Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukah to all of our family and friends/readers who celebrate…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukah to our friends all over the world.

We extend our heartfelt wishes to those who celebrate Christmas and Chanukah. We awoke this morning to Christmas Eve day, and with an unusual (for us) activity on the agenda, we’re celebrating with Tom’s sisters and spouses once again.

This morning at 5:20 am, Tom bolted out of bed to drive Margie to the Mesa airport. She was flying back to Minnesota for her granddaughter’s wedding on New Year’s Eve and will return to Apache Junction the first week in January.

This leaves the six of us to continue the holiday season celebrations, which included Tom’s birthday last night with a big meal and the Minnesota Vikings game (they lost) we watched shortly after dining.

I could kick myself for failing to take photos. Now that I’m using my Google 4XL phone to take photos, I am having a hard time taking time out of the festivities. I certainly will be taking photos in India soon enough.

But, in reality, life isn’t always about photos. It’s about memorable experiences, and those aren’t always captured with a phone or camera. Tom’s birthday celebration was easy flowing, lively, and delightfully fun for the seven of us.

So what’s on the agenda today? We’re joining the family for their tradition of attending the local VFW’s annual “Tom & Jerry” Christmas Eve Day party, which begins at 1:00 pm, ending around 4:00 pm. 

Neither Tom nor I drink Tom and Jerry’s, and most likely, one of us will be the designated driver since we don’t care to drink adult beverages during the day. Instead, we’ll have fun with the others enjoying this unusual way for us to celebrate Christmas Eve Day.

As for last night’s dinner, everything came out exactly as planned. Some of the garlic bread edges were overcooked, but I trimmed them off, and it was still a hit. Tom perfectly cooked everyone’s steak medium rare as requested and mine rare. 

The butterflied garlic butter prawns were delicious, and not a one was left behind. At halftime, I served Tom’s lemon birthday cake, and they all thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a good meal.

With the kitchen’s small size, it’s imperative we get everything out of the way. Last night, after dinner, Tom washed all the dishes right away. Shortly afterward, I dried the dishes and put everything away. We awoke this morning to the little house being tidy and back in order.

Living in this small space and yet performing normal household activities requires diligence in keeping everything tidy, or a feeling of chaos would ensue. We avoid chaos like the plague.

Speaking of the plague, we’re finally recovered from the dreadful flu that lasted for over six weeks, although on occasion, we cough a little. That virus compared to the awful virus from a cruise to Sydney in 2015 that left us both coughing for weeks.

Tom is napping right now. Not a good napper, I am walking on my tiptoes to avoid making any noise and awakening him. Hopefully, he can rest for an hour or two until we leave for the VFW.

We wish every one of our family, friends/readers a very Merry Christmas and Happy Chanukah. May the joy, spirituality, and merriment of the season fill your hearts with love, fulfillment, and hope for the future.

Thank you for sharing this time, all times in the past and times upcoming in the future. All of you are instrumental in the joy we feel as we continue on this journey…36 days and counting…

Photo from one year ago today, December 24, 2018:

OThe bright light behind us wasn’t the best vantage point in taking this photo. From left to right: Don, Kathy, me, Tom, Danie, Gerhard with Louise and Rita in front. For more photos from his party one year ago, please click here.

Gorgeous scenery all over the world…Fountain Park in Fountain Hills, Arizona…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
From this site: “The famous fountain in Fountain Hills, Arizona: Built-in 1970 by Robert McCulloch, the fountain is one of the largest fountains in the world! The fountain sprays water for 15 minutes every hour at the top of the hour. The fountain uses 7,000 gallons per minute and at its full height, it can reach 560 feet in the air. The plume rises from a concrete water-lily sculpture in the center of a man-made lake. At its full height of 560 feet, the fountain in the center of Fountain Hills is higher than the Washington Monument. It is 10 feet taller than Notre Dame Cathedral, 110 feet higher than the Great Pyramid of Cheops in Egypt and three times as high as Old Faithful in Yellowstone Park. The white plume of the world-famous fountain is visible far beyond Fountain Hills. It can be seen from as far away as the Superstition Mountains, Carefree and even from aircraft. The fountain is the focal point for community celebrations and the pride of its residents. If you happen to visit during the St. Patrick’s Day celebration, you’ll see the fountain transform to emerald green. The Fountain is extended to its full height on special occasions. For every day viewing the Fountain reaches a height of 330 feet! The World Famous Fountain runs every hour on the hour for 15 minutes from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm every day of the week! This fountain is a celebration of life and water where it is most appreciated – in the middle of the desert.”

Although we haven’t been out sightseeing while here in the US, with little time to do so, it was delightful to drive through Fountain Hills, Arizona, a veritable paradise-like town amid saguaro cactus, desert sands, surrounded by earth-tone colored mountains and man-made bodies of water which soften the harshness which is typical in the desert.

