Apricity West 5

January 24, 2025 - Friday

Danced at 9, walked at noon, laundry at 3, cocktails at 4 - call it a day...

 

January 25, 2025 - Saturday

Decided to weigh-in today before our lunch at Caballeros again - this time with John and Eileen. It will probably be the last time we see them before we leave for Tucson. The scale was good to me this week - phew. Still have a goal weight for when leave so need to hunker down the rest of the week. Still walked with Pat before lunch. Good thing - since we all took half of our meal home with us to save room for the complimentary cookie. Their special was a cup of seafood gumbo which John and I had with our meal - a Western Chicken Wrap. We said our goodbyes knowing that we will see each other again in June for their 60th wedding anniversary party at Lake George, NY.

Partially eaten gumbo! Looked so good, I forgot to get the picture...

January 26, 2025 - Sunday

Went to online church and a walk later in the day. We are now right next to the laundry so did more laundry before we leave. Finally changed over to our flannel sheets. Sunny today, but only in the 60’s. Cindy came with her cocktail in hand.

 

We finalized a life changing decision today. We will not be coming West next year for the winter. Instead, we will go to my condo in Florida where I have had a fantastic tenant since 2017. She has basically managed the property all these years - always there to oversee any projects I wanted/needed to take on; offering suggestions to make it a little more comfortable. This was the first and hardest step I had to take to put this plan in motion. I let her know we were THINKING about changing our plans last Sunday, but today I confirmed it. A lot of changing events led us to this decision:

• The RV park here is for sale, as are all of the SKP parks. One in Tennessee sold and they immediately doubled the rates and fired all existing employees. There is a lot of instability in the owners side of North Ranch too - nothing to do with us, but a lot of our friends will be affected. 
• It is a 6-day trip (2600 miles) out here costing a LOT for diesel fuel and nightly lodging. It is a 2-day trip to Florida in our little Chevy Spark (40 mpg).
• In case of events or emergencies, I can easily fly home in 3 hours. 
• We are getting older and so are family members (Mom will be a strong, healthy, a little feisty 95-year-old on 3/23/25). 
• My grandkids are in high school sports which is very important to me. We will not leave home until November so will watch football and soccer live. Basketball can be watched online. If they are in post season tournaments, it’s easier to go back to watch and cheer. 

This was not an easy decision as we will miss the desert terribly, but especially the people that we have come to know and love. 💕

We have had five terrific winter visits now with my sister and brother-in-law - the 2nd hardest step of this decision. When I started telling her, she stopped me and said, "We consider this a bonus year as we thought that last year was your final trip.” That took the pressure off indeed...

 

January 27, 2025 - Monday

Woke up to a light rain fall. Went to line dancing and walked between the showers with a little sunshine showing too. Got a haircut at 1pm and then went to Joanne’s to practice ukulele for tomorrow’s HUG group. 

 

January 28, 2025 - Tuesday

Woke up to frost on the pumpkin today.

Went into Wickenburg for my last ukulele group meeting 🥲 and Rich picked me up. Walked around the park as usual. 

 

Met up with Brenda and Darren to talk about their planned trip to New England next summer. They retired early (ages 64 and 63), sold everything and bought a gorgeous 40-foot 5th wheel which is set up much like their prior home - island counter, fire place, big TV, etc. They pull it easily with a F350 ton diesel truck; Darren was an excavator so he is a skilled driver. Their goal is to visit all 50 states - they have a cruise to Alaska planned the following year. 

 

Later, Cindy and Dee came over for cocktail hour.

January 29, 2025 - Wednesday

Danced in the morning and walked midday. Dot and Harvey invited us to dinner for burnt ends, broccoli, and roasted potatoes. We brought a Caesar Salad. I never heard of burnt ends (pieces of smoked meat that are usually cut from the fatty "point" end of a brisket) - it was all delicious! We had a great visit!

January 30, 2025 - Thursday

Walked earlier today before our last jam session. I have my song list all planned out for our swan song jam, including “After You've Gone” from the 1920’s - a real torch song. It went well…

Cocktails afterwards…

 

 

Apricity West 5

January 17, 2025 - Friday

Another cold day so danced and then walked later in the day. A do nothing day - couldn’t sit out as it was too windy and cold so I worked on assembling my granny square afghan. 

 

January 18, 2025 - Saturday

We decided to weigh in today as Cindy is making us dinner tonight for my birthday and our soon to be departure. Well the scale wouldn’t lie - I even had Rich change the battery! It was my 2nd BAD weigh in since I started this venture, the first being after Thanksgiving. 😔  I spent 3 hours this morning gathering, printing, organizing, and entering information on my tax report. Thank goodness for the digital world. I really needed a walk after all of that paperwork. 

