Coming home, work to be done

Over all the trip home from Yuma was probably one of my better travel day(s). Although the Desert Bus wasn't a bus, but a 9 passenger van, there were no lengthy delays, no lost shoes or passport, and there was even an empty seat between me and another woman on the flight from Phoenix to Calgary. And I got about a 90 minute sleep on that first flight. From the time I left the hotel in the morning until I arrived at C's that night, was only 12 hours. That is a short travel day for me, as getting here from anywhere is always a lengthy process.

I spent the weekend unpacking, cuddling the cat, doing a bit of cleaning (my son had vacuumed the basement!), cuddling the cat, watching curling, and cuddling the cat. C and I took Sage, the dog, for a walk too, and she is much better mannered wearing a harness rather than just a collar. Sage does not like other dogs however, and C needs to restrain her. He's looking into obedience classes for this spring. I think it will be good for both of them.

I did some shopping on Tuesday morning. I will be here in the city for a few weeks, with my goal of painting the basement. The bedroom is pink and the main room is a blue that makes it feel very dark. My first stop was Home Depot for paint and supplies, and home again to drop these items off. I had more shopping to do and didn't want to leave the paint in the car, as it was -7C (19F). There followed stops at Value Village, Salvation Army thrift store, Costco and Dollarama. My best deal of the day were two kitchen chairs at S.A. for $20. We've been using fold-up chairs at both houses and I'll leave this with my son. I'll keep looking for other chairs for our house in town. The Costco run was made for my daughter and I purchased everything but the chocolate chips she wanted. At $26.99 for a 2.4 kg/5.3 lb. bag, I thought the price was outrageous - according to my daughter it is not. So I'll have to make a stop before I leave the city - it's on the way out anyway.

BTW, the photo on Wednesday was a vehicle parked at the Salvation Army thrift store. I'm assuming that the individual didn't want to park further ahead as the parking lot has ice on it. In any event, I found it amusing.

On Wednesday, I had a meeting with my financial advisor to discuss moving some funds around. She is expecting in May, but works with a team. Some of the transactions will happen now, but there is one that is pending for October. It will be diarized, but I'll be in touch too, to ensure it happens when I need it too. 

I got started on the basement prep that morning too (after the curling game!). The previous owners clearly liked to hang things on the walls as there were holes even where there were no hangers. I'd decided that painting will start in the small bathroom, so cleared the room out before patching the one wall (not pictured). By the time I finished patching all the holes and a couple of cracks in the main room, it was time for more curling. 

I had an appointment with the optometrist early Thursday morning and walked out of his office a whole lot lighter (in the wallet) than I went in. Progressive lenses are not inexpensive! I had been noticing a difference in my left eye primarily and this was confirmed by the doc. My cataracts, he says, continue not to be an issue. Frankly, I'm not even aware of them, though it seems to me the last time he only mentioned one and now there are two.

I got the bathroom painted on Friday morning with a pint of "oops" paint. You know I have a hard time passing up a bargain, and at $3 for the paint, I thought it would work well with the flooring. There are a few small spots that need touch up, and I'll do that this morning, before putting everything away. 

I did some sanding (and some vacuuming) in the main room as well. Watching curling took up the afternoon before I met friends for dinner. We'd last been together in October, so there was a lot to catch up on. It was a good time, with good food, good friends, and lots of laughter. Back at home, I watched curling - it was late night, hence the late posting of this blog. 

Today, I'll wash walls in the main room before I start painting. This is a large room, with three areas: a hallway/foyer at the base of the stairs, the open living area, and an alcove where I believe they had their television. There isn't a whole lot of furniture, mostly cat stuff and a chair and table that I use for jigsaw puzzles. As a result, I won't be rushing to get it done. The paint is not a oops paint, but a slightly green toned off white. Since the room is the blue that was in the bathroom, this colour should really lighten it up.

More curling today too, a match this afternoon and another this evening, the semi-final and final will air tomorrow. I've been working on my cross stitching while I watch. My bedroom was a former sewing room of one of the previous owners. The overhead florescent lights provide good lighting for this project and my old eyes. And on that note, I'll finish this post...

Have a great week ahead everyone!

Friday Funny

 

Wordless Wednesday

 

Saying good-bye, time to go home

The heritage dinner on Saturday was both interesting, and delicious. First off, I had no idea so many people where of Italian ancestry. (They're not, but there was certainly a lot of pasta dishes). I wimped out on bringing in my shortbread with the piper. L, G's wife, is originally from Scotland and happily did the honor. 

In addition, there was polish sausage, lazy cabbage rolls, chicken biryani, creamed corn, various salads, and desserts. The local resident who bakes provided carrot cake, and another I didn't recognize. I went home overfed and happy! Then on Sunday, we had a must-go dinner of the leftovers. I was very appreciative of the meals, as I was definitely getting low on groceries.

Monday morning, my landlady C drove me out to the Valley of the Names. Wednesday's photo of the roadrunner was taken as we were headed into the desert. It posed so nicely for me! Here are a few more of the photos I took on our trip.

I had to take this one for Eli - his full name is Elias!

The ocotillo had a single bloom on it. C said in April this area will be awash in colour. 

It is believed that the practice of writing one's name in rocks was started in WWII by soldiers at the Desert Training Center nearby. Later, others found the area and started adding to it. C told me it goes on for about 10 miles! We did not see all of it because the trail is not only rough, but tends to drop at steep angles - at a couple of points I feared the truck would flip on it's side. When C asked if I would like to turn around, I definitely said yes. 

