May 26th to 29th - Mesa to Show Low

May 26^th – Tues

We went out first thing and got the change of address faxed to the passport office. Terry got ambitious and switched everything to his new golf bag and cleaned both sets of clubs at the same time. After a late breakfast, we took the truck to pick up my repaired golf club and then got a few items for dinner.

I wanted a dry erase board to “inventory” the canned goods stored under the bed so we went to BigLots where we found one and a few other items of course.

We were watching TV just before dinner when the picture started breaking up. Terry did some checking and found that the AC/DC adapter was not working so we made a quick trip to Camping World to buy a new one.

May 27^th – Wed

We did laundry this morning in our usual “back & forth” manner and fit breakfast in between washing & drying. I cut Terry's hair and then we took the truck for some shopping at Costco and WalMart. Then find places to fit everything. We will be a bit further from shopping at Show Low so we are trying to think of items that we will need and may not be able to find easily. Terry talked me into a rice cooker/crockpot but it is staying in the 5^th wheel. Terry also succumbed to a tool kit in a nice case which he secured to the wall where it is readily available and doesn't take up valuable storage space.

I put a roast in my little crock pot when we got back from Costco and we were playing computer games when Bonnie called to ask us out for dinner. She picked us up and we went to Applebee's for a nice dinner. The roast will be dinner tomorrow! Bonnie came in for a drink afterwards and we had a lovely visit with her.

May 28^th – Thurs

We got things ready to go before going to coffee & doughnuts this morning. Hugs goodbye, load the bike and we were on our way to Show Low shortly after 9:00. We tried to call the owner of the lot we are renting as we approached Juniper Ridge Resort but there was no answer so we checked in, found the lot and set up. There was a different phone number on the storage shed so we called and the owners showed up from another area in the park.

We went exploring on the motorcycle and to buy dance tickets but the activity office closes at 2 so will have to check tomorrow. There are many houses and lots for sale in the park. Also a lot of vacant properties so owners may not have arrived for the season yet.

Our lot is situated so the toy hauler provides shade on the patio in the afternoon. We took advantage of warm but not hot weather to enjoy a drink & computer games outside before dinner.

May 29^th – Fri

We were pretty lazy this morning and finally went to the activities office at 11:30 to find out that ticket sales are only from 9 to 11 on Tuesday thru Friday! Apparently we can buy tickets at Monday morning coffee & doughnuts. We took the truck today for lunch, some more exploring & a bit of shopping. And of course a short visit to the casino!

We stopped at the admin office on the way back to get a mail box key which resulted in 2 trips as the first key did not work. There is a security gate at the entrance (past the admin office) which requires 7 keys to be pressed to release the gate. If someone is just ahead, the instructions say not to follow through the open gate as it is only supposed to stay open for 20 seconds. So you wait and it doesn't immediately close and then you get to decide whether to go or wait and then enter the code. I guess every place has its kinks!

It is really nice to open windows for a nice breeze and not have to run the AC. It was a little warm when we got back today so we were outside again. Lots of people walk by with their dogs and everyone waves or says hi. One guy asked what part of Spokane we were from and it occurred to Terry after he left that our license plate holder says Idaho. When the guy came back, Terry asked how he knew we were from Spokane and he said he just took a guess since a lot of people from Washington buy trucks in Idaho.

May 23rd to 25th - Mesa

May 23^rd – Sat

I caught up the blog and we played a lot of computer games since we each bought 24 hours of unlimited games on Farm Heroes! We drove the bike all over the park looking for someone to bug and ended up sitting in the middle of our street chatting with Bonnie, Colleen & Lynette who were running around in Bonnie's golf cart.

BBQ for dinner and a quiet evening.

May 24^th – Sun

A typical lazy morning followed by lunch at Burger King.

We stopped by Mark & Colleen's and found Mark installing shade panels on the side of their carport. He had quite a job with inconsistent spacing of posts, out of line posts and improperly installed decorative “posts” that he had to remove. The panels that were done looked really good. They invited us to join them, Bonnie & Lynette for dinner so we went to get a couple of steaks, I made “cookies & cream” for dessert and we headed back over.

We had another lovely evening and learned a new card game called “Sticks” that we won't add to our collection of games. We played Newfie Bingo with poker chips to show them how it is played.

May 25^th – Mon – Memorial Day

I forgot to mention that I called the passport office on Thursday and was pleased to find out that I could send a fax with a different address but I figured I better wait in case they processed the passport on Friday and it would get to Show Low before us.  I checked again with the passport office and they were waiting on a Fax with a new address! So Terry climbed over the counter in the 5^th wheel to get the printer and I put the information together that they needed. Then we drove all over town looking for a place that was open to send a Fax – no luck! Included in our driving was a stop at the PGA Golf store to have one of my clubs repaired. Luckily they were open including the repair shop. Terry got a new golf bag.

We stopped to pick up a bucket of chicken, I made an apple slaw, we put on our swim suits and went to join 12 others at the Rancho's pool for lunch and swimming. Also there were Mark & Colleen, Bill & Beth, Neal & Robin, Bonnie, Lynette & her daughter Tara with her daughter Eva, and Mark & DJ. It was a perfect afternoon with great friends and good food. We took our speaker and tablet and even did a couple of line dances beside the pool!

May 20th to 22nd - Mesa

May 20^th – Wed

We went to the office to sign up for another week and while we were there Terry commented on the huge weeds on the lot where we are staying. A short time later, 2 workers showed up with shovels to uproot the weeds and then came back to rake them all up when we went shopping. First we stopped for lunch at “Souper! Salad!” which was right beside a Staples where we were going to start shopping. It is a soup/salad buffet which I have enjoyed previously and Terry put up with for me! At Staples we saw a wire shelf but didn't get it right away since we were on the bike. After going through Tuesday Morning we went back to buy the shelf and came home to hang it up.

Now we needed 3 baskets or boxes to hold the “junk” that will be moved from the table to the shelf. We again took the bike to WalMart, another Staples, Kmart & BigLots with no success. At Hobby Lobby we were on our way out when Terry spotted some perfect boxes – 60% off! We were smart enough to leave Terry's helmet at home and could fit 2 boxes in that compartment and I got to hold to other one. When we got back we found out that they were indeed perfect and just had to rig up a bungee to hold them in place when we travel.

Terry was having problems with his Kindle and trying to buy promotions from games. First we searched the net for answers and finally ended up talking to a guy at Amazon who was wonderful. We had to deregister the credit card, totally delete the Amazon account and then set everything back up again. The support person was very patient and when he didn't have to ask how to spell “Sprague” we found out that he was based in the Tri Cities in WA.

May 21^st – Thurs

We went to coffee & doughnuts this morning. There was a small group as some people were going on a trip on the Desert Belle. Nothing exciting going on.

We went back to the casino and this time I was smart enough to take a book so I had something to do after I lost my money!!  When we got back, we called a lady in Show Low to rent their lot for the month of June.  Then we went to see if Robin still wanted to play golf tomorrow and ended up staying to play cards again. Neil is going to golf as well since he had made a mistake on an appointment that he thought was tomorrow. Robin brought out containers of yummy fruit which ended up being dinner since we weren't too hungry when we got home. We did end up with a dish of ice cream a bit later!

