Last Weeks in Yuma, Headed Back Home

 Hello again. Our last chapter concluded on Sunday, March 14^th, while we were still in Yuma, Arizona for our Winter stay. Monday was a stay at home day. It was really cold and windy today, so we pretty much stayed in all day. Did a few chores, watched some TV and generally relaxed. We had cocktails with the group and then Peggy served dinner to the five of us. She made lasagna, salad and bread and it was excellent. She even threw in a lemon cake for dessert. After we went back to our coach we watched some TV and went to bed.

Tuesday, March 16^th, we left about 11:00 with Peggy and drove to the taco stand for lunch. After lunch we stopped at Fry's for a few things, then headed back to the coach. We spent the rest of the day relaxing in the coach and doing a few chores. Wednesday, Happy St. Patrick's Day. Today was a stay at home day. I went over to the clubhouse at 12:30 for the jam session and Jackie and Peggy came over later to watch for a while. Big crowd today, I got to headline for two songs. After the jam session we relaxed for a while, then did cocktail hour with our group. For dinner we and Peggy had a corn beef that I had been cooking all day, along with cabbage, carrots and potatoes. A real Irish dinner. After Peggy left we watched some TV and went to bed. Thursday was also a stay at home day. Did a few chores, played some games and watched some TV. Most of the morning and early afternoon we were dog sitting Belle while Peggy was on a Jeep run. Cocktails with the group at 5:00, then Jackie and I had left over Irish food for dinner. Yum again! After dinner we watched some TV and went to bed.

Friday, March 19^th, Jackie and I went out about 1:00 for a late lunch at a restaurant called Icons here in the Foothills. It is probably the closest thing to an upscale restaurant you can find in the Foothills and we have eaten there several times, although not yet this year. We decided that we were celebrating all the milestone days we missed in February when we were both sick. We missed my birthday and two anniversaries. We had a nice calamari appetizer and Jackie had scallops and shrimp and I had halibut. We had a very nice “dinner” and enjoyed our meal. We also learned that the owners are changing the name of the place to “Zydeco Grill” because they discovered that Icons was already trademarked and if they try to expand and open new stores they will end up in legal trouble. After lunch we did a Walmart run, then went back to the coach and relaxed for a while. We had cocktails with the group, but no dinner due to our late lunch. We watched some TV and went to bed.

Saturday, March 20^th, was a stay at home day. Around 2:00 I went to the clubhouse and set up my gear for karaoke, the last one for this season here in Yuma. We had the same six people we have had the last several times, including our friends Len and Debbie, but we still had a good two hour session. After karaoke I packed up the equipment and we had cocktails on the patio with our group, including Len and Debbie and our good friend Suzie Babcock. Regular readers will remember that Ray and Suzie Babcock were Rvers, full timers for a while, who we met at a rally in 2007 and became great friends with. We did a lot of traveling together over the years. Ray died last February due to heart problems he dealt with for many years. Suzie still lives in Menefee, California, and decided to come visit with us and Peggy for a few days. She is staying at the nearby Best Western hotel. After cocktails we did burgers on the BBQ for everyone, except Len and Debbie who went home after cocktails. It was windy but we managed to get the six of us in our coach and had a great dinner. After everyone left we watched some TV and went to bed.

Sunday, March 21^st, we left the coach about 11:00 and picked up Suzie at the hotel. We then went across the freeway to the Daybreakers restaurant for brunch. Peggy met us there in her own car. Because it was Sunday morning we ended up waiting a half hour to get a table, but the food is really good here. Peggy and I both had liver and onions and Suzie and Jackie both had breakfast. After brunch we and Suzie drove to the Yuma Marketplace to do some shopping. Peggy didn't want to go which is why she drove herself to the restaurant. Suzie had not been to the marketplace in a couple of years and we spent a couple of hours walking around and shopping. They are only open for one more weekend, so this will be our last time there this season. I bought a couple of tee shirts from a friend of ours who has a booth there and Jackie bought a couple of little things. After our shopping we dropped Suzie back off at the hotel and we went home. We spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing. Suzie came back to our place about 4:00 and we had cocktails with the group at 5:00. After happy hour the four of us had dinner in our place. Jackie made a Chinese chicken casserole that she has not made in quite a while. It is one of my favorite dishes and it was equally good this time. After dinner Suzie and Peggy left and we watched TV until it was time to go to bed.

Monday, March 22^nd, was a stay at home day, at least for me. Jackie, Peggy, Suzie and Debbie all left about 11:30 and drove to their favorite sushi restaurant near the mall in West Yuma. I had lunch at home and did some computer work and maintenance chores while they were gone. They came back about 1:30 and then Suzie and Jackie left again to go shopping at Kohl's. They were done around 4:00. We had cocktails with the group at 5:00, but no formal dinner since they were all full from lunch. After everyone left we watched some TV and went to bed. Tuesday we left the coach about 11:00 and drove to the hotel to pick up Suzie and go to lunch. Peggy had someone over working on her coach, so she couldn't go. We went to Wheezy's Sports Grill here in the Foothills. We have been to Wheezy's several times, but this is the first this season. Their portions are quite generous, so we all left really full. Before we went home we drove to the edge of the Goldwater Military Range, which borders the Foothills area to the South. Suzie sprinkled a small vial of her husband Ray's ashes onto the sand at the entrance to the range. Back when we traveled together and our little band came to Yuma we would often go geocaching on the range. Ray loved to geocache. After this tribute we dropped Suzie off at the hotel and went back to the coach. We spent the rest of the day in the coach. We had cocktails inside at Peggy's because the wind was blowing and it was cold. No one wanted dinner, so about 7:00 or so we were back in our coach watching TV.

Wednesday, March 24^th, we had another stay at home day. Suzie left this morning to go back home. About 12:30 I went over to the clubhouse for the jam session. We had the biggest group yet, including a guy with a big, stand up bass. Got to solo a couple of songs and played along with a bunch. After the jam I spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing with the computer. We had cocktails with the group at 5:00 and then we and Peggy did some fish on the BBQ for dinner. After Peggy left we watched some TV and went to bed. Thursday we went over to the clubhouse about 11:30 for the burger bash. It was called a burger bash, but this week they didn't have any burgers. The park is starting to shut down for the season and they are trying to clean out the kitchen and use up all the food and left overs they had. It was $3 for all you could eat hot dogs, and left over meats from the owner's party a week ago. Actually had a pretty good meal. After lunch Jackie and I went out to one of the local furniture stores just to check on couches. The sleeper couch in our coach is not real comfortable and Jackie wanted to see what might be available and at what cost. Although Peggy and Vernon bought a couch for their coach here a few years ago, the salesman told us he really only had one couch that we would be able to get in our coach. The problem is the door on the coach. You need to be able to at least partially break down the coach to get it in the small door. The one he had looked a lot like the one we had and was over a thousand dollars, so we decided we could live with what we had. After the furniture store we went to Walmart for some supplies. We took the groceries home, put stuff away quick, and then went out to do some geocaching in the Foothills area, down on the far, southeast corner. We were able to get six new finds with no DNFs in less than an hour. We then went back to the coach and Peggy told us she just got back from shopping at Fry's and that they had really nice T-bone steaks on sale. So, we got back in the car and went to Fry's for steaks. After we got back we put stuff away and relaxed until happy hour. We had our group, but only stayed out for less than an hour because the wind came up and it was too cool. We went back in our coach and Jackie and I had a light dinner on our own, then watched TV until bedtime.

Friday, March 26^th, we left the park with Peggy and drove to a local Foothills restaurant, The Eatery, to have lunch with a small group from our Overland Trailblazers Chapter of FMCA. This is the group we are with every January (except this year, of course) at the FMCA Western Area rally in Indio. We have also gone on several other trips with the group and are planning to go to Moab, Utah this Fall with some members. There were five couples there, and Peggy, and we had a very nice lunch. Some of the group we were lunching with have part time homes here in Yuma and are down here every year. After lunch we went back to the RV park and relaxed for the rest of the day. We had cocktails with the group at 5:00, but no dinner since we all had a big lunch. After everyone left we watched TV and went to bed. Saturday we again left with Peggy about 11:30 and drove to a Mexican restaurant near downtown that had been recommended by one of the group at yesterday's lunch. It was called La Fonda and it was located on the edge of Yuma's old barrio area. It was a big place in an old building, but fairly clean. The menu was pretty limited, especially when compared to Mi Rancho and El Charro, our two favorites. The salsa was watery, but spicy, and the chips were stale. The food was OK, but bland, certainly not the “authentic Mexican” food they advertise. We will not be going back and cannot recommend the place. After lunch we did a Sam's Club run for some supplies, then headed back to the coach where we stayed the rest of the day. We had cocktails with the group, but again no dinner because of the big lunch. We watched some TV and went to bed.

