Lorraine’s report Sunday, February 15, 2009
I had a great phone call last night-my son, Rick. He is back in Kenai, Alaska after a 62 day stint on the ice road. He said he build about 55 miles of it, and had been working 14 plus hours a day, no days off. Welcome back to civilization Rick. I missed you, hope you can now catch up on your rest before you head back up. Your call made my day!
Tomorrow is my daughter, Susy’s birthday. She will be 21 again with 13 anniversaries. This will be the first time in a very long time we will not be together. It will be hard for me not to see her and baby and Mark. We usually bring them home or to where ever we are, but she is finally getting over being ill for the past two weeks, and Mark had it for a few days, also. Happy Birthday Susy! I miss us not being together.
Speaking of birthday’s, yesterday was our friend, Richard King’s birthday. He is headed back to his home in Victoria, Texas. Wish we could have been with you to celebrate, Richard. Happy Birthday anyway, and hope it was a nice day for you.
This week went flying by. We went to the eye doctor and made dentist appointments on Monday in Mexico, we went with Bill and Jeanette. I did not get glasses because it turns out my lens and frame are pretty pricy, and to replace them was costing $400.00, way too much, when everyone else was paying under $200.00 for their glasses. Bill got a pair for $130, I think. Chuck and Bill waited in line for over two hours to get back into the good old USA. They had only three officers working the computers to check you back into the states. Some of the older people waiting sure seemed to be having a hard time, as the wind was blowing hard and it was cold. When we got back we went to Applebee’s for dinner with Bill and Jeanette as they were leaving to head back home to CA
Tuesday we moved down the street as our friend TJ and Sharon had other friends coming to spend time with them on their property. We went to Wal-Mart to stock up.
Wednesday, we went back to Mexico for our dentist appointments. Chuck took my appointment so he could wait in line while I was having my appointment. He had some work done and cleaning, while I had only cleaning. The dentist said my teeth were in good shape, except for the two molars that are loosing the jaw bone, and there is nothing they can do about that.
Thursday we went back to the Swap Meet. We were there with Steve and Sandy. When we were there last week, I bought a magnetic bracelet to try on my arthritic wrists. I couldn’t believe how fast it worked, within 10 to 15 minutes I could feel the pain going away. I wanted to get another one but we ran out of time. I had gotten a shirt and had to return it. They had put the beads on off side, and that took some time for the gal to replace it.
Friday we drove around the area where TJ and Sharon live looking for a lot for our friend, Joe and Alice, to come to next week. We found several and gave the numbers for Joe to call. We then went to Paradise Casino, but it was so crowded, we only stayed a short time. Sandy called and we ended up at their place, to play a game of Pegs and Jokers.
Saturday, we moved back to TJ and Sharon’s. That shirt I had replaced earlier in the week, well the gal made it up in a smaller size, and I didn’t see it until I washed it and was hanging it up. So back we go to the Swap Meet. Only, this time the gal didn’t have the appliqué or the right size shirt, so she gave me back my money. And remember the magnetic bracelet, I was able to find the place again, so I bought two, one for me and one for my sister, Thelma.
This was Valentine’s Day so I had called the Texas Roadhouse yesterday and made reservations for 16 of us to go to dinner. We all showed up, including TJ and Sharon, Mike and Linda, Mark and Sue, Manuel and Connie, Steve and Sandy, Bill and Kay , Ed and La Vaughn, and Chuck and I. A fun time was had by all and of course the food was very good.
Some of us came back to TJ’s and sat around the fire their neighbor, Larry and Kathy had burning. It was the prettiest fire I have ever seen. Larry had put a copper pipe with some water hose in the pipe and put it at the bottom of the fire. This made the fire turn green, blue, purple and many shades of these three colors. It was quite incredible to see.
So here we are, it’s Sunday and I’m doing my blog. We plan on going out to see the Yuma Lights. It’s these weird lights that show up on a dark, clear moonless night, out in the desert against a mountain. Everyone that went to dinner last night plus Larry and Kathy from next door will be going to try to see them tonight. We will be having a wiener roast and potluck. It may be cloudy, so I’m not sure if we will see them.
