Chats with Little Bro, Great Morning Walk, Arizona Marketplace, Dipping, Let’s Dance!

On Saturday, Feb.3^rd Clemson jumped off the bed around 7. He slept through the night again, good little guy. I rolled over to see if Bill was awake and he was already rising to let him out. I got up anyway, I’d slept really well and didn’t want to stay in bed any longer. I came downstairs while the boys crawled back under the covers.

Well, good morning!

My thought was to get my post from yesterday published but when I saw the pretty pink low clouds to the east, I took the little camera outside. It was 42F but no wind out there at all. With my little gloves and extra hoody, I was drawn to walk further and further. Before I knew it, I was out of the park walking towards a field of broccoli where the workers were hard at it. I wish they were closer for a better picture.

I walked down the row of Casita style sites

some have park models

others are empty and for lease/sale

I realized that I couldn’t gain entry back into the park unless I retraced my steps or walked up to the main road entrance. So, that is what I did. It worked perfectly, almost 2 miles. It gave me an opportunity to capture some of the neat displays around the park grounds.

When I returned, I wasn’t surprised to see Bill was up as it was almost 8 o’clock. I enjoyed the walk and the fresh air. I’ve been getting a bit lazy lately and my Fitbit is not pleased with me. To make my walk even more enjoyable I take pictures of beautiful things.

A field of broccoli

and the workers hard at it at 7 am to beat the heat
No wonder they quit at 1:30 or 2

Anybody home?

My Dad would love this

for Donna and I to plant our gardens

are we taking a ride today?
Giddyap!

Today, was another ‘get up and get moving day’ although the get up and go wasn’t working quite as well as we’d hoped. I still wasn’t able to finish reading all of my blogger friends’ posts from yesterday before we had to put the push on to move. We were ready to leave around 8:45 or 9 and arrived at the Arizona Marketplace before anyone was at the gate to charge us the entry fee.

The marketplace wasn't too busy and we enjoyed the shopping

We were on a mission and had a list of things to get for family back home. We know it isn’t necessary and it probably won’t be something we do all the time BUT for our first few times, it is important to us to find something small for the kids and grandkids. Trying to find that ‘different’ gift from last year is the tricky part. I enjoy the hunt.

Driving S. Araby Rd towards our street
I love the view of the agricultural fields ahead

As we prepared to walk out around 11:45 we were tickled pink that it was a fun‘chore’ well done in record time and with very little expense. It was as we left the gate that we noticed they were charging newcomers $1 per person. We’ll be sure to remember that for next time and go early again. The day was warming up again, already 78F at noon hour.

This truck is going to a work site in a field with some very
important equipment

We returned home and recorded our expenditures after making lunch. Bill settled in his chair with his book (I wonder how long that will last?) and I pulled the bulk packages of sausage, steak, chops and pork ribs out of the fridge. It is my job to prepare single meal packets for the freezer and it didn’t take long to put two of everything in a pack.

This cheap pack of ribs will make two nice meals

our freezer is looking full again

I’ve finished the Violets Are Blue book and it was very good. I’m going to switch to one of Michael Connelly’s stories now with Harry Bosch. Angels Flight is a hardcover that I found at Pilot Knob RV Resort. After sitting still for awhile myself, going through the purchases, I changed into my bathing suit and waited for Bill to wake up so we could go to the pool earlier today. Told ya! With the chair, the book and the morning walk, it is a given who is going to win.

We  had the pool to ourselves when we arrived

We walked up to the pool around 2 and were surprised to find that no one was in the pool. There were 2 or 3 people lounging in chairs or the hot tub. I grabbed us each a pool noodle and we floated around for at least half hour. More people came and Jim was one of them. We chatted with him and a couple of other ladies doing their water exercises.

My floating sweetie pie

I love how age means absolutely nothing here, in this lifestyle. When men and women in their late 70’s and 80’s are doing the same thing, we are doing in our 60’s it gives me strength and encouragement. If Verna, at 79, can swim the length of the pool and back, I know I could have another 15 years doing the same thing.

 We moved to the hot tub until it was too hot and after rinsing the suds off, we stretched out on our own loungers. One more swim in the pool and Sharon arrived for a swim too. We walked back before 4 to find Clemson with his hands on his hips “where is my supper?” Actually, no he was more graceful in his demand than that so Bill fed him pronto.

We read outside for awhile and I gave in first to a nap. Bill and Clem soon joined me. I felt exhausted and dropped off really quickly for a short 30 minutes. Bill lit the barbecue and grilled sausage while I prepared a nice salad for each of us. 

A good supper with sausage and salad

It was filling and quite yummy. Bill washed and I dried the dishes before we got cleaned up for another evening out. My goodness! We are turning into quite the social butterflies!

And the sun sets with a bit of a show

I mixed up the ingredients to make a batch of Beer Margueritas so I had something to drink up at the clubhouse. There was live music provided tonight for a dance and we’d arranged to join Jim and Sharon for the evening. It was quite good, Terry and Linda played a lot of classic country tunes. Most were well known and the full house sang along and danced through a number of them. Stuart and his wife, Pat, joined us as did their friends, Lin and Von.

Jim and Sharon warm up the dance floor for everyone

Terry and Linda provided some really good entertainment
and it takes a lot for me to say that!

Our Beer Marueritas
(Beeritas)

We, ourselves, got a couple of dances in and I got a line dance under my belt as well. It was a fun evening and the drinks were quite good! We said our goodnights when the music stopped at 10. It is so surprising to feel the cool air after 7 o’clock and then even more surprising to find it had only dropped to 55F. When you think we started at 80F, that is a noticeable difference.

These guys are really good together and fun to watch

 There were tons of stars in the black sky tonight and the Big Dipper was resting on its handle tip. Another interesting thing we saw today was the Blimp which we often see tethered when driving northeast on I-95 near the Yuma Proving Grounds. I just happened to spot it this afternoon on my walk with Clemson.

This has been a very fulfilling day. Things got done in town, we had plenty of time to relax and swim and be entertained. I’ve had a couple of nice conversations with my little brother, Michael, over the last couple of days on text and with my girlfriend, Brenda, today. It means so much to keep in touch with ‘home’. My sister, Donna and I text every day and that keeps us on top of each other’s day, as if we were mere miles apart. I like that.

to prove we were there too

Thank you for peeking to see what we got up to today.