Sunday, March 28^th, we had a stay at home day. I did go out briefly in the morning and took the car to a car wash. It was really starting to look pretty dirty after all the blowing dust and occasional light rain. We had cocktails with the group and then did some steaks on the BBQ. Everyone brought their own meat and I cooked them all. The wind had finally stopped and the temps were in the low 80's, so we were able to eat outside, which was very nice. We sat outside and talked after dinner until about 8:00, after which we watched a little TV and then went to bed. Monday was a stay at home day for me. I did a few chores around the house, including starting to pick up some stuff so as to be ready to travel. We leave Yuma in just over a week. I was also babysitting the dog as Peggy had to take her coach back into the shop to get some front suspension repairs done. Jerry followed her to the shop so she wouldn't be stuck all day there. After Peggy got back to the park she and Jackie went out for lunch and to do some shopping. They didn't get back until around 2:30 or so. We had cocktails with the group, and then after happy hour we and Peggy had some pork chops and rice for dinner. After Peggy left we watched some TV.

Tuesday, March 30^th, we had a stay at home day. I spent a couple of hours cleaning up our outside stuff, decorations, lights, etc., getting ready for our departure. We don't leave for a week, but in two days we have someone coming to wash and wax the coach, so I needed to get everything removed except stuff we might need, like chairs and the BBQ. We had cocktails with the group at 5:00 and then we all had dinner in our coach with a big pot of clam chowder that Jackie made. We ate inside because the wind was blowing again. After dinner we watched some TV and then went to bed. Wednesday was mostly a stay at home day for me. Peggy and Jackie left about 11:00 to go to Walmart to get haircuts. I went over the clubhouse about 12:30 for the jam session, the last for this season. Sometime while I was at the jam Pat and Linda Kight arrived in the park and were parked right behind Peggy. Pat's wife Tammie died about a year ago. She and Peggy were lifelong friends, but she also grew very fond of Pat. Pat remarried three or four months after Tammie passed to a woman named Linda. This would be the first time Jackie and I met Linda. I knew they had arrived because I saw Pat come into the clubhouse and sit in the audience. Shortly after, Jackie and Peggy came back and also sat in on the jam. We had fewer players than in past sessions, only about 11, so we got to do a few more songs. The jam was over around 3:00 and I spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing. We had cocktails with our usual group and included Pat and Linda. We discussed dinner options and decided that we would go about 6:30 to the taco stand. We have never been there outside of lunch time. Jerry and Debbie had previous plans, so it was just us, Peggy and the Kights. We had a very nice dinner and because we were there at dusk it was nice and cool. After dinner we went back home, watched some TV and went to bed.

Thursday, April 1^st, and I forbid April Fools jokes!! About noon the company came over to wash and wax the coach. They were several hours earlier than they had scheduled, but that was OK. They were done by 1:00 so Jackie and I drove to the mall to do some shopping. Didn't end up with much, each of us got a shirt. After shopping we headed back to the coach and stayed in the rest of the day. We had cocktails with the group at happy hour and then did burgers and wieners on the BBQ. After everyone ate we sat out in the nice cool, calm evening and chatted until about 8:00. We then went in to watch some TV and headed off to bed. Friday we did our laundry here at the park. We got an early start and were done by noon. We went out shortly after noon to have lunch at El Charro, another of our favorites. After lunch we did a quick stop at Fry's, then headed back to the coach where we spent the rest of the day relaxing. We had happy hour with our group. Pat and Linda had left this morning to continue their travels, so it was just the usual group. Since we had such a big lunch we didn't do any dinner, just watched TV until bedtime.

Saturday, April 3^rd, we had Peggy's cleaning lady come over to the coach and do a deep cleaning. She oiled all the cabinets and did a pretty good cleaning job. I took care of some minor repairs for Peggy, and also took all of our window screens out so Jackie could wash them. We now have a nice, clean coach, inside and out. After the cleaning lady left the three of us drove to the Love's Truck Stop to have chicken livers. Many of the Love's locations have a Chester's Chicken franchise inside of them, and they have surprisingly good chicken livers. We had a great lunch and I also stopped at Arby's to pick up some sandwiches for the freezer. The Arby's roast beef sandwiches do very well in the freezer and make great lunches. We went back to the coach and spent the rest of the day relaxing. We had yesterday's Mexican leftovers for dinner and watched TV until bedtime.

Sunday, April 4^th, Happy Easter. Today was a stay at home day. We relaxed for most of the day, watched a movie on TV and just rested. We had cocktails with the group at happy hour, inside our coach since it was still quite warm outside. For dinner we also ate inside. I did lamb chops on the BBQ for Jackie and Peggy and a nice big T-bone for me. Jerry and Debbie cooked a pork roast on their own BBQ and brought it over for dinner. It was a very nice get together and probably the last time we will all eat together since we are leaving in two days. After everyone left we watched TV and went to bed. Monday, our last full day in Yuma. We had a stay at home day, doing a few chores getting ready to travel tomorrow, and relaxing. We got some KFC for dinner and after Peggy went home we watched some TV and went to bed.

Tuesday, April 6^th, a travel day, our first in almost four months. We left Yuma about 9:30 and started North to Parker, Arizona, about 110 miles. Peggy is traveling along with us and making all the same stops. She is also going to Pahrump to spend another month with us. We arrived at the Blue Water RV Park, which is part of the Colorado River Indian Tribe's operations and is located next door to their casino. We got in around 1:30, after a fuel stop, got hooked up for our one night stay, and just relaxed the rest of the afternoon. This is not a cheap park, $40 a night, and it is a dump. It is right on the river, with a beach (currently closed for Covid) and a boat launch, but the sites are very narrow and poorly maintained. There is dog poop all over the place and it certainly not a premium park unless you are coming to recreate on the river. Wednesday was another travel day. We got out about 9:00 or so and continued north 110 miles to a wide spot in the road called, CalNevAri, Nevada. It is about 10 miles north of the State line on U.S. 95, probably 20 miles South of Searchlight. It is a casino, gas station, small store and a large RV park. This park is still $25 a night, plus tax, and has pull through spots, 50 amp, water and sewer. It is also much better maintained than the one in Parker. We got the basics done and settled in for the evening. I did have to spend an hour messing with the car. For some reason the battery went dead and I had to jump it from the coach to get it to respond enough to put the charger on it. My jumper cables were JUST long enough to reach the terminals in the car and the battery compartment in the back of the coach. After a couple hours of charging everything was fine again. This happened last year when we were towing too. I suspect it has something to do with the auxiliary braking system. We are planning to get a new system anyway, so we won't use the old one any more. I made a pot of chili for the three of us. We had a nice dinner then went to bed early because we want to get an early start tomorrow to beat the heat.

Thursday, April 8^th, our last travel day for a while. We continued North towards Las Vegas, and then on to Pahrump, a total trip of about 120 miles. We got on the road at 8:00, made a fuel stop in Vegas, then headed over the hill to Pahrump, arriving at the Escapees RV Park about 11:30. We got settled into our spot and began to set up. We are going to be here for at least three months. Peggy couldn't get a spot near us, but did get a nice full hookup site near the entrance to the park. The lot next to us is a rental and we believe the people now in it are leaving in a few days. If they do, Peggy will move over to this spot. I spent some time getting things set up, then we just relaxed for the rest of the night. We did some scampi for the three of us for dinner and went to bed early because we were bushed from the early start and the drive.

Now that we are back home in Pahrump, it is time to close out this episode and get it published. Until the next time, remember that friends pick us up when we fall down, and if they can’t pick us up, they lie down and listen for a while. See ya soon.

 

Another Three Weeks in Yuma: Things Starting to Look Up, Maybe

Hi there, welcome back to our story. The last chapter concluded on Sunday, February 21st, while we were still wintering in Yuma, Arizona. Originally we were going to leave Yuma in a couple of weeks, early March, to head back to Pahrump, but because of the fact that we need to get our second Covid vaccination in late March, we have extended for a month, so now we won't be leaving until about April 1st.

Monday, February 22nd, we had a stay at home day. I spent most of the day in the office taking care of admin work. We got our mail the other day and had everything for our taxes, so I did those and e-filed our tax return. I also did the blog and took care of several other admin chores. A very productive day. Jackie spent some time painting rocks for our friends. We had cocktails with our little group at 5:00 and then did some hamburgers on the BBQ for dinner. After Peggy left we watched TV and went to bed. Tuesday Jackie and Peggy went to a ladies luncheon and fashion show at the clubhouse. I did a few more admin chores. After the luncheon the three of us did a Walmart run. After we got back we put away the groceries and relaxed for a while. We had happy hour with the group and then Jackie and I had a simple dinner of tacos. After dinner we watched TV and went to bed.

