Happy New Year

Another year is drawing to an end and we are not sorry to see it go. 2008 was a time of neverending campaigning, continuous wars, scandals, economic woes and bail-outs of staggering proportions. Now we need to have faith that our new leaders will be able to guide us out of the muck. For tonight, though, many folks will drink too much, trying to forget their problems for a few hours. Unfortunately, they'll still be there tomorrow. Oh, well, bottoms up! Happy 2009.

Teaching An Old Dog New Tricks

We are educated by our grandchildren every day: It's okay to be afraid of horses, but not computers. If you stay up 'till the wee hours playing W.O.W, you can still function the next day. Breakfast isn't necessary if you eat snacks all night. Hard work and dedication produce a golden report card of all A's. It's alright to look like a raccoon if all of your friends look like raccoons too. After you've been away to college for a year or so, home isn't the same (and never will be). Sisters and brothers make good friends. Mom and Dad get smarter every year. Socialize and then socialize some more. But the most important thing they've taught us is that they are not afraid of the future and I think they'll handle it just fine!

Name That Town

I love the names of the small Arizona towns---Snowflake, Strawberry, Rye, Cornville, Globe---just to name a few. The early settlers were really quite whimsicle. Wouldn't it be fun to say you lived in Strawberry or Sunflower? Then when you get to Yuma, the avenues are named 1E, 2E, 3E, etc. and the streets are A,B,C, etc. I guess the imaginative settlers didn't make it that far south.

Aftermath

Christmas is over, but the aftermath remains. It takes awhile for a house to absorb the new clothes, games, books, etc. I'm amazed by the way this happens. Closets seem to expand, toys move over to make room for the newcomers, current games join the rest of the group. Everything is eventually put in it's proper place and the house returns to normal, or at least as normal as possible with a family living there.

The High Life

It's always interesting to visit Arizona's High Country. I never tire of looking at the saguaro cactus, arms lifted to the sky, as if to say, "Here I am." They only have a certain area where they thrive and when the elevation becomes too high, they don't grow. Saguaros are so dense on some hills that they are referred to as forests. I've never been fortunate enough to be there when they flower, but can you imagine the awesome sight of thousands of saguaros decked out for spring?

The Spirit of Christmas

The Christmas Spirit is an awesome phenomenon. Good will toward men is flowing like wine. Toys for needy children are being collected by the busfull, the homeless have been fed huge meals all week, people have traveled hundreds of miles to be with loved ones. But what about tomorrow? The children will still be needy, the homeless will still be hungry, families will still be separated and wars will continue. The Lord sent one Man to save the world but we need to do our part also. If we each performed a small kindness or act of compassion daily, then multiplied it by a couple of billion, the atmosphere would change dramatically. Wishing you all a Blessed Christmas and a kinder New Year.

The Long Wait

It's finally Christmas Eve. Sometimes it seems like it takes forever for Christmas to come and when it arrives, we complain that it crept up on us. This is the day for the last-minute shopping, late gift wrapping, distributing goodies to friends and neighbors. The rhubarb pie is in the oven, the ham is ready to go in. Guests will arrive at 6 sharp. By 10 o'clock, gifts will all be opened, the house will be filled with torn wrapping paper and empty boxes. Everybody will be exhausted, but go to bed happy. Tomorrow will be a day for family, church and relaxation. Merry Christmas to all.

Here Comes Grandma!

Over the highways and through the sand, to Payson we will go.
Gramps knows how far to drive the car, through cactus forests and snow.

We've packed our warm clothes so we won't freeze our toes but our noses will probably run.

Christmas is here, so let's be of good cheer and have a lot of fun.

Happy Holidays, everybody!

B-r-r-r

It's the first day of winter, and from the weather reports, winter actually started several days ago. Both coasts are snowed in, along with the plains states. We're sitting here in the Southwest enjoying the blue skies and complaining about the cold nights. Shame on us! We are very fortunate to be avoiding the sub-zero temperatures, the howling winds and the piles of snow. The snowbirds send greetings to the folks at home. Wish you were here.

Visions of Sugar Plums

Christmas carols on the radio, decorated trees, wrapped gifts---all signs of the approach of Christmas. It won't be long before we hear the prancing of reindeer hooves on the roof and a hearty ho-ho-ho. But we need to stop the chaos long enough to remember the wonderful Gift from God that is the Reason for the Season. It's astonishing to realize He loved us so unconditionally that He sent His Son to save us from our selfish ways. In these stressful days, we need the "Christ" in Christmas more than ever. Say a special prayer for mankind.

