Happy birthday to my husband Tom…A special celebration on the menu…

Jandre, Danie, Kathy, Tom, me, Rita, Louise and Gerhard on the veranda overlooking the Crocodile River at Tom’s birthday party last year. (Photo is from the following day’s post on December 24th. Don, Kathy’s husband, took the photo).

It’s a delightfully busy morning as I continue to prep today’s dishes for Tom’s birthday dinner party starting at 4:00 pm today. Yesterday, we posted the menu. If you missed it, please click here.

Thank goodness I managed to get all the chopping and dicing done yesterday. Although the menu is uncomplicated, it still requires tremendous preparation to pull it all together.

All I have left to do today is broil the garlic shrimp, broil the garlic bread, cook the sauteed Portobello mushrooms, bake the potatoes, toss the salad and wrap up the cake, which has been baked and is awaiting the finishing touches. It will be an easy day.

Yesterday we squeezed all the lemons for the Lemon Drop Martinis, and soon I’ll add the sugar and wrap up the mix to which our guests may add either gin or vodka, which I’ll whir with ice in Mary’s borrowed blender.

With limited space, I can’t set the table until it’s time to eat. We’re borrowing a table from Mary which, as it turns out, we’ll have to set up indoors. It’s a very cool and cloudy day with possibilities of rain requiring we eat indoors.

Tom will cook the already marinating New York Strip steaks to order on the grill while getting the remaining dishes ready to be served. No stress here. I’ve always strived to make dinner parties seamless by avoiding being in an uproar for any part of it. 

Nothing stresses guests more when they see their hosts scrambling in an attempt to get the meal put together. We’ve strived to avoid such a scenario preferring our guests can relax and enjoy their time at our party.

I am overflowing with love and gratefulness for my husband. This morning I wrote a tribute to him on Facebook as follows, which says it all:

“Happy birthday to my husband Tom, my travel companion, friend, and forever lover. You always have been a loving and thoughtful partner, but this past year you further proved the “stuff” you are made of when you took care of me for many months while I recovered from open-heart surgery in South Africa and after that. Your love and devotion came through every day and continue now that I am well. This photo was taken when we were in Tanzania in the savannah. Now, my dream life continues with the man of my dreams when in 37 days, we depart for two months touring India. Happy birthday, my love. I love you always…”

Our goal is not to “toot our own horn” here if possible. Still, today I couldn’t help but remind Tom and our readers how fortunate I feel, we feel, to have one another, to be living this extraordinary life, and, most of all, to continue after this trying year.

But, this year is significant when we have the opportunity to share it with a part of Tom’s family; three of his six sisters, two brothers-in-law, and each other is usually warm and sunny Arizona.

May you have a fantastic day as the Christmas festivities continue…

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

December 23, 2017:  Happy 65th birthday to my darling husband, lover,  travel companion, and forever friend who has made this special and unique life of world travel possible. Click here for details. For the post from one year ago today, please click here.

Prepping for Tom’s birthday dinner…Here’s the menu…

Photo of the beautiful Crocodile River taken from Marloth Park on this date in 2013. For more, please click here.

Tomorrow’s birthday dinner for Tom is the first big meal I’ve made for guests in over ten months. When deciding on the menu for his birthday dinner tomorrow, I found it necessary to consider several factors: one, the limited space in the kitchen; two, that the various dishes are easy to prepare; Tom’s taste preferences (along with our guests); and limited space for serving a variety of side dishes.

While at the market last weekend, we noticed reasonable prices on New York Strip steaks. They looked meaty with little visible fat, and although the portions are significant, everyone can take a “doggy bag” home if they’d like.

We purchased two packages of five steaks each and separated the seven we’d need for the meal, keeping three for the two of us at some point in the future and freezing all of them. Steak on its own may not be all that exciting for some, so we also purchased a bag of jumbo butterflied prawns. 

Each plate will have a steak and prawns. Thus, the menu rolled out as follows:

  • New York Strip steaks, cooked to order on the grill
  • Jumbo garlic broiled butterflied prawns
  • Baked potatoes with sour cream and fresh chives
  • Asian green beans with light spices, bacon, sauteed garlic, and onion
  • Sauteed Portabello mushrooms
  • Par 30 Salad: a delicious tossed salad from a recipe, in our old lives, from a restaurant on at a nearby golf course. Romaine lettuce, green onions, bacon, slivered almonds tossed in a slightly sweet and tangy homemade dressing
  • Garlic bread, topped with fresh garlic and Parmesan cheese
  • Tom’s favorite lemon cake, infused with vanilla pudding, crushed pineapple, and topped with Cool Whip
The items on this menu that work for me are steak, prawns, green beans, mushrooms, and salad. This is an ideal meal for me and hopefully for everyone else.

