Sprucing Up The Blog and Brushing Off The Board

Yesterday was a hot one in Yuma!  A perfect day for staying inside in the AC and firing up the computers. I’ve admired recently some new looks on Jan and Chuck Moore’s blog.  They tell me the key is using Windows Live Writer to compose the blog posts.  So, what are friends for? – sharing computer knowledge, for one thing.  Of course, Jan Moore offered to give me (Nancy) some pointers on using this free software that adds a little jazz to the blog and makes posting easier.  She walked through the features with me.  Her tutelage was excellente!   Before I knew it I was totally into this new toy.  So I just had to try out everything.  Here goes:

Our computers buzzed away as we enjoyed experimenting with all the bells and whistles.  There are numerous borders, actions and effects options for posting pictures.

 

You can insert a watermark (see right corner of my photos) and add tags to identify people (put your cursor on the photo.)  In the photo of Jan and I at the right, you can see a couple more of the effects that are possible.

Our day of playing was topped off when we were joined by friends, Ron and Sharon Mead, for an evening of Pegs and Jokers.  Jerry and I have had a long stretch away from this “challenging and competitive” game. But we pulled the board out of the cabinet and brushed it off.  Then we asked our fellow players for some patience and a review of the rules.  That was no problem.  These friends freely offered lots of advice (lol).  There’s never a dull moment with this group.  It was another fun evening.   So I’ve decided to use a few of those pics in my trial of the Tables features of Windows Live Writer. 

Let the games begin!	Ron and Jan get serious with the nuts and the cards.
Those camera timers are super – if the subjects pay attention!	Finally, we got the group quieted down. Aren’t we handsome?!

We’ve shared a lot here at the Foothills in Yuma with Chuck and Jan for a week now . It’s been a fantastic time…..stories and meals and drinks and shopping, gatherings of friends in the community and those with just us. Jan and I are at this moment creating a blog post on similar topics – with dueling computers at her kitchen table.  I’m going to try including a photo album of the past week to share with you.  Here we go:

View Full Album

 

Then there’s also a hyperlink feature we can try here.  So, I’m going to share Jan and Chuck’s blog, Moore News.  It’s also on Blogger.  I’ve added the link by clicking on the title at the end of this sentence and also experimented with making a link on the photo below.   Here’s the link: Moore News

Well, this is my first attempt with the Writer.  I’m sure there are more pieces to discover.  But even as a novice, I like the ease of using it and the flexibility.  And it sure makes for a happier blogger.  What do you think about the features here?

Hope to see you down the road.

Warming Up With Friends In Yuma

It's heating up in southern Arizona, but we're totally enjoying some time in Yuma. A few days ago, we made our way south from Quartzsite on AZ state highway 95 about 80 miles.  Our friends Jan and Chuck let us know that there was room on the lot where they were parked.  So we set Tillie the GPS and Ferd took us directly there, with Ole Yeller on our tail.

We were pleased to get the chance to have these super folks as neighbors for a while.

Today, Chuck and Jan planned a gathering of a group of "Boomers". For those who aren't familiar, the Boomers is a loosely organized group of rvers of a certain age. Actually, the age is really not important, since there isn't much rule-enforcement involved. Any member may decide at anytime to announce a gathering at a place of their own choice. 


This particular gathering was a happy hour at the lot where we are in the Foothills in Yuma. Well, anyway, Jan put out the word on the Boomers Bulletin Board online and by word of mouth.  And -- voila-- a party!  Everyone brought a chair, a drink, a snack and came ready to share a good time.    

About 25 friendly folks turned out.  Before we knew it the happy hour had stretched to several hours. For Jerry and I it was nice to get reacquainted with a few friends that we haven't seen in quite a while. 

For instance, here's the always-smiling-and-ready-for-a-game-of-Pegs-and-Jokers Ron who came in his best duds.

And Jerry's with Padraic, who besides generously providing us all with updates on tech issues, is always ready to capture a fantastic group photo.  Great to see these congenial guys again - and many others.

We also had the opportunity to meet some new people.  A few  showed up for their inaugural Boomers' event.  And some were long-time, loyal, leaders of this prestigious "club" that we have not had a chance to visit with along the road in the past. 

As we have mentioned previously on the blog, the rving lifestlye never fails to bring together the gamut of folks who each have a unique story.  

Many tales were told at this event, as usual, but they will be entrusted to the vault, to be retold and enhanced at the choice of the raconteur.  (lol) You'll have to ask Jenny what was going on here. What happens with the Boomers, stays with the Boomers!

Thanks, Jan and Chuck, for hosting a fun evening.

A Spring Walk in the Desert

As we pause here in Quartzsite, Arizona, we are watching the changing of the seasons. Our two-day stopover turned into nine as we wait for a part for our solar monitor.

But it's been fun watching the snowbirds as they migrate north, perching here for one night and then taking flight in the morning.  The desert is beginning to bloom. The temps are rising.  And those of us chasing the 70-degree perfect climate are meandering to other places.

But we have a little while to enjoy Spring emerging in the desert.  On our walks there are signs of it everywhere.  So I thought instead of writing this time, I'd just share some photos from a spring walk in the desert.

Soon the humans will be even more scarce and the rattlesnakes will slither about.
See you down the road. Take care.

Old Farts Gathering at Jaxon Hole

Our travels led us to a unique gathering in Congress, Arizona, a few days ago.  You see,  we are fortunate to have good friends  Jerry and Dee who are soooo hospitable and just plain fun.  They open their arms to us, offering a parking spot and including us in their activities.  We can count on sharing stories, laughs, meals, music and a few opinions.  During this recent visit we were included in a special event at a local spot in the desert dubbed "Jaxon Hole," (after Jerry and Dee's cherished Schnauzer, Jaxon).  The group from the North Ranch RV Park that assembled for these festivities, food and frivolity, is the result of the "Old Farts Favorites."

