Apricity West 3

January 13, 2023 - Friday

Called Tuscon Orthopedic Institute where I went last year for my broken fibula to see if they could give me a cortisone shot for my hip. I have an appointment on Feb. 3 - thank heaven. Hopefully, there will be a cancellation here in Wickenburg before then, but at least I have a back up plan. I gimp around like an old lady and Rich has to put my socks on for me too! 

 

Friday Fish Fry at the Elks again - this week the special is Chicken Parmesan which we both had - it was very good. 

 

MaryLee was bartending tonight - love her T-shirt slogan “Elkalcaholic”!

There was an open stool next to me and a 50 something woman asked if it was taken. I said no and she hopped up on the stool, put her hand out and said, “My name is Stinki!” Well you can imagine (with my curious mind) the conversation that followed, especially after I told her my name. At birth, she was going to be named Charyn whether she was a boy or a girl. Her grandmother didn’t go along with it, and called her Stinki. When she was in elementary school the teacher was taking attendance and called out Charyn. No one answered and she called again. All of the class was looking around, including Stinki! The teacher declared that she should be called Stinki from thereon as she didn’t even know her real name. She got a kick out of it when I said that I was supposed to be a boy named Raymond, so my parents added an “A” to make it feminine. One topic led to another and we had a lot more in common - she owns a house painting company as does my son. She has bad hips as do I. She is an artist as is Rich. She was a widow as am I. At the end of our dinner, I asked her what her last name is - CLARK!! Both of my kids married Clarks - that was just crazy. I know there are a lot of Clarks, but I always say, “If you talk to someone long enough, you will find a connection.” She pulled out her credit card to prove it to me - Stinki Clark...

 

January 14, 2023 - Saturday  HAPPY 75th BIRTHDAY TO ME...

I enjoyed opening up my cards and reading birthday wishes on Facebook. I got out the paints to do a little rock painting; then chilled out until dinner at Charley’s Steak House in Wickenburg. We both got rib eye and shrimp with baked potato and cowboy beans. It was so plentiful that we brought half home for tomorrow’s dinner. Had to save room for dessert - lemon meringue for me and apple pie a la mode for Rich.

January 15, 2023 - Sunday

Bloody Mary Sunday - after on-line church and laundry. A crafty kind of day. Rich is whittling away to build dioramas…

Just saw Dot and Harvey leave the park in their RV, towing his jeep heading to Quartzite for the week. This is a big affair where thousands of RVers go and boon-dock (no power, no water) to basically party! There are many different groups that park together around their campfire, entertainment, drinks, and food. Dot makes a delicious soup base with 9 pounds of seasoned-by-her hamburg and others who eat it provide cans of beans, tomatoes, etc. She also has a Margarita Party on Friday night and the band (including Harvey) entertain the crowd.

 

January 16, 2023 - Monday   Happy Martin Luther King Day

Teresa, one of our line dance teachers, had recommended me to see Dr. Wagner (orthopedic surgeon) in Wickenburg. Well I couldn’t get in there or at a clinic that they suggested before we leave. When I told Teresa this today, she said she was going to the clinic right here in Congress and she would try to get me in for a cortisone shot. Low and behold, she called me from their office to set up an appointment - Wednesday at 9:40! Now that is amazing...

 

We had a lot more people at the cardio drumming class and it felt sooooo good to drum to the music and get my heart rate up pronto!

 

It rained all day again and the water was flowing. We got 1 3/4” rain which is a LOT here in the desert. 

January 17, 2023 - Tuesday

Nancy is back from her cruise around Australia. It sure is good to have her back even though we are only here for 2 more weeks. She is understandably exhausted, but did come over for a little bit after dinner.

 

January 18, 2023 - Wednesday

Off to the clinic for my shot. As it turns out, they did not have the 7-inch needle needed to hit my hip joint, but they did have smaller needles for a steroid and another for the bursitis - and it did help. 

 

Rock painting results...

January 19, 2023 - Thursday

Frost on the pumpkin and VW bug this morning...

Chair Yoga today followed by our 2nd to the last jam session here at North Ranch. It actually went quite well - I played and sang, In the Still of the Night, Rock Me Mama, and Singing the Blues. They went over pretty good. A returning participant was Marti who plays Appalachian with fiddle and guitar. She has a nice powerful voice mic-less.

Afterwards, we went to Nichols for our last dinner there before we leave for Tucson. They certainly have larger wine glasses than anywhere else here😳🍷💤