Apricity West 3

December 23, 2022 - Friday

Skipped line dancing today to go grocery shopping! Somehow we kept putting it off all week, so had to go in early to beat the crowd. It was very light traffic on the way and in Safeway. Phew! 

 

Went to Elks for Friday Fish Fry as usual. As we finished our meal, the bartender asked what Rich’s last name was. When he told her, she said, “Well your son just called to gift you an Elk’s gift certificate!” Wow! That was such a nice surprise - Rich got all verklempt. Thanks, Perry and Lynn 💞

December 24, 2022 - Saturday

A few days ago, Rich dropped his phone in water. We immediately put it in a baggie with rice for several hours and it still worked. The problem was that it was hard to plug in the charger now and it didn’t hold. Sooooooo, into Wickenburg on Christmas Eve to the Verizon store. We got there early and before the 4 other people that came in thankfully. We were there about an hour and were told that rice is no longer the solution because of the starch. They have a vacuum of some sort to suck out the moisture and it gathers in a vile so you can see how much water was in it. Anyway, he had to get a new phone - Google Pixel 7 Pro was the thriftiest choice and there is no learning curve from his Galaxy. The pay off amount was $.24 so that was a good thing. All of his information came onto the new phone just like that. All is well...

 

On the way home, we passed a gas station and I saw a fully saddled horse walking through the lot - alone. Immediately a cowgirl came running from the side of the building and bumped him in the side to go the direction she wanted him to and then grabbed his reins. The things you see in Wickenburg!

December 25, 2022 - Sunday 

MERRY CHRISTMAS!🎄 ✝️🌵💗

Sunrise

We had a very quiet morning working on projects. Another birdhouse completed by Rich...

I went over to finish the Christmas puzzle with Lu...

...then she and Roger came over for a cocktail while basking in the sun.

 

We talked with our families over the weekend. My daughter and her husband had Covid during the week, so the family Christmas Eve party at my son's was postponed until next weekend (hopefully) - if everyone is feeling well. 

Kristie, my daughter-in-law, sent us her homemade jams - delicious!

Though I miss everyone terribly, I sure am glad I didn’t fly home this year with all of the sickness, storms, and flight delays. 

 

Our special dinner was lamb chops (with mint jelly), corn and roasted potatoes. It was delicious!

 

December 26, 2022 - Monday

There was no dance class today, but I did go to cardio drumming in the afternoon. Less impact on my hip and knees, with a quick uptick of the heart BPM. Weather was in the low 70’s today. 

A neighbor, Mike, walks all the time - 30k steps avg. He is a self-professed fidget who needs to be busy all the time. Here is what he brought back for us from his walk today…

December 27. 2022 - Tuesday

Lu and I went to the clubhouse today to do a dry run on the Rock Painting Class that we are teaching on 1/9/2023. It was good to do since I haven’t painted rocks for a year… Here is what we produced. 

December 28, 2022 - Wednesday

Practiced with Harvey today. He really should have cancelled me as he is also rehearsing with the band for New Year’s Eve party at the Activity Center. Rich and Dot enjoy a Bourbon and Coke while we play. Ha!

 

December 29, 2022 - Thursday

Practiced with Joanne this morning and did the jam for 2 hours this afternoon. My calluses are getting thicker. Miss Ellie’s son and roadie, Randy, returned home right after Christmas, so I told her I would help unload and set up her equipment if she could get herself here. She lives in Congress. She did not come today and is sorely missed. I hope it was the cooler weather that kept her away. Cindy is a new addition who sings and plays violin by ear! What a pleasure! 

The video of Rick singing Christmas in Dixie is in the body of this email. 

Happy Holidays to all…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Apricity West 3

December 16, 2022 - Friday

Skipped line dancing today😳. Needed the time to finish up some projects (like publishing the last blog) before going to Surprise for lunch at John and Eileen’s. Her sister, Susan, is here visiting so I got to meet her and hear them reminisce about growing up in Whitehall - who lives where now, who has passed on, memories of the good old days! 

