were 277 attendees so it was a good thing the fire marshal did not show up! After most people left, he continued to play and we then had room to dance. We didn’t even need the umbrella on the way back.

Feb 20th – Sun
It did rain again last night but not nearly as much as Friday night. We spent the day making arrangements for a visit from Dennis & Gloria, housecleaning (me, of course!), cleaning up emails, prepping for dinner and playing computer games (guess who?!). I finally got outside by taking out the garbage and stopping for a chat with Larry.
Our good friends Bob & Sue (former neighbors) came over for dinner. We had a lot of fun catching up with them as we haven’t seen them since last year about this time.

Feb 21st – Mon
We went on a drive today with Moe & Trish. They are looking for a motor home so we went to Coulton where there are 3 large RV dealers. We looked through 2 of the places and then had lunch at Denney’s before going to the 3rd dealer. There was a motor home there that was more interesting to Moe & Trish so the salesman had us take it for a test drive. He drove it to a parking lot and let Moe get familiar with it before directing him to the freeway for a short ways.
We headed back around 4, stopped at a grocery store and then went to Moe & Trish’s for a drink which ended up being a couple of drinks, of course!
Luckily, I had leftovers for an easy dinner. I chatted with Marg and found out that she still has not received her suitcase as it is tied up in Calgary in customs and a bunch of forms.

Feb 16th to 18th - DHS

Feb 16th – Wed
The forecast was for deteriorating weather but it remained nice for the men’s club rounds. After a late breakfast, we went for a walk and returned the golf cart that we had borrowed from Cliff. Cliff was off somewhere but we chatted for a while with Pauline.
We got the truck washed and picked up a few groceries. Larry & Barb came over for dinner and then we played Sequence. They have played the game with their granddaughter but never with partners.

Feb 17th – Thurs
I called for a tee time this morning and since we couldn’t get Larry & Barb on the phone we walked over to the gym to find Larry to see if they wanted to join us. By the time we got to the club house we decided it was too darn windy & cool to play golf so we cancelled the tee time instead. We also both picked up winnings for men’s & women’s clubs golf days. I stopped at Carolyn & Bill’s on the way back and invited them to come over for coffee. I had time to make breakfast for us before they arrived.
The wind died down as we were chatting so when they left, Terry headed to the pro shop to see if we could get on. Bill & Carolyn said they would play with us but by the time Terry got back, they had accepted an invitation from Gilbert & Grace. Larry & Barb had gone shopping so we went alone for our 12:30 tee time. Just after we got there, a twosome was on the tee so we joined them. They don’t stay in this park but we played golf with them last year.
We had an early dinner and then went to a dance here at the park. We were in time to join a line dancing class for a bit. Larry & Barb joined us and we met a new couple – Russ & Carol – who are from Sydney B.C.

Feb 18th – Fri
Terry had to leave just after 8 to work at the putting contest for the Can-Am (Canadian-American) golf tournament today. The wind started up a bit by our tee time at 10 but we removed layers after the 3rd hole. There were longest drive and KP holes which our group effectively ignored! It was not a good day of golf for Terry but I made a couple of miracle putts and did OK.
The last group did not tee off until 11:30 so we had time to accept Larry’s offer of a gin & tonic before lunch was served. The Canadians won the tournament again by a very close margin – 32.3 to 32.8. The score is calculated by adding up everyone’s net score and dividing by the number of players on each team. Lunch & awards finished about 3. Trish & Moe came to our place for a drink and then they invited us to join them and Lynn & Lynn’s friend Sonja for leftovers dinner. It was raining quite hard so Terry drove them home before we quickly made some bruschetta and drove over. Everyone was pretty tired so we were home just after 8.

Feb 12th to 15th - DHS

Feb 12th – Sat
I made cinnamon rolls for breakfast while Marg packed her bags. We dropped her at the airport about 10:30 and then decided to go to the Morongo casino. It really isn’t too far and all freeway so doesn’t take very long to get there.
We had to wait a while to get new players’ cards and then hit the slots. Terry found a machine that started paying and sat there for hours. I wandered around to various machines, never got ahead and eventually lost $40. After I watched Terry win for a while, I took $20 more and nearly lost all that before I won enough to play a bit and ended up with the $20 back. I went back to find Terry and he wasn’t at the same machine. I tried phoning but got voice mail so figured he couldn’t hear his phone ring. The casino is quite large and I thought I could look for a while before finding him but spotted him right away. He had covered my losses and made $100 in addition.
We made a quick stop at the grocery store on the way home, heated up some cocktail wieners and went to Larry & Barb’s for happy hour(s). We were the last to leave so we helped them carry stuff inside and invited them over for cake again.

Feb 13th – Sun
We took Moe & Trish to the Elk’s for breakfast and met Larry & Barb with Gene & Fern there. We hit a bucket of balls before playing golf with Moe & Trish at 12:30. Terry was having a very good game and then lost it on the last hole – very frustrating.
Our neighbors Jim & Debbie were sitting out with their “backyard” neighbors Eldon & Elaine when we got back so we joined them. Eldon & Elaine were right next to us for a while last year but they had a lot of company so we didn’t get to know them too well. Moe & Trish went to the pool after golf and had asked us to come over later so we walked there a little after 4. Elaine had put out a few snacks and we had a few more at Trish & Moe’s. Then Trish made us all a sandwich before we finally headed home. With little to eat since breakfast, Terry & I both felt the drinks pretty well and have no idea what time we got back!

Feb 14th – Mon
It was windy last night and I did not sleep well. We turned on the TV in the bedroom about 7:30 and didn’t get up until 9! Golf was out of the question so after breakfast we headed to a casino. The wind is very hard on our finances!!
Actually, we played for a long time before finally losing our allowances. I had a hankering for a hamburger so we stopped at Carl’s Jr and then shopped for groceries at WalMart. I had a mega headache and ended up with an upset stomach (jalapenos on my burger??) so we just vegged out in front of the TV. I am reading “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo” which is translated from Swedish and has lots of hard to remember place and people names. Larry lent it to me as he could not get into it but I am enjoying it.
Marg and about 30 other passengers ended up with their luggage not on the plane. She flew from Bellingham WA and figured she would never see her bag again. She got a phone call today and was told that her bag would be delivered in 2 to 3 days so we will wait & see.

Feb 15th – Tues
My tee time for the ladies’ club was 8:16. It was windy all night and still gusty by morning. It wasn’t too cold but not my favorite golfing conditions. I did OK but did best on all the wrong holes as it was “odd” holes today. I ended up tying for 2nd low net in my flight.
I interrupted Terry’s computer games with a nice breakfast and then we went to the laundry room to do just the sheets & towels. I told Terry about some plans I came up with for some shelves and rearranging in our 5th wheel. We immediately pulled a lot of stuff out of cupboards so we could measure & plan and then went shopping. An employee at Home Depot made all the cuts for us so Terry only had to get out the jigsaw to notch around some molding.
We put a shelf in each of the 2 middle sections of the pantry and moved the dishes from above the table to the pantry. Even with more shelves, the cupboards still look full but at least the stuff is only one layer high.
We just had time for dinner before Terry joined a pinochle game and I worked with the “Dress a Child” group. Both activities take place in the Oasis Hall and I had noticed previously that the pinochle group needed another player. Terry was struggling but rallied in the last game to win his money back.

Feb 9th to 11th - DHS

Feb 9th – Wed
Terry played early with the men’s club and I made breakfast when he got back. We picked up Cliff & Pauline and headed to the Salton Sea area. We drove past the Fountain of Youth RV park and then went to Salvation Mountain and Slab City. Next it was on to the mud pots. Pauline had packed lunch for all of us so we found a park in Westmoreland and had a picnic. Then it was up the west side of the Salton Sea and a stop at the Red Earth casino where Terry & I both came out ahead.
I had put a pork roast in the crock pot and had sweet potatoes in the oven and a salad made by the time Cliff & Pauline came back to join us for dinner. We played a card game called Golf which is different from a game by the same name that we have played previously but it was a lot of fun. Marg won most of the money!

Feb 10th – Thurs
We started our round of golf at 10 in a slight breeze and finished in a wind but I still had a good game with another 40. Marg did OK and Terry is struggling right now. He hit one shot onto the roof of the hall and the natural bounce from there would be into the pool area – oops!
We had a sandwich and then rode the Palm Springs Tram. It is quite the ride up the side of the mountain and the view is fantastic. It was quite cold up top and you can’t walk all the paths in winter so we wandered around a bit, watched an informational film and came down.
From there we went to the Spa Casino in downtown Palm Springs. Marg got $25 free play which was a special for Canadians and turned it into $67. Unfortunately, that ended her winning streak! I did OK and covered Terry’s losses.
We tried to find a parking spot for the Street Fair and ended up parking back near the casino – actually further than if we had walked from there in the first place. We were all starving so we walked down the street and finally found a Mexican restaurant with a couple of empty tables. After dinner, we walked the rest of the way up and back down the street fair and didn’t buy a thing. We got back about 9:30 and crashed.

