Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Palm Springs, Quartzite and Mesa, Arizona Dec 29/10 to Jan 25/11
HAPPY NEW YEAR and here we are already well into the first month. Again, where has the time gone!!??
New Year's was spent firstly with four other couples at Billy Reid's Restaurant for an eventual delightful dinner (after some confusion when the restaurant had lost our New Year's Eve reservation...chaos in an already overbooked, overcrowded, harried restaurant trying to find seating for ten!!) Then back at Two Springs we went up to the clubhouse for the Two Springs New Year's Eve party/dance. They had a very good crowd and everyone was thoroughly enjoying themselves. Unfortunately, I developed a very bad headache so we left about 11:30...missed bringing in the New Year but it was still there when we woke the next morning!!
During the first couple of weeks we had a wonderful, but far too short of a vist, with Penny & Rob from Kelowna who were passing through on their way to explore more of Arizona and points east; then Norm & Jan from Vernon stopped by. They have a place in Blythe and were on their way back after having just returned from A) a cruise through the Panama Canal and B) a week of golf in Laughlin.
In between, we had two yards of rock delivered!! The rock that we had around the perimiter of the lot was called "Palm Springs Gold" and it contained obvious yellow overtones which we really didn't care for. The pavers and cement around our lot are the more southern terra cotta mixture of colours. So this new rock was to go over top and to also fill in areas we hadn't yet done. Dale, bless his heart, bought me a new wheelbarrow, so started in shovelling and spreading rock. Our friend, Patricia (from Maryland) walked by, saw what I was doing and joined in!! Believe it or not, we had the full two yards shovelled, wheelbarrowed and spread around the whole lot, finished by 1:00 pm!!! After sweeping up and re-organizing the lot, went up to the pool for a swim but by then the wind was up and it was a wee bit cool. So jumped into the hot tub for about a half hour to soothe the aching muscles. It worked, woke up the next morning with very little soreness! And, the lot looks so much nicer.
While in Two Springs, a group of us walk each morning around the park and through the park etc for a total of between 3 and 3 1/2 miles. A good brisk walk and a nice way to start the day. We see the beautiful sunrises and enjoy the peace and quiet and beauty of the park.
Also during this time we have had appraisers over to the bus to look at the awning and paint damage which occurred during the tornado in Ontario in August. The new awning has been ordered and should be waiting when we return to Palm Springs. When the old awning comes off, then the paint work needs to be done before the new awning can be installed. It will be a matter of timing and, I fear, several trips to either Beaumont (first for the awning) or Mira Loma to get the painting completed. We will be living in chaos for two or three weeks before all is said and done. Would be nice to have one trip south where we didn't require repairs to be done...I know...dream on!!
We left Two Springs on Saturday, January 15th and went as far as the Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio (about a 40 min drive east from Two Springs). We took the bus as we were continuing on to Quartzsite and this saved having to double back. Our purpose at Fantasy Springs was to see the Jay Leno Show that evening. It was a most delightful show. He started promptly at 8:00 pm and went for a solid hour and a half. Funny, gregarious, outlandish and good clean humour. No foul languarge, some innuendos but nothing vulgar, truly a family show. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. After the show we made a small donation to the casino and then headed back to the bus.
After a few minutes deliberation, we decided to continue on and head to Quartzsite. This would save Dale from driving directly into the rising sun the next morning. Even at that, the truck traffic travelling at that time of night was astounding, but traffic for us was relatively light and we arrived in QZ at 1:45 a.m. Parked in an empty lot and then found a RV park the next morning.
We spent until Sunday, Jan 23 there and during that time, Del and Karen, who had flown down and picked up their coach in Phoenix, joined us for a couple of days. The evenings were very cool so we didn't spend much time outside after 5:00 p.m., but the days were bright and sunny, if not a little breezy. In my humble opinion, the flea market days are gone...it is mostly overpriced new retail and now far too organized and regulated. It was a lot more fun when "stuff" was being sold out of backs of pickups and trunks..a true "flea market". However, we did our rounds, went to the BIG RV show on Saturday with about amillion other folks, and then left.
We are now in the Val Vista RV park in Mesa. We stayed here last year as well and quite like the park. We are close to the salt water pool and one of the activity centers and it is a great place to walk. It is fairly central to everywhere we want to be..as much as you can be in a city of this size.
Yesterday, Monday, we drove over to Surprise, on the west end of Phoenix and 1 1/2 hours drive from Val Vista, to watch Karen play in a pickleball tournament. Unfortunately, there were only three teams in her group so it was a short "two games out of three" elmination and then it was done. Karen & Del are in a mixed doubles tournament on Friday, so we will head over there again to watch them play. There are more teams in this tournament so will be fun to see them all play.
We have had some very wonderful news during this time as well. Dale's second oldest grandaughter and husband (Jamie and Steve), are expecting!!! This will be Dale's second great grandchild so he (and I) are absolutely thrilled with this news.
Dale's knee/hip has healed from his last bad fall but he is still having problems when he is on his feet too long or sitting too long. When we are travelling, he has to stop every couple of hours to stretch his legs...which is actually a good thing anyway! Feeling pretty good otherwise. He and I make a good pair. My right knee has gone (somewhere..don't know why or where) and I just lately have been limited in how far I can walk and can only, on occasion, play low impact pickleball. Just has been happening gradually, is constantly swollen and can be quite sore. We can only look at each other, laugh at our ailments and carry on!!
We're here in Mesa until February 2nd and then will probably head to Yuma for a few days before returning to Two Springs. Always subject to change depening on whim and weather ("whether").
