Last load

 With just Mark and I moving our meager belongings and our car being so small, it has taken more "loads" than we thought that it would to get us out of the cabin. The truck has been more than helpful to, to say the least. Today we have one more small load, mainly cleaning supplies and the last of Marks clothes. There are a few totes in the storage shed of the parks. After that all of our things will be in our new home. 😊  

Right now everything has gotten just stuffed into a cabinet to get the totes unpacked. So it will take me a loooooong time to find and organize everything. I do enjoy organizing so it will be fun and especially in our new home. Most of the kitchen items that Carol left are things that I will never ever use or they were in really bad shape to use. I don't think she used much of anything. There wasn't even a pancake turner here. I'm so happy that God gave us some thing to salvage from the fire and that generous friends and family sent us funds to purchase some of what we will need.

Our new home has a large extra room and it has a queen size bed in it. Mark will love that when he has a bad night with his RLS. Loveseats aren't much for sleeping on he will fit on much better. Today one of my goals is to get the boxes on the bed emptied and the bed cleared.  This room has turned into the drop spot since we now have the living area clear of totes and set up to a functional space. 

One more cup of coffee and I think I'll start on my to do list. Up early so I have more morning to get things done and can relax early tonight. Saturday I'll do a bit of cleaning of the cabin and call it good enough. The park has a couple that do the cleaning, so I just need to do the job of cleaning my mess.

Thursday, Dec. 29, 2021

 Yesterday we put in a very long day, 5 hours is just too long for us old farts. Mark slept like a log but I hardly slept at all. No matter how tired I am if the house is a total mess I just can’t sleep. It’s too hard when I keep thinking of all that I have to do. 

Today Dish Network was installed and we are so happy to have some programs to watch. A neighbor brought over an Italian dish for our supper. I loved it but Mark did not so he had a bowl of cereal in the evening. We have been just sitting tonight.

Tomorrow morning I have to get the stuff out of the hall closet at the old place and Mark and Chris will bring the stuff from the parks storage shed. I know my kettles and kitchen stuff that I salvaged is in there and Mark has some things too. I can’t remember anymore, that was over two months ago.  We also have a huge WM order that we will picking up. I was going to have it delivered but the list kept growing and growing so I felt is was better if we got it ourselves, plus I want a bottle wine and Mark some wine coolers. We will need to take the truck too. A bag of softener salt and the rest won’t all fit in my little car or any smaller car. We also need to get a new thermostat. We just can’t figure out this one. And we can’t remember what Brian said. I like things to be simple to operate and this one is NOT.

I have a lot of stuff to get donated to a charity. Most of Carols stuff was pretty awful and some things I will never use in a million years.  
Mark got my computer up and running and I actually have room for it, now that it's not on the dining room table here.

Today I got the new bedspread, bedroom curtains and a k-cup holder. Amazon was two days early again, and I'm thrilled. Tuesday I’ll have some more things coming. Little by little I”m replacing what we lost, although not all will be replaced and some never can be replaced. Thanks to wonderful people donation money we can replace some needed items. I'm still trying to get some clothes, but I'm not real fond of the styles, they just don't fit me or my taste.

  Chris and his son brought over my power chair this afternoon and I’m thrilled to have it here. I’m praying now that I can sleep tonight.. I didn’t get much sleep at all last night. We quit early tonight so sleep should come more easily
Pictures will come when things get put away, it’s still a disaster here.

Early move in day

 Tuesday around 2 we got a call from Brian asking us to come over. He handed us all the keys and said we could start moving into our home at 4. What a gift from God that was. I totally broke down and scared Mark and Brian but Carol knew it was just a release valve. She handed me a kleenex told them it's a woman thing. I'm so glad she understood. I just couldn't help the tears.  

So anyway we slept in our new home and new bed a day early. 

Out of room

 Just three more sleeps and we can move out of this cracker box. But we can't do anymore packing. The back seat of the truck is full and in case of rain we can't put anything in the box of the truck. And the car can't get loaded up in the back incase we need it to pick up something. There is VERY little floor space in here so there is no place to put any totes or boxes. That is unless we don't want to move around in here at all. The most that we have left to pack is food, clothes and few cooking utensils, since most everything was lost in the fire.  

So now that we have found out we can't pack up anymore items. We have decided that Wednesday, when either of us gets up to use the bathroom in the middle of the night, we will just start packing and moving things to our home. When we get tired we can take a nap or go to bed early that night. I know once we get up, our minds will be busy moving so we might as well do just that.  And we still have a day or two to continue moving our meager belongings. Our age and physical abilities are preventing us to go balls to the walls like in our younger days. But again, we don't have that much, just no place to put anything in this place.  Frustrating to the nth degree.

The anxiousness of moving has set my heart rhythm way off kilter. Sometimes I think it is going to pound right through my chest. But as soon as I get busy with something else it slows down. It is scary though since I have an accelerated heartbeat the way it is. The meds don't seem to be working with the type of anxiety we have been living through.

We've been hearing on the news and reading about cruises that are being held up due to trump virus cases onboard. The couple that we have purchased our home from have an upcoming cruise scheduled the day we move. I'm sure they are anxious about the outcome for them. Will they be able to go or not? If their cruise gets cancelled they will have to stay at a motel because we are not giving them one day longer in our home. They are quite wealthy so they can well afford to stay at a motel if they need to. Being they are from Canada puts them in a stressful situation as well.

Christmas was not much for us this year. But I did manage to listen to the church service on line. The fanfare was just not there. It was just another night in December with no birthday celebration for Jesus. But prayers of thanks were given numerous times.

WINTER

 Today it has a real feel of the first day of winter in the air. The wind is blowing, no sunshine for warmth  and it is going to be a slow go to reach the predicted high of 71º. And from the sounds of it the rest of the week will pretty much be the same.

Yesterday we met with the previous owners of our new home for a celebratory cocktail and visit. Brian is going to great lengths to make sure we will be happy in our new home. He is showing us all the paper work on every appliance, and showing us how the things work. We had a very enjoyable visit. 

Today I ordered room darkening curtains for the bedroom window that faces east. We like darkness, or I should say I much need darkness for sleeping. The bedspread that they are leaving is  washed out maroon so I ordered a bright new spread as well. Actually I have not sent the order off but am waiting until it's closer to our move in date. We just have NO room here for much of anything. As we begin packing up our few belongings it will be dangerous to even walk in here. And that is putting it mildly.

