May 30 - 31, 2011
Monday, May 30. It's Memorial Day, the day to remember all those who served our country. "All gave some, some gave all." My niece, Ali's husband James is fighting in Afghanistan now, we all hope for his safe return so they can enjoy a long married life together.
I got the steps on the motorhome cleaned, sanded, and then painted this morning. I bought new step cover rugs last week and then realized how bad they were - didn't want to put the new covers on the old dirty, rusty steps.
I stopped by to see how Connie is doing - I feel so bad for her and know that she is missing Danny and struggling with the memories of his last few days. We had a nice chat and will look forward to seeing each other in the fall.
We went to a pool party at Nan and Dale's house, met Carol and Ray. Had brats and the usual picnic fare, always good. The pool had only warmed to 82 degrees, a little too cool for swimming, but it was nice hanging out in their nice yard.
Tuesday, May 31. Today is pack the motorhome day, finish getting the house ready to sit vacant for 3 months, and having a new windshield installed on the motorhome. Busy, busy, busy!
Mike worked on getting the generator running again to no avail. He researched the problem and learned that he needed a new spark plug, had to drive around town to find the right one and then it didn't work. That could have been part of the problem but he is now getting a different error code. We usually don't need the generator, so hopefully that will be the case.
Spike and Nita invited us to dinner with them at Valle Luna, a nice Mexican restaurant in Chandler. We sat outdoors on the veranda facing a small lake. A couple of ducks greeted us but we were instructed not to feed them, as they can become quite the pests. Dinner was good and it was Senior night, buy 1 get 1 free and it was their treat. Very nice!
|
May 23 - 29, 2011
Monday, May 23. The Honda had to be taken to Cliff's Welding by 7:30 this morning to have the Blue Ox Base Plate installed, so it can be towed behind the motorhome. Mike followed me in the motorhome and we parked it in front of the house when we got back home. I had to clean some grease spots from the carpet from when we had the emissions check done. I tried a couple of different things and finally, good old Basic H got it clean. I would love to rip out the carpet and put something different in there but for now, I will just put up with the carpet and cleaning it now and then. The car was finished around 3:00 and after a minor adjustment to get the lights on the to work when it is connected to the motorhome, we headed home and tucked the motorhome back in it's storage spot.
On the way to our house, we saw that Connie was at her house, so stopped to see how things were going with Danny. They have brought his body temperature back up to normal and although he still hasn't responded to any stimulation, they say that things are going as they should. They are hoping to see some response from him in the next 24-48 hours.
We decided to go have some Chinese food for dinner, so headed to Yen Ching, a place that had gotten some pretty good reviews. Their Hot and Sour soup was delicious, but I wouldn't rate the rest of the entrees that highly. If we ever return, it will be for the soup. After dinner, we stopped at the hospital and got to see Danny for a few minutes, but mostly we were there to comfort Connie, as were Jim, Bruce and Carmen, and her son Anthony and his wife Jodi. A real plus to living in a retirement community is the friendships that build and everyone pulls together to help and support each other. A real drawback is the fact that people in this age group tend to have medical issues.
Wednesday, May 25. I happened to see several cars in front of Connie's house this morning, so I stopped in to see how she was doing. Unfortunately, they are making end-of-life plans, as they learned that Danny has no brain activity. It sounds as if he actually died Saturday night and they have been keeping him going on life support. She is fortunate to have had so many good friends and family around her during this time.
The windshield on our Honda got replaced this morning, as Mike was getting irritated with the ding that just happened to be right at eye level. Fortunately, our insurance covers this expense at no charge. The motor home will be done tomorrow - we will have to pay a deductible for that one.
We starting putting this together for our trip - you really have to have a lot of stuff with you when you will be away for 3 months. It's a good thing we have some experience at this.
After dinner, we walked Frisco, then took a little bike ride. Mike is enjoying having his old Bridgestone bike back - it seems to be easier on his lungs than walking is. Jan called when we got back home and asked if I felt like going for a walk, so I joined her and Cathy for a loop and a half around the park. Nice!
