December 31, 2015—An RV lot in Yuma, Arizona

Today was a very busy way to finish 2015!

Bill and I walked with Todd and Lexie.  It was one of the best walks I have had in a long time.  I was walking at a regular pace and didn’t have to stop and sit down to rest after every block or so of walking. 

We stopped when we got to Todd’s motorhome so we could visit with Bonnie and Maggie.  That little dog was so excited to see us she couldn’t decided which lap to sit on.  I think Bill finally won the popularity contest and remains her boyfriend.  It certainly is a good thing I am not the jealous type!  Both of those little dogs are absolutely adorable.  I am so glad Bonnie and Todd don’t mind us spoiling their mutts.

When we got back to our house, we decided we would go to lunch at KFC.  We had planned to get a few groceries before going back home.  However, when we finished eating, instead of feeling rejuvenated, we were both very tired.  I took a shower and got ready to go to a New Year’s gathering.  There was never time for a nap and I really did need one.

We had several Mexican dishes at the gathering.  They were all very good.  Bonnie brought a chocolate cake that was delicious.  As usual, the visiting among the group was our entertainment. 

So, Happy New Year’s Eve!  Tomorrow we go to a brand new year with hopes for a healthier year filled with safe travels to many interesting places.

December 30, 2015—An RV lot in Yuma, Arizona

We walked with Todd and Lexie this morning.  It was kind of cold and rather windy, so it wasn’t as pleasant on the walk as it usually is.  More and more, we are meeting other walkers.  So we have new “friends,” we don’t have any idea where most of them live, but we do know what kind of dogs they have, and which route we might see them on.  It is just another interesting aspect of Yuma.

I worked really hard for the rest of the morning and well past noon getting “Christmas things” ready to mail to the kids.  I finished “this year’s ornament,” which was different than most years…that is always my goal. 

I also sent checks instead of gift cards.  I have found out how expensive it is to ship things, and not very reliable at that, so I may take the easy route from now on.  The fact that I am a week late for the 25th isn’t really too surprising, considering the way my year has gone.

Of course, going to Winter Haven, California, put us in In-N-Out territory, so guess where we went for a late lunch?  Right!  And a great big “Yum, yum!”

Two weeks from today, I will be at Brent’s.  I have lots to do between now and then and I am getting very excited about going to see those guys.

December 29, 2015—An RV lot in Yuma, Arizona

We went for a walk with Todd and one of his pups...the feisty one.  She loves to be the leader and pulls on her leash as hard as she can.  Lexie looks like Maddie.  They both have just about the same amount of energy.  Mario and Maddie live in the Sacramento area.  This morning, they woke up to snow on the ground.  They are so lucky, eh?

We went to Taco Bell for lunch before starting on our errands.  We haven't eaten there for a while.  Unfortunately, they don't have Diet Dr. Pepper in their soda machine, so we made a quick stop at McDonald's a block earlier so I could get my "fix" before getting the tacos.

Our next stop was at the Yuma Regional Airport.  It shares the flight lines with the Marine Base, so we were treated to several fighter jets (F16s, I think) taking off while we were.  They were very loud.  The "locals" call that the "sound of freedom."

I needed to get information about checking luggage and things like that when I fly to Mississippi in a couple of weeks.  It is a small airport.  I haven't used an airport so small since flying out of Casper, Wyoming in the mid 1970s.  It should be interesting.

We started watching Baylor in a bowl game, but only made it to halftime, when "Zorro" took over.

December 28, 2015—An RV lot in Yuma, Arizona

This was not too good a day for me.  I had a tender tummy most of the night and off and on today.  I took a morning nap while Bill and Todd went for a walk.  Afterwards, Bill went on a couple of errands.  When he came into the motorhome, I didn’t wake up.  I was really out.

The rest of the day was just about worthless, as far as I was concerned.

We watched the Bronco game against Cincinnati.  Most to the first half belonged to the Bengals, but Denver had a better second half and the game was tied at the end of regulation play.  In overtime, Denver went into the lead and managed to hang on to win.  Yippy, Skippy!

December 27, 2015—An RV lot in Yuma, Arizona

The weather was better today.  We had some wind, but nothing like yesterday.  However, it was colder today.  I told Bill I thought it might snow and the look he gave me was anything but nice!

We went to Cowboy Country Church this morning.  The music was wonderful, as usual.  Jack, the preacher, shared some good  thoughts.  He was a bit wordy, though.  The music is more inspirational than anything, but that is the way I’ve always felt about it.

After going out to lunch with Todd, Bonnie, Bill, and Ardeen, we went home for naps.  In case you are confused, there are several “Bills” in the group.  We sometimes feel like we are calling roll.

The rest of the day was spent watching football and some old TV programs.  We are enjoying the tapes of “Scarecrow and Mrs. King,” which we got for Christmas.  Thanks, Meredith and Michelle. 