We stopped for photos along the way, in awe of the beauty prevalent in this upscale community of newer homes, gated neighborhoods, fashionable shops, and southwest-themed restaurants.

It’s odd driving through the barren desert to stumble across a built-up area such as this. We couldn’t help but gasp over its pristine beauty. However, never for a moment did we wish we lived there. One can admire the beauty without feeling a burning desire to be a part of it.

We had little time to stop before meeting up with Vicki and Jerry and took most of today’s photos from the car.

We moved along on the highway, leaving Fountain Hills making our way toward Tonto Verde Golf Club, where we met up with Vicki and Jerry, as described in yesterday’s post here. As stated, we had a wonderful day with a perfect couple.

After yesterday’s busy morning with laundry and grocery shopping, I put together a few easy items for last night’s happy hour gathering at our place. I made a chicken salad (with buns on the side), cut up raw veggies for dipping, chips with salsa, a plate of cheese, crackers, and olives, along with store-bought chocolate-covered eclairs for dessert. 

There are many statues at Fountain Park of famous Americans.

It was a quick and easy collection of items of light snack-type foods not requiring a lot of fuss. For tonight’s gathering at the firepit at 4:00 pm, I am making the popular artichoke dip served with Club crackers.

Last night when Mary said she was making deviled eggs, which I’d planned to make, this morning I decided to make something different and headed to the nearby Safeway market, much smaller than the giant Costco-sized Fry’s, to buy what I’d need. 

After no more than two minutes in the market, I sensed a frenzy among the shoppers. When a woman approached me with a spiral-sliced ham on sale for $10 instead of $25, my ear perked up. 

Could this be Thomas Jefferson?

She explained that by signing up for their online app, which I did while I was in the produce department, anxious to pay $1 for a 10-pound bag of potatoes, I downloaded the app and all the specials of the day were available to me, many at ridiculously low prices.

I found myself entrenched in a frenzy. For example, I purchased two pounds of quality butter at $.99 a pound, four pounds of bacon at $.99 a pound, and so much more. Of course, I couldn’t resist the ham, which most likely we’ll have on New Year’s Day. It was fun. I’d hadn’t seen a sale like this in years.

Abraham Lincoln with Ben Franklin in the background.

So now, after we’ve finished lunch, our current main meal of the day, I’ll make tonight’s appetizer which we’ll bring hot to the fireside mulled wine party beginning at 4:00 pm this afternoon.

It has warmed up considerably today. Tom is busy opening the blinds and windows as we speak. With the sun shining on our unit, it can get hot indoors. Right now, the outdoor temperature is 63F (17C) and sunny, perfect for us!

What a fascinating horse statue!

Tomorrow, we’ll return with more new photos from tonight’s event. May your day be sunny and bright!

Photo from one year ago today, December 18, 2018:

Two males impalas stop by for food and a rare visit. For more photos, please click here.

Laundromat…Farmer’s market…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
We purchased five yellow and orange peppers at the cost of $1.99. The red peppers, as
usual is priced higher at $.79 each, still an excellent price.

I hadn’t mentioned we don’t have laundry facilities in our tiny home. As a result, we have to bring our laundry to a large laundry room on the property, too far to walk.

It had been a long time since we’d had to haul our laundry to a laundromat, as far back as 2014 when we were in London for two weeks, staying in a hotel that didn’t have self-serve laundry and only typically expensive laundry service. 

Cauliflower heads are priced at two for $1. What a great price!

At that time, without a rental car, we placed our dirty clothes into a wheeling suitcase and headed to a laundromat several blocks away, sitting and waiting for at least two hours while our clothes washed and dried.

Here at Robert’s Resort, we can leave our clothes in the washers and dryers while returning to our unit or taking off on another outing. Today, we started the wash and drove a short distance to a nearby farmers market Tom’s sister Colleen had recommended.

Checking on MAPS, the farmers market in Apache Junction, Superstition Ranch Farmers Market is less than three miles. After a very successful trip to the farmers market, we were back in plenty of time to place the laundry in the dryer. Of course, we weren’t worried a bit that someone would abscond with our laundry.

We couldn’t believe the great price of asparagus at the Superstition Ranch Farmers Market.
We purchased two pounds.

The farmers market was one of the best we’ve seen over the years regarding pricing. We spent a little over $17 for enough to last until the next time we grocery shop.

With Tom’s birthday upcoming in 10 days on December 23rd, I’ve begun planning the menu for his party, considering what most appeals to him. I’ll bake a cake and of course, invite all the sisters and spouses. 

We hadn’t celebrated Tom’s birthday with his family since doing so in Henderson, Nevada, in 2012 when the same group stayed with us in a holiday home we’d rented. It will be fun to celebrate with all of them once again.

