Other points of interest from the trip:

1. Gasoline ranged from $4.17 to $4.48
2. Milk $4.99 a gallon
3. Temperature was pretty constant – Kona side low 70’s at night and low 80’s daytime, the Hilo side a little cooler – mid to upper 60’s night and 70’s day. Always humid.
4. New birds to add to the list: The Brazilian Red Cap Cardinal, Japanese White Eye, Myna (thick as Starlings in Iowa), Golden Plover, Nene (the State bird), Moorhen, Grouse, Kalij Pheasant, Chuckar, Java Sparrow, Red Whiskered Bulbul, Canary, Wild Jungle Fowl (colorful Roosters), Spotted Nap Dove and Peacock.
5. Flowers and trees – so different and colorful but too numerous to name all of them. Wild Orchids were a real treat & Poinsettia’s as tall as some trees. 
6. So many colorful and mostly tasty fruit 
7. Also more Waterfalls and Rainbows than one could imagine
8.  We saw a shooting star on the way back to AZ.

Hawaii - updated

December 19^th – Time to pack but we did get a nice walk, breakfast and the girls did a little more shopping. After an early lunch it was time to head to the airport to start the long trek home to Arizona or from warmer back to warm. We left Kona airport jus after 1:00 PM and arrived in Phoenix close to 1:00 AM, and then had to pick up Lexi and drive back to Green Valley. Got home about 3:30 or just after midnight Hawaiian time.

December 18^th – We got up, had some breakfast and hit the road by 8:30. We took the “

Saddle Road

” through the mountains to get a good view of the peak and the observatories on Mauna Kea. It is about 14000 feet but the locals like to add to it by measuring to the ocean floor (another 18000 feet) which would make it the tallest in the world. The road never got over 6500 feet but even there, there were lava flows from old volcanic activity. Well – the whole island is the result of volcanic activity. As it is with most of the island there were interesting flowers and trees along the way. We made our way through Hilo and just south of there toured the Mauna Loa Macadamia nut farm. It is one of the largest in the world with over 250,000 trees on 2500 acres. The trees are all in rows but each section is separated by the Norfolk pine trees – both trees were brought over from Australia. Samples and souvenirs were plentiful.

Then we stopped at Lava Tree State Park. It is a unique display of an unusual

Thing that happened when a lava flow 12 feet deep came through here. The trees didn’t disintegrate until the lava had cooled enough to leave hollow towers of lava where trees had once stood – huge trees and flowers are everywhere there now but these unusual towers are still there. Now it is lunch time and we were not disappointed by following a local recommendation for good Mexican cuisine at LuQuins.

We still had time to drive to a coastal town that is divided by a lava flow. There we found the Star of the Sea – another “Painted Church” by the same Fr. Damian that did the one in Kona. It was worth the trip. It was moved to this location by the town’s people just hours before the lava flow would have consumed it in the old location. Then on to the main event of the day – Our helicopter tour of the Volcano which just started flowing into the ocean again three weeks ago.

We had a great ride in an EcoStar helicopter with a great pilot/narrator. It was like sitting in a living room chair but at 2500 feet and being zoom right in when you see something good. We saw a lot of lava flows from the past and some of there effects – like a town split richt down the middle and a church saved by the villagers just before that lave would have destroyed it. Another was a house very near the current activity that is the only one of 64 and he was close to loosing it twice before – stubonrn old guys refuses to leave – the view is great but the only way in or out is a six mile hike across lava or a helicopter.

Three lava flows into the Ocean

Needless to say this was the trip HIGHLIGHT!

With a little searching we found a local homemade Ice Cream place that had flavors like ginger, boya fruit, likini (passion fruit), coconut and about ten other flavors. While eating it we were invited to walk through the tropical gardens out back that was there before it was an ice cream place. Now if you need a unique place to pitch a tent this is it.

On the way back we planned to stop in Waipio Valley for another great viewpoint. The road down to the beach said 25% grade ahead – wow that would be a tough hike much less driving down (4 wheel drive required) – oh really… Another long but productive day in paradise.

December 17^th – We went for our morning walk in a lot of wind, so I think we got more of a workout. We had a relaxing morning and fixed a nice spaghetti meal for lunch and looked around the resort for awhile – they are still working on the pool, hot tub and activities. It has been closed since we got here and while it has a lot of people upset it really didn’t affect us as we do most of our exercise on our own and create our own activities and tours. We did go to a nearby black sand beach we found out about and it is neat to see. The surf was fairly calm there and we saw people out there snorkeling and paddle boarding. We heard about another beach with green sand but it was a long drive and a dangerous 31/2 mile hike in. We decided to go to church tonight to free up the day tomorrow over on the other side of the island. We tried to get to an authentic Hawaiian mass but the times and places didn’t fit in to our schedule. We enjoyed the one we went to in Waimeia and our friends went with us – we enjoyed their singing abilities much more than the local choir… We stopped at another resort on the way home that has its own shopping plaza where there was to be some entertainment and food but all we found was some strolling musicians singing off key Christmas carols and restaurants to open soon or one that was REALLY expensive so we went home and raided the refrigerator for what ever we wanted – plenty of choices. Then we started playing cards and before we knew it – it was midnight! Nite, nite.

December 16^th – It’s going to be a long day. The girls planned it and Linda thinks if it is only an inch on the map it shouldn’t take long. Then they adjusted the plans as we drove… Combine that with road construction, a max speed of 55 and a lot of 35 and 45 – I think you get the picture. But I have to be honest – they really got us to see some interesting things along the way and we got several water falls and the Volcano National Park all in. We had a great sunset too, but we were still in the Park, we had one more stop to see the glow of lava from the caldera – well worth the wait. Now the long, dark and winding road home. Thanks Ken.

December 15^th  - We decided to stay fairly close to here today because we have the big Luau tonight. But decided to go back to a beach where we saw the big sea turtles the other day. We took along the snorkeling equipment and got some good looks at colorful fish and several of those turtles. I grabbed the back of the shell on one of the big boys thinking I would just hold him still and watch how they moved in the water – WRONG!! He pulled away quite easily. I think in deeper water you could get quite a ride. We came back to get lunch – we have a lot of leftovers – just not too much. Save the appetite for tonight.

Wow – what a Luau. Good setting, great entertainment and lots of local foods. Watch that punch though.

December 15^th We decided to stay fairly close to here today because we have the big Luau tonight. But decided to go back to a beach where we saw the big sea turtles the other day. We took along the snorkeling equipment and got some good looks at colorful fish and several of those turtles. I grabbed the back of the shell on one of the big boys thinking I would just hold him still and watch how they moved in the water – WRONG!! He pulled away quite easily. I think in deeper water you could get quite a ride. We came back to get lunch – we have a lot of leftovers – just not too much. Save the appetite for tonight.

Hawaii 2011

Trip – Hawaii 2011

December 14^th – This condo is right on the golf course, but who would expect to see them out there mowing at 6:30 in the dark with lights on the mowers… I’m just saying.

Then I got to play calling games with a Tom Turkey - from the Lanai (patio or balcony) while having some Hawaiian Kona coffee - about a hundred yards across the fairway for about 15 minutes before the mower guy got too close. After breakfast we headed out for the day – first stop was a Kona coffee plantation and mill – it is at 3500 feet. It takes much longer to mature at that altitude but that increases the flavor content of the beans and explains why Kona coffee is so expensive. The maximum size and quality of bean increases the price. This company Thunder Mountain has now developed a high anti oxidant product to improve health – especially the locals who are genetically disposed to gout. They also mill coffee and roast for a lot of small coffee growers from the area including the little lady that did our tour – she was loaded with information and so willing to share. She wasn’t even 5 foot tall but said she handled 100 pound coffee sacks and we all believed her.

We saw more different birds and flowers that we are still trying to identify. Then we found a Benedictine Church called the painted church – it has elaborate paintings on the inside done by a priest that was here in the 1880’s. The on and off rain showers were only while we were traveling between things again today.

December 13^th – We did a tour of the part of the Island north of here by working our way across to the west and coming across the top and back down the west coast. Some of the stops along the way afforded some great views. Including one overlook where some of the wild mules were wandering around. The story is they were no longer neede to haul coffee beans down the mountains and were turned loose. There are so many now there are warning signs along the roads like there are for deer in Iowa. One stop we waded out among the sea turtles and colorful fish in the shallow waters. What a great day! After a nice supper and good conversation and planning we played a few hands of cards – darn girls beat us again.

December 12^th – We move to the Big Island today (Hawaii). We got our usual step workout – we were on the 5^th floor but had three flights of stairs before we got to the 1^st floor, and we did them several times every day. After our walk, breakfast, clean up and packing we had time to do some shopping in Wakiki. We filled up the rental car returned it and took their shuttle to the airport. We thought we were fashionabley late but the found out the flight was delayed and then delayed again! We could have spent a great deal of time outside in the sun rather than being stuck for four hours in an airport.