Wednesday, February 24th, was a stay at home day. About 12:30 I went over to the clubhouse for the jam session. It was a little smaller group today, but we still had fun. Len came and played for the first time this afternoon and seemed to enjoy himself. We had cocktails with the group at 5:00, then Peggy did a pasta and scallops in a cream sauce dinner for us, and her and Millie. We went home around 8:30 and watched TV until bedtime. Thursday we babysat Belle while Peggy went out Jeeping with her friends. For lunch we went over to the clubhouse for the burger bash. After lunch we walked Belle, then drove to Sam's Club for supplies. We were back home by a little after 2:00 and Peggy came back around 3:00. We had cocktails with the group on the patio, then did some pork chops on the BBQ for dinner. After Peggy left we watched TV and went to bed.

Friday, February 26th, Jackie and I left the coach after lunch and went to get our toes done. Jackie gets a full pedi, I just get a trim. After our toes we went back to the coach and relaxed for a bit before going over to the patio of the clubhouse to listen to a band. The park brought in a trio called “The Dependables” who have played at a lot of other parks around the foothills. They are three baby boomer age guys, a drummer, a lead guitarist and a bass player, who do a variety of music, oldies, country, rock, you name it. They have a good rapport with the audience and were pretty good musicians. It was a two hour concert, 3-5, and it we enjoyed it a lot. We had cocktails with the group after the band and then the four of us had some KFC for dinner. After Peggy and Millie went home we watched TV for the rest of the night.

Saturday, February 27th, we went to the taco stand for lunch with Peggy and Millie. After lunch we went back to the coach and relaxed for a while. About 2:00 I went over to the clubhouse and set up for karaoke. I got everything up and working, but at 3:00 no one showed up again. Since I had the stuff set up, I did some practice singing, working on some new songs. I also let Dottie, our activities director sing some songs and we worked on a couple of duets to try when people start coming to karaoke again. I later learned that one of the other parks had scheduled a band for the afternoon, so that's probably where the music people went. About 4:30 I packed everything up and we did our happy hour with the group. After happy hour Jackie and I had leftovers for dinner then watched TV until it was time for bed.

Sunday, February 28th, happy birthday to my brother Russ who hit the big “6-0” today. We had a stay at home day. Around 4:00 I set up all my sound equipment outside our rig in preparation for a park wide block party. It was advertised as a 'howl at the moon” party, but we missed the full moon by a couple days, so it doesn't come up until almost 8:30 today. So, the party is just a 5-7 happy hour. I was very pleased when we ended up with at least 50 people sitting, talking and drinking around our coach. I just played a variety of music and everyone seemed to have a good time. Since it was a little cool tonight they even brought out the propane fire pits from the clubhouse patio and put them in the street for people to sit around. We partied until about 7:00 when I shut it off and dismantled my equipment. We had a late dinner at Peggy's, with Millie and our other neighbors, Jerry and Debbie. Peggy made her penne pasta and it was wonderful. After dinner we went home, watched a little TV and went to bed.

Monday, March 1st, was a stay at home day. Welcome to the beginning of “calendar Spring” and maybe warmer weather. It wasn't today, as the high was only to be 67 degrees. I finished packing up the equipment from the block party last night and got everything back in it's proper place. Today was also laundry day and we had everything done by mid afternoon. We had cocktails with the group at 5:00, then we and Peggy and Millie had a meat loaf that Jackie made. After they left we watched TV and then went to bed. Tuesday we went out after lunch to do a grocery run at Fry's. We spent the rest of the afternoon doing chores. We had cocktail hour with the group and then six of us shared a big pot of shrimp, asparagus and mushroom risotto that Jackie and Peggy put together. After everyone left we cleaned up and watched some TV until bedtime.

Wednesday, March 3rd, Jackie went out for lunch with Millie, Peggy and Debbie to the Ninja Sushi restaurant. It worked out well because I don't care for sushi and was going to the jam session at the clubhouse today. I went over there about 12:30 and got set up. We had a great group, mostly the same people I have been playing with since I started going. I got to do three songs and played along on many others. After the jam I went back to the coach and relaxed for a while. We had cocktails with the group, but no group dinner tonight. Jackie and I had left over risotto for dinner. We watched TV until bedtime. Thursday Peggy and Jackie went out again for lunch, this time to Thai food at Lemon Grass Cafe. After lunch they stopped at the optical place so Jackie could pick up her new glasses. I left the coach about 12:30 and went and played golf with Len and Debbie Forrest and a friend of theirs named Bonnie. We played the very easy, and inexpensive, Foothills par 3 course. Regular readers will know that I just recently bought a new set of golf clubs to replace the set I gave away almost 16 years ago when we left the Coachella Valley and went full time in the motorhome. I only played for fun and was never any good at golf. I didn't like to play alone and I didn't like to play with strangers, and I knew when we went out on the road that those would be my only choices. So, I gave up the game. Never thought much of it until we got the place in Pahrump and now I have friends that golf, also only moderately well, and a near by golf course, so I thought I would start up again. Today was the first time I have played golf since 2005, and I was predictably bad, but actually did par the third hole. I almost quit after that win. We had a great three hours and I am glad I am out with friends again. After Jackie and I both got back to the coach we just relaxed until cocktail hour with the group. After happy hour we and Peggy had pork loins baked with onions and side dishes for dinner. After Peggy left we watched TV and then went to bed.

Friday, March 5th, was a stay at home day. We did a few chores and mainly relaxed until about 2:30 when we went over to the clubhouse for another concert on the patio. Today the entertainer was Kelly Hughes. Regular readers may remember that Kelly is a country western entertainer from Idaho who winters in Yuma and does gigs all over the Southwest in the winter months. In Idaho he has a full band and does bars and small venues up in the north country during the summer months. He is also the one who started the “howl at the moon” phenomenon about 15 years ago here in Yuma and frequently plays at the howl parties. We have seen him a number of times and always find him fun and easy to listen to. When he is in Yuma he normally performs alone, although at the howl parties he has some friends who may come to play with him. Today it was just him and he put on a great two hour show. After the show we had our cocktail hour with friends, including Len and Debbie today because they came over the the concert. After cocktails we and Peggy did pork green chili for dinner. After Peggy left we watched TV until bedtime.

Saturday, March 6th, the morning started at 7:30 when we got a table set up for the park-wide yard sale. Jackie had a bunch of stuff out that she wanted to get rid of. She ended up making over $30, so it was a success. They shut down about 11:00 because it was starting to get hot. Peggy and Jackie went to Fry's after lunch to get some steaks that were on sale. I stayed home and started getting stuff ready for the karaoke session this afternoon. At 2:00 I took everything over to the clubhouse and got set up. The session started at 3:00 and we initially had the same six people we had two weeks ago, but at one point we had eight in the rotation. Yea! We had a great time and everyone got to do at least five or six songs if they wanted. A little after 5:00 I shut it down and dismantled all the equipment. We then had happy hour with the group and after happy hour we and Peggy did our steaks on the BBQ for dinner. After Peggy left we watched some TV and then went to bed.

Sunday, March 7th, we had a stay at home day. Enjoyed the paper and coffee in the morning and spent the day doing chores and relaxing. We had cocktails with the group at 5:00 and then Millie served dinner on the patio of her coach. Salad, a very nice Italian soup, and a nice desert. There were eight of us for dinner as Len and Debbie also came over. After dinner we went back in our coach and relaxed with the TV the rest of the night. Monday we left the coach about noon to go to lunch and do some geocaching. Peggy was staying home waiting for a service guy to come to unclog her toilet. We stopped at Del Taco for a quick lunch, then did some geocaching. We were able to get five caches in an hour and a half or so. On the way home we stopped at Walmart for a few things, then went back to the coach. We had cocktails with the group at 5:00 and then we and Peggy did some burgers on the grill for dinner. After dinner we watched TV and headed off to bed.

Tuesday, March 9th, we, along with Peggy, left the RV park about 11:00 and drove to downtown Yuma to go another of our favorite places to eat, Da Boyz, a pizza and Italian place. They also have a store out here in the Foothills, but we have found the food, service and ambiance better at the downtown location. All three of us had Calzones, and I took half of mine home for dinner. After lunch we just headed back to the coach because Peggy had stuff to do. We spent the rest of the day in the coach relaxing. One great thing, both Jackie and I were able to make our appointments for the second Moderna Covid shot. We go in on Friday, exactly 28 days from the first shot. Yea! Peggy, who got the first shot on the same day was unable to get an appointment, but when she called the hospital she was told to try again Wednesday since she thought they were allowing appointments to be made by people in the same order as when they called for the first shot. Peggy made her appointment a day after we made ours for the first shots. We had cocktails with the group, minus Millie. Millie's son and his wife flew back into Yuma today and they are planning to leave for Pahrump tomorrow. After cocktails we went had a light dinner and watched TV until bedtime.