Yesterday they began tearing down our burned up home. Mark checks on the progress each day, but I choose not to watch my home being further destroyed. We are anxious for the whole ordeal to be done with.

Holy crap it's cold

 Woke up to 42º this morning. Yesterday the wind was horrendous and thankfully that has stopped......for now.  We are to expect a high of only 62º for today, tomorrow and whenever. We have to find jackets soon. Thank God Lincoln got me some earmuffs, so I at least have warm ears. Mark has some heavy and an insulated flannel shirt that he can get by with for awhile. All I have are two sweatshirts. But I'm looking for a jacket.

Thankfully our insurance agent found a company to insure our new home. So all is set for the move on the 29th. Well, I hope so. You see, the wind last night also had rain with it and torn off the tarp covering our boxes and totes. We are hoping that the rain didn't compromise the boxes too much. The empty boxes we were saving got moved around but still on the steps. No room inside this cracker box so all have to be outside in the elements. 😕 I'm hoping that this is the last of the wind and rain until we move from here. ha he We are counting the days and hours. 

Official

 We now officially own our home, but we still aren't moving in until the agreed upon date. Insurance on the new home is pending due to the fire loss of our previous home. The fire report will show that it was not our fault. Today we should hear something.

As each day goes by and we get closer to our move in day or anxiousness grows. Having a place we can call home again is great, but not having our personal items around us will take some time to adjust to or get over. So many times my mind goes back to something I lost in the fire and the tears and anger flow. Not a day goes by that this doesn't happen. I know Mark feels the same way, he lost just as much of his personal belongings as well.  And he is doing his darnedest to hide his feelings and to help me muddle through and smile. I form strong attachments to things. That is so not good. We are lucky to have each other and a roof over our heads.

Christmas this year is a bust as far as our usual traditions. I've done my best to make a few special treats that are easy to make when living in a closet. But the amount of counter and cabinet space limits that as well. For people that don't have much of anything anymore, we sure filled this place.  That is easy for anyone to do here. 

The weather has really gotten cold for us and we have no winter coats or jackets. Yesterday we looked around and found only one store with jackets. But they were all Carhardt and nothing I would want to wear to church. Plus the price was way out of our affordability.  We gave up after 3 stores had nothing and hardly anyone was wearing a mask. Back to online shopping. It's safer and more to choose from. Thankfully Lincoln found earmuffs that I like and gave them to me for Christmas. Now I won't get cold ears or earaches in the cold. I hate wearing hats, I had to do enough of that in MN winters. So we still need to find warm coats and gloves.  Oh and warmer shoes and socks. Sandals in the winter isn't a very good idea, not even in Yuma. 

What would you do if you lost everything but the clothes you have on now? Trust me, you have no idea.

Thankful but stressful

 Just 22 days until we move into our new home. And I can honestly say it has been a long stressful time living in this tiny place. Grateful for the roof over our heads but so sick and tired of not having any room to move or room for our meager belongings that were either donated or we managed to salvage from the fire.

Every turn we make something either gets knocked over or we end up with a bruise. I am not a short person but I can not reach into some of the cabinets without a step stool or over stretch my arms leaving them in pain. There is a horrible sewer gas smell in the bathroom anytime water is run. I think the drains need a good cleaning after all the times the sewer backed up on us the first month here. With my sense of smell it's nauseating.  I pity the person renting this place on the first of January.

In spite of the lack of room I am baking some simple cookies for Christmas. That is taking up the very small amount of counter space we have.  There is very little cabinet space to put much of anything so too much ends up on the counters. The small kitchen space I've lived with in other places, but lack our cabinets is not something I can handle. Now if we didn't eat or if I didn't cook, we could use the one cabinet that has food in it to store other things that are stacked on the counters. But it's too costly to eat out every night and that gets old in a hurry. And I prefer my own cooking. I don't like food out of a box or a can unless there is no other option or if it's a time crunch thing. Too much fat and salt for anyones health.

This wasn't meant to be such a negative entry, but I am missing so many things and ways. It's hard to be positive all the time. Sometimes I just have to let it all out! We lost everything including our beloved Miss Lola. It's really hard to stay happy all the time after all that.

One step closer

 Today we paid for our new home. Brian, Mark and I went to the bank this morning to do a wire transfer to Brians bank in Canada. He had all his paperwork from his home bank all ready to go which helped for a smooth transfer. The lady at the bank who helped us is the same person that helped us set up our banking account and the loan for our SmartCar 4 years ago. So she knew us well and knew that we were full time Yumans too. In 3 to 4 days Brian should hear back from his bank that the money is in his account. Our next step will then be to transfer the title, get insurance on our home, on the the 29th of December, move into our  home. As much as I don't want to wish my life away I hope the next 26 days go by smoothly and quickly. After all we have been through it's hard to be optimistic about anything. But by the grace of God all will go well. That's what we are praying for.

Since I have no Christmas baking to do or at least no room to bake, I am trying my hand at some simple crocheting to keep me busy. Mark has been cleaning the guns and getting them back into working order. He just recently found my gun in a big glob of melted plastic. How he got it out of the glob is beyond me, but he did.  And is working on that. His guns are in good/safe working condition once again. The gun cases have a strong stench of smoke so they are not allowed in the house. hehe I've inhaled enough of that stench to last me a lifetime. I can't even stand the smell of a campfire anymore.😛

Our son would like to come and help us move, but we have so very little to move from here to the new place. It will take just one to two hours to move what little we have and a friend from the park will help us with that. The heaviest item is my power lift chair that Mark got for me. It would be great to see Lincoln but would love to have him see our new place and us when we can just sit and enjoy our time together. This move will be very emotional for Mark and I and we may not be the best company, even though we are super excited to move from to our new home.

The manager from the office gave me two Christmas stockings today. So we have a couple items of Christmas decorations plus our little 16 inch $Tree white Christmas tree. Big difference from previous years.

A forward movement.

A great big Thank You to all our friends and relatives for your support!

It has been just over a month since we lost our home to a catastrophic fire and slowly the events in our life are moving on. Some positive and some not so much so! I sincerely hope you never have to go thru something like this in your own lives!

Yesterday we received a phone call from park management stating their insurance would not cover any portion of our trailers demolition expenses or lot restoration. So I made a call to the demolition company, went over concerns I had with the quote they had submitted and gave them authorization to expedite their services at my expense. To the tune of just over $11,000.

We also went to our fire destroyed home for the last time attempting to salvage what little is left of our lives possessions. Typing this attempting to make sense of what Cindy and I have gone thru since the day of the fire might sound tragic and it is. But at least now we can pick up the pieces, pull up our big boys and move on with our lives.