We also watched some Zorro episodes.  I talked to JP tonight and completely forgot to tell him something very important.  The “hand” showed.  Zorro’s horse had to stay secure and still be immediately ready for action.  Someone behind the wall would hold Toronado’s rein.  Several times the “holder” would not move fast enough to get out of the way.  When JP and Natalia watched Zorro with us in the MH, we always watched for the “hand.”  I remember it caused much laughter and cheering.  Jo, one of our favorite “desert rat friends,” watched Zorro with us many times and knew about the “hand.”  We certainly are easy to entertain.

December 26, 2015—An RV lot in Yuma, Arizona

We were having a terrible windstorm when we got up this morning.  The casita which is across the street and is under construction, had some wind damage.  The tar paper on the roof was ripped off in several places and will probably have to be completely replaced before the tile roof can be put on.

At one point, some of the insulation board blew off the side of the structure and a couple of minutes later was blown over the back wall into a neighbor’s yard.  The front door, which hadn’t been installed and was propped up against the wall, now appears to be lying on the ground.  We don’t know if the glass is broken and didn’t want to go over in the wind to check it out.  There is a limit as to what “spies” are required to do.

At noon, we needed to go to Walmart for some Rxs and, since In-N-Out is just a little ways further on, it made sense to go there for lunch.  It was very busy, but we were able to get a booth.  No one was eating outside at the tables because the wind was so terrible.

The wind continued to blow all afternoon and only got worse as night came on.  Our motorhome was rocking.  We have seen it worse before, but not often.

December 25, 2015—An RV lot in Yuma, Arizona

Merry Christmas everyone!  We hope you had a blessed day.  This is our first Christmas to be away from all of our family.  Although we will miss them all so-o-o-o much, we are handling it well.  We have lots of Christmas memories wrapped around all of them.

We went to have Christmas dinner with 15 other friends, most of whom we knew, some for a long time.  Todd and Bonnie were friends back in the days when we were Volkswalking.  We can’t remember how long ago we met them…perhaps about 30 years ago.  Most of the other people at dinner we met through Todd and Bonnie.  All are full-timers, so there is always lots to talk about.

We grilled steak and shrimp, had salad, bread, green beans, and Jello salad.  There were several kinds of pie…way too many choices, and all good.  At least the things I sampled.  There were lots of munchies, but I stayed away from them.  Surprise, surprise!

We had a gift exchange and did more chatting.  Most of the people live at least part of the year in Yuma.

As it got dark, some people in the neighborhood began to walk toward the desert, about two blocks away.  Keeping in mind there was a full moon and this is Yuma, they were going to howl at the moon, like coyotes.  Normally (if you can call any of this normal) people stay for several hours, have picnics, and listen to local bands who might come out to the desert for the occasion.  Perhaps, because it was Christmas, the “howlers” were fewer in numbers and didn’t stay as long.  When we got home well after dark the desert had calmed down!  Yes, Yuma is different!

December 24, 2015—An RV lot in Yuma, Arizona

We left the motorhome at 8:00 to take care of some last minute errands.  We also went to McDonald’s to share a Big Breakfast.  While we were there, we saw something we hadn’t seen before. 

A woman was going through the trash in the restaurant looking for food.  She had a tall stack of biscuits, some whole ones and some partially eaten.  She had lots of butter and jelly packets and one hand was full of pieces of potato cakes.  She was collecting everything in a heavy cloth bag.  I told Bill she might be collecting all of her food for the day in her bag, or she might be feeding her family.  We said it was time for a blessings check…we sometimes forget how lucky we are, in so many ways!

I didn’t sleep very well last night, so when we got home, I took a nap.  I guess that was my Christmas Eve present to myself.  Of course, I didn’t accomplish much else for the rest of the day.

Just after dark, two ATVs, decorated with strings of lights, drove into our driveway.  The RV lot owners weren’t home at the time, so the visitors knocked on our door and sang “We wish you a Merry Christmas!”  I think it was the first time we have ever had carolers, Willie Nelson style, on the road.  Yes, things are different in Yuma!

After I get this blog posted for today, I am going to stay up and make two desserts to take to Christmas dinner tomorrow.  I have made so few things in the last few years that I hope I don’t make a mess of things.  I wouldn’t want to be on the evening news for making guests sick like Chipolte did!

December 23, 2015—An RV lot in Yuma, Arizona

Two more days until Christmas, and Bill and I just found out that we needed gifts for a gathering that we have been invited to on Christmas Day.

We went for a walk with Todd and the dogs.  The weather was much better than yesterday.  We had very little wind and only needed a light jacket…not like yesterday at all.  After our walk, we went shopping.

One of the places we were going to shop was Sam’s Club.  Our first order of business was to have a hotdog lunch.  While Bill was ordering our food, I sat at a table because I was feeling like I was “melting”…in other words, my legs weren’t going to hold me up much longer. 

