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| March, 2010 |
March 22 - 28, 2010
Monday, March 22. After a lab appointment this morning, we made a stop at Ace Hardware to get a long list of stuff for the house; picture hangers, light bulbs, etc.
We actually made it to the pool this afternoon and found it to be a friendly and enjoyable place. The water was quite warm and about an hour was enough for us. It was totally relaxing and we plan to do it more often.
Tuesday, March 23. Happy 42nd Anniversary to us and we're still counting!
Mike took the Jeep in for an oil change and 30,000 mile maintenance that is going to cost us close to $1,000. Guess that's our anniversary gift to each other - safety and efficiency is important, huh! He came home with a loaner car, a small Kia, and was that strange to drive - you sit so low in the seat, have a fob for locking the doors, a zippy little car that can be steered with one hand. The Jeep is growing on me - it has to be driven - shifting, feeling the bumps in the road, great visibility, and it can turn on a dime. Don't tell Mike I said this.
We had a special Anniversary dinner of steak and lobster, mushrooms, baked potato, and even Champagne.
When Mike took Frisco out for his walk tonight, Frisco roused a Coyote from the brush. He was *bleep*ed and fully loaded the rest of the way home; barking, tugging, and panting all the way (about 4 blocks). The Coyote followed them from a distance and every time Mike looked, it was watching them. As he approached our house, a neighbor was outdoors and asked if it was a coyote. She is afraid because she has been seeing them a lot. It took both Mike and Frisco quite a while to calm down when they got back home. And now we know that is probably what gets Frisco growling and barking during the night.
Mike did some research when he got back home and learned that they don't usually attack people, but will go after small pets and little children. They have adapted to residential areas quite well. There are warnings on the doors of the public building here to not leave any sources of food or water out.
Saturday, March 27. Guess I've been slacking on updating my journal - there really hasn't been a lot going on. We've been trying to spend an hour or so at the pool in the afternoon.
We had Nan and Dale over for Mrs. Gumtow's Casserole Wednesday night, a recipe that we got from Nan years ago (Mrs. Gumtow brought the dish to an after funeral meal that Nan's family was attending) and it has been one of our favorites ever since. Unfortunately, the recipe calls for Del Monte Chili Sauce (NO substitutes) and we were unable to get that so had to make it with the Heinz variety and it isn't quite the same but still, better than not having it. A while back, Nan called the Del Monte company to see where she could purchase it in Arizona and learned that they don't distribute to this state. Guess we will have to watch for it on our travels and ask visitors from the midwest to bring it to us.
Thursday was house cleaning day and Friday we got several more pictures hung. In the afternoon, we took one of our favorite drives east of here on Peralta Road. Mike took the window off the Jeep so we had a totally open air experience. There still isn't a lot in bloom in the desert, although it is covered with beautiful shades of green. The roadsides are lined with purple, yellow, and orange wildflowers that made for a nice drive.
Today we are fixing barbecue baby back ribs and Allan and Sharon are joining us for dinner. Dinner was yummy, the ribs tender and falling off the bone. As usual, we had great conversation and made some more plans for our summer travels together. They took Frisco home with them for the next few days, as we head to Laughlin, NV to meet up with Pat and Roger for our 18th annual spring vacation. We have been coast to coast and several places in between. It sure is nice to have such great friends.
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March 15 - 21, 2010
Monday, March 15. Happy 2nd Anniversary, Ben and Jill!
The phone rang just before 8:00 and the mover was a short distance away. I drove to the gate, waited only about a minute (I could see him at the stop sign a block away) and led him to our house. About an hour later, everything was unloaded and we proceeded to see just what we had. It was exciting to recognize things again and we immediately felt a connection. There wasn't a lot of "why did we keep that thing?" going on, rather a feeling of happiness.
The day was long, we took a few breaks, but both just got into cleaning the stuff, arranging it, skimming over photos, doing laundry and running the dishwasher as things got unpacked. I made the bed up with my cherished quilt made by my cousin, Fran. The one thing that we were both looking forward to having, the blue Egret lamps that we had in Florida were not there. I guess we parted with them before putting stuff in storage.
So now, rather than paying $1000 a year to store the stuff, we have in our house at a cost of about $500 a month. It may not be real economical, but we see it as just a cost of living and it feels good to be surrounded by our stuff again.
By 8:00, we were ready for bed.
Thursday, March 18. The last 3 days have been busy and they just flew by. Most of the time was spent sifting through and unpacking stuff. Yesterday we had only 2 more to unpack. We ended up with 2 boxes and a few assorted other things to try to sell during the spring patio sale at the park.