We arrived (finally) on the Big Island – the view is pretty stark coming in as the airport is built on a lava bed. Well – the entire Island is a Lava bed – and it is growing daily with the constant eruption of the active Volcano on the south side of the island. Our friends picked us up and we settled in at the condo, caught up with them, ate, played cards and settled in for the night.

December 11^th – We walked to church – only a half a mile and near the marathon route so walking was the only option. We were more than impressed by the vocal and music group led by a 400 pound Samoan with an outstanding voice. He drew us in to the music like a magnet. Then we stopped for breakfast at an open air restaurant we came by on the way to church. They had a delicious breakfast special and the atmosphere was great. I got a real kick out of the forecast for the day printed on the wall – it is so close to the same every day it can be painted on the wall.

Then we picked up the car and headed to the North Shore. We stopped along the way at the Dole Pineapple Plantation for a tour of the grounds – it was nice but way over commercialized. As we worked our way north the signs warned of heavy traffic due to a surfer competition – the waves were up and surfers plentiful. The traffic wasn’t that bad – afterall we are on an island where the top interstate speed id 55, and more 45 and 50 than anything. After the North shore tour and an old but interesting church we stopped at we went down into Waimea Valley to se a waterfalls but what we found on the 0.8 mile hike was a tropical rainforest with trees and plants from many areas in the world. They thrive here with the constant temps and the 230 inches of rain per year. Yes we got a few light rain showers – but mostly some spectacular plants, trees and flowers. We found a unique little Thai restaurant on our way back across the top of the North Shore. After feeling nourished and refreshed we headed back to the hotel. We stopped at the Food Pantry – the little grocery across from the hotel and got our “Sunday night popcorn” and a huge cinnamon roll hopped in the basket for breakfast with some yougart.

December 10^th – We learned a lot of interesting things about the streets in Honolulu – a lot of one way and some of them have bus lanes coming at you. Enlightening. We headed out early to the Pearl Harbor and Arizona Memorial. What a well done Memorial and a very moving experience. A couple light showers provided some beautiful rainbows without interfering with any of our activities.

Then we went to the downtown area with an unintentional visit to Chinatown along the way – what did I say about the one way streets!! We walked around the downtown and wharf areas for several hours. We found the Aloha Tower, more monster bank buildings than you can imagine and a three block area of city buildings with elaborate Christmas decorations. The most decorated was City Hall – where all the city departments had separate displays – not sure if it was a competition. It was a huge old building and had ample room for many large displays. Many more old buildings and churches made the walk an interesting one.

After that we stopped at a place called the Punchbowl Crater – it was a big Military Cemetery with areas dedicated to each of the wars over the last century. But no white crosses! They were all taken out at some point during the government transitions in the late 50’s when Hawaii became a state. But many of them had small white wreaths with red flowers – not quite as well lined up as the crosses usually are. There was an .8 of a mile hike up to an overlook there that not only gave a spectacular overview of the cemetery but of all of Honolulu as well.

Now the interesting or maybe frustrating time of the day – the journey to Diamond Head. We ran into so many roads closed in preparation for the Honolulu Marathon in the morning we couldn’t get to the places we wanted to eat at. By the time we got to the Diamond Head Park we would have eaten most anything – case in point the only food available was from and old yellow motorhome serving footlong hot dogs and chips – yes make mine with everything!! A couple more bottles of water for the hike and away we go. They said 1.5 to 2 hours to make the trek – but with a little effort we made it up to the top in 25 minutes spent time at the top taking pictures and taking in the view(s). Then on the way down we started a jog in a light mist and made the downward trek in 14 minutes. Not bad for a couple old farts. We did actually have a few comments like that! We were beat by the time we got back to the hotel and after toddy time it was raining so we went down to Chili’s again and split a burger slider meal – almost more than we could handle – not a clue how one person could eat all that…

December 9^th – Well we wouldn’t have needed that 3 AM alarm! The internal clock went off at 2:30. Oh well, more time for coffee, walking the dog and a final packing check.  (Are we staying for a month?) We were out of the driveway a little before 4 and made it to Linda’s brother Craig’s place in Scottsdale before 6:00 – traffic not too bad. We got Lexi’s stuff unloaded and let her tear around a bit being antagonized by Craig. Hope she survives the next 10 days.

Craig took us to the airport and dropped us off at the Hawaiian Airlines gate. The airport checks in went smoothly and other than being long the flight went smoothly as well. We arrived in Honolulu just before noon local time. After we rounded up our bags, we took the shuttle to the rental car place – Alamo. Then we made our way to the Ohana West hotel where we got a 5^th floor kitchenette. Not bad but we really miss our foam mattress. The first thing we found was a Farmer’s Market starting at 4:00. Just enough time to walk a block to the Waikiki beach to “observe”!! The Farmer’s Market was mostly fresh fruit and bakery items – how tough the decisions were. We tried fruit we couldn’t even pronounce the names of but most of it was very tasty – not so sure about the one (Rambutan) had little tentacles all over it… We stopped on the way back to the hotel at a corner grocery store for some necessities for Happy Hour and breakfast. There was also a coffee shop and bakery in there – all set now.  We went down to a Chili’s in the hotel for a bowl of soup because a rain shower put a damper on our other plans for supper. I knew better than to go to bed early but we had been up twenty hours already. Opps – 2:30 – no it’s too early – back to bed. 5:00 ok I can handle this – coffee and a walk – more coffee, now we are ready.

Traveling again

With Andrea's hospitalization and surgery that included delays in her recovery it was December 1st before we left Cedar Falls. A couple weather delays in New Mexico put us in Green Valley on the 3rd.

We barely got things settled in the AZ house when we had to pack for our Hawaii trip. We are really excited to visit the 50th state and the 48th on our USA states tour.

Arizona 2011

The plan is to celebrate Thanksgiving / Christmas on November 13th with the family. Then close up the 5th wheel and the cabin by the 21st, so we can go to Granddaughter Kylee's first band concert that night and head west first thing the next morning.

AZ Travels

SW Winter 2010/2011

April 26^th – After a couple more gloomy and rainy days on the road we are back in CF. Now a few days of cleaning and unloading…

April 24^th – Happy Easter! After a short walk we had to hurry to leave for church at the Condo complex. We were treated to a mini concert before Mass by a very talented family – Mom, Dad and Son & Daughter all played and sang – some more than one instrument. They also did the music during Mass which was very nice. I’m glad we did this inside instead of the sunrise service we saw pictures of near here at Red Rock – over 10,000 were there in a light rain, 40 degrees and they started coming in at 4:30. It is the same place John Tess did his concerts. After church we hopped in with our friends for a trip to one of their daughter’s house in Littleton for a wonderful brunch. It was a very nice day and their family is a good reflection of them. After we left there we stopped by the Columbine Memorial – very moving and nicely done. The anniversary was just this week – 12 years already. They dropped us off at our truck and said our good – bye’s and then we stopped at the sore and fueled up so we would be ready to head east again in the morning.

April 23^rd – Another full and busy day – we were out on the trails before 7:00 and Lexi was very ready for a good run after a travel day and short exercise periods. For us too – we enjoyed the walk and followed up with the Pilates routine before we made another grapefruit pie for tomorrow because Larry and Jetta have a full day planned for us today. They did get a little behind on their project which gave us an extra hour that I used to upload pictures. They picked us up and gave us a little more tour of the town (which included the spot right in our park where the Pope was here for World Youth Day) on the way to the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. We spent several hours there including an IMAX movie in 3D called Born to be Wild. Then we came back to exercise Lexi before going back to their Condo for supper and a game of Mexican Train (Domino’s) which lasted longer than any of us realized! We made our way back to the campground in a light rain a little before midnight. Lexi really showed her skill at Frisbee in the dark!

April 22^nd – It was a little cool this morning (42) but a nice warm sun helped a lot. We started at 4400 feet and topped 10,800 at Vail pass and 11,300 at the tunnel and the temperature went down as low as 27 with blowing snow and sloppy roads in the pass and a nice 65 and sunny as we descended into Denver. We are in Cherry Creek SP and only a mile from our friends place so they came over and took us on a tour of the park – it is huge – and we saw their nice condo setup and chatted for a while before they brought us back by way of the store to pick up a few things. It has been a long day already…

April 21^st – More ups and downs again today – we started at 4300 ft. and topped 7000 a couple times and we are at 4500 again tonight. We couldn’t stay in Moab, UT because of a national Jeep thing going on – never saw so many in one place. We pushed on to Grand Junction, CO – about another 100 miles and a lot of wind. Luckily only about 35 miles were problematic – one cross wind gust actually blew the steps open on the 5^th wheel. After we stopped the gusts topped 50 MPH for a couple hours before the wind died down.  We also lost an hour – we are still in Mountain time but now have daylight savings the AZ doesn’t have anything to do with. Two big passes tomorrow will be a challenge – Vail and the Eisenhower. We plan on spending a couple days with friends in Aurora near Denver.