We’ll dine by 4:00 or 4:30 pm due to a Vikings game on TV starting at 6:15 pm. All of us, from Minnesota, will watch the game. We have enough chairs and seating to make this work for the seven of us. 

I’ll likely serve the cake at halftime or sooner when everyone’s ready for the final course. I’ve always loved this cake, so I have to remind myself not to lick my fingers or take a single taste.

I decided against serving any snacks or appetizers before the meal when all it does is make everyone complete before the dinner is served. It isn’t enjoyable for the cook to find guests already complete before the main meal is served. And, it’s hard for the guests who wish they had “room” to eat the main meal. 

Today, we took off for the Safeway market for a few last-minute items while drying our laundry. We were back in time by a few minutes before it was done. Returning to the house, we put all the laundry away, and I started chopping and dicing for tomorrow’s meal.

Soon, we’ll juice all the lemons for tomorrow’s Lemon Drop Martinis. We picked all the lemons from Mary and Eugene’s lemon tree in front of their property. Colleen provided a bottle of Sapphire Gin and a bottle of Absolute Vodka to use for the martinis.

After our 3:00 pm main meal today: roast chicken, salad and rice (for Tom) he’ll vacuum all the floors and I’ll wash them. This morning I did some cleaning, so we’ll be all set by the end of the day as I continue to work on the above side dishes. I’ve already finished the green beans and will continue to chop and dice for the salad.

First thing in the morning, I’ll make the cake, marinate the steaks, prep the prawns, potatoes, and garlic bread. I’m doing as much as I can today to ensure tomorrow is easy.

Hopefully, the day will be as warm and sunny as today, with a high of 72F (22C). May you have a warm and sunny day as you plan and prepare for the holiday season.

Photo from one year ago today, December 22, 2018:
The baby bushbuck took cover behind mom when she wasn’t sure what to do when she saw us. For more photos, please click here.

Pre-holiday weekend has begun…Two days until Tom’s birthday celebration!…

On the way to Nelspruit with our driver Okee Dokee, she stopped to buy lychee nuts from this adorable girl, who was selling them on the side of the road with her mom. For more photos from this date in 2013, please click here.

It’s disappointing not being able to buy Tom a gift for his upcoming birthday. In our old lives, we always had gifts for one another for birthdays, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, anniversaries, and other special days throughout the year.

Our lifestyle prohibits buying anything that goes into our single piece of luggage. His bag is packed to the brim with recent purchases I made for him while in Minnesota. He has everything he needs and wants. 

After Christmas, he’ll need to purchase a leather belt that he wears daily to hold up his pants Christmas. I guess that’s an “old man” thing. (He won’t mind my saying this). 

Also, we’ll need to buy some of those short white socks that most people wear these days instead of the older-style socks that come part-way up one’s calf.

We both prefer long socks, but we’ve adapted to the more “fashionable” style.

We prefer not to stand out as seniors who don’t know what is in style and what is not. Also, by “going with the flow,” we stand out less as typical senior tourists as we travel the world.

This morning I headed back to the Safeway Market for a few more of their spectacular deals, such as roasted chickens at $5.95 each and bacon at $.99 for a 12-ounce pack. 

We’ve begun thinking about the tasks we must tackle before we leave the US in 39 days. Gosh, the time is coming up quickly. After the holidays end, I’ll start trimming down the contents in my clothing suitcase and the “supplies” suitcase. Tom will do the same in his clothing suitcase.

Also, I am making a list of toiletries and other items to add to the “supplies” suitcase. I doubt we’ll replace many items we frequently use while in India, some of which we may find in other countries. 

Constantly making lists is a relevant aspect of our world travels. I use a few apps on my phone, including “Bring,” a grocery and shopping app I’ve been using for years, and “Google Keep,” where I can make lists for absolutely anything. 

These two apps help us stay organized, especially when we know we may not have access to shopping. We’ll be eating out all meals while in India but will forego bringing any food items.