The table I sat at was occupied by a couple who had just finished eating.  They stayed at the table until Bill got there.  We had lots and lots in common with them and had much to talk about.  Jim and Margie were from Knoxville, Tennessee, before they went full-timing not too long after we did.  We had many travel experiences to talk about.  It was a delightful way to spend our lunch time.  Hopefully, we will see them again.

We had gift shopping to do.  Bill went through the checkout line while I was in the restroom.  While he was waiting for me, someone came up and said, “Are you Bill Dane?”  It was Frank and Margaret that we knew for years and years while we all living in Seaside.  We knew they had a place here in the Foothills area of Yuma, but we hadn’t been able to locate them.  We were lucky to all be at the right place at the right time.  Now that we have their address and phone number, we will be able contact them for more visiting after things settle down after the holidays.

We had one more shopping stop to make, but weren’t able to get the item we wanted.  We’ll try again tomorrow.  This has turned into a last minute frenzy!  

December 22, 2015—An RV lot in Yuma, Arizona

We went to Walmart at 8:00 this morning to avoid the rush.  Even at that early hour, the place was already busy.

When we started our morning walk at 10:00, Bonnie told me I needed a warmer coat.  She was correct.  The wind was blowing, and it was an overcast day.  This is the first day with no sunshine since we arrived.    But no snow, either, Bill!  He says that’s a four letter word!  And he is right.

We have heard reports that Michelle and Meredith may have snow on Christmas day!  I say, “Lucky them.”  Bill says he is glad we are in Southwestern Arizona!

I had a mission for today.  It was to go to In-N-Out, and not necessarily for lunch.  Bill said as long as we are there, we should eat!  That was fine with me.  I can’t tell you why I needed to go there, because it was a Christmas secret.  I can tell you my mission was accomplished and we had a good lunch, too.

We stayed home the rest of the day.  Naps were the first priority, which we accomplished.  My second job for the day was to shovel off my desk.  That didn’t get done.  There’s always tomorrow, right?

December 21, 2015—An RV lot in Yuma, Arizona

We went for a walk with Todd and his pups.  Bonnie was at a beading class.  One of the little dogs,Maggie, has a crush on Bill.  So, of course, she was happy he was holding her leash.  When we got back to our RV lot, I went up to the steps to rest while the two guys and two dogs went on toward Todd’s house. 

Maggie was quite concerned that Bill might be stopping with me.  Every step or two, she would look around to make sure he was still holding her leash.  I can tell you for a fact she has a special place in his “sometimes gruff Grandpa” heart.

Bill and I went to Winter Haven to get stamps. At least that was our excuse.  In-N-Out is on the way back home, so of course, you know where we had lunch!  We had meant to stop at Walmart on the way home, but the parking lot was completely crammed, so we decided to get up early in the morning and “beat the rush.”

Ugh!  That means I have to get up “early.”  That’s not a nice word!

December 20, 2015—An RV lot in Yuma, Arizona

We lolled around the house for part of the morning, before going to Cowboy Country Church.  Afterwards, we went to dinner at the Foothills Eatery.  That’s the place that has chicken fried steak and country fried chicken.  I find that rather amusing, but didn’t order either. 

I had a biscuit with gravy.  My tummy has been kind of unsettled lately, and my choice agreed with me.  Bill has shrimp.  It looked good, but I didn’t ask him for a bite so I don’t know for sure.  There were eight of us around the table, so there was a lot going on.

We weren’t able to get the Bronco game on DISH, so I took a long nap.  I’m sad to report that Denver lost.  Sniff, sniff!  But I enjoyed my nap!

We went to a Christmas music program.  Some of the songs we sang along with, but most of it we just listened to.  Jack played the guitar and his sidekick played the fiddle.  They are both extremely talented.

December 19, 2015—An RV lot in Yuma, Arizona

December 19, 2015—An RV lot in Yuma, Arizona

I got a very good night’s rest, ate half my breakfast, and went back to bed for another two hours of sleep.  I felt much better this afternoon.

We went for a short walk to get some fresh air.  When we got home I took a nap.  I think I am trying to “out do” Rip Van Winkle.  I should’ve started earlier.  I am not sure I have 20 more years to catch up with Rip.

Several years ago, Lori took me for a special treat at Christmastime.  She had friends who lived at the water’s edge on the Delta.  After eating and enjoying the lights on the Christmas tree, we went out to sit on the deck and watch a parade of boats decorated with colored lights, streamers, etc.  It was most impressive.

In Yuma, not very many people have boats and the Colorado River is miles to the West.  People do have dune buggies and ATVs.  Last night, we were treated to a “desert” light parade.