December 17, 2022 - Saturday

I declared today a pajama day since there is nothing on our calendar. It is cooler than usual but the sun is shining bright. Rich worked on his new birdhouses and I studied strumming with Justin Guitar on YouTube, journaled, pulled out my quilling project, and made some cinnamon pinwheels to nibble on. It's amazing how much you can learn when you have the time to focus. This is his first birdhouse on rock…

December 18, 2022 - Sunday

Another do nothing day...

 

December 19, 2022 - Monday

Line danced, cardio drummed and sat outside in the brisk sunshine. Temperatures are still cool, but heading up to high 60’s and low 70’s.

 

December 20, 2022 - Tuesday

Rich went to Art Club in the morning and I did laundry cleaning (mostly dusting desert dust and sweeping Lily cat hair). Went over to Dot and Harvey’s for another jam session practice. We chose and practiced our songs which will all be Christmas this week. We think we sound pretty good in our small group... See the video clip of Harvey singing a cute song, Fishing for Chickens…

Went to Nichols for a holiday dinner (thanks, Mom). Bouillabaisse for me…

Shrimp and scallop pasta for Rich…

Remember bartender brothers, Noah and Nick? It seems that they followed through on their plans to return to Oregon to work for their father. He has a wind turbine farm and they were being tested on their ability to climb those suckers for maintenance. Technicians have to climb up an interior ladder 300 feet and go out onto the base of the blades, tethered, to inspect and maintain. The gear box is a large unit which may need replacing; innovations have made it more efficient using a very large crane to lift a new one up after dropping the bad one onto the ground. 

I once climbed a 40’ telephone pole for a team building exercise, tethered into a belay system, and had to climb atop the pole on an 18” disc, turn 180 degrees and then jump - trusting that the team would hold the ropes taut for my descent. That was high enough for me. I have a picture of this feat back in Lee.

 

Meanwhile, bartender Lily mentions that she has been gone for 2 weeks. When asked where she was, she said she was in Vegas for a week and brought back the Vegas plague (her words) and was down and out for another week, as were her travel companions! Sound familiar, Dee? She tells us she is barrel racer and has been riding since she was a kid. Don’t know how she can keep those nails while riding...

December 21, 2022 - Wednesday 

Line danced, then went into the Elks. 

 

December 22, 2022 - Thursday

Got together with Joanne to practice strumming. Then on to the Jam Session where things went very well! 

Tonight is the 6th Annual Christmas Light Parade. John and Geri Moore have been organizing and coordinating this spectacular event from the start. There must have been 40 North Ranch vehicles (ATV’s, golf carts, motorcycles, bicycles, and a flatbed tow truck) decked out with lights, unique horns and music too! Ten of us sat around the fire at Denny and Joanne’s to watch it roll by…FUN!

Merry Christmas to all… be safe! 

 

Apricity West 3

December 9, 2022 - Friday

Elks new band tonight - Two of a Kind. Ed, the bass player, joins us in the jam session often. It is always a treat. 

This cowboy bellied up to the bar next to me, so I asked him about his outfit. He is playing the role of Brothel Inspector for the Garter Girls & Posse (a Charity with the Wickenburg Elks Lodge helping with Wickenburg charitable needs since 1959!).

December 10, 2022 - Saturday 

Barefoot Lean (Le-en) - 5 years old, oldest of 3 kids - Theo (4) and Ariel (2). Snowy is their dog because they found him in the snow. He was walking up and down the side of the road so I yelled out to see if he was ok? Did he need something? Where is his mom? He wandered over and asked if he could sit in the chair. He is from Zurich, Switzerland - I am the first person he has met at the park. Leaving in 3 days. A big sheep bumped him, found a scorpion under a rock, not in school yet. LOVES Minecraft, “It has everything in the world!” He is building a house in it… We both love spaghetti which makes us 2 times best friends; we both like burgers which makes us four times best friends. He started massaging my shoulders and wanted to hug me.  He is very well behaved and listens to my cues when someone else is visiting and I tell him I'll be with him in a minute - he just went over and sat in a chair. When he leaves, he yells, “I love you."