May 22^nd – Fri

Neil & Robin picked us up at 6:50 to play golf at Greenfield Lakes GC. The weather was absolutely perfect and we all had decent games. We decided to go to Joe's Farm Grill for an early lunch rather than joining the rest of the golfers at the Duchess. There was quite a large group today which makes it hard for the cook to get everyone's orders out sort of together and we wanted to see this new place based on Neil & Robin's recommendation.

The Farm Grill is on Ray Rd east of Greenfield. You can eat inside or outside under HUGE trees. We actually ended up having breakfast – except for Neil who had an egg on his burger so I guess it was breakfast! Then we walked around the rest of the grounds and through the second restaurant which had a different menu. Nice place, will return sometime.

We stayed at Neil & Robin's and played cards for a few hours. We had a couple of hours to relax and have a burger before going to a dance at Tower Point. Reign 'n Country was playing and we like to dance to them. A few people joined us on some line dances and we joined a couple of theirs. We sat with 2 people – Jack & Sandy – who were very nice and we enjoyed talking with them.

May 17th to 19th - Mesa

May 17^th – Sun

After a lazy morning we went to Ft McDowell casino since we were able to get our “$40 slot play for $25” offer. It took a long time to call it quits today. I had put a roast in the crock pot so we stopped to pick up some sweet potatoes and then had an early dinner and a quiet evening.

May 18^th – Mon

We left just before 8 for about a 3 hour drive to Show Low to check out some RV parks. Show Low is at a higher elevation than Mesa and has slightly cooler temperatures which makes it popular in the summer. We stopped at the visitor center and picked up a bunch of info which we looked at as we had an early lunch.

We went to Juniper Ridge resort and connected with a salesman right away which turned out to be a good thing as he drove us all around so we could see lots that could be rented. All lots are privately owned with many park models & larger homes as well as RV sites. The activity that interests us the most is line dancing 3 days a week from 9:00 to noon. We tried to find another park and ended up at the Hon-Dah casino where we spent some time and not much money. As we headed back we found & checked out 2 other parks. We stopped at Golden Corral (Terry never remembers that he doesn't like it!) for dinner.

May 19^th – Tues

Neal stopped by for coffee and a nice chat this morning while we were still goofing off and playing computer games. After a late breakfast, we went shopping/browsing at several stores including the huge American Furniture store just to see what it was all about. We were actually looking for a small cabinet to place at the end of the kitchen counter to provide a bit more counter space beside the only electric outlet in the “kitchen”.

When we got back we decided we could use a small table that we aren't using any more to make a shelf so that is what we did. It was a bit of a challenge and an evolving project but it turned out pretty good.

Just as we finished and hadn't even cleaned up everything yet, Neal & Robin came by to see where we wanted to go to dinner with them. We sat & chatted for a while and then went to Casa Ramos for a good dinner. Then went to their place to learn & play a new card game called “7”. It was fun even though Neal & I got badly beaten.

I called the passport office this morning and was told that someone had made an entry in my file on Friday that they had received the pictures but that was all they could tell me and suggested a call tomorrow would be too soon to know any more!

May 13th to 16th - Mesa

May 13^th – Wed

We were on the road before 8, stopped for doughnuts and then diesel. We got to VVV before noon and signed up for a week. We are parked in 116 (Ron & Terri's spot) as someone was going to be coming into 114. Terry had to climb over things in the 5^th wheel to get some items that we forgot including the hair clipper which we used right away.

We went to Bill & Beth's before going to a spaghetti dinner at 5 here in the park. Bonnie insisted that we take back the tickets that Terry won before we left. Our table was called first to get dinner but we didn't even finish eating when we HAD to get up to line dance to Rich Mancini. We had a great time but were disappointed and slightly surprised that a lot of people left before it ended at 7.

Of course a group was not ready to quit so we went to Bonnie's to continue the party. Rich even joined us for a while. The weather has cooled down a bit so it was wonderful to sit outside.

May 14^th – Thurs

I called the passport office as the pictures were delivered yesterday morning. The person I spoke with confirmed that the envelope was indeed there and then told me that the 20 working days processing time started over! I told her that a prior employee told me that it wouldn't take long to complete the passport once the pictures arrived as most of the processing had been done. I had some steam coming out my ears when I abruptly ended that conversation!

Terry went to get the truck cleaned up while I got a haircut from Holly. Then it was time to do 2 weeks worth of laundry. It was quiet the rest of the afternoon & evening.

May 15^th – Fri

We went golfing at Greenfield Lakes GC with a group from VVV. We left here before 7 and ended up golfing with Jerry and Mark & DJ. It is a pretty casual golf course so a group of 5 was not a problem and we were able to easily keep up to the group in front of us. We forgot to get a score card which was good as neither of us played particularly well. I did pull off some good putts and parred 4 holes. Terry finished in fine form on the second par 5 with a 330 yard drive and a second shot that rolled up on a little hill behind the green. No eagle but he did get a birdie.  All the golfers went to The Duchess restaurant for breakfast/lunch after the game.

It's a good thing that we played golf early as there was lot of rain in the afternoon. This is very unusual in May so the TV stations all aired stories about the rain and the snow in the northern areas of AZ. It was a good thing that we didn't plan to BBQ for dinner.

We went to Total Wine as we realized that we didn't stock up enough for the summer! We stopped at Dick's sporting goods looking for a Golf Buddy. They were out but said Van's would probably have them. We tried to follow their instructions and finally turned on the GPS to find a different location which did have the unit. It was raining so hard when we stopped that I stayed in the truck while Terry ran into the store.

May 16^th – Sat

It continued to rain most of the night – or at least it was raining every time I woke up. It was still fairly cool when we went to the Marketplace a bit later in the morning. We stopped at In 'N Out for burgers for lunch and then did a bit of shopping including Costco.

We actually went for a walk to see if Neal & Robin were home but they weren't. We came back and got the motorcycle and went cruising around the park. Bruce & Ann stopped by after their golf game and had a drink with us. Then it was time for dinner & TV.

May 8th to 12th - Parker

May 8^th to 12^th – Parker

Our “routine” in Parker is exactly that – routine! - and not exciting. The weather has remained the same – hot & windy. We take the motorcycle each day to the big town for a visit to the casino and some shopping. A few more people showed up for the weekend but no one to visit with.

We did play 18 holes of golf on Friday. We arrived right after a large group so we went back after an hour and then followed the group. Play was slow but not too bad until the back nine. There was a single golfer behind us and he joined us for 4 holes. The fairways had been plugged so any roll was interrupted by rock hard dirt pebbles. Not a good golf experience for $40 per person!

Facebook friends will know that my latest passport pictures have been delivered by SLOW mail. We mailed the pictures on Apr 27^th, they arrived in Los Angeles Apr 29^th and didn't leave there until May 4^th.  They left Louisville twice (?) on the 5^th, left Hamilton Canada 1 ½ hours later and left Montreal Canada 3 hours after that. No mention of customs yet!  On May 12^th they were processed through Custom Clearance sort facility in Canada – no town included. Two hours later an entry noted “Custom clearance processing completed”. 

We are heading back to Mesa and VVV tomorrow as we paid for a week here and we are mega bored.  As I mentioned previously, I have to sign for my passport when it is delivered by FedEx. Beth called to say that my new driver's license showed up so we can pick that up. We also forgot a couple of important items – FitBit charging cables and hair clippers. We can stay for 7 days at half price with Passport America and maybe my passport will show up by then. At least we have friends, a pool and some activities starting with the spaghetti feed and DANCE with Rich Mancini.