A few of us went thrifting on Tuesday, and I mostly behaved myself. I did pick up a pretty top for $4 and a book for $0.50. We decided to go for lunch out at Paradise Casino, and then drove to Imperial Date Gardens so L and A could pick up dates. Back in the city, we stopped at one more thrift store before heading back to the park. The afternoon was hot! It reached 33C/91F. We started out Happy Hour under the gazebo, but the women soon made the move into the shade on the other side of the clubhouse. There was a wee bit of breeze so it was much more comfortable.

The group had set up a women's lunch on Wednesday at Mar Azul, a seafood restaurant. We met at the clubhouse at 11:15 a.m., eleven of us, and hopped in a couple of vehicles to go to the restaurant. The restaurant isn't large, and we were seated in the middle of it. It took a bit of time for everyone to get water, utensils and to peruse the menu. Meanwhile, some of us ordered drinks as well. I chose a Pacifico beer (a Mexican Pilsner) and it was a good choice. For my lunch I had two fish tacos, which were delicious! Two of the women ordered the garden salad with salmon, and when the portions came out, I think at least three or four people could have eaten just one order! The salads came in large bowls with two pieces of salmon on top! They both took a good portion home for dinner. 

Thursday was my last full day at the park. I had started packing early this week, and left the cleaning to be done that day. I went to coffee hour at 9 a.m. and gave a little speech to thank everyone for their hospitality. You'll likely chuckle at this, but I had practiced back at the unit a few times as I tend to get nervous in front of a crowd. In any event, it was well received.

Back at the unit, I did a thorough cleaning of the kitchen and bathroom, stripped the bed (I'd sleep on the couch that night), washed dishes and the floors throughout, and finished my packing. Even though I would be spending a night at a hotel in Phoenix, I packed things to wear, and toiletries that are permitted on the airplane. My theory is, I don't want to re-open my suitcase unless absolutely necessary.

My next door neighbour had been volun-told by his wife that he would be driving me to Carl's Junior on Friday morning to meet the Desert Bus. The three of us headed out about 9 a.m. and had coffee together while I waited for the bus to arrive. It actually wasn't a bus, but a 9 passenger van (though that was a bit of stretch). There were two of us picked up in Yuma, five in the Foothills, and another 2 at Wellton. At Gila Bend, our rest stop, we played musical seats as many of the passengers had knee or hip issues and needed more leg room. I ended up sitting next to the exit door, happily as I was able to pull out my knitting and finish the dish cloth I'd started. 

At the Phoenix airport, our drop-off spot, I found the lower level for ground transportation and called the hotel for pick-up. Imagine my surprise when I learned I was at the VERY door I needed to be. The shuttle had actually just left the airport, but returned in about 20 minutes. Check-in was easy, and after dropping the bags in my room, I walked next door to the Waffle House for a late lunch. A burger and a sweet tea satisfied my appetite. 

I have the shuttle booked for 8:30 this morning. My flight isn't until 12:05 p.m. but I don't mind being there early, and the baggage drop-off should be open by 9 a.m. I've already checked in for the flight. I'm expecting to arrive in Calgary about 3:15 p.m. and my next flight to Regina departs around 6:30 p.m. That will give me plenty of time to get through customs, have a bite to eat, and find my gate. I'll be back in the city about 9 p.m. (local time). Then it will be a bit of a wait for luggage and a cab ride to my son's - I should walk through the door by 10 p.m. Wish me luck... as delays are quite normal with WestJet. 

Have a great week ahead, everyone!

Friday Funny

 

Wordless Wednesday

 

Another busy week and fun with friends

I had a quiet weekend, which was just what I wanted. I did go to Happy Hour but otherwise stayed home and worked on the jigsaw puzzle, my stitching, and knitting. There was a bit of housework done and some laundry, but for the most part I relaxed.

I'd gotten a couple of hours of stitching done on Saturday, when I realized I'd started two rows over from where I ought to have done, so spent the evening watching the Four Nations hockey and un-stitching the work I'd done earlier. Canada lost to the USA, and as result were in a battle to reach the final, and needed to win in regulation over Finland on Monday. They did win that game and would play in the final on Thursday evening in Boston. I was thrilled when they won in overtime. Go Canada Go!

I managed to re-do my work on Sunday and a little bit more. There wasn't anything to watch on television (or at least nothing I was interested in), so decided to go to bed early and read. That didn't last, as I decided to get up and work on the puzzle. Shortly after 11 p.m. I finished. It had been on the table well over a week, so I was ready to have it done. The photos were from that afternoon, and the second I took the following morning. J had lent me two puzzles, so I quickly put away this one and started the second one. 

Three of us went shopping Monday to some chain stores, Beall's, Ross Dress for Less, and Marshalls. L did very well, coming home from Beall's with a two pairs of pants and four tops - all $9.99 or less. I picked up a pair of shorts for Eli, and a wallet for D. The wallet is the same brand as the purse I picked up for her at Burlington's last week, and is meant for a Christmas gift. Eli can give her the wallet. D picked up a pair of sunglasses at Beall's. Both Ross and Marshalls were a bust, so we decided to go to lunch. 

We ate the Patio, just down the block from the park. I had an Oriental chicken salad, while the other two had shrimp and salmon rolls. We were all invited out to dinner that evening at H's so wanted something light. I'll admit the salad was a good size - I ate all the vegetables and left some chicken behind.

We met for dinner after Happy Hour at H's place. Have I mentioned her previously? She has an outdoor kitchen in her shed, a full sized stove and fridge, as well as her washing machine. Wonderful food comes out of that kitchen. She's known for her banana bread, brownies, tres Leches cake and many more goodies. We had pork loin, scalloped potatoes, and mixed veg for dinner and creme brulee for dessert. She didn't make the dessert, she said, because she was too busy. It was all delicious.

