WOW! Time continues to move at lightning speed.
April signals time to move! This winter in Arizona offered us cool yet
comfortable weather in January, perfect weather in February and a gradually
increase in temperatures for March. Now
that the thermometer reads mid to high 80 degree, it is time to get out of
town.
We
did have one torrential downpour this year. We were at a baseball game when the
grounds crew brought out about 15 members to man the tarp. Our experience has
taught us that when the crew arrives a downpour is imminent. We wonder if they have a crystal ball to
watch the storms move across the valley.
As soon as they appeared, we moved quickly toward the exit. The skies
then opened up and dumped inches of water onto the streets. Following the car in front of us looked just
like following a boat out of a marina. A
wake of water billowed up behind the car, while water rooster-tailed out each
side. At times the water spray from out car rose higher than our front fenders,
as curbs lines disappeared. We were told
that after clearing our closer intersection, other cars were not able to make
it through the running water.
The
corners of our street quickly became a pond.
A
day or so after the rain, the ground absorbed all the water.
Water
remained in the usually dry river bends for several days rather than being
syphoned immediately into the desert sands as normally happens here.
We
saw water in places that normally look parched from the sun.
This
wash has a bike trail along it. Riders usually see a dusty, dirty, dry ditch
here.
Spring
Training baseball weather paralleled the winter climate with only a couple of
games being too hot for me and one being too wet.
This counted as Derrille’s 13th and
my 12th year of Spring Training.
However instead of attending at least one game/per day as in the past,
this year we took two days off each week.
We haven’t discussed if we will maintain this schedule next year or not.
The days off were kind of nice.
This photo shows our view of the field. The couple right behind the 109 sign are
our friends Ron and Nancy. We sit right
in front of them. You can see Derrille
in his straw hat and gray shirt.
The
Mariner Moose even showed up a couple of times. He poses with fans and cavorts on top of the dugout.
One
of those days off we traveled east of Phoenix to a place called Tortilla Flats.
It sits just a few miles beyond the Canyon Lake we visited last year. The road
winds toward Superstition Mountain.
After
winding though the high desert terrain, and climbing into the hills, it stills
amazes me to see boats on the road.
The “Flats” originally was a stagecoach stop.
The three building array reminded us of Chicken Alaska.
These
three building house a country store, where we got ice cream,
a
saloon restaurant and a gift shop.
At
the end of the main structures sits a dilapidated cabin that houses a
museum.
The ceilings and some walls of the main buildings are papered with dollar bills.
The restroom
visit turned out to be an interesting place in its décor.
The
large sign out front gave us a little history.
This
little tourist attractions beckons people from all over. The day we visited a live band was
entertaining visitors in a beer garden.
Back
at the Paradise RV Resort, the gardens around the swimming pool grew up and
filled in during our time here.
Check out the beginning of January in the photo above right,
and then
the end of March.
The
flowers, grassy areas and trees set this park apart from some of the others.
Along
the outside wall of Paradise RV Resort
the bougainvillea that nearly died in the freezing winter of 2013, bloomed in all
its glory this winter. The vivid color warmed my heart every time we passed
by.
This
flower blooms all throughout the SW, including Southern California.
Paradise
Shopper Day occurs the second Saturday of each month. The ballroom takes on a
bazaar feel. A variety of vendors put their wares out for sale.
The wood workers have things for sale. Avon,
Home Interiors, and Tupperware have booths; leather works, several kinds of
jewelry, cleaning agents, fancy sweatshirt, bike lights, baseball caps,
homemade cards, knives and kid’s shirts. The metal sculpture garden area always catches my eye, and as does one of my favorites... the
banner booth. We own banners for every month and holiday. :)
I
purchase my tee shirts here and some from their home store. Every year I restock my basic wardrobe here. The Saturday Shoppers use to have a great
kitchen gadget booth, but I haven’t seen it the past two years. I shop and then I swim. I like to look, but seldom buy, once I’ve
made my tee shirt purchases.
The
Saturday following the Paradise Shopper is called Patio Sale day. The park
allows residents to put things in front of their park models or RVs for sell.
This
group gives the patio sale proceeds to a military postage group.
Az
01 04
People
come by cart, bike and one foot to delve into the “bargains”.
This
group of people were not looking at a patio sale, but had gathered to check out
this man’s new truck.
We
spent a good part of January and February getting a new HD television system
operational. I plan to write a separate blog on that process.
Derrille
continued his 4 mile morning walks and I took to the pool.
My
new right shoulder reaches out with a smooth, powerful stroke that moves me
easily through the water. The sensation of the water gliding pass me provides a
feeling of peaceful serenity. My
T-Rex-like left shoulder may move in a small dog 
paddle stroke beneath the
water or just drag at my side. The
result was a ½ crawl stroke down one length of the pool and then some other
kind of movement back across the pool.
With no left arm and a fused left ankle I usually swam a crooked
path. Fortunately I often had the pool
to myself, or with my swimming partner, Larry, who understands “crooked lanes”
and didn’t worry about hitting anyone. Although it continues to amaze me how
many people have no knowledge of pool etiquette. I quit counting the number of
times one other person would join me in the pool and then express surprise when
they floated into me. The pool is huge.
I’m obviously swimming laps and they still hit me. Hmmmm
February
continues to be Girls Scout Cookies time!
We gave a donation and bought a box at the stand in front of
JoAnne’s.
Did you know the Scouts now
take debit and credit cards?????
Wow
have they come a long way since I sold cookies door to door back in the dark
ages.
The
cats spend most of their days like this. Only their favorite napping spots
change as we move from place to place due to where the most sun is entering the
coach.
Good
bye Arizona, until next year.
Welcome Christmas 2013