It was an excellent market with plenty of organic fruit and vegetable.
Since I can eat berries in moderation, we purchase blueberries, blackberries,
and raspberries at $1 for each container.

Today, we plan to continue to work on financial matters and update our spreadsheet. Over the past seven years, I’ve continued to add our spending and expenses on an Excel workbook with many tabs. 

While in Nevada with an hour to spare, I created an all-new workbook, changing many features we found to be important over the years. Beginning on January 1, 2020, we’ll start using the new form. 

In the interim, I’ll have to add all the bookings and costs to the new form that will transpire into 2020. It will be a time-consuming task, but it needs to be done.

There’s a display of Boar’s Head meats, but we’ll purchase this fresh-sliced at the supermarket next time we make “unwiches” (sub-type sandwiches with romaine lettuce used in place of bread).

Most likely, tonight we’ll get together with the family. Tomorrow morning, we’re attending a get-together with neighbors for an omelet-in-a-bag breakfast. I’m concerned about what types of bags are used since Ziplock bags leach toxic chemicals when boiled in water or used to cook in a microwave. 

But, this may be one of those times, I just “bite-the-bullet” and go with the flow. We shall see. I certainly won’t say anything at the party and make the hosts or guests feel uncomfortable.

May your Friday be action-packed with delightful experiences!

Photo from one year ago today, December 13, 2018:

Wounded was beginning to look a little better, but we doubt he can see from his left eye.  He looked thin and weary, but we continued to feed him all he’d eat, and we’re sure other residents were doing the same. For more photos, please click here.

Another pie day…Favorite dishes…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Penguin statues were everywhere in the adorable town of Penguin, Tasmania. For more photos, please click here.

There’s a hard reality I feel I must face when I say goodbye to my sister Susan today. With our plans to leave Nevada on Monday, this will be the last time I see her before we depart. This may be the last time I ever see her. Her health is failing daily.


Tomorrow, we have plans with Richard all day, including the brunch I’ll be making during the Vikings football game; attending the Vegas Golden Knight hockey game at 3:00 pm, followed by dinner on the strip around 7:00 pm.


I certainly hope Tom is feeling better by tomorrow. On top of it all, he pulled a muscle in his back and now he’s even more miserable. He’s taking Tylenol (Paracetamol), cough medicine and again laying low today. 


This morning, awakening at 5:30 am, it dawned on me that I wanted to make my sister’s favorite dessert in the world; our mother’s recipe for cheese pie (not cheesecake which often includes flour which is not the case here).


Oddly, last night Richard mentioned that Cheesecake Factory has a low carb cheese pie and this thought stuck in my mind overnight. I also wanted to make him a low carb cheese pie (my low carb version of my mother’s fabulous pie) that we can all have for dessert tonight.


I bolted out of bed at 6:15 am, showered and dressed for the day and was on my way to Smith’s Market in no time at all. As I write here now, Susan’s pie is out of the oven, cooling so I can add the topping and the low carb pie is baking after I had to first,  pre-bake the almond flour crust.


Waiting for the crust to cool, I made the low carb filling and was able to get the pie into the oven to bake in plenty of time. Now I’m timing the low carb pie until it’s done. After I remove it from the oven, I’ll have to let it also cool enough to add the sweet vanilla-flavored sour cream topping.


This morning I found Madagascar vanilla at Smith’s, some of the finest vanilla extract in the world. It’s unreal how easily I can find the proper ingredients in markets in the US. When we’re outside the US it’s a constant challenge trying to figure out alternatives for some of our favorite recipes. Then again, that is a part of the adaptation we so much enjoy.


Yesterday, I made another of Susan’s favorites, that delicious broccoli salad we all love with almonds and raisins. I will be bringing a good-sized portion for her while leaving plenty for tonight’s dinner. I plan to stop on the way to her assisted living facility and get her a Chipotle burrito, which should go well with the salad for a special dinner for her tonight.


Many people find great comfort in favorite dishes, often bringing up memories from our youth or other periods in our lives. With Susan lying in bed 24/7 with COPD and a variety of other conditions, at this point, she’s less concerned about her diet and instead focusing on getting through each day. These treats mean a lot to her.


This may be the last time I see her. When I saw her on Thursday, I assured her, we will be together again in a feeble attempt to dismiss the prospect of her not living much longer. It breaks my heart.


Isn’t this the case with many of our loved ones, as we age, we’ll lose many along the way? Any love and comfort we can provide our loved ones during the waning years of their lives are never time lost or wasted. All these seven years of world travel, I have stayed in close touch with her and will do so as we continue on.


Speaking of continuing on… Yesterday, we fully booked our two-month gap in India. We’re excited to share the details in tomorrow’s post.


Have a fantastic Saturday!