Thursday, May 26. Dear Danny, may he rest in peace. I'm glad I got to know the guy and he will be thought of often as the friendly guy on the corner that always said hello, warned me about the Jumping Cholla Cactus, and was so active in our community.
The windshield repair guys were supposed to show up this morning to replace the windshield on the motorhome. We finally heard from them around 2:00 that the windshield hadn't arrived - it will be done next Tuesday. Mike got the oil changed on the car this morning - another item that we can check off list. We also checked off the arrangements to have the house checked every week and for the plants that will be staying with the neighbor.
We watched a sad movie called "Touching Home" with Ed Harris, another story about a guy that just couldn't face life after his wife passed away, failed himself, his mother and 2 sons miserably because of his alcoholism. It was a reminder to me of how that stuff can take hold of a person and ruin their lives, although they just can't see it or do anything about it, usually until it's too late. It also reminded me of several people that I know and love dearly.
Friday, May 27. I just opened my e-mail and found this little poem from my friend, Diane. I couldn't resist putting it here for future reference.
Whatever you give a woman, she will make greater.
If you give her sperm, she'll give you a baby.
If you give her a house, she'll give you a home.
If you give her groceries, she'll give you a meal.
If you give her a smile, she'll give you her heart.
She multiplies and enlarges what is given to her.
So, if you give her any crap, be ready to receive a ton of s*#t.
We went to the TGIF tonight, but many of the people we usually sit with didn't go, as they were all such good friends of Danny and couldn't handle it yet. It was a small group, the food was good as usual, and we were back home before 7:00.
Sunday, May 29. Yesterday just flew by, I just putzed around preparing for our travels. Mike went to help our neighbor, Spike out as their AC went out and he bought a new thermostat and was having trouble getting it to work. Mike wasn't able to help much either, thinking that the problem was probably a faulty thermostat. We learned that they sold their house today - the buyer's got a good deal, as Spike as made many upgrades and they only paid $15,000. Hope they are good neighbors. We will surely miss Spike and Nita.
In the evening, we met Nan and Dale for dinner at Rula Bula, an Irish Pub in downtown Tempe. It is a place where they found they could get a good fish fry and naturally, the beer is pretty good too. We saw another customer served the corned beef and cabbage and that looked yummy too. Might just have to try that another time, though. It is on our list of places to return to.
Today was spent loading stuff into the motor home and we got a lot accomplished. The only things left to load are the kitchen, fridge, bathroom, and cleaning stuff. The weather was slightly cooler today, only reaching 88, so it was much more comfortable than the 98 we saw yesterday.
|
May 16 - 22, 2011
Monday, May 16. It has been a wonderful 3-day weekend hanging out with our family. We've packed a lot into these 3 days, full of nice long walks with the dogs, taking in a couple of movies, and eating at some of our favorite restaurants.
My special birthday and Mother's Day treat was dinner at Le Charm, a quaint little French Bistro that had superb service and a delicious meal - naturally, that all could not be possible without the company of 2 of our favorite people, Ben and Jill.
I learned that Jill's salon was featured in the May issue of In Style Hair - in a section that focused on haircuts, styles, and blow-dries. It was the only one mentioned for San Francisco. I'm sure proud of her accomplishments. If you happen to see a copy of it when you are waiting for your next haircut, check it out! A picture of the cover and the article (although blurry) is in the photo gallery.
Sunday morning started with some of Ben's homemade scones and smoothies for breakfast. YUM! YUM! We really just hung around relaxing for the morning. It was nice and sunny out, so we decided to take a drive to the east bay and hike around the Lafayette Reservoir. There were sprinkles in the air when we arrived and it was quite windy, but most of the walk was sheltered from the wind. It was a bit of a challenge for Mike's lungs, but he was persistent, took his time and felt good that he made the 2.75 mile hike.