April 20^th – Today was a series of hikes – first we started right out of the campground and went up the hill of sandstone that makes up a lot of this area. We had to be ready to go on the Antelope Canyon tour shortly after 9:00. That is more sandstone shaped by wind and water – narrow slot canyons where the light from above makes the formations look different from each direction and they change as the sunlight filters in from above. After we got back we headed to an area below the dam where the Colorado River makes a 180 degree turn that is aptly called Horseshoe Bend. It is a ¾ mile hike each way to peer over a deep sheer drop to the river below – well – at least on of us looked over the edge… Then after a visit to an Italian place for a Calzone so big the two of us had a hard time getting through all of it we headed to another spot high above the dam for another hike. We now have one hot and tired dog! I still need to go through hundreds of pictures

April 19^th – The first leg of the week or so trip back to Iowa began today with a lot of ups and downs - a trip of 325 miles with lots of mountains. The leg through Phoenix was a white knuckle one including a twenty minute for five miles on I-10. Traffic thinned a lot on I-17 north toward Flagstaff but it was quite a climb to almost 7000 feet. We got to Page, AZ about 3:00 in the afternoon so we still had time to start our tour of the area and schedule our tour with a Navajo guide in Antelope Canyon for tomorrow.

April 18^th – We started with a hike at South Mountain or Casa Grande Mountain – it depends on what side you come in on. The have done even more trails since the last time we hiked here. It was already 65 when we got up so it got quite warm by the time we finished a two hour hike even though it was only a little after 9:00 in the morning. We started packing up for the move tomorrow and Linda got more wash done – the first load was dry on the line before the second load was done. There are fewer units here every day because they shut down by the 1^st of May, but it still looks strange looking through the campground with maybe 50 units instead of 350 or more.

April 17^th – Another warm one – mid 90’s yesterday and today. We had a neat Palm Sunday with palm blessing and a procession too. We spent time planning the route home through Page, AZ to see Antelope Canyon and Lake Powell area, and on through Denver, Co to see friends.

April 16^th – The morning walks are getting pretty warm by the time we get back even though we are starting early. We had a good day – cooking, eating and good times with friends. Marinated pork loin on the grill and hot German Potato salad were a hit followed by Derby Pie.

April 15^th – After our walk we when into cleaning (Linda) and waxing (Rick) until noon – I finally have made the complete round of the 5^th wheel – maybe I should start over now – or NOT! Another couple came in for a couple days on there way home so we will eat and play games with them for a couple days. Then we will have to check the weather and make final plans for our route home – time sure flies when you’re having fun – four months since we left home.

April 14^th – We got up early again and got a walk in before heading out to a couple of the sales – I’ve already seen more junk than I needed to… After lunch we headed back to Casa Grande.

April 12^th – We spent the day in Green Valley to check more things on the house and finish the utilities changeover. Now I know how spoiled we are in Cedar Falls with gas, electric, water, sewer, garbage, cable and internet on one bill – out here each and every one is separate! We looked around the town a little more and got the local paper to see if any patio, garage or estate sales were going on. A couple to check out tomorrow.

April 11^th – After our walk and exercise routine I got some calls made to move utilities to our name. Boy, oh boy are we spoiled in Cedar Falls – what we can do with one call take five or six different agencies. What a hassle! I did get another section of the 5^th wheel cleaned and waxed – down to one slide as the last section – maybe tomorrow. After lunch I did some follow up calls before soaking some nice warm sunshine in the lawn chair. Great grilled portabella’s for supper – sooo Gooood!

April 10^th – A nick walk and church with a couple stops on the way home pretty well took care of the morning. After a quiet afternoon and our usual popcorn we got together with our friends who are leaving tomorrow for another round of Hillbilly Rummy. More “lessons” for somebody!!

April 9^th – We got up early again but no walk again. This time the culprit was rain – it started during the night and even though it was only a few tenths it lasted until mid afternoon. We got some calls made about the house and pictures posted along with some reading and rest. After the rain stopped we walked and exercised Lexi a few times and baked bread and cookies. We were not worried about running the oven – it barely made the upper 50’s another record – after last weeks record 100 this is a shock. It is supposed to be back in the mid 70’s tomorrow and 90 by the end week.

April 8^th – We got up early but no walk. We headed to Green Valley today to finalize the purchase of our house there. Stops at the bank, the Title Company and the house took up most of the morning and we got a Papa Murphy pizza for our first meal after all that “signing on the dotted line”. We checked on some of the other family houses in the area and we got a couple things transferred to our names. Then we stopped at a dog park to let Lexi run for a while before we headed back to Casa Grande.

April 7^th – We got another early walk in and Pilates before getting ready for a meeting at the campground – rumors about the future of the system as the topic. Even though the campground is getting emptier by the day the clubhouse was full – not much new info though. Soup and fresh olive bread for lunch – good! I got the truck washed but the 5^th wheel will have to wait. We got a bike ride in this afternoon.

April 6^th – Today after the walk and exercise it was cleaning – me outside and Linda inside. I quit when the first raindrops hit – good excuse. While we were fixing lunch the wind came up and some pretty good rain for about ten minutes so I scrambled to get the awning put away and pick up lawn chairs. So much for outside cleaning. After lunch we worked on appetizers for afternoon company and I made a batch of artisan bread and used our olive tapenade in half and put it in the fridge for tomorrow. We had a good time eating the quiche and stuffed mushrooms and then got the cards out for more “lessons”.

April 5^th – We got another early start and had a good walk, coffee on the patio and then when Linda went in to do the core routine I went back to cleaning and waxing. By noon it was too warm with the sun coming around – luckily there is not much left. While we were on our bike ride this afternoon taking pictures of all the flowers that are in bloom we saw the young Burrowing Owl out of his den. We see this one and the mom most mornings when we take that route. We went downtown for the “Arts in the Alley” night. Some interesting stuff and one block had some really nice cars from old street rods to brand new ones. We did find the guy from the Farmer’s Market that makes really good humus and our favorite – olive tapenade.

April 4^th – We started our walk before 7:00 this morning – the sun is coming up earlier even without daylight savings time! We had time for coffee, Pilates and breakfast before picking up friends at 9:30 to go to a Greek Orthodox Monastery over near Florence. It was fun to see the grounds and the six chapels and the main church – a lot of different architecture and beautiful landscaping. It was all started in 1995 when six monks were sent here from Greece. We got some sweet bread and baklava but we were disappointed they didn’t have their olive bread that we remembered from five years ago. There was a new chapel up on a hill and another they are working on in the main complex since then. Tom (the GPS) found a Mexican restaurant in Florence on the way home – the lady at the next table had what looked like a nice small Taco Salad – we all got one and nobody could finish theirs… No need for supper again! We went to Sandy and Jay’s for cards again – the girls thought us guys needed more lessons after they finally won one the last time but it didn’t quite work – tow out of three went to the guys.

April 3^rd – We got a real early start this morning but it was still 68 when we got up at 6:20 – we did remember to take water for Lexi today. All of one kind of bushes bloomed with a delicate white flower since yesterday – hard to believe that many flowers could come out in a day! After church we got time in the lawn chairs before we went back for a concert at the church that was very good. Mostly string instruments but also two full choirs and a bell choir for a little over an hour.

April 2^nd – We got our walk in and Lexi’s tongue was hanging out a long way and she was going slow – a lot of running and a warmer morning took the toll. I got wax on the section I cleaned yesterday but we did a lot of reading and resting – it was back in the upper 90’s again. We did sit out with a few other couples for a late afternoon snack time – it was down to 85 by then.

April 1^st – I only got a little cleaning done after our walk this morning before it got too warm. 62 when we got up, 86 by noon and somewhere between 98 and 100 at 5 o’clock. We were out and about doing errands all afternoon and it didn’t seem that hot. There was a nice breeze and that “dry heat” thing. It won’t be long and we’ll be able to open the windows for some fresh air.

March 31^st – Another month gone – they really go by fast. Another one does that and we’ll have to come home!! We went hiking in a new spot this morning and the first leg seemed all uphill – luckily the return route we took hung on the side of the mountain instead of up and over. We hiked less than two hours but it really warmed up – but then it is suppose to be above 90 today and 95 tomorrow before it drops back to the mid 80’s. No waxing today! We hung out in the AC from mid afternoon until just after supper when it cools down enough to open back up. We had jalapeño poppers with mango marmalade and margaritas for a snack (tottie time).

March 30^th – It was back to the wax on wax off routine after our walk this morning. I had to wait on the last side until we moved to a spot where it was in the shade in the morning – it gets too hot to wax – usually by noon. It hit 87 today but we didn’t need the AC thanks to a nice NW breeze. I started the grill before I finished the section I was working on and put a half a chicken on for a late lunch – boy was that good. A relaxing afternoon was now in order and by 8:00 we started closing windows and shutting fans off.

March 29^th – We packed up after our walk and exercise to head back to Casa Grande. Now we have internet again and we didn’t even get to our site before we had an invite to supper!

