Feb 18 – Feb 24
Monday was a cold and rainy day. The morning line dancing got moved indoors and lots of people showed up. Happy hour also got moved indoors which was a good thing. Ursula was returning home the next day, so it was a chance for a few of us to get together to say goodbye. She won't be back until next season, although Lance is staying until the end of March. Work can be a real drag, but someone has to keep paying into CPP to keep the fund alive. Another fun time, and when we left we (Lance & Ursula and Robin & I) decided cooking was no longer in the plans for the night. Partially thawed meats were returned to the fridges, and we walked over to Waldo's BBQ just down the street from the park. For some reason, we've never been there in the years we've been coming. It was really good and a fun place.
Tuesday my creative juices were flowing. Oil painting class in the morning, home for a bite of lunch then off to another Wine & Art class (acrylics – a St Patrick's Day project).
Monday was a cold and rainy day. The morning line dancing got moved indoors and lots of people showed up. Happy hour also got moved indoors which was a good thing. Ursula was returning home the next day, so it was a chance for a few of us to get together to say goodbye. She won't be back until next season, although Lance is staying until the end of March. Work can be a real drag, but someone has to keep paying into CPP to keep the fund alive. Another fun time, and when we left we (Lance & Ursula and Robin & I) decided cooking was no longer in the plans for the night. Partially thawed meats were returned to the fridges, and we walked over to Waldo's BBQ just down the street from the park. For some reason, we've never been there in the years we've been coming. It was really good and a fun place.
Tuesday my creative juices were flowing. Oil painting class in the morning, home for a bite of lunch then off to another Wine & Art class (acrylics – a St Patrick's Day project).
Back home to rest up for a while and off to dinner, meeting up with Terry & Janet in Apache Junction at Los Gringos Locos. They had arrived a few minutes early and were told a 30-45 minute wait for indoors, so were sitting on the patio, under a heater, when we arrived. Janet went back in and asked to be waitlisted for indoors, as the wind had picked up and it was cold sitting there. We visited for a while, but I was shivering pretty bad, so we decided we'd finish our beverages that had just been delivered and go somewhere else. There was another restaurant across the parking lot and Janet popped over and checked it out. Not busy, so no problem. We tell our server that we're going to finish our drinks and go elsewhere. A couple of minutes later, the hostess calls for the group that was right ahead of Janet in the lineup. Well, maybe we'll get lucky and get called before we finish our drinks. Sure enough, a couple of minutes later, just as the server returns with our bill, they call for us to come inside. Good food and great company. It was nice to catch up. Three days in a row of eating out is just too much. Time to stay home and starve.
Wednesday we had a visit from our at-home-across-the-street neighbours who are visiting family in Mesa. Great to see their faces again and catch up.
Thursday it started raining at about 3am and rarely let up. Cold, wet, windy and generally miserable all day. Not much to do but go shopping (even Robin was bored enough to be on board with retail therapy). No purchases made, but found a great little counter service Mediterranean restaurant called The Green Corner. Awesome gyros. Short nap back at the rig before heading off to a shortened line dance class. We usually dance on the patio for two hours, but not today. They moved us indoors but could only give us an hour because bingo was coming in behind us.
The river down the closest main street in the park was getting deeper, to the point that my shoes were soaked through when I tried to cross on the way home from dancing. A bit later, Robin decided to go out for a drive around the park in the pouring rain and see what the water situation was. The park slopes ever so slightly to the west, so when he reached almost the west end (at the start of the tennis court area) he turned around and came back, rather than risk damage to the car. The road area was pretty deep in water, so heaven knows how much water was in the tennis courts (they are entirely below ground level). Someone actually posted a note on a park Facebook page saying that if the water volleyball players were looking for more playing area, they could move to the tennis courts.
Friday, after the rain pounding down on the roof until 3am (I know because it kept me awake), we awoke to news that snow had been falling as close as North Scottsdale, only 15 miles away as the crow flies.
Wednesday we had a visit from our at-home-across-the-street neighbours who are visiting family in Mesa. Great to see their faces again and catch up.
