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 

Quieter week in Yuma

 

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Lorraine’s Report

Another week, another blog for me to write. Well, there’s not too much new here. We are still here in Yuma, AZ. The weather has been hot, into the mid 80’s during the day and probably the 50’s to 60’s at night. The first day we had to put on shorts and tank tops, we opened all the windows and turned on the fans. It was incredibly warm for us. This week it’s supposed to get into the 90’s; I find this hard to believe. This is February, and it’s still winter for most of the country. I know the folks back home had seven inches of snow and it was 30 degrees out side this week. The days here are hot and lazy.

Monday, Dave and Sandy drove over to visit us from Phoenix, AZ. We had a wonderful time; we just sat outside here with Sharon and TJ and visited. We went to Cracker Barrel for lunch; too soon it was time for them to go. We don’t know when we will see them again. They are headed to Red Bay, Alabama for work on their coach. Eventually, they will head home to Minnesota. Thank you for coming to visit, we will miss you guys.

After they dropped us home and left, Sharon and TJ and Kathy and Larry had the pegs and jokers board set up, so we played that game until dark. Thanks guys, a fun time was had by all.

Tuesday, we went to the new casino, Quechan, on the way to Mexico, with Joe and Alice and their friends. We enjoyed the buffet, really good food for a casino just opening two weeks ago. When we got home, we were invited over to Kathy and Larry’s for his very colorful campfire. He’s put copper pipe with holes in the pipe, and rubber hose. It makes the fire turn incredible colors. I couldn’t get a good picture of it, but I tried.

Wednesday, we had some running to do. Then at 4pm, we met up with Joe and Alice and nine other of their friends and went back out to the Yuma lights. We brought food and had a hot dog feed, then waited for the lights. There must have been around 30 to 40 other cars full of people there to watch for the lights. One guy almost hit Alice with his car, trying to get one of the big fire circles. That night was very warm, the light breeze was warm and the stars were beautiful. The lights came out, but not as impressive as they were the first time we went this year.

Thursday, our friends, Jag and Bev from Ottawa, Canada came over to visit us before I went for my hair appointment. They had spent the winter down by Cabo San Lucas. It sounded like they had a wonderful adventure.

I made an appointment to have my hair colored. I ended up at a place called Cost Cutters. I thought it was very close to where we are parked. It turned out to be twelve miles away and I was late. But the young man said no problem, and did my hair anyway. Well, this isn’t the best color I have had, but I know it will need to be colored again in about four weeks.

When I got home Sharon had made dinner for us all. She fixed wonderful fajitas with beans and rice, and had strawberry margaritas for us to start; and I brought out the rest of the fruit salad and lemon cake I had taken to the Yuma lights. Good food, good friends, thank you Sharon. Then we all went to play pegs and jokers with a group of their friends who lived in and around the Puget Sound. There were three tables of six each. It was my first time on my own. My goodness, those guys were vicious, they ended up winning.

Friday we went back to the Swap Meet for things we decided on getting. It was very crowded when we arrived, but our car was the only one left where we parked it by 2:30.

When we got home, Sharon invited us to have dinner again with them. She had made pork steak, potatoes and carrots in her crock pot. It was delicious. Thank you again, Sharon. I told her I would cook for her on Saturday. Again we played pegs and jokers.

Saturday, I slept in; I hadn’t been sleeping very well this past week. After a lazy morning, Chuck and I decided to go to Cocopah Casino for a couple of hours. When we got home we sat out and visited with TJ and Sharon. I then went in to start dinner. We had steaks, which TJ grilled on the barbeque, thank you TJ; they were delicious, I made fried potatoes and onions and we had fresh pineapple and grapes. Dessert was fresh chocolate chip cookies.

After dinner, Chuck and I taught them to play 10,000. It’s a fast, easy game to play and most of the time doesn’t take too long, and any number can play.

So that was our week. Sharon and TJ are planning on leaving here Monday or so, they want to go visit with family and friends. We will be gone when they come back. I will miss all their company, their many kindnesses and being with good friends. Thank you again Sharon and TJ for letting us come into your lives and sharing a bit of our time with you. You guys are the best!

Till next time, I’ll see you sometime down the road……Lorraine

3/1/09                 

Chuck’s Report

This was a quiet week for us, one we have been looking forward to having.  It is great to be retired and not have much on our schedule. 

Sunday, TJ/Sharon and their neighbors, Larry/Kathy went four wheeling for a few hours.  While they were gone, Lorraine prepared a dinner for all of us, pork steak in mushroom gravy, cooked in the slow cooker. 