Wednesday, March 10th, we had a stay at home day. I went over to the clubhouse at 12:30 for the jam session and Peggy and Jackie came over later to listen for a while. The group continues to grow, we are up to about 16 people now. Had a good time and sang a couple of songs. Millie left Yuma today with her son driving the motorhome and his wife driving Millie's car. They are planning on a one day trip to Pahrump, which would be way too far for me at 335 miles. We had cocktails with the group and then we and Peggy did some Ahi on the BBQ for dinner. After Peggy left we spent the rest of the evening watching TV. Thursday I went out about 12:30 to play nine holes of golf with Len. We played the par 3 course and I did better than last week. Not great mind you, but better. I even got a birdie on the eighth hole. Yea! Peggy and Jackie went out to a local Thai restaurant for lunch when I went to play golf. After we all got home we relaxed until cocktail hour. We had happy hour with our group and then had chili that was made by Jerry and Debbie, our neighbors, who are part of our happy hour group. We ate in our coach because they live in a 11 foot truck camper and their “house” is a little tight for five. The chili was excellent. After dinner everyone left and we just relaxed with the TV until it was time for bed.

Friday, March 12th, we were on the road with Peggy around 10:00 headed to the Civic Center to get our second Covid shots. Yea! Jackie and I had appointments for 11:00 but Peggy wasn't able to get an appointment until the day after we did, so she was closer to 1:30. We went and got our shots then went to Mi Rancho Mexican restaurant for lunch. After lunch we went back to the Civic Center and arrived about a half hour before Peggy's scheduled time. However, they were not busy and took her in early. After Peggy was done we went back to the coach. We had cocktails with the group but no dinner because of the big lunch. We watched TV until bedtime.

Saturday, March 13th, my son Roy Junior's birthday. Jackie woke up feeling really badly. She was having the same reaction to the second shot as she had with the first. Major headache, body aches and fatigue. She ended up spending the entire day in bed. I just futzed around the house all day. I did go over to the clubhouse about 3:00 because the owners of the RV park were putting on their appreciation day, just like they did last year. They had a dinner with some BBQ and fixings, but I just took two plates to go. Jackie didn't feel like eating and I had eaten lunch. I had mine later for dinner, but Jackie's is still in the fridge. Hopefully she will wake up tomorrow feeling better. She was at 90 percent the next day a month ago.

Sunday, March 14th, as predicted Jackie woke up feeling much better. Not quite back 100 percent, but better. She was still a little tired and weak feeling, so we spent the day in the house, but at least she was up, showered, dressed and doing better. By cocktail hour she was OK enough to go outside with the group. For dinner we and Peggy did some pork chops on the grill, along with sweet potatoes and a very nice zucchini dish that Peggy put together. After Peggy left we watched some TV and went to bed. We are now three weeks out from the last time we posted, so it is time to close out this chapter and get it published. Until next time, consider the words of Danish philosopher Soren Kierkegaard. “Life is not a problem to be solved, but a reality to be experienced.” Get out there and experience something! See ya soon.

 

Still Wintering in Yuma, Covid comes, Covid Goes

 Hello again. Our last chapter concluded on Saturday, January 30th, while we were still in Yuma, Arizona. Sunday I woke up pretty much sick. I had much the same symptoms as Jackie, slight cough, achy body, tired and listless. We stayed in all day. Monday was more of the same. Late in the day I got the results of the Covid test we took and on Saturday and I am now positive. My luck had run out. Jackie was also positive, but with her I am sure it is just residual from when she was sick as she is feeling pretty much OK now. So we are now officially quarantined for at least two weeks.

Tuesday was a stay at home day. I didn't feel any worse than yesterday, but not better either. Just stayed home and rested all day. Wednesday started out pretty much the same, but by the end of the day I was actually feeling a little better. We had a hamburger helper meal for dinner and for the first time in four or five days I actually had a decent size meal. When I went to bed I was feeling at least 50 percent better. Thursday I seem to continue to improve. I am now getting by with just a decongestant tablet and a couple of Advil every six hours. For dinner we ordered a pizza delivered from the nearby Pizza Hut. Not the bets pizza in the world, but pretty damn good today. I think I am headed in the right direction.

Friday, February 5th, happy birthday to me. Yea, 74! Still feeling about the same, good but not completely well. This damn Covid kicks your ass even when you don't get it bad. We had some nice scampi for dinner, watched some TV and went to bed. Saturday we just stayed home and relaxed. I seem to have plateaued, not getting worse but not better either. Mostly it's the cough and the associated headaches and stomach issues that come from it. We had some salmon on the BBQ for dinner. Sunday was our 17th wedding anniversary. And Super Bowl Sunday! We were both rooting for Brady and were not disappointed in the game. We couldn't go out for a celebration of our anniversary, but we had a nice quiet day at home. Again. Monday was another of our anniversaries, this time the 23rd anniversary of our reunion. We had a nice day at home. I continue to improve a little each day. Everything is pretty normalized except for the occasional cough, which still nags me.

Tuesday, February 9th, was the day that the health department had given me as the probable date I would be over the Covid symptoms. Although I am better, I haven't quite reached that goal yet. I have decided to give myself until Saturday, just to be sure I am not still infectious. After Saturday I am out and about. Did a nice pot of chili for dinner. Wednesday I continue to improve. Had a quiet day at home and actually sat outside for cocktail hour, the first time I've done that in a couple weeks. Even took the car for a five mile joy ride to be sure it still worked. We did some steaks on the BBQ for dinner, a real dinner for a change. Today we also got a call from the Yuma Medical Center that we had appointments for our first Covid shot Friday morning at 10:00. They got both Jackie and I and were also able to get Peggy in at the same time, so we can go together. Millie got her shot a day or two ago, so our whole group will be vaccinated soon.

Thursday was a stay at home day. We were babysitting Belle while Peggy went out on a Jeep run. Didn't do much but some chores around the house. Friday we and Peggy left the RV around 9:30 and headed towards the Yuma Civic Center, which is in Central Yuma. Although the clinic for the shots was at the City's building, the actual event was being put on by the Yuma County Medical Center. It was very well organized and the lines moved along quite well. It was not a drive through clinic, so we did have to get out of the car. Within a half hour we had our shots and were sitting in the recovery area. They keep you there for at least 15 minutes to watch for any serious reactions to the shots. By 10:30 we were out of there and back in the car. We all got the Moderna vaccine, which means we have to get the second shot after 28 days. That means we will have to extend our time here in Yuma by a few weeks or a month, but it if means we get inoculated, so be it. We stopped at El Charro, one of our favorite Mexican places, for lunch. Jackie and I both had machaca, which is wonderful there. Peggy had enchiladas and was a little disappointed. Just this morning the local paper published the “best of” awards for Yuma and El Charro was number one for Mexican food. Our next favorite place, El Rancho, was number two. After lunch we went back to the coach and hung out the rest of the afternoon. We had leftovers for dinner, watched some TV and went to bed.

Saturday, February 13th, we ended up having a stay at home day because Jackie was having some reaction to the shot from yesterday. She had a rough night and was kind of achy and out of sorts. Sunday, Happy Valentines Day and happy birthday to my granddaughter Courtney. We left the coach, just Jackie and I, and went out to brunch around 12:30. After brunch we went to the Arizona Market Place, the outdoor shopping mall, and walked around for an hour. The only thing I bought was another “Old Guys” tee shirt from a friend of ours who has a booth in the market. We then went home and relaxed for a while. We had dinner at Peggy's with Millie and Peggy made spaghetti and meatballs. It was pretty good stuff. This was the first time we have all been together for 3 or 4 weeks. After dinner we went home and watched TV until bedtime.

Monday, February 15th, Presidents Day. We had a stay at home day. We did our laundry and some other chores, but basically stayed home. For dinner we had some pork chops on the BBQ and had Peggy over. Millie's birthday is tomorrow and her kids surprised her by showing up in Yuma this morning, so she is busy with them. Tuesday we left around 11:15 and drove to the taco stand for lunch, our first tacos in about three weeks or so. Peggy met us there for lunch. After lunch we went to a “yard art” store that was next door to the taco stand. We are looking at decorations for our shed in Pahrump. We didn't buy anything today, but did find a couple of things that would work. About 2:30 our friend Len came over and he and I spent an hour playing guitars. We had a good time, the first time we have played together since leaving Pahrump. About 5:00 Len and Debbie came back for our happy hour on the patio. Today was Millie's birthday and her kids were scheduled to leave around 4:00 to head back to Salt Lake City, but we later found out that they couldn't get out until Friday because of weather delays around the country tying up the airports. We had BLTs for dinner, watched some TV and went to bed.