I had a haircut yesterday, intending to go quite a bit shorter than what it was, but ended up very short, much like I wore it for years and years. It's not a bad haircut and today, while riding in the car with the windows all down, it felt really good that it was flapping in my face with all of the wind. It is definitely going to take some getting used to.
Today, our niece Becky and her daughters Brooke and Elizabeth from Wisconsin spent the day with us. We went to the Arizona Museum of Natural History in Mesa. It has lots of dinosaurs, a history courtyard where visitors pan for gold, a native peoples�?? gallery including a replica village and pottery, part of the original Mesa jailhouse, and a cool indoor waterfall. The girls were fascinated with the gold panning.
This evening, we went to Organ Stop Pizza on Becky's recommendation. The place is buzzing with activity starting in the packed parking lot. You order your pizza, get your beverages, then go into the dining room where the seats face a huge hall where the organ comes out of the floor, the walls are surrounded by different organs and the organist plays all of them from the mighty Wurlitzer. The pizza was good and the entertainment was quite fun. Thanks Becky for the great time. After dinner, we said goodbye as they head back to the cold north tomorrow. It was a fun day.
Friday, March 19. It was slow going this morning, guess the activity of the last week has gotten to us. A nice, warm, relaxing bath really felt good.
What a coincidence - our friend, Ed, in Florida read my journal from yesterday and sent Mike an e-mail this morning to tell him that his father actually played the organ that is now at Organ Stop Pizza when it was housed in Grumman's Chinese Theater in Hollywood, California, back when Ed was growing up. It sure is a small world.
I got things organized for tomorrow's patio sale, ended up with 2 small tables full of stuff - hope we can peddle it. Allan and Sharon stopped over and we went to lunch at Pete's Fish and Chips in downtown Mesa. We all wondered about it, as there was always a line of people waiting and all of the outdoor tables were full, so today was the day to try it. It wasn't bad, the usual fried white fish (in a rectangular shape), french fries, and coleslaw. We all agreed that we will be finding a new place to eat the next time.
Saturday, March 20. The patio sale was a total joke. Traffic was light and sales were nonexistent, in spite of the fact that I had things nicely displayed and prices clearly marked. We took in $2 and I spent $4 (2 plastic storage containers). By noon, we decided to give it up and pack it up for donation.
Mike was in need of new flip-flops, so we were on a mission this afternoon. We also wanted to shop around for some lamps for the living room and happened to find a pair at the consignment store where we had $98 in credit waiting to be spent.
I invited Monica to join us for dinner tonight, so she arrived around 5:30. It was nice to hear her suggestions for paint colors for the living room, a project that will probably keep us busy for a while next fall.
Sunday, March 21. A lazy Sunday. It has been a busy week.
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March 8 - 14, 2010
Tuesday, March 9. The last 2 days have been yucky; cool (upper 50s) and windy. We took advantage and did indoor stuff like house cleaning, laundry, shopping, and repairs. After shopping yesterday, we ended up having lunch and a beer at Buffalo Wild Wings. It was fun, we didn't actually participate, but did get involved in the Buzztime Trivia game that was going on. We should have gotten the machine as we both did pretty well.
Today, we went to Lowe's to purchase some parts so Mike could repair the sliding closet doors in our bedroom that kept coming off the track and making loud noises. Since I had a 10% off coupon, we also bought a new microwave oven to replace the one that is in the house (an older version that isn't very efficient). Just as we finished and left the store, it started to pour out, so bad that we ended up hanging out under the awning before getting the car and loading it up.
They keep saying that we will be seeing temps in the 80s later this week - I am ready!
Wednesday, March 10. Last night, around 11:00, Frisco started barking, his "something isn't right and I don't like it" bark. I got up and peeked through the blinds, movement caught my eye, and it was a coyote, taking a leak on a plant in our front yard. He then moseyed across the street and between two houses. We've been hearing stories about them in the park, but I had never seen one. It's about twice the size as Frisco but similar coloring and it has a real bushy tail.
The sun is out and although today is expected to be cool, things are supposed to be warming up around here. I am so ready to have all of the windows open and lose a layer of clothing.
We took Frisco to the Quail Run Dog Park this afternoon where he was able to run and play with lots of other dogs, most of them much larger than him. He did pair up with some Basenjis that were close to his size. At one point, as he seemed to be tiring, we headed toward the gate where the water fountain is located. Also right near there was a pool of water (we're not sure if it is intentional or just a result of the recent rains) and he headed right for it. By the time we caught up to him, he was paddling. Needless to say, we headed back into the park where he could dry off a bit. While talking with the owner of a Springer Spaniel, we learned that her dog did the same thing. It was fun, the park is quite nice and is only a few miles from our house. We will have to do that again, it is fun to see him having lots of fun.
