Last Day of January

Wow! seemed like New Years day was just a short time ago and now the month is almost gone. Guess we must be busy busy that time is flying by. Oh well we are having fun in the sun most days. Although last week end on Sunday and Monday it poured rain and when it pours rain it don't just drizzle. Of course it is flat and sandy so the water just runs down the roads or down the man made washes I think they call them. Well enough whinning compared to some of the weather many of you are experiencing this is nothing right?

This week has just been pretty routine golfing, bowling, hair cuts, cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping etc. Looks like more non fun things than fun things on our list this week. haha

I have to share though that when I golfed with the womens group on Tuesday I got a birdie these don't happen offen so I need to brag when I do get one. It was close to a whole in one but I know close only happens in horse shoe. Maybe I should join that team haha.

Had some drapes made for the living room and dinning room and they finally got here we ordered them the 1st of Nov and they were to be installed by fist of Jan. But they were worth the wait they look very nice.

Hope this finds all our family and friends well and in good health. Take care and keep in touch.
Love Barb

Mexico Trip

As some of you know we took a mini mexico trip for you that did not know this it was a three day two night but trip to the Rocky Pint Sea of Cortez area to a town called Puerto Penasco.

I AM PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!

We left on Monday Jan 21st it is about a 3 to 3.5 hour trip. Basically desert scenery all the way. Our first stop was at National Park and in this are is the Organ Pipe Cactus Mexico is the only place this cactus grows it looks like a cluster of cactus arms all bunched together like pipes guess that is how it gets its name.

When we arrived at Puerto Penasco at 12:00 we were taken to a restaurant for lunch. Then to the hotel it was ok but about the quality of our low end motels. In the afternoon we went to a CEDO Institute where students that are studing Oceanography and told the history of the fish and shrimp that lives there. Much shrimp and clams are harvested there and a lot of other fishing is done there. Above you will see the picture of the fishing boats.

Then we went back to the hotel for a cocktail hour and a dance show by some students from a school of dancing in Phoenix. After the show then it was a buffet dinner.

Tuesday Jan 22 Some of the group went claming at Ochoa Bay where there is one of the lowest tides in the world. We did not go claming. At 10am we were taken to a shopping area if any of you reading this have been to Mexico their shopping areas are one big flea market up and down the streets. So sad the very young children are taught to sell and approach you many times and try to get you to buy.

At 4 pm there was a sunset Cruise for two and half hours. It took us along the north shore of Puerto Penasco where many new condominium buildings are built and or being built. These are located on the Ochoa Bay so a very pretty view of the harbor and the ocean. Very expensive also I understand. After our cruise we were taken to a restaurant to me it was like a cafe in most small towns but the meal was good we had bacon wrapped shrimp dinner. After that back to our hotel for another exhausting day of being on the go.

Wednesday Jan 23 breakfast at 7 am and at 8:30 luggage loaded group picture and we were off to another shopping area. I am surprised that bus could hold all the stuff that the people brought back. Turtles, alligators, of course these are all yard art and many more items. Some brought boose back it was duty free. Also we all could take coolers and bring back fresh fish and shrimp or etc. They packed it in ice for us and all that was loaded on the bus as well. We had a big bus with lots of storage. At 11:30 we headed back for AZ. At approximately 1:30 we entered the boarder and all 50 people had to get off the bus and walk in the building and get checked back in with either picture ID or pass ports. Well we had a couple of young gentlemen checking us all in and what a over whelming sight that must of been when we all march in they were in good humor though they asked some people questions. The guy a head of me was asked if he had ever been in the service he said no the customs guy said oh you look like you might have been. Then it is my turn and he scans my pass port and he says to me do you know Chesty Puller I was shocked to say the least I said no about that time Jerry says he was my brother the customs guy laughed. I guess Chesty Puller was a major in the service 30 years ago. I am not sure why he was picking on me except I was a bit nervous hoping I did not get stuck in Mexico. They only asked a few people if they brought back any commodity. I guess you could bring back up to $800.00 worth before you have to declare it.

