These are Weird Times??

Hello Family & Friends,
Thanks to everyone who has called, email and sent texts checking in on us and we hopefully have touched base with a lot of you through those communication means.  With Social Distancing the norm, many changes occur hour to hour and sometimes even soon.

We are doing well -- and try not to watch too much TV to up the anxiety and stress.  Here at North Ranch they have cancelled all activities until June 17 or until further notice.  So that means the clubhouse, activity center, pickleball barn and any and all special events are closed and locked.

I remember other critical events ie. Y2K, 9/11, Avian (Bird flu), the 2008 financial crisis -- and I can even go back further to the fuel shortage in the 70's and a lot of you go back to Viet Nam, World Wars, other Wars, depression and on an on --- we have a marvelous brain function that forgets "heavy duty" painful events --- and so we can reflect back and remember that we came through!!!!

We are trying to minimize our exposure with only essential activities like doctor appointments, grocery shopping and post office runs.  We stocked up on books today because it is likely the library will close at some point.  And as mentioned in an early post, we are finding all kinds of "RV" home projects to complete -- and shed cleaning/reorganizing.  We are trying to up our exercise to alleviate the worry and when the weather cooperates, a few desert rides are on the way.

Fortunately, Yavapai county has no known cases so that is good news.  We are healthy and we have essentials for about 2 weeks (maybe a little more with creative meals) --- as with so much of the country we are in a wait and watch, and trying to remain positive that this too will pass.

I am amazed at the positives and kindness (no matter how small or large) that I find each day online, in the news or shared by family/friends ----- today I received a free pattern from one of the cross stitch shops I follow and they sent out a pattern to download during this crisis ....

We keep all of you in our prayers and please let us know how you are doing!  I guess the saying "What doesn't kill you, makes you Stronger" says it all --- I just didn't think it would apply to a Pandemic!

Sending love and blessings from the road,
Susan & Darrel

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Hello Family & Friends,
Well, with all the cancellations of about everything in Arizona (and around the USA), we celebrated Irish Day quietly with many texts from friends and family as well as a couple of phone calls.

One of my early morning St. Paddy Day wishes was from Archie!

He really looks pretty dashing in his green, Irish hat perched on his head -- not quite the leprechaun, but he is about a tricky as one.

I was hoping to see Ruger in green, but don't think Bob is "Irish" 😀 -- would have been a picture to keep but Ruger mostly wears Wisconsin Red!!!

On Monday, Darrel did get his permanent crown on his tooth and we had eye appointments that had been scheduled before the "lockdown" happened.  We are doing home chores and are expecting rain Wed. through early Thursday -- it is time to reorganize the shed so things are easier to find.

OK, keep reading for Post #3 -- and find out how we are surviving COVID-19 in Arizona.

Sending Love and Blessings from the road,

Susan & Darrel

La Fiesta at North Ranch

Hello Family & Friends,
With all that is going on with COVID-19, I wanted to start with what happened before the bottom fellout!

North Ranch celebrates the beginning of the park with an annual event call La Fiesta -- over the years it has changed in activities and I remember that last year it was co-chaired by a couple of residents.  It is a large event with activities on Friday and Saturday.

This year no one came forward to be a chair or co-chair of the event but that didn't stop the North Ranch residents -- the craftshow went on, the luncheon on Saturday, a dance on Friday night and the Sandbag baseball tournament.

So Darrel and I participated in the sandbag baseball tournament and I've included pictures of the event.

Here is Susan pitching a sandbag towards the board --- see next picture

Darrel guards the board and picks up the sandbags to return to the opposite team players.

Most people call this "cornhole" or bean bag toss, but as you can see the board is on a slant and is labeled with out, foul, homerun, and each base number.  It was a fun day -- our team actually made it to the final 4, so for only a practice for 30 minutes, I'd say we did OK....

Anyway, it was a smaller event, but just as much fun.  We had great weather and people were without the worries coming our way in the short future....

Keep on reading, more posts to follow!

Sending love and blessings from the road,

Susan & Darrel

Looking Up!