May 5th to 7th - Yuma to Parker

May 5^th – Tues

We stopped at the casino for breakfast and a little slot play again before my 11 o'clock appointment at the dentist. Yet another young lady popped the temporary crown off, did a bit of scraping to clean up the post and then out came the needle. I asked why numbing was needed and she said they have to get the crown way down in the gum which they proceeded to do so with all the equipment bumping on my sore mouth. It ended up taking an hour to complete.

We stopped again at the casino on the way back to return a bit of money that we took with us this morning!

We went to WalMart for a few items, stopped at Best Buy to see if they sell charging cables for FitBits – we left ours behind and no they don't carry them!!! - and headed back for R&R and an early dinner.

May 6^th – Wed

We have another problem with my passport. All completed passports are sent by FedEx and require the signature of the person who the passport belongs to. We are going to have to return to Mesa to take delivery of the passport! The latest passport pictures have not been delivered yet and we have to hang around somewhere so we decided to go to Parker for a week.

We stopped for lunch in Parker and then set up in La Paz County campground on the Colorado River where we have stayed previously. We spent part of the afternoon at the casino and then shopped at WalMart. My mouth is still sore but a nice cold drink soothes it somewhat!

May 7^th – Thurs

We had discussed going golfing early this morning but Terry said the decision was mine and I chose not to go. We were quite happy with that decision when the wind really picked up about 7:30. Also, who would think that you could end up with sore muscles in your leg from a dental appointment? On Monday when I was in the chair so long, my leg cramped really badly and of course I couldn't tell anyone and couldn't do anything about it so the calf muscle has been very sore.

After the usual morning putzing around and then lunch, we returned to town. We had to go back to WalMart as a cable that we bought yesterday had a defective connector. Then it was back to the casino to take advantage of free play for seniors and to see if we could add to our small winnings from yesterday. Nope!! We drove around to find an RV supply store to get a bubble level and came back.

The wind got even stronger in the late afternoon & evening. We did take a walk around the park but otherwise stayed inside watching TV (get lots of cable channels), doing computer stuff and otherwise being lazy.

Apr 29th to May 4th - Mesa to Yuma

Apr 29^th – Wed

Laundry this morning and then we continued moving stuff to the toy hauler. It was also a chance to clear out old food that sits in the back of cupboards, fridge & freezer. I was able to leave the freezer doors open after we transferred everything and it was the easiest defrost ever. I could just pry the frost buildup a bit and it came right off.

We went golfing at Lone Tree GC with Bruce & Ann. We had a 12:08 tee time but got off early as they weren't very busy. It was another nice course and another challenge for me as I just don't golf enough longer, 18 holes. It was a good thing that we played early as we had to go back for Terry's sunglasses and then get to the pool party at VVV which started at 5. Not too many people in the pool and no squirt guns. The music was not exceptional but the company of friends outweighs most negatives.

We weren't done when the pool party broke up. A group of us went to Bill & Beth's for a happy hour(s) in their back yard. Bruce brought his guitar and another good time was had by all.
 

Apr 30^th – Thurs
We went to coffee & doughnuts this morning and Terry won the draw - 2 tickets to a spaghetti feed which we can't use so he gave them to Bonnie.

We finished up moving a few items to the toy hauler and closed up the fifth wheel. Terry closed the bedroom slide and then loaded the bed with the items that need to be stored for the summer – fold down benches from the toy hauler and a table. He also moved the propane tanks inside since the compartment does not lock and the rig is uncovered this time.

We joined some friends at Ft. McDowell casino at 11:30. We left in time to get home, make a drink and go to Sun Life for “music in the ballroom” where Dakota Kid was playing. We did a lot of dancing – line and 2-steppin. There were 11 of us from VVV and a decent turnout from Sun Life. Then 7 of us went to China City Buffet for dinner. Nothing like cramming in a lot in one day!

 

May 1^st – Fri

We pulled out to load the bike and Bruce & Ann walked over for a final hug. We will certainly miss them.

We hit the road about 9:00 for our short trip to Yuma. We stopped for fuel and a sandwich and checked into River's Edge RV park in Winterhaven at 12:30. A flawless parking job by Terry and we were set up in a short time. It was hot but this park has large trees which provide shade in the afternoon. The last time we stayed here we ended up with ants in the rig so we will keep an eye out for the little buggers.

Drinks, dinner and a walk around the park for a little exercise.

May 2^nd – Sat

After coffee & computer games this morning we took the bike into Yuma. We drove around a bit before having something to eat and then finding that the flea market is not open at this time of year. Nothing else to do besides go to the Paradise Casino.

I won a bit as soon as we got there which is good & bad. Good because I have some of “their” money to play with and bad because we are not going to leave right away with $ in our pocket! We played for several hours and I ended up even while Terry left them his allowance.

We stopped on the way back for an item for dinner and had a quiet evening. We are situated on our site so we can open the window and watch TV from lawn chairs outside.

May 3^rd – Sun

Terry cleaned up the bike while I made a late breakfast and then we headed to the Quechan Casino which is way too close to this park. Again we both did OK – I broke even and Terry nearly covered his losses from yesterday.

It was too far & too hot to ride for groceries so I thawed some steaks and figured out dinner. Terry got out the BBQ and it was nice enough to sit in the shade and dine outside.

May 4^th – Mon

Today was the reason for being here and the one I was dreading – a trip to the dentist in Algodones. We stopped first for an inexpensive ($4.99 ham & eggs) breakfast at Quechan Casino and still had time for a little slot play. Surprise – small wins again.

We arrived at the Nava Dental Clinic before my 11:00 appointment but they got me in right after I filled out the standard health questionnaire. They started with cleaning which took a long time as the young lady first had to chart all the fillings & crowns in my teeth which are many. I also missed a cleaning last year and had wicked plaque which I pretty much knew from sensitive gums. So the cleaning took over an hour! An x-ray confirmed that I would need a root canal on my broken tooth which has a huge filling and was scheduled for a crown. I had a 15 minute break while the root canal specialist set up his equipment. Terry was already pacing & impatient!

The root canal guy ground out the old filling and was very methodical so it seemed like forever until he was done. He put in a springy gizmo designed to keep your mouth open and this stayed in place the rest of the time I was there!! I was informed that I would need a temporary crown today and could come back tomorrow for the final crown. Another young lady worked on the temporary crown which seemed more like a permanent one in time & fitting.

I had to wait about 20 minutes for the dentist to be available to do the “readings” for the permanent crown. They make the crowns in the office which is mainly why I switched to this dentist. He was not the least bit gentle which was really tough on my already sore gums & mouth. I finally got out at 4:40 – 6 HOURS in the chair!!

We went into Yuma to get something to eat and fuel up the truck. I was not the least bit interested in eating right away so dinner was takeout from Carl's Jr. After a couple of aspirin and a lot of water, I finally nibbled some food and then hit “the hard stuff”. Really looking forward to going back tomorrow – NOT!!!

Apr 26th to 28th - Mesa

Apr 26^th – Sun

We went to Costco to pick up my contacts and then stopped at Walmart for groceries. Then we had a quiet, lazy day or else I can't remember what we did!