We went for a potluck dinner at friends’ houses who live on the parade route.  As it began to get dark, it got colder.  We sat in a circle around a “desert fireplace,” made from a tub of a washing machine.  They are very popular in this part of the country, although we have seen them elsewhere.

A fire truck, with lights blaring and sirens going, signaled the beginning of the parade.  There were about 40 “floats” decorated with lights, and other decorations.  And lots of Santas driving them.  Not one single boat in the parade, but the desert folks used what was available.  It was a lot of fun.  A military Hum-V was the last vehicle in the parade.  An emergency light was flashing, but no Christmas lights hung from its fenders.  It was “official.”

And now, as I promised, you know the “rest of the story.”

December 18, 2015—An RV lot in Yuma, Arizona

Today was a very busy day for us.  I am tired and have an upset stomach, so I will promise to catch up tomorrow.  I need rest and sleep very badly.  Please be patient with this LOL…Little Old Lady!

December 17, 2015—An RV lot in Yuma, Arizona

At 10:30, Bill and I went to the Market Place…aka Flea Market…on Avenue 4E.  We go every year, at least once.  Because we plan to be in the Yuma area longer this year, we might go more often.

Bill was able to get a special kind of cleaner that he uses on the outside of the motorhome.  He was also able to get a special LED bulb for the porch/step light on our outside light by the door.  That is about as clear as mud, isn’t it?  But since we only have one outside door, you should be able to figure out where I am talking about.

I was looking for a fanny pack.  The only one I have is years and years old and is getting kind of raggedy.  There are times it would be more convenient to use a fanny pack than to carry a purse.  I will just have to keep looking.  I didn’t have any luck today finding what I need and want.

When we left the Market Place it was time for lunch.  Bill wanted to go elsewhere for lunch so we continued on 32nd Street until it turns into 4th Avenue.  Bill was looking for a fish place that he really likes.  When we got to 16th Street we knew we must of missed it.  He made a U-turn and we searched on 4th Avenue again.  No luck.  We drove back down to 16th Street to turn east and got in a traffic jam.  We thought there was an accident, but found out differently.  It was being treated like a crime scene.  Policeman were taking license plates off a car and the driver was definitely being detained.  Hm-m-m!

We decided to head for home and stop at Arby’s on the way.  When lunch was finished and we were back at the MH, I made a big pot of White Bean with Chicken Chili.  I had invited Todd, Bonnie, and Donald to eat with us.  The dogs came, too, and were disappointed that none of the food was for them.  We enjoyed our visit.  It is nice to have friends close by to share our celebration time with.

December 16, 2015—An RV lot in Yuma, Arizona

I had a very sleepless night so Bill let me sleep as late as I could.  I woke up at 9:00.  The extra sleep was good for me.  I felt much better than I had for several days.  It was cool today and that was nice.

After breakfast, we went to Verizon.  We had some questions about our Internet usage.  I think we understand it better now.  Sometimes, it is beyond the scope of understanding for these two old gray haired people.

We went to Sam’s Club for gasoline, and lo and behold, there across the street was In-N-Out.  As luck would have it, it was time for lunch.  Yum, yum!

On Friday night, we have been invited to a Potluck and to watch a parade.  We will take chairs, blankets, and dress warmly.  When the sun goes down on the desert, it can get quite chilly. 

I am to take dessert to the Potluck, so after lunch, we went to Sam’s to see if we could get any ideas of something to take.  There were several good choices that we can go back on Friday and get.

We went to Walmart for a few groceries, which took longer than it should have taken.  That is usually the case.  While Bill checked out, I sat on a bench and waited.  I was tuckered out!  I give a whole new meaning to “shop till you drop.”  It doesn’t take long.

December 15, 2015—An RV lot in Yuma, Arizona

It was cold this morning, but our weather was better than in Loveland…zero visibility, and by noon they had 10” of snow.  Tippy was delighted.  He played Hide the Ball In the Snow.  I think it is his favorite winter game.  School was closed for Matthew.  I am really certain he was very upset about that!!!

Bill and Todd went for a walk this morning.  I chose to stay home.  Late this afternoon, Bill and I went for a very short walk.  It felt good to get out in the fresh air.  When we got back home, Bill went across the street to “check out” the house being built over there.  I sat in the sunshine by the MH until he came back to give me “full report” on the progress. 

It seems as if the progress on the little house…actually a casita…has been very slow.  Bill said there is a small room for a washer/dryer, and a bathroom on the opposite side.  There is one large room with cooking facilities and plenty of seating area.  I will go check it out in a week of two.  Many of the lots here have casitas and room for the RV on the same lot.  That provides sleeping places.  It is a clever use of the space.

I had an upset stomach during the night, so I watched what I ate today.  Breakfast was a piece of toast, some cheese for lunch, and 1/2 chocolate shake for supper.  I checked my blood and everything seemed fine.  I will check again in the morning and see how it is.  I consumed lots of water.

