2012 3rd Month (March) & First Post!

Well, that title is sad isn't it?  I haven't been on here in so long I'm ashamed to say I am/was a blogger!   It seems by the time I do my daily activities, eat, read my emails & reply, check Facebook, it's bedtime!

It might be that I've found it so much easier to post pictures on Facebook that I've let my Blog slide.

I'll try to bring you up to date a little.  Note, I said "try".  I can't even remember what happened since Christmas!  Every week seems to be a blur of activity. 

I do remember more of February.  Our friends, Ron & Sharon & Dan & Helen, have been out to visit.  Dan & Helen came to visit Chuck & Denice & Ron & Sharon rented a home down near Florence, AZ.  We did a lot of fun things.  We went on a moonlight hike, shared meals together, visited the Hall of Flame, & just had a great time.  Our friends from Georgia, Benny & Tommie, have since left too, along with Camilla & Roger.  Gosh, it doesn't seem possible people are starting to leave already.  Of course, Dan & Helen were only here for 10 days, Ron & Sharon a month, & Benny & Tommie for 3 months.  It just seems like time goes so fast.

We met Ron & Sharon & took them to the Olive Mill on the first weekend they were here.  That was different for them.  We had a fun time just relaxing & catching up.  While we were talking, Sharon mentioned that they were going on a moonlight hike with Denice, Chuck & some of their friends.  I said I had always wanted to go, but hadn't been yet.  So I called Denice & asked if they cared if I tagged along.  She said heavens no.  So I was the odd ball among the couples.  Here is our group before we started out:

They wanted to start early enough so we could see the sunset, but it was so cloudy there wasn't any sun.  We were afraid we wouldn't see the full moon either!

Up we start to the Superstition Mountains

No sunset, but it was a beautiful sight to see all the lights clear to Phoenix from there.  We could watch the plane lights coming in & going out of the airport.

Well, these hikers come prepared!!  We all brought snacks & the guys brought bottles of wine.  So we had a wine & cheese, crackers & fruit at the top of our climb.  Good thing we brought flashlights too.  We were getting a little impatient trying to find the moon through the clouds.

But.....low & behold, it finally came out from behind the mountain.  Not real bright, but at least we could see it.  It was beautiful.

We had a Warrenites Get-Together at the Mirage Bar & Grill for lunch on February 9th.  It turned out fantastic.  We had 43 people there!!  A few were visiting, but most spend their winters in Arizona & the majority of them right here in Apache Junction!  I was so surprised to find out how many people we knew that lived here & we didn't even know it.   Click on the picture to get a better close up.  Here is a picture of the gang:

A few pictures of us having a good time:
Denice, Sharon, Bill, Chuck,  Dan, Helen & Ron relaxing in the sun before we ate.

 Us Girls - Helen & I, Sharon & Denice

 Getting ready to play a friendly game of Tonk - Dan, Chuck & Helen

It was a little breezy & cool, but as you can see the guys toughed it out (except Bill).

Two days after our "great meal", four of our friends, Jan & Dick & Camilla & Roger took us to Mexico to introduce us to Bill's new dentist.  He broke a tooth & went to get it fixed.  Instead he got impressions made for a new set of full dentures with an appointment to go back & get his remaining 5 teeth pulled.  It was a long day in & out of the dentist office.  We have made 2 more trips back & have another scheduled.  It's been a long haul, but hopefully things are getting better.  As of tonight (03-04-12) he ate a pretty good meal.  After getting them pulled he had sore spots & we thought they were just going to adjust his lower plate; instead he had surgery on his gum bones.  More stitches & more healing.  Hopefully we only have to make one more trip.

On Feb. 16th we had our Eastern States Party.  Denice & I were the only ones to remember to bring something from our hometown.  Either made there or distributed from there.  Here is a Blair shirt that I took & I gave a little history about Blair Corporation.

 Denice brought Whirley mugs & we gave them away as prices.  We told about traveling & checking gift shops to see where the mugs they sold were made.  We always pick them up & look at the bottom to see if they say Whirley Industries, Warren, PA, Made in USA.

Sharon, Ron, Bill & I went to the Hall of Flame Firefighters Museum in Phoenix after having lunch at the Organ Stop Pizza with the group from the park.  The lady at the museum asked if both guys were firefighters & we said no, we all were.  She was rather surprised.  Between the four of us, we represented over 144 years of Firefighter service!  It was a fun day & we had a great time.

 

 This was an old carriage for the Fire Chief.

 

 Our last "get-together" with dear friends.  None of them had been to San Tan Flats Bar & Grill, so this was a real treat.  It is a fun place to go.  The weather was beautiful.  Ron & Sharon got there early & got one of the last tables!!  It was really crowded.  I don't think it matters if it's a Friday night or a week night, the food is good & it's just a fun place.

Here is Bill, Sharon, Tommie, Benny & Ron.  Bill did pretty good eating a plain hamburger & a few steak fries.

 Ron & Sharon

 Ron, Sharon & I had been shopping at the Mesa Flea Market the Saturday before & we bought matching shirts, necklaces & earrings.  Sharon wore the shirt, but not the jewelry.  So we were "look-alikes".

 You get to sit around the fire pits & later after we ate, we roasted marshmallows.  We brought the marshmallows & they have the sticks there.  It's all contractors wood, so there's no smoke.  The guys come around & light them for you with propane burners.  You can take the boxes to the huge woodpile & bring back as much wood as you want to sit for as long as you want.  They usually have a band or someone perform.  We stayed for about 1/2 hr. of the band.  Since none of us were dancing, we didn't want to make it too late as Benny & Tommie were going to Rocky Point the next day & Ron & Sharon were heading to Sierra Vista for a couple days.

 Georgia Friends, Tommie & Benny with Bill & I

 That brings us up to March.  Another whirlwind month.  I have known since October when I was asked if I would be interested in participating in Dancing With the Superstition Stars.  I said I'd love to!  Well, practices have started as of Friday.  We danced today (Saturday), again on Monday & Tuesday morning.  Then dress rehearsal Tues. afternoon & the show is Tues. night.  It is a lot of fun, but not as easy as it looks.  When all is said & done, I think I like Line Dancing better.  It's hard dancing with a partner when you don't know what the routine is.  I think I'm getting it, but I still don't feel confident.  Hopefully by Tuesday I'll have it down!  I don't want this to be a comedy show!

Here is my "young", good looking partner/instructor, Joe.  He is a lot of fun & he is very patient with me!

After the show is over, I'll go back to helping with the Shuffleboard Tournament in the park next week.  A guy from another park has set up a computer program to figure out the championship tree & it works really neat.  Not so much writing as in the past.  So I have someone to do it for me on Tuesday & I'll be there the rest of the week.  At least it's in the park.  I was suppose to play in the tournament, but had to back out when it started on the same day as DWTS.

So, between teaching computer classes, helping out with Zumba while Cathy wasn't feeling up to par, I see Bill at meal times & evenings.  I'm hoping my brother Herb comes to visit the end of the month.  By that time I'll be ready to do something different.  We'd like to take him to the Grand Canyon.  Hopefully he is still planning on coming.  Waiting to hear from Amy.

So, until next time................The Traveling Cardinal's