March 28^th – We got our walk in and sat outside the rest of the morning goofing off. It has been go, go, go this week and we are going to meet the six pack for lunch at the pie place. I’ll see if I can upload this someplace because we are in a really weak spot here so I have been doing most of the internet on the phone. It didn’t work… After an almost three hour lunch out on the patio of the pie shop – lots of gabbing we took Lexi to the paw park with the lake and she had a great time. We took shampoo along for a bath as long as she was wet anyway. After a lite supper we played cards again and discussed all the plans each of us has until they make it to Waterloo in July. They also invited us to Hawaii in December – can’t wait – by then that should be our last state that we haven’t been to.

March 27^th – We got our walk in before church and then went to lunch at a couple’s house in Queen Creek – just south of here – they are from near Finchford and are friends of both my brother and some of our CF friends. It was a fun afternoon and they have one of the neatest outdoor patio and yard that one could imagine. We were actually still too full for popcorn…

March 26^th – We did our walk and Pilates this morning before going over to Gary & Lydia’s to catch up and do lunch. We rode our bikes to go to the fruit market a little over a mile away – what a place – we got a quart of strawberries, three pints of blueberries and blackberries, three peppers and a bunch of cilantro for $2.80 – no wonder we always get too much stuff there. We made another grapefruit pie for tomorrow. Another night of cards and conversation with the Jacobsen’s…

March 25^th – After our walk this morning we picked up Ken & Elaine and went to the big Mesa Swap Meet – a good place to find a lot of junk and a few bargains. Not bad for exercise either with four aisles that are probably more than a quarter mile long and two connecting ends and it is all enclosed. Then we found a new micro brewery that had all there food made from scratch – the pizza was great! We took Lexi on a nice longer than expected walk in the afternoon and then they came over to play cards after supper.

March 24^th – We walked the other direction along one of the canals this morning but the grassy area in the middle still wasn’t dry enough after the rain Monday. We had our coffee outside when we got back but had to hustle along to pick up Ruth and headed down to just south of Casa Grande to meet Pat, Mike, Gail and Chico who came up to meet us from Green Valley for lunch. A long way to go but they all wanted to see Ruth before they head back home this weekend and Ruth didn’t want to go alone. Not much more for the day – got a movie for tonight.

March 23^rd – After our walk and the exercise routine Linda’s brother came over to visit and we went to lunch at a newly recommended pie shop. They also have soup and sandwiches and they specialty pot pies – everything was real good. Then we went over to see my sister Ruth who recently moved here from New Hampton.

March 22^nd – We got our walk in before packing up to move back to Mesa. It will be a busy week trying to get together with everybody up in this area for the last time this winter. We called five of them today so the week is filling up fast. We stopped by the library and the wood shop while we rode our bikes around the park – I might try to do some work in there too.

March 21^st – We got our walk in before the wind started picking up and by lunch it was sprinkling off and on and we got a couple pretty good showers and a lot of wind in the afternoon. We made homemade beef barley soup that was great with the homemade bread. And we played cards after supper with Jay and Sandy who came in today.

March 20^th – quiet Sunday – walk, church and a bike ride.

March 19^th – After our walk and exercise we got ready to head downtown for the Farmer’s Market. We found out that it was cancelled so we went to the local market down there and got a good selection of fruit and vegetables. We picked up some squash and zucchini for our turkey vegetable lasagna. While we were on our bike ride in the afternoon we checked on the dove we have been watching – silly thing put a few sticks on a big natural gas line pipe and called it a nest. We saw two little heads sticking out from under her chest the other day.

March 18^th – There were not many quail for Lexi to chase this morning on our walk because we met another walker and his dog coming from the other way – it’s pretty rare seeing somebody out there. No waxing today – did our Core and cleaned up before heading to Wal-Mart. We rarely go there anymore because Fry’s Food has most of what we need and usually beats Wal-Mart’s piracy – I mean prices anyway. Without any cooking or projects we easily withstood the 89 degrees in the lawn chairs – it’s a dry heat! Actually the weather channel had temp 89 ‘feels like 84 – kind of like wind chill!

March 17^th – Happy St. Patrick’s Day! We had another nice morning walk. I finished the one side I’ve been working on before I ran out of cleaner. I really looks good – being done that is… We fixed a new recipe for lunch – lamb stuffed mushrooms – very tasty with plum sauce in them. It seemed like a good Irish choice. With baking them and the brownies and the 89 degrees outside, we opted for the air conditioner. With time to spend inside I decided to finish the taxes – done, electronically filed and accepted! Now enjoy that Guinness for the wee bit o’ Irish in me.

March 16^th – It was another nice walk this morning – it is shorts and tee shirt weather in the morning here now – kind of like the afternoon in Iowa the last few days. After coffee and fresh mango in the lawn chairs Linda went back in to do the core exercise and I went back to “wax on – wax off”. Just about half done now – it takes time to do a three step process but it is looking really close to when it was new. Alice, get your sunglasses ready for when we get home… By lunch time it was almost too warm again (for waxing) but great for a rest in the lawn chairs. We got the windows done on that side again too, and Linda is working on the woodwork, etc. inside. We did regenerate the water softener before I hit the shower and then the recliner looked pretty good after I started the pot roast for supper.

The Ides of March – It was back to the regular morning exercise routine today. I baked another loaf of artisan bread from Patty’s recipe should – was nice and warm for lunch… We went to the store and then tried to find room for all the stuff – especially the meat that goes in the freezer. Too hot now for waxing – good excuse – maybe tomorrow. It is plenty warm at 85 today – can’t wait for the first 90 of the year tomorrow. But they are saying that it will be back in the 70’s by Sunday – normal is 76 now.

March 14^th – In lieu of our walk we headed out to South Mountain for a hike before it gets too warm. We saw a new trail higher on the hillside and decided to try it – this is new work since we were here earlier this year. We followed it one way for about a half hour before all that was left were the surveyor’s marks – last year we saw some of them and wondered what they were for. We headed back and found where it went the other direction and followed it that way – we saw a lot of the old trails below us. We ended up hiking for two and a half hours and the temperature came up almost 20 degrees – good thing we started early. I did a little more waxing when we got back before and after lunch and before it got too hot. It was time for a shower and some relaxing time. The parts came for one of the vent fans so now I have another project – manyana…

March 13^th – There is NO spring forward here – AZ doesn’t play the Daylight saving time game. The popular cartoon here shows and Indian with a blanket and the caption: Only the government would think you can cut a foot off the bottom of a blanket, sew it on the top and have a longer blanket. We got our walk in and a short time with coffee outside before heading to church. After church we went to the park downtown for the Southwest Premium Artists – very nice and mostly expensive things but fun to look at. We really liked the copper artist and got a small cross from him. We got back in time to squeeze a bike ride in before Sunday night popcorn.

March 12^th – We had another good walk this morning and the cinnamon rolls were done at the clubhouse by the time we got back. We are headed to Chandler today for the Ostrich Festival – got there and headed to the arena for the Ostrich races. We got there in time to see old time Knights on horses doing jousting and hand to hand combat. Then the races – Ostrich’s pulling carts and being ridden with a saddle and Emu’s being herded by kids from the stands. Then the even raced camels – at a top speed of three MPH I’m not sure that is racing. On to the food court to sample Ostrich burgers and then watch the sea lion show, but we skipped all the amusement rides.

March 11^th – More “wax on wax off” after our walk. I seemed like I must have been slowing down but had to spend a lot of time on the door… I guess I’ll take a few days off – no wonder I’m not done yet.

March 10^th – We took a different route this morning and Lexi still got a good workout. I got about a third of one side done with both the cleaner and wax before I had to get cleaned up before our CF friends (Hetherton’s) arrived – if I keep it up I’ll be ready for a Karate Kid remake… We talked about what was happening over a margarita and then took them to our favorite Mexican place here. We talked well into the afternoon before they had to leave – I’m still full so we won’t need much for supper.

March 9^th – We walked on one of the desert route this morning and Lexi had fun chasing up the quail again – I’ll bet they missed us… I started on the front with the new cleaner but the sun got around to that side too fast – what did I say about excuses. I did wash one side and the truck before it was time to clean up for church. We stopped for a two for one special of fish & chips at the local BBQ place – also famous for their Friday fish fry’s. A neighbor here recommended it and we were not disappointed – two fish filets and fries with hush puppies too. Then I went to the store while Linda got some of her hair wacked off. We got a call from some CF folk who are in Chandler – talked for a while and decided to get together tomorrow.

March 8^th – After our walk we started packing up to leave for Casa Grande – it’s not far so we don’t need to rush anything. We were in our spot and set up by 12:30 and after lunch we rode our bikes around to see if anyone we know was here and unlike the last few times we were here none of the friends we usually see are here this time. I tried some new cleaner to remove oxidation from the 5^th wheel and it works good and without too much effort. There goes the last of my excuses – guess I’ll have to do it.