 

We spent the rest of the day killing time waiting to go to Cindy’s - she is an excellent cook and baker. She missed her calling, although her career as a special education teacher was rewarding for her and her students. She worked magic in her tiny home on wheels (24 feet) - spinach, strawberry and pecan salad, chicken fried streak, her grandmother’s white gravy, mashed potatoes, green beens with real bacon bits...

Then a platter of cookies with delicious choices - lemon glaze and ginger snaps...

January 19, 2025 - Sunday

Walked after church when things warmed up a bit. Pat came over for a visit in the sun. She is doing an interesting exercise routine - walking 10 minutes every hour. She walks the last ten minutes of one hour and continues another ten into the next hour. She has done it religiously since she got back here. When you do the math and check your FitBit, she is walking at least twice as many steps a day as I am. Hmmmm. 

 

January 20, 2025 - Monday Happy Martin Luther King Day

Another cold night, so I stayed in my warm fleece jammies until an early afternoon walk. Cindy came for cocktail hour later.

 

January 21, 2025 - Tuesday

Last night temps went down to 31, so we left the faucet slightly open to drip. Got up early and went shopping before my ukulele group. When we got home, there was a sign on the door that management was aware of the power outage in our block of 16 rigs. I imagine a lot of electric heaters were in use during the night. It was very cold inside our rig so we turned the generator on and ran the propane furnace enough to take the chill off.

 

I went for my walk as it was a gorgeous, windless day and warmer out in the sun than inside. After a block or so I heard my name being called. It was Pat trying to catch up to join me. What a pleasure! We talked and caught up on lots of things. As a former WW leader, she was able to share tips and recipes that can help the cause. 

 

A residential electrician came and could not fix the power problem; he said to call a commercial electrician which won’t happen instantaneously, sooooo all 16 rigs were told the news and offered other sites with power. We were the first of 4 to move and went into the manager’s site as he is away managing Deming, NM SKP Park until after we leave. Rich was in this site for the years that he managed this park. I assume the other rigs have solar, generators or lots of propane. It is not an easy task to pick up and move about 50 yards across the road, but we were greeted by our new neighbors, Eddi and Pat. There are new views for us now...

January 22, 2025 - Wednesday

A cold 37 degrees here this morning, but better than -4 back home. Lenox is a neighboring town - they only had a 2-hour delay for school!

Danced at 9 and walked at noon with Pat. We (I) connected the dots about where our paths had crossed before - she was the manager in Deming when we were there in 2022. She led exercise classes and chair yoga in the clubhouse which I participated in. Pretty sure we put a few jigsaw puzzles together as well.

 

Rich and I invited Cindy to the Wild West Saloon for dinner and we were joined by a local cowboy roper - it’s an interesting story, but not mine to tell (yet)... 

 

January 23, 2025 - Thursday

The wind was whipping hard this morning - so hard that we pulled in the slide to save our slide awning from ripping off. Waited for them to subside before walking.

We had a really good jam with a new instrument - a flute played by Lynn was a wonderful addition. And Rich brought his case of harmonicas and played a solo to boot! He did very well. Next week is our last week 😔. We will miss it…

Apricity West 5

January 10, 2025 - Friday

Danced and walked this morning. While we were at Dot’s the other day, we talked about Gary H. and how beautiful his flute playing is. They have his CD, At Peace In The Redwoods, and listen to it at night falling asleep. Well he gave us this CD when he was over the other day. I mentioned that we couldn’t figure out how to use the CD player. Don asked if we had a remote - yes, we have several remotes that we don’t know for what. He gave us a few clues and offered to come over to check it out. Later, Rich tried a few different things and found a remote that worked on the player and voila, music to our ears. It is so soothing to listen to. 

So, we could play the music through the TV, but not through the radio/ceiling speakers. Don came over, stuck his head inside and figured out how to make that work as well!

 

January 11, 2025 - Saturday

Did the walking thing at 8:30 in 38 degree weather. We decided to weigh in today as we were going in to Surprise for lunch with John and Eileen at Lou Malnati’s Pizzeria. We were so happy with the results - we each lost over 3 pounds!

I had picked out what I would order mid-week - a Lou Malnati’s Salad and a personal crustless pizza designed for gluten free and low carb diets. This is the salad after three of us were served a portion.

The pizza crust ended up to be a very large sausage patty with cheese and tomatoes on top. 

January 12, 2025 - Sunday

Brrr - 33 degrees this morning and only going up to 54! Good pajama day, but I still walked later in the day after starting year-end paperwork. Did a lot of business today and played some music too.  Dee came over for cocktail hour which started outside, but moved inside as the sun started setting.  

 

My mom had company today back in Lee - her great-grandson, Hannes, came for a visit. 