Little Bo Peep

It never ceases to amaze us to see flocks of sheep that are moved from one field to another. Ranchers from Montana, etc. bring their sheep to Yuma to fatten them up. Within a few days, they have mown the vegetation down to the ground and are moved on to the next field. Poor Little Bo Peep would go crazy down here! At first, we thought there were no boundaries, but they are surrounded by an electric fence. Seeing a huge flock of sheep flowing down the road is always an eye opener. It's a sight we've never seen at home!

Shave and a Haircut, 2 bits!

Haircuts have become quite expensive, so to remedy that, seniors go to Mexico. Barber/beauty shops are almost as abundant as pharmacies and dentists. Anyway, the girls in the shops are very skilled and charge just $3 for a haircut. It wouldn't be fiscally wise to drive 20 miles, and pay $5 for parking just to have a trim, but we're always going for meds, dental visits, glasses, etc. Somebody always needs something. Besides, they make the world's best donuts!

Santa Claus is coming---

Christmas is in the air. People are scurrying around like roadrunners, doing last minute shopping. The post offices are packed with grandparents, mailing presents and gift cards to those precious grandchildren at home. Although we're far away, our thoughts will be with our loved ones at Christmas. A few of the residents of our camp will fly home for the holidays, but most will celebrate by phone and mail. We'll be going to central AZ to spend a week or so with my daughter and her family. I don't think I could tolerate being away from EVERYBODY at Christmas!

War Zone

Our camp is located just a few miles from a Marine Base. Thus, we are privy to a lot of military action. For example: It's not unusual to follow a tank down the highway, jets fly over every day, helicopters buzz our camp each evening between 8:30 and 9. In fact, they must have been quite low last night because the camper shook and books fell off a shelf in the bedroom. The DH was sleeping and thought we'd had an earthquake! But the epitome was last weekend when the guys were exploding old ammunition in the desert a couple of miles away. Everybody came running out to see what was going on---we thought we were being invaded. This area is similar to the environment in Iraq so the troops are trained here and they make life very interesting for the old fogies!

A Lot of Lettuce

Lettuce is constantly being trucked down the roads. We never go anyplace without seeing several loads of veggies headed to market. Agriculture accounts for 50 percent of the economy for this area. Yuma County has 175,000 acres of farmland under irrigation which, in turn, produces 90 percent of the country's winter vegetables. 50,000 workers are employed daily by the produce industry and the greatest number of these come from Mexico, being bussed over the border before dawn and returned after dark. It's back-breaking work that pays well, but farmers are complaining about labor shortages. Since the produce industry brings in 3.2 billion dollars per year, their concern is understandable. However you look at it, that's a lot of lettuce!

Keeping Promises

We saw a beautiful rainbow above the palm trees and it reminded me that a rainbow is God's promise never to send another worldwide flood. I wonder how many of us are as conscientious about keeping promises. It's so easy to make a pledge in the heat of the moment and then forget all about it. Politicians are famous for promising the world and not delivering a thing, but ordinary citizens can be just as bad. It seems like convenience is a large factor in promise-keeping. Think back to the last promise you made. Did you keep it?

A Desert Christmas

Christmas in the desert is different than it is in the snowy areas, but no less joyous. Instead of decorating our houses, we drape our campers with lights and wreaths. Some are so loaded that they could collapse under the weight any second. Ours isn't quite that bad, but we do have blinking lights accompanied by Christmas carols, wreaths and a lighted deer feeding on a cactus. Fun!

Let There Be Light

The season of light has arrived. It's inspiring to drive down the road and be greeted by decorated trees and houses. I still marvel at the lighted palm trees replacing the evergreens of home. Some areas have several of them in a row, glowing like giant candles on an earthy birthday cake. This is very appropriate since we will soon be celebrating the Christ Child's birth. Even the heavens have joined in the show. Several nights ago, Jupiter and Venus lined up next to the moon and shone like diamonds in the black velvet sky. Who can compete with that?

O, Canada!