Pascal, father on bike with carrier, was looking for him and spotted him with me. He brought his shoes for him as protection from scorpions and goat heads. He has had flat tires due to the goat heads. Mother, AnnChristine, and Ariel came by on their bike to say Hi. She is American born and here for her job. She told me he is missing his grandparents from Switzerland - I must fit the mold. I miss my grandchildren so it works out…he is cute as a button. Came back over with a picture he drew of us chillin’.

December 11, 2022 - Sunday

Got all of my supplies for quilling so started cutting strips and rolling straws today.

December 12, 2022 - Monday

Danced and then went into the Elks for lunch - delicious chili. When we were leaving, Jack, one of the patrons who drinks Amber Bach like Rich, stopped and asked, “What town did you say you are from in New York?" When Rich replied Whitehall, Jack invited Jerry, next to him at the bar, to join the conversation. Back in the 60’s, he had visited 18 of the 21 pubs in Whitehall, shooting darts. It turns out that he was in the same graduating class as Rich at Mohawk Valley Technical (now Utica College) - he in Engineering and Rich in Advertising Design. Rich transferred to Paul Smith Culinary College after the first year. I swear, if you talk to enough people long enough, there is always some connection!

 

Was home in time for cardio drumming which has grown to be more popular over time. Three more joined us after this picture.

Went for a ride around the park after dark to see Christmas decorations. This is the only picture that came out…

We have a bell hanging as our decoration. 🤪

December 13, 2022 - Tuesday 

Tuesday is “do nothing day”, meaning that nothing is on my weekly calendar. So we went into Safeway, then Elks, then a pedicure. Quite different from Lucky Nails back home, but it still felt good to get the toes cleaned up and polished.

 

Harvey and Dot invited us to go over some songs for the jam on Thursday - a very special offer. I took my ukulele and Rich took his harmonica as Dot plays it by ear. 

When we got home, Lean and his family were gone. 😢 He told me they were going to the ocean next, so I imagine California. I wanted to say goodbye too.

 

December 14, 2022 - Wednesday

Danced again this morning. Back to Harvey and Dot’s to practice for the jam. Denny joined us today and Dot played her harmonica to Across the Great Divide… so happy that these seasoned musicians are willing to spend time helping me along. (See Dot playing in the video attached in this email.)

 

Dot has a 16 year-old, male cat, Zipper, and collects anything cat…  There are miniatures:

On a bigger scale:

December 15, 2022 - Thursday

Today was the jam and things went well - we threw in some Christmas songs today as well. Harvey and Dot stopped over a little later and we had a nice visit. 

At 8:30pm here (10:30 EST), grandson Zach posted on Instagram! I asked him what he was doing up so late - he said, “Tomorrow is a snow day!” On a Friday too - long weekend. I remember those days. This weekend is my church’s 2 night Christmas Concert Fund Raiser and they have to decide whether to cancel it or not. 😞

It is a wonderful production with sooooo many talented people and they work so hard for months to perfect it! 🙏🤞🙏🤞

 

 

 

 

 

Apricity West 3

December 2, 2022 - Friday

Fish Fry and Desert Heat Band at the Elks Lodge. Young cowboy, Logan, sang with his grandparents tonight. I tell him how much he reminds me of my grandson, Jacob. He apologized that he was just getting over being sick but you can see in the video, he has a great voice and plays the guitar well too. The video clip is in the body of this email.

December 3, 2022 - Saturday 

Wickenburg Art Club did an Artists at Work event - we were so impressed with the quality and diversity of their work. Rich is a member but did not participate in this event. Below are pictures of the artisans displaying their craft:

Chickie’s Gourd Art - A very talented lady indeed, when she sees a gourd for the first time, she envisions what it will become. She draws the design, wood burns it, paints and accessorizes it. Rich bought the smaller one and has ideas of how to display it. 

