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.