March 7^th – We took Lexi for a short workout again and had a little breakfast before heading over on

Brown Rd

for a hike we saw on the way home the other day. It turned out to be a short bur very steep hike so after the first trip up and down we hiked around the backside and worked our way up through the rock – opps - don’t mistake those little barrel cactus between the rocks for a hand hold!!! Quite painful. We made it to the top again and came back down the other way – we still got in an hour and a half – short compared to yesterday but good enough to break a sweat. We had a fruit smoothie to refresh when we got home and still did our Pilates workout before starting to get ready for our afternoon gathering. We roasted the rosemary chipotle nuts again – they are so gooood. Now the cookies and Chile quiche and we will be ready. It will be fun to see these guys and gals again.

March 6^th – We took Lexi out for a short workout, had a little breakfast and packed a sandwich for lunch. We went to the petroglyths trail which is nice because of the water pools under the petroglyths. We hiked an hour above the farthest spot we have been before but still didn’t make it to the top of the canyon. It’s a good thing downhill is easier for the most part, but we still got in three and a half hours and it was 78 degrees by the time we hit the parking lot at 1:20 PM. We made a stop for a couple things on the way home for tomorrow’s gathering with four other couples.

March 5^th – After our walk and a little breakfast we started cleaning the furniture and moving it back – not in it’s original positions. After ten years Linda thought we should try something different – now if the slides still come in when we get ready to leave it will be good!! After a couple loads of laundry and a late lunch we took a bike ride before church. That way we can try another hike in the morning.

March 4^th – We got our morning walk in and then started moving furniture. Time to do the carpet again and with the 80+ temps it should dry good. The Rug Doctor seems to do a good job extracting the dirt. After we got the carpet done we took the machine back and stopped at the store for a few things while we waited for the carpet to finish drying. Ken & Elaine called to see if we would come over for brats and a game of cards – so the furniture can wait til morning to get moved back.

March 3^rd – Another morning hike at Usury Mountain Park instead of the walk. There are a lot more cactus hazards for Lexi out there than most of our hikes. That is why there is a pair of needle nose pliers that stay in the hike pack. After pilates and a quick clean up we met other friends for lunch at Santan Flats – a place we heard good things about – and we were not disappointed. Then a load of laundry still had time to dry on the line. A salad was plenty for supper.

March 2^nd – We traded our walk for a hike at Silly Mountain in the Superstition Mountain. There are several hikes and choices along the way including the Huff and Puff trail and the High Point trail. About an hour and a half the way we did it today and there are a lot of quail on a couple of the hillsides. We got home and cleaned up in time for some friends from Cedar Falls (Jacobsen’s) to stop by. After a visit and a Mexican lunch we played cards until they had to go to another commitment. Retiree’s are a busy lot…

March 1^st – We got our walk in but I think Lexi misses the quail… We headed to Mesa just before noon and were settled in by a late lunch time. We rode our bikes around the park to reacquaint ourselves and called a few friends in the area to start what will probably be a busy week. I got a little cleaning done – after the rain last weekend everything will need a little tlc. Maybe a little each day.

February 28^th – We got our walk and exercise in this morning before we headed to Mesa via Coolidge. We stopped on the way at the Casa Grande Ruins National Monument – the “Big House” was built by the Hohokum Indians during their time here between 900 and 1300. The architecture is amazing with holes in the upper rooms that tracked the movement of the sun and moon as their form of calendar for planting. They are also credited with the irrigation canals that enabled them to grow crops. We got to this campground just in time for lunch and when we checked in at the office and looked around we were impressed with the friendliness and helpfulness of all the people we talked to. We spent some of the afternoon soaking up sun on the huge cement patio.

February 27^th – We had to find a place to exercise Lexi that was not so muddy after the half inch of rain overnight. There is one grassy park that works well and it shortens the walk so we can get ready for church and still have time for coffee and a little breakfast. We stopped by to say adios to our biking friends – we will miss them. They are a good influence on us with their good eating and exercise habits (did I mention they are 78 and 80 years old). After church we picked up a few things at the store – adding to the fresh veggies in the pasta salad for lunch. We spent the afternoon with friends from Oregon picking their brains for things to see and do in Washington and Oregon for a possible fall trip. After a few more card games we headed home for popcorn and a couple TV shows.

February 26^th – We had a good walk through some familiar and some different desert areas and Lexi had even more running time than usual but still found enough quail to keep her interest. We stopped at the clubhouse to get fresh baked cinnamon rolls and headed back to the 5^th wheel for coffee to go with them. Both fresh and hot – Mmmm! Then we went on a bike ride with our Colorado friends through a different part of town and ended up doing another twelve miles – it might have been enough to burn the calories from the rolls. We spent the afternoon talking to our Colorado friends who are leaving tomorrow and their friends from near Bend Oregon mostly about the building they have on an acreage with some interesting construction and heating systems. After a quick supper we played cards with Jay and Sandy (fulltime RV’ers from Oregon we’ve known for ten years. Guys win, guys win again…

February 25^th – After our morning routine and a couple chores we headed out on another bike ride trough a subdivision the has several ponds/lakes with fountains and a waterfall over huge rocks at one end. There are concrete multiuse paths all around them and several playground/parks there too. We found an ice cream shop on the way home too. Later we went with another couple to the original Eva’s Mexican Café near Eloy for an enjoyable and very filling supper.

February 24^th – It was back to our morning routine. Then we had some things to catch up on from the mail and I worked on the taxes for awhile (not much new – how much do you have – send it to the IRS..). Then we went to pick up a few things before the list gets too long and that way we had fresh veggies and pasta salad for lunch. After lunch we visited with some other friends that came into the park.

February 23^rd – We skipped the morning walk in lieu of a hike at North Mountain. Just shy of two hours later the tired and thirsty dog made it back to the truck with us. It was a fun morning for all.  We tried to fill some holes in our schedule of reservations and made a few calls for tax info that was missing from the mail packet. After lunch we headed out on the bikes again. We have been getting nine to twelve miles in and checking out some housing areas we haven’t been in – still some housing bargains to be had…

February 22^nd – Another nice morning walk, and we saw lots of quail – oh, and we have been seeing the little Burrowing Owl again whenever we take that route. We got ready for the Farmer’s Market and picket up Larry and Jetta by 10:00. It is still a small group of vendors but we still find the coffee great and the jalapeno and cilantro hummus was a good find and the olive bread beget will be great with soup. We came back to do laundry and I took the Maxx Air fan apart from the roof for cleaning and to get a part number for the mechanism that needs to be updated. After picking up the last month’s mail and sorting through most of it we decided to go for a bike ride. Larry and Jetta joined us on the ride and then we joined them for a late happy hour.

February 21^st – After our morning walk and trek through the desert I hosed down our orange/red dirt covered dog and washed the truck. While I was outside Larry stopped to see if we were interested in going to see an art collection. Sure – why not. It’s Basha’s (the grocery store chain) and it is a family collection that goes back to the old west days and it is mostly associated with dozens of southwest artists – original oils, bronze, sketches, Hopi kachinas, guns, baskets, granite and Manzanita wood sculptures. Then we went to a nearby IKEA store (Swedish made furniture) – huge furniture store with two floors and a restaurant on each floor. Mind boggling – and the one at the exit had “Cinnabon” and Swedish coffee. We stopped at the store for milk on the way back and had – clean the fridge nachos for supper.

February 20^th – Another quiet Sunday. Walk, church, lunch at Mimi’s and a quiet afternoon with traditional Sunday night popcorn.

February 19^th – Happy Birthday Deb. Wow – it was 60 degrees when we got up. Good enough for shorts and tee shirts for our walk. We sat in the lawn chairs for a cup of coffee and then got on the bikes to tour the campground and the surrounding neighborhoods to see all the patio, carport, and yard sales – I guess we don’t need anything – but taking the bikes makes it harder to “need” something… By the time we went downtown with another couple to farmer’s market the wind and dust/dirt storm was picking up – enough to shut down the market too. A good afternoon for Domino’s. It was a nice steady rain – about 3 tenths – cleaned the air so it smells like a summer thunder storm at home.

February 18^th – Exercising and baking took most of the morning. After lunch we took a little bike ride – almost 70 today but doesn’t feel as warm without the sun – might even rain tomorrow.

February 17^th – We got a nice walk in and our exercise and the relaxed until we had to do some errands in the afternoon and we went for pizza with Larry and Jane before they leave tomorrow and they played Rummikub with us for awhile after that.

February 16^th – We got a nice long walk in the other direction and Lexi got to run in a different section of the desert and she found even more quail than yesterday. After coffee on the patio Linda started wash and the core exercise and I started outside – washing the truck and front of the 5^th wheel and then got out the wax and finished the front by lunch time. Then we went for a bike ride with Larry and Jetta (Colorado) before our afternoon gathering of six for margaritas. After super we were back at Larry and Jane’s for some more card lessons.