Feb 11th – Fri
Marg played enough golf games to establish a temporary handicap and join the Scramble this morning. My tee time was 7:54, Terry’s was 8:34 and Marg’s was 8:50. When I finished, I took my clubs back to the rig, changed into shorts and then went back to wait for Terry & Marg. I saw Marg on the 6th green so I went over and walked with her & her team through the rest of their round. Lunch was not until 1 o’clock so we all went and finished a jigsaw puzzle and still had time for a beer before lunch.
It was a beautiful day so we went to the Big Morongo Canyon Preserve and took a very nice walk – about 3 miles. We didn’t see much wildlife – lizards, ground squirrels, one rabbit, a few birds. We walked on boardwalks over marsh areas, climbed hills and came back down and wound between trees on gravel trails.
We stopped at a grocery store on the way back and got some steaks for the BBQ for dinner. A very persuasive store employee told us about a special cake for $5.00 which Terry just had to get! After dinner, we called Larry & Barb and they came over to share cake with us – and it was a very good cake.

Feb 6th to 8th - DHS

Feb 6th – Sun
We had a 10:20 tee time today but when we arrived early a single golfer was getting ready to tee off so we joined him (Thomas). He was a very nice guy from Germany and was a pleasure to golf with. The course was not super busy so we didn’t have to wait much at all.
Then it was laundry time. Most of the washers had just been started when we got there so we started 2 loads, got one more going in about 10 minutes and then had to wait for the final load to go in. Marg & I went next door to work on a puzzle in between actually dealing with the laundry.
We made devilled eggs and more bruschetta and headed to Russ & Judy’s for a Super Bowl party. Also there were Larry & Barb, Gene & Fern (friends of Russ & Judy who were at our place last night), Ron & Sharon, Gilbert & Grace and Bill & Carolyn (who have a granddaughter who is in the RCMP in 100 Mile House). We almost had too many snacks to enjoy the chili at halftime!

Feb 7th – Mon
We weren’t sure when Francis & Nicole would arrive today so after breakfast I took the opportunity to do a bit of housecleaning. They arrived just after 10 and we sat outside to catch up. After chicken Caesar salad and bruschetta for lunch, they left just after 2.
We had a tee time for 3:00 and were joined by a fellow named Jeffrey. Again, it was not crowded and we moved right along which was very nice. I got one of my best scores (40) so maybe I am figuring out at least some of my new clubs.
We checked Terry’s closet when we got back and found that he did not have a red, collared shirt to wear tomorrow so off we went to good ol’ WalMart. Of course, they did not have his size in a plain red shirt so he settled for one with a white stripe.
A drink, dinner, TV & reading finished up the day.

Feb 8th – Tues
Terry & I played in the Women’s Club Valentine Invitation golf game this morning. Members of the women’s club invite members of the men’s club – generally their husbands – to play golf. Three couples play together in an alternate shot format. You pick the first drive to use and then it is alternate shots after that. Each couple gets an average handicap based on the 2 handicaps and you play as a couple, not as a team. We did quite well and ended up tying for 5th. Terry also tied for 3rd in a putting contest held before you teed off.
There was lunch afterwards and Marg joined us for that. We had roast pork loin, potato casserole, green beans with toasted almonds, rolls, salad and dessert. They also provided spiked or not punch and you could buy wine & beer. The tables were all decorated and everyone was encouraged to wear red & white so it looked very nice when everyone sat down to eat. There was a bit of a damper on the festivities when the death of a longtime maintenance employee was announced but in the usual upbeat manner of this type (55+) of RV park , everyone took it as a sign to do what you can while you are able.
It was quite windy but not too cold while we golfed but quite a bit cooler when we finished lunch at 2:45. We sat around a bit trying to decide what to do and figured we would first go to Cliff & Pauline’s to discuss plans for tomorrow. They were just getting home from Costco and immediately offered us a drink so we accepted and stayed chatting until 5. Luckily we had some leftovers from yesterday as Terry wanted dinner. Marg & I just snacked – but included good things like veggies.

Feb 2nd to 5th - DHS

Feb 2nd – Wed
Marg & I did the coffee thing this morning while Terry played golf – and froze his butt off!! It was quite cold and windy. Marg & I also set up her email so it would be forwarded to me and a copy left for Marg. Otherwise, if cousin Pat (who is looking after Marg’s farm & our Dad) looked at Marg’s email – or Marg looked at it here – the other person could not then view the emails. This is a quirk of her email provider that is shared by other email providers.
We had a breakfast burrito when Terry got back and then headed out for a casino and shopping. Marg held her own at the casino until she thought we were ready to go and started wagering larger amounts. Then I finally got a couple of machines to pay and we ended up staying quite a bit longer until I stupidly got rid of my winnings.
We stopped at a Big Lots and then found a restaurant for dinner as we were all starving. We had to wait about 15 minutes to be seated and as hungry as we were it seemed much longer. We had good meals and got back about 7:30. Marg & I put on our suits & went to the hot tub but Terry said it was too cold to walk there & back.

Feb 3rd – Thurs
I introduced Marg to my cinnamon rolls today – they were as yummy as ever. But first we had to find and patch a leak in the air mattress that is on the couch that Marg sleeps on!
Terry was chatting with a neighbor so Marg & I took a walk and viewed Terry & Eileen’s park model (very nice yard) and stopped in at Cliff & Pauline’s to talk to them about a get together on Saturday. I borrowed Cliff’s old golf pull cart for Marg to use when we played golf at 12:15. The wind died down last night and it was still cool but lovely for golf.
After a light, late lunch we went to Smart & Final to get baby back ribs for Saturday. We made a quick stop at WalMart to pick up General Tsao chicken for an easy dinner. Then it was off to a dance at the park. The attendance was light so the dance floor wasn’t too crowded. A couple sat at our table and had a good time chatting with Marg. Terry talked briefly with a couple that we had seen here last year and found out they are from Atlin which is a very small town in extreme NW B.C. and they were surprised that we knew where it was and that we had been there.

Feb 4th – Fri
I was heading out for golf this morning when a neighbor told me that there was a one hour frost delay. It warmed up a lot before I finally teed off at 9:40. Marg boiled the baby backs while we were golfing and then joined us for a late lunch of hot dogs. While we were waiting for lunch, Marg & I dumped out jigsaw puzzle and got the pieces turned over.
We had made a tee time for 3:00 and should have canceled as they were still trying to catch up from the frost delay. We waited – and waited – on every hole. We did get to chat with the groups ahead & behind us. It was cool and quite dark when we finished at 5:35.

Feb 5th – Sat
We started with a pancake, egg & ham breakfast at the park this morning. We drove up so we could leave right from there and go to the Caliente Swap Meet a few miles away. It is a storage facility where vendors store their “stuff” in the units and then have a sale each Sat & Sun. Next we went to the sale at the College of the Desert (COD). I figured parking would be a challenge as we got there after 10 but I didn’t realize how far away we would park. There were shuttles running but the lines were long so we walked – we all could use some exercise anyhow.
We were at a produce stand when a young lady looked at Marg and said “you’re from 100 Mile” – another small world incident. Then one of the golfers from yesterday saw her and said “here’s 100 Mile House”. We each made some purchases and left just after noon as we had some other stops to make on the way home.
We stopped at Big Lots looking for buddy burner tins with no luck, then stopped at Trader Joe’s for a couple of items. Back here we had to start setting up for our dinner tonight. Terry realized that we were short a couple of liquor items and went shopping. He made the mistake of going to Costco which took forever. We were ready to grill baguettes for bruschetta after which Terry started the baby backs as he didn’t want to cook in the dark.
We ended up with 19 people including us. Everyone brought salads, etc so we had a great dinner and then lit 3 buddy burners. It was fairly cool so most people were gone by just after 8. Barb & Larry helped carry everything in and then stayed for a while.

Jan 30th to Feb 1st - DHS

Jan 30th – Sun
We went to the Elks for breakfast this morning. Larry & Barb were also there with their neighbors Stan & Marilyn.
Then we were off to find some golf clubs. We went to another branch of the store that we checked out yesterday so that I could try out the clubs. Then we returned to Golfsmith where I hit some more balls with 2 different sets of clubs. Don’t know why I was so wishy-washy but I finally decided on a set. It is a complete set – woods, irons, putter, bag & head covers – so it is all nice and tidy and coordinated which Terry loves. I was leaning towards mostly hybrids but this set has the wide-bottom irons which felt really good when I tried them out. It does have a 4/5 hybrid which I am looking forward to perfecting.
It was very windy last night and still the same when we got back so we couldn’t even play a round of golf. We just relaxed, had an early dinner and Terry went to play Texas Hold’em. I had a nice chat with friends Bill & Georgia while he was gone.