Yesterday we met with Brian and Carol, a Canadian couple that live in the park during the winter months, and came to an agreement with them to purchase their house. If all goes as planned, thanks to the generosity of all our friends and relatives, we will take occupancy on Dec. 29. Putting us back on the same block we lived on when we first moved to the park. Just 5 homes south of our first house here.

Brian is only a few years older than us but because of medical issues this will be their last year of coming down. So they, after hearing of our plight, have agreed to sell us the home “totally furnished”. Which under the circumstances is a very huge deal to us.

Brian has lived in the park for approximately 12 years, first like us coming down in their 5th wheel trailer and then later purchasing the home from its original owner. So he could fill me in on a lot of the changes and remodeling that had been done to the home during his and the original owner occupancy.

And although there will be a few things that need to be addressed to make it a year round residence this far south. The home itself is one of the better built homes in the park. Resting on concrete pillars and steel beamed foundation, it even has landscape blocks under the home for off ground on site storage.

The new home also has a second bedroom which is unique in that most homes here only have an Arizona room which is generally described as a three season porch. Where this, unlike our last home, has a completely self supporting structure for the second bedroom. It also comes with a washer and dryer saving Cindy from the commute to the in park laundromat.

Now on a reality note keep in mind even with all the storage this home offers, everything we own and will be moving to the new home will fit in one trip in the back of my pickup. And we are not talking any stacking……. The doctor said I needed to lose weight, I wonder if this is what he meant.

It is Always an Adventure!

Mark

Trying to survive

 With our lives turned upside down and flushed down the toilet, we are surviving...well trying too anyway. Each day does bring us closer to being in our new home,  but  waiting is very hard. The little cracker box we are living in now makes it hard to breath or move around and tests our patience constantly. Our fifth wheel rv had more room and it was something we chose to do. We did not choose the situation we are in now. It's a darn good thing we have a strong loving marriage, because it is tested often.

Yesterday we got our flu shots and I got my new computer. This is the first time the shot hurt, but at least the pain was short lived and didn't take long to be forgotten. The new computer is making my life easier. Some things just can't be done on an iPad, but I did the best I could. Finding room to set it up was no easy task. We no longer have a place to eat or we carefully eat around the computer. 😟 Forty five more days and we hope to be in our new home, so the inconvenience will only last that long. But it seems much longer.

Pool time is few and far between now. The pool has a lot of snowbirds enjoying the nice weather and the pool. Which makes it rather crowded to really enjoy the time spent in the pool for us. It's too cold for me now, so I don't care how many are in the pool. Mark is going there less and less too. So we will have to start walking more so get our exercise now. 

Good bye

For a few weeks before the tragic fire that took down our home we noticed Lola was slowing down and not enjoying the things she used to. We attributed it to her 8.5 years of age. After all we all slow down to some degree as we get older.  But after the fire Lola went down hill even more. Each week she slept more and more, ate less and drank less as well. She digressed to the point of not wanting to move or anything. That lead us to take her to the vet. 

On Monday November first the vet squeezed us in and said her lungs seemed to be restricted and her stomach felt like there was an obstruction. He needed to run some tests. The cost was something we could not afford so opted out. As Mark was leaving the office, both of us in tears, the nurse asked me to wait. When she returned she told me that they have funds for situations like the one we were in and said that all charges would be waved. She and I went to the car to tell Mark. Back into the clinic we went with Lola in Marks arms. The tests were done as we waited.

We waited at the car for the test results and prayed. We hoped that Lola could be made well with some kind of medicine. The nurse came and got us when the results were ready. The doctor did not have good news. Lolas kidneys were failing and nothing could be done to make her well. They but fluid in her since she was so dehydrated and sent some pills to help with vomiting. Leaving the office with very heavy hearts and another devastating low to our already shredded life.

On Wednesday, November 5th we had no choice but to take Lola  back to the vet. She crossed Rainbow Ridge after we said our sad good byes to our precious little Lola.

We hope and pray that we will see better days in the days ahead. I honestly don’t know how much more we can take. We both are just hanging by a very thin thread.

Good bye ole friend

 Motor Cycle

It was a lonesome, heart felt morning as I heard the phone ring around 8am. As expected the caller confirmed he was from the salvage company and out about 8 minutes. After telling him I would meet him at the bikes location and giving him direction as to getting there once inside the park. I grabbed a shirt and headed over to our old location.

While waiting for the rolloff to arrive I working at clearing a path to drag the motorcycle out of the burnt carport. Then looking the bike over, as I had done so many times before, only this time the difference was the bike was going for the ride with out me.

When the driver arrived he backed his Pete Powered rolloff, no small feet at 40’, into position. Then got out a block and tickel and looked over the bike himself too see where best to attach the chain to it.

We had earlier had the decision that worst case scenario he would tip the bike on it side and drag it out. A thought I hated, but knowing the metric of the situation it may be the only logical solution. But the driver said he would give a try to persuading the bike out on its wheels first.

He attached the cable and jacked around on the front end till he got the fork lock to break and with my help using my foot to keep the slide the driver had placed under the kickstand as a sled, he slowly pulled the bike free from its all but trapped position, And after repositioning the chains a few times the bike came to rest against the edge of his trucks bed still up on its He having been a rider himself at one time, knowing how much a bike meant to a rider gave me a glance that said he understood and even kept the bike upright as he loaded it into a spot in the front of the rolloff’s bed.

He tied the bike down and we finished our business by signing the paperwork and my taking a photo of the document.

Good Bye My Good Friend. You sure were good to me!

Mark

Getting by

We are ever so thankful to have a roof over our head and a bed to sleep in at night. However the small size is really getting to us. With Gods help we will have things settled with the insurance company and find a new home. We have been looking for a home and needed items to purchase once we have a home of our own. But right now everything is still in limbo because of the insurance. 

Don’t ever think that your insurance company is for you or help you. They are in it to make money and that is all. We have learned that the many times now. Thanks to a family member who is a lawyer we are making the right responses to the insurance company. Without her help we would have been screwed over quite often already. A couple more things to understand and we may be able to move forward a bit.

We have found a home here in the park that we like but are still looking at others as well. This will hopefully be our last move so we need to make it the right one for what time we have left on earth. And no, moving back to Minnesota is not an option. The summer  heat is much better than the Minnesota winter cold, snow, summer humidity, and not to forget the mosquitoes. The cost of living here is lower too for those of us on a tight fixed income.