A brief update to catch up on our comings and goings. We hope whoever is reading this is enjoying it. Till next time, keep well and travel safe!!!!
New Year's was spent firstly with four other couples at Billy Reid's Restaurant for an eventual delightful dinner (after some confusion when the restaurant had lost our New Year's Eve reservation...chaos in an already overbooked, overcrowded, harried restaurant trying to find seating for ten!!) Then back at Two Springs we went up to the clubhouse for the Two Springs New Year's Eve party/dance. They had a very good crowd and everyone was thoroughly enjoying themselves. Unfortunately, I developed a very bad headache so we left about 11:30...missed bringing in the New Year but it was still there when we woke the next morning!!
During the first couple of weeks we had a wonderful, but far too short of a vist, with Penny & Rob from Kelowna who were passing through on their way to explore more of Arizona and points east; then Norm & Jan from Vernon stopped by. They have a place in Blythe and were on their way back after having just returned from A) a cruise through the Panama Canal and B) a week of golf in Laughlin.
In between, we had two yards of rock delivered!! The rock that we had around the perimiter of the lot was called "Palm Springs Gold" and it contained obvious yellow overtones which we really didn't care for. The pavers and cement around our lot are the more southern terra cotta mixture of colours. So this new rock was to go over top and to also fill in areas we hadn't yet done. Dale, bless his heart, bought me a new wheelbarrow, so started in shovelling and spreading rock. Our friend, Patricia (from Maryland) walked by, saw what I was doing and joined in!! Believe it or not, we had the full two yards shovelled, wheelbarrowed and spread around the whole lot, finished by 1:00 pm!!! After sweeping up and re-organizing the lot, went up to the pool for a swim but by then the wind was up and it was a wee bit cool. So jumped into the hot tub for about a half hour to soothe the aching muscles. It worked, woke up the next morning with very little soreness! And, the lot looks so much nicer.
While in Two Springs, a group of us walk each morning around the park and through the park etc for a total of between 3 and 3 1/2 miles. A good brisk walk and a nice way to start the day. We see the beautiful sunrises and enjoy the peace and quiet and beauty of the park.
Also during this time we have had appraisers over to the bus to look at the awning and paint damage which occurred during the tornado in Ontario in August. The new awning has been ordered and should be waiting when we return to Palm Springs. When the old awning comes off, then the paint work needs to be done before the new awning can be installed. It will be a matter of timing and, I fear, several trips to either Beaumont (first for the awning) or Mira Loma to get the painting completed. We will be living in chaos for two or three weeks before all is said and done. Would be nice to have one trip south where we didn't require repairs to be done...I know...dream on!!
We left Two Springs on Saturday, January 15th and went as far as the Fantasy Springs Casino in Indio (about a 40 min drive east from Two Springs). We took the bus as we were continuing on to Quartzsite and this saved having to double back. Our purpose at Fantasy Springs was to see the Jay Leno Show that evening. It was a most delightful show. He started promptly at 8:00 pm and went for a solid hour and a half. Funny, gregarious, outlandish and good clean humour. No foul languarge, some innuendos but nothing vulgar, truly a family show. We thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. After the show we made a small donation to the casino and then headed back to the bus.
After a few minutes deliberation, we decided to continue on and head to Quartzsite. This would save Dale from driving directly into the rising sun the next morning. Even at that, the truck traffic travelling at that time of night was astounding, but traffic for us was relatively light and we arrived in QZ at 1:45 a.m. Parked in an empty lot and then found a RV park the next morning.
We spent until Sunday, Jan 23 there and during that time, Del and Karen, who had flown down and picked up their coach in Phoenix, joined us for a couple of days. The evenings were very cool so we didn't spend much time outside after 5:00 p.m., but the days were bright and sunny, if not a little breezy. In my humble opinion, the flea market days are gone...it is mostly overpriced new retail and now far too organized and regulated. It was a lot more fun when "stuff" was being sold out of backs of pickups and trunks..a true "flea market". However, we did our rounds, went to the BIG RV show on Saturday with about amillion other folks, and then left.
We are now in the Val Vista RV park in Mesa. We stayed here last year as well and quite like the park. We are close to the salt water pool and one of the activity centers and it is a great place to walk. It is fairly central to everywhere we want to be..as much as you can be in a city of this size.
Yesterday, Monday, we drove over to Surprise, on the west end of Phoenix and 1 1/2 hours drive from Val Vista, to watch Karen play in a pickleball tournament. Unfortunately, there were only three teams in her group so it was a short "two games out of three" elmination and then it was done. Karen & Del are in a mixed doubles tournament on Friday, so we will head over there again to watch them play. There are more teams in this tournament so will be fun to see them all play.
We have had some very wonderful news during this time as well. Dale's second oldest grandaughter and husband (Jamie and Steve), are expecting!!! This will be Dale's second great grandchild so he (and I) are absolutely thrilled with this news.
Dale's knee/hip has healed from his last bad fall but he is still having problems when he is on his feet too long or sitting too long. When we are travelling, he has to stop every couple of hours to stretch his legs...which is actually a good thing anyway! Feeling pretty good otherwise. He and I make a good pair. My right knee has gone (somewhere..don't know why or where) and I just lately have been limited in how far I can walk and can only, on occasion, play low impact pickleball. Just has been happening gradually, is constantly swollen and can be quite sore. We can only look at each other, laugh at our ailments and carry on!!
We're here in Mesa until February 2nd and then will probably head to Yuma for a few days before returning to Two Springs. Always subject to change depening on whim and weather ("whether").
A brief update to catch up on our comings and goings. We hope whoever is reading this is enjoying it. Till next time, keep well and travel safe!!!!
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