Apricity West 5

December 20, 2024 - Friday

Slept good and had to rush to go for my walk before dancing. Nothing going on today until 4pm when we go to Dot and Harvey’s to sing/play Christmas music. 

 

The “audience”, except for Rich and Dot, not seated next to Rich (who play their harmonicas) when it feels right. 

Dot and I taking a picture of each other while taking a picture of each other...

Harvey, Denny, Joanne and I played for over an hour and ended with Silent Night. Joanne debuted her new guitar - it’s a beauty and has a very rich tone. 

The feast… plus delicious meatballs and wings not pictured. I made sure to eat VERY few points during the day!

December 21, 2024 - Saturday

We got up early to go to Safeway and spend a small fortune on food. It gets expensive buying the correct items for WW. Hopefully, we don’t have to go back for a long while. When we returned, we were surprised with a Secret Santa gift on our chair. We don’t have a clue who it is, but the delicious Chex Mix is now gone and the cookies will be soon. 

I made some WW Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins. I think they came out good; Rich, not so much. We hung our new Christmas Decoration with care:

Dee stopped in for happy hour and Cindy came over with 4 of her homemade cinnamon rolls. 

After happy hour, Rich and I were too tired to make supper, so we each had a roll for dinner! Afterwards, I watched The Six Triple Eight on Netflix. It was excellent and I learned so much - highly recommend watching it. Tyler Perry and Kerry Washington are phenomenal humans.

 

December 22, 2024 - Sunday

Lost weight again today, although I can’t imagine how it happened. Chillaxed as we had our 2nd cinnamon roll as a reward. I waited until after church to go for my walk. It was gorgeous t-shirt weather. I continue to assemble the granny square blanket, but can’t find all of the squares I have done. They are somewhere in this little house on wheels!

 

Tonight is the North Ranch Christmas Lights Parade. Dot invited us down to sit around a fire in her yard to watch it go by. Harvey started the fire at dark and kept feeding it mesquite to keep it roaring. 

Dot handing out Peppermint Patties (crème de cocoa, crème de mint, and Congac)…wonderful! 

The video in the body of this email is Don and Darice!

John and Geri did another great job organizing and advertising the parade - they calculate that 30 lit up golf carts and 1 tractor lined up at the Activity Center. They drive through every street in North Ranch, including the RV park; then they return to the Activity Center for snacks and hot cocoa. 

December 23, 2024 - Monday

The last line dance class before Christmas and the last day of dancing to Christmas tunes. Dee wore her light-up hat and brought her dancing gnome.

Cindy brought 4 different kinds of cookies - don’t know how she manages all of this in her 17’ motorhome! I brought one of each home for Rich and I to split. Then I went for my walk - 86 days in a row. It was a gorgeous sunny day in the 70’s and we sat outside for the whole afternoon. Eddi came over to wish us a Merry Christmas and wondered if we knew anyone who wears size XLT Wrangler shirts. I thought of Dwight so he and Dee came by for cocktail hour and I took him over to Eddi’s. He found 4 shirts that he liked and that fit him well.  

 

We gave Gary, friend/work camper, a couple of the cowboy cookies we got in Yarnell last week. He really liked them and said that he would try to replicate them. Well, he did a good job as he gave us two very large cookies of his own recipe. They were delicious - not exactly the same, but very close. 

December 24, 2024 - Tuesday

Went for my walk at 8:30 and then to yoga at 10am. I haven’t been in so long due to ukulele group, but we are not playing until next year. Well, it turns out the 10 o’clock class wasn’t happening today. At least I tried!

 

Quiet, beautiful day here although it is supposed to drop down to the 60’s later in the week. We sat outside most of the afternoon. Then Cindy stopped by on her way to a Christmas Eve bonfire party. She leaves tomorrow morning for Wyoming to spend Christmas with her family for five days. We will miss her...

 

Rich grilled lamb chops to have with rosemary potatoes and peas. 

Our families sent in pictures and FaceTime from the parties back home. So good to see their beautiful faces.💕

 

The online Christmas Church Service from back home was lovely, following the carols to tell the story. 

