Apricity West 3

January 6, 2023 - Friday

Friday Fish Fry at the Elks - the special tonight was stuffed pork tenderloin. The place was hopping but Karen and Nicole handled the bar with ease...

And of course Logan, the guitar playing, super singing, grandson of the Desert Heat Band, was along for the ride.

January 7, 2023 - Saturday

Wally Krainer invited us to his wife, Val’s, 60th birthday party - he built their house 17 miles out in the desert, complete with a pool and party hearty back yard. 

The ride out is tough on Gracie (VW bug) as it is a

dirt, washboard-like road, although much of it had been graded recently.

The landscape starts out with huge rocks hugging the mountains. I am taken with the contrast of them and the perfectly straight and flat railroad tracks that interrupt this desolate space. Makes me think about the brave, strong people who cleared the land and laid those rails with hand tools and a whole lot of sweat. 

Then there is more vegetation, wildlife and hunters in camouflage with binoculars… a mule deer crossed the road and jumped the fence on the other side. He was too fast for a picture. 

The entrance to their property, Wrinkle Ranch...

A few inside shots...

PVC plastic piping to construct Christmas tree…

Trophy wall, with rattlesnake skin to the fat right…


Bathtub with a gorgeous desert view…


Heated swimming pool with Rich’s sign hung above…

These are friends and neighbors from their church, North Ranch and nearby areas. A video clip is in the body of this email. Wally is at the very end of the clip making homemade shoestring fries - yummy!

The DJ played his tunes throughout the afternoon.

Maloy, pictured here with Spike, made the metal leaf pieces this morning for a gift. 

This is the North Ranch Workcamper Crew that worked with Rich back in the day….

Wally gave Val a 2004 black convertible, turbo, automatic VW - it is a real beauty (forgot to get a picture). Our Gracie is a gray 2005 standard bug and looks pretty beat up in comparison. But we love her just the same...  

 

When we first arrived in Congress, Val told us about an injured young saw-whet owl they were trying to rehabilitate. 

Stock photo

This inspired Rich to give her one of his owl paintings for her gift - she was thrilled!

January 8, 2023 - Sunday

Beautiful sunrise today...

January 9, 2023 - Monday

I have had to stop line dancing due to my right hip (bursitis and arthritis). Tried to get a cortisone shot, but can’t get in before leaving here on January 31. I still go watch and the class is growing!

Today was January Crafternoon and I was the leader for Rock Painting 101. I was happy to see 11 ladies show up to share my resources with and create their own unique specimens.

Jane Moline is the coordinator for these events and has accumulated a treasure trove of supplies in the closets. She has been here for 30 years and made the top quilt square over her left shoulder in 1993.

January 10, 2023 - Tuesday

Went to Chair Yoga today - it really makes you feel good to stretch and bend your body. 

Then to Dot and Harvey’s to practice for the jam session. Robert has a lot of singing experience and he joined us today. 

January 11, 2023 - Wednesday

Joanne and I practiced ukulele this morning. Then the Elks for lunch and grocery shopping. 

 

January 12, 2023 - Thursday

Chair Yoga again - the group is growing so we might have to move to the Activity Center for more room. This started up by a retired teacher who needed to work out some kinks in her body, really liked this yoga CD teacher, got permission to have a class from the managers, and put a sign up sheet in the club house. That's how things roll here. She is only here until the end of March, but others who enjoy it have already volunteered to continue it...

We had a GREAT jam session today with 2 new guitar players and Robert, the singer we have been practicing with. Mel and Louise from Whitman showed up - he plays mandolin and she sings and plays guitar. They heard about the jam from a couple at the Elks who lives at North Ranch - can’t believe we haven’t run into them there. 

Then Jesse Taylor sauntered in with his guitar only - no amp, no mic, no tablet or songbook. He was amazing! Come to find out he has traveled the world entertaining and has a CD out which I bought immediately. He wrote 9 of the songs and his Dad wrote 2. WOW!  JesseTaylorMusic.com

When we got back to the RV the sun was shining warm and bright and we were enjoying our cocktails. I was in my daily call to Mom when Rich got a call. He said "I'll be right back," went to the clubhouse office and returned with this gorgeous upcoming 75th birthday bouquet from Mom, my sisters and their husbands! Perfect size, perfect colors, perfect surprise,  perfect Mom, sisters and brothers-in-law❣️

Joined our neighbors with their dog, Pippa, also basking in the sun.

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