Wednesday, February 17th, I went to the jam session at the clubhouse for the first time in over a month. They had shut down the clubhouse for a couple weeks prior to my getting sick, and then I couldn't go for several weeks after they reopened. I was only able to stay for the first hour of the jam because Jackie finally had an appointment to get an eye exam and new glasses after her cataract surgeries. She had one a couple weeks ago but had to cancel because she was sick. After a couple hours she had her glasses on order and we went into Albertson's, which was right next door, to get a few things we couldn't find in other stores. After shopping we headed back home and had cocktails on the patio with Peggy and Millie. Around 6:30 Jackie served chili relleno casserole for the four of us. By 8:30 we were alone and watched TV until bedtime. Thursday we went with Peggy to Mr. Fish, our favorite fish and chips place in the Foothills. After lunch we dropped Peggy off and did a Walmart run. After our shopping we went home and spent the rest of the day in the coach. We had cocktails on the patio and Millie's son and daughter joined us for a while. The are due to leave tomorrow if the airlines are back on schedule. We had leftovers for dinner and then watched TV until time for bed.

Friday, February 19th, we stayed at home for most of the day, doing some chores and relaxing. About 4:30 we left, along with Peggy and Millie, and drove to the Yuma Elks for dinner. Friday is prime rib night and everyone was in the mood for prime rib. We had a cocktail and a nice dinner. Their prime rib is only $16 and you get a nice piece, along with a salad, potato and veggie, so it is a nice dinner. After dinner we drove home and were in our jammies by about 7:30. We watched some TV and went to bed. Saturday was a stay at home day. Around 2:00 I took my equipment over to the clubhouse to do karaoke. The park's social director asked if I would do it and told me she actually had some people coming to sing. We started karaoke at 3:00 and we actually had six people in the rotation,including me and Len and Debbie Forrest. I had called them to let them know we were doing karaoke, which they love to do and haven't been able to do a lot of because of Covid We actually had a fun two hours. By 5:30 I was packed up and enjoying a cocktail. We and Peggy had dinner, lamb for them, a steak for me. After Peggy left we watched some TV and went to bed.

Sunday, February 21st, we had another stay at home day. I spent a couple of hours installing a new thermostat for our A/Cs and furnaces. The old one was very hard to see and I found a new one that had a larger and brighter display and was also Bluetooth compatible, so I can control it from my tablet. It was a little too large to fit into the old space, so I had to do some carpentry work to install it. Jackie made a big pot of clam chowder and we had both Peggy and Millie over for dinner after our normal happy hour. The chowder was excellent. After they both left we watched some TV and went to bed.

We are now about three weeks into this episode and it is time to get it published. As with the last one, there are few photos simply because we haven't been doing that much. Now that we are both well again that may change some. Until next time, ponder the words of author Shauna Niequist. “When life is sweet, say thank you and celebrate. And when life is bitter, say thank you and grow.” See ya soon.

Covid Finally Comes Knocking on our Door

 Hi there, welcome back. Our last chapter ended on Saturday, January 9th, while we were in Yuma, Arizona, staying at the Sunset Palm RV Park. We are now about a month into our planned three month stay. Sunday we left about noon with Peggy and drove into central Yuma to have lunch at a new, at least for us, Asian restaurant called Lemon Grass. It is in a spot where one of our favorite hamburger restaurants was until it went out of business last year. The menu was extensive, with mostly Chinese dishes, although I did see a few Vietnamese and Thai choices. The food was plentiful and good. Jackie and Peggy both had lemon grass curry noodle soup and the bowl was huge! They only finished about a third of the dish, which had chicken, fish, and shrimp, along with noodles and some veggies. I had the more traditional sweet and sour pork and also took a good portion home with me. We will be going back again before we leave Yuma. After lunch we went back to the park because Peggy had an afternoon hair appointment. We spent the rest of the day at home. Around 2:30 or so our good friends Dick and Millie Duffin arrived in their motorhome and parked in the spot next to Peggy. We have known them for years from our time in Pahrump, first at the Wine Ridge RV Resort, and now at the Escapees Park. They have also been coming to Yuma in the winter for many years, but the private lot in the Foothills that they used to stay at changed ownership and they couldn't get it this year at terms that were acceptable to them. Of course, they didn't have any problems getting a spot in our park since it is probably 25 percent down in residents from previous winters. They got settled in and we visited for a bit. They came over at 5:00 for cocktails and we talked until about 6:00. The Duffins went back to their coach and we had some pork chops on the BBQ for dinner. After Peggy left we watched some TV and went to bed.

Monday, January 11th, we had a stay at home day for the most part. About 5:30 we left the park with Peggy and drove to the Elks Lodge on the other side of town so Peggy could be interviewed for membership in the Elks. Vernon had been an Elk for many years and they enjoyed the organization as well as the privileges, like the RV parking at many lodges. After Vernon died Peggy was able to get a widows card based on his membership, but it didn't offer many privileges outside of being able to go into the Elks bar for a drink. This year she decided to join as an Elk herself and thought that the Yuma lodge would be a good one to join as it was very large and she comes here for at least a short time every year. Part of the process after you apply is to be interviewed by the membership committee. Jackie needed to be there also as a current Elk who is proposing Peggy for membership. I was along to drive. This coming Wednesday the lodge will vote and the following Wednesday will be her Initiation into the Order. We will, of course, be there for that meeting. After the interview it was about 7:00, so on the way home we stopped at the new Daybreakers II restaurant. We have been going to the original Daybreakers, which is in the truck stop in the Foothills, but recently they opened a second location in an old Applebee's space near what is know as the “big curve” of Yuma. The menu is the same as the original, but the place is much more modern and clean looking than the truck stop. Peggy and I both had liver, which was great, as it is at the original. Jackie had an omelet, which she said was good, but they forgot the avocado. After dinner we went back to the park and we watched TV until bedtime.

Tuesday, January 12th, we had a stay at home day. Peggy was having her carpets cleaned and we were dog sitting Belle. We had cocktails at 5 on the patio with the Duffin's and Peggy. After cocktails we did some burgers on the BBQ for us and Peggy. After Peggy went home we spent the rest of the evening with the TV. Wednesday we left the park about 11:00 with Peggy and went to the taco stand for lunch. We met Dick and Millie there and had a nice lunch. After lunch we stopped at the vet's office so Peggy could pick up some food for Belle, and then at Walgreen's so Jackie could get some eye drops. She has been getting sore eyes from dry eye. After our shopping we went back to the RV park. I was supposed to go to the jam session in the clubhouse at 1:00, but had gotten a call from the activities director that today's session was canceled. She didn't give a reason, but it was off. Dick and Millie had a coach wash outfit at their place washing their coach, so Dick suggested we go to the driving range for bit so I could see if I still remembered how to swing a golf club. Surprisingly, it went pretty well. After a couple of hits I found I wasn't hitting any worse than I was 15 years ago when I quit playing. I am not good, but I am ready for social golf. After the driving range we went back home and relaxed for the rest of the day. We had cocktails at 5:00, and in addition to Dick and Millie, we had our neighbors Jerry and Debbie and were also joined by our friends Mike and Darlene Neighbours. Mike is president of the Full Timers Chapter of FMCA and also a Vice President of the International Area. They got into Yuma a few days ago and will be here for about three weeks. We had a nice visit with everyone. We had dinner with Peggy about 7:00 and she served tamale pie. After dinner we went back to our coach and watched TV until bedtime.

Thursday, January 14th, was a stay at home day. Jackie woke up with what appears to be allergies. She has an intermittent cough, running nose and itchy eyes. I took her temp a couple of times and it is normal, so it does not appear to be a virus. We stayed in all day and Jackie didn't even go out for cocktails at 5:00, so I know she is not feeling well. We had a simple dinner of bacon and eggs and watched TV until bedtime. We are going to keep Jackie in for a few days at least and monitor her temp. Friday was another stay at home day as Jackie was still feeling badly. The cough has given her a sore throat and headaches, but other than that she feels OK. Still no fever. I did go out briefly to Fry's to pick up fixings for some chicken soup, which I made for dinner. We spent the rest of the day and evening in the coach.