Tom’s a little concerned about the spices in Indian food, and I’m worried that I won’t be able to get proper low-carb meals for my way of eating when so many foods are starchy. However, after doing some research, it appears most hotels have eggs, chicken, fish, and vegetables for chicken and me and rice for Tom. 

Today, Tom is watching football all day while I continue to work on financial matters. There isn’t much I can do to stay occupied in this small space, but somehow I manage to entertain myself.

Have a great start to the holidays this weekend!

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

Last year on this date, I made Rice Crispy bars for Tom’s birthday. The humidity in Marloth Park made it difficult to harden, so I trimmed the edges, placing them in the red bowl as shown.  Tom snacked on the edges after they firmed up in the refrigerator. For more details, please click here.

And the beat goes on…Human error..

Yesterday morning, we spotted this white mass in a tree hanging over the pool, only 15 feet, 4.5 meters from where we sit each day, waiting for visitors. It turned out to be a tree frog’s nest that magically appeared overnight. For more photos, please click here.

We can’t ever entirely relax. We must always attend to something, often centering around handling errors we discover along the way, usually made by companies and their staff.

Sure, from time to time, we make errors, and when doing so, most often, it costs us money. Whether our mistakes incur costs to us or others, we immediately get to work to resolve them. It falls in line with our philosophies and integrity in doing so.

But, when others make errors causing us to lose money or time, we won’t sit idly back and let the loss be absorbed into our lifestyle or financial scenario. We’ve chosen to stay on top of these errors as quickly as they are discovered.

On Monday, when we met Vicki and Jerry for lunch when Tom and Jerry went to pay, they discovered the restaurant’s credit card processing was down after they’d taken both of credit cards to determine the transaction wouldn’t go through in either case.

Instead, both Tom and Jerry paid cash. Shortly after we left, I received a message that a transaction for $30.30 was processed on our card. Jerry discovered the same. 

The next day, I checked online and saw the charge was in a pending status. I called the restaurant at the golf club only to be told the charge wouldn’t show up as paid and would be gone from a “pending status” in a few days.

I carefully watched the account and found that it became an actual charge yesterday when it left the “pending status.” I called the golf course again, only to be left on hold for 20 minutes. Jerry experienced the same.

This morning I checked to find a credit on our card for the $30.30. Finally, I got a live answer and asked for the name and number of the club manager. I called him directly. He profusely apologized and said it would be resolved immediately. Jerry experienced the same.

Overall, I spent no less than an hour dealing with this. How ridiculous! Also, recently we were overcharged for a rental car. We’ve spent no less than two hours attempting to resolve this issue and now must wait another ten days until it’s handled. Ridiculous!

I marked my calendar to follow up in 10 days. Why is it necessary to continue to be required to spend our time resolving issues generated by others? I bet many of you can relate to this.

We carefully watch every transaction for fear that something will be incorrect. One can’t ever be too careful, especially when we often find errors that those less diligent may have easily missed. 

This isn’t exclusive to the US. We’ve found such issues all over the world. Ironically, since we’ve been in the US, it appears there have been more than usual. Is it that we’ve had a little more time to be diligent or…the “nature of the beast?” Lots of transactions…lots of errors.

Believe me, we don’t like to focus on the negative, nor do we like writing about it here. But, for those who travel, frequently making credit card purchases, it’s imperative to be diligent and suspiciously search for errors.

I always remind Tom to get a receipt, regardless of whether it’s a cash or credit card transaction. One can later go over a cash receipt and find we were charged for an item we never ordered. A more straightforward step is to review the receipt before ever leaving the premises carefully.

We’re attempting to get all of these situations behind us in the next 40 days before we leave for India. It’s a lot easier handling issues while here than it will be with sketchy WiFi and long-distance calling.

This morning, I finished grocery shopping for Tom’s birthday dinner and the side dishes we’re bringing to Mary and Eugene’s for Christmas Day dinner. It’s a good thing I shopped today when the market wasn’t overly busy yet. Most likely, it would have been crowded by tomorrow.

Have a fantastic Friday evening!

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

Yesterday, it was hot at 42C, 108F, and “Little” needed to cool off. The water in the cement pond was most likely hot as well but cooler than the air temperature.  It was after it had cooled down that he lumbered out of the pool and then, only then, was he looking for a good meal. We complied with pellets, ice-cold diced carrots, and diced apples.  He took one last dunk before he left for the evening. For more photos, please click here.