We have contacted a company to haul out the charred remains of our once lovely home, but have not heard back as to when this will be done. In Yuma everything is slow go. We will leave the park when that is done. I can’t handle seeing our home the way it is now, scooping it out would send me over the edge. I’m already teetering on the edge.

Yesterday we put our meager belongings in totes and put them in a storage shed that the park is sharing with us. The owners and managers of this park have been so very kind to us. Th outpouring help from people in the park and others living in the foothills is just amazing. Our friends have been so generous with donations that our heart is bursting with gratitude and our eyes flow with tears. Without the help of others we would be lost. We will never be able to replace some things but because of all the love and helpful offerings from others much of our needs can be met.

Our new home will never be the same as before but it will still be filled with our love for each other and God.

Lost it all.

 On Wednesday, October 13, 2021, we lost our home and ALL our belongings to a house fire. Mark was out helping a friend and Lola and I were home. Seeing smoke and fire I grabbed Lola, called 911 and fled our home in our golf cart.. My phone in one hand and Lola by the collar in the other we raced down the street to a friends house. Turning around I saw our home and everything we had and worked so hard for over the years go up in flames and smoke. I will here the cracks, snap and explosions for the rest of my life.

Because of the kindness of many neighbors, some of whom we didn’t know and never met, we had food and lodging for the night, articles of clothes and toiletries. The extend of their kindness, generosity, and prayers has been overwhelming and very humbling.

Having not a pot to pee in or a window to throw it out is putting it mildly. We have no ID, CC, no cash, paperwork of any kind. Everything went up in flames, literally.

Any questions call us, this is a private matter that is very sad and stressful.

Sad and angry

 It's been a hard week for me. Last Sunday I lost a very dear friend to the trump virus. It was a month long battle but the last week of her life the grip of death had a tight hold on her. Her oxygen level plumitted  quickly and God called her home. 

My friend had multiple illnesses that prevented her from getting the vaccine. She was so hoping that one would soon be discovered for her and those like her. But obviously that never happened. I've not even read that there is anything being done for them.

I miss her terribly and go from sad to angry at the drop of a hat. When I see someone out and about with no mask I want to smack them upside the head until their brain works. Good grief people, the virus is still out there taking lives and making people deathly ill. Yesterday my stylist couldn't understand why I keep wearing my mask everywhere. Well, I'm done going to her with that attitude. She was one of the lucky ones that had very mild symptoms when she had the trump virus. And she was pro-vaccine and anti-trump. Guess she just wants to have fun. I want to stay well as long as I can.

Today is my friends funeral, she is from PA so I won't be going to the funeral. I plan to stay busy to keep my mind occupied.  The bright side of her death is that she is home with God and no longer suffering from her many illnesses. But I will miss her for a long long time.

  KEEP THOSE MASKS ON, IT AIN'T OVER YET!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cacti

 Since we have black sunshades on our windows we don't get any harsh bright light through our windows. It is a must have for the summer months but flowers don't like it at all. There are few plants that can tolerate little sunshine and believe me I've tried multiple times with no luck. The plants will live but will not bloom. In MN I had so many beautiful African Violets. Now I have one but it doesn't get enough sunlight to bloom.

A gal in the office had the littlest cute cacti around the office. When I admired them she told me how and where she got them. As a rule I don't like cactus, but these were so small and cute AND there are no stickers/thorns on them. So each day I checked the cactus outside the office looking for little pieces that had fallen off. I collected them and put them in little pots that I had filled with potting soil.

The potting soil I had was quite old so we got some new stuff. The cactus don't seem to mind if the soil is old or not. What they do mind is too much water. So all they get is about 1 teaspoon each morning. Same as what I give the Aleo Vera. The less water the better, but all living things need some water.

The little cacti are doing well on the porch. They get sunlight but not harsh light. With the cooler now I have set my one and only African Violet on the patio table. No direct sunlight for it yet, since the sun is still boss, but it will get more sunlight out there than in the house.

I'm now happy to have succeeded in growing some plants even though they are cacti.  Once they get too big, I'll plant them in the desert. 

Here a fish there a fish......

 Yesterday we got more fish for the 20 gallon aquarium and 4 glass shrimp too. For the 10 gallon we got 5 female and 2 male guppies and 2 head and tail light tetras. Both aquariums are full of activity now. Looking at the tanks this morning we didn't lose any fish overnight. The glass shrimp are hard to see so not sure where they are this morning, but they will come out and about soon, I hope.

Here is the 20 gallon.... 

And here is the 10 gallon   

                                                          

We did it again

 Well we did it again. After lunch and mid afternoon we went to WM to get some furnace filters at WM. The one I like to use are not on line, well I found out they aren’t in the store anymore either. So I had to buy ones that are a bit more money. That got us in the pet area, so I got Lola some different dog food that I will mix with the stuff she has now. See if that is easier for her and less messy too. She is a pig when she eats. Ok, Mark, and I too, love our fish. We found a stand at a great price for the 10 gallon that we have. Where our small tank is it’s not a good place to get at to clean. We get the stand up and found that it really didn’t work for our smaller tank. Mark mentioned getting a 20 gallon. He said it was because he knows I like bigger aquariums. hehehe So yes, we got a 20 gallon. I used money I was saving to buy a puppy. But last month we both agreed NO more dogs and even when Lola passes, NO more dogs. At our age, nope too much work.

Ok back to the aquarium. We go the new 20 gallon one  set up on the stand and it fit perfectly. So we started washing the new gravel and Mark ran back and forth filling our water jugs with good drinking water. We can’t use Yuma water, too salty. The power filter is so powerful that the noise of splashing water drove me nuts. I like quiet. So this morning I worked on a baffle, so far it’s working but I need a way to make it more permanent.  I tested the water and all levels are safe for the fish to be transferred into the new tank from the little one. That will take some work so Mark will have to help me. Like I said, where the smaller one is is so difficult to work with. I’m not sure it will get done today or tomorrow. My arms can only do so much and I have changed sheets as well today. That is hard work for my stupid arms.

Lola’s bed has been washed, finally, and in the dryer. We got her a new bed yesterday and within an hour she had the cover partly shredded. She likes to “fluff” up her bed and the cover was not made for that. So back the new one goes and we will just keep the old one and add more stuffing, if I can get it inside. She will be happy to have a clean bed. Who doesn’t like a nice clean bed??

