Adios Bruce & DeAnn

See you in a few months. Keep blogging!

We had a farewell for our Activities Directors this morning in El Carnaval. They have done a super job, as I have said many times, and Quail Run will miss them. EVERYONE loves them. DeAnn has been working with Bud and Shelley and they will do a fine job for this last month of the winter season, taking over as AD's. I got really teary-eyed until DeAnn reminded me that they will not be that far from Branson this summer and they park their RV at Treasure Lakes when they come to Branson. Don's much more interested in going to visit them at their condon on Lake of the Ozarks. He LOVES that lake. It IS beautiful. DeAnn reads a few farewell cards. Bruce poses with Don. All the best to Bruce & DeAnn. We are SOOOOO happy to have met them and know that we will get to see them again soon.

This being Date Friday, my wonderful husband took me to the Big Wa Chinese Restaurant and then to the matinee. When we came out of the show this little boy was playing in the frog fountain in the courtyard of the theater. He was having such a good time and his dad was going from frog to frog, pushing the water button so the water would keep flowing. I could not resist taking pictures. Here's Caiden Nicholas having a lot of fun getting very soaked.

Quail Run Olympics begins

Well.... my part of the QR Olympics (QRO) started this morning. Don Walrath who lives in the Montana across the street with his beautiful bride Billie, wanted ping pong added to the QRO so a table was brought in. He did a great job getting people to sign up for the tournament. Don is known by many names from "Mouth from the South" (Idaho) to "Peacock of the Park" but whatever name he's known by, he always loves to make people laugh and see that they are having fun. Here his antics get him a little closer to his Silver Medal. Neither Snookie nor I made it to the platform, but you can ask anyone that saw us play... we were very entertaining. Snookie is a class act as she congratulates Martha. Just remember Snookie, your route to the loser's bracket was due to your game with the champion. I can't say I was beat by the Gold Medal winner, even though Donna was very good. Donna was so scared to play me, someone had to call her to come to the "table" from her house. (u believe that, i got some ocean front property....) We had too much fun and I wish I had a picture of my husband watching from the back of the room. Bless his heart.... I hope I didn't embarrass you too much, Hon. That's Donna consoling me because she "took me right passed the school house straight to the wood shed." That's a Snookie-ism for "she kicked my backside" (cleaned up a little bit.)Men's Gold Medal winner Bill Turner, Ladies Gold Medal winner Nancy Reid, Men's Silver Medalist Don Walrath and Ladies Silver Medalist Pat Turner. A fabulous, fantastic fun time was had by all and that's the .... of the ping pong tournament. Medal ceremony will be Saturday evening.

Organ Pipe National Monument

Apologies for not getting pictures posted last evening. "My tired" hit me around 7:30 and my brain went south. When I loaded the pictures from camera to computer, I don't know what I did, but the pictures weren't there and I thought I had erased them from the camera in the process. That's about 180 pictures that I took. Well, you can imagine my frustration and I was too tired to think about it so I went to bed and watched my son-in-law on TV for the last time. He will be moving to Corpus Christi to his new job on March 1st while wife and kids stay in Waco to finish school year and sell the house. Anyway, it was kind of an emotional evening for me because I know it was very emotional for SIL and we will miss getting to see him on TV during basketball season. We've had a college connection for a long time, that began with Leslie & LaNae playing college basketball. It continued with Khalil being the athletic trainer for first the Baylor baseball team and then the Baylor men's basketball team. We've enjoyed many college basketball and baseball games and we will miss that. However, it will only be a few years before oldest grandson will be playing football (or baseball) in college and then there's a string of athletes in the family for many years to come, good Lord willing. And now we will be Corpus Christi hooks fans, I'm sure.