December 14, 2015—An RV lot in Yuma, Arizona

The wind blew all night.  This morning it was still blowing and it was cold.  It wasn’t good walking weather, so we went to Todd and Bonnie’s to see if Bill could fix the dishwasher.  They worked for over two hours, but weren’t successful.  He will go back tomorrow and see what they plan to do about it.

We went to Taco Bell for lunch before coming back home for naps.  I am afraid I didn’t accomplish much the rest of the day.  I may have to start limiting my nap times.

Today a package came from Michelle and Meredith.  There is a story that goes back many years.  My aunt, Laura, loved to bake cookies and make other holiday treats.  Every year, she would send us a big box of goodies.  The day the box arrived was a big celebration in our household.

We opened it, and checked out each kind of cookie.  There were usually about ten kinds.  I can remember the names of some of them…Whiskey Cookies, Potato Chip Cookies, and Chocolate Chip Cookies.  She also made Texas Cow Chip Cookies, but being the proper spinster that she was, suggested a nicer name for those cookies might be Meadow Muffins.  She also made very good Pralines and included those, as well.  She would include a bag of “Scrabble” made with Chex cereal, nuts, etc.  I often wondered where my Aunt Laura, being very straight laced and living in a “dry state,” which Texas was at that time, got the whiskey.  Texas is a big state and she didn’t live in a part that might be home to Moonshiners.  Hm-m-m!  It remains a mystery!

When Aunt Laura moved into a nursing home, I took over her job as cookie maker.  The girls and I would include Christmas plates and napkins so if she had company, she could serve them.  When she died, the tradition didn’t die also.  The box of goodies came from Michelle and Meredith today.  The ones I sampled were delicious.  I sent a text of thanks for the goodies, not for the five pounds I will probably gain. 

I know that Lori sent cookies to Brent last year, because she traced them from California to Kansas City to some little town in Kansas, back to KC, etc. etc. etc.  Finally, about six weeks later, they arrived at Brent’s house in Mississippi.  Lori said they were stale and must of been basically crumbs, but it was the thought that counted and Lori was sure they were the best traveled cookies that Christmas.

December 13, 2015—An RV lot in Yuma, Arizona

December 13, 2015—An RV lot in Yuma, Arizona

This morning we went to the Yuma Holiday Inn for a monthly breakfast meeting of Yuma area Geocachers.  We saw a lot of people we had met while caching in this area for several years.  Last year, we didn’t make it to Yuma because of my fun “vacation time” in Mississippi.  So it was extra special to see a lot of familiar faces.

The breakfast was a buffet, with bacon, sausage, potatoes, two kinds of scrambled eggs, pancakes, biscuits and gravy, and a platter of fresh fruit.  The things I chose to eat were very good, but my plate wasn’t very full.  That’s the way it is most times lately.

Todd and Bonnie were going to Sunday School before Cowboy Country Church, but we chose to look for a couple of caches.  We weren’t very successful.  I wonder if there is a message in there somewhere.

We met them at Cowboy Church.  The service was short, with lots of country music throughout.  Afterwards, we went to the Claim Digger.  I had a small cup of chicken and noodle soup and Bill had chili.  That was enough to get me through the ride home for a nap.

The Broncos played the Oakland Raiders in Denver.  It looked very cold there, but I didn’t see any sign of snow.  I am very sad to report Denver’s first loss in quite a few weeks…and to the Raiders, no less.  Ugh!  It was humiliating, to say the least.

I was so disappointed I didn’t even call Brent and sniff.  I didn’t want to hear about the Seahawks win.  Actually, Denver made such a pathetic showing they didn’t deserve to win!

December 12, 2015—An RV lot in Yuma, Arizona

Bill and I walked to Todd and Bonnie’s this morning.  They weren’t going to walk with us, so we finished going around their block and went back home.  Todd said he needed a day off and Bonnie was going to an Indian Festival with Donnie.  We walked 3/4 of a mile.  We had planned on an afternoon walk, but the wind had come back up again so we stayed indoors.

I had hoped there would be a football game on to watch, but Bill couldn’t find one.  I may suffer football withdrawal sooner than most years.  Tomorrow afternoon, the Broncos play the Oakland Raiders.  They have such a long standing rivalry, so it may be a good game.

Michelle said it was snowing in Loveland today.  That inspired her to get her Christmas decorations out and get the place looking ready for the holidays.

I ask if Tippy was excited about the snow and the decorations.  She said he has been sick for a few days and is kind of draggy.  Bill is glad he wasn’t there for the snow.  I am sad!