__________________________________________

Photo from one year ago today, December 7, 2018:

Yesterday, no less than 10 warthogs waded in our cement pond including mom and four piglets.  The animals are feeling the heat as well as us humans. For more photos, please click here.

Winding down…Three days and counting…New phone makes me smile…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Five years ago today, views from the second-floor balcony at Whalers Village in Kaanapali Beach were breathtaking. For more photos from this post, please click here.

The next few days will be action-packed. We need to do laundry, pack our bags, wrap gifts for grandkids, make pumpkin pie for Greg’s family, pack and weigh our bags and on Wednesday, go to the cardiology appointment. 

If time allows, I’d like to head out to the Premium Outlet Mall to buy Tom several Tommy Hilfiger tee shirts. They are very durable, priced right, and will last until the next time we come to the US. 

Hopefully, tomorrow if time allows, my friend Chere and I will make the 45-minute drive tomorrow afternoon, spending every last moment together while I’ll be able to purchase the shirts.

This morning I’m heading to the grandkid’s school to help with lunch for the kids, on a volunteer basis, in place of Camille. Later in the day, I’ll return to complete this post, make edits and upload it.

When I return this afternoon, I’ll get to work on laundry, packing, and gift wrapping. This evening we’ll stay in having dinner with Karen and Rich. She made two delicious crockpots filled with pot roast and veggies. One of the pots was traditional pot roast, and the other was Asian. 

What a meal! We can’t wait for tonight’s leftovers. Karen is quite an accomplished cook. It’s been amazing to dig into some of her treasures! In our old lives, we visited back and forth to each other’s homes for fabulous meals.

As for my new Google world phone…I love it. Not only do we have voice and data anywhere in the world with an installed worldwide SIM card, but its features are leaving me in awe over how technology in the US has changed over the years.

Over the past several years, we’ve had to purchase expensive SIM cards each time we landed in a new country. Those days are long gone. And, although the signal may be sketchy in some parts of the world as it would be with a SIM card, we’ll be connected in over 150 countries for a reasonable pay-as-you-go fee which will usually be no more than $30 a month for voice and data.

Another feature that boggles my mind is our ability to text. We haven’t been able to text outside of any country we’ve been in at any time…only countrywide texting has been available.

Of course, there are charges for calls from other countries, but we’ll use Whatsapp in those cases. Now the challenge is getting family members to load Whatsapp on their phone for free calls, video chats, and text regardless of where we may be at any given time.

Plus, the phones may be used as “hotspots” for our laptops when we can’t get online for whatever reason (power and WiFi outages). This is a massive factor for us. 

The ability for the phone to talk to us and us to it is astounding and done so with great ease. Being able to say, “Where is the closest grocery store?” is mind-boggling for us, a feature we haven’t had access to with our previous obsolete equipment.

We’d hoped to purchase laptops while here but have decided to wait until we get to Arizona, where we’ll have more time to research, shop, and ultimately get everything set up.

Off, I go now to the grandkid’s school. I’ll be back later to wrap this up.

Happy day!

Photo from one year ago, November 25, 2018:

The strength and coordination required of a giraffe to bend this low are astounding.  We could not believe what we were witnessing in our garden. For more photos, please click here.

A fun win with fun photos…Four days and counting…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Tom won the last game, Bingo Coverall winning $200! Fun! (He looks tired, having had
little sleep while here, mainly due to me coughing all night).

Each day when I sit down on the comfy sofa in the walkout (ground level) lower level of Karen and Rich’s gorgeous home in Eden Praire, I’ve wondered if I would have enough time to get the post completed and uploaded. Today is no different. 

There’s always something to do before the day ends; dinners out and activities with family members or friends, visits to various family members’ homes, and a plan for dinner if we’re alone.

Rich was served a bloody Mary with a BLT (bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich)
at the end of his straw. That is so USA!

Last night’s plans were dashed last minute when Greg and Camille weren’t feeling well. Instead, we stayed in, munching on various snacks we had on hand, still full from yesterday’s big lunch event at Lucky 13 Pub, where we had a great time with Karen and Rich.

They’d suggested we take a break from our busy status to join them in this popular pub where bingo is played for three hours every Saturday from noon to 3:00 pm. We jumped on board and headed out in two cars when we had some shopping to do afterward.

Tom’s Rueben sandwich with jumbo onion rings.

It’s easy to spend upwards of $40 combined with two people playing bingo with two cards (each with three games) during each of the 13 rounds. It couldn’t have been more fun! We never gamble, and for me, this felt like gambling, but I tossed aside my anti-gambling mentality and went with the flow.

Tom was all in, determined to win, but the disappointing thing about bingo, it’s entirely a game of chance with no opportunity for strategy or clever play. What a surprise! Little did we know or anticipate either of us would win, but he won the $200 cash prize in the last match, as shown in the main photo.