Jan 31st – Mon
I did some cleaning before leaving to pick up sister Marg at the airport. We had enough time to stop at WalMart for some groceries before picking her up. Marg did not have breakfast so we stopped at Subway for lunch on the way home and then stopped to make a tee time.
We had about an hour to relax before hitting the course. Unfortunately, the wind continued so the game was not as much fun as it could have been. I think I will like my new clubs once I get comfortable with them and figure out how far I should hit with each one.
Larry & Barb joined us outside for a drink but we moved inside as a sewage pumper truck was working on our street and it was very noisy and slightly smelly. I had put a small pork roast in the crock pot so I could make dinner very quickly and easily.

Feb 1st – Tues
I played golf with the ladies’ group at 9:20 this morning so Marg & Terry had lots of time to drink coffee. They toured the park and met me at the 9th hole. It was a little early for lunch but we wanted to go shopping before our 3:30 tee time so I made Reuben sandwiches before we left.
I have been looking for lipstick and discovered today that it has been discontinued. I hate finding a new lipstick! Marg found a pair of capris and then stumbled upon a clearance rack and got 2 sweatshirts for $5.99 each. Terry dropped us off and filled up a propane tank and then joined us in the store. He is such a great host & chauffeur.
We finally decided that it was just too windy so Terry walked up and cancelled our tee time. Since we have season passes, Terry & I probably would have played but it is a shame for Marg to pay for a round and then fight the wind.
Barb came by and gave me my winnings for today – I tied for third in my flight. She also gave me a pin for my chip-in birdie.
About 4, I was making a batch of sausage balls when Moe, Trish & Lynn came by to see our 5th wheel and have a drink with us. Good timing as the sausage balls were a great snack. I made a quick dinner so I could go to the “Dress a Child” session. Terry & Marg cleaned up the dishes and soaked in a hot tub until I was done.

Jan 27th to 29th - DHS

Jan 27th – Thurs
Our laundry basket was overflowing so we headed to the laundry room this morning. We got there at a good time as 5 washers were available.
I finally spent a whole lot of time cleaning up pictures, adding captions and getting them posted to Google. It feels good to get it done.
Terry was initiated into the Elks Lodge this evening. Larry & Russ went with him and then Judy, Barb & I joined them for a drink after their meeting was done.

Jan 28th – Fri
Terry’s team did really well on the scramble today but then they were disqualified. On the last hole, they had to use one guy’s drive. He hit out of bounds so they took the penalty and he hit again which was wrong. In this format, you cannot hit when the previous shot is yours. So the other 3 players should have hit from the tee box. Very confusing and teams have done it wrong in the past.
We were walking back after lunch when Terry K. went by to play golf with Cliff & Pauline. I told Terry to join them so he did and I got to sit outside and enjoy my book. He got back just in time for us to go to Gilbert & Grace’s for happy hour(s) with 9 other people. Gilbert lit a couple of buddy burners and everyone ended up staying until 8:30.

Jan 29th – Sat
After breakfast, we picked up Cliff & Pauline to go to Spotlight 29 casino. Each hour from 10am to 8pm on the 29 of the month, they give 290 players $50 free play each. Of course none of us got the $50! We had a nice lunch which was half price due to a diners’ card that Cliff had. Terry & Cliff played blackjack and Terry came out ahead which cut my losses down.
We got back about 3:30 and Cliff invited us in for a drink. We all had been invited to listen to their neighbor across the street sing & play his guitar but the empty lot that he was going to use had a motor home in it so the space for chairs was limited. We sat at Cliff & Pauline’s where we could hear the music and still chat. After a while we moved inside and Terry & Eileen joined us.
Back home for dinner & TV.

Pictures posted

Jan 28th
I got busy yesterday and posted pictures to Google which you can access from the link on the blog.
The newly posted pictures start at 2010 #2 (except for the new truck & 5th wheel pictures which were posted a while ago).

Jan 24th to 26th - DHS

Jan 24th – Mon
The Nyquil capsules did wonders (don’t know how they can tell time and let Terry know when he needed a second dose at 2 am!!) and we got some sleep. No golf this morning so we were lazy and watched TV in bed until nearly 9. After breakfast, we wandered up to the office area, checked for club tee times and made a tee time for this afternoon. Then it was time for line dance lessons. Terry wasn’t really up to concentrating on dancing so he sat & watched.
Larry & Barb were going to join us for golf but called and said they were looking after a couple of dogs and realized the owners would not be back in time. We went to the course a little early and were paired with a couple of men (Les & John) from the park.
Terry took a couple of short naps while dinner was cooking so I know his cold is still taking its toll on him.

Jan 25th – Tues
It was my turn to golf early – 8:08 – this morning with the women’s club. Of course it was cool when I was getting ready but I sure wished I had shorts instead of long pants by the 3rd hole. The game format today was “even holes” and naturally I did the best on the odd numbered holes.
Terry met me at the end and we chatted with friends before heading back for lunch and then a trip for groceries. We could not waste such a beautiful day so we headed to the golf course as you can usually get on in the afternoon without a tee time. We were very lucky as Doreen was about to tee off with her husband Bob’s brother and his wife - Glen & Myrna - and friends Jim & Swanelle. We joined them for a threesome of men and a foursome of women. Bob injured his shoulder and cannot play golf yet but he met us at the 6th green and is anxious to get back on the course.
It was 4:45 when we got back so we just settled in for the evening and watched the “State of the Union Address”.

Jan 26th – Wed
Right after Terry finished golfing with the men’s club, we left to visit friends Dave & Margo (from Walla Walla, met them in Mexico) who are staying at Fountain of Youth RV park on the east side of the Salton Sea near Niland. It is a 71 mile drive from here.
After catching up for a bit, we went on a sightseeing tour. I know, who thought there were sights to see in that desolate part of the area! We went first to Salvation Mountain and Slab City. Salvation Mountain is a religious shrine that is the creation of one imaginative man. He added mud covered hay bales supported by tree limbs & trunks to a mound of dirt and painted it all with thousands of gallons of mostly donated paint. It is totally amazing and I promise I will post pictures before too long.
Just down the road is Slab City which is a spot where people camp in the desert. Concrete slabs from an old military establishment account for the name and are used as camp sites and “stages” for music performances. We saw some unusual “residences” and “free spirits” as we drove around.
Next was a stop at the mud pots. What first appear to be various sized mounds of dirt in a field are cones created by bubbling mud. There are also little bubbling ponds and you can wander around all of it and peer into the “volcanoes”. It was another unexpected and fun site.
We visited Bombay Beach where the old townsite was partially buried by a flood and stopped at the Legion for a pitcher of nice cold beer.
Back at the RV park, Dave put a pork roast on the BBQ and we went for a walk around the park. It has about 1000 spaces and is very busy with lots of activities. The name of the park refers to natural mineral springs and there is one hot tub that is still mineral water.
Margo made a nice dinner and we left for the hour + drive home about 7:15.

Jan 21st to 23rd - DHS

Jan 21st – Fri
Neither Terry nor I did well in the golf scramble this morning – we will blame it on still being sick and not sleeping well! Lunch was late due to the large number of groups playing, so we had time to go to a drugstore for some cold medication and pick up a few groceries before lunch was served. Everyone said we should take it easy & nap. That was all we really felt like doing but it was kind of hard to do nothing all afternoon.
At 5 we went to Larry & Barb’s for dinner. They had 11 people over for hamburgers – us, Russ & Judy, Stan & Marilyn, Dave & Dora, Lynn and Gilbert & Grace. It was supposed to be a send-off for Dave & Dora but they decided to stay another week so guess we’ll have to do it again! We sat out around 2 buddy burners until 8 but everyone was getting pretty cold by then so we all headed home.

Jan 22nd – Sat
We wandered through the craft fair in the park this morning but didn’t have to buy anything. I had just finished making a batch of rice krispy squares when friends Lynden & Charlie arrived for a visit. They are from Logan Lake, B.C. and are staying in Hemet for a month. The first thing we had to do was show off the lovely dog park here and let their sweet little dog Gracie run a bit.
After they checked out our truck & 5th wheel, we had a nice catch-up chat. I put sandwich makings out for lunch outside and then we went for a tour of the area. They have been here previously but were amazed at what they had not seen. We started with a stop at Burke’s Outlet since they were not familiar with the store and they both ended up buying something. We also strolled along The River in Rancho Mirage where Lynden found a straw hat. By the time Charlie took Gracie to the dog park again, it was close to 5 and they headed back to Hemet.

Jan 23rd – Sun
We had another night of coughing and interrupted sleep so we took it easy this morning and then went to the drugstore again for some different medication. We didn’t feel like doing much but Terry gets antsy so we went to a casino where we didn’t do very well. We stopped at the golf store where we got Terry’s cart as he was missing an umbrella holder and they were very nice and gave him one. We went to another golf store to look at clubs for me and then got some lunch as Terry was finally hungry and felt like food would agree with him.
We completed the day with more rest & TV.
As I write this midday on Monday, it is an absolutely beautiful day and the hummingbirds are fighting over the feeder hanging in front of me on the window.

