“Welcome
Home” says the lady in the activities office.
It
really does feel like home.
 |
| The sunsets in Casa Grande are always spectacular |
Scary
how fast time goes by sometimes isn't it? Were in the middle of
December already and rapidly heading towards Christmas We've
been to see our financial guy, got a spare key for the Miata that
we've been promising ourselves we would do “When we get a chance”.
New wheel covers have been bought and the arrangements for the rig to
be in “Storage Mode” for the winter are all set. For the first
time since last April the outside mats, chairs, the grill and my art
easel are set up. Seems like the anchor is firmly planted.
Our
friends Scott and Suzanne dropped by on their way to Texas for the
winter. They are busy as always, having gone the “working on the
road” route. Scott is trying to get his Mobile RV Technician
business set up and having to get certified in different states to be
able to work on propane systems etc.
 |
| Darts players hard at work |
We
dropped in on our first darts night and there weren't many people
there. A couple of weeks later there are 30 or more. Lots of familiar
faces and long talks about what we all did this summer. Shuffleboard
is going again and the crowd is growing every week. The skills we
developed last season have rusted a little but we are getting them
back every time we play.
My
camera club has had it's get together and we had our first
assignment. “Black and White” was the theme so I'm spending more
time looking for some image to catch my eye.
 |
| My black and white picture for the Camera Club |
Art
is back too with the Casa Grande Art Association “Studio Tour”.
The local artists opened their studios and houses to the public. We
wandered from one to the other looking at the paintings and crafts
for sale. Living in an RV means you don't have any walls to hang
pictures on and there is no spare room for statues or pottery, so the
temptation is less.
 |
| A watercolor done at the Monday art group from a photo. |
From
the studio tour we went directly to Apache Junction for the Arizona
Plein Air Society's “Paint Out” at the Goldfield Ghost Town. It's
a tourist trap kind of place but the owner/manager of one of the
restaurants invited us to paint from his balcony and provided us with
burgers and drinks too. What a generous gesture. We got to paint
“Superstition Mountain” which was spectacular but very
challenging. A stop at the local Elks Lodge on the way home made a
pleasant break in the journey.
 |
| A fello artist hard at work painting Superstition Mountain |
 |
| The Goldmine Ghost Town |
 |
| The Urban Sketchers all painted the fruit stand at Eleven Mile Corner |
More
art at the RV park on Thursdays, a new group called the “Urban
Sketchers” are Tuesday and they led me to yet another art group who
meet on Mondays! Oh yes and the Wednesday Casa Grande Art Assoc “Open
Studio” rounds out the week. Meanwhile Barbara has been catching up
on doctors visits, hair dressers, knitting for the grand kids and
socializing. Then she joined the choir for the Christmas Concert. They
sounded great.
 |
| Our yard sale goodies |
The park Yard Sale presented a great opportunity to get rid of some precious possessions (Junk) to make room in the new RV and to meet friends and neighbors as they browsed. (More on the new RV at a later date!)
 |
| New RV new license plate |
Such
a busy time, yet I am getting “Hitch Itch” which is the desire to be on the move again. It's a bit strange to be not picking out a place
to stop for the night and a destination for the next day. I have to
tell myself to sit back and relax, but it's not easy to make the
transition. I began some basic research for next year which we have
decided will be around Oregon and Washington. That made the itch even
worse!
Our
friends Paul, Karen, Bill, Terry, RuthAnn, Ed, Al and Marie have made
sure we get out to the Elks Lodge for dinner regularly and to various
parties, dances etc., which helps dispel some of the “wanderlust”
too.
So
this is where we are at.
If
we don't see you or talk to you before the big day be assured that we
wish each and every one of you a Merry Christmas!
