Heavy Heart, Beautiful Sunny Day, Morning Break, Puzzles, Ice Cream, Ending on a Great Note

On Sunday, Dec. 30^th we are happy to hear that 3 more of our blogger friends have packed up (or are ready to) and hit the road for the southwest. That makes 5 over the last week or so. That is great news! We wish them all safe travels and warm, clear sunny skies as they head to their destinations. Hoping to see most of them during the busy January season.

Looking out across the desert to the free boondocking area

Bill and I woke with a heavy heart though since we have a friendship hovering in the balances of destruction. All from silly misunderstandings and misperceptions. We’re hoping to patch things up so we can all pick up where we left off and move forward. Life is too short for things like this to get in the way. I was up at 6:40 and Bill soon after. It was still dark until 7:10 when I headed out.

I rode past this house just down the road from the park

Our indoor thermometer was reading 63F so I bumped the fireplace up and even tapped the furnace to come on for a cycle. The outdoor temperature was 44F so I slipped an extra layer on my arms for my walk. The pink wisps of clouds across the sky were pretty and a photo just doesn’t justify it at all, but I tried. I met Loree and Freddy at one point, close enough to say good morning and saw George off in the distance making his rounds of the park too.

When I returned, I made our morning coffee and tea and read a few blog posts. At 8:30 I opened a package of Pillsbury cinnamon buns and put them in the oven while frying up bacon and eggs. There are 8 in a pack and that is just enough to share with everyone. This has been my plan since we bought them, I was just waiting for the right day. Happy Sunday!

Bill did dishes while I delivered them door to door. 

They look yummy, don't they?

 Our friends were delighted with the morning snack. I hopped in the shower and when I came out, Bill was doing some more organizing in his ‘tackle’ box. Clemson was you know where. I decided to take my bike up to the library and put some pieces in the puzzle for an hour. We’d plan the afternoon when I got back.

Bill works on filling his tackle box

Clemson was very busy too

Rob was also working on his tool/tackle box

I first rode out of the park and down Frontage Rd towards the west. It is bumpy with lots of ruts in it but it felt good to exercise my legs in a different way. When I got back to the park, I pulled my bike into the puzzle room/library and texted Pat. I wanted her to know that we had a puzzle to finish! Someone else had contributed and I didn’t want anyone else finishing off ‘our’ puzzle this time. So, when Pat arrived, we both concentrated on putting the last pieces in together.

And Pat puts the last 8 pieces in

TaDah!

Bill got his drone out this afternoon too

It was 12:15 when I returned on my bike and saw the case that Bill had emptied. Hmm, what are you doing with that? Since he no longer needed it, I quickly got out my paints and rocks to see if they would fit. Success! Recycle and reuse and re-store. I have way too many paints so I still need the drawer but I’ve emptied a bag and have a much neater way of moving the materials outside now.

Now, I'm more organized too

Maybe bill's tackle box was kind of for me too!

Eventually, a lot of the old paints that are drying out will be getting tossed so hopefully one day, they will fit into one container. Rob texted to remind us that today is Sunday (oh yah) and Ice Cream social was today at 2. Geesh! We would have easily forgot about it. So, we dug out $2 and walked up with our friends, George, Suzie, Rob and Pat to get our treat. Why change a good thing? So Bill and I both got chocolate this time with all the fixings.

Today's ice cream treat

We offered to host Happy Hour today since we had lots of sunshine and the rotation had come first circle. I read my book outside in the hot sun for the hour until everyone joined us. Conversation ensued until just before 5 the fun ended. 

Freddy likes drinking from Clemson's water dish

and then he sleeps

A really cute picture of Ron and Loree
Now that is genuine 'happy'

Rob and I

Pat and George

Bill took Clemson out while I prepared the meat loaf for warming and to cook spaghetti squash for me and corn for him. Not that I really needed it, but I made up Caesar salad for each of us and we were eating and cleaned up from it by 6.

Clemson makes friends

Bill found a movie that we both agreed on and we settled in for the evening. I’m really getting hooked on the J.A. Jance book I’m reading so I read during commercials before I got too tired. 