Six of us went thrifting on Tuesday, a full van load of women descending on the stores. I picked up a James A. Michener book to read on the way home, a bathing suit for Eli, a pair of jean capris to replace the ones I sacrificed to the paint party, and a pretty top. The adult granddaughter of one of the ladies cleaned up. She left the van with several bags of clothing - apparently she does this each year, arrives with an almost empty suitcase and returns home with a full one. We had lunch at the Black Bear Diner before heading back to the park. 

I walked down to Food City on Wednesday morning, as I had run out of fresh vegetables. The prices are so amazing to me; a head of lettuce for $0.99, two bunches of green onions for $1, a pound of baby carrots for just $1.69 and a red pepper for $0.50! I also bought tomatoes, so, if nothing else I have salad fixings for the next week. Back at the unit, I mixed up and cooked a meatloaf for dinner and sandwiches. It had just come out of the oven, when L arrived and invited me to the Canada Snowbird Association (CSA) presentation at the Quechan Casino (informally known as the Q). 

We left just before noon (Yuma time /11 a.m. California time). Q is across the border in California and the presentation started at noon. There were speakers from the CSA and from Medipac, the travel insurance company. It was a really interesting program, as I had no real knowledge of either. 

But it got better! After a 20 minute intermission, we were entertained by Michelle Wright (a Canadian country singer) and a comedian whose name I have forgotten. He was entertaining, but it was Michelle's performance that was wonderful. She mentioned she's been in the business for 43 years. Unaccompanied by nothing but her guitar, her voice is still amazing. She sang a variety of her material, as well as Anne Murray's Snowbird. Fitting for the crowd, and most everyone knew the words and sang along.

I had planned to housework and some stitching on Thursday, and did get the house vacuumed, dishes washed and dried, and the bathroom cleaned. However, L called just after lunch to say she and her stepdaughter K were going to Green Trees (a discount grocery store), and would I like to go with them. I had picked up some protein bars on our last trip, and really liked them, so said yes. Well, it wasn't only a trip to Green Trees - we also visited Target, Discount Tire for a free tire check (air and tread), In and Out Burger for lunch for the two of them, and then to Green Trees. I had eaten at lunch so had a drink and shared L's fries. On our way back to the park, we stopped at Food City. We stayed in the car while K ran in for one item.

This was the sign at Target - I haven't had any issues finding eggs at Walmart and Food City, so I assume Target uses different supplies.

By the time we arrived back at the park, Happy Hour was underway. There, I was invited to ride along for a trip to Los Algodones, across the Mexican border on Friday. I thanked A for the offer, but declined. I was ready for a quiet day of puttering around the unit.

And that is exactly what I did on Friday. I worked on the jigsaw puzzle, I sat outside in the sun and read for a bit of time, I finished knitting my hanging kitchen towel, and did some stitching. I did go to Happy Hour and before coming back to the unit, I helped several of the women decorate the clubhouse for the Heritage Dinner. 

Today, I'll be baking the shortbread for the dinner - it is so much better when it is fresh. L's husband, G plays the bag pipes, and she has informed he, he will be piping me in to the clubhouse with my contribution. Wish me luck, hopefully I won't trip on the threshold! The meal should be very good, as there are a wide variety of dishes being prepared. 

Beyond that, I don't plan to do much else for the weekend, as it is shaping up to be a busy week next week. I have something scheduled for every day AND I have to pack too. :(

Have a great week ahead everyone!

Friday Funny

 

Wordless Wednesday

 

Painting, a birthday, and more windy weather

I think I'm going to need a vacation when I get home from this vacation. It has been another full week of fun and a bit of work.

Our garage sale visits on Saturday were productive, with a number of useful items purchased by J and L. I picked up a mug to leave at the clubhouse for coffee/tea - coffee hour is on Thursdays and I always forget to bring a mug with me, and a cross stitch magazine. I spent a whopping $1.50. The RV park we visited had 1200 lots, two clubhouses, five pools, several hot tubs, as well as pickle ball, tennis and shuffleboard courts. Far too big for me, and the monthly lease costs are approximately $800 USD per month. Too rich for my blood.

In comparison, the park I am in has 59 lots, a clubhouse and a 15 man hot tub. It is a mix of park models, house trailers, and RV's. As a Co-op, and with few amenities, the lot lease is only $125 US per month. That includes cable television, WiFi, and water. I should note the water is not potable. There are many places to buy water. I walk about 4-5 blocks to Desert Water, where I can refill two of my gallon jugs for a mere 50 cents. Walmart and Food City sell these for about $1.50 each. I go through about 3/4's of a gallon each day, more if I'm doing much cooking.

This weekend, many of the residents were busy with painting the perimeter fence. I helped some on Friday, took the day off on Saturday, and then jumped in on Sunday to paint the fence at three lots. I finished the second coat of the third fence on Monday morning. There are some residents who chose not to do the work themselves, so the park will be charging them a fee for the work. The last lot that I finished on Tuesday morning, was one of the latter. On the other hand, there were several people in their 80's out there putting in more than their fair share of work. My painting partner on Sunday turned 79 this week. As a renter, I wasn't expected to help but I know everyone was eager to get it finished. Those who weren't able to paint provided supplies for lunch every day, and it was prepped and put it out for the workers at the clubhouse. 