At 4 we went to Jim & Virginia's for another happy hour(s). It seems like people are leaving in great numbers but there were still 25 partyers. There was lots of food at Jim's but we didn't eat much and had dinner at home.

Apr 27^th – Mon

I tried calling the passport office and got 25 people waiting, next call 16 people waiting and then 11 people waiting so I didn't stay on the line. We went to the office to ask for our meter to be read and got permission to park the toy hauler next to us so we can load it easier. We are planning to leave on Thursday.

I discovered that Terry's tablet requires music in “mp3” format rather than “wma” which is why it doesn't show/play everything that we downloaded. I put a conversion program on the laptop and converted some music but then couldn't figure out where the heck it was even when I selected a location! I really hate computers sometimes!

We took some Coke to Colleen and then rode all around the park but couldn't find anyone to harrass. It is very quiet here.

Apr 28^th – Tues

We got going fairly early and moved the toy hauler to the site next to us so we could start loading it up later.

We went to the DMV for my motorcycle skills test. The line moved fast and I didn't have time to finish filling out the form before they called me for my picture and then to be processed. Then shortly before 11 we were told that the driving test was scheduled for noon. We went to Carl Jr for a bite to eat and decided we had time to come back so I could call on my passport.

More bad news! My second picture was rejected because the facial recognition program could not process enough points due to shadows. I was already nervous about my test ride and now I was really wound up! Back at the DMV I had to wait until 12:30 and then, after the first part of the test, the tester realized that he had been given the 2-wheel test and had to walk back in to get the correct one while I waited some more. At least I could drive into some shade! As a lot of people know from FB, I did pass the test but at this DMV the license is mailed rather than processed immediately. Then it was on to Costco for another passport picture and then to the post office to mail it.

When we picked up the toy hauler, a check engine light came on in the truck again so Terry took it to the Chev dealer that fixed it last time. He had to leave it and got a ride back from their courtesy shuttle.

Now we got to work on moving stuff into the toy hauler but first I had to tape all the non slip shelf liners using the super sticky double sided tape that Joe introduced us to earlier this year. I didn't remember moving so much “stuff” last year and I have no idea where I stored some of it!

The Chev dealer called to say the truck was ready so we took the bike to pick it up and I got some practice riding it back. A sensor for the exhaust system had to be replaced AGAIN and was still under an extended warranty from last time.

We made a drink and went to see Bruce & Ann who were at the pool. We chatted with them a bit and then went back to their place so they could have a drink while we continued our visit. Home, dinner, bed.

Apr 21st to 25th - Mesa

Apr 21^st – Tues

I called to check the status of my passport and they had done nothing with the new pictures yet. I told them that we would be leaving soon and needed it before we left. An hour and a half later I checked our credit card statement online and it had been charged by the passport office.

We had a coupon so we went to 5 'n Diner for breakfast and then continued on to Total Wine to stock up for our summer trip.

Ralph came over to make everything was set to move their 5^th wheel tomorrow. Then he wanted to see if he could fill out an online form to import his motorcycle into Canada. We got it partly done but he needed more info and we had to change to go for dinner.

Dinner was a steak fry & dance here at the park. Round tables were decorated nicely and set with salads & dessert (cheese cake – yum). My steak ended up great because Bobbie had a steak that was too rare and mine was too well done so we swapped. Terry's steak was good too. Anyone following the blog might know that we have mixed feelings about the steak dinners because they are not always consistent. Wayne & Deb provided the music and we took advantage of it to line dance after we ate.

 

Apr 22^nd – Wed

Ann came over to claim an earring that she lost last Wednesday and that I found on the driveway yesterday. I got in the truck and spotted the earring about a foot behind the front tire which was odd because we back into our driveway and the rear wheel should have driven over it. We had a nice visit with Ann!

We went to Ralph & Elsie's where they had their 5^th wheel closed up and the cover laid out beside it. Terry pulled the cover up to the roof and we had some problems pulling it down as the straps to go underneath and hold it in place were still snapped together! But we got it all situated, pulled the 5^th wheel to storage in Ranchos and got it parked. Whew!

We had lots of time to clean & relax before going to dinner at Doug & Delores'. Also there were Joe & Jean and Dave & Phyllis. Doug & Delores had tables set up in the driveway/patio which was in the shade so it was very nice sitting outside. We had a great dinner again with good friends.

Apr 23^rd – Thurs

Terry got busy organizing & putting away more “stuff” and I did the laundry. Terry got done in time to hang & fold. After a late breakfast, we went to see Larry & Julie as they are leaving soon. Julie's doctor suggested she should head for home and her own doctors as doctors here cannot figure out some problems that continue to return.

On the way back we saw a big 5^th wheel toy hauler, stopped to chat with the owner and he invited us in to see it. It is very nice with a fold down patio on the side and the back but it still has some issues with seating and the bathroom that we don't like.

Ralph & Elsie took us to dinner at Applebee's as thanks for helping with their 5^th wheel. We went early so we could all go to a gathering in the courtyard that started at 6. Joe & Jean brought their boom box and music for line dancing. It was really nice to dance in cooler weather. I even tried the Irish Jig dance that we missed and didn't do too badly.

Apr 24^th – Fri

Terry was antsy again this morning so we went to Ft McDowell casino. I won a bit early so I had more to give back (!) and Terry ended up covering most of our original stake.

We didn't do much before having an early dinner. Then we went to a dance at Towerpoint where Reign' n Country was playing. Ralph & Elsie were also there and we were joined by another couple who stay in Sunland Village. A lot of people at TP do a type of line dancing done as couples. The band was good and we danced a lot including some line dances by ourselves and one that we started and were joined by several others. Another good time!

Apr 25^th – Sat

We put some more music on Terry's new tablet and then realized we could not “see” everything that we had loaded. I unsuccessfully messed with it until we only had a short time to eat some breakfast and then pick up Bruce & Ann for our tee time at 12:08.

Terry has played Los Calinas GC with the golf group from the park many times and I finally got to play it today. It is nice and the weather was great – not too hot and slightly windy. We actually teed off early and finished shortly after 3.

We went to say goodbye to Larry & Julie but they were at the courtyard at a goodbye gathering for Mary Ruth. We headed that way and met Bruce & Ann who were going to Larry & Julie's so we all continued to the courtyard. There weren't too many people left but we enjoyed a drink, a couple of dances and friends.

I had put a roast in the crock pot and was making veggies when Doug & Delores stopped to say goodbye. We had a drink with them and then got to eat dinner. Phyllis came over for a short visit.

Apr 18th to 20th - Mesa

Apr 18^th – Sat

I walked to Albertson's to buy a few groceries and then put together a dessert for later. We didn't get too ambitious otherwise.

Just before 2 we went to Bonnie's for a party. We got to tour Mark & Colleen's and Lynette's houses on the same street as Bonnie. Quite a few of the people at the party were going to a cruise with music on Saguaro Lake so a smaller group partied into the evening. We had a nice surprise not long after dark when a church had a fireworks show which we could see right from the deck.

Apr 19^th – Sun

We got busy this morning and cleaned out the large storage compartment and the storage box in the back of the truck. We have to be able to put the 5^th wheel hitch in the compartment when we leave at the end of the month. Amazing how much room we have when we organize and toss some things.