Planning Tom’s birthday party on the 23rd and holiday festivities…

 

Photo from this date in 2013: Of nine members of this warthog family, there are two moms; one with four babies and three babies.  From watching this family almost daily over 18 days, we believe the mom shown above is the mom of the three babies, which, if you look closely, are all nursing. (It’s hard to see the third).  Thus, the baby on which she is resting her chin belongs to the other nearby mom and seems comfortable with this situation.  We couldn’t have laughed more when the fourth baby provided this neck resting spot, whether hers or not. For more photos from this date, please click here.

With Tom’s birthday party in only four days, we’ve begun planning how we’ll seat seven people for dinner in our tiny house. We have four chairs inside, two at the dining table, and four chairs outside, which we can bring in as needed. 

The outdoor table has a glass top, and it would be impossible to bring it inside. If the weather isn’t too cold, we could eat early outdoors, getting the inside table and chairs outdoors. 

The weather forecast predicts 69F (21C) on Monday. Usually, it’s warmest here between 3:00 and 4:00 pm. With the Minnesota Vikings game on at 6:15 pm, it should work well if we eat around 4:00 pm and have “birthday cake” during halftime. 

An easy dinner is planned to avoid spending too much time in the tiny kitchen. Tom will cook on the gas grill while I wrap up the sides indoors. We only have six plates and salad bowls, so we’ll borrow one more of each from the sisters to round it out to the seven of us.

Today, we’ll walk down to Mary and Eugene’s place to pick lemons off of her overflowing lemon tree to make lemon drop martinis as we’d made last year at his birthday party, hosted by Rita and Gerhard. We’ll borrow a blender from Mary and a juicer from Margie as well.

My grocery list is complete, and we’ve already purchased the meat and ingredients for the dessert. A quick trip to the market will wrap it up, which I’ll do over the weekend or perhaps tomorrow to avoid some of the Christmas rushes.

On Christmas Day, Mary and Eugene are having a traditional turkey dinner. I will make the side vegetables and possibly a few pies. No doubt, the festivities will be delicious and festive.

Christmas is less about gifts, decorating, or a Christmas tree, which we haven’t done since we began traveling. It’s never made sense living all over the world, nor would be willing to accumulate “stuff.” We send gifts to the grandkids but had mutually agreed long ago not to purchase gifts for the adult kids.

We aren’t particular about Christmas Eve yet. Typically the family goes to a local establishment for drinks and light meals. Surely, we’ll join them this year. And, we’re planning to go to Christmas Eve Mass at a nearby church which starts at 8:00 pm, instead of midnight.

There are many seniors in this area, and Midnight Mass would probably be poorly attended. Let’s face it; most seniors go to bed reasonably early, making midnight a little late for most of us.

Yesterday, at 4:00 pm, we attended the pot luck mulled wine party at the clubhouse. I’d make a double batch of artichoke dip with Club crackers. We had no idea how many would attend, so I assumed a doubt batch would be best. 

Much to my surprise, the mulled wine was delicious and made without sugar. As it turned out, the huge hot pan of the dip was consumed in no time at all, along with all the dishes others had brought along. With the chilly weather, it was a welcomed treat to stay warm.

Unfortunately, we’d forgotten to bring a camera or phone with us for photos. It would have been great to share photos with at least a few hundred people in attendance and live music. Sorry about that!

In any case, Tom’s birthday and the holidays will be meaningful and fun while we’re here in Apache Junction. May all of our readers who celebrate have an excellent time planning their holiday festivities.

Photo from one year ago today, December 19, 2018:

This is one of our favorite pairs of warthogs, Mike and Joe, named after two US vice presidents, non-partisan of course, Mike Pence (current) and Joe Biden (last presidency).  Tom always says, “The VPs are here.” For more photos, please click here.

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

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.

Trying to avoid mundane posts…Exterior photos of our little temporary home…

We’ve already sat out outside several times and used the gas grill. The weather is warm and sunny most days.

It’s not easy to write fascinating posts right now, and until the end of January, our lives are uncomplicated and straightforward, mostly settled around socializing and daily living.