Tuesday was thrifting day, with L and A. We hit up three thrift stores, where I found a couple of pieces of clothing, another set of knitting needles and a book of crocheted dishcloth patterns. One can never have enough patterns, right? Then we headed off to the mall, where I picked up my first Christmas gift. It is a pretty pink purse for my daughter. We had lunch at In and Out burger, a restaurant I've never been too. It was good and very reasonably priced. The Wednesday photos were from that trip. I certainly know where I need to go if I should need any bathroom aids as I age! The tree was in the The Palms mall area; an oleander, which I've learned is toxic, but so pretty!

The wind picked up that day and there was a lot of sand in the air. Happy hour was held in the enclosed area beside the clubhouse, and even there the wind felt cool. It was noisy overnight, as there are items hanging on the side of the park model that bang. It had calmed down slightly overnight, but I decided to forgo my walk in the morning, and caught up on some housework. I'd vacuumed the prior morning, so washed the floors. I also put together a casserole from leftovers in the fridge. Time is ticking down, and I want to use up as much as possible. 

By Thursday, the wind had died down, but it was cloudy and cooler, just 17C (63F) at noon. I went to the clubhouse for coffee (in my case tea) and goodies in the morning. There were sign up sheets circulated for the Heritage dinner (Feb 22 - I was already signed up), for the women's luncheon (Feb 26), and St. Patrick's Day (I won't be here for that.) In fact, I have less than two weeks remaining here! Time does fly when one is having fun. That evening, I went to dinner at Olive Garden with the birthday gal L, and her husband G, and their park neighbour D. L and D were both nurses and worked together in their community in British Columbia.

I've spent the afternoons stitching on my cross-stitch project. I think I started it a couple of years ago, and I've a long way to go. 

I'm also reading a John Sanford novel, Bad Blood. If you've read his novels, it is about one of his characters, Virgil Flowers, an agent of the State Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, and his investigation into several murders in a small rural area in Minnesota.

Friday was a quiet day, with nothing major on the agenda. After a walk to Desert Water, I worked on my jigsaw puzzle, did some stitching, and finished my book. It appears I will not be able to watch the Scotties Tournament of Hearts curling, as it is only being broadcast in Canada (boo!) I have to keep an eye on the scores on-line and watch the news for highlights.

I have no plans for the weekend and I'm ready for a quiet couple of days. Perhaps time will slow down a bit, and my last two weeks will last longer. A girl can hope, right?

Have a great week ahead everyone!

Friday Funny

 

Wordless Wednesday

 

The heat is on!

Someone must have left the furnace on outside...we reached highs of 27-30C/80-86F early in the week. The a/c in the unit does work, but I'd rather not use it unless I truly need too. As a result I've spent more time outside in the shade this week.

I spent Sunday afternoon (finally) cleaning up the outside living area. I started by removing the sheets off the couches and washing those, moved onto sweeping the tile floor and washing it, and then wiping down the furniture. After hanging the sheets on the line to dry, it was time to relax and read in the shade.

On Monday, I headed out early to pick up a couple of gallons of water; after dropping that off at the unit, I went in the other direction and treated myself to breakfast at McDonald's before stopping at the CVS. I had brought travel sized bottles of shampoo and conditioner with me, and I was running low. Back at the unit, I went out to sit in the sun to read. At least I read for part of the time, as there were lots of people walking past, and almost every one stopped for a quick chat. 

It wasn't long before the heat was ramped up and I moved into the shade in the outdoor living room. Lunch was eaten at the dining table, and I spent the rest of the afternoon reading and chatting with a couple of visitors. Then it was off to Happy Hour to visit with more of the crew. I headed home shortly before six, made a bit of dinner and watched the sun drop in the sky. It really cools off nicely in the evenings, and with the screen door and the fan running, it felt quite comfortable inside the unit.

Tuesday morning's sunrise.

Three of us went thrifting on Tuesday, with a stop at two of the stores, and then to a grocery outlet, Green Trees. I came home with four more t-shirts. One is for my daughter, and one I bought for later in the week. The park fence needs painting/staining, and I had agreed to help out. At Green Trees, I picked up a small container of ice cream, a box of Rice-a-roni, a cup of mashed potatoes, and a couple of dish scrubbers. One of the other ladies mentioned she uses the potato flakes as a thickener for gravy and I think it would work well for thickening stir fry sauce. I'll give it a try, for certain.

That evening was the potluck supper, which was well attended. The food was varied and very good! There were various salads, spaghetti, chili, sweet and sour meatballs, green bean casserole, ham, chicken wings, Chinese fried rice, and so much more. For dessert, there were mini cupcakes, a cheesecake with cherry topping, Black Forest cake, sweet cornbread, and my brownies. Amazingly there wasn't a lot of food left after everyone had eaten.

I had vacuumed on Tuesday, but the floors needed washing too, so that was on my list for Wednesday. With the warm-up in the afternoons, I decided I'd do a bit of cooking in the morning including a sausage/rice casserole and some taco meat. While the casserole was baking, I had my breakfast and let the rest of the dishes soak. When the food was tucked away in the fridge, I washed the floors and went outside to read and enjoy the sunshine.

After lunch, eaten outdoors, I went to Canasta. We played three on three, and my team won both games! I think I'm finally figuring out the strategy, just don't ask me to count cards. They go so fast I haven't got a clue. :) By the time we finished the games, it was just fifteen minutes prior to Happy Hour. 

I stayed up late that evening, watching curling (Alberta men's) and hockey (Edmonton vs. Chicago) and it was near midnight before I fell asleep. My landlady had texted to ask if they could come by to wash the fence in preparation for painting at 8'ish the next morning. Imagine my chagrin when I woke up, hearing her voice outside, at 8:30 a.m.! 