 Oh we decided to keep the 10 gallon aquarium up too. The decorations will be smaller so I can remove them to clean. And we are going to use it for guppies or small fish. Letting a tank sit empty will just turn it into landfill and in the dry hot heat of Yuma, it wouldn't take long.  It's an investment so why throw it away? We love fish.

Border restricted crossing

 As of today the US has extended the land border closure to Canada and Mexico no essential travels. Airlines are requiring only fully vaccinated to fly and a test one day prior to flight and landing.  I wonder if the closure will extend again. Our park hadn't picked up speed getting things ready for the snowbirds so that was kind of a sign that things were not opening up just yet. This news doesn't break my heart at all. Now if the birds from Washington would stay home! Or as we call them Snobingtons. 

Bye bye Facebook and Twitter and a broken phone

 It was more than time to give Facebook and Twitter the boot. I've eliminated both accounts. Too much tom foolery and negativity on both. I need to go back to a much less stressful and negative lifestyle. It is quite liberating to say the least. Now I'll get back to my websites that I manage and tend to them better.

The neighbor behind us purchased an old Nash something or other. It was made for racing so the modifications for street travel have left the car to be towed park of  the way back to Yuma. Mark and another neighbor, Larry, both have mechanical backgrounds which Jerry, the owner does not. Mark and Larry have been working on the electrical of the car since Jerry brought it home a week ago. They only work on it for two days at a time. The heat here just doesn't allow them to work more or longer than a couple hours in the morning. Today is a no work day and will it be no work this weekend because higher heat is returning.  Mark and Larry seem to like having something to do.

During one of the days of working on the car, Mark smashed the screen on his cellphone. Leaving him with another old phone with a cracked screen. Well none of them worked well. Jerry felt that it was his responsibility to replace Marks phone since it was his car that Mark was working on at the time. When it really was Mark not taking the phone out of his pocket before leaning on it. Anyway, Jerry is really old school and  vehemently insisted that he pay for Marks phone. Mark now has money for a new phone  and no phones found that he likes. I think he is too fussy so he is still stuck with a phone with a broken screen. Actually two phones with broken screens, and neither of the phones work well either. Yuma isn't known for technology so a new phone may not be purchased for quite some time. Back about a month ago the screen on my phone separated so I had to replace my phone. I love the Motorola that I chose but Mark says it's too big for his hands. Geesh, his hands are twice the size of mine. LOL A phone is a personal thing, that I understand.

Still kicking.

 Oh my goodness, it's been awhile since I last wrote anything here. The aquarium is doing better than it was in the beginning. In Yuma there is NO way to get the PH and nitrate levels in the water low enough for some tropical fish. We or I should say I lost most of the fish I purchased due to unsafe levels. So after talking to someone that knows and doing a bit more reading, I have found a way to make the water safer for my fish. I had to purchase bottled drinking water. Initially I got the water from the store so I had the water jugs I needed. Then I can fill them here in the park for only  25¢ a gallon, versus $1 a gallon. So once a week I exchange two gallons of water. The aquarium is only a 10 gallon so the water exchange needs to be done at least once a week to keep the water safe from high PH and nitrate levels. It's not hard work just tedious. But I'm retired so what else have I got to do. That is besides, laundry, cooking, cleaning, tending the needs of the others that live here. hehehe And of course the daily routine of going to the pool.

Yes, we still go to the pool as often as we can. Some days mornings get a bit too hectic, what with the grocery order pick up and laundry getting in the way. And we still wash off all of our groceries once we get them home. We have been having fun with a couple ladies that go to the pool at the same time as we do. In fact Mary and I create quite a tsunami in the pool with our pool noodles and float. Our goal is to see how far we can get the waves to splash onto the deck. One day Phyllis  got a sore butt bouncing on the steps from the waves. That was quite a laugh for all of us including her. We still manage to get some of our exercising done too. Sadly the pool days will be coming to an end as the hot summer days dwindle and the snowbirds flock in the area. So we will make as much out of our pool time as we can before then.

Last week I was visiting a neighbor and noticed how comfortable it was in their home. They only have there thermostat set at 82º too yet. They have a fan in their living room that does an amazing job of making it seem cooler. So I ordered one for our AZ room. Wow, what a difference that has made in there. We can turn up the stat in there and still be very comfortable. Even in Marks little office it's more comfortable. So we ordered one for the living room too. It should help in the fall when we just can't get any air in the bedroom at night, even with the ceiling fan on. The park models were not built to be year round homes. So you have to use your imagination to make things work the way you want.

It seems that every time I turn around Mark is making some new modification to the golf cart. His latest find was new tires and cool chrome rims for the golf cart. Wow does it ever look sharp. They are used and he got them for a really really good price. A while back we lost a hubcap on the SmartCar and had to get new ones. They were purchased at WM and really dolled up the car. So, one thing lead to another. Shelby (Smartcar) just couldn't outshine Arnold (golf cart). 😆 Heaven forbid. I don't even want to think of what new project Mark will come up with next. Although I do know  there is some wiring issues on the GC that need to be addressed. But that has to be done on a cooler day. We are still in for some pretty warm/hot days.

Remember that during daylight savings time our time is two hours behind yours and after we are one hour behind!!!!!!

Aquarium

 For many years we have had an aquarium or two or three. Ranging in size from a 75 gallon to a 20 gallon. Since moving from our home to the apartment we only had a small one from time to time. Living in the RV I had a fish bowl with a Betta until he froze to death when we got caught in a blizzard. For a couple years now I've had a 1.5 gallon aquarium with a Betta. We love fish and the soothing qualities of an aquarium. True the bigger tanks are work in order to keep the fish alive but the smaller ones take more care to keep the toxic levels low.

Our son and daughter(In law) liked our Betta tank and set up a 5 gallon aquarium because they liked our set up. Well dang gum it, that gave us the itch to get an aquarium as large as we had room for. Well we could only find room for a 10 gallon one. 

When we headed to Petsmart I had decided on a 5 gallon one like the kids have. But the more we looked we found a larger tank that would fit the only place we could put it. Ok now that led to more and bigger decorations. There was a pretty nice selection so we found some that we really liked. My Betta, Walter is getting a new decoration too because we had no room in the 10 gallon for one item we bought. Go figure! LOL

This morning I see that the temp as gone down to 80º. The water coming from our taps is a lot warmer than that right now. So we need to wait another day or two before putting fish in the new tank. We need to make sure that the thermometer is working correctly. We don't want boiled or chilled fish. Once that is achieved and the ph is good we can purchase a few fish. And I mean only a few, it's a small tank so we can't go nuts. Right now we are thinking of two small angles, two neon tetra's and 2 orange platy. Later on we will need a plecostomus, but not right now.