Are we having a good time? Absolutely! Time spent with the sisters, their spouses, and many neighbors are purely delightful. Last night, 16 of us gathered in and around Margie’s patio, hauling folding chairs from their own homes. There was room for all of us.

As usual, the conversation was lively and animated. Yes, they are all seniors of varying ages ranging from their 60s to their late 80s. We fit right in as we do on cruise ships when most passengers are seniors.
The exterior of our mobile home. It’s a single-wide without the often added “Arizona room.”

No, our lifestyle may be vastly different from theirs, but this is often the case, and we’re used to it. Regardless, we all possess a commonality of past experiences coupled with current events, often humorous and entertaining.

These get-togethers aren’t about food. Often the party-goers return to their homes around 7:00 pm to make their dinner after an early 4:00 pm starts to the festivities. 

With most seniors here having little interest in cooking, fewer people would show if food were involved. Instead, if one of the participants has a bag of chips, nuts, or some other crunchy, salty item, they may bring it along to share.
Down the road from us.

This morning at 11:00 am, as mentioned, we’ll be attending the “omelet in a bag event” at the home of a lovely couple who joined all of us yesterday afternoon and whom we met at the firepit a few nights ago.

There was a list of “items to bring” from which participants could choose. We’re bringing a bottle of peach schnapps. Others are bringing different breakfast sides, including cinnamon rolls, bacon, sausage, etc.

This time we’ll take photos to share in tomorrow’s post. We apologize for the lack of excitement in our posts over the past 36 days and regarding the remaining 46 days until we’re on the move again, this time to India for two months, where we’ll be sightseeing almost every day.

The “backyard” is where another mobile home is located.

We’ll have plenty to share at that time. But now, the “simple life” continues with casual gatherings, endless chatter, and quiet time spent in our tiny temporary home. We’re enjoying every moment.

As for our lingering coughs…mine is almost completely gone, and Tom still has a way to go to get to where I am now. He still has outrageous fits of coughing, often during the night. But, overall, he’s improving a little each day.

May you find the prep and planning for the holiday season (if you celebrate) enjoyable. Happy Saturday!

Photo from one year ago today, December 14, 2018:

Little told his friend that the “pickins” were good at this house, so they both climbed the six steps up to the veranda to the front door. For more photos, please click here.

Laundromat…Farmer’s market…

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.

An incident on the freeway…The active social life continues…

It was fun to sit by the firepit with Tom’s sisters, spouses, and other residents in the RV park.
We are so appreciative to be able to use Margie’s car while here. It’s an older Cadillac (2001) with over 128,000 miles, but it appears to be in excellent condition.

Yesterday, we had to return the rental car to the Phoenix Airport we’d rented in Las Vegas on November 28th. I drove the rental car while Tom drove Margie’s Cadillac. The drop-off went smoothly.

On our way back to Apache Junction, a 35-minute drive, the Cadillac suddenly started acting up, and then…it was dead. Tom managed to get the car to the shoulder while we sat there trying to figure out what was wrong. 

We don’t have AAA or another roadside service. Why would we when we’re always traveling outside the US? Plus, in the past seven years, we haven’t had a single rental car breakdown. (Thank goodness).

Tom tried a few times to restart it to no avail. Were we out-of-gas? How could that be? Margie had informed Tom that the gas gauge wasn’t working, but she had kept track of the mileage using the odometer to ensure she’d never run out of gas. She felt comfortable we had plenty of fuel until the re-set odometer read 300 miles.

We were pretty far from an exit ramp, making it too long a hike for Tom to take off on foot to buy fuel. Cars were zooming past us at a high rate of speed. Then, I remembered there was some roadside assistance through our Visa credit cards.

I called the number on the back of the card, was on hold for a considerable time, and finally was referred to another number. Over 40 minutes passed until I reached the correct department and was told we’d be hearing within minutes for a service vehicle to assist. 

The cost for the service would be $69 if we were out of fuel and another $69 if the car had to have the vehicle towed under five miles, more if over. We requested the service vehicle come prepared with fuel, and we’d see what transpired when they arrived.

In all, we’d been sitting there for an hour, waiting. Much to our surprise and delight, a car zoomed past us but stopped on the shoulder and backed up to reach us. 

A kindly man offered to take Tom to a fuel station, where he purchased a gas can and fuel for a total of $17. It took about 15 minutes for them to return while I waited in the car. The kindly man drove him back to the car. 