January 13, 2025 - Monday

Woke up to 34 degrees today so waited until after dance to do the walk. Cindy came over for cocktail hour. Quiet day...

My picture of the Full Wolf Moon...

Cindy’s picture...

January 14, 2025 - Tuesday HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

I am so grateful to be alive, in good health and living the dream. Added a little color to the mix today...

Went to Wickenburg for ukulele group with Joanne. Then Rich picked me up for a surprise birthday lunch destination. Turns out it was the Club Grill de  los Caballeros - a golf club/dude ranch near Vulture Mine. 

We ate like royalty - mostly shrimp, which happens to be no points on WW, but we really like it. 

Thai Shrimp salad...

Asian Salad with shrimp and taco salad with shrimp...

Followed by a complimentary cookie with your meal… We both selected the lemon with white chocolate which was delicious!

On the way out, a couple was appoaching us on the stairs and had big smiles. They asked us how long we’ve been married - we said, we’re not! They laughed and said, that’s why you’re holding hands! Rich said it was our first date. They laughed and the woman said, no really, how long have you been together? We said 5 years and they said, you’re a cute couple! Sure made our day!

Don and Darice leave tomorrow, but found time to come by to "chew the fat,” bid us adieu, and share a “celebratory libation” with us and Cindy…  They will be missed.

We went inside after everyone left and decided to head up to The Depot for a nightcap. They were closed so we went to Nichol’s - had a lava cake a la mode. Don’t judge…it’s my birthday!

January 15, 2025 - Wednesday

Danced and then walked in the early afternoon. My butt is dragging today as I couldn’t breathe through my nose during the night. I have gone through half a box of lotion tissues today! Ridiculous! 

 

Cindy came for cocktails and stayed for a beef and broccoli stir fry Rich put together. Dee knocked on the door with a birthday gift for me - a bottle of Barefoot Chardonnay - she knows what I like!

 

My daughter, Shannon, is a Guidance Counselor at Lee High and Middle School. She took on the responsibility of being the handler of a comfort dog, Miss Maci. The family and the school fell in love with her. Sadly, she has a medical problem with her legs and if she doesn’t have 2 surgeries, they will have to euthanize her. I am very proud of Shannon’s efforts in her mission to save Miss Maci, so I put the video in the body of this email. 

 

January 16, 2025 - Thursday

Laundry day so I didn’t go to yoga (again). I did a combo of wash, walk, dry, fold…  Now to prepare my song list for the jam. 

Proud, grateful and hopeful now that the goal of $20,000 has been reached to save Miss Maci💕🙏

 

 

Apricity West 5

January 3, 2025 - Friday

The usual - dance, walk, eat and drink. Lunch at Sizzling Wok and no supper for us. 

 

Cindy got a great picture of the brilliant sunset.

January 4, 2025 - Saturday

Even though the allergies are really plugging me up, I did my walk with LOTS of tissues in my pocket. Worked on joining my granny squares - it is the perfect size for our queen bed. 

 

January 5, 2025 - Sunday

Weighed in and miraculously lost another pound! Walked in the cold air after online church. Sat out in the afternoon when the sun warmed things up. Cindy came over and joined us for drinks and shrimp cocktail. 

 

January 6, 2025 - Monday

Day 100 of WW tracking and walking! It was low 40’s, but as the day went on, it warmed up so that we could sit outside in the afternoon - Cindy came by too. 

 

January 7, 2025 - Tuesday

Got up and did my walk wearing the cowl scarf I made this summer. It helps keep my shoulders warm. Joanne and I went to ukulele group - I drove into Wickenburg Senior Center. It was a good session with several new songs challenging us. I only have 3 more weeks to play with this group before we move on to Tucson - I will miss it terribly. Need to start looking for a group in Tucson and back home - no luck last year. 

 

January 8, 2025 - Wednesday

Walked and then danced. It was cold again but I felt the best time of the day was early as the winds were picking up again later in the day. During the night we were rocking and rolling with gusting winds and a persistent branch scraping on the rig. We noticed the wind had taken off with our new Cuisinart grill cover. Rich rode around the general area looking under rigs and all over. No luck.

 

Cindy and I practiced a while for the jam tomorrow. 

 

Dot and Harvey had us over to dinner tonight with Don and Darice who are only here another week before heading back to Texas. They are longtime friends and some past relation to Dot. We met them last year at the Eclipse Party in Mason, TX and really enjoy their company. 

Delicious Lasagna soup…

I haven’t mentioned that I have been studying Spanish with the DuoLingo app for 24 consecutive days - my grandson challenged me because he has been doing it since September. I like it. I took Spanish in college 60 years ago, but have never used it much. Gotta keep the brain working. 