The was a pancake breakfast (I hadn't planned to go) and once that was complete, the park got very busy as the volunteer painters started their work. I did not paint, but did assist the preparations for lunch for the workers in the clubhouse. Then it was back to my unit to clean up the patio, as the mud tracked from the fence area had dried up so I could sweep and mop.

By this point, the crews were ending their work for the day, as the temperature was rising quickly. I had my lunch, then spent the afternoon watching curling. The men's events are on for the Alberta and Manitoba provincials. I'm not as invested in these but will watch when I have time.

Friday morning, I joined a crew a few doors down and helped with the painting. One person was rolling paint on the fence boards, her husband was coming behind and brushing the paint to even it out, and I used a paint brush to reach the bottoms of the boards and in between the boards. They there longer than I was, but I put in over an hour before we finished our portion. Others were further down the park, and more still at the front end. There are few areas that haven't been done just yet, but the rest will have the second coats complete in the next few days.

We stopped for a water break in the shade and the two of them went back to work. I would have but there wasn't really much for me to do. Instead, I cleaned up and went to help with lunch...except that was pretty much ready to go too! These are a talented group of people and everyone pitches in, one way or another.

After lunch, another renter and I drove out to Imperial Date Gardens near Bard, California. We were both looking for fresh dates. I picked up a small container, while she bought a large box. I'll need to eat mine before I leave, she'll take hers back to B.C. later in March.

Today, I'm off early in the morning with one of the residents to go garage sale'ing. I have no intention of buying a garage...nor anything else for that matter, but it's very nice to see different area of Yuma.

I'll end this post with photos from my daughter of the aftermath of this week's snow fall.

The first is looking out the front door at the city sidewalk, and the second photo is out back, showing the snow that she's piled up from the driveway.

I almost feel sorry that I'm not there to help with the shovelling. Note I said, almost.

I must teach her to take her cellphone photos on landscape! 

Have a great week ahead everyone!

Friday funny

 

Wordless Wednesday

 

Fun with (new) friends

I thought I'd fill you in on the rest of the Saturday happenings. I met S&S at 10 a.m. at their unit (they've done a wonderful job of renovating it since they purchased), and we headed out to the Civic Center to the Health Fair. There were numerous booths set up, including a space to have one's glucose and/or blood pressure checked, various booths for skin care (including Botox) and fitness classes, as well as some odd options (plumber/electrical). I suspect the latter knew that there the event would attract snowbirds who might be looking for work to be done on their properties.

Next door was a jewelry, sand art, and rug sale. Everything was very nice and for the most part, very expensive. I might have been tempted to purchase one of the smaller sand art pieces, but I'd worry about it getting broken in the suitcase on the way home. From the Civic Center we went over to the Yuma fairgrounds to an arts and crafts sale. In one building, had art displays from local artisans. Again, there were some amazing pieces. My favorite was a mixed media piece vase, and in second place was a poured paint piece. I would have happily taken either home too.

From there, we decided to go out to the Foothills for lunch at a Thai restaurant. It is quite the drive out there, but the food was phenomenal. I had the Pad Thai, and they had a two different curries. The portions were a decent size and the prices reasonable. I took half of my meal home for dinner that night. I very much enjoyed our time together.

The finals of the provincial curling playdowns happened on Sunday. Both the women's and men's finals were good games. Now, I have to wait until mid-February for the Scottie's (women) and the end of February for the Brier (men). I did learn that next year's provincial event will be held in the town where I live with my daughter. Maybe I'll have to consider tolerating January weather so I can attend in person. :)

On Monday, I needed water and groceries, so headed out early. One of the full-time residents offered me a ride to the water store, so I took him up on the offer. After walking back to drop off the water, I headed the other direction to McDonald's for breakfast and then to Food City for groceries. When I'd returned, I was sitting out front reading, when L drove up and asked if I would like to go to the big Walmart (a 40 minute walk away). I jumped at the chance as I wanted to pick up a squeeze mop. My landlady has a mop that I use outdoors, but I didn't want to use that one indoors and had been washing floors on my hands and knees. (not easy on these old knees). I found a cheap one, along with some thread and buttons. L offered me her sewing kit that includes straight pins, so I was able to wash and block the hanging kitchen towel and dishcloths. I even pulled out my cross stitch that afternoon and was able to get a bit done it before my daughter called. 

It truly is a small world: at Happy Hour I discovered that two of the recent arrivals from British Columbia, know a friend of mine. A and I worked at the same financial institution back in the late 80's. She and her husband moved to B.C. not long after. We kept in touch through Christmas letters, and later through Facebook. There are a number of folks here from the same area where she and husband live and I'd been asking everyone I met if they knew her. I pulled up my FB feed, and we messaged her to let her know. 

Guess what I did on Tuesday? If you guessed I visited thrift stores and went for lunch, you'd be right. Four of us hopped in L's SUV and went to three different thrift stores. I found a plaid shirt for Eli, a t-shirt for myself, and a pair of knitting needles. Total spent $6.40. Even considering the exchange rate, these were good deals. After our thrifting itch was taken care of, we drove to California for lunch. It wasn't a long drive, as the Colorado River is the natural border between Arizona and California. We had lunch at the Paradise Casino (no gambling happened) - I had an Asian chicken salad with candied cashews. I assumed that there would be a half dozen cashews, but in fact, there many more. It was delicious and for around $10, it was very reasonably priced.