Thursday, March 11. Another busy day, starting with a visit by Jan, the welcoming committee for our community. It was nice to meet her, a very friendly gal, and she told us of some of the amenities this place has to offer. It appears that we can get as involved as we want and are welcome to use any of the facilities available. We will start to get to know some of our neighbors on Saturday morning at the monthly breakfast.
This afternoon, we took a drive east of town, headed north on Peralta Road just east of Gold Canyon and took the 8 mile dirt drive back to the hiking trailhead in the Tonto National Forest. The desert is beautiful right now, blue lupines blooming in clusters all along the drive. The hillsides are gorgeous, brilliant green but not a lot of blooms just yet. Flower buds could be seen on some of the cactus and the Ocotillo is getting started with their red firecracker blooms. We got an added bonus of water flowing in the dry washes and had to drive through several streams.
On the way back, we stopped to chat with Allan and Sharon. They invited us to join them for some of Allan's homemade chili that was delicious. He collects various dried chili peppers and makes his chili from scratch. This recipe used chorizo as the meat.
They also presented us with a housewarming gift, one of their pastel paintings, a collaboration of work by both of them. As soon as we got home, we put it on the wall in the kitchen. The colors look nice together and it definitely brightens the room. Thanks again, Allan and Sharon.
Friday, March 12. It was another busy day, just what the doctor ordered. I wonder why grocery shopping takes me so darn long. I can't seem to just get what is on my list and get out of there, I always manage to spend at least an hour and usually more than $100 bucks. I was just loading stuff into the car when I heard from Monica as to where we should meet for lunch. We decided on Mexican restaurant right across the street from her apartment.
I got home, unloaded the groceries, and we headed to Monica's house. We then walked across the street to the restaurant where we had a very nice lunch and an excellent visit with one of our favorite nieces. We didn't stick around after lunch because she had a haircut appointment and we had agreed to meet up with Nan and Dale for happy hour.
After getting back home to take Frisco for a walk, we headed to their house and from there, to Trader Vic's in Scottsdale. They had excellent drink specials and their appetizers were half price. The place has a very nice Polynesian style decor and tropical drinks. We sampled almost every appetizer on the menu and they were all very tasty.
Something wasn't right during the night, because Mike got quite ill and ended up being awake with stomach cramps most of the night.
Saturday, March 13. Mike still wasn't feeling too good today. We had intended to go to the park's pancake breakfast this morning to meet some of the folks here, but that didn't work out. I went to a few garage sales this morning, but came home empty handed.
It was a pretty lazy day.
Sunday, March 14. We spent the morning rearranging the furniture in preparation for the arrival of the United Van Lines truck tomorrow morning.
This afternoon we went to Nan and Dale's and got to be guinea pigs on another of Nan's delicious meals. This time, she made German Beef Rollups, pounded steaks spead with mustard, layered with a slice of Black Forest Ham and rolled around a dill pickle, baked in a clay crock and drizzled with a cream sauce. It was yummy! I contributed a tossed salad, Monica made cheesy garlic bread, and we also had baked sweet potatoes.
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March 1 - 7, 2010
Wednesday, March 3. Today is the day that our stuff in storage in Florida gets loaded on a truck with Mesa, AZ as it's destination. Thanks to Jonnie and Marty, it is all coming together. They packed up lamps and miscellaneous stuff for us over the weekend. It should arrive here between the 8th and the 12th next week.
The last 2 days have been busy with house cleaning, laundry, shampooing the 2 recliner chairs that I bought and Mike vacuumed and cleaned the car up good.
Yesterday, we took a drive to the northeast, out Power Road (it becomes the Bush Highway) that goes through the Tonto National Forest with several recreation areas for hiking, biking, water sports, and camping along the way. The drive was beautiful and the desert is so green right now, the Salt River can be seen meandering through the entire drive. It is definitely a place that we will visit again.
I tried a new recipe on the Holland Grill last night - a yummy marinated chuck roast with potato, carrot, onion, and mushrooms. After grilling the meat for 45 minutes, it gets put in a pan along with the veggies, covered and cooked for an additional hour. The meat was tender and tasty, and the veggies full of the flavor of the marinade.
I planted a couple of cactus in the yard this afternoon, a Banana Yucca and an Octopus Agave. I will be going with Sharon to the annual plant sale at Boyce Thompson in a couple of weeks and look forward to getting a few more. Nan and Dale have also offered a few things from their yard. I'm going to stick with plants that are native to the area and don't need supplemental water. There are many to choose from, so I don't think I will have any problems. It sounds as if the fall is the best time to plant around here, they get enough time to acclimate before the heat of the summer hits.
