Lots Going On End of Febuary Into March

The day Jane left was a very sad day for me. I call her and talk as often as I can. Mon., Feb. 20th was Gene and Lynn's 47th anniversary. That morning we went to a nearby park where Idaho friends, Alan and Lois Sedgwick, from our local LDS ward have been kind enough to teach us, Liljenquists and one other couple dance lessons each Monday morning.

The Sedgwicks are very good dancers and have danced for many years. We are trying to learn the swing and waltz step variations. It is pretty hard teaching two old left feet to dance. Every Tuesday afternoon in the park there is a music jam with park musicians performing and dancing where we can practice.

That evening to celebrate the anniversary we went to the Arizona Opry for dinner and the show (http://www.azopry.com). We had a delicious roast beef meal and then it was on with the show. They have an amazing range of talent among the dozen or so performers that appear throughout the show as well as some unique and interesting musical instruments. One of the songs they played was "Pretty Woman." This was Gene and Lynn's song and their anniversary was also announced during the show. We enjoyed the evening.

On Tuesday we took the Hieroglyphic Spring hike into the Superstition Mountain Wilderness near here. The hike was a moderate hike of about three and a half miles. You somehow wonder how much the ancient makings have to tell you or if it is ancient graffiti. I have a book that gives some insight to what the many symbols might have meant. I had to wonder how they were able to reach some of the points to carve pictures in the rock. The weather was just right to make the hike. My feet could tell that I had been on them a little longer than I should have been . The ankle tells me it's not quite healed yet.

Many Petroglyphs Are In Center Above Spring

Closer View of Some of the Petroglyphs

Several times the last couple of weeks we have played the game of shuffle board. The courts here are waxed to be very fast. The puck goes flying out of bounds with only a slight push. It is a fun game. I can finally score a few points.

On Saturday, Feb 25th, we took another hike of about six miles that starts at the Butcher Jones Recreation Area on the Saguaro Lake shore. The trail follows the lake shore. At Burro Cove at the end of the trail we had a lunch before returning. The trail was generally good and the scenery was nice.

I'm Using the Hiking Stick Lance Made For Me

Burro Cove Where We Had Lunch (4-Peaks Mountain in Background)

Sunday evening we attended a stake fireside where an Elder Jensen, a former mission president, gave a talk on the Book of Mormon. He spoke about some of the symbols and artifacts from that religious history. He had no actual items but had built a personal collection of items represented in the Book of Mormon such as the iron rod, Nephi's bow, the liahona, the sword of Laban and the gold plates.

He also recounted some historical and archaeological finds that support the origin and history of the Book of Mormon peoples including a petroglyph found in a remote location in Mexico that closely represents Lehi's dream of the Tree of Life.

Drawing of Tree of Life Petroglyph

The following Tuesday was cooler and very windy. We took the little blue Elantra in to repair a couple of minor dents, to be painted and to replace a cracked windshield. This fixed much of the gravel damage from the Alaska trip. With the headlight lenses also polished it looks almost new.

That Tuesday evening we went to the "Johnny Counterfit" show in the park (http://www.counterfit.com). This guy is a talented musician who does incredible impersonations of dozens of actors, singers and politicians mixed with a lot of good humor. One of the best imitations he did was of Archie and Edith Bunker from the old "All in the Family" TV series. We alternately laughed ourselves sick and marveled at the voice as well as facial and body expressions of people he mimicked.

On Thursday, March first, we went with the Liljenquists and our Arkansas friends, Dick and Gayle Bramwell to the Mesa temple for an endowment session. In the evening I sponsored a clam chowder dinner for all of us. Lynn and Gayle made contributions and we had a nice patio dinner and then played games for a while. Dick and Gayle left and we watched a movie with Gene and Lynn until a late bedtime. Wow, what a nice day!

On Friday Dad worked on taxes most all day. We also took a bike ride to visit Dad's cousin, Richard Shappart and his wife Jo in an RV park about three miles away. Then on Saturday evening, March 3rd, we went to Barro's Pizza where we had been invited to show up with other people in this area from Pocatello. There were about eight snowbird couples including Dad's cousin and his wife that showed up along with three younger men from Pocatello now living here that sponsored the get-together. It was very interesting to learn that the three younger guys graduated with Laurie from Highland High and one of them, Darren Crone, was our neighbor across our backyard fence while we were living in Pocatello.

Darren is in the Blue Shirt on the Left Foreground

We continue to frequent and enjoy the pool and hot tub at least two or three times per week. We also have found a bike ride we take regularly that was described to us by our neighbor, Peter Campbell. It is about four and a half miles long. When we first started riding it scared me. I was afraid of being hit by cars as they passed me but on this trail I  feel safer as we ride. Dad even has trouble keeping up with me sometimes. The best part is I don't have to stop and get off to take sharp corners in the sidewalks at intersections. I also often just ride around the park to practice a little.