Not too long after we were done and I had updated the blog, Ralph & Elsie came by to see if we wanted to join them, Al & Linda and Jerry for a motorcycle ride. I made Terry clean the bike before we went! We went to Casa Grande where we had something cool at McDonald's and then went to Ak Chin casino.

I was starving when we got back so I made a couple of snacks for us and Ralph & Elsie who we invited over for a drink to wash down the road dust.

R&E were still here when Doug & Delores stopped in to find a date when we could go to dinner with them. Of course they joined us for a glass of wine so it was a good thing that we had eaten something.

Apr 20^th – Mon

The battery in Terry's tablet died and we figured it would be better to get a new, smaller tablet than fool with the old one so we went to Best Buy which wasn't open yet at 9:45. We checked at WalMart nearby and I ended up getting a pair of shorts. Back at Best Buy, a rep from Amazon was just posting a one day, unadvertised sale on a 7” Fire (reg $139 for $79) so that is what we got. We stopped at Costco for a couple of items – we were on the bike – and headed home for lunch. Ron came by with some lemon pie that Mary made using lemons from a friend's tree – yum!

Terry figured out how to make both tablets sync to the Bose speaker so we loaded lots of music from our old computer to Terry's new tablet and some songs for dancing to my tablet.

We took a drink to visit Bruce & Ann but they weren't home so we walked to the pool and found them there. We sat and visited with them for a while and listened to some guy practicing his singing in the courtyard.

We went to Albertson's for salad to go with a steak and ended up getting fried chicken so Terry didn't have to BBQ!

Apr 14th to 17th - Mesa

Apr 14^th – Tues

Laundry took up a couple of hours this morning.

I spent some time trying to print the picture of Phyllis on the motorcycle and finally gave up and went across the street to CVS. We dropped it off on her doorstep on the way home. We tracked down some friends to invite them to an impromptu happy hour/farewell party on Thursday after MCY.

Fall River was in the courtyard and Bob & Bobbie were there to join us in line dances. Once again it was very warm. I actually had dinner planned but Terry figured we needed to go across the street to Roosters as Curtis was singing there for the last time this season. We hopped on the bike and joined a large group of people from VVV and even danced a couple of times. When we got back shortly after 8 we were sort of hungry so I made quesadillas and we crashed.

Apr 15^th – Wed

I made dessert and did some other prep for the party this afternoon before we went to Red Mountain Cafe for a late breakfast. We rode around issuing party invitations to people that we weren't able to contact yesterday and by then it was nearly time to go to the courtyard.

Dakota Kid was the singer and he played quite a few slow songs that weren't right for line dancing but the weather & company were great so it was fun as usual. Does anyone else notice how many times I use the word “fun”?!

Terry got the key for the party wagon (parked a couple of sites from us) and set up some tables & chairs while I cooked and/or set out some appies. We barely got started setting up when the first guests appeared and we ended up with 50 people. Everyone brought their drinks and an appy. Jim brought his speaker (ours wasn't plugged & charged?!) so we had some music which kind of got drowned out by conversations. Terry lit 3 buddy burners and we extinguished them one at a time as the crowd dwindled & consolidated. Good friends, good food, good time.

Apr 16^th – Thurs

Terry got up early to put the tables & chairs back in the party wagon and to park the truck in our spot rather than next door which resulted in a “parking violation”! So silly with tons of empty sites.

Howard & Gina had offered the use of their carpet cleaner so I called to see if we could borrow it today. Terry went to pick it up and came back with the cleaner and Howard who insisted that he would be happy to do the job for us. I had already vacuumed so he got right to it and did a great job. We had time to stop at the Wildberry for a late breakfast and at WalMart for a couple of items before going to Costco for my followup eye appointment at 12:40. I ordered contacts and we headed back to rest a bit before going to MCY.

Guilty Pleasures did their usual good job of playing danceable music. Then we went to Howard & Gina's for another great dinner with super friends.

Apr 17^th – Fri

Terry was a bit antsy this morning and noticed that we could get another casino coupon so that is what we did. We had breakfast while our slot play was being activated on our cards. I had a crappy slot day and Terry ended up losing but having way more fun doing it than I did!

At the courtyard we split an order of chicken strips as breakfast was long gone from our tummies. Road Runner played until 5:30 because it was the last day of MCY for this season. Jim took a group picture from the upstairs card room window – just as I came back to get a new drink for us – so look for Terry right in the front row in the pictures posted on FB.

We stopped at Joe & Jean's new park model for a tour and had a nice chat with them. Terry had wanted to go to Rooster's but by the time I made dinner and we ate he was ready to crash.

Apr 10th to 13th - Mesa

Apr 10^th – Fri

We went to Big O Tire to get a couple of tires for the truck. We started walking to a restaurant for breakfast as the guy said it would be an hour or so. Then we decided it would be just as easy to walk back to the park, get the motorcycle, go to breakfast and then pick up the truck. As we walked past Big O, we saw that the truck was already moved and one tire was being removed so we went in and waited and then had a late breakfast at home.

Ricky Ricci was in the courtyard and we didn't dance much. We went to Ernie & Dianne's for dinner & cards. We played 2 games of Ponytail Canasta and each team won one game so we ended the season on a good note!

Apr 11^th – Sat

Dianne included a tube of Grands biscuits in the food she gave us yesterday so I invited them over for breakfast which included cinnamon rolls made from the biscuits. We enjoyed our meal out on the patio.

We were supposed to get 2 Visa cards renewed early but only one arrived – the very next day by UPS – so I called on the second one this morning. The very nice service rep will have to complete the transaction on Tuesday.

4 bikes and 8 riders (us, Ralph & Elsie, Al & Linda and Jerry & Jann) left our site at 11 for a ride to Fountain Hills where we had lunch at Chan's which is a Chinese restaurant. It was very good and reasonably priced. The many lunch choices included entree, soup & steamed rice for $4.99 or you could get fried rice instead and add an egg roll and 2 fried wonton's for a total of $5.49. We will be going back there in the future.

We continued from there to Ft McDowell casino (not our suggestion!!) where we agreed to meet in 45 minutes. I came out $45 ahead for a change. Shows what can happen if you leave at a designated time.

After dinner we went for a walk and stopped at Howard & Gina's for a visit.

Apr 12^th – Sun

After computer games & breakfast, we did some organizing in the toy hauler. We took the 2^nd bed/couch off the wall and then figured out how to fasten a step stool and 2 folding chairs to the wall for when we put the bike in and travel. I hate putting everything on the bed each time. Of course this included a trip to Home Depot and then WalMart. We were on the motorcycle and decided to also buy pans to use on the convection cooktop so I had to hold the large box on the way home.

Terry H came over to say goodbye and we ended up using MapQuest to find & print alternate routes rather than her using the same one all the time.

Phyllis stopped to give me a deviled egg serving dish and to chat a while. Terry took her home on the motorcycle so I took a picture and posted it on Facebook. People commented and liked it even before Terry got back.

We had an early dinner so we were ready for Harland & Barb to join us for chocolate martinis. Bill & Linda also stopped in for a chat and information on buddy burners and bucket lights.

Apr 13^th – Mon

Howard & Gina stopped by for a chat and Howard ended up helping Terry & Bill put the 5^th wheel hitch in our truck. Terry moved Bill & Beth's 5 wheel to a site opposite their park model while Gina & I walked to the toy hauler as Gina had not seen it inside. Then we walked back to where Terry was almost done parking the 5^th wheel with plenty of “help”.

