Happy New Year

We're so grateful for our family and friends. Thank you so much for all the love and happiness you share with us. Here's a good start to our new year. Ron and I celebrated with bubbly to bring in 2013 and I had my last swim here this morning.

 Now we've driven to Quartzsite AZ and arrive in Desert Hot Springs tomorrow. I got a kick out of the highway sign saying - drive hammered, get nailed, in honor of New Years I guess.

Mining Camp Restaurant and Trading Post

For one of our last outings, we headed out to this restaurant that looks like it was the original site.

  It is all decorated with old artifacts and has family style seating at long tables with benches. The McNasty brothers provide music and entertainment. Debbie accompanied them, playing the spoons.

This was out toward the Superstition Mountains on the road to all the old mines in the Apache Junction area.

A very fun experience - you just had a huge smile on your face.

Christmas Day 2012

We started our morning with mimosas and eggnog in the pool and hot tub.

Christmas dinner in the hall together was really fun and we are great cooks. This is our family away from home.

A Fun Christma Eve

We celebrated together with our friends and appys.

Barry and Joan

We had a surprise when our friends from Vanc Is. phoned to say they were in Mesa and came for the great visit. We met them in 2005 at Catalina Spa in DHSprings and have had so much fun together.

Light Display at the Mormon Temple

We went over to the Visitor's Center here tonight and there were a million lights starting with the 3 Magi and camels out front. The reflecting pond is in front of the Temple at the back.

Inside they had Nativity scenes from over 100 countries.

Here's the Netherlands and Japan.

There was a delightful choir that gave a performance and you could see into the Center behind and see a large statue of Christ.

Our Christmas Visit

We went with Debbie and Richard to meet Chuck and Barb at Dino's for lunch in Pebble Creek. It is busy from here on in with Barb going home Mon, Chris G arriving that afternoon and Chuck going home Christmas day when Barb gets back.

We went back to their house for Christmas Cheer where Richard looks at Barb's new computer.

We all enjoyed getting together.

Our Walk Around Dinner

We had a progressive dinner tonight. We started with appies at Beckie and Jerry's, then we were off to our place for Chicken Tortilla Soup. Salad was down at Eileen and John's, then over to Debby and Chief's for pot roast, veggies and gravy with freshly baked bread.

It was getting dark as we walked over to Bob and Gail's for dessert with Julie's decorated golf cart.

It was such a lovely evening with great people.

Our Christmas Parade

We thought this up at the Thursday coffee and donuts. We all had our costumes ready, decorated our car which Ron would drive as Santa, with Bob and Jerry the 2 reindeer pulling his 'sleigh'. Unfortunately the sun was setting by the time the parade ended at our street.                    

                 

I hurt my back as I was getting out my red shoes, so couldn't walk the route with Gail and Becky.
Boo Hoo, haven't been in a parade for 60 years.

Opening Bash for the new Racquet Club

They've just finished building a new facility with 4 pickleball and 4 tennis courts.

The Christmas tree was decorated with tennis and pickle balls and racquets and we celebrated with goodies

Curtis Enertains in the Courtyard

We just love our neighbour Curtis,  he's a fantastic entertainer. He sang a couple of numbers with with EJ, an 80 year old woman we've played bid euchre with. He wears about 15 different hats to suit all the various songs he sings. There are Christmas decorations all around the complex.

Chuck and Barb came over and we enjoy an afternoon in the courtyard.

All the dancers were busy.

It's still warm enough for swimming.

Lunch at Filly's Bar and Grill

We went out toward the Superstition Mountains Sat. and enjoyed lunch outside under umbrellas. You can ride up on your horses or ATV's.

 Someone got silly and put a fake spider on someone's shoulder.

 The dance floor was well used.

2 couples left today to go home for Christmas but this sunshine is too hard to leave.

Starting to Look Like Christmas

All the neighbours are decorating their houses and so is the park. The palms are lighted up the entry drive.

There is a prize for the best street. Our entertainer Curtis down the street has done a fantastic job complete with Christmas music.  We're really starting to get into it now.This morning at the coffee and donut hour, we planned our entry for the Christmas Parade, got the Walk Around Progressive Dinner organized and arranged to play pool tonight. We 3 gals went to the Costume Shop and picked up our costumes. Val Vista bought out a retiring Bridal Shop, then a closing costume store so you can get anything they have for Halloween or any occasion. Debby and Becky have got beautiful gowns set aside for New Years Eve