 

December 25, 2024 - Wednesday 

MERRY CHRISTMAS / HAPPY HANUKKAH

We have no plans for today, but I did walk in the chill, bake a WW dessert and continue working on my Granny Square blanket, since we found the missing squares. No sitting out today - no sun, cool temps. 

 

I ate the Christmas ornament (candy cane) 😛 after lunch. Rich made beef stew for the first time in forever. It was very good.

After dinner, Dee and Dwight brought over her cherry cheesecake and some appetizers they had at Dwight’s. 

 

December 26, 2024 - Thursday

Slept in this morning and didn’t leave the house until 8:45am to pick up a package from my son and his wife. She is a very good maker and baker of gourmet goodies; this year it was a jar of Strawberry Mango jam, Enchilada Sauce, and a box of Dark Chocolate Cayenne Nut Clusters! Soooo good! 

On our way to the Post Office, we noticed that the Flash Donut Truck was set up outside of Dollar General Grocery store, soooooooo we stopped for a 1/2 dozen piping hot, fresh made, mini-cinnamon sugar donuts. That was BEFORE we opened the package from home!

Well, I surely had to take my walk now. When I got back Gary had left us another two-pack of his latest version of Cowboy Cookies! We will definitely be pacing ourselves although I would love to in-take everything today. 

Charles, who Rich got the harmonicas from, knocked on the door to give him a microphone for playing. I did not know there was such a thing, but we have it now.  

 

Rich is making chili with ground turkey for tonight, so it’s a low point meal. We were inside until the sun came out with no wind mid-afternoon.

 

No jam today...

 

 

Apricity West 5

December 13, 2024 - Friday

Too cold to walk before dancing today, so I went in the mid-afternoon with sunshine on my face. Cindy’s friend, Elaine, came to stay with her for the weekend, so she came to dance too. She was here for a week last year too and guess where she is from - Rochester, NY. She is dry camping over in Quartzsite, not far from here. They both came over at cocktail hour and we got to find out more about each other.   

Lee High School basketball season started this weekend. Both Leanna and Jacob are on the varsity team as sophomores, so it will be an exciting season. I never got the home game online. Really need to get that figured out. Stay tuned.

 

December 14, 2024 - Saturday

Lazy Saturday morning lounging in my fleece pj’s until it warmed up a little for a walk before we went to Surprise to visit John and Eileen. Of course, we went out to lunch at Saigon Kitchen - delicious. When we drove back to their house, she invited us in for ice cream! Oh boy! Can’t remember the last time we had ice cream and it was Rich’s favorite - Blue Bell. 

This is a picture of the Hassayampa River as we cross over it. Where is the water, you ask? Well, it has only subsurface flow much of the year, it has significant perennial flows above ground in certain areas. I have never seen it flowing above ground yet, but am not here in monsoon season.

December 15, 2024 - Sunday

Can’t believe my weigh-in today was down more than usual! I have to think it is because of walking and dancing that it comes off… so I will continue. This is day 77 of tracking points and walking. Listened to church and sat out in the bright sun after my late morning walk. It was a glorious Arizona day.   

 

The moon was so full and bright that Cindy and 8 of her brave friends went for a night hike in the desert! 

December 16, 2024 - Monday

Walked and danced, then made some WW low point desserts. Cindy popped in during her laundry run. Gorgeous day - sunny and 70’s until the cold wind came up. 

 

Four of us line dancers wore flashing Christmas bulbs to keep in step with the holiday spirit.

December 17, 2024 - Tuesday

Every Monday a group of lot owners and some RVers gather at 7:30 am for Park Beautification. An impressive 20 something people show up for this important task and then have snacks in the end. Today 27 volunteers showed up for Highway Cleanup! Highway 89 is the road that brings you to North Ranch - it is a 65mph, 2-lane highway. Big blue bags, picker-upper sticks, and bright yellow vests were provided for their safety. 

 

Went to our last HUG ukulele practice of the year. Our leader, Cindy and Tom W had a beautiful table of Christmas goodies set up with Starbucks coffee to boot.