Thursday it started raining at about 3am and rarely let up. Cold, wet, windy and generally miserable all day. Not much to do but go shopping (even Robin was bored enough to be on board with retail therapy). No purchases made, but found a great little counter service Mediterranean restaurant called The Green Corner. Awesome gyros. Short nap back at the rig before heading off to a shortened line dance class. We usually dance on the patio for two hours, but not today. They moved us indoors but could only give us an hour because bingo was coming in behind us.
The river down the closest main street in the park was getting deeper, to the point that my shoes were soaked through when I tried to cross on the way home from dancing. A bit later, Robin decided to go out for a drive around the park in the pouring rain and see what the water situation was. The park slopes ever so slightly to the west, so when he reached almost the west end (at the start of the tennis court area) he turned around and came back, rather than risk damage to the car. The road area was pretty deep in water, so heaven knows how much water was in the tennis courts (they are entirely below ground level). Someone actually posted a note on a park Facebook page saying that if the water volleyball players were looking for more playing area, they could move to the tennis courts.
Friday, after the rain pounding down on the roof until 3am (I know because it kept me awake), we awoke to news that snow had been falling as close as North Scottsdale, only 15 miles away as the crow flies.
Having lived where winter can be 6 months long, we got a kick out of the drama from the TV reporters about what, in many areas, was to us a mere skiff of snow. But in fairness, there were areas farther north that got slammed. Flagstaff (about 125 miles north) got about 3 ft of snow in 24 hours. Heavy layer of frost on our car this morning and very chilly in the rig despite the oil heater being on all night. Tired from lack of sleep and feeling a bit depressed from the long run of cold weather, I decided it would be a do-nothing day for me. I did go a little domestic and made a batch of cookies, but that was about the extent of any exertion. Robin puttered at a few chores and went out for a bit of groceries. He's been helping the widow behind us with little jobs here and there, and she insisted on taking us out for dinner, so we all went off to Olive Garden and had a good meal and enjoyed getting to know each other better.
Saturday, and we seem to be heading in the right direction weather-wise. By afternoon it was quite cozy sitting out in the sun. The breeze is still cool, but there's a good amount of heat in the sun. Unfortunately, a cold is trying to get a hold on me. So far it's just been slight congestion and a very raspy throat (sore in the morning but eventually eases off) and husky voice. Want to share this gorgeous picture my friend Bev took of the Lost Dutchman in the Superstition Mountains – a sight rarely seen in these parts.
Saturday, and we seem to be heading in the right direction weather-wise. By afternoon it was quite cozy sitting out in the sun. The breeze is still cool, but there's a good amount of heat in the sun. Unfortunately, a cold is trying to get a hold on me. So far it's just been slight congestion and a very raspy throat (sore in the morning but eventually eases off) and husky voice. Want to share this gorgeous picture my friend Bev took of the Lost Dutchman in the Superstition Mountains – a sight rarely seen in these parts.
They're a little over half way between us and the mountain, which is about 15 miles away. One thing I'm thinking is that with all this rain, and the forecasted return to seasonal warm temperatures, the desert could be a mass of blooms by the time the kids get here in mid-March. Fingers crossed.
Sunday was another sunny day. Robin went out for a bike ride and came back with his own shot of Lost Dutchman.
Sunday was another sunny day. Robin went out for a bike ride and came back with his own shot of Lost Dutchman.
I was finally able to get my quilting project back on the frame and get back to work on the hand finishing. The frame is too big to set up in the motorhome and it's been too cold and/or wet to work outside. Promised myself I'd get it finished before we go home. Since it's all a learning experience, it's taking a bit longer than I anticipated, but I think I've got it figured out and it should all go quicker and smoother now.
There are some folks from Wisconsin (Bruce & Willie) renting the park model across from us that we've been getting to know. Turns out their daughter and her family live in Chilliwack, in our same general area of the city. Small world.
Another week down, and only 5 to go before we hit the road again and start our journey home. Until next time, dear readers.
Another week down, and only 5 to go before we hit the road again and start our journey home. Until next time, dear readers.