A great big “Thank You” to TJ and Sharon for letting us stay on their lot again. We enjoy your beautiful area. It is so beautiful and quiet.
Also, hang in there Dave and Sandy, our prayers are with you both.
So till next time……Have a great week and we’ll see you down the road……Lorraine
Chuck’s Report
We completed what was supposed to be a quiet week here in Yuma. Seems Lorraine and I need to do a refresher course on taking it easy, we were going most of the week. Hopefully this week we can practice taking it easy until we get it right. I will say here that we didn’t get a lot of pictures this week. Once again, for more information and pictures, you can check out Connie’s blog at http://esparzacm.blogspot.com/. She takes very good pictures and she updates more often than we do. Thanks Connie, you have a good blog.
Sunday evening we made plans to go over to Mike and Linda’s to play some card games. TJ and Sharon rode with us, we met Bill and Jeanette there. It had been raining off/on for most of the day and Mike had a small lake around their front door. Linda had called to warn us to bring another pair of shoes or slippers as we would get wet getting into their coach, she was right. In spite of the rain, we had a good time playing Pegs and Jokers. After eating some snacks, we said goodnight to our friends and headed back to our coach.
One of the reasons we wanted to stay here in Yuma for awhile is because of its closeness to Algondones Mexico. This is a border town that caters to Americans with dentist, optical and medications. Lorraine had some dental work done there last year and is very pleased with the results. She wanted to get some work done on her bottom, front teeth to match the top she had worked on last year.
Our plan for Monday was to go across the border, get some glasses for Lorraine and make dental appointments for both of us. So away we went on Monday, with Bill and Jeanette riding with us. We walked across the border and went into the optical place. After waiting until our turn, Lorraine finally got her eye exam. Her prescription was just a little different so she picked out a couple of frames and waited her turn again. She showed them her frames and asked the price, it was over $400 due to her frames and lenses cut. Everyone else was getting their frames and lenses for under $200 so we told them we would go to other optical places and check their prices. After checking, we decided not to buy any now, rather we would wait and see what our guy back home could do for us. We did make appointments at the dentist for Wednesday for cleaning and checkup and Friday for whatever work they found we needed. We also picked up some medication to keep in the coach, pretty inexpensive to get it there. Lorraine had just mail ordered some of her prescriptions and would have been able to pick up some of then here instead. I wanted to get some antibiotics to have, just in case, so picked up some Z-Pacs for $4 each.
We did walk down a bit to a Taco stand where Lorraine, Bill and Jeanette had shrimp Tacos. They said they were very good. After our lunch, we met with Mike and Linda at a restaurant for a Margarita before crossing back into the USA. I had a quick beer and went to wait in line, it was over a 2 hour wait to get to the border checkpoint on the American side. Bill came and waited in line with me, when we got to the corner, Lorraine and Jeanette met with us, they had sat under a tree. Mike and Linda had ordered new glasses and they weren’t completed yet so they stayed behind and did some shopping.
We were staying at TJ and Sharon’s lot in the foothill, they had some friends coming into town and they had plans to stay at their lot so we went to a local campground for a few days. We found a place that would give us 30% of the total price if we stayed 4 days so we signed up for a four day stay. Tuesday was moving day, we have the same chores when moving across town as across country. Lorraine has to put away all the breakables and get the coach ready for moving down the road. I put away the chairs and such, disconnect the sewer and water hoses and disconnect the power cable. We bring in the slides, raise the jacks and we are ready to go. We got checked into our spot and set up there.
Lorraine needed to resupply so away we went to Wal-Mart. Isn’t it amazing how many things they have at a Super Wal-Mart that you must have? One of my biggest complaints about shopping at Wally World is having to wait in a check out line. I think if someone wanted to give me money, I would make sure they didn’t have to stand in line to do it. The checkout clerks here sure aren’t in a hurry, I don’t think they could ever work at a real grocery store, they aren’t fast enough. Oh well, enough of that, we got what we needed and went back home.