I don't understand why everybody's so concerned by the influx of Mexicans. The invasion is coming from Canada. I swear half of the country is down here for the winter. We're surrounded with Canadians--Beautiful British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Ontario, just to name a few. Actually, they're very nice people and a lot of fun. They love to dance and gamble and play games---our type of friends. They do have some funny expressions, though. It took me forever to figure out that a "chesterfield" is a couch (I thought it was a brand of cigarettes) and they don't say "Z", they call it "Zed". Oh, well, we're all learning something every day; we have to keep these old brains active so they don't stop working!

Pucker Up!

It's lemon pickin' time in Yuma. The workers are plucking lemons like crazy. Truck beds are piled high with the yellow fruit as they run back and forth on the highways. Lemon trees have very sharp thorns so the workers wear long heavy gloves up to their elbows. They stand on ladders to pick and then the lemons are put into wooden crates and dumped into the trucks. The groves are lush and beautiful right now, but my favorite time will come next March when they bloom. The aroma smells like the nectar of the gods as it wafts through the air on a balmy evening. No wonder fancies turn to love in the Spring.

Christmas Countdown

Christmas is coming; the goose is getting fat---and so will we. 'Tis the season for fudge, decorated cookies, specialty breads, etc., etc., etc. It will soon be time to start up the oven and begin the goodie parade, distributing fat laden treats to the neighbors. No wonder January is considered to be Diet Month.

Pool Sharks

Sometimes things get slow even in Paradise so the DH goes to the Club House and plays pool with his buddies. They have to play in the mornings because a group of ladies have card games every afternoon. If the guys are there too long, the women start complaining loudly and kick them out! I've mentioned before that we live among a bunch of ancient teenagers and this is just another example. I thought that their hormones and testosterone would be all dried up by now, but even the old and decrepit can get their hackles up if the circumstances are right. It seems that you're never too old for a good fight!

Creepy Crawlers

There seem to be more critters than usual in camp this year. A massive tarantula was spotted a few campers away and was described as "beautiful". I didn't believe that! Somebody else was treated to the sight of a huge scorpion in her yard and another person saw a rattlesnake in the road. So far, we've been spared---no creepy crawlies have been seen in our area of the park. The only thing we've witnessed is tiny lizards chasing up and down our palm tree and that's close enough for me!

It's Puzzling

RV's are not unlike puzzles. Everything has a certain spot. I'm always rearranging our things and then forgetting where they are. The DH has given up on finding items---he just asks me---and I'll tell him, "Left side of the top shelf of the upper kitchen cabinets " or "The bottom right corner of the drawer under the TV, underneath the phone book." It's amazing how quickly we adapt to our small winter home. Nobody needs a huge living area if you have the necessities and compatible companions. We're having the time of our lives and plan to keep it up for a long, long time!

Control Those Dogs

We're having "dog wars" in camp. This is one of the few RV camps that allows dogs and some people are taking advantage of it. Nobody appreciates the little, and sometimes not so little, gifts left on the road and in yards. We definitely don't appreciate the ghost dog that lifts his leg on our AZ room early every morning or the big oaf who lumbers through our flowers while her owner watches. So, one morning I sprinkled hot pepper sauce around and watched for sneezing dogs!

A Day at a Time

Since we left AZ last Spring, several park residents have been widowed. One of them is quite a lot younger than our normal population, but we've convinced him that he needs to stay here. This camp is a wonderful Support Group, as 3/4 of us have been there. We're testimony to the fact that life does continue after the death of a spouse. When someone dies, a huge hole is left in the lives of the survivors, but it is gradually filled, a day at a time. Life is for the living!

Changes

I'm afraid that the DH is morphing into a turtle! He sits in the sun like a reptile, soaking up rays. The only difference is that turtles don't smoke pipes or sit in the sun or drink vodka cocktails. Guess I'll just leave him be unless he develops a hard shell.

Rain, Rain Go Away!

Who says it doesn't rain in the desert? We had a good old thunder and lightning storm with rain that poured for over 2 hours straight! Of course, the sand is like cement and water takes forever to soak in. So guess what? We had lakes all over the place. Yesterday morning was spent hauling out the wet items from the Arizona rooms----furniture, rugs, clothing---anything that we thought was safe. It just goes to show that Mother Nature is full of surprises!

Thanks for the Memories

Yesterday was a different Thanksgiving for us. For the first time in forever, we didn't spend the day with any family members. We had dinner in the park with friends (and didn't even have to cook). It was delicious, of course. Then, we went to Walmart and bought a new flat screen television, stopped by the casino and made money, and played cards for the rest of the evening. Today we're thankful to just have some peace and quiet!

