Archive for March, 2011

Nature in the Resort?

Sunday, March 27th, 2011

Even though we are inside a brick retaining wall, there is so much cement and pavement there are little patches of green and even a small wild critter once in awhile!

That little gray splotch is a bunny! and Duke knows it!

If I move, he will run!

And run he did,  Duke was very patiently watching  – the bunny too, until Paul released the leash and then there was only a blur!!

Baseball season

Friday, March 25th, 2011

We finished our tour of duty Thursday with a party!  Spring training this year was more hectic for me as I didn’t get to watch many games or even parts of games.  I was really looking forward to the Giants game on Wednesday and then the head cashier from our booth had to return home for a family member so I sort of stepped in as part time head cashier.  Then I arrive Wednesday morning and our Lead is sick!  Darn, I get to be in charge.  Everyone knows I don’t like to be in charge!  Ok, I use to in my life before retirement, now I just want to show up, sell a few hot dogs and enjoy the visitors and watch some baseball.  Poor Angela, the lead was sick all day with herself and then her baby was sick too. I am glad she stayed home and it actually was fun trying to keep track of 13 crazy retired people!

What a beautiful stadium

 

Terry, the most crazy Aramark employee in booth #3

Thanks everyone in booth #3!  I had such a great time this year.  And, Diana, I hope you get that warrent taken care of!!!

Aluminum

Monday, March 21st, 2011

Like nothing I have ever seen before, a dance tour that dances with aluminum foil.  Sunday evening Claudia invited me to go with a group from her park to this one time only in Mesa showing of Aluminum Dance Show.  For an hour and a half these dancers danced inside of tubes that looked like huge dryer vents with high energy and an amazing beat, telling the story of a baby tube that got seperated from his family and how the Aluminum dryer vent family helped the baby become rejoined with his family!

inside the tube

 

Baby Dryer Vent

 

Claudia holding the vent and one of the dancers

This is a traveling tour so check it out when it gets to your city.  I guarantee you will not be bored!!

And then the bus driver had this idea!  There is another exhibit that takes about 20 minutes and the only way he can describe it is it looks like a bunch of upside down boobs!  Lets go!!

Architects of Air - Amococo

No two visits to a structure are alike as the atmosphere inside alters according to changing weather and changing light outside. The experience is also affected by how the public inhabits the luminarium. (comment from the web)

Entering a different world?

Yep, we really paid $5 and took our shoes off!

 

This is one exhibit you will have to find it, pay the $5 and see for yourself as I have no explanation for what it is!!  Amococo, Architects of Air is a must do once! 

We went on this bus trip with about 20 other women and 2 men from Claudia’s RV park.  Many did not like either experience but we loved the Aluminum production and I am still thinking about Amocco.  Thinking about stuff what it is all about so I

Bowling???

Thursday, March 17th, 2011

Have you been to a Bowling Center lately?   Things have changed a lot since the last time I bowled at least 10 years ago.  Arcade areas that look like the state fair and bars that are fully stocked.  And then there is the lane!  Wow, couches and coffee tables.  The one we went to had the balls color coded and arranged by weight and when you order your shoes they are delivered to your lane with the laces nicely laced and tucked inside.  They looked like I was the first feet in them!!!  We also had a server that checked on us regularly to see if we wanted anything to drink or would we like to order off the extensive menu of great looking food.  A MENU at the Bowling Alley?

With all of this the prices are not what they used to be either.  4 of us bowled 3 games with 3 rented pairs of shoes and 4 sodas that cost us $26 with tip.  That is a pretty good deal, $6.50 each for a couple of hours of fun.  Wait, we had coupons for the bowling so 4 sodas and 3 pairs of shoes is all we paid for.  We had fun, enjoyed the lanes where all the employees were really friendly and we got to interact with children which is quite rare here in the senior mecca of the USA in March.  It was spring break and we bowled next to a young mom who had 4 children from 3 – 6 and they all bowled!  The 3 year old would pick up that 6 lb ball and walk right up to the foul line and toss it onto the lane.  We would all watch the ball make its way slowly to the pins and knock over several while the little girl would stand there waiting and then turn to her fans and wait for us to cheer!  What great family fun!

And, I bowled awesome for not raising a ball in over ten years – 145 in one game!

Just having fun

Monday, March 14th, 2011

Our grownups playground is at it again.  We had our St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Saturday and it was green everywhere.  As with many of these events there are more participants than spectators!  We were spectators this year and brought our lawn chairs to the parade route about 2 minutes before the lead car headed down our street.  Lots of laughs where most of the clubs come out to show off their talents as well as lots of decorated golf carts who’s drivers throw candy’s to the spectators.

This year we had a couple of favorites; first there was the Pickle Ball Club lead by our neighbor who was the mascot for the club.

Pickles

She’s hard to see but she is riding in the basket and her bonnet is a pickleball.

Next the musical talents were represented by the Kitchen Sink Band.  This group gets together all of the time to Jam!  All instruments have some type of kitchen utensil attached and they play pretty well!

A flute with a spoon?

Lawnchair drill team! Musical Chairs!

Old men, Hawaiian shorts, cowboy hats and a lawn chair – maybe the sun is getting to us cause we laughed our asses off!!!

Mesa in March

Monday, March 7th, 2011

Sunset at home

Ah, but the perfect weather is finally here!  Lots of sunshine, amazing sunsets and baseball!  We are already half way through spring training and a couple more weeks and then we leave paradise again.  The most amazing sunsets seem to come in March when the skies start out totally blue and then in the late afternoon here come some clouds that stick around it seems just to make the sunset spectacular.  I try not to miss sitting out and watching the sunset.  We also are near a small private airport and in the flight path of Phoenix International Airport and although it is 20 miles away we still get a pretty good view.

United, American, or Southwest?

Yesterday while driving Paul and I saw 10 old planes flying in formation right over our park.  I tried to get pictures but it was so cool to watch that I forgot the camera until it was almost over! sorry.