A vacation with Ben and Jill just wouldn't be complete without a dinner at the Pacific Cafe. We dropped Mike and Jill off at the restaurant, took the dogs home for their dinner, and then Ben and I walked to the nearby Pacific Cafe. Unfortunately, they didn't have our favorite item on the menu that night, the Parmesan Crusted Halibut, but the sole was prepared in much the same manner, the crab cakes can't be beat, and the Shrimp Scampi that I ordered was delicious.
On Monday morning, I rode with Jill to take Ben to work, then we stopped at Trader Joe's for a few groceries. When we got back home, we took the dogs for a nice walk. After lounging around for a while and doing some laundry, we went to another favorite restaurant, Park Chow for lunch and then on to the Balboa Theater to see "Bridesmaids". It was hilarious and even Mike enjoyed it (he was the only male in the theater) and got lots of laughs. The movie takes place in Milwaukee, so we saw some familiar landmarks.
When we got out of the movie, it was time for Jill to go pick Ben up, so Mike and I got busy preparing a pot of potato soup for dinner. After dinner, Mike, Ben and I went to see Vernon the Gardener so I could shop for a piece of his shovelface art for my yard. Ben and Vernon worked together for several years and Mike and I got to know him during that time. Since then, he has expanded his talent of creating garden art from recycled spades, shovels, and other garden tools.
It was nice to see him again, as it has been several years now but we have managed to stay in touch via Facebook.
Tuesday, May 17. We loaded the car, hooked up the bike carrier, and put Mike's old Bridgestone bicycle that Ben no longer needs on the carrier. Two adjustments were necessary before we even left to drop Ben off at work before we hit the road. Ben got out our manual and learned that if you already have the front wipers on, you cannot shift from park into drive without the rear wiper turning on. So, you have to be sure to have the wipers off before shifting into drive. Now we know. Three more adjustments were necessary during the 1st hour of our drive to Oxnard. We were ready to remove the carrier and throw the bike in the back of the car and say "to hell with it", but the last adjustment seemed to work.
We arrived at Mary and Lance's house and enjoyed a nice evening of talk, food, drink, and more talk and more talk - always a good time.
Wednesday, May 18. Mary and Lance learned that the electric company might be turning off their power between 9am and 3pm, so we decided to take off for the day. We drove into the hills just south of Santa Barbara, checking out the mansions and the beautiful views. We stopped at the Toro County park to walk around a bit and Mary just barely managed to avoid stepping on a snake - it was a harmless one, but scary just the same.
We stopped at Starkey's Seaside in Summerland for a sandwich and then browsed a couple of antique shops. They were way out of our price range, as the pair of botanical prints that I really liked were $900 each and we saw some furniture that was priced over $16,000.
Friday, May 20. We're back at home after another day of driving yesterday. It feels good to be back home, although we are both feeling like a day of just taking it easy. Other than a few light chores, that is exactly what we have been doing.
Saturday, May 21. What a day. I stopped to chat with Danny and Connie (neighbors that are becoming good friends) this morning and they reminded me that there was a pizza party going on tonight. I stopped and signed up before heading to Costco for a few items, especially some coffee. If we weren't almost out of that, I would never go on a Saturday, but it wasn't too bad. As usual, I bought more than I intended to buy.
The pizza party was great fun, as usual. We sat with all of the folks that we usually hang out with. When it was time to leave, Jan and Jim and Danny and Connie came by our house. We were hardly settled in when Danny felt ill and made a dash for the bathroom. He was in there for quite a while, but he kept telling Connie that he was ok. When he felt a little better, they went back home.
Jim and Jan stuck around for a little while and when they went home, I headed out with Frisco for a little walk. I just got around the corner and spotted an ambulance at Danny and Connie's house. I rushed back to get Mike and we went there and learned that he had stopped breathing some time within the few minutes that Connie was out of the room. Connie called 911 immediately and they performed CPR on him and rushed him to the hospital.