Visits from Don and Jane and Then Some

On Feb. 8th my sister, Jane, flew in from Boise to stay for a few days. That same day my brother from Alaska, Don, and Dixie also stopped in on their way through driving from Yuma to Twin Falls and beyond. We had a good time visiting and all of us went out with Gene and Lynn to dinner at a restaurant in Mesa that evening.

That night Don and Dixie stayed at a motel next door and took off early the next morning to see my brother, Glenn, in Twin Falls that evening. Jane stayed with us. During the week we made jewelry items in wire wrap including a ring and bracelet. They turned out to be beautiful. On Thursday we took Jane for a ride up the Apache Trail, the historic winding road to the Roosevelt Dam on the Salt River. Along the way we stopped to view desert scenery and Canyon Lake before arriving in Tortilla Flat, the tiny town along the way. It consists of only a couple of stores and a saloon/restaurant with an outdoor patio where a small live band entertains daily.

Friday morning we girls went to the market and walked our bottoms off looking and looking while Dad and Gene took a 10-mile bicycle ride. That afternoon we went to a Northwest States Pot Luck lunch in the park where we were the only people representing Idaho.

Saturday morning there was an auction in the park. I bought a small teapot for my neighbor, Gayle Bramwell, as I knew she wanted one after seeing mine. They were selling some things by the box full with many going for as little as $1 which is what I paid for the cute teapot. The auctioneer stood on the back of a golf cart as it moved down a street in the park where items were stacked on both sides. It was good for a little entertainment.

Saturday evening Jane went with us to a stake-sponsored Valentine's Day Dance. It was a 40's and 50's theme that included a half-hour of swing dance instruction prior to the dance and some very tasty goodies. This was a fun evening.

On Valentine's Day Dad and Gene worked a 4-hour shift at the church welfare cannery in Mesa bottling over 6000 pints of tasty salsa. Dad and Gene each brought home a pint for helping. Dad, Jane and I exchanged Valentine's day gifts and cards.

We also appreciated the cards from family and friends.

That evening we went to an Elvis impersonator show here in the park starring Gene Styles (www.genestyles.com). We had seen him last winter and wanted to see him perform again. He does a very convincing performance with many of Elvis's memorable songs.

The next day we took Jane to the Goldfield Ghost Town and then to the Superstition Mountain Museum a short distance up the Apache Trail. We looked through a number of gift shops and checked out the reptile exhibit at the ghost town and looked through many outdoor displays at the museum before taking Jane to the airport for her flight home. We enjoyed the time with her and hope she had a fun and relaxing time spent with us.

Thursday we went with park residents to a private showing and pizza buffet at the Organ Stop Pizza Restaurant (www.organstoppizza.com) in Mesa. This was also a repeat of last winter's visit. The Mighty Wurlitzer and the many associated instruments that are played by the organ console are amazing. It is like listening to an entire orchestra and the salad and pizza were delicious.

Then on Friday evening we were thrilled by an awesome show by the Dutton Family (www.theduttons.com). They perform in Branson, Missouri during the summer and in Mesa during the winter months. Three generations of very talented performers put on an incredible show of music, dance, singing and humor. On Saturday evening we attended a talent show and art display with pot-luck desserts at intermission at our ward meeting house. I was coerced by Dad and my artist neighbor, Gayle, to enter a display of my wire wrap jewelry. There was quite a variety of talent from ward members and we had an enjoyable evening. I also got a number of compliments on my jewelry which made it worthwhile.

Sunday we attended meetings and then enjoyed a free ice cream social sponsored by the park that afternoon. Along with bicycle rides, including a 10-miler with Dad, playing horseshoes, enjoying the pool and several evenings of games and movies with the Liljenquists this has been quite a busy couple of weeks.

Arrival of Special Friends

Tuesday morning we were invited to celebrate the 59th wedding anniversary lunch for park neighbors, Marge and Alfred Johansen. It was at a nice restaurant on a golf course and we had an enjoyable time. People were particularly impressed with the personalized card I had made and printed on the computer.

Then shortly thereafter I stepped on the edge of one of the park walkways and severely sprained my ankle. It is now getting a little better but the bruising shows how bad it was. Our dear friends, Gene and Lynn Liljenquist arrived Tuesday afternoon for a month's stay. That evening we were treated to the talents of a young woman musician and vocalist who was born blind and with a severe cleft palate named Sarah Getto. She is very talented and we enjoyed her concert immensely. What is most remarkable is what she has accomplished in spite of severe handicaps. Much credit goes to her parents. She played the keyboard, fiddle and sang, doing very credible oldies renditions of Patsy Cline, Karen Carpenter, Anne Murray and others to the accompaniment of soundtracks she had previously recorded herself. You might check out more about her at www.sarahgetto.com.