February 15^th – Happy Birthday to Linda! We got a full walk in and Lexi got a lot of running and she found Quail to flush too. After some laundry and cleaning we went to the store – along with food we needed we found new inner tubes for Linda’s bike. It seems she picked up some of the local “goat heads” at the last campground and both tires were flat. Then after installing them we got a bike ride in with Colorado friends and we got to try his new trike bike. After supper we got together with Jane & Larry for some more card “lessons”!

February 14^th -  After our walk, pilates  and saying goodbye to Pat & Mike we packed up to move to Casa Grande. Some friends that were already here called to invite us over for a Valentine’s dinner. Leg of lamb, asparagus and baked potato topped off by a red velvet cake for the birthday girl. The new diet has to start tomorrow!

February 13^th – Pie baking, before mass at the Old Mission and then a few appetizers and stuffed mushrooms before the Prime rib birthday dinner at Pat & Mike’s to celebrate the February birthdays. Dessert was pecan pie for Scott and Fresh cherry pie for Linda and ice cream for all. After five hours of talking and eating why do I feel stuffed?

February 12^th – We spent the day with Pat & Mike driving up Mount Lemon and back. What a scenic view around every turn! We joined the rest of the family and some friends at Norm and Marsha house for snacks and cocktails. We have no need for supper when there are that many things to eat.

February 11^th – Today we joined the other siblings for a festival in Tubac and lunch at Wisdom’s.

February 10^th – Today we exercised Lexi and then headed to the Pima Air Museum for the day. It took six hours to get through all we could do in one day. The mind can absorb only what the bottom (or feet) can endure… We called to invite The others over for snacks but Gail and Chico had everybody over for a fish fry instead.

February 9^th – After our exercise and a few chores we had lunch and headed out for a hike at Tucson Mountain Park. We ran out of trail after an hour and a half and turned around instead of rock climbing to the top. We stopped for propane on the way home – these cool nights are hard on the heating bill.

February 8^th – It was nice to shed a layer of clothes for the morning walk – a nice warm up – we could use some “normal” temps. After the pilates routine we opened the door and vents and the cleaning day was underway. Another day with temps in the mid 70’s would have been even better without the wind but we didn’t have to worry about “wind chill”.

February 7^th – After our walk we went to another Farmer’s Market in Green Valley. It is not as big as the Wednesday one but it had some different vendors and a few of the same ones – we got an assortment of some different sprouts – should make sandwiches and salads interesting for a few days. After lunch we headed up to Tucson Mountain Park for a couple hours of hiking – it was very warm (74) by the time we got back to the truck so the breeze felt good. We picked up more propane on the way back – with the colder than normal nights we have used more than ever before. We went to the night service at the Old Mission and we were not disappointed – this guys is really good.

February 6^th – Superbowl Sunday started with our walk, coffee on the patio, church at the Old Mission again. They had a priest from Missouri there for a mission/retreat for the parish and he was really good. I think we will try to catch some of his night sessions the next three days. The SuperBowl party at Scott & Lori’s was a good time – lots of food and a big group of mostly family along with a pretty good game even though the National Anthem was missing a line in both languages. I even won the first quarter pool.

February 5^th – It was warmer but still cool on the morning walk. Today we will try to finish chores around here – first load of wash on the line by 10:00 and we went to an art fair on one of the Casino grounds – some really neat stuff and great caramel kettle corn. Then we started making snacks and pies for the Super Bowl party tomorrow. Rosemary peanut brittle – interestingly good! And another great sunset after a 65 degree day (shorts and tee shirt again – Yeah).

February 4^th – Wow – what a full day. We got a short cold walk in before meeting everybody in Green valley for breakfast. Then we all headed to Sonita where we met Pat & Mike and started our Winery tour. There are about a dozen wineries in that area and we got through five of them in about as many hours. They all had problems with frozen water pipes down there because of the cold – it was even colder than here because of the elevation. We stopped at the Italian restaurant we had been to once before because it was on the way home. We tried the delicious pizza instead of the usual meals that are so big we have to split – a lot of different choices and all seem to be great. It is nice to have the warmer temps along with the sun – up to 57 today and suppose to add another 10 tomorrow – finally getting back to “normal”.

February 3^rd – It was a record cold 18 degrees this morning and will only reach 40 again – BRRRRR! We shortened the walk a little and tried to avoid the east wind – with a -9 dew point it give new meaning to dry heat – cold I mean. We went into Tucson to see what we could find about housing areas using “green technology” that we heard about a couple years ago. Some interesting areas – one even had sidewalks past all the front doors and narrow streets to the garages. We stopped at a Trader Joe’s on the way back – always fun to get some of our favorite stuff there.

February 2^nd – Groundhog Day – I’m sure he will see his shadow here and I doubt he will in Iowa – what does that mean? The weather guy said it means six more weeks of 70 degrees. But that will be next week after a few days of record low temps. We went to the White Elephant in Green Valley – like a big garage sale. Then we headed to the Farmer’s Market – low attendance of vendors and customers but we got our Sonoran Hot Dog (a local specialty). We had orders for some hot dogs and tamales for the Minnesota cousin that got in this morning. We dropped it off at Scott & Lori’s and visited over margaritas while they ate the goodies. When we got back we finally had humming birds at the feeder – storing up for the cold night ahead.

February 1^st - We were down to the mid 30’s this morning after 50 yesterday but it was 60 by noon. I doubt it will be even that tomorrow – it will be very chilly here (Tucson, AZ) for a couple days because of the same storm that is headed east, but nothing like most of the nation is expecting. We have a lot of family here right now and more will come this week if flights are not cancelled. We stayed busy today by taking out the Toilet to replace the main water valve – ten years of bouncing down the road took its toll. Of course the carpet had to go… It only took three trips to Home Depot to find a tile that would work. It took about four hour to take it out, strip the floor, install the tile and trim, change the valve and put it back – not bad and no leaks! More aches tonight. I think I’ll take tomorrow off.

January 31^st – Where did the month go? We started out unusually warm at 50 degrees which made coffee outside after the walk enjoyable. It made it up to 60 a couple times but we had three shower events that didn’t amount to much rain but each event dropped the temp 6 to 8 degrees and one even had small hail included – They think that burst had something to do with a helicopter crash on a mountain near here.

January 30^th – Sunday morning – walk, breakfast and church at the Old Mission again. We had a Franciscan Priest this morning who had some enlightening words on the beatitudes. About mid – afternoon we had an impromptu cookout at Scott & Lori’s with nine happy Iowans – happy they are here instead!

January 29^th - We did the Core routine after our walk and then made fruit smoothies with the fresh strawberries and blueberries from the store yesterday. Linda got a couple loads of wash done and we took back samples and got some more. This shouldn’t be this difficult! We went to a Copper Mine tour this afternoon which was actually quite interesting.

January 28^th – After our morning routine I got the part (water valve) ordered – should be here Monday. Then we went to Home Depot to look at flooring – we will replace the carpet under the toilet while it is out replacing the valve. We are still debating on doing just that small area or doing all the bathroom area and wood or vinyl. There was a Best Buy right there so we gave another shot at trying to find something to record shows. Another attempt/idea and another failure… We stopped at the store on the way back to get a few things. By then Gail called and they were getting together since Pat & Mike were here. We looked at a couple houses they had gone through and headed to an Italian restaurant for a delicious meal – we were told the meals were huge so we split one. The Portabella mushroom ravioli was super.

January 27^th – We got to lighten up one layer on our walk – about 8 degrees warmer this morning. I was sitting out in the lawn chair having a cup of coffee when Scott called for some extra hands moving the electronics and a tool box. After lunch I went through the mail that caught up with us (had none since we left in mid December). The Christmas cards were a subtle reminder of how long ago we left Iowa. I spent the next couple hours researching a faucet and a water valve and getting one fixed and tracking parts for the other.

January 26^th – Happy Birthday to me. After celebrating yesterday I had to get some things done. Worked on the truck – new mud guards to replace the one damaged – had to do all to get a match. Since I had to remove tires to get at them I figured I might as well do the rotate them as well. There are some sore spots tonight.

January 25^th – We got a real early walk in before I took the truck in to get the new parts on. Mike picked me up and when we got back we all headed to Gail’s to meet up with her, Scott and Lori. We went to Wisdom’s for lunch, visited the gift shop across the street, went to the Spice Company and stopped at the mesquite wood place. Then Mike dropped me off at the Chevy place to pick up the truck. After all that we gathered at Gail’s for grilled portabella’s and that great German chocolate cake Linda made. What a nice day!

January 24^th – We got all our exercise done before going to Pat & Mike’s her famous eggs benedict. That took the rest of the morning and we didn’t have to worry about going to the store hungry. We did get some cards played with them after supper.

January 23^rd – After our walk and breakfast we went to Church at the Old Mission near here. It is such a neat old building from the 1700’s and still has the rustic old pews – small and hard! We passed on the Indian fry bread being hawked in the parking lot afterwards. We did try it the last time we were there. We went to Scott & Lori’s for the afternoon while the football games were on. The 72 inch screen makes it vivid.