Saturday, January 16th, Jackie was still feeling poorly. It was another stay at home day. I did a few chores and played on the computer some. We had a light dinner and watched TV until bedtime. Sunday, January 17th, Jackie was still sick and wanted to go to the urgent care, so we left the coach around 10:30 and drove to the Primecare Foothills facility. They were not real busy and almost everyone who came and went was there for something related to Covid, whether to get a test or get test results. When the doctor finally saw Jackie he told her that her cough and sore throat could be a Covid symptom, despite the lack of fever. He suggested some OTC medications for the symptoms, took a urine specimen and suggested a Covid test. Since she was getting one and it didn't cost anything, I got one too. Now we wait for 72 hours or so for the results. So far I am feeling fine. Just before we left our friends Dick and Millie came in too. Dick has been feeling poorly off and on for several days and they also wanted to get tested. After we got back to the coach I got Jackie settled in. Later in the afternoon I took a quick trip to Walgreens for a prescription for Jackie. We spent the rest of the day in, and given the fact that we may be Covid exposed, we will probably be under a voluntary quarantine for a week or two.

Monday, January 18th, I was awakened at 4:30 by the sound of truck engines and when I looked out the window I saw flashing lights. I got up and checked and saw that there was an ambulance and fire truck parked on the street, in front of Peggy's coach and Millie's coach. Since I knew that Dick wasn't feeling well yesterday I assumed it was probably for him. I got dressed and went outside and saw that they had brought Dick out on a gurney and put him in the ambulance. He was partially sitting up on the gurney, so I knew he was at least conscious. I talked to Millie when the fire engine and ambulance left and she said that he got continually worse as the night wore on and by early morning she was very worried and called for an ambulance. My educated guess is that he was dehydrated and exhausted from not eating or drinking and not sleeping. Millie said she was going to wait a few hours before going to the hospital, so I went back home and back to bed.

Jackie woke up still feeling about the same, not worse, not better. We did hear from Millie that Dick was responding to treatment and they were going to admit him for a day or two at least. They also confirmed that he tested positive for Covid. Of course that is worrisome, not just for him, but for all the rest of us who have been around them for the last week and a half. Almost all of our interaction has been outdoors and somewhat distanced, but it is still a concern. Since I consider us now quarantined, at least for a while, we spent the rest of the day inside. Since I am still not sick at all I did make a quick run to the store to stock up on food for Jackie. We didn't do anything else all day but stay inside.

Tuesday, January 19th, Jackie was still feeling about the same. We had a stay at home day. Interestingly, we are not missing much as all of the activities here at the park have been canceled due to illness in the park. About half way through the day I checked on my Covid test from Sunday and found out I was negative for the virus. Yea! We tried to get Jackie's results but hers were not done yet. Later in the evening I checked again and her test came back positive for Covid, so, despite the lack of any fever she has the virus. Dick's condition is still about the same. He is stable and on oxygen but not intubated. Peggy got her results and is also negative. So for the moment Jackie and Dick are the only one's testing positive. Wednesday continues as a partial lockdown. Jackie seemed to a little bit better, but still pretty down. I did a quick run to the store for some stuff. I still don't have any symptoms at all. I made spaghetti and meat sauce for dinner.

Thursday, January 21st, Jackie doesn't seem to be getting better. She said the sore throat is a little less painful, but now she has body aches. We had another stay at home day. Friday was another stay at home day. I did go to Walgreens briefly for some supplies, including an oxygen saturation meter, one of those thingys they put on your finger to check blood oxygen levels. It occurred to me that Jackie might be low, which could lead to the constant headaches. She was a little low the first time I checked, but after a couple puffs of oxygen from one of the little bottles she has on hand for high altitudes brought it up to normal and it was fine the rest of the day. Other than that one short trip we were inside all day. We are now approaching 10 days with Jackie, so I would expect to start to see some improvement soon.

Saturday, January 23rd, Jackie finally seems to be turning the corner and getting better. Fewer headaches and less body aches, other than the lethargy that comes from not doing anything physical for two weeks. We stayed in all day. Sunday was yet another stay at home day. Late in the day I got really bad allergies from something. My eyes were watering uncontrollably and I felt like I was running a fever, although the thermometer didn't show one. I took some Niquel went I went to bed and that seemed to do the trick. Monday was more of the same. I did go out and get some KFC for dinner. Jackie continues to slowly improve.

Tuesday, January 26th, we stayed at home all day. Jackie seems to be over most of the physical symptoms, but is very sad and depressed over the whole isolation thing, Dick's condition and just life in general. Wednesday more of the same. Thursday, more of the same. Stayed home all day. Friday Dick lost his battle with Covid. Millie and two of his four kids were there with him when they disconnected the machines. Very sad. I made chili colorado in the crock pot for dinner. I did go out in the afternoon to do a grocery run at Frys. Other than that we stayed at home.

Saturday, January 30th, we along with Peggy drove into Yuma proper to go through a drive through Covid testing clinic. We had signed up for the tests last week. This was not the swab up the nose test, it was a spit test. You put a small sample of saliva in a tube which was then tested for the virus. It is supposed to take at least two days for the results to come back. After the testing we stopped at the Lemon Grass Chinese restaurant for lunch, then did a quick stop at Sam's Club, mostly for vodka restocking. After Sam's we headed back to the coach. Jackie appears to be feeling quite a bit better. I am now a little unsettled, slightly light headed and slight tummy distress. Not sick, per se, but not a hundred percent either. We spent the remainder of the evening in the coach.

We are now three weeks into this episode and it is time to close it out and get it published. Until next time, ponder the words of Physicist Albert Einstein. “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” See ya soon.

Winter In Yuma, Arizona - Part II

 Hi there, welcome back to our story. Our last chapter concluded on Wednesday, December 23^rd, while we were in Yuma, Arizona. Thursday, Christmas Eve, was a stay at home day. It was very cold and windy, so a good time to stay inside. We had dinner at Peggy's and she made chicken picata, which was very good. After dinner we chatted a while, then we went home. We watched some TV and went to bed.

Friday, December 25^th, Merry Christmas! Today was also a stay at home day. We spent most of the day doing chores, playing on the computer, and watching some funny Christmas movies. Around 6:00 we had a very nice Christmas dinner with Peggy. Jackie cooked a turkey breast and made some stuffing. Peggy made green beans and mashed potatoes, and we had it all with cranberries and gravy. We ate way too much, but it was great. After Peggy went home we watched some TV and then went to bed. Saturday we left after lunch with Peggy and went out to do some geocaching, our first in quite some time. We went to midtown Yuma and picked up eight new finds, and one DNF, in a couple of hours. After caching we headed back to the RV park. We had leftover Christmas fixings for dinner and it was just as good the second time around. After dinner Peggy went back to her coach and we relaxed for the rest of the evening with the TV.

Sunday, December 27^th, was a stay at home day. We did a few chores but mostly just relaxed. For dinner we went to Peggy's and she made penne pasta, one of my favorite dishes. After dinner we went back to our coach and relaxed for the rest of the evening. Monday we left the coach about 11:30 and headed out for lunch and some shopping. Our original plan was to eat at a new Asian restaurant near the mall on the west side of town. However, when we got there it was closed due to a maintenance issue. So we went down the street to Ninja Sushi, one of Jackie and Peggy's favorite places. I don't care for sushi that much, but they also have a limited menu of other Asian dishes. I had orange chicken and the girls had lots of sushi. What they like about this place the most is that from opening until 5:30 is “happy hour” and all sushi is two for the price of one. After lunch we went to Sam's Club, put some gas in the car, and did some shopping. After Sam's we stopped at Sprouts, which is right down the street. After our shopping we headed back to the coach and stayed in for the rest of the evening.

Tuesday, December 29^th, we had another stay at home day. Again, a few chores and some relaxing. For dinner we did fish on the BBQ. After Peggy went home we watched TV until bedtime. Wednesday was a stay at home day as well. About 12:30 I went to the clubhouse for the weekly jam session. It was a good crowd, both players and listeners. After the jam session we did do a quick run to Walmart for a few things. For dinner we had chicken on the BBQ. After Peggy left we watched some TV and went to bed. Thursday, December 31^st, finally, the last day of cursed 2020! We went out for lunch with Peggy to Mi Rancho Mexican restaurant, one of our Yuma favorites. After lunch we headed back home so I could get set up in the clubhouse for the New Years Eve party. I am doing the music for the party. I got everything set up and working and then just relaxed at home until 6:30 when the party started. There were not a lot of people at the party, maybe 20 to 25 and a good part of them were park staff and volunteers. We still had some fun. They had a light pot luck, which we didn't eat because of our big late lunch. They then did their version of horse races, where the horses move across the floor based on throws of the dice. You got to bet on each race, a quarter a bet, max of two bets. Both Jackie and I broke even for the most part. After the horse races we played some dance music and a few people danced, but by 9:00 people were drifting out even though the party was supposed to go to 10:00, which would be midnight in New York. By a quarter to ten we had the place cleaned up and we were back in our coach. We watched new years in New York, went to bed around 10:30 and were awakened at midnight when all the fireworks started going off. After about ten minutes it got pretty quiet and we slept the rest of the night.  The picture is of one of the residents of the park who likes costumes.  He is Father Time -2020.  Very appropriate, I think.

