December 2019

The end of 2019…..

We ended November with a great visit from Brandon and Karen,
Ben and Anna up in La Quinta, California

We spent a (very cold) Thanksgiving and had a great time.

A fun time with fun people.

A beautiful view of the mountains in Yuma

We took a short trip up to Phoenix for a great visit with

Jeri (my sister) and her husband Brian

It was a beautiful trip

We went to “The Roaring Fork” for an outstanding burger!!

Jeri and her new fella  😊

We stopped on the way back from Phoenix for a short visit with Mike’s cousin,
Bill and his wife.

A beautiful evening in Yuma

We drove to Sunriver, Oregon for Christmas with the kids and grandkids.

We woke up one morning to a couple of visitors.

Isn’t he a cutie?

We had a great time….. spent 2 (long) days driving up, four days with
Marc ( and family) and 4 days with Brandon and family) then 2 days driving back.

We had so much fun with everyone.  

This is a sunrise to the east, not far from the Sierra Mountain range.

We end this year back in Yuma.  Mike has a terrible cold ….
He will be better in no time, I’m sure.

Wishing all of you an outstanding New Year in 2020.

November 2019

 It’s moving time…….

This is our new winter home in Yuma…..

Friends, Kim and Alice gave us this metal art work of “The Foxes”

I painted it grey so it would stand out.  I love it!

Even the sunsets are beautiful here in Yuma

Mikes sister, Pat and her husband Rollie along with Mike’s brother, Chuck and his wife Eva

came down to Yuma to help Mike put in the gazebo at our new lot.  While in Yuma, we toured the Yuma Territorial Prison   (very old and not in use now - a lot of history)

We also spent time in Algodonas Mexico….only 7 miles from our lot in Yuma.

Great lunch and margaritas!

Next we drove over to San Diego to meet up with Brandon, Karen and Anna.

Ben participated in a regatta in Mission Bay.

Ben rows third in a 4-man shell.

Back in Yuma, we went out off roading with the 4-wheel drive group.

It was a big trail run..  19 jeeps for this trip

We ended up at a hidden arch……

We drove up to La Quinta to meet up with Brandon, Karen and family

for a wonderful Thanksgiving.  The weather was cold but we 
found great things to keep us busy.

Fun time with family.

This morning as we were heading to the College of Desert (Palm Springs open air market)

We noticed the beautiful mountains covered with snow

October 2019

What a busy month!

Early in October I visited with Brandon, Karen, Ben and Anna

Anna (and her friends) are getting ready for their homecoming dance!

Early in the morning, Ben participated in a regatta at Vancouver Lake.

Ben is #3 in his four man (quad) boat.

I went to Portland for my niece’s memorial service

A very sad event but a good reunion for my step sister and step brother.

Meanwhile back at ORI, the resort is preparing to be scalped.

Every year in the early fall (when the weather cools down)

Grass is scalped and reseeded for the soft winter grass.

Just a week later, Mike and I went back up to Portland.

The color of the trees was outstanding.  The weather was cool but sunny.

The reason for our trip was to stay with our grandson, Colby and with Marc and Maria’s dog, Jake.

While there, Jake had his 11^th birthday !

While in Portland, we got together with John and Sheri
(Mikes sister and brother-in-law.)

A great Italian dinner with Kim and Alice Hanson.

This summer in the unbearable heat, friends (Ken and Janet Zittrer) let us stay in their home.  So much cooler.  To thank them for their generosity,
I made them a quilt.

It's Monday Night Football time.  Great dinner with great friends.

A fantastic Goodbye Dinner with friends Stan and Shelley Wyman and
Mike and Karen French.

72 years old!

Great Birthday!!

September 2019

The summer is drawing to a close!

Thank goodness!

Back at ORI it’s a hot summer but the golf course is still in great condition.

Unfortunately, it’s too hot to be outside away from some air conditioning,

but it’s sure beautiful to look at.

Mike’s knee is doing great.  We were ready for a trip.