Sunset through the screen

Sunset through my sunflowers in the bedroom window

supper was good and almost too much food

This has been another good day and the best part of it was when we heard from our friends and have made arrangements to see them in a couple of days. We are so glad they feel the same way about getting together. I hope you have had an equally great day.

Bill got some great drone photos today
This is looking behind us towards the south blm land

George and Suzie's unit

Ron and Loree's unit

Our Suite and Rob and Pat's Silverback
Good everyone

Thank you for stopping by! If you wish to leave a comment, I love reading them.

Cool Winds, Change of Plans Making for a Quiet Day

It was around 2 am on Saturday, Dec. 29^th when I awoke to Clemson moving around on the bed. Up and down and I must have still been sleep-dazed as I didn’t realize that he and Bill had already been outside for a piddle. Finally, Clem settled again but it happened to be right between my legs. Oh well, I was too tired to care, obviously, as I dropped right off again. It was 6:40 when I woke again, with our pooch still in the same spot, but I didn’t wait long before I got up and dressed for the outdoors.

It was only 48F/8C again and 64F/18C inside so I turned the fireplace up from 21C to 24C. I heard Bill rising as well so kissed him quickly and out I went. The winds were wild already around 15 mph which made it feel colder still. I was pretty warm though the way I bundled and just walked quickly to keep my legs warm enough. I soon decided that I wasn’t interested in walking through the Arizona Market today as originally planned.

I texted Bill and said I didn’t want to go and he agreed. It wasn't that long ago that we went and it was a cold day then too. We'll have lots of opportunity over the next couple of months to go again when it is warmer. There is nothing we need to get today. Rob and Pat had already come to the same decision and when I passed that on to Loree, she wasn’t interested either, not with the cold wind. So, 6 of us stayed home and George and Suzie went. We were all happy! After breakfast, Bill had his shower and I fried eggs and bacon for breakfast.

And another orange for a snack

Bill cleaned the bathroom and I dusted and swept the Suite. Clemson slept up on the bed pillows in the sun. You can tell we were all busy for a while today. Because Clemson's Christmas coat was tucked away now, Bill slipped his flannelette sweater on. At least when he went out into the cold wind, he’d be warmer. It was 11:30 when I cut some summer sausage and cheese for a snack. Bill likes crackers with his. I poured myself a diet gingerale and walked up to the library.

And the winds from the north west began early this morning

After checking at the office for mail (nothing yet), I chatted with Cathy and Susie about friends coming in. Someone had been working on the puzzle which was nice as it is a difficult one. Pat and I don’t mind the help. 

When I arrived today, this much was done

I dug right in and soon enough, Pat joined me after her lunch. We made big strides today, giving ourselves goals ‘one more piece, one more piece, then we can leave’. We walked back just after 3, I think.

Our progress when we left

Tonight, was karaoke up at the clubhouse and we may or may not go for a bit. So, with that in mind, I put together Bill’s favourite. Meatloaf and French fries in the air fryer were on the menu. 

These fries were the best yet!

Supper wasn’t cooked and ready until 6:15 and before dishes we finished watching the last half hour of Airforce One with Harrison Ford. An old movie but a good one that we’ve seen before. We cleaned up dishes and had a quiet evening. So much for going anywhere but it suited both of us just fine.

And the sun sets between two stored rv's
and in the middle of the hydro lines

This was a nice quiet day and naturally the wind had died down considerably. I hope you have had a nice day as well. Thank you for your visit, I hope you enjoyed it.

Introducing Friends to Los Algodones, Piecing the Afternoon Together

I was awake around 5:30 and managed to doze off again until 6:30 when I got up. It was Friday, Dec. 28^th and I had a blog post to finish. Once that was done and Keurig prepped, I bundled and went for my walk. It said 50f but it felt cooler than that with the breeze in my face. I had my hoody up almost the whole time. Today, was only a 30-minute walk since we had plans to be on the road by 9.