I called Jan as soon as we got back home and the 4 of us headed to the hospital, then they transferred him to the heart hospital and the cardiologist said that he needed to have an angiogram to learn if there was any blockage. None of us had any idea that vomiting was a sign of a heart attack - we all thought that he must have been sick from eating too much pizza. We stayed at the hospital until after midnight, there was nothing we could do and Connie's son and Jan stayed up there.
Sunday, May 22. They found that one of Danny's arteries was completely blocked, they put in a stint and have since stabilized him, but at this point, they have been unable to get his heart rate correct. His condition is critical, as they don't know how long he wasn't breathing and they have his body cooled down so it isn't struggling (they do this by heavily sedating him and keeping him on ice). We won't know how he will recover for 24-48 hours. We feel so bad and are praying that he bounces back from this - we really want to continue this friendship.
Jan looked so tired and beat this afternoon so we invited them to share our dinner of grilled chicken, potatoes and carrots tonight. It was much appreciated. She was planning to stay with Connie at the hospital tonight, but the nursing staff sent her home to get some rest, expecting that tomorrow could be quite stressful, as they begin to bring Danny's body temperature back to normal.
|
May 9 - 15, 2011
Monday, May 9. I just realized that our grandson, Owen, would be 16 months old today. I feel bad for Jill, as she just went through another Mother's Day without him and to top it off, the loss of her only brother just a month ago. Life can be pretty rough sometimes. The good thing is that her pregnancy is at 24 weeks and all is looking good.
We had a cold front go through here yesterday and today's high was only to be 78 degrees. What a relief! Because of the weather prediction, the next 2 days will be dedicated to working on the motorhome. I stopped by the storage area at the end of my walk this morning and brought it to the house. Frisco was a little freaked out, as the smoke detector was chirping and I think it might have hurt his ears. He kept wanting to sit on my lap while I was driving.
I proceeded to give the inside windows and the shower a good cleaning. Mike fixed the radio (it wouldn't shut off the last time we parked it). He also poured some Heet into the gas tank and then we drove to the gas station and put $100 worth of premium gas in it, then drove with the hopes of seeing the "check engine soon" light go out. No luck. A stop at Auto Zone to have the attendant run a check on the light - it confirmed that we had a fuel related problem. He bought 2 cans of Seafoam, poured one in the tank and then drove - the light remained on. He poured the second can in the tank and then drove - the light went out. Yay! We headed straight to have the emissions tested, it passed with flying colors, and then we went straight to the DMV to renew our tags. Mission accomplished.
Tuesday, May 10. Another mission accomplished today. We got the motorhome washed - boy, did it need that. Mike also worked on the generator and got it started but couldn't keep it running. Hmmm - he will work it out after doing some research.
Jan called to invite us to a party this afternoon to finish up the leftover enchiladas from the Cinco de Mayo party and to express her appreciation for those that helped out. As usual, we had a great meal, lots of laughs and good conversation.
Wednesday, May 11. Connie, Jackie, Jan and I all went to the Gilbert Riparian Institute to walk the beautiful pathways this morning. It is such a gorgeous sanctuary right in the middle of the city of Gilbert. We didn't see a lot of bird activity, a couple of Blue Herons, a Great Egret, and many shore birds and ducks.
I went shopping for a little while and then the rest of the day was pretty lazy. We had leftover ribs for dinner tonight, walked Frisco around the block, rode my bike with the crew and then we watched a movie.
Thursday, May 12. Today we prepare for our trip to San Francisco tomorrow. I'm so looking forward to seeing Ben, Jill, and Ruby again. We've decided to drive the entire distance (about 750 miles) in 1 day and see how that goes. It will be a long day of driving, but as long as we take shifts it should be all right. We will definitely be tired by the time we arrive.
