We are here for Bead Week which starts on March 31. I have volunteered to be the Store Coordinator so this week has been filled with meetings, training, and getting caught up with things that need to be done. Lila is my co-Coordinator and has filling me in – Thank you Lila.
Every day more and more folks are coming in and it has been great to get to see and get caught up with everyone – . So much talent – oh my.
Many of the cacti in the park are blooming:
Aren’t they beautiful?
On Friday, 21st, we were invited to a private party at Organ Stop Pizza hosted by the Alberta Roamer’s Chapter of Escapees.
Andy and I have been here a few times before with our Casa Grande Park but it was always at Christmas and it was for the normal show. This time, along with the show, we were introduced to all the instruments.
Hope you all had a WONDERFUL Christmas and are enjoying this New Year’s Eve.
I cannot believe it has been almost a month since I updated – WOW! Where does the time go?
So what have we been up to? Well (and I will try to keep this short – :-)):
We have been reconnecting with friends we have met over the years and are enjoying getting caught up and spending time with them.
In the park, Andy and I volunteered to help out with a couple of the activities. One of those for me has been teaching a beading class and that has been a lot of fun. I did the activity calendar for January and enjoyed it. The past two years there has not been an activity leader and I think if I spent a few months here, I would enjoy doing that job. (But, alas, I start to get hitch itch after a few weeks and need to move on.)
Our Motor Home refrigerator now has a new cooling unit. We have the 4 door Norcold that was on the recall list. We had one fix, that failed and then the second failed so Norcold would not give us another. So instead of getting a new refrigerator, we got an Amish Cooling Unit – so far so good.
Both of our cats, Dusty and Bella, had their appointments with a new vet that we all liked. All is good except our Dusty has to lose some weight (like Andy and I – LOL) plus he will need some dental work in the near future.
Andy continues to have all his checkups at the VA – so far so good. The final ones are over the next week.
I spent a wonderful day with my cousin Kris who has moved into an incredible complex. Check out those front doors:
It was great to spend the day with her – Thanks Kris!
A group of us made our annual trip to Organ Stop Pizza. I won’t go into the details since they were posted here:
From there we went to the Mormon Temple to enjoy their incredible lights:
Enjoying the lights – me, Andy, Keith, and Michelle:
Our weather has been beautiful although we have had more clouds than normal. And of course those clouds make such awesome sunsets:
WOW!
And as 2012 ends, Andy and I have decided to have a quiet night at home. Both of us were sick and do not have our energy back yet. To be honest, it is nice to just kick back and enjoy some TV.
We are thankful for being able to enjoy the life we do and count our many friends and family as blessings in our lives.
On Thursday, 15th, we had an Escape get together at Organ Stop Pizza in Mesa. We were here last year and here is the post with details on this really neat place:
But this year I have videos and only a few pictures – enjoy:
Check out this organ:
And the videos:
We had a wonderful time and the music was great. From there we went to the Church of Latter Day Saints for Mesa Temple Garden Christmas Lights and it was OUTSTANDING!
Bill, Shelly, Andy, and I enjoying the lights:
And our last stop was the Tumbleweed Tree in Chandler - different - .
Info from the internet:
“This unique Chandler tradition began in 1957, when Chandler resident Earl Barnum raised the idea of a tumbleweed tree after he saw a similar one in Indiana built out of cone-shaped chicken wire with pine boughs stuck in the holes. Many members of the community helped create the first tree in Chandler using tumbleweeds that they gathered from around town. Little did these folks know that they were the first to do such a thing and that it would continue as an annual Christmas tradition from then on. In fact, Chandler is the only city in the southwestern United States that has such a tree!
How is it done?
First, members of the City's Park Operations Division gather tumbleweeds from the outskirts of the City. With Chandler's rapid growth and development, fewer stretches of empty land are within the City limits, which makes it harder to find tumbleweeds in large quantities. So, the Park crews must start collecting the tumbleweeds earlier each year.
Between 1,500-2,000 tumbling tumbleweeds are collected each year, and approximately half of those are used to adorn a 25-foot tall wire frame. Then, the tumbleweeds are sprayed with 25 gallons of white paint, 20 gallons of flame retardant and dusted with 65 pounds of glitter. The tree is later adorned with approximately 1,200 holiday lights that give it a spectacular look, day or night.
The lighting of the Tumbleweed Tree draws a large crowd, with more than 12,000 expected to watch the Mayor and members of the City Council flip the switch to light this magnificent sight.”
And of course there are pictures:
And how are our little kitties? Bella is doing well. She tolerated the collar and could not wait to have it off (which happened on Tuesday, 20th). I did take it off a few times a day while keeping an eye on her. Thru all of this, she wants to be held constantly – here she is saying “Pay attention to ME!”
And our Dusty, well, as you know he has had some problems with “travel tummy”. So Wednesday, 14th, we took him to the vet and what an ordeal. He had to have two tests which he screamed thru. (Don’t know if it was worse on him or me hearing him.) Anyway, all tests were negative – no diseases, no parasites, etc. And since then, well… let’s just say, it has been interesting. He actually got worse then started to improve. So hopefully we are on the right path. Sheesh.
Thru all this we bought a present for the kitties:
Then had to go and buy another – but they still like being together -
Shelly and I continue to learn to line dance – three times a week. Having a great time – good workout and good brain work out (which is probably why I am staying with it – I get bored very quickly with just standing there doing exercises.)
We have also been having fun meeting new people at the park, going to beading, getting together with Lynne and Fred, Bill and Shelly; learning Mexican Train (a domino’s game) and helping out at the park Christmas party.
Andy has had his VA appointments for bloodwork and regular checkup. He has a few more coming up. We are really impressed with the VA here in Casa Grande and last year in Tucson. So glad we did this after losing the supplemental insurance.
Hope you are all enjoying the holiday preparations.
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