On Monday, our friends from Minnesota, Dave/Sandy, came down from Phoenix to visit for a portion of the day.  They traveled over 200 miles ONE WAY to visit with us.  Sandy had just returned from a quick trip to Minnesota, leaving Dave to play bachelor for a few day, all alone in their motorhome.  We had a very good visit with them, went to lunch and wished them a safe travel back to their motorhome.  And we were glad to hear the family and friend medical problems are looking somewhat better.

We met them about one year ago and they have become very good friends already.  We don’t know when our paths will cross again but I’m sure they will.  I have mentioned before how many folks we have met in the past 18 months who will become life-long friends and I count these two in that group, they are good folks.  Dave/Sandy, thanks for driving over 400 miles to see us, looking forward to seeing you next time, whenever, wherever that may be. 

Dave and Sandy at lunch with us, good friends.  Dave has a picture in his blog of a ~2 foot rattlesnake close to their motorhome.   Sandy had just walked by that area and didn’t see it,if it was there.  Be careful out there guys.

There has been enough rain this winter to allow the desert to green up and start flowering.  We are having warm to hot temperatures during the daytime (high 70s to high 80s).  We hear it snowed again back in Bellingham, about 7” in places.  Sorry to hear that but we sure like this weather.

Hard to see but there are lots of purple flowers out in the desert.

Even the cactus are blooming, this one has red flowers on the tips.

Another Arizona sunset.

Tuesday Lorraine and I met Joe/Alice at a new casino where we had a a good buffet dinner.  Afterward, we were invited over to Larry/Kathy’s for a campfire.  Larry put a copper pipe with a piece of garden hose in it in the fire pit, it creates lots of colors, from greens to blues.  We set around and enjoyed the fire and good company with Larry/Kathy and TJ/Sharon.  The following pictures don’t do the colors justice but show some color. 

 

Wednesday afternoon we went back to see the Yuma lights once again.  We met up with Joe/Alice and some of their friends.  This is the third time we have traveled out to see these, the first time (last year) we were the only ones there, a week ago there was another group who came in after us but this time there were about 6 different groups, maybe 30 cars all together.  We had a good time visiting, cooked hot dogs then waited for it to get dark and the light show to begin.  It did get dark but the light show didn’t thrill us, we saw lights maybe three times and very faint at that.  We had a good time but were really disappointed in the lack of lights this time. 

Most of our group shown here, notice the two other groups in the back.  Lots of folks came out this day.

Joe doing a good job as head chef on the grill.  Thanks Joe, good job. 

Thursday Jag/Bev, our friends from Ottawa, came over to TJ/Sharon’s lot where we are staying and we had a good visit with them.  We first met them last year when they came to visit with our group at Quartzsite and again at Red Bay, Alabama.  They told us about their just completed three month trip to Baja.  They were with a caravan on the way down and back only, the rest of the time they were on their own.  I had followed along with their blog but listening to them sure reinforced the good time they had.  They are leaving here today, good travels to you and looking forward to our next visit down the road.  Jag has built his own web page and has one of the better blogs with great pictures. 

Jag and Bev at TJ/Sharon’s lot.  They sure seem to have good adventures wherever they travel.

Lorraine had to leave while they were here because she had a hair appointment that morning.  I’m sure she will give more info on that but I will say it turned out nice again.  I should have taken a picture but forgot, shoot.  After Lorraine got home, Sharon invited us to dinner, she had made fajitas for us.  

After dinner we went to TJ/Sharon to a nearby RV park where they play Pegs and Jokers on Thursday night.  There were about 18 people there so we split up into three groups of six.  We had a good time playing cards with this group, they were lots of fun.  Even though we are relative newbies to this game, I think we managed to play ok.  One of the gals, Diana,  playing was in the Hospital Auxiliary with Lorraine many years ago in Bellingham, its a small world. 

Friday we headed back to the Yuma swap meet, we wanted to pick up a few things.  We stopped off at the Super Wal-Mart on the way back and got a few supplies for the house too.  Once again, Sharon surprised us with a good dinner.  She had made pork steak, potatoes, carrots and gravy, um, um, good.  

Saturday, Lorraine and I went to another local casino for a couple of hours.  Lorraine was planning to cook dinner for TJ/Sharon so when we got home, she started getting things ready.  Lorraine made fried potatoes, a fruit salad and fresh, hot, chocolate chip cookies for dessert  Meanwhile, I pawned off the job of cooking the steaks to TJ, who did an excellent job.  Once again, um, um, good.  I’m watching my figure and its getting out where I can see it again.  What with all this good cooking going on, I’d better start taking Misty for longer walks.

