Wednesday, March 19, 2014

March 17 - 23, 2014 - AZ

OTuesday, March 18.  The last 2 days have been busy, mostly hanging out with Frisco and giving him a lot of TLC.  I got my bags unpacked, the mail sorted and dealt with - of course, there were a few bills to pay, and I cleaned the patio.

Last night, I got together with Pat and Rog and Jim and Sue (long-time Wisconsin friends) for Corned Beef and Cabbage, then we sat out on my patio having drinks and catching up.  Jim and Sue just bought a motorhome and this is their first winter escaping the cold.  

Tonight, I met up with Janna and Bruce from Stillwater, MN - a couple that we met in 2008 at On The Beach RV Park in Port Aransas, TX.  They were able to escape some of the winter and come here to visit with friends.  I reflect often on what great friends we made during our RVing years - and continue to be in contact.  I kind of miss the lifestyle.

Me, George, Bruce, Janna, and Pat at San Tan Flat

Wednesday, March 19.  What a nice day!  Much of it was spent enjoying my yard, doing some cleanup and pruning a shrub that was looking pretty bad.  This afternoon, I sat under the Palo 
Verde trees and just had a relaxing time of reading and a short nap.

Tonight I went to Nan and Dale's for dinner and also got to see Monica, Dylan, and Hailey and their puppy Wyatt - a darling little Goldendoodle who is rambunctious and tired Frisco out.  It's always great to see family and we had Mrs. Gumtow's casserole - it was one of Mikes all time favorites.  

Thursday, March 20.  What got into me this morning?  I ripped the carpet out of my bathroom - a project that I have thought of doing for years.  Right now, I'm kind of waiting for Jim to come by and help me get the toilet out of there and to give me some advise on how to approach this project.  In the meantime, I patched nail holed, took all of the fixtures down, including the cabinet doors and the furnace vent in the ceiling.

By 4:30, I was hungry and tired, so I heated up some minestrone soup that I thawed out, took 
Frisco for a walk and went to bed before 8:00.  

Friday, March 21.  And then I was awake at 2 am and reading until about 4.  It doesn't pay to go to bed so early.

Connie and I went to a few garage sales this morning, an activity that I have missed.  I found a nice little basket and a good book to read in the future.  

I was going to get started on my bathroom project when I got back home but Pat called to see if I was interested in going with them in a tour of Saguaro Lake on the Desert Belle.  Roger's daughter Shawn is here with her husband Rick, daughter Taylor and son Derek (their first visit to this area).   So I went and had a great time - we even saw some Bighorn Sheep on the side of the mountain.  It is a beautiful ride and I was in such great company - a very enjoyable time.

I did make some progress on my project - got everything washed down.

Sunday, March 23. 2014.  Forty-six years ago today, these 2 kids were married in San Bernardino, CA, far from our family and friends, but we had each other and that is all that we really cared about.  


Most of those years were good ones and we used to say we were thankful for many more good times in our lives than there were bad times.  It was a great roller coaster ride and I still miss so many things about the man that I chose for a lifetime partner.  I wish we were still sharing the ride together.  What a guy - there is so much that I miss about him - thankfully, I am surrounded by so many reminders.  I look at his photo many times every day and tell him that I love and miss him so.  I'm thankful for the 45 years we shared together.  I love you, Mike.