Christmas House

I had a wonderful Christmas party for my Limewood Neighbors...Over 40 people. Lots of new friends and looking forward to more social opportunities in the New Year. I'm finally starting to feel at home here in Arizona. It has been a huge adjustment for me...leaving Washington and my work and my friends and contacts behind. I've re-thought that decision many times and with hindsight, I think I would have done things differently. But, it is done now and I have decided that given my options in retirement....AZ. is where I am going to stay. Soooo based on that I am committed to making a new life and building a social network with new and old friends and acquaintences. The Christmas party was a great beginning. People seemed so pleased to be there and I had many kind words and compliments on my house and yard. The best comment came from one of the older guys...he said "thanks for doing this Judy, you have energized us old farts"!!! Who could ask for higher praise. LOL The pictures are of the house before everyone arrived.....

OH HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME!

My 68th birthday and all is right with my world. I've heard from friends and family and feel loved and appreciated. Can't ask for more than that. At home in Arizona...sun is shining....life is good.

Attitude of Gratitude

I'm in Palm Springs this morning...getting ready to check out and head East on Hwy #10 to Home. I've had a wonderful Thanksgiving and Birthday. Dinner with Dan and extended family was great. Best turkey this year....and such good company. Last Thanksgiving for Katie in her teens. She turns 20 on Dec. 17th...hard to get that to register. Michael is 16 and getting taller everytime I see him. Wish that height had come in time for varsity basketball. He now plays volleyball and seems to enjoy it.

My huge birthday event was seeing Placido Domingo at the LA Opera. He was in Tamerlano. New opera to me...Haydn Didn't care much for it. Heard a countertenor for the first time....not impressed. Placido however, was wonderful. The exciting part was going backstage and meeting him. He couldn't have been more gracious and what a great picture I now have to remember him by. I'm still on Cloud #9!

Now it is home to plan my 2nd Annual Limewood Neighbors Christmas Party. Looking forward to that. Life is good!

More stuff

More backyard pictures...the living fence is an interesting idea. They are made out of Ocotillo spikes, wired together and installed with the tips planted in the ground. In time they should root and turn green and maybe even grow and flower. I understand they use Ocotillo fencing a lot in Mexico and New Mexico. I liked the look and the living part. I didn't do a full fence, just decided to define the corners of my lots and use it for some privacy and definition. I planted Bouganvilla against the fence which should grow and climb.

Now that the yard is done, at least for now, I need to start work on the garage and utility room. My once clean garage is now messed up again. Where does this stuff come from?? Oh, I remember...I drag is home from garage sales and thrift stores.Sigh. Don't expect to change that behavior in the near future so I shall organize and neat things up.

A Creek Grows in the Desert!

I've been busy, busy creating a backyard Oasis. First came the trees.....then the Living Fence and finally the Creek. It has been such fun visualizing and then seeing it come into being. The other night I was outside with the firepit going and listening to the creek. I would have sworn I was on a great camping trip. Amazing how the sound of water makes such a difference. Now if I can just keep the rabbits from eating all the greenery. The only things I know are safe are the Oleanders (poison) and the Ocotillo Fencing (Big thorns). Hope you enjoy the pictures....come visit and see for yourself.

Going Green

I had 4 trees delivered and planted in my desert yard....can't wait until they are grown up and providing shade and green. I also planted tomatoes....old dependable "Early Girl"...we'll see how they do in AZ. Added a Palm to my AZ room...just had to "Green" my place up. It is suppose to be the planting season here but we are having temps in the high 90's to 100! I thought I would be safe by this time. Oh well, just go with it.

Had a 3 day garage sale and sold lots of stuff....took the rest to the Charity Thrift Store. At last my garage is clean! Next I start on my clothes....since I am losing weight (15 pounds since Oct. 1st) I will be taking clothes to the resale shop. Makes the choices easy when they are too big.....harder when they are too small. I always believe I will eventually fit into them.LOL Maybe this time I will.

Home Sweet Home

I left San Diego on Saturday, Sept. 19th intending to make the trip to Sun City West, AZ. in two days. As it turned out, I was enjoying the drive and just kept driving until I arrived home Sat. night at about 7PM. My Neighbor/Friend Janet came out to greet me with hugs and welcomes. Such a nice thing to come home to. My home was in good order. The couple that checked on it while I was gone did a great job and left me a record of their visits and finding. It is such a comfort to know my home is being visited weekly while I am traveling.

Sunday morning Janet helped my unload Ms. Capri and we did the job in record time. I was able to take Ms. Capri to the RV storage facility before noon. Last year it took me forever to unload. Thank you Janet. I sorted through the mail that had been collecting and found a letter from the IRS! They seem to think I owe an additional $600 for 2007. I'll be checking that out for sure.

I inspected the outside area and found that a critter(s) had dug a hole in the small dirt area between the house and the patio. Today, my Critter Guy came and left a critter loving mixture that will send the univites guest(s) to the great beyond. Tomorrow Gilbert, my yard keeper will be here to do clean up and dust busting in the AZ room. I dare not attempt to do it myself....dust and Asthma do not happily co-exist. The first of my heavy duty air purifiers was delivered and is cleaning away. Last night in the bedroom, today the living room. Dust be gone!!

