Bits & Pieces

Just some recaps and thoughts.

• There is not much I do not like about being here in Arizona.
• I like the condo. I want to do lots of things to it--like painting, decorating, fixing and changing some things.
• Mom is here. She came Monday, Jan. 18th and will be here till March 1st.
• Mom bought herself a glider rocker which she loves.
• Denny is still here. He has been here for 2 weeks. He plans on leaving next Wednesday. He is fun to have and really knows how to make himself at home. He has been going to all these car shows around here and is loving it. He comes back here with all kinds of stories and he is sure excited about everything he has done and seen.
• Painted the guest room and the guest bathroom. They are a very pale green. Didn't have much time to really think about the color. Just had to hurry and pick. Bought new twin beds for the bedroom. They do not have a head board but I like that. Bought bright green and white bedspreads and shams, crisp white eyelet trimmed sheets and a warm, fluffy blanket for each bed. Bathroom has bright yellow rugs, thick white towels, & some cheery flowers. At Kohl's I bought a kit where you rub a saying on the wall. Denny helped me with this. I put it above the towel rack and the saying says, "Laughter sparkles like sunshine over water." It is different and I like it.
• I have been really having fun shopping on Craigs List, estate sales, garage sales and thrift shops. The thrift shops around here are somewhat disappointing. They are kind of junky. Not nearly as good as the ones back home. But I still have made some hits--like a vacuum cleaner that works like a charm, this wonderful bathrobe that I wear every single night and love it, some glasses that were needed, some golf pictures, a nice dresser for the guest room.
• Mary Beth is supposed to be coming tomorrow for a few days.
• Terrible storm day before yesterday. Wind was terrible and it rained hard.
• Gloria and Jim are well and good. They have been busy sprucing up their condo although they did not have to buy so much. Everything was left there. We went shopping today. I value her advice.
• Pudge walks over almost every morning to see our friends John & Shannon. They have lived here in Arizona year round for about the last 10 years. They have a home across the fairway from us.
• Love my tap dancing group. They are so much fun but I sure am rusty--need lots of practice. I am impressed with how professional and hard working this group is.
• Today was SVE (Sunland Village East) the name of our 55+ community had its 25th birthday party.

• Guest room completed--well maybe not completed but kind of done. Small white chest was bought at a thrift store. The 2 pictures are from Ikea.
  

This is the guest room before. This bedroom set is now in our master bedroom. The ugly quilt is being used for a drop cloth when I paint.

Our back yard. Pudge is on the patio waiting to cross to go visit John & Shannon and their 2 dogs (which he loves) Beau & Max.

Mom in her new glider rocker. She loves it. This is in the family room or what we call "Pudge's room." Pudge is lounging on his recliner. The couch, little tables, bookcase (not seen) and large screen TV (not seen) are all housed in this room. Also, the dining room is at one end of this room. The decor is "golf" being as we look on the golf course out the sliding glass doors.

Guest bathroom-bright yellow rugs cannot be seen. Note the saying reflected in mirror above towels.

Life is Good

Pudge & the boys playing one of their very many games of cribbidge

Denny & margarita in the Arizona room. No furniture yet. Had to haul out 2 dining room chairs. This looks out onto the fairway of the 7th hold on golf course. There are a lot of golfers that go by during the day making it fun to sit out there and watch.

Denny in the boys bathroom at Tortilla Flats which is a touristy town about 20 miles into the mountains.

Eating at the outdoor patio in Tortilla Flats. There was entertainment and the day was gorgeous. The drive there is breath taking.

Owen & Timmy at Tortilla Flats.

The Trip & The Condo

G Guest Bedroom - this furniture got moved to MBR.

MBR - ugly curtains

Going into the den or

Left Willernie, MN December 27th at 4 am. We said good bye to the cold, snow and ice. Shut and locked the door to the house after prepping it for our absence. This is going to be a new experience for us.

Drive through Iowa was horrible. Snow blowing and icy highways. I held my breath more than a few times.

At our stops for breakfast and motel stays it would be filled with retired couples heading to Arizona. On the highway we noticed many MN and Iowa license plates with older couples and their car would be packed like ours. This would be a dead giveaway that they were heading south for the cold months. I felt like it was some kind of a major exodus of old people heading out to warmth and fun. Sort of like the Joads in Grapes of Wrath looking for the "good life."

Got to 2311 South Farnsworth, Unit 72 in Sunland Village East in Mesa, Arizona at about 11 am on Dec. 29th. We were excited to see our new home being as we did the purchasing long distance and we had only been in it for about 10 minutes 2 times last winter. I did so want Pudge to carry me over the thresh hold but there were neighbors out and about and the ones that weren't out I got the feeling were watching from their windows. Also, I did not want to take the chance of any injuries should he trip or wreck his back picking me up.

Now I had looked at & studied the pictures of the condo so often that the realtor sent that I had a good idea of what were in the rooms and how they were. The key is turned and we walked in LR. Yep, there were the very ugly pink curtains that I knew I could not live with. Into the kitchen-quickly opened a few cabinet doors and my mind is racing--I can put this here and that there. Onto the FR toward the back of the condo. Not any surprises there. Just like I thought. Then the screened in porch. Smaller than what we remembered and dirty. MBR-big and mental note made-those ugly curtains will be going. Glad the walk in closet had bigger shelves in it. Guest room had furniture in it but we had plans to move that furniture in MBR. Lots of thoughts as we walked through. Some of them made out loud to each other and others kept to ourselves.