Jan 17th to 20th - DHS

Jan 17th – Mon – DHS
We were early for line dancing lessons at 11 so we finished a jigsaw puzzle that turned out to have 3 pieces missing. Luckily, we worked on some dances that we did not get perfectly – or even close? - last time. We also learned the 10 step which we did here last year and have not seen since.
At 2:40, we played golf with Larry & Barb. The temperature got to the high 80’s today so it was very warm on the golf course. We went over to Larry & Barb’s for a drink and demolished a HUGE bowl of popcorn. We met Dave & Dora who are across the street from Larry & Barb. There were here a couple of years ago and are only here for a short time this year. As usual, it cooled off quickly when the sun went down so it was home for dinner & TV.

Jan 18th – Tues – DHS
I played golf at 9:04 with the ladies’ club. My “good” game did not show up today but it was warm & sunny. Terry was waiting for me at the end so he must have gotten bored playing computer games.
We went to a hair stylist who cut my hair last year and were able to have lunch while I waited an hour to get in. Then we went to WalMart for groceries and to Costco for a couple of items. After we put everything away, we sat outside to watch TV until the sun disappeared and sent the temperature to a “too cool to sit out in comfort” level.
After dinner, I went to the hall to help the “Dress a Child” group and ended up sewing again to give the machine owner a rest. Terry was not home when I got back and it looked as if he didn’t come back after walking with me to the hall. He showed up an hour later – he had been playing cribbage with a large group that meets weekly.

Jan 19th – Wed – DHS
Terry played golf with the men’s club and then we went shopping. Last summer he broke the wheel on his golf cart and patched it but had no brakes. Then a couple of days ago, we were rushing to play through a slow group and Terry’s front wheel went in a hole and he took a tumble over the cart which broke the wheel again. He also blew out the side of his shoe when he fell so we got him a 4-wheel pull cart and new shoes. The cart folds up into a nice little package.
We stopped for some lunch and picked up an item at Trader Joe’s. It was still early afternoon so we stopped at the Spa casino in downtown Palm Springs. I won a few dollars so I was able to put my original money in my pocket and play – and lose – on winnings for a while. Terry started out losing but hit some machines that were good to him and we finally left about 6:30 with $200 ahead.
We stopped at KFC for “extra crispy to go” and called it a day.

Jan 20th – Thurs – HAPPY BIRTHDAY, TERRY!
I made cinnamon rolls for breakfast, Terry moved his clubs to his new cart and we took the old cart to the garbage area where someone took it before we left the area. We went to Cliff & Pauline’s & chatted with Pauline until Cliff got back from playing tennis and we could check if they wanted to play golf with us later. We went to check on a tee time, had a quick lunch and hit the course. It was fairly windy but warm.
Cliff & Pauline came over for a drink and stayed for a couple thanks to Terry’s quick bartending. We ate leftover chicken for dinner and went to Dave & Dora’s for a bit before going to a dance here at the park. Even though we both coughed our way through last night and didn’t get much sleep, we danced most of the dances.

Jan 14th to 16th - DHS

Jan 14th – Fri – DHS
I put a roast in the crock pot before we played in the golf scramble this morning. There were a lot of people playing and lunch was not until 12:45 so Terry had lots of time to arrange to get new grips on his clubs by the pro at the golf course here. We had a good hamburger for lunch and Terry won $3 – big money!
A group decided that we should go to the VFW for rib night so I put the roast & gravy in the fridge and we picked up Larry & Barb at 4:45. It was very busy and there weren’t enough volunteer servers but we finally got our meals which Terry & I rated just OK.
We got back just in time to grab a drink and walk up to the hall for a husband & wife music & comedy show called Laughing Bird. It was 2 hours and very enjoyable. If any blog readers see this group in their area, we would recommend that you attend.

Jan 15th – Sat – DHS
We forgot about the pancake breakfast this morning and went to the street fair at College of the Desert. The parking was jammed and we ended up in the wrong line and paid $3 to park. The temperature was close to 80 today so it was very pleasant to wander & shop.
We had a sandwich when we got back, picked up Terry’s re-gripped clubs and played golf. Once we played through a three-some with a brand new player, we could use the round for practice and hit a couple of balls on a lot of shots. Amazing how many times the second shot had the same bad result as the first shot!!
I saw that Cliff & Pauline (who we visited in Alberta last summer) had arrived so we went over to say hi. After chatting with them a bit, we walked over to Bob & Doreen’s (also from Alberta) for big hugs. We couldn’t stay long as Larry & Barb were picking us up to go to the Elk’s again and we finally completed the application to join. We were told that Saturday was steak night but discovered that this Saturday was salmon so we all came back to our place and had roast beef dinner.

Jan 16th – Sun – DHS
The laundry room was fairly empty late in the morning today so we got that chore out of the way. After a late lunch, we played a round of golf. We started behind a foursome with 2 very slow women players but luckily they let us play through on the 3rd hole. We caught up to Cliff & Pauline on the 7th hole and they asked us to come over for happy hour.
Terry had a very good game so guess there is hope for him yet! I went back to my erratic ways.
Larry & Barb and Terry (of “Terry & Eileen”) joined us at Cliff & Pauline’s. Terry left just before 6 to play Texas Hold’em and I came home about 6:30.
I had a nice chat with Aunt Jessie and then with sister Marg. Terry came in 2rd in poker and won $25.

Jan 10th to 13th - DHS

Jan 10th – Mon – DHS
Terry left early for his 8:16 tee time and I got to stay in bed and read for a while. I had enough time to post the blog and do some web surfing before my 10:40 tee time. It was sunny but the wind had picked up by the time I played so it was jackets for the whole game. I had a wonderful start to my game – a chip-in birdie on the first hole. Unfortunately, the only way from there is down! But Terry & I both did fairly well.
There was a lot of slow play so the wine & beer was already put away by the time I finished. We just had time to have a sandwich before Larry & Barb picked us up at 2 for a couple of errands. We arranged to get cable TV connected for the rest of our stay, stopped at an Elk’s club that turned out to be closed until 4 (we are going to join so we can take advantage of their RV parking) and went to a few stores looking for a light for Larry’s flag. We got back in time for happy hour at Larry & Barb’s, then home for dinner and early to bed as Terry was falling asleep in his chair.

Jan 11th – Tues – DHS
Same schedule as yesterday – Terry’s tee time at 8:16 and mine at 10:40. Groups & times are recalculated tonight so hopefully I won’t be in the last group again. Terry & Larry went looking for Larry’s light again and grabbed a hamburger for lunch. Wine was still available when I finished but it just didn’t sound good. I did well golfing today and picked up 6 points for the tournament. I grabbed a quick lunch before Terry & I went looking for sewing items for this evening’s activity.
When we got back, Larry & Barb were ready to take us to the Elk’s again and Russ & Judy were joining us. Once again, the club was not open so we all went back to Larry & Barb’s for happy hour and some snacks. We had bought chicken for dinner so I heated it up and then went to the “Dress a Child” workshop where I sewed whatever everyone else had pinned.
We watched TV for a bit and hit the sack. I have a hacking little cough and figure some rest might help.

Jan 12th – Wed – DHS
Well, I have different team mates but am still in the last golf group today. But that is sort of a good thing – the tournament leaders play last!! Yes, I am actually at the front of the pack but things can change quickly in this format.
On the 6th hole, I hit a tree with my tee shot and the tree ate my ball – at least none of us saw it come out and we couldn’t find it. Then I hit the same tree with my second tee shot but this time it fell straight down. As I was walking after my next shot, I saw a twig stuck on my cart tire. Just as I pulled it out, I realized it was attached by a thorn and, sure enough, air immediately started hissing out. I could see Terry waiting at the finish and there were 3 groups piled up at the 7th hole, so I rushed over to get his cart. He had taken his clubs home but Barb was there with her clubs so we switched carts and I hurried back to finish the game. Unfortunately, I did not gain on my score today but the weather was perfect so can’t complain.
The men’s club had their luncheon today so I was able to have a couple glasses of wine before Terry was done and ready to head back. Of course we had to go get a tube so Terry could fix my golf cart and we were lucky enough to get the last one at the nearby K-Mart.
I made a decent dinner for a change – good ol’ baby backs. Then we had a group over for drinks around the buddy burner – Colin & Linda, Larry & Barb and Stan & Marilyn (Larry & Barb’s neighbors here, they are from Spokane). It got fairly cold but it helped to wrap your hands around a mug of hot rum.

Jan 13th – Thurs – DHS
We could both sleep in this morning but were still awake and then up fairly early. I made cinnamon rolls for breakfast and then walked over to say goodbye to Colin & Linda while Terry waited for the cable TV installer with his time frame of 10 to 12. I was back when the cable guy came and read until it was time to leave for the ladies’ ECCY luncheon.
Lunch was really nice with drinks first and then a move to the tables set with the meal – salad, chicken breast, a roll and dessert. I ended up tying with 2 other women for first place in the tournament!
Terry was antsy after sitting around for the morning so we went to a casino. We both lost our allowance and then took another $10 each. I ended up winning a bit and left with $40 to cut our losses somewhat. I am still coughing so am happy to make dinner and stay home.

