Oh My Gosh - 18 Days Since Last Update!

I know, I know, I am waaaaaayyyyyyyyy behind! Even today I hope I can get through everything!

Oh yes, this was the full moon on March 10th. I couldn't believe how big it was!!!!! Karen & I saw it while we were bike riding. These are a couple pictures taken by my friend Marquita.

Yes, the moon does look like a ball of cheese!!!!

Maybe I should start with today & work backwards since I'm not good at remembering things in chronological order! Today is Bill's birthday. We just went to the club house for the last Saturday morning breakfast. He wanted to go out to eat with the neighbors, but they weren't up yet. Thank Goodness! I told him it was his day & he could do what he wanted. He decided to go right here at the park. Thank Goodness again as we have a surprise "out to lunch" planned for him at 11:15am so I didn't want the neighbors to have to make up another excuse. It has been a week of fibs trying to get a birthday cake decorated for him. There is another friend who plays cards with us who has a birthday today so I said the cake was ordered by his wife & since both guys play cards, it was easy to pass that decorated cake off. One is 76 & one is 66, so I just put three books of cards on it - 7 cards of 7's, & 2 sets of 6's. That made it look like 76 & 66. I can be sneaky once in a while. I'll take a picture to post later on this afternoon. We are taking him to a casino for his birthday lunch. I'm giving him a card when we get there with his "limit" inside.

Well since I didn't get this finished before we went out to lunch, here are the pictures from Bill & Dick's Birthday after we came back from the Casino. Needless to say, Bill, Joanne, Ruby & Jim did okay at the casino. The rest of us spent our little limit & went outside to wait out the hour. At least it wasn't very smoky in there & the food was delicious.

Bill (66) & Dick (76)

Peg, Bill, Dick & Joanne

Hand & Foot Cake - The guys should be on opposite sides for the ages to matchMy partner in crime, Phyllis, a very dear friend!

Wednesday evening I borrowed Gene's trimmers & trimmed our orange tree. It gets so big & bushy that it scratches the side of the truck when we back in so I wanted to trim that. Then when you want to pull out into the street you can't see down the street. Of course, Bill had already counted (LOL) the number of little green orange seed pods, so I couldn't trim all of them. I think I might have clipped a few though. Oh well, didn't want it to look like I chopped it, need it to look a little round on top. The next night we had a hard wind storm so probably some of those seed pods blew off anyway.

This past Wednesday we went on the Desert Belle paddle wheel boat around Saguaro Lake with Karen & Kerry. Had a great day & a nice time. It was a pretty ride. Saw a blue heron & an eagle. Ended with late lunch/early supper at The Native New Yorker. The manager there was originally from New Castle, PA & new all about Kinzua, Kane, Warren & Jamestown, NY areas. Needless to say it's a great place to order "back home" food too. Real Haddock, Beef on 'Wick, Philly Cheese Steak, that type of food.

Pictures from the boat ride:

Kerry & Karen

Saguaro Lake

Rock Formation Looks Like Teddy Bear Eagle Bill & Peggy
Four Peaks Mountain in background - Wilderness area now because of black bear
One of 6 deformed saguaro cactus in all of Arizona - looks like fingers & thumb

Thursday afternoon we went to a place called San Tan Flats. Went to a Saloon/Grill & the Flat Iron Steaks were absolutely delicious!!!! You can eat inside where they serve you, or outside, where you can come in & order & then take it back outside. Then they have fire barrels (on their sides) all around & wood available to make your own fires & roast marshmallows. They have a guy who sings entertainment at 6pm on Wed., Thurs. & Sun. & then 2 different bands come in on Fri. & Sat. We had tried to go there a couple weeks ago on a Sat. night & they told us we would have a 2 hr. wait!!!! They don't take reservations either. On the weekends the entertainment doesn't start until 9, so we decided to go during the week so we can get back home earlier. Bill & I danced a couple dances & Fred danced with Phyllis a few times. The wind was blowing so hard though that we had quite a lot of dust across the roads on the way home. Just like a snow storm only dust. The trailer was really rocking in the wind when we got home. The bikes & chairs had blown over, my candles off the steps blew off during the night & broke one. Phyllis's chairs were blown all over the patio. If this was what it was like in just a wind storm, I don't think I want to go through a tornado! Just pray we can get across tornado alley on the way home in May!

On Sunday, March 15th, Bill & I went to San Carlos to an Apache Pow Wow. Beautiful Costumes & very interesting. We stayed about 2 hrs. & after that the music all sounds the same - you know, the Indian drums. It was so much fun watching the little ones dance & then the costumes of the older ones.

Pictures from Pow Wow:

Little gal getting ready - beautiful beaded shoes Beautiful constumes
Beautiful beadwork - From Utah tribe

March 17th they had their annual St. Patrick's Day parade. Needless to say it was a lot bigger than last year's. Very nice.

