Lonely in Yuma

Slowly we drift back into our full-timer’s lifestyle.

It’s scary quiet round here now without the Shanty Shakers, instead of getting on Barbara’s nerves I’ve been sitting outside painting. I decided last week to pick a photo of somewhere we’re been and paint it. Several places were calling out to be painted, the loudest of which was the Broken Arch in Arches NP.

When we were at Arches Barbara was recovering from twisting her knee, I took the short hike out to the Broken Arch while she sat in the car. From this photo I painted the picture. Very satisfying and restful to do, I have a few more in mind for when we get to Casa Grande,

I’ve also started the “Annual Christmas Letter”, we keep promising to do it but somehow it always gets pushed to the back of the list.

Of course this Thursday is Thanksgiving and we are looking forward to the celebration dinner here at the campground. Last year’s was really enjoyable and we expect this year’s too be just as good.

The festivities were due to kick off at 1pm, we signed up earlier in the week at the Rec Center. We chose to bring vegetables and Barbara made her fresh green beans with almonds. Each participant picked a side dish or desert, with the turkey being provided by the park owners. There was a HUGE amount of food and dishes of all descriptions, picking a few that would fit on the plate was quite a task.

We picked a table at the back and got to know our new table-mates Ken and Helen from Vancouver Island in British Columbia Canada. Ken had been a police officer up there until he retired and worked on the coastal patrol boats. He was also a motorcyclist and we rapidly settled into a friendly couple of hours chatting, so much so they had to throw us out! We were the last ones sitting at a table. Helen had volunteered to help clean up so we used that as an excuse for staying.

We were so full after the meal that we sat and digested it for a couple of hours, then guilt forced us to get the bicycles out and go for a ½ hour ride thru the beautiful park right next to the campground We discovered a new part with a fishing lake and stopped at the monument to the Mormon Battalion before heading back to the rig for a quiet evening and finally bed.

Friday night was Movie Night at the park, a bag of popcorn, a seat (Hard) and an old movie called "Spencer's Mountain" with Henry Fonda and Maureen O'Hara. A tear-jerker but entertaining and pleasant company.

Otherwise apart from a little shopping it's been a quiet relaxing week. Monday we start packing things up, doing laundry and checking over the rig and car ready for the trip to Casa Grande and 3 months in the same place.