On Wednesday we headed back to Mexico for our dental appointments. We were a bit early so we checked in and then walked around town to do some shopping. Lorraine was scheduled for the first appointment, I was an hour later but I took the first one, hoping to complete it and then wait in line at the border crossing and have Lorraine meet me there after her checkup.
My cleaning and checkup when fine, the doctor found I needed three fillings. He said he could do them right then or we could return on Friday. In the mean time, Lorraine was getting her checkup and they said she didn’t need any follow up work. So I decided to have the fillings done while I was in the chair. The doctor asked if I wanted a deadening shot or not, said they were small and not very deep. We agreed to start and see how much they hurt and get a shot if needed. I felt some pain but not too bad at all, he ground out and filled three small places without need of pain medication. So again I went to the end of the line at the border crossing and Lorraine waited until I got to the corner. This time the wait was just under 2 hours. But we had completed our dental work and didn’t need to return again.
On Thursday I did manage to get some time setting in the lounge chair outside, maybe even checked my eyelids for leaks for awhile. We then decided to go to the Yuma swap meet, Lorraine had a couple of things she wanted to check out. So after a couple of hours, we returned to our coach. We didn’t want to go out to eat, we were both tired and I didn’t want Lorraine to cook so we had popcorn for dinner. We don’t do that often but it was nice and easy.
Friday I got a call from Joe Morin, a friend of ours who is coming to Yuma next week. He doesn’t have a place to stay yet and asked if I would look around and find a few places for rent and he would call them. So we drove around the TJ’s neighborhood, found a few places for Joe to call. Afterwards, I took the car in for an oil change and wash. Lorraine had been wanting to check out one of the casinos in town so we decided to try one this afternoon. It was too crowded for me, they didn’t have any tables open and you had to wait for someone to leave a slot machine so you could sit down. After an hour of this, we had enough and left. We later met at Steve and Sandy Allgire’s coach for another rousing game of Peg and Jokers.
Saturday we moved back to TJ and Sharon’s lot. After getting set up, we played a quick game of Peg and Jokers with them. We are getting to like this game. This being Valentine’s day, Lorraine made reservations for most of our friends in Yuma to meet for dinner at a steak house. All 16 of us met at 5:00 and we had a very good dinner
We don’t have to return to Mexico this week, hopefully just chill out, rest and visit with our friends. We plan on being in Yuma for at least two more weeks, we need get our schedule roughed out. I know we have to be in the Bay area for Kaitlyn’s fourth birthday on April 15 and then head North. Need to get a bit more of our itinerary filled out soon.
Lorraine got a phone call from our son, Richard. He has been working in Northern Alaska, building the Ice Road, for the last 60 some days, 12 to 16 hours each day. He finally is getting some time off and will be working on getting an update to his Coast Guard license this week. Hope you get some much needed rest before/if you go back up North. I don’t know which outfit he will be working for this summer but as far as I know, he will still be a fishing guide on the Kenai River. So if anyone is planning on going to Alaska and is in need of a fishing guide, let me know. Brad, now that you have joined the ranks of the retired, are you interested??
I talked on the phone.with our friend Dave Hasselberg this week. Some of his family and some of his friends are going through some medical issues. Hang in there Dave and Sandy, we wish you and yours the best. Keep us informed.
So another week bites the dust. Even though I say we were busy, compared to those who still have a job, our lives are pretty laid back. We really enjoy our friends and want to spend more time with them before they leave so that will be most of our upcoming week. We already had to say goodbye to some of the friends who were with us in Puerto Penasco. Although we enjoy our time alone, it is nice to spend so much time with so many friends too. What a good life we are living!!
One thing coming up this week is our daughter’s birthday tomorrow. Lorraine is sad that we won’t be spending it with her, they have been together on most of her prior birthdays. Anyway, Happy Birthday, Susy!! We will be thinking of you and will see you in April.
So until next week - - - -
Thanks Chuck
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