Friday, May 13. The car was loaded and we were on the road this morning before our goal of 7:00. We made it through Phoenix without hitting too much traffic and by the time we got to Quartzite, it was time to change drivers. I was starting to panic, as I had passed by a rest area thinking that I could make it to the next one. When I got to the next one, it was closed and I learned that the next services were 35 miles away. It then got kind of scary as I felt like my bladder was about to burst. It was so bad that I was looking for a place to stop along the road - needless to say, there are no bushes to hide behind in the desert. Finally, a gas station and it just happened to be in Quartzite - a poor excuse for what is advertised as a clean rest room, but then when you've got to go, you've got to go.
As we were leaving Quartzite, we saw a funny site. A man was riding his 3-wheel bicycle in the nude - wearing nothing but a large straw hat on his head - well, not really nothing, as we got closer, we saw that he was wearing a teeny tiny thong. Too bad the camera wasn't in the ready mode.
It was a long uneventful trip, passing through LA wasn't too bad, and we did hit a 20-minute slowdown just as we got through the Grapevine (a winding, hilly stretch of road between LA and Bakersfield on I-5). After 13 hours on the road, we pulled up to Ben's and what a relief that was. It's so nice to see them and feel their hugs again. We had a beer and some pizza for dinner, sat around talking, took the dogs for a walk, and settled in for the night.
|
May 2 - 8, 2011
Tuesday, May 3. After that long and dusty road to Four Peaks yesterday, the car needed cleaning inside and out. That was my project for the morning.
Mike took off with Jim, they went to look at guitars and managed to visit several guitar stores, pawn shops, and a stop at a Thai restaurant for some lunch. He now has an electric guitar (Jim is hoping he will buy it from him) and a small amp. Is this a symptom of GAS (guitar acquisition syndrome)? Arlene (our neighbor) and I went to the grocery store.
We had planned on running some errands today, but Mike started having some serious allergy symptoms, was dragged out and feeling sluggish, so we just stayed home. We did manage to get a few things done around the house, but it has been pretty lazy around this place. We keep talking about all of the things that need to get done before we travel, but seem to accomplish little.
Wednesday, May 4. Several of our errands got taken care of today; the amp that Mike purchased wasn't working right, so it had to be returned for repairs, we picked up a bike rack for the car, salt for the water softener, and stuff to pour in the gas tank of the motor home to make the "service engine" light go out (it has to pass the emissions test so we can get the license plates renewed).
This evening, we went to Allan and Sharon's house for a nice visit and a delicious Mexican dinner; grilled shrimp and pineapple kebabs, a mango and avocado salad, sweet potato chips, and coconut flan. Yum! Yum! It was our farewell dinner together as they will be taking off with their 5th wheel trailer for the east coast and we will be heading to the midwest before long. I think we will all miss each other's company as we have come to be good friends. Fortunately, we have our blogs as a way to stay in touch Art in the Sun. Happy Trails!
Saturday, May 7. Hmmmmm. What have I done the last 3 days? I've hardly left the house. I got my 2 new crowns on Thursday, after a 2-week wait with the temps. It feels so good to have the real thing again, they fit well, look well, and feel good.
Thursday night, we went to the Cinco de Mayo celebration at our club house. Jan and her team of cooks did an excellent job with 2 different chicken enchilada recipes, tacos, corn and bean salad, and delicious flan for dessert. We all brought our favorite tequila and they furnished the mix. It all made for a fun evening with a great bunch of people.
Jan got a call at 12:30 this afternoon to let her know that the band was canceling out. What to do? What to do? Jim call Miles, he and Mike's guitar instructor at the Mesa Art Institute and he just happened to be available to play tonight. His music is a little different from what they usually get for parties around here (meaning a variety of oldies, 3-4 minute sets at the longest), but folks gave lots of suggestions and he managed to pick up the pace and have us out on the dance floor for a good part of the night. Danny and the chicks had a good time.