Still Life

I always admired the watermelon picture that hung in my grandma's dining room. Somehow, it got lost in the shuffle when my grandparents passed on and I haven't seen one since. Now my daughter has become fascinated with still life paintings and has one on the wall in her dining room. It's from the same era as the watermelon picture and brings back pleasant childhood memories every time I see it.

Roadrunners vs. Snowbirds

Roadrunners are a joy to watch. They are participating in a neverending race, darting in and out of the citrus groves, searching for a buggy snack. They do have competitors, however. They hang out in downtown Old Yuma at a dancehall called "The Golden Roadrunner". These are known as Snowbirds, and although a few are still quite lively and capable of hopping and skipping, others can barely move and must hold each other up. Alas, the Roadrunners have no competition from the Snowbirds!

A Friendly Lap

The DH says that he doesn't like animals, but they definitely like him. While sitting on the porch at the lake, a stray cat jumped on his lap and refused to leave. Then one day last week, a neighbor stopped by with her little dog. Sure enough, the pup immediately hopped onto his lap and settled there. It's a good thing he doesn't have that effect on women!

A Different Type of Alien

There is a race of people in Mexico that are no more than 4 1/2 feet tall. They remind me of ancient children and the DH refers to them as "aliens". He's convinced that they come from another planet, but I'm quite sure that real aliens wouldn't choose to sell fake jewelry in a small Mexican border town!

Pink Skies

I love sunsets, wherever we are. My DH questions my compulsion to photograph them but I just tell him that they're all different---and they are. The displays in South Dakota are simpler than the complex layers present in the Arizona sunsets, but every one is exotic. They're all beautiful poems from the Almighty.

Keep the Spirit

There are many kinds of spirits---the Holy Spirit, the Great White Spirit, the Spirit of Christmas, just to name a few. Some cultures believe in fairies, gnomes and tree spirits. Well, we have a face on our palm tree, so I guess we believe in them too. I like to think it watches over us and keeps us safe. Since the holidays are almost here, concentrate on keeping your spirits up!

Crab Legs

There's a billboard outside of Gila Bend, AZ that states, "Home of 1700 friendly people and 5 old crabs." Well, I convinced the DH that I needed a picture of that sign so he pulled over and I took one. In about 2 minutes, a highway patrol officer was asking for his driver's license--it seems that we stopped next to a sign that prohibited stopping on the highway. When I explained what we were doing, he laughed and said, "I guess I'm one of the 5 crabs." Thankfully, he just gave us a warning and let us continue on our way. I'm afraid there would have been 6 old crabs in town if the DH had received a ticket!

Aunt Ella

My dad had a sister that was less than an immaculate housekeeper. Every summer, we'd go to St. Paul to visit the grandparents and aunts and uncles. I usually ended up staying at this aunt's house because I wanted to be with my cousin. Even as a kid I knew that beds shouldn't smell stale (they should be April fresh, like mine), dish rags were not supposed to be slimey, and dog hair was not an acceptable garnish for ice cream. Later, at home, if I did a sloppy job on dishes or didn't make my bed, Mother would say, "Okay, Aunt Ella", and I'd straighten right up!

Mexican Wal-Mart

We've made our first trek to Mexico for this season so winter has officially begun. I kind of miss the greeters at the gate with their cries of, "Mexican Wal-Mart; Cheapest prices in town; Lady, lady, buy my gold chains." They are no longer allowed to harrass the tourists but they can still run around with armloads of jewelry and painted turtles. Remarkably, the more times you say "no" the lower the price goes. You can't get a blue light special like that at WalMart!

Small Town Hospitality

There's a small cafe in Arlington, Kansas that we just love. It's run by Mennonites and everything is homemade. We always try to spend our second night out in this town so we can have supper and then breakfast the next morning. The waitresses still wear long dresses with aprons and little white hats on the backs of their heads. They're such nice, friendly people. Hot homemade rolls are available every morning and coffee or tea are complimentary, sponsored by local businessmen. It's too bad more places don't have the community spirit (and great food) that can be found at Carolyn's Essenhaus.