Well we are now back to the daily activities and happy that we took the trip and went with the group as if you went a lone you would not have seen or heard so much of the history of this town and area. It would be scary driving down there if you are a lone at least to me and many others that shared that same concern.

Greetings to all our family and friends. Love Barb

Another Week of Fun

Hi to our family and friends!

Another busy week with some new activities. This weeks bowling session was better than the first. So I am improving my average.

On Monday Jerry started playing golf with the mens niner league he enjoyed that it was a scramble so a new game he had never played.

Tuesday Jerry went with the neighbor guy and a couple of his friends to the Barrett Jackson Car Show he spent 10 hours there one tired dude when he got home but they had fun and now they watch the auction of the cars on TV that they seen at the show. I golfed with the womens niner league and that was fun we also did a scramble so it was a new game for me also. Looking forward to this activity every week I get to meet new ladies which is a plus.

Wednesday and today we are just doing things around the house and this morning waiting for the sun to come up to get things warmed up around here it was 39 degrees. I know we are pansies compared to where some of you live and have much worse weather. But we got use to not wearing heavy coats and when we have to get them out we think we are being abused. haha

Hope this finds you all well take care and jot us a note we love to hear what is going on in your world these days.

Love Barb Jerry and Ark and Saw.

Harvest Time in AZ

Hi to friends and family!

Wow another week has flew by and I need to send another update or one of the Childrens will be giving me a call. Just Kidding!

Well who would have thought that when you retire you would be harvesting fruit in your back yard. We have a ruby red grapefruit and a tangerine tree. I guess we have a orange tree but it never bears any fruit so we thought it was just a tree of some kind tell a individual who has a yard care service was digging out some Bogenvia (sp) in our back yard told us it was a orange tree . Well we picked a couple dozen grapefruit and there is still at least three times that left on the tree. We picked 6 tangerines that is all it beared this year because trees only produce a lot of fruit every other year. Last years crop froze because of the week of below freezing temps last January. See how educated we are getting at this old age. Well back to our fruit we made grapefruit/tangerine juice. It made half a gallon of grapefruit and a quart of tangerine/orange juice. A friend gave me some oranges so we put them together.

I also bowled this week "need some practice in that game" but it was fun and it is nice that for the most part everyone there is there just to have fun.

We are going to golf this afternoon with our neighbors next door they live in Oregon and are not fully retired yet so will be leaving us next week. Jerry has been reading his book Kim gave him for Christmas " Zen Golf" he is finding out how to not be frustrated with his game. There is a lot of food for thought in this book.

Had a couple rainy days other wise it has been sunny. In fact Monday when I was driving to bowling I thought I was in WA gray skys, pouring rain, freeway was packed with bumper to bumper traffic. This was at 9:00am guess they have their days also.

Hope this finds all our family and friends well we are fine and love and miss you all. Barb

New Year 2008 Back In AZ

Yes, we arrived back in AZ on New Years Day. A bit warmer here during the day because the sun is shining. As you can see in the picture Ark and Saw was glad to see us back they were lonely. The got a Christmas present from Steve and Holly our son and they loved their Harley hats so of course they wanted to go on the bike right away. So here they are with the other Harley lover with their scull hats on.

The second picture is at the Red Lobster where we took Kevin for his birthday dinner. He drove down from Sun City and spent the day. As you can see in the picture it was hard to get these guys to smile maybe they were to hungrey. During the day before we went to dinner we played Spinner (a domino's game) then we played LRC (a dice game called left right center) then a couple games of the good old card game of rummy. Kevin and Jerry won all the money I just contributed we weren't playing for big money anyway just nickles and dimes.

Jerry is back into his water volley ball each day which is good after all we ate over Christmas. I am doing my early morning walk and then back to the tread mill in the afternoon if time permits. We are going to start golfing with the men and womens niner groups next week. I start bowling on Monday Jan 7 so shouldn't have trouble keeping out of trouble.

Do hope all our family and friends had a nice Christmas holiday and a Happy New Year.

Greetings from Barb and Jerry.