Friday, January 1^st, 2021, my first time typing that year. Today was a stay at home day. I spent about three hours or so cleaning up all the Christmas decorations and getting them all put away. I then got out some of our normal outside decorations, various flamingos and lights, and set that stuff up the rest of our stay here in Yuma. We had cocktails with Peggy and then she did dinner. She made a flank steak that I cooked on the BBQ, and we had that with potatoes, coleslaw and bread. It was a great dinner. We went home about 8:00 and watched TV until bedtime. Saturday we went out about 11:30 with Peggy and went to the taco stand in the Foothills for lunch. As always, lunch was great. After lunch we dropped Peggy off at her coach and we went caching. Peggy had some chores to do and didn't want to go out caching. We had a fun afternoon getting eleven new finds with no DNFs. We were even able to swap a couple of travel bugs, something we haven't been able to do in several months. After caching we headed back home and relaxed for the rest of the afternoon. For dinner we went to Peggy's and used the left over beef from last night for beef dip sandwiches, which we had with baked beans and coleslaw. We went home about 8:00 and watched TV for the rest of the night.

Sunday, January 3^rd, we had a stay at home day. We did our laundry at the park, which took until about 2:00. After that I went to Peggy's and helped her with a couple of “honeydew” projects. After that we just relaxed for the rest of the afternoon. We had cocktails on the patio and then had a nice pork loin roast for dinner. After Peggy left we watched TV and went to bed. Monday was another stay at home day. We did a few chores and just relaxed for the afternoon. We had leftover pork, turned into green chili, for dinner. After Peggy went home we watched some TV and went to bed. Tuesday was another stay at home day, at least for me. Jackie and Peggy went out for a girl's lunch at the sushi place and then some shopping. I spent the day doing some chores and relaxing. We had cocktails on the patio with Peggy and our neighbors on the other side of our coach. After cocktails we went inside and Peggy went home. We didn't have any actual dinner as the girls were still full from lunch. We watched TV all evening and then went to bed.

Wednesday, January 6^th, was another stay at home day. We attended a presentation at the park for SkyMed, an emergency evacuation insurance company. They do an hour presentation and provide a lunch. The lunch was a box lunch, sandwich,chips and a cookie, but it was OK. Besides the free lunch we also went because the representatives who do the presentations, Jack and Karen Cotton, are acquaintances of ours, who we first met geocaching. We don't need SkyMed because we already have this coverage through another company, MASA, which we have had since 2007. After lunch I went to the jam session and we had another really good session, with a dozen players and singers. Also today my new golf clubs arrived!

I started playing golf back in the 80's and was never very good at it. I played only with friends, none of whom were all that good either. When we went full time in 2005 I gave away my clubs because I didn't like playing alone, or with strangers, and I knew when we were on the road that would be the only choices I would have. Plus, they take up a lot of room in the coach. Now that we have a spot in Pahrump I have a shed to keep the clubs in and at least three friends there who play every other week or so, so I decided to take it up again. Dick and Millie Duffin will be here in Yuma next week and Dick is one of my friends who urged me to take up the game again and play with their group. Now I need to go to a driving range for some remedial work and practice. We had some steaks for dinner and after dinner Peggy went home and we watched some TV for the rest of the night.

Thursday, January 7^th, we went to clubhouse patio around 11:30 for lunch. The park had a “burger bash” with hamburgers and hot dogs on the BBQ. It was relatively inexpensive and we had a chance to visit with some other residents while we ate. After lunch Jackie and I went to Walmart where we first both got haircuts. I haven't had mine cut in at least five months and it was getting a little long and shaggy. After our haircuts we did some shopping. A few groceries, some new supplies for my golf bag, balls, tees, that kind of thing, and a new coffee maker. Our old Mr. Coffee, which lasted about three or four years, finally gave up this morning It wasn't that it wouldn't turn on, it wouldn't turn off. The only way to shut it down was to pull the plug. After shopping we went back to the coach and put everything away. We had cocktails on the patio with Peggy and our neighbors, and then Peggy served some clam chowder that was quite good. After dinner we went back to our coach, watched some TV and went to bed.

Friday, January 8^th, we went out after lunch to Fry's to get a few things that Walmart was out of. They had a good sale on rib eye steaks, so we picked up a couple of pairs for the freezer. After we got home and put everything away we relaxed for the rest of the afternoon. Jackie made a nice meat loaf for dinner and we had that with potatoes and veggies. After dinner Peggy went home and we watched TV for the rest of the evening. Saturday was another stay at home day. I was scheduled to do karaoke in the clubhouse from 3 to 5 and got everything set up. However, like last time, no one showed up, so after a half hour or so I tore everything down, put it away and went back to the coach. Without the Canadians that were here in large numbers last Spring, none of the current residents are interested in karaoke, so I will no longer set it up absent at least a couple people on a sign up sheet. We had lasagna for dinner, with a salad and garlic bread from Peggy. After Peggy went home we relaxed with the TV for the rest of the evening.

We are now more than three weeks into this episode, so it is time to close it out and get it published. Until next time, ponder the words of Charles Schultz, “father” of Charlie Brown. “I think I’ve discovered the secret of life – you just hang around until you get used to it.” Great idea! See ya soon.

Our Winter Travels Begin

Hello again. Our last chapter concluded on Thursday, December 3^rd, when we arrived at the Indian Waters RV Resort in Indio, California. We had just finished a three month stay at hour new “home” at the Escapees RV Park in Pahrump, Nevada and then an overnight stay in the high desert of California on our way to Indio. Our one week stay here in Indio starts our winter travels, after which we are scheduled in Yuma, Arizona for three months.

Friday, December 4^th, I had a 10:00 appointment at Palm Springs Ford to get the car serviced. After I dropped the car off I went into the dealership to talk to the finance manager about buying our car. We had leased our great little Ford C-Max from Palm Springs Ford back in December of 2017 and we have now completed our lease. We have until the end of December to either give the car up or buy it out. Since we love the car and it has been great, we plan on buying it out. Initially the dealership representative gave me the impression he wasn't interested in helping us out. Because the car is registered in Montana to our LLC, he said we had to deal with someone in Montana. The other alternative was to buy it here but pay California taxes because they wouldn't do another out of state delivery like they did when we leased the car. The reason did make some sense, the car actually belongs to the Ford Motor Company and the dealer would make no money off the deal, so he had no incentive to provide out of state delivery. After a while, and a few phone calls, he finally said that if I came back on Monday morning they would help facilitate getting a Montana dealer to do the paperwork for us. We shall see on Monday.

After the car was finished I went back to the RV park, picked up Jackie and we went to our old favorite restaurant, Cactus Jacks, for lunch. We had to go today because California is shutting down all on site dining again on Sunday. We got to see George Bishop, the owner of Jacks, as well as our friend Kevin, who is the bartender. We had a nice lunch and then drove to Costco to do some shopping. We wanted to get some things before going to Yuma because there is no Costco there. They do have a Sam's Club, which is OK, but some things we like at Costco. After shopping we went back to the coach, put everything away and relaxed for the rest of the day.

Saturday, December 5^th, we went out after lunch to do some shopping at Home Depot and then Walmart. After our shopping we went back to the coach and stayed in for the rest of the day and evening. Sunday our old friend Barry Cohen came over about 1:00 for a visit. Barry became my best friend when I moved here in 1998. Jackie had known he and his wife Colleen for many years and Barry and Jackie both went to Dorsey High School in Los Angeles. Although they knew a lot of the same people, they didn't know each other back in the 50's. Barry and Colleen became our best friends and even beat us to being full time rvers when they sold their condo in the early 2000's and bought a lot at what was then the brand new Outdoor Resorts RV Resort in Indio. We traveled with them a lot, first with the Palm Springs and Indio Elks lodge RV travel clubs, and later after we bought our coach and went full time. Colleen passed away of cancer back in 2013, but Barry continues to live in his motor home at the same resort, which is now called the Motorcoach Country Club. Barry used to own and operate a transmission shop in Cathedral City, but he retired and sold the place in 2012. He and Colleen had planned to travel more at the time, but Colleen got sick. Barry has not traveled much since then. It was really nice to be able to spend some quality time with him, as the past few years he has been busy working at a part time job when we visited the Coachella Valley. We had a nice dinner of burgers on the BBQ and visited until Barry left about 7:00. After Barry left we watched some TV and went to bed.