During the week we managed to get a few games of Pegs and Jokers in with TJ/Sharon.  Sharon must be thinking we know what we are doing as she “hacks’ me off every chance she gets.  We sure have fun with them, sometimes the laughter goes beyond the boundary of their lot.  Saturday night, Lorraine wanted to play a dice game, called 10,000, with them.  Sharon won the first game, the second was a “no contest” because she got  5,000 points before everyone got on the board.  She was sure rolling those dice. 

We got one bit of bad news this week.  One of the original foreman at the refinery, Andy (Leroy) Anderson, passed away.  He and his wife, Shirley, and their son Brian, who I worked with at the refinery also, have become good friends of ours.  Sorry to hear about Andy’s passing, your family is in our prayers.  As the old Irish saying goes, “May you be in Heaven two days before the devil knows you’ve passed”, or something like that.  Bye Andy, you were one of the good ones and will be missed. 

That brings us up to date for this week. a quiet week.  We have had good meals, good games and good times with lots of friends, just what we wanted.  We had been planning on leaving Yuma this week but Lorraine found out about an event going on here this week so we are staying for one more week, more on that during next week’s report.  So until then - - - -

Thanks   Chuck

Another week in Yuma

 

Sunday, February 22, 2009                                                                                                                   Lorraine’s Report

Wow, where do the days go? Another week has passed so very quickly. We are still here in Yuma, AZ and my car thermometer said it was 81 degrees on Saturday, and it was sunny and beautiful out. This is February in the desert! I knew there were other parts of the country where the weather wasn’t gray, wet and cold all winter, like in Bellingham. It just took 35 years for us to find where.

Sunday was go see the “Yuma Lights” on Sunday evening. You need a clear, moonless night to see them. Sunday was a cloudy day, but Steve and Sandy were leaving on Monday, so this would be the only day for them to go. The Yuma Lights are not lights, but more like a fog or mist that shows up on a mountain in the middle of the desert. They can’t be explained. We were lucky they showed up that night, but only for a short time. We went with Mike and Linda, who found the way and led us to the place. Also along were TJ and Sharon, Larry and Kathy, Steve and Sandy, and us. . There were hot dogs, three pasta salads and a fruit salad and lemon bars, as well as snack food. I didn’t think we would see them, but the clouds parted, the stars came out and the lights showed up. Sandy said she could smell salt or something when they were there.

Monday was Susy’s birthday and it was hard for me, but TJ and Sharon and Larry and Kathy came to my rescue. We spent the afternoon playing Pegs and Jokers, so the afternoon went by quickly. Thanks guys, I appreciated your kindness.

Monday we were invited to dinner with Mark and Sue and Connie and Manuel, and the owners of the place where they were parked, Ed and La Vaughn’s, and Mike and Linda and Janey and Pete. This would be the last night we would see them all for quite a while. Mark and Sue and Connie and Manny were headed back to their home in Louisiana and Texas on Wednesday, after a quick trip to Mexico to go to the dentist for a cleaning. It was a wonderful potluck with barbeque ribs, Sue’s gumbo and Connie’s beans and rice, and Janey’s wonderful chocolate brownie cake. It was the first time several of us had gumbo. Thank you everyone for a wonderful evening. We were there till late. It’s so hard to say good bye to good friends, knowing you will not be seeing them for a long while. This week we said goodbye to Steve and Sandy, and Connie and Manny, as well as Mike and Linda. We hope to see Mark and Sue again shortly, as they want to go to Alaska with us in the spring.

Tuesday, Chuck had to figure out our schedule for the next couple of months, so I took the car and went shopping. I had lots of little things to look for. I spent several hours by myself trying to complete my “to do” list.

Wednesday Chuck and I went grocery shopping. We stocked up on Albertson’s meat sale and the rest of the stuff at Wal-Mart. In the evenings, we’ve been playing pegs and jokers with TJ and Sharon and Larry and Kathy.

Thursday Chuck and I went shopping for clothing for the wedding where we will be standing up for Richard and Sandy in June. That day TJ and Sharon came home with a new puppy, a cute little ball of fluff named Gidget. She is a bishon frisee and just a bundle of energy. Cocoa has a new playmate now.

That afternoon Joe and Alice came in from Hemet, CA where they said it had been raining for the past two weeks and had been really cold. We had a nice visit and made plans to meet up on Friday when they moved into the lot they rented for a month.

Friday we met up with Joe and Alice and went to the Swap Meet. I finally made it down all the aisles at the meet. We all had a nice time. It has been heating up all week long here and Friday was warm and sunny. We went to dinner with Joe and Alice to Da Boys for spaghetti. TJ and Sharon were invited along, but decided to stay home with the new puppy.