Karen’s huge platter of chicken tacos. Complimentary popcorn was served.

After the lunch and bingo playing ended, we each took off in our respective vehicles while we headed to TJ Maxx to purchase a carry-on bag. Our black duffle bag finally died on this last flight. 

When the old duffle bag’s wheels weren’t very functional, and the load was often heavy with its contents consisting of mostly jeans and heavy clothing, it was time to replace it with an easier to use a carry-on bag with sturdy wheels. 

Rich’s burger and fries.

It took us quite a while to find just the right bag, but finally, after carefully inspecting several suitcases, we found a high-quality London Fog bag that fit the bill. With sturdy wheels and a handle, it definitely will be easier to use. 

In the next few days, we’ll be loading up the new bag with the former contents of the duffle bag and begin packing. We’re leaving Minnesota in a mere four days. The time passed quickly, but we’re grateful for the quality time we spent with family and friends.

My fresh and delicious Cobb salad with chicken, bacon, avocado, hard-boiled egg, tomato,
onion, and bleu cheese crumbles.

This morning, we drove to Blaine (45 minutes each way) to see Tom’s sister Patty and say goodbye. We have no idea when we’ll see her again, along with everyone else. It was beautiful to spend time with her.

When we returned to Karen’s and Rich’s after visiting Patty, we dropped Tom off while I did a little local shopping: Target (first time there this trip for a few items); and Lakewind’s Food Coop. 

The rules of play for Lucky 13 Bingo in Bloomington, only available from 12:00 to 3:00 pm on Saturdays at this festive pub and restaurant, plus the dabbers, which were provided at no cost. Each three-game sheet was $1. Overall, we spent about $50 to win the $200.

My friend Chere, a highly experienced nutritionist and motivational speaker, introduced me to Simply Snakin’ seasoned chicken and beef sticks. Made with grass-fed and free-range meats, these low-carb, sugar-free, chemical-free 60 calorie meat sticks are the perfect pick-me-up snack. They may be purchased at Lakewinds in this area or Amazon online at this link.

Back at the house after shopping, I got to work on today’s post but took out 30 minutes to speak to my old friend Lisa on the phone with whom I’ve been friends for over 30 years. It was such a treat getting to hear her voice. 

The brightly lit, typical bar/restaurant was set for the bingo enthusiastic, eat and play.

There are many other friends we’d have loved to see and spoken to, but the time here has just been too short. Also, I believe my pre-occupation with recovering from this dreadful virus and cough has put a damper on many activities, including spending time at my son Greg’s house. I am grossly allergic to cats and couldn’t pay the amount of time at their home that I’d have loved.

Tomorrow, I’ll spend the better part of the day with DIL Camille. There’s a project at the kid’s school in which I plan to participate. Then, some shopping for grandkids’ Christmas gifts. It will be another busy day. Tom will finally have a day to relax and catch up while I am away.

We’ll be back tomorrow, most likely later than usual, since I’ll be leaving early in the morning and won’t be able to work on the post until later in the day.

Have a superb evening!

Photo from one year ago today, November 24, 2018:
Mom was very easy-going and loving with each of her piglets, even when they ate pellets intended for her. For more photos, please click here.

I did it again!…I forgot to take photos…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Lovely drive into the Kahili Golf Course in Maui from our post on this date in 2014, found here.

The photo-taking situation hasn’t been good while we’ve been in Minnesota. The only way I can explain this is the fact that we’ve been so distracted by the interactions with family and friends, we’ve forgotten to take photos. 

Once we’re on the move again and feel we’re “traveling” again, we’ll surely kick the photo-taking back into gear. During this time in the US, it doesn’t feel as if we’re traveling even if we will be moving to other states over the next 67 days until we leave the US again.

Several times, we’ve been asked when we expect to return to the US. At this point, we have no idea. With my looming cardiology appointment, we’re a bit tentative to book far into the future.

Providing I get a good result from the appointment, we’ll feel more at ease in booking plans for the future. We’ll have to see how it goes this upcoming Wednesday.

Last night was another fabulously entertaining evening. We met with Marie and Bill (friends/readers) for dinner at Redstone Restaurant and had a delightful time catching up. Of course, they didn’t need much catching up from us. 

They’d been reading our posts from the beginning and have been apprised of everything that’s transpired over these past seven years. It was fun hearing how much they knew about us, our travels, and of course, our trials and tribulations. It was great hearing about their lives. They are a lovely couple, and we hope to see them again next time we come to Minnesota.

As we mentioned in yesterday’s post here, by coincidence, Karen and Rich had plans to also meet a couple at the exact Redstone location for dinner. After dinner, Marie and Bill had to head out for an early morning road trip to attend a funeral out of town. Karen had stopped by to welcome us to join their group at their table when we were available.