The power filter makes a splashing sound as the cleaned water hits the water in the tank and the noise drives me nuts. So I'm doing to have to devise a type of baffle. It's done this in other tanks as well.

August and heat.

 Actually this has been a hot summer, hottest here for us so far. And the dew point has been high making the humidity terribly uncomfortable. I'm anxious for the summer to end but then comes snowbird season and that is almost as bad. We have enjoyed the pool almost every day of the summer. A few times I couldn't go because my arms still aren't working right and too much of a fun time makes them hurt like hell. But I do have a great tan this year. 😀

On the fifth of August we celebrated our 43rd wedding anniversary. We went to Red Lobster and enjoyed our favorite meals. I had two pounds of crab legs, one is just not enough, and Mark had the Ultimate Feast. We splurged and each had a strawberry daiquiri, But Mark drank most of mine. I guess I wasn't drinking it fast enough. LOL Our server was very good and  was so much fun. She even brought us a bowl of ice cream to share, at no charge to us. After all the rich butter, in our meals, the ice cream really hit the spot.

On the way home from our nice meal, a truck went by and threw up a stone and chipped our windshield. Oh great just what we didn't need. Earlier my phone died of a ruptured battery.  Since we have $500 deductible we had to pay all out of pocket for the new windshield. Too much money going out in a weeks time. I'd say what next, but that would be like hanging myself. So I will just go about my day and not worry. God will see us through, He always does. 

We are enjoying the new power lift recliner and liking the extra room from not having the love seat. The seat on the one side had no comfort left in it anymore. It looked like new too. We do take care of our things, but the loveseat obviously was of poor quality. If we need more seating, which is extremely rare, we can set up folding chairs or in the winter sit on the porch. Our comfort comes first since we live here year round.

Sold, and humidity discomfort

 This past week Mark and I sold some of our unused items. Mark sold his boat one day and a boat motor the next. I sold a food processor and some craft items that have not been used in a very long time. There is still more that needs to be sold, but I'm working on it.

Since we have lived here we have not experienced the humidity that we have had this month. We are from MN so seeing dew points in the 80's and 90 is nothing new. But living in Yuma the dew points are not that high, more like in the 20's and 30s. But lately they have been in the mid 60's to mid 70's. Not being used to that kind of weather is making the days miserable. Today we got some much needed rain and it sent the dew point to 72%. It feels like walking into peanut butter when going outside. I'd rather have peanut butter on my toast than on my skin.

Mark went to the pool to try and cool off after doing some wiring work on the golf cart. He will be as wet going into the pool as coming out. I hope it cools him off. Me? Nope not stepping out the door again today. I went to the porch to get a crock pot and that is the last step into the great outdoors I'll make today. I've even turned the a/c down to keep some of the humidity out of the house.  Thank God the a/c is working. MN can keep the cold and humidity.

Spouting off at anti-vaxxer morons.

This may be  a very unchristian thing to say but I'm so tired of the stupid people that don't, but can, get the trump virus vaccine..... I don't care if they all get horribly horribly sick or die from it because of their stupidity. Because of them the trump virus and the variants are increasing at an alarming rate. And that is putting everyone, yes everyone at risk. The less of those idiots the better. There are some people that can not, for medical reasons get the vaccine, but I'm sure soon there will be one for them. The rest of you can rot.

  Even having the vaccine a person can still get the trump virus but at a lesser degree. Every person is different so who really knows how much lesser or if their body can tolerate or combat the virus at any level of severity. Underlying health issues can make the body weaker to fight the virus well. Making the underlying health issue what takes a person down. If our son or any member of our family or friends would not have gotten the vaccine and wished to visit, the door to our home would be locked. Letting them inside our home could be suicide for us. I'm not taking that chance. If you do, you are writing your own possible death warrant. I have no sympathy whatsoever for anyone who doesn't get vaccinated or anyone who lets them into their home or business. You are fools, selfish and enabling. 

 For over a year we have worn our masks to keep us and others safe. And we continue to do so. People have been told that those who have had the vaccine don't need to wear a mask, just those that have not gotten the vaccine need to wear a mask. Can the anti-vaxxers be trusted? NO!! They have fought wearing the masks the whole time so why the hell would I trust them now? Parents are not getting their children vaccinated and then some wondering why their child caught the trump virus. They should have endangerment charges brought against them. And those not vaccinated should be refused insurance coverage.  There is preventative medicine. Lawyers and insurance companies need to build on that.

Do you ever have one of those mornings?

 

Oh my goodness what a horrible morning I had. I got to the laundry room and I needed to put money in my laundry card to operate the machines. The unit doesn't work. So I drive down to the library in the park that has another machine but you need to use cash. Okay that took my cash and it worked. But it would not release my laundry card. I frantically looked for something to pull the card out of the machine. Finding a push pin I finally got the card out of the machine.

Oh but wait I couldn't get into the library because their combination lock wouldn't work. So I had to go to the office and have Lisa come and open the door. She even had trouble. Okay so now my laundry card has money in it and I head down to the laundry room once again. Hitting a bump the top of the golf cart breaks loose, well only on one corner. So I drive home drop off the golf cart tell Mark what happened and I get the car and drive that back down to the laundry room.

By now I am sweating bullets and madder than a wet hen. I finally transfer the clothes from the washer into the dryer except for the clothes that I hang on the line. I jump in the car head home hang up my clothes. And I stand in the kitchen deciding whether I want to get drunk or go back to bed.

Well it's too early to get drunk and I really don't like to get drunk. So I decided to cut up a watermelon. That may not have been the best idea with the luck I  had this morning. But I managed to get the watermelon cut up and into chunks without slitting my wrist or cutting off a finger. 

Tonight I'll be hitting the bottle and have a big bowl of popcorn to relax and hope tomorrow starts out much better.

New popper

 Yesterday the new popcorn popper that Mark got me came. It took awhile to get it assembles and of course there is always a problem with crap made in china. But once together, I was thrilled. The popper worked great and I didn't lose my touch making it. Thankfully I had some of the special salt left from my last big popper and had ordered the oil I wanted from Amazon earlier in the week. Our first batch of popcorn in the new popper tasted wonderful, just like movie theater popcorn.

As anyone who know me, knows how much I like popcorn. I made popcorn at least once a week and sometimes more often. The first big popper I got I wore out! The second one I had to sell because there was no room for it in the RV. There really wasn't room for it here either, but for popcorn I figured out how to make it fit.  This one should last as long as I do. I hope so anyway.

