NEW TV'S ARE IN

Well we have our new TV's - they arrived yesterday afternoon, they are very nice and Jim got the one installed in the living room without any problem but the one in the bedroom was another story, they came with stands so we are using the stand for awhile because even a gorilla couldn't have removed the metal plate's 4 screws off the back of that TV. They are sending us a new plate bracket or whatever it is called to screw in the back of the TV. The stand works fine but when moving we would really rather have the plate attached for stability.
We haven't even put the TV's on yet today.
Yesterday was Ash Wed. so we went to Victory Lutheran Church down the road. We really liked the Pastor so we will be going back there and they will be having services during lent, I don't know if we didn't look hard enough in FL but the park didn't have any and we missed going to services during lent.
I don't know if I told you or not but I did make a wonderful find when I was doing laundry the day before yesterday. Or was it yesterday. Who knows but I found a Schwan's truck. I now have my favorite fudge sickles. Too yummy for words.

NEW TV'S

We are getting new TV's delivered today, for some reason our TV's in the camper went out, a 42 inch and a 32 incher. Jim just took the 32 inch TV to a camper repair place because he can't get the metal plate unscrewed no matter what and he is strong. He called Forest River the mfg. of our camper and they are sending the new ones. We were surprised because we found out even though we have a 2010 camper the TV's are 2008. He thinks they have a flaw in the vibration part of it and that's why they went out. We will be happy with new ones but we really haven't minded not having them. I do like Sunday night TV best and the national news but then we do have the Internet.
Another gorgeous day in paradise.

ONE WEEK AND COUNTING

I tell you true, we feel like we are in early Northern Minnesota summer.
We have been so busy this first week, yesterday I intended to blog but got so busy with deleting my emails and then boom, the day seemed to take over. It was moving day, but rather than go backwards I will fill in our first week at Sun Life Resort.
Jim has an old high school classmate here. Ronnie and Marybeth Scavo. On Arriving last Tuesday as soon as we got set up in A-31 they walked over and welcomed us and invited us for a wonderful Tex-Mex dinner of Authentic Fajitas. I brought the Margaritas and it was a wonderful night. On Thursday we shopped at so many places I forget but we have been to Camper World at least everyday for the past week and I won't get in to that now.
I talked to Sonja my sister as soon as I arrived and she agreed to visit us for the weekend and did so. Our first day at the pool may have been Friday and they have bands that show up on Fridays and Saturdays. We had breakfast of pancakes, sausage, scrambled eggs, juice and coffee for Three Dollars each. It was a wonderful breakfast and probably will do that every Saturday morning. She said she had a very nice weekend and we topped it off with church right in the camp on Sunday. She went home around noon after our wonderful breakfast of Belgian Waffle's and sausage.
Sunday afternoon we went to visit two members of our Bethany family about two miles from us in another park, Don and Elsie Kleman. They are kept so busy. She is really involved in the music program at their park and she and Don take groups on hikes throughout the Mesa area. Both in their late eighties and fit as fiddles. Someone to emulate.
Back to my Camper World story, We went there Saturday to pick up a new table and liked a set we saw with 4 folding chairs. Got it back to the camper and it was missing parts, so we took it back Sunday and got another set and when we tried to put that together, that was missing other parts. We took that back on Monday and purchased a different table, which we like a lot and a new rocking chair for Jim, I got one when we purchased the camper last September. We have two other folding chairs so with a total of four we figure we are good to go.
We have been back to Camping world twice since the missing parts incident for other stuff so as you can plainly see, our truck just goes there.
Another place we have been to twice is the Riparian Preserve at Water Ranch in Gilbert, AZ about 5 miles straight South of us. What a wonderful place to walk the dogs and watch birds. I can't see them except in bunches because binoculars just don't seem to work well for me but I go along for the walks anyway. The Canada Geese, Domestic White Geese, lots or ducks, Great Blue Herons, Great Egrets, they have four kinds of hummingbirds and lots and other species. Jim is having too much fun.
We invited Ronnie and Marybeth over for dinner last night, they had us for dinner our first night in the park and we had them for dinner after we moved from A-31 to A-35. Big move huh.
We made them Chicken Fajitas. Ronnie showed Jim where the Superstition Market is, get this green pepper are six for a dollar and the yellow, orange and red ones are less than fifty cents apiece. Jim took me there yesterday, too fun. Ronnie gave us a fry pan with the holes for veggies and of course we forgot it. We are looking for a Bed, Bath and Be yon so we can get us another one for the camper and for any of you kids that wan one. It's too wonderful to grill veggies in it. The smell almost takes your breath away. It's so wonderful.
The swimming pool here is to die for.
I have been to the laundry her twice already. What are we. Pigs!
You wouldn't believe how dirty it is here. The dust is everywhere. Otto is our dirt indicator. I can't even have Jim take him on the canal walks because he comes back looking like he does old time black face. I ask Jim to keep him on the sidewalks but at the Preserve they have both so Otto is dirty as can be again. You can't see the dirt on Makons as much but its there.
We have been here a week now and we do love being able to take walks. No snow. It is oh so wonderful.
I hear the Master. Today I am making a Mexican breakfast. More later.

