Our last week in Yuma for this year

 

Sunday, March 8, 09                                                                                                     Lorraine’s Report

This is our final day in Yuma, AZ, and what a great time we’ve had here. We’ve seen friends come and go, we’ve gone to Mexico for dental cleaning, we’ve been to see the Yuma lights twice, we have had dinners out, barbeques, the swap meet for shopping and just a really nice time. When I think about the family and friends back home and how cold it still is, it’s hard to believe that for the last week in February and the first week in March, the temperature was into the mid ninety’s. That may have been the best weather we will see for the whole time we are in Alaska for the summer.

Sunday was a quiet day for us. I was tired, as was Chuck, so we spent the day home, sitting out in the shade, watching TV and reading. We took TJ and Sharon to dinner to the Cracker Barrel, since they were leaving Tuesday morning to head over to Phoenix to visit family and friends.

Monday was another warm day, and we went to Yuma Prison State Park with Joe and Alice. The museum and movie about the prison was very interesting We went to lunch at a Mexican Restaurant Joe and Alice know, it was good, and we had a great outing.

Tuesday, TJ and Sharon left by 10 am. We had made plans to go to Felicity, which is called the Center of the World, with Joe and Alice. It was very interesting, and we took a lot of pictures. We all decided to go to the new casino, Quechan, since it was early and still so warm. Chuck came out ahead, as did Joe and I. Alice had no luck. We then stopped by the In and Out for burgers. Another great day!

Wednesday was clean house and do our running day. Kathy and Larry invited us to go to the Chinese Buffet place for dinner, which we did. Also, we got mail that day, so we had some business to attend to.

Thursday, Chuck took his prescription into Wal-Mart for refills. We had several other things to get at the Swap Meet, so we went there for a couple of hours. It was still hot out so again we went by the new casino. We stayed only an hour or so, the spent the evening home watching TV.

Friday found the temperature down around ten to fifteen degrees, from the mid 80’s to 90’s, to just into the 70’s. We tried to spend the afternoon outside reading, but I had to come in and warm up, the wind was blowing and it was chilly. I can’t believe I’m used to the temperature being in the upper 80’s to low 90’s. I know, it’s a dry heat, but it still gets hot.

Friday the Pow Wow, which is why we stayed in Yuma another week, started at 7 pm, or so we thought. Larry, Kathy, Chuck and I went out to the grounds about 45 minutes before it was suppose to start. We were surprised to find very few people there with not much set up. The Grand Entry was set for 7 pm, but didn’t start until 8 pm. Usually the colors are presented before any dancing starts, but it didn’t happen here. And the biggest surprise was that there were no male dancers in their regalia and no drummers, while we were there. It was so cold and very windy, Kathy and I brought only our sweatshirts and we froze. We left by 8 pm. That was Larry and Kathy’s first Pow Wow and I was disappointed for them and for us.

But I didn’t let that deter me from going back with Joe and Alice on Saturday. But first they asked us to go to the Swap Meet with them, so we did. We stopped by the Peanut Patch for ice cream cones. Then we headed back out to see if things improved at the Pow Wow. It did. We spent a wonderful afternoon listening to the singing and drumming. The swirling colors, the regalia, and the beading were spectacular. The dancers were tall and handsome and the gals were very pretty in their beautiful outfits. We ate Indian Tacos which were really good. Too soon it was time to leave. We had to get home to let Misty, our dog out. We spent a quiet evening home watching TV.

So here we are, it’s Sunday and Joe and Alice asked us to go back to Mexico with them. I’m not sure if we will go. We have to pack up stuff here in the motor home and car and get ready to leave tomorrow.

I want to say “Thank You” again to TJ and Sharon for letting us come into their lives and spend the time here on their beautiful lot.

I also want to wish Corliss and Phil a very “Happy Birthday” Hope it’s a happy day for you.

That was our week. I hope this finds you all healthy, and life is treating well. Till next time……Lorraine

 

3/8/09                                                                                                                               Chuck’s Report

Boy, almost can’t believe we’ve been in Yuma this long and are almost ready to leave tomorrow.  This year we first came to Yuma in late January before we went to Mexico for a week.  We have met with old friends, made new friends, learned how to play Pegs and Jokers, seen the area and mostly just enjoyed ourselves in this wonderful weather.  It will be hard to leave but is is starting to get a bit hot on some days, I know we don’t want to be here when it gets into the 90s or better everyday. 

One of the area attractions we wanted to visit while here is the Yuma Territorial Prison.  I know everyone has seen it in movies and such, on of the best being “There was a crooked man” with Henry Fonda and Kirk Douglas.  So on Monday we met up with Joe/Alice and headed out to set this.  There is a small fee to enter the area, lots of the building have been torn down, some have been preserved as movie sets, some as it was back when and has a museum with information about the prisoners that had been there.  All in all, this was a nice way to spend part of an afternoon. 

  Yep, that’s us just outside the Yuma Prison.  Notice the desert in background, would have been hard to escape this place, yet lots tried and some succeeded. 

Joe/Alice at same spot. 