December 11, 2015—An RV lot in Yuma, Arizona

We woke up to wind and some clouds.  At 11:00, we walked with Todd, Bonnie, and their two little dogs.  The wind was the only problem.  As we headed east around our block, it was breezy, but manageable.  After going north and turning west we knew how the motorhome feels in a head wind.  The wind out of the west was terrific.  And there was some sand off the desert involved.  We were able to make it back to the MH without any major mishaps.  And there was more good news…neither Todd nor I required any rest stops along the way.  We must be getting stronger.

Bill had three errands he wanted to go on.  I wanted to go out to lunch.  So off we went.  We had our route planned out, ending at KFC.  In actuality, we ended up doing the errands in reverse order.  Everywhere we went first wasn’t doable at the time.

We ate lunch first, then made a U-turn and started the errands.  Dollar Tree, which we had completely missed before, was just where it was suppose to be, so as we headed south we parked and went in.
It was a smaller store than we normally go to so we didn’t spend much time there…shopped, checked out, and left.

Several days ago, we had located a cache at a coffee kiosk, but couldn’t open the container.  This morning, they were so busy we just drove on by.  When we went by after lunch, the place was closed, probably because of the wind.  We found that the cache container needed maintenance so we will have to try another day.

Our last stop was at a water kiosk for two 5 gallon bottles of water.  Yuma water is dreadful and Bill won’t put it in the MH tank, so we get big bottles of good water and Bill pours it in.  We could take the motorhome to the kiosk, but that would involve moving the MH.  Bill has figured out a system that works for him, and that’s good!

We stayed in for the rest of the day while the wind blew.  At suppertime, we had sprinkles.  Bill would say a 12 inch Arizona rain…12 inches between drops, but it was nice to hear raindrops on the roof.  And the wind storm had passed through!

December 10, 2015—An RV lot in Yuma, Arizona

To give us a little change of pace, we drove a few blocks to a different neighborhood to walk.  We went south a little ways and parked in front of an empty lot.  We saw some unusual landscaping and very nice houses.  We enjoyed the change of scenery.

We got home in time for a nap before lunch.  I seemed more tired than I have in the last few days.  Don’t know the reason.  Fatigue just sets in.  Same old, same old!

We planned to walk again at 3:00 this afternoon.  Todd called just before “walk time” to say they were stuck in traffic.  A motorhome and its tow vehicle had caught fire on I-8.  We haven’t talked to Todd and it wasn’t on the news tonight so we don’t have any particulars.

Connor is out of school for Christmas Break.  He rode the train from Grand Junction to Denver.  That seems to work really well for them.

A storm is forecast to be coming this way.  Cooler weather and high winds, with a slight chance of a little bit of rain.

December 9, 2015—An RV lot in Yuma, Arizona

While Bill went to do the laundry this morning, I stayed home and did some odd jobs around the “house.”  I had bean soup in the crockpot.  It had been cooking since 4:00 this morning so it was ready when lunch time rolled around.

When the “little old laundry man” got back, we made fairly quick work of getting everything folded and put away.  Sometimes that is a challenge, but today it went smoothly.  It is always good to have that out of the way for another week.

Another job I have been putting off was updating our list of prescriptions.  Unfortunately, I am on a lot of medicine, but can’t see a way to trim it down at this time.  Some of it I don’t take until I need it.  But if I get stung by a bee, I can’t send Bill to a drugstore for medicine.  My epi pen goes where I go.  So does my nitro in case my “ticker” acts up.  Those two things are around for emergencies, but I haven’t had to use them for a long time.  It is nice when things go along smoothly. 

Bill’s Rx list is short, but necessary!  Thank goodness, he hasn’t had as many medical adventures as I have had.  He said he sometimes thinks I am trying to self destruct.  I can assure you, it just happens.  I am not trying to get into the record books.

At about 1:00, we were to go to Todd and Bonnie’s to let the pups have some outside time.  They had dental appointments in Mexico and you never know long that kind of thing is going to take.  It was nearly 2:00 when we got to their house and they had just arrived back home.  I felt like we had let them down.  I know the dogs will not hold it against us, but Todd and Bonnie may not trust us again!

We made a trip to Walmart, but were soon back home for naps.

We had some high thin clouds today and that usually makes for a beautiful sunset.  And tonight we were treated to a beauty!

December 8, 2015—An RV lot in Yuma, Arizona

This turned into one of our busiest days in a long time.  We even “covered” two states.  Of course, that involved several outbursts of uncontrolled honking and yahooing.  Don’t worry, though!  We didn’t break any noise ordinances.  The CRV has a rather wimpy horn.

We had two items that needed to be taken to the Post Office.  The PO here in the foothills was very busy.  At least 25 people were in line to be waited on.  We decided to take the things to the small Post Office in Winterhaven, California.  It was closer than the main one in downtown Yuma, with no line to wait in.  We learned to do that from Dwight and Sheila several years ago.