Each player took a gift bag which they provided - a lottery ticket (no winner here), Lindt candy balls, candy cane, and Cindy’s handmade hotplate pictured below. 

And the Senior Center had 2 cases of broccoli and huge baking potatoes on the Free Table. I took some of each even though we haven’t cooked a potato since we got here. 

 

We sat outsider and John pulled up in his golf cart and talked about the plans for the 8th Annual North Ranch Christmas Parade. He puts up signs all around the park as a reminder. The parade passes on every street, as well as the RV park.

  

Later, Don stopped by on his e-bike and told us that he and Darice took a ride up to Yarnell for a donut and it was closed. If anyone wants to make the trip for that purpose, call first to be sure they are open. As he was leaving, Cindy pulled up with her traveling cocktail purse. It got chilly with the wind, so we went inside for a while. 

 

December 18, 2024 - Wednesday

Woke up later than usual, but still got my walk in before dance today since it is supposed to be a sunny 75 degrees later. How did I not know that potatoes are zero points on Weight Watchers? I have been on this program at least 6 times throughout my life. So many things have changed in point value that I can’t keep up. Well, now that I have that knowledge, I found a recipe for potato soup that we made for lunch - zero points. Delicious...

 

Steve and Anita, our neighbors, came for a visit on this great 75-degree day. We had a lot of laughs and continue to find commonalities. Too bad for us, they are leaving Friday for Apache Junction.

December 19, 2024 - Thursday

Slept until 8am today so my walk was later than usual. I have been crocheting the granny squares periodically and decided it’s time to start assembling them. In total there will be 84 squares - I have finished all of the beige, but still have more to go on the blue. This is what it looks like so far...

This was our last jam of the year - and of Christmas music. It was a good one. Went to the Wild West Saloon for dinner. Cindy met us there. Good food…

 

 

 

Apricity West 5

December 6, 2024 - Friday

What a night from H*LL last night was! I was awake until 3am with songs buzzing in my head like a brain worm. That happens sometimes after jamming, but never for this long. I tried to listen to my book, even got up at 10pm to finish last week’s blog. Ended up sleeping from 3-5am, but still managed to do my walk so I wouldn’t break my walk every day streak AND dance for an hour. Then we went into CVS for our flu shots - already got Covid shots back home. Needless to say, I took a nap midday. At 3pm we went to the Wild West Saloon for our dinner - wings for Rich and a shrimp spinach wrap for me. It was very good while being WW point friendly.  

 

This common space is maintained by Gary and Kathy - nicely decorated …

December 7, 2024 - Saturday

After a good night’s sleep, I hopped out of bed to get us to Safeway early. Did my Christmas shopping of gift cards and bought a boatload of food. Our cupboards were pretty bare. Made a veggie soup immediately in the rice cooker - it had everything but the kitchen sink in it and tasted very good after my walk with Lu. We stopped to say hi to Richard M. sitting outside along the way. He has done so many oil paintings over the last 40 years that he has accumulated brushes and paints galore in his studio, which is a converted trailer. 

 

He took us into the storage shed to show off a few - they are really quite spectacular desert scenes. 

This one is of Kansas stone fence posts. He explained that in the mid-1800’s they quarried limestone from the ground to build fences. According to Google, the limestone was soft enough to shape when freshly quarried, but hardened and became weather resistant after exposure to air. They are set 24”-30” into the dirt with a “leaner” to hold them in position and last for over a hundred years. 

This one is my personal favorites with the roadrunner at the foot of the cactus. It stands 4 feet tall.

Later, I walked down the street to Nancy’s for a haircut. She has her Class A all decorated for Christmas. Later we were sitting outside and Eddi came over to confirm our lunch plans for Monday at Sizzling Wok. Cindy came over on her bike and they got to meet each other. 

 

December 8, 2024 - Sunday

Back on track with the downward progress on the scale. After weighing in, I had a leisurely breakfast in my fleece pjs. At 9am I walked and talked with Lu. Today was a "clean the inside of the rig” day. With such limited space, everything really needs to be in its proper place.