We had a late breakfast for lunch. We rode the bike to get a new torque wrench and then stopped at Camping World to look at toy haulers with no intention of doing anything now. Saw one very interesting rig.

Rich Mancini was in the courtyard today and we were surprised how many line dancers showed up. It was HOT but we danced anyhow as we really like Rich's music. Then it was time to make a drink and head across the street to have dinner with Dave & Phyllis. They also invited Doug & Delores and we had a fun evening. I got some scattered drops of red wine (won't point a finger!) on my shirt and Wine Away did the job again. Love that stuff!!!

Apr 7th to 9th - Mesa

Apr 7^th – Tues

We had the 5^th wheel washed & waxed this morning by the same company (A.N.S. Detailing) that we have used previously and they did their usual great job. I caught up the blog and we did a couple of errands in the park while they were working. We went to Home Depot & Camping World for a few items and I sprayed our largest weeds with Roundup. The park sprays weeds but they had some issues this year so we hit the biggest ones so it doesn't look so bad.

A new singer was in the courtyard – Tiana Ricciardi. She is 21 years old and recently started singing for a living. She also line dances very well and joined in for a couple of dances. Nice voice and eager to learn new songs based on requests.

After dinner we went to Rancho's patio for a birthday party for Nancy. We did a little line dancing, a little drinking and a lot of talking & laughing. In other words, a great time.

Apr 8^th – Wed

I called the Canadian passport office this morning and found out that they had tried to call me on Mar 24^th & 25^th (didn't leave a voice mail) and then sent a letter to let me know that my picture was rejected because my mouth wasn't closed and that I did not provide a credit card number! It was tough to tell that my mouth was open maybe ¼ inch and I had put a credit card number on the interactive online form which apparently did not translate into a bar code. I gave them the credit card number, looked up somewhere to get a Canadian passport photo and we headed to UPS in Scottsdale based on a big ad and a phone call.

Of course they didn't know what the heck they were doing so after 3 disastrous results we went to find somewhere else. But first we stopped for a quick sandwich and got to the hair salon just in time for my 1 o'clock appointment. Then we went to a different Walgreens than we used the first time and got a picture. Next to the post office to send another registered letter to the tune of $13.66. Hope this works out better.

We were ready to relax at the courtyard but didn't dance much to Tommy G. since most of the line dancers don't like his music and weren't there. But I got to talk to Julie quite a bit which was nice. We left early and stopped to talk to our back yard neighbors (Dave & Mary) on the way back.

I made deviled eggs and we went to Ralph & Elsie's for a party. They had 4 tables & 20 chairs from the party wagon (do it yourself delivery these days!) set up in their carport in a big rectangle so you could talk to people beside you and across the table. They provided roasted chicken and everyone else brought salads, hot dishes and desserts. No, we never get tired of having a great time with old & new friends!!

Apr 9^th – Thurs

I had an eye exam at 10:30 at Costco and we actually walked out of there without buying anything. We stopped at Fry's for a few groceries on the way back. After lunch Terry took Bob's grandson Brock for a ride on the motorcycle.

The Breeze was in the courtyard and we danced a lot. It wasn't as hot as it has been lately but I had to wipe sweat from my face after every dance.

We went to dinner at Harland & Barb's. Harland smoked/cooked pork tenderloins on their Trager (??) barbeque – very good. We finished up with a shot of rum that they brought back from Hawaii that has macadamia liqueur added. Yum! And we even walked rather than take the bike the short distance.

Apr 3rd to 6th - Mesa

Apr 3^rd – Fri

Terry took the motorcycle to Ralph's this morning to install lights on the front fenders. While he was gone I tracked my passport application – it cleared Customs on March 3^rd and the web site said to allow 20 working days for processing so hopefully it will be on its way soon.

We rode over to see a backrest for the driver on Billy & Lory's motorcycle and figure we will be adding that accessory sometime. Then we made a quick trip for a few groceries.

Bryan Keith was a new singer in the courtyard today and has a very nice voice. Once again we “braved” the heat and danced. We went to Dennis & Gloria's for dinner and Don & Susan joined us later for a visit.

 

Apr 4^th – Sat

We were up early so we were at the Mesa Marketplace by 7:20. We had breakfast and shopped all the rows with only a couple of purchases. We were looking for business card holders but couldn't find one like we have.

I talked to sister Marg to get the scoop on the “extreme wienie roast” pictures that she emailed. She decided it was time to burn some grass in her farm and when the wind came up the fire department had to be called. She guesstimated that about 7 acres were “cleared” of grass and small pieces of wood.

MCY is early on Saturdays – 1 to 3 – and we had another singer who has been here just once before – Armour Gomez. Very few line dancers but we gave it a good shot.

We went to a happy hour/goodbye party at Harvey & Vicki's right after the courtyard. We can manage 2 drinks and 2 folding lawn chairs on the motorcycle! We had a tour of their nice new park model with AZ room. It is situated so the driveway/patio is shaded in the late afternoon and most of us got a nice breeze where we were sitting.

Terry made a quick trip to McDonald's for burgers before we went to the dance with Saguaro Sunset. There were more attendees than last week and quite a few line dancers but we shared the dance floor quite nicely.

Apr 5^th – Sun

After coffee, some computer games and putting dinner in the crockpot , we headed to the casino. There were acres of bright yellow palo verde trees along the way. We had a nice breakfast at the casino and it took us several hours to donate $$ today.

We relaxed at home before having an early dinner. We walked over to see Dennis & Gloria but they had to leave shortly after we got there so we stopped for a nice visit with Bruce & Ann.

Apr 6^th – Mon

It was a morning for cleaning up some issues with phone calls & emails. We actually lost track of time and at 10:57 realized that a group was leaving at 11 for a bike ride. We were on our way back from the office and needed gas so I called Al to see if they were ready to leave. They were so we said we would follow after getting gas. We caught up just as we were arriving at our destination – Tortilla Flats. The outside patio closes from Easter to December so we waited a short time for a table and had lunch. Part of the winding road is very rough and not too comfortable for female riders!!

We were back in plenty of time to head to the courtyard where North Star was playing. They bring out more people and for a couple of popular line dances there were lots of dancers joining us.

We dropped our drink glasses off, got on the motorcycle and headed to Neil & Robin's for dinner along with Larry & Julie, Terry & Tina and Ernie & Holly. We had way too much great food and after dinner we played Rummoli for pennies. I ended up being the “big” winner.

Mar 30th to Apr 2nd - Mesa

Mar 30^th – Mon

Another marathon session catching up the blog this morning! We got out the old computer as it has Print Shop to print more cards. We only got 2 pages done when the black ink was too low!

We ran a few errands including ordering a motorcycle helmet for me. Mine is too small and hurts my jaw & cheeks after just a short while.

Wayne & Deb played at the courtyard so we danced a lot even though it was hot. We had a quiet evening and got to watch an episode of Dancing With The Stars.

Mar 31^st – Tues

4 Spyders with 7 riders left at 9 to go to Boyce Thompson Arboretum which is on I60 just before Superior. Of course there are lots of cacti, many of which are blooming right now so it was good to “brave the heat” and wander around for a couple of hours. Linda, Elsie & I decided that next year we will get a group of women together for this trip as the men just weren't as interested in the plants or the walking. Of course when I turned on my camera for the first picture I got a “battery exhausted” message! I used Terry's phone for some pictures and will get some from Elsie.