Well, of course, again, we had a fantastic time, chatting, laughing, and sharing stories as a group of six. Tom and I each ordered another beverage and settled in for a few more hours of good times.

We didn’t get to bed until after 1:00 am. Fortunately, we both slept well, albeit with my less frequent coughing (improving a little each day) awakening at around 8:00.

This morning, we’re going to lunch with Karen and Rich at a pub in Bloomington where guests can play bingo while dining. We’ll be leaving here soon to get cash from an ATM, and off we go to “Lucky 13.” 

They both raved about how fun this establishment is and wanted to share the experience with us. We could hardly turn down another opportunity for a good time.

After we’re done there, about 3:00 PM, we do a little shopping and then meet Greg, Camille, and the three kids at Pinstripes in Edina for dinner and bowling. I made reservations as is often required for any events in busy Minneapolis and its suburbs. We’re meeting at 5:00 pm for dinner, and the bowling begins after dining. 

I doubt I’ll be able to bowl at this point, but it will be fun to watch them all enjoy playfully competing with one another. Most likely, we’ll be back at the house around 10:00 pm and perhaps have an early night tonight.

It’s incredible how well we both are holding out with the constant activity. Neither of us feels exhausted or overwhelmed. We’re simply rolling with the punches and the high level of activity.

We don’t have big plans tomorrow other than to visit Tom’s sister Patty to say goodbye. She won’t be coming to Arizona this winter, and this will be the last time we’ll see her until we leave on Thursday.

It’s hard to believe we are leaving for Nevada in a mere five days.

Please stay in touch for more as we wind down our time in Minnesota.

Have a fabulous weekend wherever you may be.

Photo from one year ago today, November 23, 2018:

We call this pair of wildebeest, Dad & Son.  They aren’t frequent visitors like Wildebeest Willie but always welcome, as are the zebras and warthogs. For more photos, please click here.

Another action packed day…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Photo from today’s date in 2014 when we stopped along the highway in Maui for a breathtaking view. For more photos from this date, please click here.

With only six days remaining until we leave here, the time is going quickly. We’re still trying to get in as much as we can with our family and friends.

Yesterday was a busy day when I visited my friend Chere at her home in Eden prairie after having glaucoma surgery the previous day. It was good, and I’m hoping to have an opportunity to see her again before leaving Minnesota next Thursday.

After meeting with Chere, I returned to the house to work on the day’s post while Tom put together all the documents we’d need for applying for the second passport this morning.

In the late afternoon, we drove to a restaurant near daughter Tammy’s work to say goodbye. Today, she and her family left for Washington DC and Pennsylvania for their Thanksgiving holiday.

It was always hard to say goodbye, but Tom is grateful for the quality time together. Unfortunately, I only had an opportunity to see them a few times and enjoyed every moment.

We remained busy all afternoon with necessary piles of paperwork and later joined Karen and Rich for happy hour and leftovers from the previous night’s dinner at Gianni’s.

As always, the evening passed quickly as we were all engaged in lively conversation and endless laughter, finally heading off to bed close to 11:00 pm.
This morning we returned the rental car to the airport. DIL Camille offered her a minivan for the remainder of our time in Minnesota. We so appreciate this.

After dropping off the car, I picked up Tom at the rental car ramp. Using Whatsapp on our phones, we were easily able to locate each other in the complicated ramp. With plenty of time until our 11:40 am appointment, we decided to stop at Perkins on returning from the airport for breakfast.

We arrived at the passport application appointment at the government service center in Chanhassen earlier than expected. Although the place was packed, we were called within 10 or 15 minutes because we had pre-booked an appointment.

Tom had done such a thorough job of putting all the paperwork in order we breezed through the appointment in no time at all, confident all should go well.

There was a showing at Karen’s house today between 12:00 and 1:00 pm. We tidied up and hid away all of our belongings before we’d left this morning, leaving not a single bit of evidence of our stay.

When the passport appointment ended earlier than we’d expected, we decided to head to visit Tom’s brother Jerome in Coon Rapids, which is almost an hour’s drive away. It was still too early to return to the house due to the showing, so we took advantage of the extra hour to visit Jerome.

Jerry is blind and uses the narrator on his computer to read our daily posts, which Tom sends to him each day after removing the photos. It was wonderful visiting with him as we’d done over two years ago when we came to the US for a family visit. It’s been such a joy to share our lives with him and…he with us.

Tonight at 5:30 pm. we’re meeting long-time friends/readers Marie and Bill for dinner at Redstone restaurant in Eden Prairie. Coincidentally, Karen and Rich are also going to Redstone tonight for dinner with other friends. I’m sure we’ll all have a drink together and then go off to our respective tables to have our dinner with our other friends. Small world.