Jan 7th to 9th - DHS

Jan 7th – Fri - DHS
My tee time for the golf scramble was 9 and Terry’s was 9:15. I put on long pants, walked outside to test the temperature and changed into shorts. On the second hole, the clouds moved in and I wished for long pants. A couple of holes later, the clouds moved on and shorts were perfect. Neither of our teams did very well, but, according to the leader of my team “it doesn’t matter how you golf because you will get fed anyway”. We each pay $2 for the scramble - $1 for prizes and $1 for lunch. Today we had a meatball sandwich and a cream puff for dessert. The golf clubs have excess money so on the first scramble of each month all the players get a coupon for a free drink. Normally it is $1 for beer or 50 cents for wine or pop.
We were pleasantly surprised when a couple walked up to before lunch and asked if we remembered them. It was Colin & Linda who we met in Naples, Florida in Dec 2008. We have emailed infrequently and they have followed our blog so decided to come here and see us on their way to Yuma.
At 2:25, we went for our 2:40 tee time with Larry & Barb and found them already walking down the 1st fairway. We caught up & continued to play with them. Terry & I still had shorts on and it was windy and cold. I finally wimped out and left after the 6th hole which is near the entrance to the park. Larry & Barb came over for a couple of hot rums to warm up after they & Terry finished the round.

Jan 8th – Sat – DHS
It remained windy all night and today. It felt like a baking day so I made jelly biscuits for breakfast. Larry came over to find out what we have for internet access (5 Spot from Verizon) as their attempts to get wifi from Time Warner were not successful and more expensive.
I washed a few windows and put up a hummingbird feeder on the window by the desk. In about half an hour we had our first hummingbird.
We made a trip to Costco and stopped at the bank & WalMart on the way. Bank of America has “no envelope” check deposit at ATM’s but WA & CA are oddballs so I could not deposit a check at an ATM here. However, I could deposit checks at ATMs in Arizona!
We came back right past the Aqua Caliente Casino so we had to stop to see if Terry had any free play for his birthday. Unfortunately, they have one day of the month for birthdays and it was yesterday. I won for a while but we both ended up losing – just not as quickly as a lot of times.
It was too late, too cool and too windy to play golf when we got back so we just relaxed for the rest of the day & evening.

Jan 9th – Sun – DHS
Another night and day of wind. We walked up to find our tee times for a tournament that is starting tomorrow. It is named ECCY and we don’t know what the initials stand for! You play 3 rounds on consecutive days and your score is the best score from the 3 days for each hole. It should be fun.
Then we went to see Colin & Linda to invite them over for happy hour. We had sent an email but had no response yet. We ended up having coffee and chatting with them for quite a while. I made a nice breakfast/lunch when we got back, did a little cleaning and made devilled eggs for later. We were heading to the store when Gilbert & Grace walked by so we drove alongside and talked with them on the way back to their place.
Just after 4, Colin & Linda and Linda’s sister Carol & her husband Russ came over. We had a great time and the happy hour turned into 2 ½ hours – as usual! We had been snacking so we settled for soup for dinner.

Jan 4th to 6th - DHS

Jan 4th – Tues – Happy Birthday, Marg!!
Terry went to the men’s golf club meeting this morning and I got the blog posted. I called Ernie to wish him a Happy Birthday – they were still in Primm, going to Las Vegas today.
We ran out of propane this morning so had to fill the tanks and get some groceries. The difference in prices from Mesa is quite noticeable.
At one, I went to the ladies’ golf club meeting and, probably inevitably, it lasted longer than the men’s meeting so I had to leave a bit early to go golfing with Terry. It was definitely a warm up game for both of us!
The weather is warming up and there is no wind so far.

Jan 5th - Wed – DHS
Terry played golf with the men’s club this morning and I messed around on the computer. There was actually a one hour frost delay on the golf course. I made lunch and as we were driving out to do some shopping, Grace asked if we wanted to join them at the VFW for tacos. We didn’t have tacos but we joined them, Lynn and Russ & Judy for a beer and then went shopping. I got some pillow cases for the “DressAChild” program and we picked up a couple of grocery items for dinner.
Larry & Barb were still setting up when we got back so we had a look at their new 5th wheel, came home to get dinner in the crock pot and then went back for a drink with them.
We had Gilbert & Grace over for dinner. We discussed card games but dinner was a little later and we ended up watching “Minute to Win It” so never played any games.

Jan 6th – Thurs – DHS
We did laundry this morning and remembered that the laundry room & machines leave something to be desired. It was really busy and I got 2 dryers that didn’t work very well and ended up changing machines to get the job done.
I made a late breakfast when we got back and we finally put out the mat, chairs, tables and BBQ.
We played golf in the afternoon. I had a really good game and Terry had a couple of really good shots!
It was Larry & Barb’s turn to come over for a drink and see our new home. Luckily I had leftovers from dinner last night so we had time to eat before going to a dance which started with happy hour at 6:30. Matt Jenkins provided the music and there was a good, enthusiastic turnout.

Dec 31st to Jan 3rd - Mesa to Desert Hot Springs

Dec 31st – Fri - Mesa
Terry continued to pack up stuff while I made cookies and did some cleaning. After a late breakfast, we dropped a couple of items off at Garry & Stephane’s and I ended up helping Steph with her computer for about 45 minutes. Next I traded a couple of books at the library, Terry picked up the mail and we stopped for a few minutes at Ernie & Dianne’s before going to Big Lots for a couple of items.
We picked up Dennis & Gloria at the airport at 4:45. They are very happy to be back to sunshine after a couple of weeks in Minnesota with snow & cloudy days.
The New Year’s Eve dance at the park started at 8:30. Our special rate to stay here included the tickets which sold for $30 each. The theme was “Jewel of the Nile” so the decorations were Egyptian. A belly dancer provided entertainment before the band started. There was a buffet of hot & cold hors d’oeuvres and desserts and we provided & drank too much of “what makes you happy” as the activities director refers to BYOB. We danced nearly every dance until the band quit just after 1.

Jan 1st - HAPPY NEW YEAR!
When our alarm went off at 6:30, we knew we had too much fun last night! Pat & Rick had to drop Kim off at the airport and then were coming over for breakfast. I had time to get pots of chili cooking before they got there. After coffee & catching up, we had breakfast and then went on a tour of the park which included seeing a frozen fountain. Rick had been giving us a bad time about playing bocce ball so we got out a set of balls and played a game. To his surprise, Rick enjoyed it – and did very well.
We had to scramble a bit to finish getting food ready for our party and got it to the room that we reserved just as everyone was arriving. We all had a good time chatting, eating and playing LCR. For my future reference, the attendees were: Rick & Pat, Ernie & Dianne, Dennis & Gloria, Garry & Stephane, Gary & Diane, Larry & Julie, Neal & Judi, Billy & Lauri, Neil & Robin, Phyllis, Bill & Jan, Larry & Norma and Bud & Shelley.

Jan 2nd – Sun – to Desert Hot Springs
We pulled out just before 8 and had a nice drive with no traffic due to it being Sunday. We met friends Clem & Marlene in Quartzsite for breakfast and then had to take a break at the Spotlight 29 Casino! Terry got $25 in free play for his birthday – in addition to the $5 that we each got –and turned it into absolutely nothing!
As we were checking in, Terry saw our friend Grace and when we were setting up, we saw Lynn and then Terry & Eileen passed by as they were taking their dog to the dog park. So we feel right at home already. We didn’t set up anything outside and ended up eating dinner and going to bed early as we forgot about the hour that we gained when we changed to PST. It is as cold here as it was in Mesa the last week.

Jan 3rd – Mon – DHS
We got our annual golf passes so we can golf to our heart’s content at the course right here at the park. And then it was too cold later in the afternoon for wimpy me to want to golf! When we were at the pro shop, we spent quite a bit of time chatting with Paul (our backyard neighbor who works there) about Mesa and the RV parks there. Paul’s wife is going to retire in the fall and they are thinking about leaving this area.
We checked out all the upcoming activities and had time to come back for a late breakfast before going to line dancing lessons. There was a large crowd and the new instructor took us through 4 dances in an hour which was about one dance too much. We headed for a grocery store as we had to get a light bulb for our reading lamp and a couple of grocery items were on the list. We have to remember to remove the bulb when we travel as a bulb went out on one previous trip. There is a Burke’s Outlet store (the same as Bealls Outlet) next to the grocery store and we found the coffee cups that we were looking for. As we were checking out, Lynn came in with Judy who has a park model here and who we got to know last year. We took a long walk around the park and then relaxed.
Gloria called to say they missed us and that it was really quiet with the group leaving and then another group going on a 3 day casino trip. Then Barb (from Monroe) called. They are on their way down and will be here Wednesday. We thought their trip might be impacted by snowstorms but so far, so good.