We went into Superior for lunch at Porter's Cafe where we sat outside for a good lunch. Something had Terry's nose running & eyes watering from when we got up and they didn't improve with the bike ride and the gardens. He didn't even finish his burger but they were huge.

We had a brief rest before going to the courtyard where we mostly sat and listened to music & chatted with friends rather than dancing. A lot of the songs were too slow for line dances.

We got one rib dinner from the courtyard and took it home to split for dinner. We went to the Fiesta multipurpose room for the last line dance lessons of the season but Terry left early after watching a few dances.

Apr 1^st – Wed

Don & Susan came over for cinnamon rolls – and fruit provided by Susan – for breakfast. It was lovely to sit outside to eat & chat. Terry's nose & eyes were much better this morning.

We picked up my new motorcycle helmet and left it & my old one there so they could transfer over the microphone since they would do it for free. Not a hard job but we would rather have them do it than risk breaking something. We were still shopping nearby when they called to say it was done. We continued with some more shopping including ink for the printer so I could finish up the cards.

Jeff Stevens was in the courtyard today for our dancing pleasure. Dinner at home.

Apr 2^nd – Thurs

Dennis & Gloria stopped to chat on their way back from coffee & doughnuts. Again a perfect time to sit outside.

Terry said the laundry basket was overflowing again so that was next on the list. I squeezed in a late breakfast while the clothes were in the washers and after we put them in the dryers we moved a trailer to storage. Someone had left a note on our door a couple of days ago asking if we could do it for them. The clothes were ready to hang & fold when we got back to the laundry room.

We had some time to relax & play computer games before going to the courtyard to dance to Dakota Kid. Yes, it is hot but it beats the heck out of rain or snow! Terry got ice cream Snickers bars again to cool us down. And some kind of record lately – dinner at home again!

Mar 20th to 29th - Mesa

Mar 20^th – Fri

I know what I did this morning – caught up the blog - before going to the Wild Berry for breakfast. At 11:30 we picked up Terry H and took her to the hospital for a 12:30 appointment for surgery to remove a pin in her finger. When we got there she found out that her doctor was delayed and she would have to go back at 4! In the meantime we had gone to see Julie who had been admitted to the same hospital. She has not been well or out of her house for weeks. She was looking pretty good but a nurse was having a heck of a time getting a port into her vein. Larry came back after he finished lunch. Terry H found us there and we left shortly after when another nurse showed up to get some vials of blood.

We went to the courtyard and danced before Terry H got a phone call to return to the hospital. We dropped her off, stopped for a sandwich at Arby's on the way back and then went to Ray & Viv's for a party that John & Betty had invited us to this morning. Turns out there was lots of food and we didn't have to stop at Arby's.

We got a call from the hospital at 9 and went back to pick up Terry H. Terry stayed with the truck and I went up to sign Terry H out. She had just been given some medication for the shakes so I had to wait until she was dressed & ready to go. She was starving as she couldn't eat before the original surgery time and then the second time didn't allow her to eat either. So we stopped at McDonald's for the only thing she wanted – a Big Mac – and got home at 10:30.

Mar 21^st – Sat

We cruised around a bit looking at patio sales before having breakfast. Then we went shoe shopping as Terry's sandals are falling apart. I actually talked him into buying 2 pairs since they both fit his narrow feet. He felt guilty and talked me into buying a pair of sandals as well. We went to Izod for shorts for Terry because I purposely ripped a favorite raggedy pair. Very productive shopping day. We were back in time for MCY with Montana Guy.

We went to a farewell dance (first one was last night) with Davis Highway Band which turned out to be not so great. The band was late setting up, had microphone problems on the main singer for at least 20 minutes and thought the dance ended at 9 instead of 10. So at 9 they took a 20 minute break and then switched from country music to rock which was not well done by the singer. Good thing we were with good friends.

Mar 22^nd – Sun

Brad arranged golf this morning with 4 tee times starting about 10:30. Most of us gathered afterward at our place for snacks & drinks. Our place because we have our end shade in place which is definitely needed in the afternoon when the sun moves around the rig.

We went early to the pool area for a 6:28 ice cream social put on by Larry & Suz and Don & Susan. They had 2 big buckets of ice cream, loads of toppings and several bars/squares. Even root beer if you wanted a float. They had invited a lot of people and I don't think anyone passed on the goodies.

Mar 23^rd – Mon

Terry golfed this morning at Kokopelli GC so I had time to do whatever I wanted – or didn't want – to do. I had a nice long phone chat with sister Marg as I hadn't called her for a while. I wandered through the clothing sale that is set up periodically in the ballroom but didn't find anything interesting.

We went to MCY to dance to Guilty Pleasures. Then dinner at home.

Mar 24^th – Tues

We went to the $1 store and filled the truck with diesel before going for breakfast. I finished a “chicken poster” for later before we went to listen to Amazing Pianos in the courtyard. We were not here the first time they performed and apparently they were more “amazing” then. This time the main singer was not present so the second guy did most of the singing.

There was a wrap-up party for line dance lessons this evening. Everyone brought snacks and we did most of the dances that we learned this season. The previously mentioned chicken & chicks were for this party. At a dance this year, a group of line dancers got up to dance without prompting from Bobbie (instructor) and she said “I love it when my little chickies dance by themselves”. So we all signed a chickie and taped it to the big poster.

Mar 25^th – Wed

I cooked ribs outside and did some other dinner prep before we went to MCY with Rich Mancini. He plays music we like so we danced a lot.

We had Howard & Gina over for dinner – baby backs obviously. I even made crème brule for the first time in ages. Dave & Phyllis were sitting outside with some friends so we joined them after Howard & Gina left.

Mar 26^th – Thurs

We met other bikers at the Fiesta community center to leave at 7:00 am for a CalAm Motorcycle ride. We rode to Canyon Vista RV park in Golf Canyon where we registered and had a continental breakfast. Then we all rode through Florence to Eloy to watch parachutists. The ride was also a poker run so we got a card at breakfast, at the fairgrounds on the way to Eloy, at the jump school, at WalMart on the way back and at Canyon Vista where we returned for a nice lunch.

The Manager's Reception was scheduled for today as well so we didn't have much time after we got back to go get a seat. Terry went over before me and decided to sit inside to dance with Wayne & Deb rather than outside with a rowdier band & dancers. Food was included but I was still full from lunch so I ate 2 cookies that Terry didn't like. We ended up with a group here after the party.

Mar 27^th – Fri

Since we were going to be busy the next couple of days, I decided we better get the laundry done this morning.

We went to the courtyard about 1 to have lunch and secure a table in the shade for the pool party which started at 3. Sounds crazy to want shade for a pool party but we wanted to dance to North Star more than take part in water fights. It was a great party with some different games including a frozen tee shirt contest. The tee shirts had been wet & frozen solid. The teams of 4 could only use body parts to thaw & pull them apart so each member could put on a shirt.

When the party was done at 5:30, we came straight home so I could make deviled eggs and we could set up chairs & tables for an impromptu farewell party set up by Phyllis shortly before we went to the pool party. Five of the couples at the party were leaving Saturday morning – Jerry & Becky, Larry & Barb, Brad & Clare, Brian & Bev and Joe & Stella. Great, noisy group of friends!!