Pictures from the parade:

My friend Lois (a fellow line dancer - 93rd birthday on March 18th) Roy with flag on Faye's new golf cart (classie lassie - my name for her)
Lynda & Nancy from the Shared Recipies Club
Fred & Ed waving
Sign says "Shriners have fun helping children" - What's a parade without the Shriners?
Lady in Red is Kathy our Country Dance Instructor & Pilate's Instructor
Bud, Bill's Pool Buddy
Ray B. Help! No Brakes!
The Envy of everyone at the park!

Audrey, Roger, John & Carol, Camilla

That evening after the parade, we were all invited to Phyllis & Tom's for the annual Iowa Steak Party. Every year they brings a cooler full of steaks packed on dry ice to share with friends. They were absolutely delicious! Those Iowa fed beef are the best! Sorry, New Yorkers/Pennsylvanians! Everyone brought a dish to pass & of course, we ate way too much!

Pictures from Steak Fry:

I think the steaks were great, we are on the desert in this picture

Don & Audrey

More of the gang
Camilla & Roger's last day with us all

On Wed. evening, the 18th, we went to Jim & Ruby's for a Krub supper. Now if you are Norwegian, you'll know what that is. If not, well. It really was pretty good. Jim's family was here visiting from Minnesota & they always eat this when they get together. Ruby said just try it, try not to gag (like she did the first time) & then say you like it. It really wasn't that bad. It is shredded potatoes mixed with flour & then rolled into balls & boiled in cheese cloth. Then it is removed from the cheese cloth after cooking & served with bacon & bacon grease over the potatoes. Sound high in calories & cholesterol??? You bet, but what the heck. You have to try something different now & then. We had a fun time.

Pictures from the Norwegian Krub party:

Jim, Ruby, Carol, Judy & Bob

Krubs cooking in water

Removing the cheese cloth Krubs

We've also attended 2 block parties for our street, along with the New York State party. Since we stay in NY State when we return to Hidden Valley & we no longer have a "house" in PA, they invite us to party with them. This time we just had snacks & finger food. Of course, you can really eat a lot of that too! Since we want to travel to the New England states in late summer/early fall, we got addresses from some of the friends from NY to maybe stop & see them. Two of them are up along the St. Lawrence Seaway. One was the gal that was so sick with the pancreatic problems, so would like to stop & see them.

Well, I guess that about sums up the last 3 weeks. So since I've written a book..........Until Next Time.......................The Traveling Cardinal's

Another Week Closer to the East Coast

Gosh, it seems like time is beginning to fly by! We are trying to get all of our friends together before we see them leave. Every day it seems we hear of someone else getting ready to leave. People are beginning to talk about cleaning out the refrigerators/freezers preparing to go back to their summer homes. Those of you who are living in "snow country" are impatiently waiting for Spring. Those of us here are thinking "where or where did the winter go"??? I remember Bill's dad telling us how fast we go down that "other side of the hill", now I know what he meant!

Last Friday's craft show was so much fun. What a lot of talent this park has!!! Wow! I can remember last year's show & that is how I came to do the scratch art. I couldn't wait to get back to do it. At the table behind us a lady had made this vase with sand & zippers called zipper art. Beautiful work.

Our scratch art projects:

Mary's

Joyce's

Eva's
Teacher: Janelle with Peg's

Last Tues. I lost my keys (to truck, trailer, everything). I've searched & searched the trailer, truck, outside, pockets, etc. Asked at the offices & nothing. Last night I finally found them! They were inside the Atlas on the seat of the truck. I'd looked there before & even picked up the book, but I must never have turned it the right way. For when I took it out yesterday afternoon to use it, out they fell! What a relief. I was pretty excited. Now maybe I can sleep & not get up every morning & start looking again! Oh the woes of getting old & can't remember anything! I started out walking across the street to go tell the neighbor something, got to the end of the driveway & couldn't remember what I was going over there to tell her! Man, my brain must have gotten fried in the sunshine out here!!!

The weather has been a little cool this past week, but starting to warm up again. Haven't sat in the sun & read any this week. Been busy with monitoring computer classes again this week & next a couple afternoons a week. This afternoon is line dancing. Bill has decided he doesn't want to dance anymore so we don't take Monday afternoon lessons, so I'm back to just one afternoon a week. I miss it, but I don't want to bug him, he gets a little owly when I do that! You know...! Well, I just came home from line dancing & today ended up to be our last day! Boy am I going to miss that!

Saturday 7 of us gals went to the Swap Meet & then out for coffee & a snack. We had a great time. Lot's of laughing - you know, that tension reliever.

Yesterday I went to chiropractor in the morning, then class, then came home for about an hour then went & had a perm. Boy, it's short again! That's okay, it will grow & the next thing you know it will be hair cut time again!

