Ooooops!! The Unforgettable Friends

So, I failed to mention a lot of snowbirders and friends who visited us, not just those who lived at Bonita Mesa with us.

First of all, Coco and Bob showed up and stayed here for a week. We spent some time with them at the swap meet aka flea market aka Arizona Marketplace. They joined us unexpectedly one day for happy hour. What a surprise! And they stayed here in Bonita Mesa with us for about a week, along with their dogs Harley and Lucy. Harley is pretty sick and they spent quite a little time vetting and medicating and hoping for the best.

Then my brother Scott visited for a few days. He motorcyled in, speaking of Harley, and hit Bob's Territorial Harley Davidson Store for a T-shirt, strolled the swap meet, and ate at a choice local restaurant to which we will never return. But we did enjoy the sun and the warmth of the March days.

Last Friday MJ and Frank cruised in about 10 PM coming all the way from Red Bluff, CA in a day! They're hauling the dinghy and boatmotor from the ZP to friend Bob in NOLO. Loved the visit; we had pancakes and bacon, shopped at Kohl's for MJ, ate potato salad and chicken sands-- all before they left at 1PM Saturday. The flash of an eye! Did I say how excited Angelo was to see MJ??? I didn't think he would ever settle down.

MJ left here in her new little sundress and cool matching shades. Stylin'.

Yesterday, March 29th, neighbors Deedee and Jim from Tulalip dropped in. They will be staying in Green Valley for a month after they leave Yuma on Wednesday.

I don't know who I have forgotten this time but I'll think of them immediately after I post this!

Oh the people we meet!

I want to post a note to myself so I remember some great people and fellow snowbirders in Yuma:

• Marilyn, 83 or so, from Port Ludlow and her son Steve from Tacoma who came to drive her and her car home a couple days ago;
• former Yellowstone Ranger, 85 yr old storyteller, and former CHPman Dick Lewis from Santa Rosa, CA, whose daughter Gail came down to drive him home, trailer and all;
• Marilyn's nephew Nelson aka "Woodie" (retired Qwest in '86 at 55) and his wife Ruby from Eugene (they'll drive their motorhome home for the last time on Wednesday as Woodie has decided this is their last year in Yuma);
• John and Martha Danz from southern Idaho (they were also here 2 years ago but now stay at Shangri La;
• Tilka and Tom from Toronto, both native Slavakians (if I've got it right);
• Bonita Mesa manager Pat who is from Port Susan the rest of the year but I met only once;
• and, of course, Joe and Karen who have been our great traveling pals for a lot of years.

Also, remember the play we went to see "Don't Dress for Dinner" with John and Martha from Idaho, Marilyn and Dick (sweet), and Joe and Karen.

And, remember the farming brothers from northern Alberta, Howard and wife Ingrid and brother Wayne and his wife; his wife and dog flew home 3/10 to await their 1st grandchild who finally arrived 3/20! So many more: Ken and Maureen from Alberta, he was so outgoing and fun. And their friends who were next door to us but he flew out to consult on oil drilling and wife Muriel stayed here, then they drove home with Ken and Maureen.

And, remember all of Angelo's friends, especially "Dozer" (short for Bulldozer) the big black lab on the corner who we stopped to visit 10 times a day, counting the comings and goings to the desert! Mitzy who followed us home one night; Tillie who escaped from dogsitter and neighbor Erin and Coco rescued; and, of course Molly who is like the only friend Angelo has left here and he loves dearly.

Karen does paper tole and is taking classes here in Yuma for the 3-D art, classes on "feathering" and "furring". She buys her frames (shadow boxes) in Algadones. Martha does tatting and made booties for L and a vest for Karen. Tilka does "Swedish weaving" which I hope to see tomorrow. She wants to teach me how! I do reading and computering!

Awakefulness

I didn't realize I hadn't posted in a week. What a nice time to find out: 3:30 AM Tuesday. I went to bed waaaayy too early and woke up at 1 AM. Bad timing. Tom and Angelo are out like lights. The heater is running and I'm wrapped in a freshly-washed blanket. Today was laundry day, $1.25 to wash; $1.00 to dry. We did 8 loads plus Tom took all the throw rugs to the other laundry with the extractor for $3.00. It smells lots better in this confined space.

Scott showed up last week and then we dashed off to San Diego, therefore, we piled up the laundry. When we were down to our last pair of ----socks, we just had to "Get 'er done!"

Sunday we went to a play called "Don't Dress for Dinner". It was really funny; a lot of great lines and total confusion. Then went to dinner with John and Martha from Shangri La RV Park (don't believe it) and Joe and Karen.

Tonight's happy hour was at Marilyn's next door. Her son Steve showed up a few days ago to drive her home to Port Ludlow. Steve lives in Tacoma and is a bull on the railroad. Lots of thievery between Needles and Barstow. Portable saws are used to cut into boxcars from the top
and when the train stops, the thieves call the escape truck to haul away all the electronics they can find. I didn't know train robbery was still in vogue!