 

Rich mentioned that we should have gone up to Shira’s Pioneer Bakery today. I said, “It’s not too late.” So we picked Cindy up to give her the tour, buy a donut, and meet Shira. She was alone in the shop so we learned more about her and her aspirations. 

Went to church online in the evening - loved Pastor Marisa’s message of hope. 

 

December 9, 2024 - Monday

The weather has been so delightful - in the high 60’s and low 70’s as the day progresses. It is usually low 40’s when I walk at 7:30am, which is fine. I made a cowl neck wrap and have a quilted coat and gloves if I need them. It is actually refreshing. After walking, I went to dance and then we went into Wickenburg to meet Eddi for lunch after her doctor appointment. During our meal, she asked how I do “this" and Weight Watchers. It’s simple, I count all of my points and make adjustments accordingly during the day and the rest of the week. I know I could lose a lot faster if I didn’t have these excursions, of course, but… Turns out she was a WW Leader when her kids were young. Who knew?

 

Rich and I packed up my Christmas gift-box to send home. Hopefully, it won’t cost an arm and a leg to mail it. I was much more aware and careful about what weight went into it. Then we practiced our ukulele’s a while - he is doing good with the chords. Just has to build up calluses on his fingers and move those fingers quicker with practice.

 

No sitting outside today as the wind was blowing cold air… It is supposed to go below freezing tonight. Zero point soup for dinner and then under the covers to watch Grit. 

 

December 10, 2024 - Tuesday

Yup - my phone said it was 31 degrees when I got up at 6:30 and it won’t go above 60 later today.

 

Far right in the picture is Cindy, our leader. She is playing a new Outdoor brand ukulele which is molded out of composite polycarbonate in Corvallis, Oregon. This makes them invulnerable to outdoor weather conditions - be it the top of Mt. Hood or in the desert at Joshua Tree during the summer. Cindy and her husband do a fair amount of camping and this is perfect for sitting, playing and singing around the campfire. 

After HUG practice we went to the post office and put all of the Christmas cards and the family gift box in the mail. My caution paid off - it only cost $21 whereas last year I paid $65. 

 

Did a walk and talk with Lu at 3pm when it was considerably warmer. Cindy came over and brought her bottle of Tart Lemon Vodka brewed in Cheyenne, Wyoming. It was VERY tart - she adds seltzer to tame it down. She joined us for Rich's turkey Chili (in an attempt to cut back points on daily foods) and it was delicious. 

 

After dinner, I got a surprise FaceTime call from my oldest granddaughter, Leanna, and sister Lily joined in, too. It is so good to talk to them and see their faces. We talked about her being on the varsity basketball team and both of their grades were impressive...

 

December 11, 2024 - Wednesday

Walked early at 7:30am in 42 degrees. It really felt like snow was coming as the cold mist hit my face. As I was listening to the radio, a real upbeat quick Scottish jig came on and suddenly my pace picked up, in beat with the music. I felt like I could break into a jog, but decided not to. Anyway, I realize why I feel energized to dance even after a walk - it's the music. The intermediate start up dance is to Runaway - there is a clip in the body of this email. 

 

December 12,  2024 - Thursday

Lu and I walked at 8:15 today - still cold but got to do it… Rich and I were invited for coffee at Nancy’s at Wickenburg Ranch. She was our neighbor in the park when her home was being built. What a beauty it is! Let’s take a tour. 

Nancy in the kitchen

Master bedroom

Master bathroom 

Guest room


Office

Back patio desert view

The jam only had 6 players today and 7 in the audience, but we did our best…

Apricity West 5

November 29, 2024 - Friday

Back on track today - danced a little, and walked a little. Made a vegetable soup for lunches which came out really good. We decided to go to the Wild East Saloon for dinner where Cindy met us. We all wanted pizza, but mine was a pizzadilla - thin tortilla topped with parmesan garlic base, topped with chicken and bacon. We all took half of our pizza home.  