January 22^nd – We did our walk and exercise – back to one dog – a little easier. We did some cleaning chores and after lunch we went on a bike ride with Pat and Mike. And then after supper we played Rummikub – a rummy type game with tiles instead of cards.

January 21st – After our walk and a lot of “fetch the ball” with the dogs we went with Pat & Mike to visit a pecan farm – mostly an expensive gift shop… Then we toured the only Titan Missile facility left in the USA. It was a very interesting and informative couple hours. Our guide was a retired Air Force Officer who had actually worked in this and other missile sites. We got back and had to workout the dogs and bake a pie (a new recipe) for a get together and Pat & Mike’s with Gail, Scott and Lori. Lots of good food and the pie was a hit too. Scott & Lori took Sky along home with them.

January 20^th - After the walk and working with the dogs we did some chores and after lunch we had to go into Tucson to arrange the final stuff to get the truck fixed and we went to several parts places looking for some of the parts I’ll have to put on. Then we went by the hospital and the shooting site to see the memorials that we have seen every day on TV. It was very impressive in person and there were more satellite TV news trucks there than I have ever seen in one place – they are getting ready to move the Congresswoman to a rehab center in Texas.

January 19^th – We tried to find a working combination on walking and exercising the two dogs – they actually adapted very well. We headed to Green valley to meet Gail at the Farmer’s Market – it was a beautiful day and lots and lots of vendors. They even had two massage therapists doing chair massages – I got some of the knots out of my shoulders. The only thing we did wrong was waiting too long to find something for lunch. Two of the vendors sold out and the other had lines so long we were not going to wait that long for a Sonora hot dog even though we heard they were very good. We found a local café that had a half pound burger with fires on the daily special and it was plenty for us to split. We came home to make our grapefruit pie – not many had ever heard of it. Pat and Mike came into the campground in mid afternoon and we had them and Gail come over for Happy Hour and then tenderloins and fresh veggies, salsa and homemade tortilla chips from the market followed by the pie.

January 18^th – After our walk we got ready to head to Green Valley to pick up Gail for a hike in Madera Canyon. We also saw Scott & Lori before they went to Phoenix for a business meeting and we picked up Sky (Lexi’s sister from the next litter) – we will watch her for a few days while they are gone. I think we will have our hands full! We took both dogs on the hike – we started from the parking area at 5400 feet and hiked almost two hours up the mountain to 7400 feet – farther than last year when snow got too deep. There was still snow in the valleys and it was a little icy in a couple spots but it was 68 degrees when we started a little before 1:00 and it was 54 degrees when we got down but by the time we got back to town it was 75 warm and sunny degrees – felt good. The dogs still had energy left to go round and round in the 5^th wheel – good think they know WHOA!!! They did crash for awhile so it was nice and quiet.

January 17^th – We got our walk and exercise out of the way and tried one of the grapefruit we picked up on our walk – there was a whole basket of them with a sign “free , take some”. They were pretty good so we’ll see if there are more in the morning. The first on the list of chores for the day was to go to the grocery store – it was hard to get a lot done because it was so nice out but we did get some things off the list before the lawn chairs called…

January 16^th – We shortened our walk a little in anticipation of a hike. We packed a lunch and headed to the west Saguaro National Park – forgot – no dogs on the trails. So we had to backtrack a bit to Tucson Mountain Park and we still got a nice hike in before it got too warm. It was 74 when we headed back around 2:00. Just relaxed the rest of the afternoon.

January 15^th – We tried to find a route for the morning walk that we could find placed to let Lexi run too. After breakfast and some laundry we went into Tucson. We got some hiking, biking and Farmer’s Market info at the visitor’s center. Then we stopped at the Chevy dealer to see about getting the truck fixed and found a Farmer’s Market. It took about three hours – big towns, traffic and distance – it will take some adjusting. When we got back the wash was dry and we went to Green Valley to see Gail and Scott & Lori.

January 14^th – We had to wait for daylight to go for our walk because we were up by 5:40 – don’t know why! We did the Pilates routine and had coffee while we waited for enough light. We were still half way through the walk before the sun was above the horizon. Then we started packing up for the move to the south side of Tucson. We checked in about noon, got setup and just enjoyed the sunny 72 degree afternoon.

January 13^th – After our morning walk we headed to Mesa ( found the I-10 rest areas that were closed last year reopened – here at least) to visit Gary & Lydia (we go to Canada with them). They showed us all the new improvements in the resort they stay in, Lexi tied out the new doggie park and then we went out to lunch. We are still not ready for full time in one winter spot. One stop on the way back at a bigger dog park but Linda vetoed the one with the lake – something about a wet dog on the way home…

****** The President came to Tucson to address a large crowd and national TV coverage on the shooting tragedy that left a Federal Judge and a nine year old girl among the six dead and a Congresswoman shot in the head******

January 12^th – We got our morning walk and exercise routine done before saying goodbye to Pat & Mike who are headed to Mesa. We got back some of our rosemary – toasted into some coated mixed nuts they were really good too – just ask Lexi. We were sampling them and left the container open while we were outside with laundry and she apparently figure the nuts were fair game – BAD DOG! After lunch we tried a new hike at Casa Grande Mountain – the trail was more like a road but steep enough to have switchbacks. There were suppose to be multiple trails but we didn’t find the others – next time more info or maps.

January 11^th – After a shortened walk we went to the local Farmer’s Market I it was small – only a half a dozen booths but we got something from half of them and Pat & mike added another. The coffee place roasts and grinds the beans themselves and the dark roast was especially nice. Next stop the outlet mall’s kitchen shop – we managed to get all the shopping out of our systems in time for lunch at Eva’s (Mexican).

January 10^th – We started with our regular morning routine and some chores that needed to be done. After lunch we took Pat & Mike on a bike tour of some different neighborhoods between here and downtown. We played some cards and had our chicken and broccoli braid and then had to finish the card game.

******** The news here is almost 100% coverage of a shooting in Tucson. A gunman killed six and wounded 19 at a congresswoman’s neighborhood meeting at a Safeway store********

January 9^th – After our walk, church and lunch we headed out to South Mountain for a good hike. Then we had snacks and then a quiche and salad supper.

January 8^th – We went around the park on our bikes to see what people had our for the patio sale (a small version of a neighborhood garage sale) after the usual morning stuff. Nothing we couldn’t live without – some advantage to limited room… After lunch we rode our bikes through some of the neighborhoods near here and then gave them a tour of the town in the truck. After supper we played board games with our other friends who are leaving tomorrow.

January 7^th – After the morning routine and a little breakfast we headed out to find some things to finish the TV project. I made some brackets to support it while we are bouncing down the road and a thin indoor/outdoor carpet for under it to limit movement. We had a gathering here for toddy time so Pat & Mike could meet some friends and they stayed for our grilled portabella mushrooms and fresh green bean salad.

January 6^th – Lexi found more quail again this morning – I think there are more coveys than the last couple years. After our walk we did some chores and visiting and after lunch we took Pat & Mike hiking out at North Mountain. Now we are heading over there with our fresh peach pie for supper. They had a nice Italian meal for us with Manicotti, salad and fresh artisan bread baked on the grill. Mmmmm.

January 5^th – On our morning walk Lexi showed us that she is back close to her usual form. It is nice to see but now she wants all that extra exercise she missed! After our walk and a quick breakfast and shower we went with the neighbors to Costco to see what it is like. A lot of these folks do everything there – we thought it looked like Sam’s with a few perks – although we have only been to Sam’s twice. After we got back we were headed out to pick up a couple things and take Lexi to the dog park when we saw Pat (my sister) and Mike checking in. We stopped to say hi and told them to let us know when they were settled in and then went our way. Not long after we got back they called so we walked over to see how they are doing on their trip so far.

January 4^th – We got a little longer walk in this morning and let Lexi run in the desert for a short time before reining her in. She is doing much better. Shortly after we got back the crew was here to paint – so it was watch the work and watch paint dry… It’s a tough job.

January 3^rd – We got our walk and exercise routine done before we headed to Mesa for the day. We visited the Jacobsen’s and looked at their resort as a possibility for the month of March, went to lunch and played some cards with them. We came home after dark (which we don’t like to do) but it is better than the rush hour traffic (we like even less).

January 2^nd – After our morning walk (cold again) we made fresh fruit smoothies before church. Made a rhubarb pie to share but otherwise a nice quiet Sunday.