Friends came by yesterday to welcome me home. It really feels good to be here. Monday it is back to the water aerobics with Janet. Then the search for a volunteer opportunity and to work on my landscaping projects and the laundry room redo. It is still hot (98-101) here but it is bearable and actually felt good to my bones and joints. It really is a dry heat!LOL

So the "home season" begins and life is looking good. I'll be checking in from time to time and planning next summer's travels. Until we meet again......

Going Home Tomorrow

My Summer traveling is coming to an end. Tomorrow morning I am hitching up Ms Capri and heading East to Sun City West, AZ. and Home Sweet Home.

Nesting in San Diego

I'm safe and sound in San Diego, nesting with my son and family and resting before I go home to AZ. It's funny, after the High School Reunion in August, I kind of lost interest in my travels. I was really ready to go home but AZ temps were still in the 110 to 112 range. Sooooo, I headed south and did enjoy time in Oregon with my cousins and old friends in the Portland area. Then headed to Ilwaco, Wa. to meet up with my old "road warrior" friends John and Mike. Such a great reunion....I love those guys! Mike and his wife Lynn have a beautiful home and garden. They sent me on the way with fresh produce and eggs from their chickies. Thanks....it was great.
From Ilwaco I went down the Oregon Coast to Florence. I stayed on Clear Lake for 3 days before I left for California. The California Coast was beautiful....I stayed on Highway #1 to Bodega Bay. The road south is beautiful but oh so curvey...at 15MPH
Pulling a trailer is quite the experience....lots of bouncing.

I spent a whole week in Bodega Bay, Ca. I was only about 20 miles from Sonoma, University where my granddaughter is in her second year. I had a lovely visit with Katie...visited her new dorm digs...which were a huge improvement over last year. she is doing well and loves College and her Sorority, Gamma Phi Delta.

The day after Labor Day I hit the road and did a two day trip to San Diego. I wanted to stay on the Coast in case there was still smoke from the LA fires. What I failed to realize is that Highway 101 goes through the middle of San Francisco and Los Angeles. After I recovered from the multiple muscle spasms created by clenching the steering wheel and being hyper-aware, I decided to fire my trip planner!LOL

So I arrived in San Diego, Safe and Sound....and proceeded to collapse for a day and a half. I am now feeling rested and much better. The one thing I really notice about getting older is the increasing length of my recovery time. I used to bounce back so quickly....that is no longer the case. Sigh

So enjoy the pictures....I will be heading home to AZ next weekend. 4 and a half months of travel in a 16 foot trailer is too much. I'll be working on new plans for next summer.

Reunion Times

It has been quite a while since I have posted on this Blog. I recently joined Facebook and I have been spending time there and have gotten lazy about my Blog. So it is time to catch up.

The primary reason I came to spend the summer in Washington was the Oak Harbor High School Class Reunion planned by the Class of 1959. They invited both my class of 1960 and the Class of 1958 to join them. It was held the weekend of August 7,8 & 9.
I had the most wonderful time with my old friends and classmates. I don't know how to explain the feeling other than to say, I met up again with the girl I used to be. I had the opportunity to see myself through the 18 year old eyes of my classmates and was embraced with their good memories and love. We laughed, we danced, we ate, we remembered, we caught up and we discussed how lucky we all were to have been teenagers in the 1950's, in small town Oak Harbor. One of the highlights was the attendance of Tom and Jean Burrows, our English and Home Economics teachers. "Mr." Burrows is 80 years old and still does substitute teaching. He had us all laughing while he recounted stories and experiences he had with us. What an impact our teachers had on us. Some life changing moments and influences. All to the good for me. Lots of pictures were taken....here are a few of mine. Just happy faces and joy-filled times.

Just Hanging in Anacortes, WA.

"It's been a quiet week in Anacortes, my summer home".....(apologies to Garrison Keeler)...I decided to stay in Anacortes after I checked out the sites available at the "no reservations" RV park in Oak Harbor. The OH Park is nice but you just have to take whatever is available on any given day. So I'm staying put until I check into the Coachman Inn on August 6th for Reunion weekend.

I was invited to Keith and Hope Fakkema's home in Oak Harbor to workout details for the Friday night class reunion gathering. They are hosting at their beautiful home overlooking Oak Harbor and the bay. By the way, Keith is still as handsome as he was in high school....and that was way handsome.

I recently met some fun people here in the park and went out to dinner with them. Turns out they are cousins of Mickey Rooney, of the old "let's put on a show" movies. They had some fun stories to tell and I enjoyed it so much. I used to love the Judy Garland-Mickey Rooney musical movies of the 40's and still do.

I'm having a lovely summer. Beautiful surroundings, total relaxation...lots of friends and family connections....doing some good works.....catching up on my reading.....meeting new people....eating out, probably too much, but loving it.....and not feeling the least bit guilty about any of it. Amazing!

The littlest Angel in our Family

Also got to spend some time with my grandniece Jen and her husband Rob and her little girl Maddy. Jen is expecting her second child, a boy, in November. Thanks for a lovely day Jen. Maddy is wonderful.....you and Rob make pretty babies.

Catching up

I realize I have gotten lazy about my blog since joining Facebook. So it is catch up time. Since my trip to Orcas, I got invited to join MA and her family and friends at a Mtn. Cabin near Blewett Pass. What a great time we had. Lots of laughter, good food and me finding I had a talent for "beer pong". So here are some pictures.