Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Update before AZ Departure

We are about 5 days until our departure from Mesa Regal Resort in Mesa, AZ. Things are getting packed away, the gazebo has been sold to our neighbors, and I think we are just about ready to hit the road.

This afternoon our Block had a farewell gathering and this evening our neighbors had a farewell soiree for about 8 couples. Lots of food at both. It's interesting because when you arrive everyone wants to know where you are from and when the season winds down the question is when are you leaving for back home.

We've made several new friends this year and will stay in contact with them as we will probably all be back next year. The last hooray for the Workampers is tomorrow afternoon. Our Workamper Coordinator prepares all the food himself for the party - 42 Workamper couples and some management people are on hand also.

It's been a very busy season here and I think we're ready to be on the road again.

Family news has not been the best during March. Since my sister's death we have received notice that one of my deceased first cousin's wife(Dee's paternal side of family), age 90, passed away and another cousin's wife (maternal side of family)passed away. Hopefully April will not bring any more news like this.

We'll post more news as we wend our way into New Mexico and Texas over the next few weeks.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Happy St. Patrick's Day to You All!

Just couldn't stand to see my daughter outdo me so had to figure out how to add these cool animation holiday things to our Blog. I'm impressed, don't know about the rest of you thinking "What is Dee thinking doing this?".

Weather here is absolutely gorgeous - we hit 90 degrees yesterday. Larry was out on the patio trying to read the auto manual and photo says it all!!!!

Guess the warm weather put him to sleep.

It was a tough week for us. March 1st my only remaining sister passed away very unexpectedly - Medical Examiner thinks she either had a massive stroke or massive heat attack. Her request was to be cremated and no services, so we didn't make the trip back to Boone. There was a Memorial Service on March 9th. Hazel would have been 72 this month, which seems so young now that I'm approaching a big zero year myself.

Things are winding down here at the Resort - year end parties (we have at least 4 parties to attend ourselves) and several people already leaving to travel back to their homes. We extended our stay until May 5th so we won't depart this area along with thousands of others.

Tuesday one of my classmates and her friend is driving to Mesa to have lunch with us. We going to the Midwestern Meat Restaurant (owned and operated by former Iowa residents) and the food is always wonderful. Of course, our favorite thing to order is breaded tenderloin sandwiches and made the old fashioned way like they used to make them back in the late 50's in Iowa. You just couldn't beat good old pork tenderloins back in the day.

We wish some of you were here to share the corned beef & cabbage and my speciality "Green Cake" for St. Patrick's Day. It just isn't St. Paddy's Day without the green cake! Some would argue it's the green beer that makes the holiday though. Our grandson, William, is flying off to Ireland Saturday, March 12th for a week. His golf coach and the Astoria, OR golf team are going there for spring break to golf for a week. It's quite a trip for a 16 year old. Sure wish we could fit in his suitcase. A big bonus is that they get to participate in the annual St. Patrick's Day parade while they are there. What a lifetime experience this will be for him.

More later on. Take care of yourselves and stay healthy.