Tuesday night we went across the street to a Fish Fry. One of the guys from Iowa had caught crappies & they invited friends to Phyllis & Tom's since they had more room. They had 3 friers going & did over 220 pieces of fish! Boy was it good! We all took something to fill in & had quite a feast AGAIN! After we ate, one of the friends (who gets us into the VFW when the gang wants to dance to the big band) brought his electric piano & entertained us with music, song & dance. What a great time we had. He used to have his own show in Vegas & had opened for many entertainers including Lawrence Welk. Pretty good for an 82 year old with arthritic fingers tinkling those keys! You name it he could play it. His daughter sings at one of the restaurants in Gold Canyon in the area. We haven't been out to hear her, but she did sing a song (after much coaxing) with her dad. Beautiful voice.

Jessie the Fisherman & Cook:

Crazy Jimmy at the piano

Here is a little of what we heard: - see video below. I'm having trouble getting videos to load & save.

Renee called me Sunday night & told me she had heard the peepers in Maryland! Lucky girl!!!! So I guess Spring is on it's way down there.

Last evening Bill's brother, Bobbie, called to tell us a dear friend of theirs & ours, Shirley, passed away at Pittsburgh hospital. She was a sweetheart. She loved to come to our house/trailer when we had weiner roasts so she could "play in the fire". She loved to add the wood & stir it around. After a little coaxing from all of us, she would tell her Ollie & Sven jokes. We will miss her very much. The kindest lady I've ever met! God Bless & be with her family, Bucky & Shari.

Well it's time to eat & change clothes for this afternoon.

So, Until Next Time.........................The Traveling Cardinal's

Just Another Update

This is my friend Snookie that got me started on this blogging! She is the culprit! But what a gal! She is the best. You have a question, she'll have an answer. This picture was taken by LaVon (Baker's Blessings - great, great site! Very inspirational) & put on her blog so I borrowed it to put on mine. It is better than the picture I took that I posted last. She definitely was surprised to see me. I loved it.

On Feb. 24th the park had it's annual Mardi Gras Parade. Short & Sweet. Bill took pictures as I was at the chiropractor's. Roy from our street is leading the parade.

A few who get into the spirit

Since I haven't updated for over a week I thought I'd better let the family know we are still doing okay. Not too much to write about so will keep it short.

As I said before, our weeks are pretty much the same. The weather has been very warm this past week, in the high 80's. That's hard for you back East to swallow since your temps have been in the teens & single digits with snow! Sorry! I certainly am not envious of you. I guess you might say, that's why we chose this lifestyle. My only fear is coming back East & crossing through "Tornado Alley".

Boy, this week the quail have really been running around the trailer. I've been watching them out my window by the computer. I've tried to take pictures of them, but they run so fast I can't get them. Two of them have been getting into our trailer hitch. Bill finally put some boards up there to try & keep them out. I don't want them building a nest in there & then not having babies before we leave. Besides, we park our bikes under there & I don't want any messes on my seat! They are fun to watch. They remind me of the morning doves at home. Always talking! It must be mating season. I'll start taking my camera outside when I sit & maybe I can catch them one of these days.

Yesterday we had a block party for the north half of our street. Boy was the food good! Jim & Ruby cooked Brats & everyone brought the rest. Then you wonder why we have weight problems!! If I could just stay away from the desserts! But then that wouldn't be any fun! Needless to say we were stuffed. Then last night we played Hand & Foot with Phyllis & Tom. They beat us by 180 points! That was a Very close game! When you are looking at a score of around 20,000, 180 is almost nothing! Then of course we had to watch The Bachelor. What a mess. Phyllis had told me it was preplanned because of ratings, then I see on the Internet news today, she was correct, that was in his contract. Reality Show, ya right! Those are real peoples feelings & that's about as far as reality goes!

Today we've just stayed around the trailer & caught up on things. I got my bills paid & Bill got his papers read. We got caught up on emails with friends & family. Thinking about running to the store as I need to buy birthday cards for the month.

Monday night I went to the movies here at the club house. They showed the movie Fireproof. It was a really great movie. Every married couple should see it. Unfortunately I couldn't get Bill to go, but I really enjoyed it. I know he would have too, but you know, we each have our own interests sometimes. But if you get a chance to see it, GO. They showed it 2 separate Monday nights here because the response was so good the first time. There weren't as many the second time, but I'm sure a lot went to the first one.

I received the following from my friend Denise back home today. I hope you can open it. It is beautiful & so meaningful!

This Friday afternoon is our annual craft show. I will be showing some of my scratch art pictures. It will be fun to see all the items that other's have been making over the winter. Then on Sunday the Quilt Show will be in the afternoon after Chapel.

The next 2 Mon. & Wed. afternoons I'll be helping with another Excel class. Wish me luck, we are using Lab 2 with the Vista machines. I haven't used Excel 2007, nor have I used a Vista machine except for Back Up class & Vista Basic. I don't feel real confident, but I don't think I'll be completely lost either. Just a challenge to learn something new.

So that about wraps up our lives here in Sunny Arizona. I hope those of you in the East that read this will get rid of your cold & snow soon. About now I know you are all anxious to see the dirty snow gone & flowers in bloom. Remember, patience is a virtue!

Until next time.............The Traveling Cardinal's