Tomorrow’s another busy day, but we’ll report on that in the next post with hopefully some new photos to share.

May every one of you have a fantastic weekend.

We’ll be back with you soon!

Photo from one year ago today, November 22, 2018:

Tusker’s left ear was severely injured a few months ago, but it has continued to heal, although he can no longer “perk it up.”  Here he is at night, lying down at the edge of the veranda, relaxing after eating quite a few pellets. He’s a gentle little soul for having such giant tusks. For more details, please click here.

Oh, my…what a night we had!…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Our hosts and dear friends Karen and Rich.

Today’s another busy day as we prepare for our upcoming four-year passport appointment tomorrow at the local government service center at 11:40 am. We had piles of forms and paperwork to prepare and accumulate for the upcoming appointment.

Also, I needed to make copies of all the medical documents from my heart surgery in preparation for my upcoming cardiology appointment next Wednesday, November 27th.

The two of us were at dinner last night.

Subsequently, it made sense to place everything on a flash drive to take to an OfficeMax store for printing. With so many forms, it took me almost an hour to get everything printed at the store resulting in a stack of about 80 pages.

Before heading to the OfficeMax store, at 10:00 am, I visited my dear long-time friend Chere at her home in Eden Prairie, only a few miles from Karen’s home. We chatted in her cozy living room, sipping on organic caffeine-free tea as Chere and I had often done over the years, anxious to take advantage of every moment as time is running out until we leave Minnesota a week from today.

The four of us were ready for dinner at the fabulous Gianni’s Steakhouse in Wayzata, Minnesota.

After leaving her home, I headed to the Office Max store and then stopped to purchase a few “unwiches” (breadless healthy sub sandwiches like we often make in our travels).

Tom has some leftovers from last night’s big dinner at Gianni’s Steakhouse but may need to supplement it with at least a part of an “unwich.” Since I couldn’t have bread or potatoes, I ultimately finished my salad and scallops and thus purchased an “unwich” for tonight’s dinner.

Tom was thrilled to dig into these rolls and garlic toasts.

We’re at a point where we don’t feel like rushing off to a restaurant every night but rather save those meals to enjoy with family and friends. At this point, selecting some healthy “to go” dinner options fit the bill for us. 

A few nights ago, we had Chinese food (I had steamed prawns and vegetables), and then the next night, I had the Chipotle chicken bowl; double grilled chicken, lettuce, tomato salsa, cheese, and guacamole while Tom had Chinese leftovers. The abundance of food offerings here in the US is quite a treat for us.
Our efficient and friendly waiter prepared our choose-your-ingredients-salad tableside. Delicious!

Last night’s dinner at Gianni’s Steakhouse in Wayzata was the pièce de résistance when it comes to dining. We insisted on taking Karen and Rich out to dinner at this fantastic restaurant where, many years ago, Tom and I dined on special occasions.

It was as spectacular as we remembered. Every morsel, every bit of service, the presentation, the options, and the ambiance was over-the-top. We feared the food and service may have declined over the past seven years, but we were delightfully wrong. It was as wonderful as we remembered.
Karen and I each ordered the scallops with pureed butternut in a delicious gluten-free buttery sauce.

Adding to the food and ambiance of the celebratory evening was being with Karen and Rich, with whom we made an even greater bond than we’d expected. I’ve been friends with Karen for many years but only met her love and partner, Rich. 

He and Tom have hit it off famously, and I haven’t fallen far behind. Our evenings together, after family events have ended for the day, have been exceptionally enjoyable, as we’ve mentioned several times over the past few days.
Both Rich and Tom ordered the grilled “double” pork chops with baked garlic and creamed corn.

With one week remaining until we depart for Nevada, we’ll continue to make the most of each day with our family and friends. This has been a great visit, one we’ll always treasure.
These hashbrown potatoes, a signature dish at Gianni’s Steakhouse, are filled with cheese and sour cream.

Next, we’re off to see daughter Tammy say goodbye. Tomorrow, their family leaves for Washington, DC, for a holiday and then spent Thanksgiving with Tracy’s family in Pennsylvania.

Please check back for more as we continue over the next several days. Finally, I am on the mend from this dreadful cough and virus, looking forward to feeling well once again.

Photo from one year ago today, November 21, 2018:

We drove past friends Kathy and Don’s home yesterday, and their front garden was filled with kudus and impalas. Click here for more photos. Take care, dear readers.

This exceptional home where we’re staying with friends is for sale…See details below…

Posted by worldwide-admin on with 0 Comment
Nothing was spared in the design and decor of this enticing property.

There’s no doubt our friend’s home in Eden Prarie, Minnesota, has been an ideal location for us during our three weeks in Minnesota. As a long-time dear friend with whom I’ve stayed in close touch over the years, Karen didn’t hesitate to invite us to stay with her and Rich.