Once the fuel was loaded into the car, much to our relief, it started. At that point, we realized that perhaps the remaining fuel that Margie thought she had in her car had evaporated while she was away during the off-season. Tom gave the man who stopped a $20 bill and the gas can from keeping. He hesitated to accept, but Tom insisted, grateful for the assistance.

None of that mattered. I called and canceled the order for service, and we were on our way to a gas station and then to lunch at a local Mexican restaurant. From there, we shopped at Fry’s for items for a light meal to serve when the sisters and husbands visited last night after the gathering at the firepit.

Once again, we had an excellent evening as we continued to enjoy our time in Apache Junction.

We’ll be back with more tomorrow!

Have a fantastic day!

Photo from one year ago today, December 12, 2018:

Zebra on the veranda! We knew we had to be very cautious not only for our safety but for his as well. If we startled him or told him to get down, he could have broken a leg on the slippery tiles. Instead, we tossed pellets on the ground near the bottom of the steps. For more photos, please click here.

Christmas parade in the neighborhood…Another fun night with the family!…

Yesterday was Tom’s niece Laurie’s birthday. Instead of a traditional birthday cake, Laurie opted for a fruit tart. She looked good.

After yesterday’s big shopping trip and putting everything away, we feel organized with our tiny house tidy without clutter. It feels good to be settled in for a while. We’ve certainly been on the move for the last several months.

Tom is still coughing quite a bit, but my cough has significantly diminished with only a few bad coughing jags during the day or night. It’s a relief to be on the mend finally. I only hope Tom progresses further in the next week.
Several residents of the RV park decorate their golf carts to participate in the annual.
Christmas parade through the neighborhood.

Regardless of how we’ve felt, we’ve continued to participate in family get-togethers and activities. Last night was no exception when Mary and Eugene’s daughter Laurie (Tom’s niece) arrived with Craig to celebrate her birthday. 

They have a holiday home for about an hour from here. It was a pleasure to see both of them, and all nine of us had an enjoyable time. The evening ended with us playing a hysterical game app on Laurie’s phone called “Heads Up,” a US-only game with questions about US culture. We did a lot of laughing.

This classic car zoomed by during the parade. (I am still learning to use my phone’s camera. Please bear with me).

This morning, we’re returning the rental car to the Phoenix Airport and will be using sister Margie’s Cadillac, which she so generously offered to us during our lengthy stay. This saves us hundreds of dollars. I will follow Tom to the airport while he drops off the car.

From there, we’ll find a restaurant on the return drive and stop for a late lunch. Yesterday, we cooked steaks on the grill around 3:00 pm and didn’t bother making any dinner instead of snacking on some tidbits at Mary and Eugene’s home.

More golf carts came around the corner as we all cheered.

Honestly, with the small kitchen, I have no interest in cooking. Yesterday we’d purchased many items for leisurely meals, things we can cook on the grill with a side of a few vegetables and rice for Tom. Today, we’ll stop at a market to purchase snack foods to offer when everyone comes to our place to hang out. 

For some odd reason, I’ve lost interest in cooking these past few months. In essence, it’s been since I had the surgery last February. Standing in the kitchen for hours holds no appeal to me anymore.

Preoccupied in conversation, I almost missed this shot. Excuse the lack of clarity.

Once we leave the US at the end of January, we won’t purchase groceries or cook for at least three months, two in India and another 29 nights on the cruise from Mumbai to Greenwich (UK). From there, we’ve yet to book anything but will do so in the next few months.

For now, we prefer to settle back and not engage in lengthy and time-consuming research as to what we plan to do once we arrive in Greenwich. We’ll have a little over six months to fill until our next cruise from Lisbon to Cape Town (providing we receive the required visa waiver).

Santa and Mrs. Claus were sitting on the back of this golf cart.

Should the waiver come through, most likely, we’ll spend the six months in and around Europe, where we’ve spent little time overall. As wildlife and nature enthusiasts, Europe, although an amazing draw for most tourists, holds less interest than many other parts of the world.

Now, we’re off to the airport, lunch, and a little more shopping.

We’ll be back with more tomorrow.

Have a splendid day!

Photo from one year ago today, December 11, 2018:

This is Cupid with a heart-shaped marking on her throat. She particularly loved the lucerne we’d purchased for the garden. For more photos, please click here.