As we drove back into Yuma, we stopped at Sam’s Club for a couple of items, and filled the Honda with gasoline…$1.95 a gallon.  Of course, being so near In-N-Out we just had to go there for lunch.  We met some very nice people who live in the part of town we are staying in.  We visited with them for quite some time, making it a longer than usual lunch break.  Retirement certainly has its advantages!

Our next stop was at Walmart.  I went in search of flower pots for my new cacti.  It took quite a bit of time to locate them in among all the Christmas decorations.  Bill and I had a mix up as to where we were to meet.  And since he had my purse with my cell phone in it, we had no way to search each other out.  Finally, I had him paged by Coustomer Services.  When he found me, I am nearly positive I saw steam coming out of his ears.  Have you ever seen steam coming from of a pressure cooker?  Well, you get the picture!

We went home for much needed naps.  I had some geocaching questions to ask Todd, so we went to their house for a few minutes.  Of course, the dogs announced our arrival before we got halfway to the door.

Back at home, we watched Zorro, which we had started last night.  We will continue watching a segment or two a night until we finish the entire series.  It is one of our favorite things to do, and usually make an annual event of it!

December 7, 2015—An RV lot in Yuma, Arizona

This was a great day for our Dane Family nine years ago.  Brent had his brain tumor surgery.  He continues to thrive, and as far as the rest of us can tell, he’s happy.  Courtney is an important part of his life and we love her for it.  Coleson and Sara are growing up way to fast.  That’s life!

We all think of Brent often and send positive thoughts his way.  And we don’t care how big and tall he gets, he’s still the baby of the family!

Todd and his Florida/Maine motorhoming friend, Neal, came to walk this morning.  I was a bit draggy and stopped to rest two or three times.  I’ll try to push harder tomorrow.

After lunch, Bill and I set off for Walmart.  On the way, we stopped to find a cache.  It was an easy one to locate.  We went after one more, but had trouble with the directions.  We’ll work on it another day.

After shopping, we came back home to rest and enjoy the remainder of the day.  We are enjoying the warmer weather and sunshine.

December 6, 2015—An RV lot in Yuma, Arizona

Bill let me sleep a little bit late this morning.  It is a good thing because we had a very busy day today.

At 11:00, we met Todd and Bonnie for Cowboy Country Church, held at one of the large campgrounds north of the freeway.  The preacher played the guitar.  The fiddle player was excellent.  The first 45 minutes was music with about a 20 minute service.  It was very uplifting. 

Afterwards, we went to brunch.  There were nine of us in our group.  I ordered a short stack of pancakes.  I was served two of the biggest pancakes I have ever seen.  They completely filled the plate.  One of them completely filled me.  I couldn’t even finish the one.  I needed Connor there to help me.  He was my pancake eater when we were moving/traveling to Colorado in 2010.  Lillie, their dog, was with us also, but she didn’t get any pancakes.

I was tired when we got back to the motorhome.  I took a two hour nap.  That’s the longest nap I have had lately. 

We went to Todd and Bonnie’s at 5:30.  They had company from Florida.  They met years ago at an RV park in Daytona, I think.  Bonnie fixed spaghetti and salad for dinner.  Bill and Nancy, friends from Oregon were there also.  Don was there, too.  The table for four seated nine tonight.  We had a good time around the table when the meal was over.

When Bill and I got back to the MH we watched the recording of the Bronco’s game against San Diego.  Denver won.  Yea!  It was the backup quarterback’s third win since he took over for the injured Payton Manning.  It has been exciting to see Osweiler do so well.

December 5, 2015—An RV lot in Yuma, Arizona

Bill and I got off to an early start this morning, going in different directions, to different types of activities.  Bill went to a geocache event…CITO (Cache In Trash Out) where members of local clubs clean parks, roadsides, trails, etc.  It is a volunteer service, where, as Sheila says…”cachers giving back to the community.”  Todd went with Bill to represent our “families”…wanderdanes and tobomca1.

While the guys went on that adventure, Bonnie and I went to a Craft Sale at the Yuma Fair Grounds.  There were many beautiful items for sale, as well as books by local authors, and a big plant sale, mostly cacti and other desert plants like that.  It was a big event with lots of people looking around.  Bonnie spent most of her time looking at handmade jewelry items.  I spent most of my time in the plant section, making two purchases, both of them small cacti.

Don, Bonnie’s son from the Bend area, arrived yesterday.  He was our chauffeur.  After the sale, we went to lunch at Sonic.  Bonnie knows how much I like going there.  I don’t think Don shared our enthusiasm, but he didn’t complain.

We were to meet Dwight and Sheila at Cracker Barrel for dinner.  They plan to go up to the Needles, California area for some serious Geocaching.  They are very good at finding long runs of caches.  We introduced them to the sport a month after we started.  They now have over 38,000 caches found.  Wow!  We have just over 6,300.

All in all, it was a very good day for me.  I thoroughly enjoyed myself, and I felt better than I have in a long time!