Dec 28th to 30th - Mesa

Dec 28th – Tues – Mesa
I installed our replacement modem this morning – again not a straightforward job but it looks as if it will work OK. Then we headed to WalMart for groceries and got them put away just in time to head to the courtyard for music. Ernie & Dianne were there so we invited them over for dinner. I thawed a couple more steaks which Terry kind of over-seared on the BBQ but they were alright. After dinner, we showed pictures and barely knew when to stop!

Dec 29th – Wed – Mesa
Before it started to rain this morning, Terry rode his bike to get water and picked up the mail. I have no idea how he got back with 2 gallons of water and a big envelope of mail!
It rained all day and we didn’t go out at all. I cooked the hamburger, onions & green peppers for chili on Saturday, did a bit of cleaning and relaxed with magazines & a book. Terry switched to a new game on the computer to drive himself crazy.
We joined Ernie & Dianne and Larry & Julie for a dance from 6 to 8. Then we went to Arizona Casino to meet cousin Pat, Rick and Kim. Pat & Rick are going to be house sitting in Scottsdale for Tim & Kim for 2 weeks. We spent our allowance (and more!) in short order & were home by just after 10.

Dec 30th – Thurs – Mesa
We were still in bed watching TV at 8 this morning when a neighbor knocked on the door to tell us that our portable awning was in the back of our truck and leaning against the other neighbor’s motor home as the result of a huge wind & rain storm last night. We tossed on pants & jackets and got it out before it could move and damage something. A couple of legs broke when we tried to straighten them and the top was ripped so we packed it into the garbage can. We also had chairs and tables blown around but nothing damaged.
We made a trip to Total Wine to stock up on booze and of course had to stop for yet more groceries. We reserved a room in the community center for our get together on Saturday as it is way too cold to have it outside. Then we rode our bikes to tell everyone of the change in plans. It took us a while as we kept chatting with everyone, had a beer with Bill & Lauri and then a drink with Larry & Norma who just got back from Colorado.

Dec 25th to 27th - Mesa

Dec 25th – MERRY CHRISTMAS
We had a very relaxing morning before going to brunch at 11 at Neal & Judi’s. Joining us on a beautiful sunny day were Larry & Julie and Bill & Lauri. Judi is a very good cook and put on a lovely meal – quiche, smoked salmon, romaine/pear/pecan salad, curried fruit compote, sliced tomatoes with fresh mozzarella, a bread/bun selection and a noodle/cottage cheese casserole (think perogies). Of course the tables were beautifully set and coordinated and I got my first taste of a gin fizz.
We couldn’t tarry too long as we were expected at Ernie & Dianne’s at 1 and were not too late. When Garry & Stephane arrived, Dianne helped them with their new computer and then Garry decided he had to fill his dream of going to the pool on Christmas day so the rest of us played LCR. When Garry returned, we played 10,000 (dice game) and more LCR.
After a turkey dinner with all the trimmings, we played Arizona Rummy. We finally had pie which we were all still too full to really enjoy, played more cards and left just after 11.

Dec 26th – Sun – Mesa
I recently printed more personal cards for Stephane and luckily she had not separated them yet as she now has an email address which I added to the cards this morning. Then I printed some invitations (to remind all of us with failing memories!) for a gathering that we will have on Jan 1st. Next was one of my favorite activities – spending a lot of time on the phone to a tech support person, this time trying to get our new wifi modem to work consistently. The tech finally decided that there is a problem with the unit itself rather than the way it is set up so we have to take it back to Best Buy.
After a light breakfast, we rode our bikes to deliver invitations & return other items, visited with Bill for a bit and gave Terry a haircut. At 1 we picked up Ernie & Dianne and went to Filly‘s bar in Apache Junction. There was a singer (Pete Byam) rather than a band but he was really good and an excellent joke teller as well. The weather was not too hot and we had to take off and put back on our jackets as the sun went behind clouds or umbrellas. We danced a bit, had lunch and left just before 4.

Dec 27th – Mon – Mesa
We started the day doing laundry along with a lot of other people. After we put the clothes in the washers, we had to get more money put on the laundry card, bought tickets for a dance and delivered a couple more invitations.
I made a late breakfast and then we headed to Best Buy where we got a new modem and 2 new phones as ours were due for an upgrade. Terry opted for a Droid as he always “needs” new toys. We also got a new holster for his larger phone and I splurged on Print Shop software. We made a stop for a few groceries on the way home.
I made a cabbage & apple salad and we went to Ernie & Dianne’s for leftover turkey dinner. The 4 of us played a game of Wizard before Stephane & Garry arrived and then a few rounds of LCR before dinner. After another good dinner, we played Arizona Rummy until 11:30. The card games were interrupted by dessert and a phone call to Bill Hughes to wish him a Happy Birthday.

Dec 19th to 24th - Mesa

Dec 19th – Sun – Mesa
I started the day with a lovely long phone call to cousin Pat and then went through a huge Sunday newspaper & ads which we are getting while our neighbors are gone to Colorado.
We got some new coffee cups and decided that we needed a couple more. Of course, the store now does not have any more – and I have to admit that Terry was right when he said we should get more initially. We spent some time in stores trying to figure out a way to secure the TV remote above the bed so I can turn off the TV when Terry falls asleep but it stays put so it doesn’t keep landing on Terry’s head – no luck there either.
The rest of the day was kind of lazy with some cleaning & visiting.

Dec 20th – Mon – Mesa
We were supposed to golf with Neil & Robin today but didn’t get things set up so just visited with them for a while, stopped at Bill & Lauri’s for a bit and then went shopping. We were still trying to find more coffee cups with no luck. We got some tins for buddy burners at a couple of Goodwill stores, stopped for breakfast/lunch, went to Costco for coffee and then to 2 Hobby Lobby stores to use 40% off coupons to buy blocks of wax for buddy burners.
We went to Fry’s looking for tart shells. They didn’t have any but I needed just a couple of other items and stood in line forever to check out. Terry was getting diesel and parked to come looking for me as I took so long.
We made buddy burners when we got back and then went to Garry & Stephane’s for dinner. After dinner we played Arizona Rummy. Garry must have had horseshoes somewhere as he won 3 of 5 games. Terry had a very bad night and didn’t win while Stephane & I won one each.
We played the 5th game hoping Terry would win and ended up leaving after midnight. I saw the eclipse of the moon when we walked back but didn’t know it until I saw it on TV the next morning.

Dec 21st – Tues – Mesa
We continued our fruitless search for tart shells at two more grocery stores and just ended up with ingredients for some candy & cookies. I made 2 batches of fudge, 2 batches of peanut brittle and baked shortbread cookies that were in the fridge.
Line dancing lessons were moved to the Fiesta community center as the ballroom was all set up for the Christmas dinner tomorrow. We reviewed a couple of dances and learned another new one to get quite a workout. We drove to the dance lessons as we thought the rain from earlier in the day might return before we got back.

Dec 22nd – Wed – Mesa
I felt just a couple of rain drops while we were playing bocce ball this morning but it was warm enough to shed our jackets partway through the first game. I had mixed up cookie dough before we left and it was chilled enough for baking when we finished breakfast. Ernie & Dianne stopped by for a visit after they completed their daily gym workout.
I got out the sewing machine – altered a blouse for Lauri, shortened a Tshirt for me and sewed down plackets on a shirt/jacket that refused to lay flat.
We got ready for the park Christmas dinner and just after 4 went to Billy & Lauri’s for a drink first. We were joined by Larry & Julie, Neal & Judi and Neil & Robin. Except for Neil & Robin, this was the group at our table. We were pleasantly surprised to find Bill & Jan also at our table. We met Bill on our first morning bike ride and have seen them many times since.
The dinner and entertainment were very nice. Round tables were set with black tablecloths & napkins, a centerpiece, wine glasses, chocolate cream pie and a carafe each of red & white wine on each table. Volunteers at 2 serving lines dished up plates of chicken cordon bleu, potatoes au gratin and mixed vegetables. Then we added rolls, butter and salad before heading back to our tables. Singer Tina Peoples provided the entertainment with her lovely voice in a selection of Christmas songs. Terry won a flashlight/multi tool in the door prize drawings.
Terry got talked into joining a poker game after dinner so I went next door to the puzzle room. The first thing I did on the way back was step into a huge puddle as it rained quite hard while we were inside.

Dec 23rd – Thurs – Mesa
I called Ernie & Dianne early this morning and asked them over for cinnamon rolls & fruit for breakfast. We ended up showing them some pictures and used up most of the morning.
After a break for Ernie & Dianne to work out at the gym, we joined them to go to WalMart & Costco. We got back just in time for happy hour at Gary & Dianne’s as they had asked us over a couple of days ago. Then it was time to pick up Ernie & Dianne and Garry & Stephane for a trip to Fat Willy’s for appetizers for dinner. Phew!!
Of course it was too early to call it a day so we christened Ernie & Dianne’s new round table by playing Arizona Rummy until midnight. Terry won a game tonight and then went back to his ugly cards.