That’s the Colorado river just outside the prison.  This was one of the first places in Arizona to have electric power. 

A picture of one of the flowers on a cactus at the prison. 

Yep, they got Joe and me where we probably belong. 

Here is Alice and Lorraine standing in front of a flowering bush.

One of the 6 man cells they kept prisoners in.  I don’t even want to think about that white pot in the middle.  Makes empting our holding tanks a little less of a bother.

Here is where they sent the prisoners when they “broke” a rule.  Its a small hole, cut out of the rock with a vent hole that the guards used to drop in rattlesnakes and spiders.  Nice folks both inside and working here.  They said the most every in here at one time was 14, it’s about 8’ x 10’ with no furnishing.  At least it wasn’t as hot inside, out of the sun and lots of rock around them. 

Tuesday TJ/Sharon left to visit with family and friends in the Phoenix area.  They told us we could stay on their lot even though they weren’t here.  We sure liked getting to know them much better that when we first got here, too bad we will leave before they get back.  Maybe we will see them back in Washington this spring.  Thanks for letting us stay with you on your beautiful lot here in Yuma.   So far, if we decided to buy a RV lot, it would be here in the foothill of Yuma where yours is, what a nice area. 

After they left, we met up with Joe/Alice once again, this time to head to a small town to the West of us called Felicity.  They have somehow been designated as the center of the world, they have the paperwork to prove it.  There is a small pyramid  with a plaque inside and they give you a certificate to prove you have been there, too.  They also have about 10 granite monuments that cover a multitude of things, from the French Foreign Legion, to the history of flight, history of mankind, history of California and Arizona but most of them are still blank, to be filled in later.  Its kind of hooky but glad we went, just the same.  Its right off the freeway and most people just pass it by, never even knowing they are that close to the center of the world, ha.

Another blooming cactus, this one in Felicity, California.

Joe/Alice just outside the pyramid at the center of the world. 

A different sun dial, seems to be pointing a Joe, huh. 

This is the point, with a plaque, to prove we were at the center of the world.  This is inside the pyramid.  That’s Lorraine on the top (North), Joe on the bottom (South), Alice on the right (East) and me on the right (West). 

They have a new,nice church on site.

This a picture, taken through one of the windows on the North side, of the stained glass window on the south side of the Church. 

Anyone who has been in Yuma will recognize these painted tanks right off the freeway. 

Wednesday was a quiet day, we went to dinner with Larry/Kathy, neighbors of TJ/Sharon’s.  Nice folks who we enjoyed getting to know. 

Kathy/Larry at TJ’s lot.  They just retired last year, built a small house here in Yuma and will be traveling in their new 5th wheel during the summer months.  Larry actually grew up in Bellingham but he mostly lived in California.

Thursday was another day to go to the local Yuma Swap Meet, Lorraine had a couple of things she wanted to pick up.  Afterwards we stopped in at the new Indian Casino for a couple of hours. 

Friday and Saturday we went to the Indian Pow Wow.  This is the biggest reason we stayed another week in this area.  On Friday night we went there with Larry/Kathy and we were pretty disappointed in it.  There weren’t any drummers, very few dancers and they were very disorganized.  We were glad we got there before they started charging any money.  We set around in the cold wind (must have been in the low 60s with 15 MPH wind) for about an hour then decided to leave.  On Saturday we again met with Joe/Alice, went to the Swap Meet for the last (I hope) time and then headed out to the Pow Wow.  I must admit, I didn’t want to go, it was so bad on Friday night.  But on Saturday it was good, they had about 6 groups singing ,with drums, and 50 or so dancers.  We set out in the sun but otherwise it was a nice time.  I was glad it wasn’t like the Friday night as there was a car show in Yuma that I could have gone too instead.  Following are some pictures Lorraine took during the Pow Wow. 

 

So that brings us up to Sunday, the end of our week’s report.  We aren’t sure if we are going back to the Pow Wow with Joe/Alice this afternoon or not.  As this is our last day here, we also need to pack up and get ready to move out on Monday morning.   With all the “stuff” from Mexico and the swap meet, it may take awhile to find a place for everything and get everything in its place. 

At this time, we are planning on going to San Diego for the next two weeks.  That might change as we invited Susy, Mark and Kaitlyn to meet us either in San Diego or Palm Springs.  We are open to either, if they will meet with us, we will head to where they would like to be.  So we don’t even know where we will be tomorrow, what a life.  We haven’t been to San Diego for a long time and we like Palm Springs area, a winner no matter where we go, I’d say, especially if we can meet up with Susy, Mark and Kaitlyn!

So that’s it for now from the ones who don’t even know where they are headed.  We set our plans in Jell-O sometime and that’s fun for us, we know that’s not for everyone though.  I remember once Lorraine and I went to Atlanta with a co-worker and his wife.  They were uncomfortable because we didn’t have reservations for the first night.  Even though all turned out great, I bet they don’t travel without making reservations for each night to this day.  See Steve, I didn’t even say it was you, ha, remember the fried cheesecake?

So till next time -----  Chuck