December 4, 2015—An RV lot in Yuma, Arizona

Our walk this morning took us the long way around two blocks to the RV lot where Todd and Bonnie’s motorhome is parked.  I sat on the porch and talked to them while Bill walked home so he could wash the outside of our MH.  I needed the time to rest and he needed the time to be “Mr. Clean.”

He came back to walk me home about 45 minutes later.  The walk today was not quite as comfortable as yesterday’s walk was, but it was an improvement over the week before.  Bill keeps reminding me that I have to keep at it.  Not to give up!  He is not only my cheerleader, but my Task Master!

On our walk home, two neighboring Golden Retrievers came bounding out to see us.  It was fun to spend time with them.  Just like Willie, they loved the attention.  And I loved giving it.

We ate a quick lunch when we got home and went with Dwight, Sheila, and Todd to find a cache.  It was a very different kind that Dwight and Sheila wanted to find with us.  We were successful!  Yippy, Skippy!  We all met back at Todd and Bonnie’s MH to visit.  Tomorrow, there is a special geocaching event that four of our group of cachers plan to attend.  Bonnie and I are going to a craft sale instead.

My headache returned with a vengeance.  I had computer work needing to be done, but guess what?  It didn’t get done!

December 3, 2015—An RV lot in Yuma, Arizona

Todd was coming to walk with us at 10:00.  I was well hydrated and ready to go.  I had decided to wear my hiking boots because my feet have been hurting when I wear my worn out tennis shoes.  It was a good choice because my feet felt fine when we got back home.

We went around the block where our motorhome is parked.  I didn’t have to take any breaks to sit down on my walker and rest.  I did stop long enough to take a drink of water several times.  It was my best walk yet, although not as long as some of the other ones.  And I wasn’t dragging my feet at all.  I thought it was a successful walk.

We bought a roasted chicken several days ago.  I have been using it for sandwiches.  This afternoon, after finishing lunch, I took the rest of the meat off the bones.  We drove to a wash…aka stream bed…a few blocks away and put the scraps under a bush.  It was an early Christmas present for the coyotes and the tag said “from Hapa.”  She looks so much like a coyote that people have stopped Meredith to ask about her!  She isn’t as scrappy looking as most coyotes we have seen out on the desert.  She has a beautiful coat of fur, but nevertheless, the resemblance is amazing.

We went to Sam’s Club for gasoline, and of course, that required eating at In-N-Out.  That was our excuse, as if we needed one.  We don’t!

December 2, 2015—An RV lot in Yuma, Arizona

I woke up this morning feeling really crummy.  It was how I feel when I am dehydrated.  So today I have really been pushing the water and it seems to have helped.

I have also backed off on the walking.  Today my total was .25 of a mile.  I have also rested as much as possible.  And my body seems to appreciate all I have done for it today.

Tomorrow I will try to get back to my walking regimin and drink lots of water.  Maybe I will float instead of walk.  At least I will slosh, probably.

Bill met some of our neighbors today.  The ones in the house west of us have two golden retrievers.  Bill doesn’t know their dogs’ names, but I intend to find out.  Their next door neighbors have a golden named Willie.  How about that?  I plan to make some social calls soon.  I miss our Willie so much so maybe I can get a “Willie fix” right here in the neighborhood.  It won’t be the same, though!

This afternoon, we went to the Marine Base to get our passes for the Barry Goldwater Bombing Range.  It was a quick process and they were very nice.  When we actually want to go out onto the Range we have to call at 8:00 in the morning to see if there is official activity planned for the day. 

Tonight, planes were flying over.  (I think they were F16s.  Brent, is that right?)

December 1, 2015—An RV lot in Yuma, Arizona

Another month has flown by.  That seems to be the story of our lives.  And we just keep on keeping on.  That’s our motto, I guess!

This morning, we went for a longer walk than usual.  I was really tired when we got back to the motorhome.  After lunch and some rest time, Dwight and Shiela came back with several sheets of cache names and numbers.  They also brought several sets of maps.  Dwight put all the coordinates in our Nuvi and in the Garmin Oregon T.  All these things will be extremely helpful to us in getting us back in the Geocaching routine.  Thanks, Dwight and Sheila!

Bill and Dwight drove our cars to Todd and Bonnie’s house.  Sheila and I walked.  It brought our total walking distance for today up to 1.10 miles.  That’s my furtherest to walk in a long, long time.  As I walked onto their driveway, I doubted I would make it.  Fatigue set in quickly and I was stumbling and staggering the last few feet.  But I made it without having to call 911.  Yippy, Skippy!

After Dwight gave Todd his list of Geocaching information, we went out to dinner.  The place we use to like to go for Mexican food is now called the Copper Miner’s.  The food was good and certainly plentiful.

When we got back home, the sun had just gone down!