 

January 9, 2025 - Thursday 

A different approach today - we went into Safeway at 7:30 and Rich had a haircut appointment at 9am. After we got groceries put away, Don knocked on our door with our grill cover in hand. We told them about it and he figured it out to be headed in a certain direction given how the wind blew! Did I mention he is a retired airline pilot - probably knows a lot about wind and weather! He found it exactly where he thought it would be leaning up against a split-rail fence post. Today was the last day that they can come to the jam; they seem to enjoy it. 

 

The wind is still howling and my nose is just raw from the constant blowing. There was a medical emergency early this morning - the ambulance came into the park and a half hour later, a life flight helicopter tried to land 3 times. It is so dry and dusty in that field that they couldn’t land. The ambulance drove out and headed to Congress Fire Station where there is a heliport. 🙏

Temps got into the 50’s at 11am so I walked then. The hardest decision was what to wear - 3 layers of long sleeves and hooded sweatshirt with a ball cap. The winds were 20mph to my back when I started. Was worried about the return trip with it blowing in my face, but it wasn’t that bad after all. Glad I did it…

The jam was a success today - the bass player came and we had an almost full audience. Rich was his best yet on harmonica…

Buen dia, mi amigos! 

 

Apricity West 5

December 27, 2024 - Friday

Danced and walked - then just chilled for the rest of the day. Dee and Dwight invited us to the Bar 7 for dinner and dancing. The food and the music (Casandra Long Band) was excellent. The dance floor is out back on the patio where they have put up a roof and placed propane heaters around the room. 

December 28, 2024 - Saturday

This is day 90 of my walking and WW tracking streak. This little guy wasn’t afraid of me…

It was in the 60’s today so we made a turkey and cabbage soup - tasted real good. The sun was shining so we sat out in the afternoon.

 

December 29, 2024 - Sunday

Slow start this morning, but was thrilled, surprised, baffled that I stayed the same on the scale. We had a good breakfast and then I went to church online.  A simply gorgeous day for a walk; then sat outside. Gary and Kathy stopped by to visit. Gary has a strum-stick he wants me to experiment with. Never heard of it that I can recall, but I'll “TRY” anything. 

We showed them the harmonica microphone that Charles donated to the cause of making music. It works great with the Mighty Amp we bought at Musical Surprise back when I got my ukulele. We notice that there is a metronome and several drum rhythms that can play in the background. Listen to the clip in the email…

Allergies starting to act up again. Taking Zyrtec and local honey, but I have been sneezing like crazy. I keep trying to think of what changed. As I look out our dinette window, I see a  flurry of bees around the flowering tree. Where there are flowers, there are bees. Where there are bees, there is pollen. BINGO!

 

December 30, 2024 - Monday HAPPY 13TH BIRTHDAY ZACHARY!

Danced and waited until later to take my walk. Another gorgeous day in the high 60’s with skies a bright blue. We sat outside and Gary came over to loan me his strum-stick. It is quite cool with only 3 strings to worry about and really only one is necessary to make a beautiful sound. You can make it richer with more skills, but for now, I was grateful to be able to play with it. 

He also brought over a few of his American Indian flutes to play and asked if I could join him on my ukulele. It actually had a nice sound with the two instruments together. We will work more on this in a quiet place with no background noise. Double flute! 

December 31, 2024 - Tuesday

Terrible night last night as I sneezed through the night and tried desperately to find the right position of my CPAP mask to not drown. Still went to ukulele group practice in Wickenburg with a pocketful of tissues. I got to play a couple of songs with my banjolele - not bad!

 

Had soup when we got home and took an Alka Seltzer Plus before a short nap in preparation for my obligatory walk. I was surprised that I made it. We then went to Wild West Saloon for our early dinner - split a pizzadilla there and brought home a dozen wings to settle in for the night. 

 

January 1, 2025 - Wednesday HAPPY NEW YEAR! 

Slept until 8am, but still made it to the First Day Hike on time at 9am. Eleven of us walked out to Inspiration Point - just under 3 miles total. It was a gorgeous day for a hike. 

Me, Melissa and Cindy…

Three coyote holes…

Later Gary and Rich went up to the Clubhouse to practice on the flutes. He brought a plastic mouthpiece that Rich could use to try it out.

Video clip in the body of this email. 

 

Cindy came by with a bottle of Prosecco to bring in the new year. I had some dried cranberries to embellish it. The two of us polished off the bottle then Rich cooked us Asian shrimp on a skewer with rice and Brussel sprouts. Soooo good...

January 2, 2025 - Thursday

Allergies are still haunting me, but I continue to walk with a bulging pocketful of tissues! Brought my banjolele to the jam today, but will hold off on the strum-stick until I figure it out. Rich played two songs on the harmonica…