We drove (with a car load of “stuff”)

to Yuma.  We had a great lunch with Jerry & Jennifer Nation
at Lutes where Mike posed in his "happy" picture.  😊

Mike and I went out to a wonderful new Mexican restaurant back in Indio
It is the Casa Blanca Restaurant and we loved it!

ORI is full into scalping.  The golf course has been cut short, short, short and re-seeding will begin this week.  The new grass will be green in just a few weeks.

Fall has arrived. 

Last month the average temperature was 115, by the end of September now it is in the high 80’s.  We have removed the foil insulation from our windows.  We have uncovered our skylight  We have opened our windows and are letting the gorgeous weather in.

ORI residents are starting to return to the desert. 

I wasn’t sure if the summer heat would ever go away, but it has! 
It is BEAUTIFUL!

Mike has healed so well.

LIFE IS GOOD!!

August 2019

Our month started with Mike’s Total Knee Replacement

He’s so glad to get this taken care of……

Some wonderful friends have offered us their home to stay in while Mike recovers. 

The air conditioning is incredible!!

It’s very quiet and very HOT….

I finished my Jeep Quilt.

Mike is doing great….. 
He does his exercises, goes to PT and is doing fabulous!

We have started taking a walk at 6 AM. 
It’s the only time of the day that it’s not too hot.

We found this gorgeous cactus on our walk

Mike is feeling great enough to go out to dinner  !  😊

The house of our friends is complete with a pool.

Mike can’t go in…… but I go in in the mornings

before it gets too hot.

The temps outside are about 115.

The view from the patio……  Hole # 17

Chuck and Eva came from Lake Havasu to visit with Mike

We enjoyed seeing them.

We found out some terrible news…… My step-sister’s daughter has lost her five year battle with colon cancer.  Her colon cancer had all been removed but a medical error burnt a hole the size of a fist in her liver.  She died in her liver transplant surgery.  Her poor little body had just had too much to survive.

Pat and Rollie came from Golden Valley, AZ to Indio to visit with Mike

We enjoyed their visit.

As much as we love the house we are staying at, we are missing our motorhome.

The month ends with us moving back to our motorhome.

This palm tree is just out back of our spot at ORI.

Mike continues to do incredibly well
and
it continues to be incredibly HOT!

115 today.   😊

Changes in July

 While in Oregon, we got to follow our grandson Colby, at a golf tournament.

On the Fourth of July, we went to the St. Paul Rodeo with Marc & Maria.

It was great!  Loved it!

We were lucky enough to be able to go to Sunriver with Marc and Maria.

The weather was gorgeous!

Time with Brandon and Karen on the Columbia waterfront.

Next we headed to Victoria, British Columbia with Brandon, Karen, Ben and Anna

 

This is the gorgeous Craigdarroch Castle.

We took a tour – Really interesting.

The Butchart Gardens…. A must see when in Victoria.

 The flowers are beyond words.  Such a labor of love.

 Our little Anna…… on a carousel horse.  (getting ready for High School this fall)

Worn out…..  lots of walking  😊

Now the main reason we went to Victoria.  Ben was racing in a regatta.

Here he is #3 in a four man boat.

He is the #2 man in this double.

The famous Empress Hotel

 This is the provincial capital building.  Victoria is the Provincial capital of British Columbia.

After our return from Canada, we had to make a quick B-Line to Southern California.

Mike is having a Total Knee Replacement and has to be back for pre-surgery appointments.

Outdoor Resorts looks beautiful.  No flowers but the golf course is green and ready for players.

No players…… it’s hot.

This fella doesn’t let the heat bother him.

Yes – that is 120 degrees.  (That’s in the shade)

But it’s only 90 inside !!

YIKES!

Thank goodness, we have some friends that are letting us stay in their home while they are away for the summer.  (Only 3 miles from ORI)  

We will probably be here for a month or 6 weeks after Mike’s surgery.

 The day is finally here..  Tuesday July 30^th.  Mike’s surgery day. 

He is so excited about getting this taken care of.

He is doing great!  Doing his exercises, icing, waking around.  The whole works.

He starts Physical Therapy on Friday.