Tom and I talked with Madison, Megan and Chelsea tonight, followed by a quick chat with Chloe and MJ. Chloe leaves for Georgia tomorrow. Her flight stops in Phoenix but we won't get to see her. Good friends and friend Steph get to enjoy her company! Have fun Chloe!!

Angelo is alive and well. He wasn't feeling too well when Scott visited but perked up when we hit cool San Diego and we started feeding him bottled water.

Tomorrow, Tuesday the 24th, we might run down to old town Yuma and check out some stores filled with treasures made by local artists. Also, there are a couple cool antique stores to wander thru. Ciao! And Bona Note!

Desert Happenings

Uncle Scott arrived in Yuma today after traveling 211 miles S/SW out of Apache Junction on his pearl while Harley Softail. Scott is all tanned and healthy looking. Tom and I are still pale since we stay out of the heat of the sun as much as possible, and we have huge ficus trees shading our trailer and patio.

With Scott in tow, we did a little touring of Yuma and the H-D Territorial shop, Del Oro grocery store and Frye's grocery store. This evening we went to a new restaurant/pub on Fortuna Rd. called Parrish's. It really wasn't anything "to write home about" (so to speak) although Tom did enjoy his clam linguine -- in the desert! I should have had the bread pudding!

Tomorrow we hope to go to old town Yuma for the Farmers' Market and a little lunch maybe. Wednesday it's supposed to be 90 and the guys hope to go see the horse tanks, natural water holes in the hills that keep the wildlife alive. The tanks that Joe takes us to are not too far out in the desert and a short hike up the foothills of what I think are the Chocolate Mountains. We have never seen the wild burros but they are supposed to be out there.

The bright pink sand verbena covering parts of the desert is still fragrant at night and beautiful in the day. Mixed in with the verbena are white desert lilies and small ground cover flowers of white. I have also seen several white flowers with petals the shape of clover leafs, always four petals to a blossom. The desert in bloom is a surprise!

No pictures, sorry!

I did bring my camera but I forgot the USB adapter to transfer the digital images. So, pretend you see Colin about to turn 3, Karen and Joe enjoying the horse races, Bob and Coco having dinner with us in the outskirts of Yuma, and Bob stirring his green chili stew on the BBQ.

Coco and Bob headed to parts unknown around Parker, AZ. They loaned Tom a camp chair so we have to remember to thank them and return it.

Today is Friday the 13th; Dick our neighbor and ex-CHP turned 85 today. We will celebrate with a happy hour at our neighbor Marilyn's about 4:00.

Brother Scott is due here next Monday when it's in the 90's. He gets to celebrate St. Pat's with us, maybe at Parrish's Pub with a Harps or a Guinness. Then maybe go to the horse tanks on Wednesday.

Angelo is due for a bath as soon as I get a kiddies' wading pool.

Today is a relax day; tomorrow is haircut day; Sunday is buffet brunch day, I think, and Monday is vacuum day. Just same old, same old. In the sun!!

To Mexico and Back

We crossed the border into Algadones today for the second time. No problems at the border.

Our friend got new lenses to replace the broken ones in her good glasses. She claims her dog bit them!

It took us 4 hours for lenses and 2 hours in line to get back across the border. $60.

Tom bought Cointreau for perfect margaritas.

Mid 70's. Nice.

San Diego and back

We had a great time in SD with L and C. C loved his new movie Madagascar! Therefore, we all loved it about ten times!! Oh yeah, Alex, Melman, Marty and Gloria. I see them in my sleep!

C talks now and says things like "Grandma, play tools with me." "Grandma.... " "Grandma... " Love him.

We had a really nice visit and quick trips over the mountains back and forth. We feared a dust storm as we neared the Imperial Dunes on the way home, but fortunately it wasn't windy enough to cause one. Just hazy. Two years ago, we were blinded by the sand as we neared Yuma and then spent the rest of the day hiding in the 5th wheel while the wind and sand whirled around us. When that dust storm was over, we had a lot of cleaning up to do.

But anyway, nice trip and great grandson! His 3rd birthday is coming close.

The Nineties

Last week was a shock to our system since it was 80 degrees our first week here. During the trip south, we hit wind and rain in northern California from Red Bluff on. Sacramento was a mud slide. We've never seen it so wet and flooded as this year. Our night in Needles was pleasant but not hot. Yuma is special!!! Lots of heat. But, actually as of Wednesday we are supposed to be back down in the mid-70's. That will be very nice.



This morning before the heat got bad, we crossed into Algadones from California, bought the meds we were low on, the Don Julio and Hennessy's we were out of, and the cigarettes a friend needed. We stopped for the freshest sweetest donuts before crossing back into the states, then drove to a bakery in E. Yuma on Fortuna Rd for fresh-baked bread and more delicious pastries. What happened the the celery and carrot sticks I had promised myself??!!

Tomorrow there are two quilt shows and sales that I hope to attend. Tom loves quilts, too. Then we're heading to Old Town Yuma for the weekly Farmers' Market, neat old shops, and lunch on the terrace at a restaurant there. It's supposed to be as cool as 86!!

Tonight we'll cruise to Applebee's for salads.