As I've mentioned, I bought sugar and flour to make shortbread and since there is more than I will need, so I picked up yeast in my last grocery run. Wednesday, I made a small batch of bread dough. While the dough was rising, I walked down to the water store for a couple more bottles of water. After a second rising, I shaped the loaves in rough loaves as I have no bread pans. I got a couple of small loaves, one for the freezer and one to eat this week. Although ugly (no picture), the bread tastes great and I used some for a sandwich for lunch.

That afternoon, I joined seven others to play Canasta. We played four people to a table, and my partner and I did not win - partially because I messed up and picked up cards that weren't counted. I headed back to my unit to work on my cross stitch before Happy Hour.

Unfortunately, Thursday was a write-off as I was sick with a stomach bug. It started overnight, when I was woken by severe pain and lasted through the day. When I wasn't in the bathroom, I was asleep on the couch. In fact, I slept much of the day there, went to bed at 6:30 and except for a 90 minute period when I was awake, slept through until after 7 a.m. Apparently that was what I needed as I felt much better when I woke up. I think I've figured out what caused the issue - I'd made a stir fry the night prior and used some chicken bouillon from the cupboard for my sauce. On Friday, I decided to make some chicken noodle soup; I checked the best before date that was sometime in 2022. When I mentioned it to my next door neighbour, she said that it was probably bad as the unit is vacant through the summer and the heat may have caused it to turn. According to a Google search, bouillon should be kept in a dark cool place.

I took it easy on Friday, enjoyed a lengthy shower, and got caught up on a bit of housework. Oh, the sand, the sand that blows in is something else. It doesn't matter how often I sweep or vacuum, there is always more sand. Don't get me wrong, I'm enjoying the warmth and lack of snow. I did get some cross-stitching done as well. That's another plus, the light here is simply amazing for doing the stitching. I did make it to Happy Hour (no alcohol for me) and celebrated my 6th anniversary of retirement. One of residents, J brought over a couple of jigsaw puzzles for me to work on. Apparently she has a puzzle room in her unit!

Today will be another quiet day, I've no plans to go anywhere and no need to leave the park. I've got one of the puzzles to start, cross-stitching and a start of a knitted hanging kitchen towel to work on, and the living room and bedroom floors need to be vacuumed and washed. 

The photos from Wednesday were taken on January 25th. The first was sunrise through the window screen and the other was at sunset. There was smoke in the air, as we could smell it at Happy Hour, and it caused the sun to turn red.  Since I've no photos from the rest of the week, I'll leave you with a video my brother sent me on Friday. It makes me very happy to be here!

Friday Funny

 

Wordless Wednesday (almost)

 

Oops, I neglected to set this up to post on Wednesday morning....I thought it was Tuesday. :)

More wind, curling, and knitting too

On Sunday, my phone buzzed with an alert about a wind advisory for Yuma, with high winds expected to last from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. the next day. I decided to make a trip to the grocery store on Monday morning. I'm glad I did, as the winds definitely picked up. My landlady had sent over several clamps that I used to hold the sheets on the outside furniture. This time around, I didn't find as much blown about the outdoor area. I spent the day in the house working on a jigsaw puzzle, reading, and watching television while listening the wind blow outside.

Tuesday was housework day. I've realized this is a habit from living with my son. His EDO's fall on Mondays, and I tended to wait until Tuesday to do a lot of housework (even on the weeks he wasn't home). I did laundry, vacuumed and washed floors, and scrubbed the bathtub. The clothes dried quickly as it was still quite breezy. Mid-afternoon I went out to the front to sit in the sun and read before walking over to Happy Hour. 

The Saskatchewan provincial curling playdowns started on Tuesday as well, and I was able to catch three of the draws (slept through the first one). Until recently, the men and women have had separate events, but this year, the two competitions are being held at the same time. Two men's draws a day and two women's. I set my alarm, just in case, so I'd be awake by 7 a.m. on Wednesday for the first game of the day. 

I had a couple of hours between the first and second draw so I went for a walk down to the Walmart Supercenter (the photo above is from that walk). It took me about 40 minutes to walk there. I'd run out of cotton yarn and figured it would be the closest place to find it. On the way back, I stopped at Albertson's (similar to Safeway in Canada) and picked up a few sale items, peppers, cucumber and bagels. I had planned to catch the bus back, but it passed by just as I left the store and the next one wasn't for an hour. So I walked back, stopping at Burger King for lunch - the thought of an original chicken sandwich was too tempting. :)

Back at the unit, I unloaded my bag and tuned into the curling. This game started well, but turned into a blow-out for the one team - I dozed off on the couch and woke up an hour later! I guess the fresh air from the morning, and the sunshine streaming in the windows put me to sleep. The third game started about 3 p.m. and again, it was turning into a rout by mid-game so I wandered over to visit the folks at Happy Hour. I did get asked why I hadn't made it to canasta that afternoon. 

Thursday was coffee hour at the clubhouse. I left the curling game before it ended; another lop-sided affair and joined several others for a chat. There were a few announcements: a potluck supper on February 4th, a pancake breakfast on the 6th, and the Heritage potluck on the 22nd. I've signed up for the two potlucks with "dessert" as my offering for the first and Scottish shortbread for the second. Since I don't have, nor need a full pantry, I think I'll pick up a brownie cake mix, and try to time it so I take it out of the oven shortly before the dinner. Who doesn't like chocolate after all? For the Heritage event, I've already bought sugar, butter, and flour and plan to use some of that up before hand. I get a craving for something sweet once in awhile too!

