March 25, Wednesday 2020

Once again I have been berated for not keeping up with the blog. Once again I am resolved to do better.

The past few days have given us the best weather we have had for awhile.  That promotes afternoon gatherings on someone's deck or patio.  We have taken advantage of that and visited with our neighbors, while observing the social distancing recommended. The current conditions regarding the COVID-19 has altered all of our habits here.

Our grandson Austin is self-quarantined as he has been exposed to the virus by a co-worker.   Joey is also quarantined at home, and Drew in Texas is also quarantined at home. We ask for your prayers that they do not get sick.

Lela has been ordering our groceries online from the local grocer and we pick them up at the door.  There are quite a few items which the store cannot fill so I ventured out this morning at 6 AM to obtain some missing items.

 I don't think I have ever purchased a 5 pound bag of flower.

You have to buy what ever is available.

Our grocer (Fry's) is similar to Schnucks as it is family owned.  There is a 6 to 7 AM shopping hour for the over 60 folks, so I took advantage of that this morning.  I was armed with rubber gloves and sanitizer.  Everything was sprayed before it came into the house.  We are doing all we can to avoid problems.  My shopping clothes went into the washer and I went into the shower as soon as I could.
 
 We were going to have Paul and his family over last Saturday (21st) but cancelled due to an abundance of caution.  We may not see them again this season. Such is the new normal.

On Sunday we had a gathering to say good-by to our very best neighbors.

 Amber and Larry - Headed for Iowa

They are leaving for Iowa and have sold their place to another couple in the park. We were over the ten person limit and six feet of spacing, but that hadn't been implemented at that point.

 Saying good-by to friends on our patio.

We are very sad to see them go, but they have some health problems and have children to support them in Iowa.


 St. Patrick's day came and went.  There were no "formal" parties in the park, but we managed to celebrate.

On the 21st, Saturday we were getting a little cabin fever as we hadn't been out of the park for awhile. So we took a drive about 60 miles round trip to Superior, and Queen Valley, AZ. These are two sleepy little towns just East of here.  We stopped on the highway and picked out a couple rocks to add to our pile. It was a beautiful drive into the mountains and we felt much better upon our return.

Headed East

 Superior was mostly deserted as all the shops were closed

 Mural

 Queen Valley entrance

 Overlooking Queen Valley and golf course

We have been able to do our Sunday worship with our home church by way of the internet and a program called Zoom, which allows us to see one another and speak to one another, also. We are working the "kinks" out of it as everyone gets to know how to use the program.

Gary, Bruce and Clete hanging a screen door

Too many chiefs

Our good friend Marilyn

March 13, 2020 Friday

Last Sunday the 8th, the park chartered a tour bus and took us to a Cactus league baseball game.

On the bus

It featured the Milwaukee Brewers and the Oakland A's.

Hohokam Stadium in Mesa AZ

  Lela and I donned our Cardinal gear and went to the game.

It's great to have good friends!

Some of the crew, can you find us?

Our good friends, Darlene and Bruce from Washington state.

It was a good time. The game itself wasn't very good as the final score can attest (11-3, A's), but it was baseball and several of the big league players played.

G'pa did manage to corral a foul ball down the left field line.  As time goes by it may be remembered as a diving, one handed grab, which saved the life of a little old lady.

Hero of the day and his admiring wife.

I did not play golf this week as I am nursing a back injury.  I hope to be able to play on Wednesday this week.

Lela has skipped her exercise class yesterday and today as she is nursing a leg injury.

Getting old isn't for sissies.

Our weather this week has been very poor.  We have had four days of rain and cool temperatures. They tell us on the news that it is very unusual to have consecutive days like we've had.  The sun is out today, but temps are only mid 60's.

We haven't been seeing our usual hummingbirds this season, but we have noticed others taking advantage of the feeders.

Woodpeckers on the Hummingbird feeders

We are staying close to home now as the Covid Virus is limiting our willingness to be in a crowd.  Lela even did her grocery shopping online and we just picked up the order without going inside.  Hopefully we'll get home without being exposed here.

March 6, 2020, Friday

Today is Grandson Ben's birthday, tomorrow is Brother Dan's birthday and Sunday is Grandson Drew's birthday.  March is a busy month for us.

Well, after Gloria and Ron left for home, we pretty much sat on the couch with old movies the rest of the day. That was a Monday.

Then Tuesday it was back to the normal routine.  Lela was doing her morning exercise class at 8 AM while I sit at home with my coffee.  A neighbor, Carol, has citrus trees on her lot and she needed help to pick lemons to furnish a local restaurant, so we helped with that. (No green card needed).

Wednesday was golf and I was again happy with my recent scores.  I have been consistently in the low eighties. (82 Wednesday and 81on Saturday this week).

While I was gone Lela finished this blanket for Ana.

There have been the usual happy hours around the park and an occasional Mimosa in the AM for some of the ladies. The social life here is constant.

Friday the 28th we went up to Apache Junction for the Lost Dutchman Days Rodeo. After seeing the Tucson Rodeo the week before, there wasn't much comparison. The rodeo was fun and the overall setting was very good.  We enjoyed it for what it was.

Flyer

 

Cowpokes

Rodeo clown

View from the grandstands of the Superstition Mountain

On Leap Day, February 29, we attended a tribute show for Patsy Cline in our large clubhouse. It was a fun evening with some good country music.

Sunday, March 1, Lela was having some sinus issues so we stayed home for a couple days. Tuesday she was back to her exercise class, and we returned to normal.

Wednesday was golf... sort of. I ballooned to 88 and was very unhappy. I always have fun, but sometimes I enjoy it more. I am skipping next week's golf to nurse an upper back problem.

I think a two week rest will help to heal me.

After two Aleve, Lela and I went to the clubhouse for a free concert put on by the musicians who live in the park.  It was very good and they played for over two hours. 

Yesterday we just visited around the park with friends.