Memorable

 This year Fathers day will go down as the most memorable. Lincoln and his wife came down and spent Fathers Day weekend with us. We laughed until our sides hurt, ate until we burst, talked until our mouths and ears ached, and cried rivers when they headed for home. We showed them some of the area in which we live and spent hours in the pool as well as in our home talking to no end.

Thanks to sunscreen no one got any bad sunburn while in the pool, just a pretty color of pink. Maria is like a fish in the water and seemed to totally enjoy the pool. Lincoln found it to be relaxing and enjoyed floating and an occasional dip to cool off. That surprised me because as a young boy he was a fish as well. But he said he now prefers to just relax and enjoy.

Ahead of time I made three batches of cereal crunch and a full Thanksgiving dinner with the trimmings. All was well received and full tummies all around. Lincoln was really looking forward to mammas cooking and mamma was all too happy to make it all too. Mark and I will have more meals later this summer too. Home made ice cream was a big hit on Sunday after a dip in the pool. Thinking back, as a kid my dad made homemade ice cream every Fathers day. What a nice tradition even though I just remembered it now.

A stop at what is called Lutz Casino would have been more fun had it not been so very very busy. But we got a couple pictures outside.......

Hot, hot, hot

 This week will be the hottest week this month, topping out at 118º by Wednesday. It will be a week of really enjoying the pool too. We have been in the pool most every day this month. It's our time to enjoy the pool and get some exercise as well. We both have been told to get some weight off and exercise. But in the summer doing anything outside other than the pool is not a good thing.

We finally got money back for our window a/c unit that we bought in June of '21. But now it's too hot to put the new one in the window. Luckily the old one works it just won't hold a temp. It either freezes you out of the room or it gets too warm to be in it. It is totally unreliable. When we purchased the old one we got the three year warranty too. Good thing we did. It should have been taken back to the store right away but we thought we were just setting it incorrectly. Ha ha, the thermostat doesn't work, it isn't us. With the upper teens in the hundreds putting the new one in will have to wait. Mark should not be doing that kind of lifting or work in this heat. And I'm no help with my torn arm muscles and tendons. We are a pair to draw to at times.

Busy week, getting ready for Lincoln and Maria's visit. It will be a great Fathers day for Mark, and a great one for me as well. It's been a long time since we have been able to spend time with them. The last time we saw them was two years ago at their wedding. But that was not a time for visiting. So I've been cooking some of Lincoln's favorite meals ahead of time and freezing them. Less time in the kitchen, less heat in the house from cooking and more time to visit. Thank God I have an electric roaster. I just get it up on the porch and the heat stayed outside. I had to make a Thanksgiving meal since we have not had one together in 6 years. Not to mention a triple batch of chex mix. The chicken fricasee will have to be made the day of, because it doesn't freeze. But that doesn't require the use of the oven. I can reheat the turkey dinner in the microwave and out air fryer countertop oven. I'll need Maria to mash the potatoes. My arms won't be able to tolerate that job. She likes to cook so I know she won't mind helping. It's just that my kitchen barely has room for me, let alone two people trying to work.

 We know that the kids will be the only ones to ever come down here to see us. So we are double excited to see them. They are the only ones that know the roads go both ways, north and south, and east and west.  Same goes for phone calls. Phones can make calls as well as receive. Only good friends know this and act on it. Others wait for us to make the trip or call. 😡

Tree trimming day in the resort. They started well before 6 am. We have no trees in our lot so we didn't have to move our vehicles. The trees in the park are very tall palm trees. The company that does the trimming really does a good job and they clean up very well too. If there is work to to do in the summer, it starts very very early in the morning. Most start before 5 am.

We must have a ghost living here. Again last night the ceiling fan in the bedroom got turned off. Not by the wall switch but by the pull string. It needs to be pulled two times to turn off too. And both the light and fan string are the same length making it very difficult to know which one to pull in the dark dark bedroom. Mark never wants the fan off, it's on all year long and I need it on because I suffer from terrible night sweats.  How it gets turn off is a mystery. I wish the ghost would help with the chores and not mess with my sleep.

Good news

 The orthopedic doctor didn't feel I needed surgery on my shoulders. Since the pain has been subsiding he felt that the body was healing itself. My range of motion was excellent and he was amazed and happy that I was doing so well with all the tears. He said that most tears can heal themselves. So I will have PT for a few weeks. If that doesn't help he will give me a shot in both shoulders. Surgery is a last resort. But he felt that would be a long way down the road if at all.

The weather is now hot, not warm. But by Yuma standards hot is warm. LOL The pool has been so refreshing and it gets us out and moving around. My arms tolerate the motion but I quit when before they get too sore. 

My 6 month check up with the eye doctor went well too. No change. Marks 6 week check up at the eye doctor had good news too. The pressure in his eyes has dropped. Three more months of the drops and then the doctor will re-check to see if the pressure is back to normal.

Praise the Lord for the blessings.

Darn and double darn

 Well my appointment with my doctor went well. Ok, not well, but he is good at explaining and honesty. I will need to have rotator cuff and bicep surgery to fix the muscle tears. Dr Baig is having me consult with an orthopedic doctor. I don’t want to have the surgery, but Mark has put his foot down, something he never does with me. Dr B says I’m too young to live in pain all the time when it can be fixed. He says as a rule he doesn’t suggest surgery, but my double tear, well it won’t heal like the other small tears. We don’t know what is wrong with the left arm it just may be tired of doing extra work. I think I have the same issue in both arms. Doc was amazed at how much range and motion I have in my shoulder. Said that no one he has ever seen was able to move the arm so freely. I was having a good day. hehehe

After I discussed everything with Mark we went to Arby’s for lunch. He likes Arby’s, I do not! So I order chicken tenders, and they weren’t hot so I was not happy. I don’t like food unless it all but burns my mouth. Hot needs to be hot and cold needs to be cold. Nothing luke warm. 

On the way home we stopped at the little green produce shack since he was open. All he had was cantaloupe, but I was super happy. I love melons. He said that watermelon will be in this week. All from the fields of Yuma. Mmmmmmmmm. We will be going back for watermelon this week. But first I need to eat the cantaloupe. Because of the cooler weather we have been having, the melon season is off balance. Usually the watermelon is first and earlier, and then the cantaloupe is ready for harvesting. We love talking to the gentleman who owns/manages the little business. He is a plethora of information about the farming in the area. He recognized us and always gives us a good deal and suggests the best to buy.