I was awake by 6:30 a.m. on Friday, and turned the heaters on in the unit. It was a mere 4C/39F outside and just 13C/55F inside. Just a little chilly. I went back to bed until 7 before heading to the living room to watch the curling. With the little heater it had warmed up to 17C/63F, and felt quite comfortable. 

While watching, I continued working on a knitted hanging dish towel that I had started on Thursday. It is meant to be a gift, along with a couple of dish cloths. It still needs to be blocked, and I will need to find/pick up a button for the tab. I'll check the thrift stores for buttons and pins, as I certainly didn't bring any with me. This is the yarn I picked up at Walmart, as I've finished the yarn I brought with me. Pretty soon, I'll have to start working on the cross stitch, though it is harder to do when I'm watching curling. I have to pay attention. :)

Later in the morning, I made a batch of shortbread dough and put in the fridge to chill. In addition, I cut up the last two corn tortillas to make chips for nachos. I didn't have the lime, but I baked them with a brush of oil and salt - they turned out delicious. When the shortbread was baked, I couldn't resist, and had three cookies with a tea. Yum! The rest were tucked into a container, because I could have eaten several more.

I was able to get about 30 minutes outdoors in the sun too, reading for part of it, and chatting with my daughter. Then it was time for game 3 of the day - I watched until mid-way through the game, went to Happy Hour for 45 minutes or so and returned home in time to watch the end. The playoff picture for the women was settled Friday evening, while the men had one final game on Saturday morning.

I'll be watching the final round robin game, and then have plans to go to an event at the Civic Center with a couple of the residents. It is Health fair from the sounds of it, and it could be very interesting. I'll let you know next week. :) Playoff curling will keep me entertained as well and I should have enough viewing time to finish a couple of dishcloths. If the wind isn't blowing (it wasn't on Friday), I must get out and sweep up the sand on the outdoor patio. 

Whatever your plans may be, have a great weekend and a wonderful week ahead!

Friday Funny

 

Wordless Wednesday

 

More fun in the sun

Goodness, I've been here for over two weeks already! The weather has been quite cool in the early morning, as low as 2C/36F one day, but generally around 6-7C/42-44F. Have I mentioned the furnace in this unit doesn't function? I do have two small electric heaters and when I wake up, I turn both on and climb back into bed for a bit. Usually I talk with my daughter, check the weather and the news before I get dressed for the day. A half hour usually is enough to warm it enough to be comfortable. 

I had planned to go to Art in the Park at the Gateway Park on Sunday but didn't realize the buses didn't run on Sundays. :( I almost wished I hadn't stayed home to watch curling on Saturday...almost. The entrance fee was a mere $1, with vendors and artists showcasing their work. I'm disappointed I missed it. On Monday, however, I planned to do nothing...and as I said to someone at Happy Hour, I think I got half of it done. 

L & S and I went out thrifting again on Tuesday (Senior's day). This time we went to Goodwill (I misspoke last post) and the Humane Society thrift store. I wanted a sweater for the cooler times of the day and lucked out. I found a pullover, as well as a pair of capris, and a new nightgown with pockets! At the Humane Society, I got a book and 1000 piece puzzle for just $1.50. I'll leave these latter items behind when I head home. 

L had suggested we go for lunch at the Black Bear Diner (Yuma Palms mall for any who are familiar). The food and the company was great! The portions were large and delicious. I had a crispy chicken wrap with a side salad, taking half the wrap home for dinner that evening. But S's Cobb salad was the star - it was so large that she ate about a 1/3 of it and took the rest home in two boxes for dinner for her and her husband. If you ever in Yuma, I highly recommend this restaurant. In addition to the great food, the prices were reasonable, and the service was good.

On Tuesday evening, I ran out outside to attempt to capture the full moon. It's definitely not a great photo!

I made up for a quiet Monday, when I did some shopping on Wednesday. First, I walked down to the water store to pick up a couple of one gallon jugs of drinking water. On my return, I washed the floors in the park model before walking to Walmart for some groceries. The backpack, I picked up in Bismarck in November, fits the water jugs perfectly. I had run out of some basics, milk, butter, and cheese and needed a few other items. Everything fit well in the bag and it makes it much easier to carry. It is a bit odd to get groceries in plastic bags, and lots of them, as the cashiers rarely put more than a few items in each. I'm using the bags as garbage bags - I may switch to self check-out to reduce the number of bags I use.

Wednesday afternoon was Canasta. Don't ask me how, but my partner and I won the game. It was a long game, nearly 90 minutes, partially because I don't understand the strategy and we likely could have won sooner, had I not messed up. I've learned that they are playing with a hybrid of rules, as each player brought something different to the game.

The Grand Slam of Curling event is being live streamed, as I discovered, so Thursday morning started off with a game while I enjoyed my breakfast. after that was over, I decided to try to find the canal walking paths , but was stymied to find a road closure that I wasn't certain I should go around. Apparently, I should have as that would have been the quickest route. In any event, I gave up and decided to treat myself to an iced coffee and a sausage McMuffin at McDonald's (another further 15 minute walk). 

My landlady, C, came over for a visit in the afternoon. Just to prove I'm multi-talented, I was able to chat with her, keep an eye on a curling game, and crochet. No, no I couldn't - as it turned out I'd made a mistake with the pattern. :) During dinner, I watched another match and started the dish cloth over again.

I glanced up at one point and saw this incredible sunset. It was cloudy for part of the day, and the colours were simply amazing.

Friday, the park's social club was holding their annual garage sale. I donated the dish cloths I'd made as I figure I'm benefiting from the activities provided while I'm here. Several of us met around 10 in the morning to organize the items for the sale. Ranging from furniture, to kitchen items, to blankets, sheets and pillow, to golf balls and golf clubs, a range of games and books, both men and women's clothing, and soooo much more. There is something for everyone (except small children).

