Happy New Year - 2017

AJ, AZ    High 65  Low 53  Probably rain. It rained last night and is supposed to rain today and tomorrow.

One of the fun things about the holidays is the chance to get together with lots of friends. We’ve had some really good times.

We went with Aunt Happy to her Family Christmas Party at her complex. They provided goodies and some drinks along with entertainment.

I sometimes forget about the different generation that she grew up in. She saw the gentlemen who was going to provide the music and said (quite loudly) that we would be leaving early because she didn’t like black music. I told her we’d leave whenever she was ready but after he started to perform, she ended up really enjoying his music. He sang mostly country and Christmas. She also does not like women doctors. She wants a man because women are just nurses. Like I said, a totally different generation.

The gentlemen in the white shirt danced every dance with anybody who would dance with him. He is 100.

We also met up with friends for lunch several times. We went to Can’t Stop Smokin’ BBQ with 19 RVers, some of which we haven’t seen for a couple of years.

We had lunch at Sal’s Gilbert Pizza (that’s the place that has my Italian sausage sandwich) with Bob and Jo. Because of health insurance issues they are headed to Texas. We will really miss them and have our fingers and toes crossed that they can return to AZ in March. Safe travels friends.

We also got a chance to have lunch at La Stalla Italian Restaurant with Toni and Doug. They may have to return to Canada early to deal with family medical issues. Toni made us a fantastic apple pie which is long gone.

Had lunch at the Mongolian Grill which opened here in AJ last summer with Jeri and Terry. Thank you Jeri for the beautiful towels.

We drove up to Superior for our hamburger fix at Porter’s. Jim decided to try their chimichanga and he said it was really good but he should have gotten the hamburger.

It was overcast and cloudy on our drive and I loved the clouds sitting on the mountain top.

And no holiday season is complete without a visit to the dermatologist. Not near as bad as it looks.

We want to wish all of you a very Happy New Year and a fantastic 2017.

Merry Christmas

Apache Junction, AZ   High 61  Low 42  Rain and Wind – but at least it’s not snow

And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Luke 2:10, 11, 14

Jim, Skittlez and I want to wish all of you a joyous and peaceful Christmas filled with love, family, and friends.

Needed An Escape

AJ, AZ   High 75  Low 54   Sunny and Beautiful

Got the Christmas tree up.

My Mom made this tree back in the days when macramé was the big fad. Mom was always way more craftier than I will ever be.

The dogs are out with Spike. (Thanks Jan)

 

Santa has his catch

Last week we did an Escape Room with Jeri and Terry. If you have never tried this, you are really missing out. You are put in a locked room with no instructions and have to find the clues to “escape” the room. It is mentally challenging and you need to be able to think outside the box. That is not one of my few talents but I still really have fun trying. You are given 60 minutes to find all the clues and escape. We didn’t make it but we were sooo close.

They offer several different rooms and I would love to try again but this time with four other people. I think six people trying to figure it out would work better. Escape rooms are everywhere. We did one a couple of years ago with Todd and Michaela in Billings.

Jan and Bill are at Usery Park for a Chapter Rally but we were able to spend some time with them yesterday for a visit. Went to Los Gringos Locos for dinner and had the best fajitas ever. So much fun to see them again.

Skittlez adjustment to being an only dog has gone downhill. She has always been close to me but it has now gotten to the point where she is like a permanent attachment. Except when it’s time to go outside – then she wants Jim. If I go across the street to visit with Ginny, she makes Jim take her out so she can track me down.

When we leave her alone, she cries. Not loudly but enough that yesterday Ginny was outside reading and could hear her. Being Ginny, she came over and took Skitz for a walk so she could look for me.

Not sure what to do. I know people are going to suggest another dog, but we really don’t want another dog. There are many many reasons for that and we have discussed it over and over again. But I’m also not sure that Skittlez would settle down even with another dog.

So one day at a time. She is almost 13 but seems to be healthy.

We stay busy with every day life and are loving the weather.