A History Lesson

While driving through New Mexico and Arizona we are always amazed at the extent of the lava fields. Ancient volcanoes spewed their debris for miles and miles, covering the land with porous, black rocks. Every so often, we'll see a pointed mountain in the distance---probably an extinct volcano. A trek through this country is like a history lesson. It makes one more aware of the geological changes that have taken place throughout the ages. Unfortunately, the same thing happens to people, but it's a lot faster!

Cat Tracks

During the hot summer months, stray cats live under the unoccupied RVs. Ours is enclosed but there was a small opening near the sewer line where they could sneak in. One morning I opened the storage area and 2 little kitties were staring at me. Another day our neighbors saw a tomcat squeeze through the hole. Since the shed had a decidedly "catty" smell, the DH and his friend built a box that would give access to the dump but stop the feline traffic. I'm sure our family will be happy to hear that we are no longer running a cat house!

One Way or Another

Life is unpredictable. Many years ago, my oven was acting up and I made the statement to my late husband that I was getting a new stove one way or another. Well, during a thunderstorm, lightning struck a transformer and consequently zapped several of our appliances. The insurance company replaced them all and I told the LH, "See, God wanted me to have a new stove too." It just goes to show that if you want something badly enough, you'll get it---one way or another!

Desert Storm

We're having a "sandicane" today. The wind is blowing like crazy, dust clouds are rolling down the roads, everything is covered in a fine coat of sand. Awnings and Arizona rooms are dropping like flies. The mountains to the east no longer exist.
They're completely blocked out by the dust. 99% of our winter days here are next to Paradise but once in awhile, just to keep us from being too smug, we have a day from hell. Who says God doesn't have a sense of humor?

Burning the Candle

Teenagers have a way of burning the candle at both ends. They go, go, go until they can't go anymore---school, band, ball games, movies---some even hold down jobs. You name it, they're involved in it. During the teen years, friends take precedence over family, but they'll eventually realize that they can have both. Fifty years down the road, they'll be lucky if they can burn the candle at ONE end!

Changes

We have a new president-elect and the world is celebrating with us (except Russia). What a wonderful change. We need to have confidence in this brilliant young man and the people he chooses to assist him. He's taken on a tremendous burden---may God bless him.

Winter Wonderland

We've finally landed in our winter haven and have been working our buns off getting settled. Everything we own is wrinkled and covered with dust, including ourselves. The good news is that all of the appliances work. After sitting through a summer of 100+ degree weather, we're always apprehensive about what survived and what didn't. I learned years ago that candles melt, paint explodes, face cream dehydrates and pump bottles empty themselves. After a couple more days of vacuuming and window washing, we'll be ready to relax and enjoy the snow-free winter.

Get Out and VOTE

In a couple of days the madness will be over. Some of us will be mad and some of us will be glad. This campaign has gone on way too long and it will be a relief no matter who wins. We must remember that the next president has a huge job ahead of him. It makes me wonder why anyone would even WANT the position. The DH says that God chooses the right person for the office. If that's the case, He must have been pretty disillusioned with mankind when He chose George Walker Bush! Maybe He was testing us to see just how much we could tolerate. Let's hope the next 4 years will be better or at least tolerable.

I Married a Vampire

It's Halloween and I've discovered that my DH is kin to a vampire. We've been on the road for the last 2 days, staying in motels. He goes to sleep about 8 PM and then awakes long before dawn. I've warned him that if he gets up before 5 or 6 o'clock, he'd better keep quiet about it---we don't have to be wandering around in the dark! I'm always glad when the sun comes up because then he turns back into his old sweet self.

Bound for Yuma

Bright and early tomorrow morning we will follow the yellow brick road and hopefully not run into the wizard. Our going away list is completed, the van is packed to the hilt and we're excited to start on another adventure. We've made this trip umpteen times, but it's still fun and interesting. It looks like we're getting out ahead of the snow and really bad weather. The South is quite warm yet---we may even have to run the air conditioner for awhile. It's always sad leaving friends and family here but we have a winter set in Arizona. The change is good. It helps to keep us young!

A Double Blessing

Since my DH and I both had families before we married, we are blessed with two sets of grandchildren. Believe me, that's a lot of kids but we love every one of them. They're all different with unique personalities---some are sweet, some are sassy and a few are downright naughty. It's always fun to visit them or have them visit us, but the best part is that they're not our responsibility. When we've had enough, we can leave or send them home. Parenting is a tough job, but grandparenting is a cinch!