The rest of the day was spent watching the Grand Slam of Curling, though I did take a break for Happy Hour. I'm working on the new puzzle as well, and started yet another dish cloth. Didn't like the pattern of the one I started the day prior. 

Today, I won't be attending the garage sale - I haven't room to bring things back. I'm told the early birds will start showing up about 7 a.m. (sale starts at 8). I'm hoping to avoid the traffic, and instead, I'll try fit in a walk between curling games, and enjoy the sunshine.

Have a great week ahead, everyone! 

Friday Funny

 

Wordless Wednesday

 

Wind, sand, and fire

I could get used to this. Not only the lovely weather, but having the time to simply relax and do as I please. There are no big projects to be tackled and I'm a heck of a lot easier to clean up after than my daughter and grandson, or even the cleaning I do during my irregular visits to my son. Of course, I don't have nearly as much stuff with me as I have back home so there is less to put away.

This is my view from the couch. There is a jigsaw puzzle on the dining table so I've been eating on the tv tray (as well as using my laptop. To the right are two knitted dishcloths I've made up. The kitchen is compact but has everything I need. Down the hall to the right is the bathroom, and the last door you can see is the bedroom. It has an amazing amount of storage.

I will, however, be going home with more stuff. You know I can't resist thrift stores. So when I was invited to join two of the ladies, L & S, on Tuesday I jumped at the chance. We hit up three stores, Amberly's, Al, an the Goodwill and all three of us came away with treasures. I picked up a couple of t-shirts, a pair of shorts for Eli, a book, and a small plastic container. We stopped at Dunkin' Donuts (new to me) for coffee but no doughnuts! From there, we went to Kneaders -  bakery and coffee shop - for sourdough bread, and then to J.C. Penney for their clearance sale. We all found a few items; in my case, two blouses. In total, I paid $10 for the four tops I purchased. 

The weather changed on Tuesday, windy, cloudy, and cooler temps. Wednesday's photo was taken after we returned from shopping. It got darker still, but there was no rain. The weather channel showed an air quality advisory as well due to dust in the air. I moved some of the outdoor furniture, in case it rained, and covered some with sheets provided by my landlords to, at least, keep some of the dust at bay. That night was incredibly noisy with things outside and the bathroom vent inside rattling and banging. I managed to sleep through some of it, but was wide awake at 3 a.m. I got up, made some tea, and after talking to my daughter about 5:30 (it's 6:30 a.m. at home), I went back to bed and slept for nearly 3 hours. 

The canasta group met Wednesday afternoon, and I sat watching the first game. It is nothing like what I remember playing with my Nan (grandmother) when I was a child. But, when the first game was over, three of the ladies stayed and walked me through a game. Let's just say I need to work on my strategy. We played another card game called 2500. It too is a strategic game, but one I caught onto much more quickly. By mid-game I was ahead, but by the end, I came in next to last. As one woman put it, without the right cards, strategy doesn't win the game.

The winds had died down, so I did a load of sheets before I headed to Happy Hour. When I went to hang them on the line I discovered the drying rack had been damaged in the wind. I didn't want to bother my landlord that evening, so hung them as best I could and planned to call in the morning. The sheets dried quickly and I brought them in after dinner. 

Thursday started off quite cool, around 43F (6C), though no wind. I washed a load of laundry and sent a text off to my landlady about the drying rack. I didn't hear back until after lunch, so I hung everything on hangers and hung them to dry - first on a rack outside and then indoors when the wind picked up.

Thursday morning the social club offers coffee/tea, pastries and other items for a $2 entry fee. I decided to go, and I'm glad I did. There was a large group,  and only three of us who are renting or visiting friends here. After we'd all had our fill, the social club chair brought a few things to our attention. There are a few events upcoming, including a "heritage" potluck in February which I subsequently learned that attendees are asked to bring a food item from our ethnic background. When I mentioned shortbread at Happy Hour, one of the residents offered to give me the flour I would need. I'll make a small batch as I'm assuming, like every other potluck I've been to, there will be mounds of food.

The wind had died down some on Friday morning, so I took a walk over to Walmart to pick up a few groceries. It's a short walk, just a few blocks, and I brought a backpack to carry the groceries. It means I can't over shop! I really didn't need a lot, but still came home missing an item, tea bags! I have a few left so will wait until later in the week to make another trip.

I spent the rest of the day watching curling. Yes, there is an event being held in Lloydminster, Saskatchewan that is being streamed on You-tube. I managed to catch two games before Happy Hour, the end of the third when I arrived home from there and then another later in the evening. One of the teams that played in the evening, had been on the ice since early in the morning, competing in all four draws. I was tired, just watching, I'm sure they were exhausted.

One of the women at Happy Hour asked if I wanted to join them in the morning for garage sales. I said no, because I'll be watching curling. Next week, the park is holding their own garage sale, and I've offered to help set up for it. 

So today is more curling, more knitting or crocheting (four dishcloths completed), and in between some time out side enjoying the sun. Have a great weekend everyone!

P.S. I normally don't post about the news, but the fires in California are heartbreaking. I understand at least ten people have been confirmed dead, and over 10,000 homes have been lost. L.A. and the surrounding area has had limited rain for many months, and the dry conditions and the gusts of Santa Anna winds are creating the perfect storm. And, it doesn't seem the fires will be under control any time soon. Personnel and equipment from both Canada and Mexico have been brought in to assist as well.