 

Another gorgeous sunset in AZ taken by Cindy:

Fed Ex emailed Rich that our new banjolele would be delivered before 8pm. Soooo, he turned the outside light on and I waited up until they arrived at 7:47, in the pitch dark. Not sure how they found our site, but was very grateful. I did not open it, but the box was so long that I was sure it would have a 3 foot neck. Oy! 

 

November 30, 2024 - Saturday

Rich opened the box and another box inside and I fell in love. Nylon strings, dark wood, mottled drum head, light weight, accoustic and electric, easily tuned, and such a great sound. “What a difference a C Note 🤣makes!" This sweet darlin' cost a hundred bucks more than the first one. You get what you pay for. I played around with it for over an hour. So much to learn... 

Walked with Lu at 9am and decided to make another apple crumble for dessert. Dave and Penny are getting ready to leave for Coachella, but found time to saunter over for a last-night-here visit. Cindy biked over and joined us for a farewell toast. 

 

December 1, 2024 - Sunday

Hallelujah! After eating a week’s worth of WW points in one day, I only gained .6 lbs. Shocking! But it’s not over - we were invited to join Penny and Dave and their friends, Tom and Katie, from Peoria for breakfast at Shira’s Pioneer Bakery in Yarnell. That’s the potato donut and apple pie place I talked about last week. The ride up the mountain is spectacular, but really hard to capture in a photo. 

 

Look closely for a car on the high road, while we are on the low road heading up. It’s the small white shiny dot to the middle right of picture. 

 

This was our maiden voyage to their shop. I called ahead and told her we were a party of six - she said, “We’ll have a table set for you.”

And they did - I'm guessing they put a leaf in the one big table in the small room to accommodate us. In order for them to move around us, Mark, Shira’s husband, had to move the display case.

 

I guess you would call it an eclectic abeyance. All of the plates and cups were bright floral colors. She referred to them as Pioneer Woman dishes. There were 3 kinds of donuts - cinnamon sugar, vanilla glazed with sprinkles on top,  and blueberry glazed. We decided to get one of each to sample it all. Notice the ceramic rolling pins hanging on the wall. 

The other unusual thing on the menu was biscuit and sausage gravy, the biscuit being a cinnamon roll without the cinnamon and sugar. We got a couple and shared them family style. 

Mark showed us the brooms that he made by hand. 

…and told us that their wedding picture was in the bathroom. They opened this shop 4 months ago on their first wedding anniversary. They also catered the wedding and made it a surprise birthday party for a dear friend.  

Before we left, Shira brought out a blueberry crumble and put it in the oven near our table which was sitting on the fridge camouflaged in red and white checkered stick on paper to the right of this picture. As we settled the bill, she handed us bags of day-old donuts to share with our friends. We left her $20 to add to the milkman for Ingredients for Christmas Baked Goods for Soldiers in the left side of this picture. . 

There is ample outdoor seating too. It is lovely, but was just too cold when we got there. 

Don and Darice were out for a walk and stopped by to chat. 

 

December 2, 2024 - Monday

Walked, danced and practiced with Cindy for the jam on Thursday. 

 

December 3, 2024 - Tuesday

Walked before going to Wickenburg Sr. Center for ukulele group - I took my banjolele, too. We played Christmas songs which I really enjoyed. I was able to sing some of the background parts from the Christmas Angels choir back home.

 

Cindy came by after her beading class to chat. After she left, Dee pulled up on her red Honda Super Cub for a few. 

This sunset picture captures a bike rider going up the hill. 

December 4, 2024 - Wednesday

Walked, danced, practiced banjolele and made a WW cheesecake. Cindy stopped over for an afternoon cocktail. Another gorgeous day to be outside - 70’s.

 

December 5, 2024 - Thursday

Early laundry run today. Then walked with Lu, stopped in to see Eddi. She has her 5th-wheel nicely decorated for Christmas. While I practiced ukulele for the jam later on, Tom stopped to visit with Rich who was sitting outside. Speaking of the the jam, today was a good day. The new banjolele had her debut and a lot of Christmas music was played. It was nice to have a full house of players, including Cindy on keys, and more audience than usual. I was so jazzed about the jam, I forgot to finish this blog until 10pm!!! Late for me💤