During the week we have enjoyed the pool and spa several evenings along with movies and games. Dad found a web site that streams movies without commercials and we watched "Water for Elephants," The Help," and "Tangled." We especially enjoyed "Tangled." On Friday we visited the Mesa Market and even after seeing the huge flea market at Quartzsite, Gene and Lynn were amazed at the size and variety of this market. We only saw about half of it in two to three hours of browsing. On Saturday we had "lunch" at Costco as we browsed all the sampling stands and finished it off with an ice cream treat. It was a zoo! The place was huge and jam packed with shoppers. We thought it was just the Saturday before the Super Bowl but one of the associates said it was always this way on Saturday and if we thought it was crowded now we should stick around until 4 to 5 PM. In the afternoon we took the drive up North a ways to Fountain Hills and did the hike around the lake there where the man-made "geyser" shoots water up well over 300 feet for 15 minutes every hour in the center of the lake. It was a nice relaxing afternoon with even some atrists and authors showing and selling their work along the way near a playground with a couple of cute sculptures.



We finished the trip at sunset by driving to the upper end of Idaho Rd (where our park is located on the lower end) for some views of the valley and the beautiful desert scenery nearby.

Today our park neighbors, Bill and Carla Dodds are coming to visit our church meeting with us. We hope and pray they will be touched with the Spirit there.

Sharing the Gospel and Plumbing Problems

To begin we would like to share one of several beautiful Arizona sunsets this past week.

Early this week we gave a missionary copy of the Book of Mormon with our testimony inside the cover to our park neighbors and friends, Bill and Carla Dodds. These are the people whose meeting in their Community Christian Church we attended one evening last week. We have since had some conversations regarding our beliefs and this morning we attended one of their regular Sunday services with them prior to our ward conference. Their pastor spoke on "God's Greatest Desire." There was a baptism of one man during the service along with prayers and music by a choir and the congregation. It has been interesting to compare beliefs with a number of similarities noted. These people are sincere and dedicated in their beliefs and their congregation was very friendly. However it helps me appreciate that the restored gospel builds on and expands existing Christian beliefs as if seen through wide-angle optics that fill in missing details and critical principals lost with the Great Apostasy in ancient times. The Dodds plan to attend Sacrament meeting with us next Sunday as we share each other's beliefs. We are grateful for their friendship.

Along with our missionary efforts Dad also helped Bill get his webcam set up and completed getting Skype working on his laptop. This effort began last winter but at that time Bill didn't have the required camera and microphone. Then he was asked to help clear an annoying error from our Arkansas neighbor, Gayle Bramwell's laptop. Aside from these activities early this week it appeared to be somewhat relaxed as I caught Dad reading out in the sunshine on his Kindle.

That was until Dad discovered a leaking toilet in our motor home. That began a three and one-half day ordeal requiring multiple trips to Lowe's and RV supply stores, completely tearing out the old toilet, it's pedestal and all associated plumbing and building it back from scratch. This was due to nearly everything being incompatible between the old, now obsolete, pot and it's supposed replacement. Dad was complaining about a sore back, neck and knees along with a number of battle scars on his hands when it was finished.

This was the scene in my living room during the project.

But now it is finished and, gratefully, no more trips to the park's public restrooms.

While Dad was busy with his plumbing project I went with a park neighbor to the desert golf course across from the park one morning. This was my first ever golf game other than miniature golf. We played nine holes and she was very gracious to help me. It was fun but somewhat frustrating when a good drive hit and bounced off a piece of brush or a rock. The "greens" are smooth but I was also having a hard time not hitting the ball to hard when putting. For a couple of afternoons I was also busy making jewelry with the stones and wire I had bought. I have made earrings, finger rings and necklaces. I have received many compliments from friends and neighbors that have seen them and I have enjoyed this relatively new hobby.

While the plumbing project was underway we were waiting for a shipment from Amazon of safety items and a trip computer for the bicycles. We have yet to receive reflective vests. Some of our riding involves riding on streets with no bicycle lanes and we felt it would be safer and more enjoyable if we are more visible and can also better see what is behind us. It is also fun to check our speed and trip parameters such as distance, average speed, time, calories burned, etc. Here you can see the rear-view mirror, trip computer and brightly-flashing LED tail light for each bike. It is funny how these bicycles have hung around without being used for nearly twenty years and now we are getting some exercise and having fun riding them.