We always laugh at the seniors, when the party ends before 9:00, but at 8:45 when Miles announced that he would be taking a break and would be back for the next set, the remaining 20 or so people just cracked up with laughter. Then Jim informed him that we were about ready to call it quits, he played one more great dance tune and we called it a night. Parties around this place start early and they usually end before 9:00 and everyone moseys on home to bed. Mike and Jim stuck around to see that Miles had some help loading his equipment up. All in all, it was a great night and the census was that Miles might just be called to entertain us at future parties.
I went with Connie, Jackie, and Loretta on Friday morning for a walk along a beautiful natural area, only a couple of miles from our house. A nature path has been created along one of the utility lines, with a nice variety of cactus and other native plants, a pathway that is lined with rocks, and occasional sitting areas and rest stops, quiet places to just take in the beauty of the area. I had no idea that such places exist. It was a very enjoyable walk, something different from our usual walk around the park.
As I was taking Frisco for his afternoon walk, I spotted a Mama Gambrel Quail with 4 babies near the club house. The babies were the cutest little chubby, round, fluffy creatures. They really fit Peg's description of "a Congo line" of baby Quail, trying to stay as close to Mom as possible.
This afternoon, we went to hang out with Jan and Jim for a little while. Mike and Jim played their guitars while Jan and I chatted. We both have April birthdays, and it is surprising how alike we are in many ways. I think we have new friends. It amazes me how you meet people and just feel so comfortable around them, right from the get-go.
Sunday, May 8. Happy Mother's Day! And a very nice one it was at that, starting with the nice conversations I had with both of my sons.
We invited Nan, Dale, and Monica over for BBQ ribs today, so my morning started with a trip to the grocery store for lots of meat - they had baby back ribs on sale, buy 1 get 1 free - what a deal! I rubbed the ribs, prepared some baked beans and a marinated tomato salad, and then just relaxed. At 2:00, we got the grill going and those things were slow roasted until 6:00 when our guests arrived. Mike loaded them with BBQ sauce about 10 minutes before we ate and they were YUMMY! The Holland Grill and our method come through again!
It was a very nice, relaxing day that we could share with great friends and family.
|
Sunday, May 1, 2011
What a great way to start a new month. After feeling yucky a good part of last week, it felt good to get away. I packed a lunch and some beverages, filled the water bottles, and we headed toward Four Peaks, a destination we have talked about for some time now, as we see that beautiful landmark off in the distance whenever we leave the house.
The road is a well maintained gravel road, listed in our Arizona Back Roads book as an "easy" trail. In the first 2-3 miles, there are many small side roads that are used primarily by those with ATVs and motorcycles. A few people on mountain bikes are seen. The highest point on the drive to Four Peaks is about 5,700 feet, a gradual climb from the 1,200 feet of the valley where we live.
As we got to the higher elevations, we noticed a change in the vegetation - from the usual desert plants (many of which were in bloom) to an abundance of evergreens and more varieties of wildflowers. Speaking of wildflowers, they were everywhere. We saw a multitude of colors - pinks, purples, blues, oranges, bright yellows, and whites. Lupines, Verbena, Penstemon, Poppies, Marigold, Sunflowers, there were just too many to mention, but all of them greeting us happily along the roadside.
The views were spectacular - the layering effect of all of the various mountain ranges never ceases to amaze me. Once we got to the highest point, as soon as we started to descend, Roosevelt Lake was in view. Once we hit the highway at Roosevelt Lake, we stopped at a small roadside park to enjoy the shoreline and eat a bit of lunch. While there, we watched several Western or Clark's Grebes (they are so similar, we're not sure which ones we saw), diving like loons in the water.
The drive back home was about 70 miles, a long but quite scenic trek through Devil's Pass with it's gorgeous red rocks that make you question how they can balance in those precarious positions.
It was a great day. We talked about how much we both like living in the Western part of the United States with it's wide open spaces and never ending blue skies. Again, we are so thankful that we are able to enjoy the lifestyle we have chosen.
|
Created on 05/01/2011 08:02 PM by bridge
Updated on 06/01/2011 09:35 AM by bridge
|
|
|