Dec 24th – Fri – Mesa
We dropped off some cookies & candy for Larry & Julie and Bill & Lauri before picking up Ernie & Dianne at 9 for a trip to the Marketplace for breakfast and shopping. Dianne was looking for items to make candy coated pretzels and I think she is all set now. Terry got a golf bag and moved over all his stuff before we had a light lunch.
I made a couple of appetizers and we headed to Bill & Lauri’s for an “appy” dinner with them, Larry & Julie and Neal & Judi. It was a little cool after the sun went down but we gathered around Bill’s large buddy burner to keep warm.
We went to the Fiesta community center to check out a Christmas Eve program but it was already in progress and we were tired so we came home. And it is obviously time for me to catch up my blog!
Merry Christmas to all!!!

Dec 16th to 18th - Mesa

Dec 16th – Thurs – Mesa
Terry took Dennis & Gloria to the airport at 8 this morning while I made a fruit salad and cinnamon rolls for breakfast. Friends Gary & Carie (from Victoria, met them in Savannah GA) are staying in Casa Grande and came to see us today. We had coffee & breakfast with them and Bill & Lauri and all caught up on each other’s news.
Even though the forecast was for showers and it was cloudy, we decided to go ahead with plans for a bike ride along the canal. Bill & Lauri turned back after a couple of miles as Lauri has not been feeling well and at the 5 mile mark where we were going to turn around, the sprinkles turned to showers so we were pretty wet when we got back to the park. We parked the bikes under cover and toured the main building. After drying out back at our rig, we made a quick trip to Hobby Lobby for a couple of items for Carie and then Ernie & Dianne joined us at Fat Willy’s for beer and appetizers. Back to the rig for a drink, loaded up the bikes and Gary & Carie left just after 8.

Dec 17th – Fri – Mesa
We played bocce ball this morning and then went to Best Buy for a new wifi “modem” to replace our air card. It is still with Verizon but can handle up to five wireless enabled devices (computers, printers, etc) and costs $35 a month rather than the $60 that we have been paying. It only allows 3 gigabytes of usage instead of the 5 gigs of the previous unit but we never used 3 gigs a month.
From there we went to the Ak Chin casino in Maricopa and played the slots until 6 when we met Gary & Carie for the seafood buffet. We had won back some of our losses before dinner so of course we had to stay and get rid of the winnings before leaving at 9.

Dec 18th – Sat – Mesa
I tried to set up the new modem this morning (over and over again) and finally Terry decided we better go back to Best Buy. We signed up at the Geek Squad desk, waited our turn and a very busy tech got us connected to the internet. We shut down the computer while we were there and restarted it to make sure everything came up OK.
Back at home, Terry booted up the computer and it would not recognize the modem and connect. I was making an early dinner so after we ate, I tried everything I could remember that the tech did but to no avail. An error finally included a support number and about 40 minutes with a nice guy in Salt Lake City was successful in getting everything working. I think the problem was caused by our previous air card and not everything was removed when the old software was uninstalled.
We had time for a well-earned drink before going to a dance here at the park. A new friend – Phyllis – got tickets for herself and Larry & Julie and happened to be at our table. The couple providing the music was good and played very danceable songs so we all had a great time. We walked back with Neil & Robin and ended up playing cards with them until about 11:30.

Dec 12th to 15th - Mesa

Dec 12th – Sun – Mesa
I figured that a trip to the gym called for cinnamon rolls for breakfast. Since I was into baking, I mixed up a couple of batches of shortbread cookies and put them in the fridge to bake later.
At 1 we picked up Dennis & Gloria and went to Filly’s in Apache Junction which is a cowboy bar in the most literal sense. People ride up on their horses, hitch them to a rail behind the outdoors bar and hit the dance floor in chaps & spurs. The very enjoyable band has a shelter next to the dance floor and play from 1 to 4 on the weekends. Three couples who camped with Bill & Lauri were also there so we made up a long table. Nearly everyone had a late lunch with pitchers of beer.
Dennis & Gloria came over to watch the last episode of The Amazing Race and to have another brownie sundae. I finished up the evening with a long phone call to sister Marg.

Dec 13th – Mon – Mesa
Shopping, bocce ball, dinner prep, dinner-E&D, D&G, G&S, Harvey
Gloria & I went shopping all morning for something “glitzy” to wear to our New Year’s Eve party. We were only looking for tops and had a heck of a time finding anything suitable – and affordable considering it is something worn only a few times. We both did end up with a purchase.
Terry & Dennis played bocce ball and then Terry noticed a short grocery list and went shopping for me. I made a late lunch and then did dinner prep and relaxed outside in front of the TV.
We had Ernie & Dianne, Dennis & Gloria, Garry & Stephane and Harvey – new acquaintance - over for dinner. Stephane had invited Harvey over for dinner at their place just before I asked them here so we told her to bring him along. We sat outside for drinks & a veggie tray and then moved inside for dinner. After dinner, the guys moved back outside and the ladies did dishes, chatted & laughed a lot. Garry is a smoker so he loves it when the group is outside.

Dec 14th – Tues – Mesa
I made it to the gym this morning but cut it short as there was a physical trainer showing a group how to use the equipment – and I was lazy! Stephane stopped by for some information, I made breakfast and then we rode to Ernie & Dianne’s so he & Terry could work on the brakes on my bike. They were at the gym so we rode around the park until they finished.
We took our ladder bike rack (that we needed to get our bikes from Missoula to Spokane) to Larry & Julie’s and attached it to the ladder on their motor home as Julie bought a trike here and really wanted to be able to take it home with her. It did work but it was a hot, sweaty job for Terry as they are backed up close to a retaining wall and he had to maneuver the trike around a sewer hose & an electric box just to get it to the back of the motor home and then wrestle it sideways to get it up on the rack. Larry & I did what we could to help but there wasn’t much room.
After Terry cleaned up, we went to listen to music & singing at a music jam and then took Ernie & Dianne to WalMart so we could use the truck to bring home bikes that they were buying. We got back in time to listen to the last half hour of Music in the Courtyard.
At 7 we went to line dance lessons. Afterwards, we were supposed to join a group playing cards but no one was in the card rooms. We went to check with Ernie & Dianne and ended up playing Arizona Rummy with them until 11:15.

Dec 15th – Wed – Mesa
We started out with bocce ball this morning. We looked at a newspaper when we were doing laundry and found a BOGO coupon for a restaurant so we went out for a late lunch and then to a grocery store. As we were driving back to our rig, Dennis & Gloria motioned to us to come back to their place for happy hour so we put away groceries and joined them and Gary & Dianne.
Since we had a large lunch, we didn’t need dinner before going to play Bunko at 6:30. Neither of us won this time.

Dec 9th to 11th - Mesa

Dec 9th – Thurs – Mesa
At coffee & doughnuts this morning, the customer rep for Camping World had several raffle prizes including a 12-speed folding bicycle – and we did not win anything!
Terry has been thinking about getting a tonneau cover for the truck so he looked up some places on the internet and we went driving. A couple of the places where not even there, one was now an oil change place and the others were not establishments where we wanted to do business. We stopped at a Big Lots where I got a garlic/ginger stir fry sauce and then tried it out for a late lunch/early dinner when we got back. It is very good.
We went to Music in the Courtyard at 3 but left about 4 when the group took a break as they weren’t very good. The weather was gorgeous again today so we took a long bike ride around the park and then relaxed before going to line dance class.

Dec 10th – Fri – Mesa
We played bocce ball for a little longer than usual today. After a late breakfast, we joined Dennis & Gloria for a trip to Casino Arizona so they could get player’s cards to use for free shows in the future. Of course we all had to play the slots for a while and I was lucky to come out ahead enough to cover Terry’s losses plus $50.
We had a couple of errands to run when we got back and then had an early dinner. Terry played Texas Hold’em while I visited the puzzle room.

Dec 11th – Sat – Mesa
We walked to the post office and then stopped to visit Ernie & Dianne and Bill & Lauri on the way back. Then it was off to the courtyard for a Hamburger Fry with music by Curtis Fry. We arrived early so we got a table mostly in the shade and were able to listen to the music until nearly 1:30. Huge grills were set up for the event and the volunteers turned out a lot of hamburgers in a short time. We actually had a burger with all the trimmings, baked beans, chips, a drink and an ice cream sandwich for $5.
We went for a bike ride to work off some of our lunch and stopped to talk to Garry and then Robin. She said she was ready for a margarita so we had one with her – Neil was working. We relaxed and had artichokes before going to a dance with Dennis & Gloria. We were able to sit at the front of the table so it was easy to get to the floor for nearly every dance. Actually, I don’t think Terry missed any as he danced with Julie, her daughter Natalie and Phyllis who we met at the laundry room. Dennis had knee replacement surgery last summer and is enjoying doing things after 3 years of severely curtailed activities.