Nothing too spectacular this morning in the sky

Just pink

When I returned at 7:40 Bill was just rising, having heard me slip out earlier. I made my tea and began frying up bacon and eggs at 8 so that would be out of the way. Because of the cooler day, the first of a few here in a row, I’ll need to be wise about my clothing choice today. Today we are visiting Los Algodones again. We are mostly walking under shelter but the wind finds its way through and keeps the temperatures low and the bones chilled. So, I practice my Spanish as I finish getting ready.

While I was taking a picture of the water tower
A friendly local explained about climbing it as a teenager with his friends
until the fire department put a stop to it

Hola! Buenos Dias. Por favor and Gracias. We hopped in Rob’s truck at 9 and drove to the parking area. Nice that you can park for the day for only $6. George drove his car with Ron and Loree (first time across for them) and once we crossed the border, we split into 2 groups. Visiting the Purple Pharmacy/Liqour was not on our list today so we moved on down the lines. I was dressed perfectly, in my hoody and vest. I also had my neck scruff and gloves if I needed them. The sun was warm but the wind cold.

Ron giving instructions on how to paint their name sign

They paint it right in front of you and do a great job

As usual, we laughed a lot and did some bartering with the street vendors. We slowed down today to chat and peruse more blankets, purses, jewellery and décor. Just for fun, just because they have ‘everything we don’t need’, ‘it’s cheaper in the morning’, ‘this is almost free!’ and oh yah the best one today ‘we want your money!’ It is a lot of fun. We met up with Ron, Loree, George and Suzie at the outdoor cantina for lunch. It was 11:30 when our meals arrived.

Rob, Bill and I waited in this bright courtyard restaurant
while Pat got her hair cut today

A picture of my best buddies

I think Rob wanted a picture of Mutt and Jeff

This time, Bill and I ordered soft Shrimp tacos with beans and rice and a lemonade on the side. It was quite good although the corn tortilla is not my favourite tortilla. I prefer plain. We were chilly sitting in the shade of the palm trees but we all had our fill and separated once more to go our own ways. We did a couple more street jaunts and then walked back through the entrance. No real lineup today either, maybe 5 minutes tops.

After arriving home at 12:50, Pat and I made plans to make ourselves a tea and walk up to the puzzle room. For a couple of hours, we plugged pieces in and began joining things together. Now it is really starting to look like the picture on the box. I chuckle because I do believe my buddy is now hooked like I am! Now ‘she’ is the one asking if we’re going up to work on the puzzle. Teehee. We have fun and enjoy the quiet time together.

It was a pretty good lunch for $6.50

Back at the Suite by 4:30, Bill informed me that he was going up to play Texas Hold’Em tonight with Rob. Maybe while he is gone, I can put some decorations away. We decided on a simple supper so we had grilled cheese sandwiches in the fry pan. I added onion and dill pickle to the cheese in my rye bread. As a side, I had some pineapple cottage cheese. Oh my, that was a nice little meal. We had dishes cleaned up by 6 and Bill got the boxes out for me and brought the 3 large ornaments in from the tree before he left around 6:30.

I immediately started packing Christmas decorations away. Once stripped of its seasonal attire, the 4’ tree also went into the box. I shimmied the small box and the tree box under the bed and finished putting away the individual Suite décor. There is a place for everything, as anyone who lives full-time in their rv full well knows. I was happy to have things back to normal and I’m sure Clemson is too. He’s had a bit of a confusing challenge jumping into position on my recliner with Christmas things in the way.

Our living room is pretty much back to normal

It didn’t take long and I poured myself a small glass of RunChata (another Christmas gift) on ice. I turned the movie Untouchables on and watched it while finishing my post for today. This is a movie that I watched many years ago and with a very young Kevin Costner playing Elliott Ness and Andy Garcia as George Stone, I enjoyed watching it again. This has been a fun day with more Mexico experiences and a relaxing afternoon doing what we like. The weather has taken a turn to the cool side but so far we are toasty warm inside.

And a young Kevin keeps me focused for the evening

I hope you have enjoyed your visit today. I’d love to hear from you if you would like to leave a comment.