LEAVING LAS CURCES FOR AZ

Jim is sleeping in today. No idea why - we have had a hard time sleeping in so good for him. We have about an 8 hour drive ahead of us and then walla - we are in Mesa - our destination. I think I will have to make this quick because he is stiring.
The kids and I have already been out for a walk. I am putting a plea out to John - Carrie - Alexis - Skye and Mac. We left so quickly I need pictures of the grandchildren and Nico of course (Skye's dog). I have a bulletin board in my kitchen in the camper and no grandchildren. If you pop pictures in the mail we will get them so please please send some.

94 DEGREES - YIPEE SKIPEE

Well two days have passed. We stayed in Abilene TX the second night and put on 10 hours driving to get there. Really nice day.
The pickup started coming apart at the seams so we stopped at a grocery store and purchased some super glue. It was a strip on the door I think. Jim made it work like he does everything. With a loud voice I might add. It only lasts for a minute or so and he is fine.
We stayed at Buck Creek RV Park in Abilene TX and were on our way and the 3rd and 4t h night we are staying in Las Cruses at The Hacienda RV Park and Resort. They rake the pea rock is what makes it a resort I think. There is a dog run but the dogs don't know what to do with it. I work up early today and cold so I tried to put the furnace on and messed that up so Jim had to get up. We finally figured out it was running off the battery and that was why everything was dimming and acting weird. He finally went out and hit the reset but tin on the post and walla - heat.
We had a lovely Italian dinner at Lorenzo's last night. I had Salmon which was delicious. The bread was to die for and we took it home to our camper and went grocery shopping after dinner.
I am set. We have today to have an adventure in and I plan on starting it with a walk with the dogs.

WE ARE IN WICHITA KS AND NO SNOW

We are at a lovely "Best Western", had a good nights sleeps and what a crazy start to our trip. We went to bed on Friday night by 9pm. I was so exhausted from the packing up the camper. I don't know where Jim gets all his energy but by 11pm he woke me and said "lets go". Two house later we were on the road. I think of the things I forgot and have to la ff. I mean there are homemade croutons in the oven.
Jim drove 16 hours to get here with stops for gas and eats and ice cream bars. Hagendas' - really good. We finally drove out of the snow in Kansas about 1 to 2 hours before Wichita.
Whichita was a cattle destination the the old west so they could ship the cattle back east via train for the Eastern market. It's on The Chisholm Train and Little Arkansas River and also know as The Air Capital of the World because of the mfg. of small aircraft like Beech and Cesna.
We plan on being on the road this morning by 8am. You should see the fog out now. Should be gone by 9am they say.

GRANDMA WAS 99 YEARS - 48 DAYS OLD WHEN SHE DIED

I just am having a difficult time reporting about Lillian's demise. She had a very strong turn for the worse almost 3 weeks before she died. I regret the pain she had to endure, the two hospital stays, the move to a new nursing home. All of that when you are almost blind is so very disrupting even when the nurses are kind and patient.
Lillian was very used to "The Manor House". We moved her to "Homestead Rehab and Nursing Center" where she could get more care, her Doctor, Dr. Ottosen was part of that decision, it also is connected to the "Deer River Hospital" so we didn't ever have to take her outside again. Her second hospital stay all the had to do to run some tests was wheel her over to the hospital.
I guess it was just her time to go because her system started shutting down starting with no eating and hardly any drinking.
The thing I feel so good about is her body was telling us it was time to let her go, I said my goodbye to her the Thursday before she died, someone was always with her those last 3 weeks and in all honesty, the suffering was minimal. I really didn't think she would be gone this soon. I had just purchased her some new slacks and jackets for the nursing home. she wore them once I think. I sat with her on that Thursday, I had hung the "Amazing Grace" poster photo above her bed and sang to her rubbing her arm and holding her hand. The music, the words seemed to calm her, that was when my tears came. Them came because of the pain she was going through. There were quite a few days she just yelled out in what seemed like pain every other minute or so. That afternoon we wen to hospice and signed her up and they took over managing her pain and end of life. It happened the following Monday at 8:50 am. We had the funeral on Wednesday at 2pm with Bonnie her niece officiating. Jane sung beautifully 2 songs, "Amazing Grace and In the Garden or was it Have Thine Own Way". She is at peace, Jim said goodbye to her on the Sunday before she died.