Dec 5th to 8th - Mesa

Dec 5th – Sun – Mesa
We were lazy this morning and enjoyed sleeping in and relaxing with coffee outside as the weather continues to warm back up. After doing laundry, I caught up the blog & emails while Terry rode his bike, visited with friends and went to the pool for a bit.
We watched golf on the outside TV and had an early dinner so Terry could BBQ in the daylight. Dennis & Gloria came over to watch what we thought was the finale of Amazing Race but it turned out to be the second to last show.
I spent time on the computer making a score sheet for Arizona Rummy rather than ruling lines like Dianne did the last time we played.

Dec 6th -Mon – Mesa
We went on a day trip to casinos at Prescott today. Two full buses left the park at 8:30 for the almost 2 hour drive north. We were on #1 bus with Dennis & Gloria while Garry & Stephane and Ernie & Dianne were on bus #2. The trip was very well organized with player cards ready for most people. We signed up later so we had to get ours at the player’s club which turned out OK since Terry scratched a ticket for $25 free play in addition to the $10 that everyone got. The trip included a box lunch with a sandwich, chips, cookies, an apple and a bottle of water. After lunch, we took the shuttle to the 2nd little casino. At 3:15, the bus picked up anyone who wanted to go downtown to Whiskey Row. We shopped a bit with Dennis & Gloria and then had dinner. At 6, the bus picked us up again, returned to the casino for the few who did not go downtown and then took us through the Valley of Lights which was a very impressive display of Christmas lights – but not on houses. A road was lined with rope lights and included 3 “tunnels” made with metal arches decorated with lights – holly & berries, candy canes and snowflakes. There were animated figures and a western town complete with a stagecoach and running horses.
We got home at 9 – pleasantly tired and $102 richer.

Dec 7th – Tues – Mesa
This morning we took back the wrong size baskets and got a small black table for guests seated on the couch. It is the type where the base slides under the couch so it takes up very little room. The line at Hobby Lobby to return items was ridiculous because of slow checkers so this chore took a long time. The bad news is that I do love shopping in this store.
We went to Music in the Courtyard from 3 to 5. The female singer was not very good. When we were done there, we went to Julie & Larry’s for dinner. Long time friends of Billy & Lauri – Neil & Judy – just arrived for a month so we got to meet them at dinner. We had to eat & run again in order to go to line dancing lessons. They went over dances that we have already “learned” so we got necessary practice without having to confuse our poor brains with another new dance.
On the way back, we stopped for coffee with Dennis & Gloria.

Dec 8th – Wed – Mesa
There was a large group for bocce ball this morning and the weather was perfect. I tried a Zumba exercise class which Lauri has been going to for a few weeks. It is an hour long workout to mostly Latin music & moves – fun and gets your heart rate up.
After a light lunch we went shopping – 99 cent store, Bealls Outlet, produce market & groceries. We had time to put away our purchases before getting together with 10 other people for an outing. First we went for dinner. Someone had picked Village Inn since it was “free pie Wednesday”. There was one close but Ernie & Dianne found another one that they thought was on the way to our next destination which was the zoo. After driving further from the zoo for 45 minutes (!!), they finally pulled over and we found another Village Inn just a couple of miles back towards the zoo.
The reason we were going to the zoo at night was to see the Zoolights display. Most of the zoo is decorated with lights and is well worth seeing. One stretch had several trees with different colored lights that went on & off with music – lots of “oohs & aahs” there.

Dec 2nd to 4th - Mesa

Dec 2nd – Thurs – Mesa
We attended the usual coffee & doughnuts at 8:00 and then visited with friends to pretty much use up the rest of the morning. I spent time on the computer trying to figure out Avery Wizard to make business cards and then made us a late lunch.
About 4, Ernie & Dianne and Garry & Stephane came over so I could make business/personal cards for them. I took pictures of both couples to put on the cards and the whole process took longer than I expected. Just as we were finishing, the guys decided that we should get pizza delivered but we all piled in the truck and went to CiCi’s pizza buffet instead.
We were going to play Wii when we returned but ended up sitting & chatting for a couple of hours at Ernie & Dianne’s place instead. Ernie & Dianne and Garry & Stephane are from B.C. They all lived in Dawson Creek but Ernie & Dianne have recently moved to Kelowna.

Dec 3rd – Fri – Mesa
I went to the gym and then we joined the bocce ball group which we are really enjoying. A game with evenly matched players can take nearly an hour.
We went out for lunch and made a trip to Costco. At 4, we joined a large group to sit on a vacant lot and watch the Christmas parade in the park. The parade did not start until 4:30 so we had time to have a drink and be rowdy. We were near the start of the parade route, so after it went by we moved to Ernie & Dianne’s place and watched it again right at the end of the route. We proceeded directly from there to dinner & entertainment in the ballroom. Dinner was stew in a bread bowl & cake for dessert and the entertainment was the Valley Christian Bell Ringers. They were good but the program was too long for nearly everyone.

Dec 4th – Sat – Mesa
We went to the courtyard for breakfast this morning and then wandered through the Christmas Boutique without buying anything. Dennis & Gloria and Gary & Dianne were nearly ready to go for a bike ride that we had planned so we had to hurry up to join them. We rode about 10 miles altogether and stopped for lunch on the way back. We rode along an irrigation canal rather than on streets so it was very quiet & peaceful most of the time.
Our new ice maker did not seem to be working as well as the old one so we took it back and exchanged it. We also browsed through Hobby Lobby (love that store!) and got a couple of items including 2 baskets that are too big for their intended spot.
After dinner, we joined Dennis & Gloria, Ernie & Dianne and Garry & Stephane to learn a new card game called Arizona Rummy. We played from 7 to 10 in the community center and it was really fun even though I got really bad cards for a majority of the hands.

Nov 29th to Dec 1st - Mesa

Nov 29th – Mon – Mesa
We wimped out of the bike ride this morning as it was too cold and Terry never did look at his front tire as it didn’t go flat again after pumping it up the second time last Monday.
Rather than going to the gym, I went back to help with the park decorating. This time I worked inside, a lot of the time with Gloria. We had to “fluff” the wreaths & garlands that were stored – make that stuffed - in boxes. Then I helped another lady hang wreaths. I offered to climb the ladder but since she was only 72 years old she said she could do it – and I didn’t really want to put nails in the walls. We even got lunch from McDonalds.
Terry came by later and heard that garlands needed to be taken to the sales office so he got the truck, we loaded the garlands and 3 other helpers and made short work of decorating the railings. There was pizza at 4 for all volunteers who helped decorate so we decided that we just had time for a drink with Dennis & Gloria at our place first. Gary & Diane also joined us and we ended up not going for pizza since we had lunch about 1 and another drink sounded like a better idea. We had all moved inside when Ernie & Diane came by with a bottle of Scotch to thank Terry for moving their TV & cabinet. Of course, they had to stay for a drink too.

Nov 30th – Tues – Mesa
I was glad that we skipped the bike ride yesterday when my hands were freezing riding my bike the short distance to the gym this morning. Our wonderful, necessary ice maker died yesterday. Terry tore it apart and found a cracked plastic part that would not stay glued so off we went to a Target store to get a new one. It seems as if the largest cubes are not as large as the old ones (same brand) so it may have to be exchanged.
We went to the courtyard to listen to music, came back for dinner and then went to line dancing lessons.

Dec 1st – Wed – Mesa
I got up early this morning to line up to get tickets for the New Year’s Eve party and 2 dances this month. I think I mentioned before that the ballroom is small and tables are assigned for dances so to guarantee a group together at a table, you have to get tickets early when they go on sale the first work day of the month. Terry got a dozen doughnuts, joined me a bit later and shared the doughnuts with others in line. The activity director had a little drawing for people in line and Terry won one ticket for a pancake breakfast this month. Guess I will have to buy my own!
We played bocce ball at 10. Terry, I, Ernie & Diane were on one court so Ernie & I played Terry & Diane and we lost both games. But who cares as the sun was out & it was warm again! After lunch, we went to Big Lots for a few garlands to decorate our home.
Then it was off to the courtyard for more music from 2 to 4. This time, the singer was a woman – April Walker – and she was really good.
From there, Terry & I, Ernie & Diane and Dennis & Gloria went to Fat Willy’s for their happy hour specials – beer & appetizers which were our dinner. We figured this was a good idea as we were all playing bunko at 6:15 so we had to eat early. We just had time to see Ernie & Diane’s park model before reporting to the card room.
There were 19 people at bunko so we had to play with a “ghost” player (the ghost’s partner rolls twice). It costs $5 each to play. Terry split most bunkos to win $16 and I got most losses (!!) which paid $8. Another fun, busy day!