January 1^st, 2011 or 1/1/11. That will take some getting used to. HAPPY NEW YEAR. We finished the year with a bang yesterday – or should I say woops… After the store I was backing in when one of those invisible posts caught the side of the truck behind the duals. Too cold for flexibility in the composite material and caboom. NOT GOOD! We got another cold walk in this morning – ice skim on the pond edges. Easy does it again for Lexi – she just doesn’t know a speed less than full. The hummingbirds are extra busy with the cold and the sun changes the colors on the heads. Today we went shopping for a replacement TV and boy have they changed. We will decide later whether to leave it in here or swap with the one at home…

December 31^st – Wow – the last day of 2010. We got a cool walk in this morning – everything went from above normal to way below normal. I think it was all the Iowans coming out here for the bowl game. Lexi got to go but limited time chasing the ball – she is better but not 100%. We had to go to the store again – the ladies have planned a progressive dinner for tonight – there will be three couples, appetizers first, then ribs and wings here (I made pomegranate margaritas for our health drink) and the last stop dessert – lemon meringue pie that was homemade. Everything was delicious and it took five and a half hours to talk our way through all that food.

December 30^th – We did get more rain overnight for a 24 hour total of 6 or 7 tenths and it was windy. The streets and the holding pond in the campground have a lot of standing water – there are no storm drains. We lost power for a short time this morning and we lost the TV when it came back. The voltage drop must have been too much for the poor old thing. The good news is we already have hummingbirds lined up on the feeder. They are the Anna’s.

December 29^th – We had to walk without Lexi this morning – she is a little lame from a torn toenail. The work crew (of one or two) was going to be here by 9:00 but showed a little after 10:00 and went to lunch before noon. They came back about 1:30 to say – tomorrow. It was sprinkling a little. I might have made a mistake in telling them I would be here two weeks… Now it is raining steady but not as much as Phoenix and no snow measured in feet like Flagstaff but it is suppose to cool down over the weekend and possible get below freezing. You should see the fuss they make over that on the weather. After supper we went next door to play some board games.

December 28^th – We took a different route this morning to check on the progress of a housing development that flopped a couple years ago and it looked like time had stopped – no change. The empty desert across from it has more quail than ever – to bad it is in town I could have fun along with Lexi. I started waxing the back of the 5^th wheel until Linda’s wash was ready to hang out so I moved on to the truck. I got the top, hood and under the hood done before it was time to go get paint for the crew that are going to work on the under side of the 5^th wheel around the hitch tomorrow. We took Lexi across the road to play fetch for a while before a mid afternoon outing to Eva’s Mexican restaurant with two other couples. We watched a movie here with another couple before the Iowa game started – the Insight Bowl is only 40 miles from here.

December 27^th – We took a familiar walk this morning that included an area through the desert where Lexi found her first covey of quail. We spent the rest of the day on projects – including washing – the first load dried on the line before the second load was done! I mounted a shelf extension on the kitchen counter and got the hummingbird feeder out. We rode our bikes around the campground to see who is here and went to our favorite grocery store after lunch. We made a batch of peanut brittle – it’s hard to find a place to cool those sheets of brittle here – at home we just sit them outside…

December 26^th – We started packing for the move today but didn’t get everything done before church so instead of hooking up so we could move on after church we had to come back afterward to get the 5^th wheel. But we got to spend time with Kirby and Vonnie at coffee and donuts after church. We are only moving to Casa Grande so we weren’t in a big hurry anyway. We ended up parked next to John and Gloria who we thought were only here for a night but are now staying two weeks. While we were talking to them Jay and Sandy walked up – they are down about four spaces. We will be busy here.

December 25^th – MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!! After church in Benson with friends we all made our way over to some mutual friends who have a house in Whetstone. There were eight of us that gathered to share their hospitality and a great prime rib dinner and with all the side dishes nobody went hungry. It was a really nice day.

December 24^th – It got cool enough to have a light frost on things this morning – had to add another layer for our walk. We decided to stay here a couple more days and accept the invitation to Christmas dinner at some friends who have a home near here. There will be four couples together who have all met while traveling. I went over to help Kirby move a self unit he built for an elderly gentleman, and we had an early lunch so we could go visit some local folks we met several years back – he gave us some of his huge pampas grass to take back to Iowa. It grew great that year but it wasn’t hardy enough for Iowa winter. They are such nice people and we usually make time to chat with them if we can. More board games at our place after supper.

December 23^rd – We woke up to the pitter patter of rain drops on the roof. Linda took Lexi out with her rain gear on and we decided not to walk, so she started a coffee cake. It wasn’t even out of the oven when the skies started to clear. I went out to finish washing the trailer since it was presoaked. Linda did more wash. By noon we were off to visit friends in another RV park – it was really good to see them and catch up on the last year with them. Then we stopped by the grocery store on the way home – still have to eat. After supper we went to play games at another couple’s 5^th wheel here in the park.

December 22^nd – We got up early – haven’t adjusted to the time change I guess. After a nice walk and the exercise routine we headed to Tombstone – “the town to tough to die”. It has been ten years since we were there and we thought it might have changed… It is still a neat old west town and lots of history but more tourist trap stuff than we need. We did have a nice lunch at Big Nose Kate’s Saloon – there are a lot of colorful names on the businesses there. After we got back we headed out for a hike that turned out to be a little long – just over two hours – after we missed a trail marker.  It was probably a good thing – burning calories ahead of the pecan pie and ice cream that John and Gloria offer us shortly after we got back. Another FULL day.

December 21^st – a busy first day – after our morning walk, I got the water hooked up and then finished the installation of the washer/dryer that we couldn’t do in the cold Iowa weather. Linda did the first load of wash and everything worked!! Then I worked outside while Linda tackled the inside I got the back and one side relieved of 1600 miles of road grime. At least now we can see out of the windows. We have friends in the park and others in the area and we got together with some of them in the afternoon to catch up and then went out for pizza.

December 20^th – Happy Birthday to Angela! We had planned to take a walk of hike before hitting the road today but the weather reports said wind would get bad as the day went on and we had two mountain ranges to cross and they are not as much fun in the wind. We got a little breakfast and coffee and headed out. We have one really big climb before Las Cruses and the new computer in the truck showed it’s power side was up to the task and the breaking side probably saved me a ticket – at the bottom of the long grade is a 50MPH zone and the sheriff was sitting next to the sign. We got in to the campground about 2:30 and some friends greeted us on the way to our site so after setting up we went over to visit with them for awhile. We also got up in the middle of the night to go out and watch the lunar eclipse of the full moon during the winter solstice. It was great and there we millions of bright stars out to make it even more worthwhile.

December 19^th – We went walking in town this morning, watched the sun come up over the mountains and played catch with Lexi through an almost mile long park. We sat out in the lawn chairs for coffee when we got back before we got ready and headed to church and then picked a few things up at the store. After lunch we decided to head out to Oliver Lee SP south of town (one of our favorite hikes here). It was a heck of a workout for a first hike of the winter but it was great to be in shorts again and almost 70 degrees made the shirt come off too. A few muscles and joints will tell us how we did later I’m sure.

December 18^th – A much better travel day – only 329 miles. The first 100 miles had snow from a lot to a little which let us see quail and pheasant and crow feeding sites – the critters ( deer, coyote, and skunk) must have had a problem with the snow too. Once we started south of I-40 on 54 the wind was definitely noticeable – so much for the fuel economy. I’m really happy with the Banks computers – the power and downhill braking is a world of difference. It is really noticeable on roads we have done before. Now we’ll stay put a couple days, we went to the car wash with the truck as soon as it was disconnected from the trailer. It was so dirty you couldn’t be near it (and that was after the rain yesterday took away most of the black yuck!). Maybe we will find one the trailer will fit in next. It was great to see 60+ temps again. 7:00 PM and Lexi wanted to play moonlight Frisbee – much better at 55 degrees than 15 and snow – but she could care less which it is as long as she gets to play!

December 17^th – We left Emporia this morning in the mid 20’s and watched the temps rise to the mid 40’s again – we actually joked about the only white stuff was from the cotton fields. By the time we hit Oklahoma it was spitting rain and only 38 degrees and before we hit the Texas border 80 miles later snow was in the air and some along the ditches. We decided to stick with our plan to stay in Dalhart, TX even though it is pretty white and only 32 degrees. It was 70 degrees here on Wednesday – we must have left the door open from Iowa! They are saying they had 5 to 8 inches but there is barely 2 inches on the ground. Upper 40’s tomorrow and 70 again by Monday – as they say timing… On to Alamogordo tomorrow – suppose to be in the 60’s – if that’s true we will stay a couple days before heading to Benson, AZ.

December 16^th – After moving snow for the second day in a row we got a late start and slowly headed down the road. Snow and ice for the first 50 miles then sloppy wet salt mixture for the next 50. We finally got to above freezing temps at Kansas City and topped out at 44 degrees before we got to our stop for the night in Emporia, KS. At our first stop my walk around revealed a two inch thick coat of ice on the front of the truck – it made a lot of noise as it started coming off and flippin’ over the hood and off the windshield. We also took out a sharp-shinned hawk going through KC – just missed the truck but not quick enough for the 5^th wheel…

December 14^th – Bringing the 5^th wheel home today. Load and go – hope to head out Thursday AM. Looks like we will be cold for a few days…