Tom Kern, woodburner, explains his craft to another artisan in the club.

Grasse Creations - Terrie Grasse let us in on the art of all-paper baskets. It is related to quilling and I think I will take it up... 

Strips of paper, straws, and start of a bowl…

Rick McGill, oil painter, has a gallery in Wickenburg - he was working on a commission of the farm in the painting. The woman told him that it had to include a tractor since her father (in the photograph) had died when it overturned when she was just 2-months old. He will make another attempt at making it more prominent …

Gus was working on an oil painting and states that he doesn’t sell them; he does it as a hobby! He pays for a website developer and opened an art bank account, but hasn’t followed through with e-commerce. Silly man… He does beautiful work and his wife is feeling crowded with all of the pieces he has in the house.

Too bad it was rainy and cold this afternoon and evening - a rare occasion - but this evening was the lighting of the Christmas tree and a Musical Walk through town to see the decorations. The Elks had a Christmas party for the kiddos in town who may be less fortunate. It was well attended by children and Mr. and Mrs. Santa. Most of the people working at these functions volunteer their time and get a drink chip for their efforts. I have a better understanding of the Elks as time goes on and I like their mission. 

 

December 4, 2022 - Sunday

Went over to Dick and Jackie Driver’s house to finish up my Christmas shopping. Jackie embroiders beautiful cards with metallic thread. The picture doesn’t do it justice. Her work is so shiny and bright…

Dick has an abundance of rocks (inside and outside of their home) which he saws, polishes, and wraps with wire to make jewelry. Found some great arrowheads and small rocks for the kiddos. 

This is his rendition of a Christmas campfire - made of  petrified rocks…

Worked on the puzzle at the clubhouse - Vonnie came in to pin a quilt on the big table in the craft room. She asked if we liked red potatoes (which we do) so she gave me a partial bag which someone had given her. It was too much for her and Paul.

This is the gorgeous musical themed quilt she is pinning:

December 5, 2022 - Monday

Mailed my Christmas package home first thing this morning. It cost a pretty penny based on the size/weight of the box which we could not have packed any tighter. It wasn’t very heavy.

  

Dance and cardio drumming were cancelled today so we took off to Surprise to have lunch with John and Eileen at Saigon Kitchen. 

On the way home, we stopped in Morristown at the home of Chickie's Gourd Art. What a beautiful home with a plethora of gorgeous gourds everywhere you look. We were on a mission to get one that Nora wants. 

There are different shapes called: people, pear, and bottle gourds.

Denny stopped by to donate a microphone to my musical cause. Someone gave it to him and he gave it to me. He already gave me a music stand which was an extra of his. This North Ranch population is such a giving community. Burt, the park manager,  stopped by to give Rich a beautiful (like brand new) light-weight winter jacket that was given to him. We are good at receiving - now need to find ways to give...

 

December 6, 2022 - Tuesday

Rich went to Art Club this morning with Tom for the Tuesday weekly get together and came home with yet another gourd doll (Nora is giving it to him for Christmas)! Keep in mind that we are in a 25 foot motor home with little to no shelving or table top space. They ARE just so beautiful though. He mounted this one on a slab of sandstone from Dick and Jackie’s yard.

December 7, 2022 - Wednesday 

Dance class today. Cloudy and chilly, so a good day to work on my music collection in my new tablet. Rich is working on birdhouses that he is mounting on stones and rocks that were given to him. 

My package arrived in Lee, MA already! And in one piece… 

 

Neighbor Nancy is leaving Saturday for a month long cruise around Australia. We had her over for ice cream after dinner - we will miss her company for sure.

December 9, 2022 - Thursday 

There has been a lingering longterm cough circulating around the park. Joanne had it but is over it now so we met to practice our ukuleles in the morning - preparing for the Jam session in the afternoon. This was my third attempt in the Jam circle - it gets SLIGHTLY better each time! Stay tuned…