Arizona Surprises

Having made a multitude of trips to and through Arizona, you'd think there would be no surprises left. Well, guess what---strange things still happen. On our way north to Payson last week, a huge dust storm appeared and caused a 20 car pile-up and three deaths. Thank God we were on an alternate route. While driving down the road from our camp yesterday, we noticed cars standing still. A herd of sheep soon appeared and we were in the middle of a sea of bleating, bouncing sheep being taken to a new pasture. Just this morning, the camper started shaking like crazy as a strong earthquake shook our area. Who knows what's next?

A Woman's Plight

You know you're getting old when your daughter reaches menopause. A young girl is carefree until about twelve, when Mother Nature plays a nasty trick and the cramps, mood swings and general messiness arrive. Unfortunately, this will last for the next forty years, except for an occasional reprieve when she rents out her uterus for nine months of morning sickness, back aches, swollen feet and more mood swings. But none of these can compare to the excruciating pain involved in evicting her tenant. Then, after several months of providing sustenance from her built-in milk machine, she'll start to worry that somebody else will take up residence! Forty years later, this will all come to a halt, but not without a fight---hot flashes, night sweats and weight gain are just part of the deal. Hair in familiar places will disappear and reappear on her upper lip, joints will become stiff, remembering details will be a thing of the past and major mood swings will kick in. Being a woman is a tough job but somebody has to do it because no man would tolerate it for a second. In fact, I think I'll be a man in my next life!

Christmas 2009

Merry Christmas to all. We are very fortunate to be in Arizona, avoiding the huge snowstorm in South Dakota. There will be ample opportunity for families to bond today---not a bad thing at all. In this busy season it's often tough to find time for each other so today there will be a reprieve, with many games played, movies watched and love shared. Have a wonderful,loving day and thank the Lord for His Gift.

An Un-snowman

Living in the desert doesn't necessarily mean that there are no snowmen---there are un-snowmen. Due to the ingenuity of some park residents, we have a tumbleweed man. He's fat and jolly and does his job very well. From the beginning of time man has adapted to his surroundings, using the materials available to ensure survival and sometimes just for entertainment. At least this Frosty won't melt!

Mr. Sensitive

The DH isn't exactly known for his sensitivity. He says what he thinks and always tells the truth, no matter how painful. When I mentioned that a high school classmate looked old, he asked me if I'd looked in the mirror lately. He says overweight women are soft and I'm soft enough! He doesn't care about the niceties of life and a favorite saying is, "That's good enough." Our friends are learning not to ask him about their cooking because he'll tell them the truth. On his softer side, however, he observed two hummingbirds fighting over the feeder and hung a second one so they wouldn't need to share, or after voicing his dislike for dogs, continuously encourages a cute little Australian shepherd to jump on his lap. He likes to think he's a grumpy old bear but he's actually just a pussy cat!

Woman Power

In this economic downturn everybody has to pinch pennies, including seniors. We shop at the flea markets, buy meds in Mexico, play cards for entertainment. When someone needs help, friends show up to offer suggestions and manpower, lightening the load. There are times, however, when it's necessary to open the purse strings. Our friends will be celebrating their 50th anniversary this week. She informed him that they will be celebrating with a group of people and it will NOT be at Burger King or Jack-in-the-Box! Sometimes you just have to lay down the law.

Christmas Spirit

I'm happy to report that the Christmas Spirit is alive and well in Yuma. A young gentleman noticed a senior citizen struggling with a propane tank and carried it to his truck for him. A homeless person was escorted into a Subway and told to order anything he wanted. After a night of very high winds, several awnings and Arizona rooms were damaged so the camp was busy this AM with neighbors helping neighbors. I've observed that most people are good-hearted if given the opportunity. Have you done your good deed for today?

A Peaceful Bird

It's dove hunting season in Arizona and along with annoying the park residents, the gunshots are driving the dogs up the wall. Why anybody would want to shoot a peaceful dove is beyond me. It can't be for food because they're no more than 4 bites each! The poor birds are hiding under bushes, quaking in their little birdie boots. If these hunters feel the need to shoot something, they should join the Army and head for Iraq or Afghanistan!

A Tan Christmas

The holiday season is once more upon us. Now that we've spent several Christmases in the desert, it no longer bothers me to see palms instead of pines and bougainvilleas instead of poinsettias. It's wonderful to see imaginations at work decorating campers and lighting the palm trees. A tan Christmas is as good as a white Christmas since the Spirit resides here also. We're all aware of the reason for the season--it doesn't really matter where we celebrate as long as Christ remains in Christmas and in our hearts.