Yesterday I ordered new cage for Murphy. His is way too hard for me to get apart to do a thorough cleaning. It should be here this week. It will be harder once I have the surgery. Not sure what to do with the old cage, but tear it down and store it. I told Mark I would need it for a female Gloster canary. Boy did I get a look. 👀 We don’t have room for two cages and don’t want babies, but it was fun getting a look from Mark. LOL 😂 Just between you and I, I would love to have one batch of babies. The new cage will be here Thursday already. Way to go Chewy.com.

Lola is a bit better than last night but I don’t think she will get a whole lot better. Her age is against her. 😢 but today she could get up and down the steps without help. But she is still not walking well on her back legs, one is worse than the other. Mark is so concerned. Although late in the evening she proved us wrong and moved much better. PTL

MRI results

The MRI didn't take long at all. I was in and out in 30 minutes so Mark didn't have a long wait for me to finish. I don't have a problem with an MRI, but when they wanted to put a strap all the way across my chest, NOPE, that doesn't float. I can not handle being restrained. But the nice tech placed the strap in a more comfortable position.

The test was on a Saturday and Monday I got the results. My right arm has more muscle tears than a paper shredder testing plant. How in the world did that all happen? I'm praying hard that I will not need a rotator cuff surgery. The results are so hard to understand that I had to look up what each tear meant and where some were.  I did learn that the soreness under my arm was not from my bra but from a tear in the muscle back there, I forget the name. The worst part is that the left arm has issues too, but not as bad. So the doc may want to do an MRI on that shoulder as well. Geesh you would think we are made of money. Why not do both at the same time and be done with it all? Thank God for insurance. 

The pills that the RA doctor gave me for pain are not for pain but for inflammation and they take three weeks to start working. Well to hell with those pills. If they aren't going to work when I need them I'm not taking them. Plus they messed with one of my heart meds. Since my issue is not inflammation, I'm using the hydorcodone my PCA gave me for pain. Sometimes they don't work either. And I only use it when I haven't slept for three or so days due to pain. He only gave me 15 and I have to make them last until I see him again. And then I'm not sure I will get anymore since they are an opioid. What do people do when they have chronic all day pain these days?

RA doctor

 After talking to the RA doctor he told me he ruled RA and has ordered an MRI. He needs a good look at my arm to see clearly what is going on in them. In the meantime he gave me a stronger anti inflammatory medication. The first night, which was Saturday it worked great and kept the pain level at almost zero through Sunday. But Sunday night and Monday the pain was back. At first I thought it was going to help until more information on the problem was found, but nope, not the case. The pain is back and worse at night again. I'll take the med one more night but if it's not working, I will not take anymore. Why take something that isn't helping? I see no point.

Next week we have more doctors appointments to keep us hoping.  But this week Mark is busy working on the golf cart. Wiring is giving him a hissy fit. So Lola and I are staying clear much of the time. hehehe There is nothing wrong with the golf cart, but Mark wants to add signal lights. The radio, horn and cigarette lighter is functioning now. No we aren't smoking but will use the lighter placement for a phone charger. Mark added side mirrors too and they have signal indicator lights on them. That is part of the wiring that is causing grief. With no schematics it's hard to figure out what in the world is going where or how. The horn that he installed is a loud "aoogo" sounding horn. 

When the snowbirds are here it will have to be toned down. They complain about everything and even blame Yumans for the weather if it doesn't meet their expectations. Some are real buttheads, to put it mildly.  A cute logo has been put on the back of the roof too.......

Bye bye and Hello

 Last week my beautiful Honda Helix was purchased by a very happy young man. His wife said that he had been looking for one for some time. He was so worried that someone would offer me money before he could get here to pick it up, that he and his wife took off work to come and get it. They both live in Phoenix so he had a nice long ride after he bought it. I'm so happy for him and sad for me. But that is the way life goes sometimes.

On the other hand we bought a used golf cart with some of the money from the sale of my bike. For months we had been looking and many times just really didn't think one would be of benefit. And most were way more than what we would pay. Saturday  Mark found one that looked so nice and was at a price that was affordable. So we made a lower offer than the asking price and the young man took our offer, AND, he threw in 4 more tires, rims, hubcaps and had new batteries in it as well. Newer batteries was a biggie because needing 6 or 8 batteries is very costly. The tires on the cart we very good too. So many carts we looked at had old batteries, none, or the cart was very expensive.  

So off to the U-haul dealer we go to rent a trailer to bring the golf cart home. They had one left which we thought would be too big but we needed it anyway. That done we had to get cable and locks to keep some naughty person from stealing the cart. They are a high theft item when not locked up. Sunday morning we loaded up some munchies, water, and Lola and headed to California to get our first golf car. What? California? Well it was only a 154 mile trip. We live on the border of California and Mexico. So going into either state is not a long trip. Oh and the trailer was none too big. Our cart is longer than the E Z Go Carts. The cart has a nice front trunk, two coolers in the back and   will hold two laundry baskets perfectly. 

On the way we were amazed at how many Date orchards there were. Never had we thought that Cali was also a big producer of Dates. We knew that AZ was. In some cases the groves meandered into neighborhoods and dooryards. What an amazing sight. We had never been that far into California, so it was a fun ride.

We got home in plenty of time to not be charged an extra day on the trailer. Once home we unloaded our bladders and then the trailer. After Mark took the trailer back we headed for someplace to eat. We hadn't eaten all day and were very hungry, as was Lola. Snacks just aren't substantial foods I guess. 😏 

After our tummies were filled Mark decided to wash the cart and all the carpets. It was really dirty. The wash job showed that it needs a good buffing and wax job. So if the weather permits Mark would like to do that today. Anyway, it was fun driving Arnold around the park. Mark beamed every time someone made the comment of how awesome or cool the golf cart was. He was quick to tell them all that it was my cart. How sweet, when to me it's our cart. Who's Arnold you ask? I name everything. Arnold is the golf cart, Shelby is our Smartcar. 

The golf cart will really come in handy when one of us has the car and we need to go to the office, laundry room, pick up mail or whatever, or to not have to start up and let the car warm up before going to any one of those places. Tomorrow I will use it go to to the laundry because Mark will have the car. Heck, I may even check the mail more often now too. 😃

Many of the residents drive their carts around the park in the evening just to ride around or visit with others outside. They call it toodeling. LOL So that is what we did last night, we went toodeling around the park. What a fun way to get around the park.

Long story short, we are happy that we decided to purchase a golf cart.