Saturday, Chuck went to a baseball game with Larry and Kathy and TJ. I went to see Slum Dog Millionaire and Sharon stayed home with her new puppy. I thoroughly enjoyed the movie and decided I should buy it when it comes out in a few months.

So that was my week. My prayers are with you Lora for you and your family and with you too Sandy and Dave. I hope everyone’s health improves.

Until next week, see you down the road…..Lorraine

 

Sunday 2/2209                                                                                                                                      Chuck’s report

Another week has gone by.  This was a much quieter one even though we go a lot done.  We had some friends leave this week but also had some come in. 

On Sunday night, a bunch of us got together and headed out to see the “Yuma Lights”.  I can’t explain what they are but will try.  Out in the desert there is one hill that has some sort of light show on it.  Some say it comes from inside the hill, others say it’s a reflection for car/train/plane, others say it’s a spirit of the mountains, I say I don’t know. 

We had to drive on about 6 miles of gravel roads to get there, then go through a small tunnel under the railroad.  We got there about 5:00 or so, started a fire and Steve set up the Bar-B-Q for hot dogs.  The ladies brought enough food to feed about twice the number of folks that were there so we had plenty.  It started to get dark a bit after 6:00 and around 7:15 or so, the lights came out.  Compared to last year, they were larger but not as bright or as frequent.  A couple of times they moved across L to R then back, other times they just lit up and faded away.  They aren’t bright enough to get a picture but interesting just the same.  We plan on going out one more time before we leave the area. 

   Here is the tunnel we had to drive through.  It has standing water and you can’t see the ruts that try to throw you into the walls. 

  Standing around waiting for dark.  The hills behind us are where the lights show up.  They covered the small hill on the left and about 1/2 of the large one. 

  Enough food for an army.

  Snacks too.

  Here is a picture of the hills during one of the light episodes, doesn’t show a thing.

On Monday evening we were invited to dinner where Mark/Sue and Manuel/Connie were staying.  They were planning on going to Mexico for some dental work then leaving the next day.  Others there included the owners of the place where they were parked, Ed/La Vaughn, their friends Pete/Janey and Mike and Linda (of Quartzsite fame).  We had a very good time visiting with our friends and the food was great.  The only downer was knowing we wouldn’t see some of them for a while but that didn’t dampen our fun. 

The gals at dinner.

The guys at dinner.

Let the BS begin, Mark is in charge here.

On Thursday, Joe and Alice came to town.  They over to our lot and we visited with them, got caught up on what’s happened.  On Friday, we went to the Yuma market (I call it the swap meet) with them, then went to dinner. 

Also on Thursday TJ and Sharon got a new addition to their family, a little puppy they named Gidget.  I’m not sure of the spelling but it’s a Bishon Frisee.  They already have one about two years old and they are already friends.  Our dog, Misty, had her motherly instincts come out with the puppy.  

Sharon with the new puppy, she sure is happy.

Another one of Sharon and Gidget. 

TJ and the puppy.

Here is Coco, their two year old. 

Saturday I went to a winter league baseball game with TJ and his neighbors, Larry/Kathy.  Lorraine likes to go to the movie house and I don’t so she took advantage of this time to go see a movie.  The local boys lost the game 2 –4 but it was nice anyway.  Can’t beat the weather for watching a baseball game, high 70s, sunny with just a little breeze.  I can take more of this weather, that’s for sure. 

The rest of the week was filled with normal activities.   We were able to get in a couple games of Pegs and Jokers with TJ/Sharon and Larry/Kathy.  If memory serves correct, the guys are ahead in the win column, ha. 

Here is how we like to spend our afternoons.  Lorraine and TJ enjoying the weather.

A picture of TJ/Sharon’s rig.

We don’t have a better picture of them but here is Larry and Kathy sitting in front of their house.  We are parked just this side of the wall shown here.  We have played Pegs and Jokers at their place a couple of time, too. 

So another week, another posting.  Not sure what this week will bring but were are sure of one thing, we plan on enjoying visiting with our friends and will enjoy the weather.  So till next week - - - - 

Thanks  Chuck

Full week in Yuma 2/15/09

 

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

 

  A hot air balloon taking off while we were waiting to get into the restaurant on Saturday.  

Part of the group waiting outside the restaurant.  L to R we have Mike, TJ, Mark, Sue, Lorraine, Ed, Linda and Kay.

At dinner, we have Manuel, (Connie must have just stepped out to take a picture), Mark/Sue, Sandy/Steve and Lorraine/Chuck.

Here we have Bill/Kathy and LaVaughn and Ed.

And at this table we have Mike/Linda and TJ and Sharon.  I guess I’m the only one who knows him as TJ, was a work thing, everyone else calls him Ted. 

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