The property is located in a tree-lined paradise allowing stunning views of the lake.

I knew this house years ago when we lived in Minnesota but hadn’t stayed here in the past. Instead, we stayed in another of Karen’s homes during our last several weeks in Minnesota in October 2012, when we had to clear out of our house for the estate sale.

The two-bedroom apartment, ideal for in-laws, nanny, or rental, is located above the four-car garage.

There are few people in the world with whom we’ll stay in their homes. We have specific requirements and a routine that may interfere with theirs and our daily activities. 

Many exceptional parties have been held in this expansive home.

Also, we don’t want any potential hosts trying to figure out what I eat and to go through the effort to make meals for us. It’s just too much work for friends and family to muddle their way through this process. 

The dining room isn’t a typical closed-off formal area. Instead, it flows into open spaces in this home, creating a perfect environment for entertaining or casual everyday dining.

Karen’s diet is quite similar to mine, and thus when we’ve been around to share meals, we have no trouble making it work. Of course, we’ve been so busy, we’ve hardly been here at dinnertime.

The abundance of cupboard space, pantries, and unique storage spaces make this an ideal workspace and promising area for prepping meals and gathering for conversation.

As a small token of thank you, tonight we’re all going out to dinner at Gianni’s Steakhouse in downtown Wayzata, an upscale area on the famous Lake Minnetonka. Karen’s birthday is on the 30th, and we’ll celebrate tonight.

The family room or lounge is located conveniently next to the kitchen and veranda.

Tom and I spent many special romantic dinners at this dining establishment, and we’re incredibly excited to share the experience with Karen and Rich, who’ve never dined at Gianni’s.

A fireplace adorns this entertaining and lounging area with easy access to the outdoors.

Their gorgeous home on Duck Lake, where we’ve been honored to stay, is currently on the market for sale. We decided we’d like to share the information on this exceptional property with our readers who may be interested in this fine property or…know someone who is. 

One may be required to work at home, but this space makes it seamless and inviting.

To reach the listing company and agent for additional information on this beautiful home, please click here.

The top of the stairs at the second level is architecturally interesting in itself.

Having visited this home many times in our old lives (before traveling the world for seven years), its stunning ambiance and inviting appeal were familiar to us. Having the opportunity to stay here among such definitive beauty and elegance both in the house and on the grounds was an easy decision.

The master bedroom has many enticing amenities.

As you’d expect, we aren’t being charged a fee to be here and are doing everything we can to say “thank you.” That’s our way. That’s the way of our friends. 

What spectacular views from the soaking tub in the ensuite master bath.

But the magic of it all is the great fun the four of us celebrate almost every night when they return from work, and we return from our day and evening activities with family when we settle into the warm and enticing lounge and relax with this delightful, intelligent and highly conversational couple. 

Few homes possess a walk-in closet of this caliber. The ease of organization is evident in every space.

It couldn’t be more wonderful. The surroundings inside the house and outside the property create a sense of calm and restoration each time we enter, a quiet and peaceful respite from our busy, action-packed days. Our ability to unwind with the two of them has been one of many highlights of our time here.

This is currently our temporary living room in the walk-out area. Note all the light that enters this huge and convenient space.

Minnesota has countless beautiful lakes, and owning a house directly located on the lakeshore is highly desired by most homeowners and potential homeowners. No, it’s not always affordable, and let’s face it, this price range isn’t for everyone.

We are sleeping in this bright bedroom with a fireplace and intriguing design.

However, for those searching in this price range, they won’t be disappointed when they wander through this one-acre, 6149 square foot lakeshore home with six bedrooms, five bathrooms, three floors of living space, plus an entire two-bedroom apartment with a rental income potential of approximately $1500 month, which can offset a portion of the costs.

Not only is this laundry area an easy and spacious workspace, but next door to it is another “freezer/additional refrigerator/mudroom suitable for any size family. 

With only eight days remaining until we depart Minnesota, we will continue to embrace the ease and comfort we’re experiencing in this gorgeous home with our equally beautiful friends. 

The living room of the separate apartment is welcoming and bright.
The kitchen in the two-bedroom apartment.

Again, here’s the link to the listing for pricing and further information.

A dock on the lake’s edge for spring and summer boating. Wildlife abounds in this area.

Thank you for stopping by one more time. We’ll be back with more tomorrow, including photos from our celebratory dinner tonight.

With only a portion of the 127 feet of lakeshore visible in this summertime photo, the grounds include a hand-crafted gazebo, many gardens, and pleasing landscaping.

Be well.

Photo from one year ago today, November 20, 2018:

Wildebeest Willie and a young Big Daddy kudu seemed to get along well while eating pellets in the early evening. For more photos, please click here.