Anyway, back to the pictures. Praise God! they were still in the camera and everything is intact and now I can post pictures of our outing to the Organ Pipe National Monument yesterday. A baby pipe begins. The organ pipe cactus shows a bit of color at this time of year, also. The Organ Pipe and the Ocotillo.The desert is beginning to bloom and show off it's beautiful colors. These are poppies of varying colors. We saw wildflowers of gold, orange, fuschia, blue and white. I was the most intrigue with the ocotillo plant. It's many stages fascinate me. It sheds it leaves to preserve it's moisture when it's blooms appear on the tips of the branches. This is a picture of a picture of the Ocotillo in bloom. Darlene and I found these rocks, not that they were hiding. Along with the Organ Pipe cactus, there were also many Saguaro cactus. I'm not sure, but I think there was something inside this one watching me. Do you see the eye back in the shadow? We stopped for a picnic under the Ocotillo-branches-over-chicken-wire arbor. We were joined by a woodpecker who was very insistent about something, flying from one post to the other right by us. Finally, Darlene tossed her a piece of wheat bread and she was happy and flew off. When we left the national park, we drove five miles further south to the Mexico border at Lukeville. The post office is called Gringo Pass. Inside the duty free shop, Dave found none other than Paris Hilton. We were parked next to this. I don't understand it, but it was interesting. Is the barrel holding the van or is the van protecting the barrel? Nice paint job on the beat up old barrel, though. Less than 60 miles south of this point is the Mexican coastal resort of Rocky Point on the Sea of Cortez, where we would like to go one day before we leave Arizona. On our return trip to Az. City, we saw beautiful horses playing in water behind a screen of trees and brush, preventing a photo opp that I would have love to brought with me to share. However, we did see a herd of wild burros and were able to get some decent pictures. This one has the air of a jack, don't you agree? And more of the herd. There were about eight burros in this herd. It was a fun and eductional day in the Sonoran Desert with wonderful friends Darlene & Dave. And if Dave doesn't start letting us share the gas costs, we're not going with them any more.... maybe. I know....

Sunday's Coming

What's Heaven like?

It's Wednesday and Sunday's Coming has been posted at Count It All Joy.

We're off for a day in the desert with Dave & Darlene. Will post pictures and details this evening.

HAVE A GREAT DAY!

Quail Run Olympics begins

Before I get started reporting today's happenings, let me tell you what I forgot about yesterday. While I was getting ready for the day, Don was riding my bicycle around the block. That's right, you read right... Don was riding my bicycle. He got back to the "house" at the same time as I was getting ready to walk out the door. There he was trying to muster up the energy to climb the steps into the house, breathing rather heavy and rubbing his back side. You can imagine my concern: "What's the matter, Hon?" inhale "I" exhale "rode" inhale "the" exhale "bi" inhale "cycle." exhale Me: "What?!" Now, for everyone who has seen Don today... hmmmm.

I really do love to see him feeling better and I know it's so hard not to do things you feel like doing. It's easy to forget there are usually consequences for those choices. I gave him a hard time, but in all honesty, his lack of energy today is probably his blood pressure going to the low end. It's so hard to get the meds adjusted.

Today, the Quail Run Olympics started. While waiting for Ladies Bible study to begin, I walked around taking pictures of the different events going. The men and ladies were tossing horseshoes. Our neighbor, Bob Quinn, was an official for this event. The shuffleboard teams were engrossed. These are two games that I am going to experience before we leave here. I am clueless about shuffleboard and how it is scored. I know, I know.... Google it. Here's Kathy Weyer exhibiting great athletic form. Today was the last day of our ten week Beth Moore study, "To Live Is Christ." We have all thoroughly enjoyed it and have grown spiritually. We had about one half the class present today and they took me to Duffer's for lunch after class. LaVon, JoAnne & Alaina Nancy & Elaine. Elaine has done remarkably since her fall out of their RV. She even played nine holes of golf yesterday, walking the whole nine holes. Nancy is all tan from her week down at Rocky Point in Mexico. Jane & Nancy. Jane and hubby Ron are leaving in a few days for a tour of Israel. She is so excited about it and we are looking forward to her report and pictures when they return. Since the Olympics started here, we have very quickly learned that Nancy is VERY good at ping pong. When she showed up with her ping pong paddle in a zippered case, we knew the rest of us were in trouble. I played my first game this afternoon. Here's Margie, beating me. The truth is, I just didn't want to go into the winner's bracket with NANCY. Seriously, she's even beating most of the men that have been brave enough to play her. Go Nancy! This evening, we went over to Eloy A & M Pizza and ate dinner with Dave, Darlene, Carol & Steve. What absolutely delightful friends we are making here.