Mike twisted his ankle this morning and by late afternoon, it was puffed up and turning green. We put some ice packs on it and it seemed to feel better by bedtime. Nurse Rose doesn't think it is fractured (not painful when he steps on it), but we will have to see how it is tomorrow morning.
Thursday, March 4. Every morning around here is like a summer morning up north. The sun is out and the birds are singing. I think I like it. We are noticing some allergy problems; sneezing and sniffling in the morning - it must be pollen in the air.
We have been getting outdoors for a daily sunbath, timing it so we don't get a burn, but it feels so good to just soak up the sun. One of these days, we will make it to the pool, although 70 degrees is a little cool for getting out of the water.
The swelling is down on Mike's ankle and it doesn't hurt him to walk, it sure is colorful, though.
Friday, March 5. Off to an early start this morning, we headed to Apache Junction to spend the day with Allan and Sharon. The four of us have been planning our summer RV trip to the east coast and up to Maine. Early this morning, I was wide awake having second thoughts about this, a large undertaking and also a very large expense. Both couples have recently bought places in Arizona and have over extended our budges, so perhaps we should shorten our trip a bit.
While Mike helped Allan with his painting project (the exterior of their house is going from a peachy pink to a nice, subdued sage green), Sharon and I talked. I was quite relieved to learn that they were also having second thoughts about an east coast trip. After completing a sufficient section of the paint project, the guys grilled some chicken and the girls made a salad, and we sat down for a nice lunch and talked about shorter travel possibilities. No decisions were made, but we have lots to consider.
Back at home, it's nap time. What a life!
Saturday, March 6. My morning started out with errands and garage sales and groceries. I needed to get a certified check to pay the moving van driver when our stuff arrives. Naturally, it ended up not being an easy thing to accomplish because our Edward Jones accounts do not handle this type of transaction. Since we have a savings account at Wells Fargo, we figured that would be the way to handle it. The savings account didn't have enough money, so I had to write a check on the Edward Jones account and wait until it cleared the bank appeared in the Wells Fargo account before I could get a certified check. They talked me into opening a free checking account so this wouldn't be a problem in the future - yeah, right. Nothing is ever easy.
I did find another variety of an Agave plant for the yard, a great deal at $2.00 This variety is a blue-green color and will be another nice addition to our desert landscape.
I opened my computer this afternoon and received a video call from Ben. It was so nice to see his face and to have a face to face conversation again. I think it really has lifted my spirits and I look forward to having more conversations like that in the future.
Nan and Dale came over this evening and we had a nice dinner and a fun time.
Sunday, March 7. The weather predictions are for rain today, starting last night around 10:00. They were right, a cold front came through and we are under 60 degrees today and it has rained a good part of the day. Frisco and I managed to get a couple of walks in where we stayed dry.
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March 28 - 31, 2010
We headed north to Laughlin, NV on Sunday, a 4-hour drive that took us through some beautiful countryside that included a large Joshua Tree forest and some gorgeous rock formations. Arizona is quite the place.
After checking in to our room at the Colorado Belle Casino, we met up with Pat and Roger and boy, was it nice to see them again. It wasn't long before it felt like it was only yesterday. This is our 18th spring trip together that started back in 1993 at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa for the annual Buddy Holly Dance Party. Pat and I go back much farther than that, as we have been friends since 3rd grade.
We spent our time walking along the riverfront, hanging at the pool, doing some gambling, and quite a bit of eating. One evening, we saw the movie, "Shutter Island" with Leonardo DiCaprio that was quite suspenseful and at the end of the movie, you still wonder what really happened.
One day, we took a drive along Route 66 to Oatman, a small mining town that is know for the wild burros that greet you in the streets. Just south of Mohave Valley, we took an unimproved dirt road to the east that would intersect with old Route 66 that we found in our Back Country Drives of Arizona book. At one point, we were wondering if there was a road at all. I think Hoovey was a bit skeptical but our GPS kept showing that we were on the right track.
Eight miles before Oatman, the burros started showing up. They sure are friendly creatures, coming right up to the car, sticking their heads in the windows, and hoping for handouts of carrots. At the old Oatman Hotel Restaurant, amongst the thousands of dollar bills on the walls, we had a beer and a bite to eat and listened to a 2-man band. When the band's set was done, they went outdoors and participated in a shootout in the streets.
The casinos took all of Mike's budgeted gambling money but I ended up a little bit ahead. I sat down at a dime video poker machine, put in $15 and hit 4 deuces on my 2nd bet that paid me $100. I quickly got up and walked away but ended up spending some of it later. It was exciting while it lasted.
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Created on 03/01/2010 07:48 PM by bridge
Updated on 04/28/2010 08:41 AM by bridge
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