Mar 28^th – Sat

We picked up the toy hauler and put it back into storage before fueling up the motorcycle and going out for a sandwich for lunch. We went to MCY at 1 with Reign'n Country and did some line dancing in HOT weather. Terry got ice cream sandwiches for us & 8 friends which we all enjoyed but had to eat fast before they melted.

After dinner we went to the Saturday night dance with the Pam & Dave Trio. We have seen them before and Pam has a wonderful voice. The dance was very poorly attended as many people have left but we had a decent line dance group which didn't sit out too many songs. Pam even joined us a couple of times while she was singing.

Mar 29^th – Sun

We had 3 tee times starting at 10:42 this morning so it was very hot by the time we finished. A record high temp of 97 was set today but that would have been a couple of hours after we finished golfing!

We hustled home, washed up a bit and went to a party at Bonnie's. There were quite a few people and the carport offered enough shade for all but we did have to keep moving further into the driveway.

Dennis & Gloria had invited us for dinner but Dennis called when we were golfing to say they would have to cancel as Gloria had an intestinal upset and was in bed. So we asked Ernie & Dianne to go to the Chinese buffet instead. We traded the bike for the truck and picked them up at 5:30. This gave us time after dinner to play a game of Ponytail canasta which the women led early, nearly gave up the lead and finally won.

Mar 16th to 19th - Mesa

Mar 16^th – Mon

Oops – another mostly forgotten day! I know we went to the courtyard to dance to the Brookharts because that's on the calendar.

Maybe not totally forgotten after all! Stella & Joe came over to cut out “chickies” (more on that another time) and we assembled the “pot of gold” on the last part of the rainbow for tomorrow. I also hauled out the sewing machine and shortened a T-shirt that Elsie gave me.

Mar 17^th – Tues

This morning we decorated the motorcycle for the St Patrick's Day parade here in the park. A few bikes joined us here and then we all moved to 2^nd Street which was our spot to line up for the parade. There were 23 entries and we were number 21. There were lots of people viewing the parade with shady spots jam packed as it was already hot when the parade started at 10. Our pot of gold at the end of the rainbow “theme” didn't execute too well but we all had fun again.

There were snacks & door prizes in the ballroom for everyone in the parade and then it was home to undecorate.

We went to MCY and then right after headed to Larry & Barb's for their traditional St Patrick's dinner of corned beef & cabbage. A lot of people that were invited couldn't come as they had tickets for the Arizona Opry but I think there were 24 people which is a big group for dinner since Barb made it all except for Irish Soda bread from Phyllis and some desserts from others.

Another good time was had by all.

Mar 18^th – Wed

We picked up Don & Susan and Ruth at 8:30 for a trip to the casino. We visited the players' club and then went for the breakfast that is included in the coupon that we can buy every 30 days. We split up to gamble/donate. Terry did OK and covered my losses.

We went to the courtyard at 3 to listen to Dan The Music Man. We hadn't eaten since breakfast and there was a limited choice for food so we had chicken strips. Then we got to dance in the rain! Actually, first sprinkles and then rain but we danced anyhow. Silly seniors!!

We kind of crashed afterwards and ended up with dessert for dinner again.

Mar 19^th – Thurs

I forgot all about coffee & doughnuts this morning. We were supposed to go for a motorcycle ride to South Mountain with a group but we decided to cancel as it was cool & cloudy with rain forecast in the afternoon. So we had a lazy morning including a visit from Howard & Gina.

We got a burger for lunch and then shopped at WalMart and Safeway. I finished dealing with groceries and Terry went to the courtyard to get a table. Just before 3, Sandi came by with her friend Bev who is going to stay in our toy hauler with her husband Stan. Sandi & Bob went to Palm Springs for a few days and had arranged to rent the site beside us for the toy hauler. Unfortunately the people staying there decided to extend their stay for a few days. So Sandi & Bev went to the office to get another site which ended up across the street from Sandi &Bob. I called Terry at the courtyard and he came back so we could put the toy hauler on the site. We got it set up and went back to the courtyard. The musician – Fred Rutledge – was extended to 5:30 so we had an hour to listen & dance.

We had a nice dinner at home for a change and just kicked back.

March 10th to 15th - Mesa

Mar 10^th – Tues

We had a mostly lazy morning & early afternoon. We went to MCY with Palmer Howard (not a favorite) and then it was time to change for the second performance of the variety show. Terry & Ron had tickets for tonight and Terry went early to get front row seats. We were more relaxed and had more fun tonight. After the show, there was a “cast party” in the courtyard until 10:00 with drinks & pizza. 60 pizzas were ordered so there were leftovers to take home. Henry brought his guitar and there was a singalong as well. Good fun!!

The bad news was we had to say goodbye to Ron & Terri. They are leaving early as Ron is having knee replacement surgery and has to be there 4 weeks ahead of the surgery. They have a friend – Larry – here from Yuma to help drive the coach home to Vancouver/Surrey.

Mar 11^th – Wed

I heard doors & engines very early this morning as Ron & Terry pulled out. Then I went back to sleep!

I was ready for a slow day and this was it. The variety show ended up being fun but it was a lot of preparation and practicing. Darned if I can remember what we actually did today!!!

Mar 12^th – Thurs

We went for a motorcycle ride today – 5 Spyders & 3 regular bikes. We were supposed to leave at 10 but ended up waiting for a couple of people and then had a stop right away for fuel so didn't start riding until after 10:30. Ralph led us south on a very nice route to Eloy. We had a little glitch when Al lost sight of the group and blew past us after we turned & stopped. Terry decide we should try to catch him – wrong!! We went about 10 miles to Florence and he still hadn't stopped so we turned around and joined the rest of the group at the parachute jump facility at Eloy. We watched a couple of plane loads of jumpers and then had lunch. We came through Florence, north to I60 and back to the park.

We were in time to catch most of Dakota Kid in the courtyard. Another group was playing after so we, Richard & Nancy and Joe & Jean ordered pizza delivered to the courtyard. Then we moved to Rancho's patio to listen & dance to Wayne & Deb until 9. Great day!

Mar 13^th – Fri

We took the toy hauler in early for the rest of the warranty work. When we got back we ended up with an impromptu gathering for coffee on the patio which is one of the super things about this park. We went out for lunch at Little Mesa Cafe.

We enjoyed Fall River & dancing at the courtyard. We went right from there to Ernie & Dianne's for a chili dinner with a lot of friends. Good food, good friends, good time!

Mar 14^th – Sat

I went to the laundry room first to see if I had enough money on the card to do laundry. When I got there I found that I grabbed a casino card instead so I got to make another trip and got a few more steps on my Charge! I got everything ready and found lots of washers empty. We did our usual walking back & forth and had it all done shortly after 10.

We went to MCY at 1:00 with Wayne & Deb but left early to change into our swim suits and head to the Fiesta pool & multipurpose room for a steak dinner organized by Al for bikers and pool players. The dinner was catered by CalAm so we just got to sit back & enjoy.

We had plenty of time to decompress before going to a dance at 7:00 with Rare Collections.

Mar 15^th – Sun

There were only 3 groups for golf this morning. We played with Larry & Barb and then 8 of us went for lunch at BJ's. We sat at a large booth which was really nice as we could all talk easily.

We took it easy for the rest of the day and I finally thawed soup for dinner.