I almost forgot! The funny story for today: Snookie wasn't so lucky. She drew Nancy as her first game opponent. Unfortunately, I didn't see the game, but Snookie knocked on our door when she got back from her game. When I got to the door, there was the saddest face... "She KICKED my butt!!!" I laughed and asked, "Did she take you to school?" Snookie: "She took me right passed school and straight to the wood shed!" I'm still laughing. She's a hoot. I think she was serious about the butt kickin'.

Magnificent Monday

Well, the Waterin' Hole is "dry." You put a quarter in and nothing comes out. So we had to drive a few blocks to the main drag and get some drinking water.


What glorious weather! Don put on his "little boy britches" and his sandals today. My eyes! My eyes! Snookie told him he needed some rays, so he called for his hat, a glass of water and the Yahtzee game and pulled his chair out into the sun by the road so he can visit with passers-by. He tans really fast... in a few days his legs will be as brown as his arms & face.

I sat out with him for a few minutes and then Sharon Peterson came over and we worked on her blog together. She another "soul sister" that I just love and will cry when we have to part. We plan to see Sharon & Tom again on this earth, if the Lord tarries. They are very interested in being a part of the medical ministry down in San Carlos, Sonora, Mexico that Christian Resort Ministries is developing. So God willing, we hope to work with them there in the future. Being a nurse, Sharon took Don's blood pressure this afternoon and it's much lower: 140/68. Hopefully, in a few days, it will be down under 140. Keep praying for him, please. We are so grateful for you prayers and so thankful that he is feeling so much better.

Sharon and I have discovered that we both have a great love for horses, also. She sent me this horse video and it is amazing. Watch for yourself and see what I'm talking about.

Neighbor Carol came by to check on me. It seems that I'm being missed at line dancing. It's nice to be missed. Thanks, Carol.

The topic of conversation these days is "where to next." Folks are planning out their summers and next winter destinations, getting workamping assignments and charting their routes. That's something Don & I will be doing soon.

church and birthday party

First, Don has felt good all day... in rare form, actually. Only late this afternoon, he began to tire a little. But no headache! Praise the Lord.

That's the problem with this lifestyle: you meet wonderful people, grow to love them and then they have to leave. But who knows, we may run into them again down the road. The most important thing is that if we never see them in this life again, we see them in heaven. So this week we say goodbye to our pianist Audrey and her husband Jerry Robb, Harold & Susan Keefer, Ardith and Rod Rehfeld and a few other couples who have been coming to worship service with us. The present point is: we treasure the blessing that our paths crossing has been to us and we are going to miss them very much.

Ardith joined our worship team for just one Sunday. Today she blessed us with her glorious smile and beautiful alto voice. The team (Susan Keefer, Ardith, myself and Harold Keefer) sang a special - "It Took a Miracle." [YIKES! (sudden realization sets in) Everyone in this picture will be gone next Sunday. Rick Fury, PLEASE be all well.] You guys should feel really bad for deserting us. For more than one reason, however, we will miss all of them very much. Thank God for email and cell phones... we will stay in touch.Audrey, our pianist, has not been feeling well the last couple of weeks. JoAnne Miller has filled in at the piano AND the organ and is doing a wonderful job. We are praying that Audrey is well soon. It's no fun traveling when you don't feel good. Please pray for all in the park who are sick. There's a virus or flu that's going around.We appreciate all these who help make our worship experience meaningful. JoAnne & Audrey also provided cinnamon rolls and muffins for our after-church fellowship. John Budd & Don visit. This afternoon, we were finally able to have Rick's birthday party. It was scheduled for last Sunday, but Rick has been so sick, the party had to be postponed until today. It was great to see him out and being his mischievious self. We all had a good time of fellowship and food. Thank you, Rick, for sharing the wonderful cherry cheese cake that Wendy made for you.... again. We enjoyed getting to know Cathy and Jack a little better. They hail from the KC, Mo. area.

Ahh, there's DeAnn all kicked back and relaxed under her new, stylish hat. Not a care in the world. She has a whole week ahead of her with no JOB to do. Poor baby. And then, toward the end of the week, her knight in shining armor is going to ride in and rescue her, whisking her off to adventures unknown, kicking and screaming, I'm sure. Did I say, "poor baby?" She had much rather be here working as our activities director. Hey Barb, don't you just love this shot of you and Darrell with food in your mouth? You're still pretty and Darrell is still.... funny.