...Pause here for a short explanation: A few months ago Jerry and Dee were listening to old tunes and decided they would send an email challenge to friends to choose one favorite song from the decades of the 50s to the 90s.  For some of us, selecting only one tune per decade was almost impossible. But, after all, the responses were fabulous.  The resulting four-CD package that they produced for each couple/respondent is a nostalgia trip extraordinare.  What a great idea!

....But, I digress.  As I said, this group of 30-35 rvers from the North Ranch RV Park (visitors included) packed up chairs, firewood, food and drink and proceeded on ATVs/Jeeps/Feet to "Jaxon Hole."   You can see the gathering in a nice clearing surrounded by views of the mountains in the photo above.  We had a perfect March day in Arizona. Just great for an afternoon of relaxing with our old favorite tunes, friendly people, libations and good food.  Just imagine the Margaritas blending on the hood of a 1942 Jeep while the hot dogs grilled and the classics played.  Bob Seger, Carole King, Clarence Carter, Elvis Presley, Marvin Gaye, The Doors, The Grateful Dead......you name it, we had it.  Why at one point we even had the coyotes serenading us from the ridge.

A highlight of the day was the "Old Farts Favorites" sterling hubcap award to Jerry and Dee

for their exemplary production work. (Top photo in this post.)  Bill, who supplied us with a his special-recipe Margaritas, and Barb, who braved the highway to acquire the award, made the presentation to the deserving couple. 

The day was filled with absolutely no lack of stimulating conversation, scrumptious food, pleasant scenery and "Old Farts Favorites."  In case you have the inclination to see more examples of these festivities, I've posted an album.  To see a slideshow, go to the following link:  Jaxon Hole, March 2010   

When it was time to put out the fire and call it a night, we topped the day off with a sing-along to Alice's Restaurant.  So I guess you could say: we're just waitin' for it to come around is what we're doin'...so get ready... let's hear you out there.... "You can get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant.  Walk right in. It's around the back.  Just a half a mile from the railroad track. You can get anything you want, at Alice's Restaurant."

As usual ....We'll see you down the road.

Rainy Day Shopping

The other day it rained all day in Arizona.  Really! There have been a few of those days here lately. So maybe this will be another year for the bright orange and blue wild flowers lining the highways and the desert roads.  But rainy days do come in handy, right?  For us, this one was a day to shop. First we hit the local Sam's Club to purchase our new backup hard drive.  Don't want to lose all those photos, family history, etc.  Sam's usually has some good bargains in electronics.  We found a Toshiba, 500gb, with backup  software and carrying case for $79.  That should serve us for a while.

Our next destination was a recently-discovered store that's fun to explore - Total Wine.  There's much more than wine at Total Wine.  If you find any enjoyment in some kind of alcoholic beverages, you'll surely enjoy just roaming the aisles. We heard about Total Wine from our friend, Karen, when we visited her in Florida in December.  Then as we explored Tempe, AZ, during the past couple of months, we ran across these liquor-marts here as well.  Since then I've learned the stores are in ten states in the east, southeast and southwest.
The photo here shows about 1/20th of the store. It's the largest liquor store we've ever seen and the variety is unbelievable.   We find that their prices are very competitive overall.  If you see a price that ends in a 7, that's supposed to be the best buy.  We found a wine that was priced at what we'd call a "try me" level, a Merlot by Pacific Peak. A bottle just jumped into our cart. We enjoyed it a lot. So this trip we stocked up.  Who would ever know that this new favorite is only $2.27 a bottle. 

You can also buy all kinds of imported beers - by the bottle, if you wish.  Since every item has a card describing it on the shelf, you can get a good idea of the product.   Have your own taste testing.  Speaking of that, the store includes a wine education room and wine tasting area.

As we were gazing at the wide selection of Scotches, just considering them, we encountered a couple from Germany that live in the Mesa area. They were stocking up on various recommended types and brands that they had read about in a book.  They found every item on their list. Although,  all of us passed up the $500 bottles that were locked in the glass case. It was interesting talking about our tastes with this friendly couple. They advised us that there are coupons in the newspaper regularly for additional discounts on quantity purchases.

Just thought I'd share this rainy day activity.  See you down the road.

Life Goes On

We go through events or phases in our lives that cause us to slow down and think about what's really important.  Sometimes the down time is longer or more intensive than others.  But we always know that "Life Goes On" -  eventually.  That's where I've been for the past month.  I traveled by airplane from Arizona to Indiana to spend a little time with my cancer-stricken brother, thinking that now was a better time to see him than later in the progression.  Then it happened.  Sadly, but also mercifully, five days after I arrived he was gone. 

Don was a good guy.  He will be missed.  He reminds us of the value of our relationships and the influence we each have on others.  But he would not expect much else from us but to remember him.  And he would definitely say - "Life Goes On."
So, here we are.  Back to our everyday life.  Getting ready for the next stop on our winter travels.  For the next few days, we'll rest, catch up with each other and make plans.  Then we're heading down the road again.  First stop is at the Cummins repair facility near Phoenix.  Hopefully,  they'll diagnose the origin of the black soot on Ferd's rear.  We haven't planned very much further than enjoying the warm climate of the southwest a while. We do know this much. There are a few friends in the area that we hope to see.   And there will be time just smelling the roses, so to speak.  We are fortunate. We are reminded of how much we appreciate the people that pass through our lives.  Life Goes On.