Hello Family & Friends,
Do you ever spend much time just looking up at the sky, or up in a shed or building?  We have so much air traffic from jet liners to Luke Air Force Base jets that sometimes the sky is just filled with interesting line designs.  I've captured a few to show you!!!

When the jets start flying, they sometimes release smoke/vapor (I am hoping NOT jet fuel) and the loops and zigzags they do are pretty impressive.

And as the winds stir up the smoke (vapor), they blend and make all kinds of shapes and designs.

Really blowing out of the line!

I caught our flag in between the squiggles --- pretty awesome!

And then there was a commercial jet line (they stay pretty straight).  I can always tell the difference from the flyboys vs. the airline pilots : )

One more spreading line .....

And then I caught the moon (circle) and the line to the left, it was an amazing day to see so many different sky markings.

Below is Darrel's handyman storage feature, he has built a rack to store lumber and odds and ends in the storage shed.  So when I walk in, I look up to find it already full!

Also, notice the Harbor Freight "free" flashlights magnetically sticking on the refrigerator.  That is our way to have light in the shed, and it comes in handy when I trek out there after dark.

Hope you have enjoyed my Looking Up post -- and maybe it will inspire you to look up because the same Sun and Moon you see at your home, is the same one I see at my home -- connected!!!

Blessings from the road and sending love,

Susan & Darrel

Update from the Blah Blogger : |

Hello Family & Friends,
We have just been pretty blah as the post suggests!!!  I can pretty much sum up our last couple of weeks with a bullet list (maybe as spring arrives, we will brush off those winter doldrums and spring into spring??).

So here's to the list:

1. Dental appointments for Darrel netted two more trips to get a cavity filled and a crown (which means a temporary and then a permanent) within the next 2 weeks.
2. Susan only had 1 dental appointment and got the gold star for having good dental health!
3. We had to replace the Instant Pot and that went pretty well, a phone call, a couple of emails with pictures attached and they sent us a replacement -- Go Team Pender!
4. I have been spring cleaning and clearing out old clothing and replacing worn clothing -- so some online ordering.
5. The UTV is now the biggest project as we have to replace the brakes and Darrel found another issue with the ball joint -- so trying to get that fixed.
6. Both of us have had our hips and/or lower backs hurting (not really sure why?) so we have been trying to get those straightened out with trips to the Chiropractor.  Which being on the road makes is sometimes difficult to find "in network" physicians.
7. Filing taxes -- that was a trip to Surprise to the tax man -- so check that off the before April 15 to do list.
8. Darrel did take a desert trip with Bob, Ruger and John as Susan stayed home and attended the Red Hats luncheon.  I didn't send the camera with Darrel so no pics and I didn't think the Red Hat ladies would want to be photographed eating lunch 😀
9. as you can see, I am trying to make it to 10 things --- been fighting allergies (I think) when the Arizona wind kicks up (Darrel thinks a cold but I don't think so!)
10. I have taken a few walks, bicycled and a few pickleball games while nursing my hip....plus reading a few good books while at rest.
11. OH, and one more, I have been eating lots of grapefruit and oranges AND.... juicing lemons for freezing..... so I have done more than I thought!

These are ruby red and very deliciously sweet --- I am spoiled with having fresh citrus at my fingertips.

Also, I like to share my Fitbit stats from the year -- they send them out sometime in January and since I don't have much to send this time around, I'll add those screen captures too....  I had to capture them in 2 separate pics since they send out the information in different ways and this one was too big to get in 1 capture.

So now that I have completely bored you (but I feel better for posting something!) -- I hope you are having a great start to March, ours came in like a Lion with lots of wind but sunshine.

OH, NOTE --- Daylight Saving Time begins next week and Arizona doesn't participate in DST so those of you in Mountain Time will be 1 hour ahead, Central will be 2 hours ahead and Eastern will be 3 hours ahead ---- until we leave and move to Mountain time (yes, I know, I can drive you crazy, can't I?).

Sending blessings from the road,

Susan and Darrel