Monday, December 7^th, Pearl Harbor Day. I left the coach about 8:30 and drove back to Palm Springs Ford in Cathedral City to work with the people there to buy out our completed lease on our car. I talked to a different finance guy today and he was very helpful. By the end of the day I had finished all the paperwork, gone to the bank and got the money, and our little Ford C-Max was now actually ours and fully paid off. Yea!!! The process took all day. After we got back home we had dinner, watched TV and went to bed. Tuesday was a stay at home day. I did go out and pick up lunch from one of our favorite Indio restaurants, TKB Deli. Like all restaurants in California, they have been shut down for all but take out and delivery, but they have an online ordering system that makes it very easy to order. This is only a sandwich place, but it has been voted Number One in the country by Yelp several times over the last five years. Other than that, we stayed home and did chores.

Wednesday, December 9^th, we went out after lunch and spent a couple of hours driving around the Coachella Valley, just to see what was new and/or different from last year. We didn't find too much, but had a nice drive on a very nice desert day. We went back to the coach, I spent a little time cleaning up so we can leave tomorrow, and we relaxed for the rest of the day. We did some fish on the BBQ for dinner, watched some TV and went to bed. Thursday was another travel day. We left about 10:00, heading southeast to Yuma, Arizona. The trip was about 156 miles and was, for the most part, pretty easy. Some of the California roads are crap, but there wasn't much traffic after we got out of the Coachella Valley. We arrived in Yuma at the Sunset Palm RV park about 2:30 because we had a time change when we came into Arizona. We got settled into our spot, where we will be probably until the first week in March. We got set up and then relaxed for the rest of the evening.

Friday, December 11^th, was mostly a stay at home day. We did go out around noon for lunch at our favorite taco stand, Las Cositas. Unlike California, Arizona still allows limited restaurant dining. The tacos were great. After lunch we went back home and I spent a couple of hours setting up our RV site with lights and decorations. I did the Christmas decorations first since this is the first time we have done Christmas in Yuma. Normally we are in Indio because the FMCA Western Area rally was always the first full week in January. This coming year the rally has been canceled, so we came to Yuma early. We spent the rest of the evening in the coach with the TV.

Saturday was a stay at home day. We awoke to a relatively rare sight for Yuma, thick fog.  Could hardly see down the street at 8:00, although it burned off by 10:00.  After lunch I spent some time getting out all the karaoke stuff and taking it across the street to the clubhouse. Our spot this year is directly across from the clubhouse at the park. Although at the beginning of this year we were staying in the park next door, I was doing karaoke every other weekend at this park. Both parks are owned by the same company. The recreation director was happy we were coming back and made sure that we got a spot in this park. Today was supposed to be the first day of karaoke, but Dottie, the rec director, told me not to be too surprised if no one came. She said the park is at least 25 percent off from last year in terms of the number of seasonal residents and the vast majority of the Canadians, who tend to be more active, are not able to come due to Covid restrictions in Canada. I went over at 3:00 to start karaoke, but the only ones who showed up were Dottie and her husband. We spent the two hours just talking and had a very nice visit. Dottie's husband Lavern is a woodworker and has made a number of guitars and other stringed instruments. He brought a couple of his lap slide guitars over and they were gorgeous. About 5:00 I packed everything up and we spent the rest of the afternoon and evening in the coach.

Sunday, December 13^th, we enjoyed the Sunday paper, which is now delivered to our doorstep. When we come to Yuma we subscribe to the Yuma Sun newspaper. For a small paper it is pretty interesting. After lunch we went out to the Yuma Marketplace, the big, outdoor shopping area on the east side of town. It was not nearly as busy as it has been in previous times, and there were only about a third of the usual vendors there. The empty stalls far outnumbered those still in business. Our friends Dan and Roxy were still there selling, but they actually live in Yuma pretty much year round. We spent a couple of hours walking around, bought a few things, then headed back to the RV park. We spent the rest of the afternoon and evening in the coach with the TV.

Monday, December 14^th, we went out after lunch so Jackie could get a pedi. After her pedi we did a Walmart run. Once our shopping was done we went back to the coach and put everything away. We spent the rest of the afternoon and evening in the coach, doing some chores and relaxing. Tuesday was a stay at home day. In the morning we did our laundry. It was very convenient to be parked right across the street from the laundry at the park. We were able to go back and forth without having to use the car. After the laundry was finished we spent the rest of the day relaxing. Wednesday I went to the jam session in the clubhouse about 1:00. There were about eight musicians there, most with guitars, but one with a violin and one with a mandolin. We had a great time, with each person doing a song, then moving to the next. Over the two hours each person got to do about four songs. I need to update my music lists to keep up next time. After the jam session we did a Fry's run to pick up some things we couldn't get at Walmart the other day. After Fry's we relaxed in the house for the rest of the day and evening.

Thursday, I spent some time in the morning working on setting up Jackie's new computer. To replace her old laptop she used to use on the kitchen table we got an “all in one” computer with a 24 inch screen, quite a bit bigger than her old 17 inch laptop. It was pretty easy to set up, especially since she doesn't have a lot of programs on her computer. She mostly does email, Facebook and games. I also worked some on a new tablet that I bought. Faster and with more memory than my old one, which will now become my music book. We stayed home all day, just working on stuff and relaxing. Friday was also a stay at home day. I spent a couple of hours working on the newsletter for the Full Timers Chapter of FMCA. I am the editor of the quarterly newsletter for the chapter. Jackie spent some time painting rocks. We spent the evening with the TV and went to bed.

Saturday, December 19^th, we went out after lunch and did some shopping. We went to the Dollar Store and then to Walmart for some supplies. After shopping we went home and relaxed for the rest of the afternoon. About 7:00 we went over to the clubhouse for a Christmas gift exchange party. There were probably 30 people there, all of whom brought a gift to share. It was the usual process, pick a wrapped gift from the table or steal one from someone else. It was a lot of fun, and in the process the host also gave away a bunch of dollar store door prizes. Near the beginning of the party a parade of decorated vehicles came through the park and we all went outside to watch. It was expected as it was the annual “Foothills Parade of Lights” which has been going on, and growing in size, for several years.

First of all one has to know that the Foothills is an unincorporated area of Yuma County that stretches east roughly from the Yuma city limits at the airport/Marine Corps base on both sides of Interstate 8 all the way to the mountains at the East end of the valley. This area is pretty much a retirement and snowbird community with dozens of RV parks and hundreds of individual lots set up initially for RVs or park models. The Parade of Lights has turned into a three night event where a bunch, over a hundred this year, of people decorate their ATVs and other vehicles with Christmas lights and caravan around on a designated route all through the Foothills area. We had seen in the paper several days ago that our RV park was one of the ones on the route. After they came in the park it was a line of vehicles that took almost 10 minutes to pass through our park. It was very entertaining and fun to watch. After the parade the party resumed and went until about 9:00. Jackie ended up taking home a nice coffee mug and some home made candies. I finished with a box of microwave popcorn, which is great because we like popcorn, and some chocolate candies. After the party we watched a little TV and went to bed.

Sunday, December 20^th, was a stay at home day. We did some cleaning and other chores and just relaxed. I had a corn beef brisket in the crock pot for dinner and we had a nice meal. After dinner we watched TV and went to bed. We have been getting daily reports from our friend Peggy Bullock, who left Redding, California a couple days ago and started her five day journey to Yuma. She will be parked right next to us here at the park for at least a month or two and is supposed to be here Tuesday afternoon. Monday was a shopping day. We left after lunch and drove to the mall on the west side of town. We stopped at Bed, Bath and Beyond and then at Target, getting some new bed sheets and a new trash can for the kitchen. After our shopping we headed back to the coach and stayed in for the rest of the day and evening.

Tuesday, December 22^nd, we had another stay at home day. Peggy came into the park about 2:00 and got parked. This was the first time we have seen her since we were in Redding in August. She got parked and I helped her with the utilities hook up. We spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing while Peggy got organized for her two month stay. For the first time in a while we had cocktails on the patio, then Jackie did the traditional chili relleno “welcome Peggy” dinner. After dinner Peggy went home and we spent the rest of the evening with the TV. Wednesday we went out about 11:30 with Peggy to the taco stand for lunch. We usually end up here once every week or two. After lunch we went back to the park and I went to the clubhouse for the weekly jam session. After the jam session Jackie and I went to Walmart for a couple of things, then went back to the coach. Peggy and Jackie played some cards and I was in the den. We had leftovers for dinner and after Peggy left we watched TV until bedtime.

It has now been about three weeks since we published, so I will close out this chapter. Until next time, consider that when I publish this the new year, 2021, is only a week away and we can then look back on 2020. It was an interesting year. It was a unique Leap Year. It had 29 days in February, 300 days in March, and five years in April. See ya soon so we can all hope 2021 brings improvements.