Arizona, Mesa - Sunday, March 27, 2016 - Easter and Desert Blooms

HOPE EVERYONE HAD A BLESSED EASTER SUNDAY

We spent our Easter Sunday quietly at home.  Greg worked on our itinerary for when we leave here on April 15 and I did a little cooking for later in the week.

Earlier in the week we were pretty busy.  We did the usual working and square dancing.  One evening we took a walk through the resort to snap some pictures of the beautiful blooms coming out on all of the desert plants.

We still have the roses we recognize from the Midwest.

Lots of the pretty blooms I still can’t identify, but I do appreciate them.

This looks like a cozy home – probably don’t have to worry about too many intruders.  One wrong move and its big trouble.

I’m interested to see what this becomes.  We are supposed to have strong winds the next couple of days, it may not survive.

On Saturday we went to Sloan Field to see the Cubs get beat by San Francisco.

Greg was happy that the starting pitchers were regulars.  But, the rest of the roster was a different story.

Our seats this year were straight beyond first base out in right field.

The weather here has been beautiful – clear, sunny and in the 80s and 90s.  We’ve been worried about our friends and family in Kansas.  The wildfires came within 20 miles of where David is located.  The winds shifted and took the fires away from them – we were so thankful.  They are busy helping friends rebuild what was damaged.  If they still need help, we’ll try to pitch in when we get there mid May.

Arizona, Mesa - Thursday, March 17, 2016 - Phoenix International Raceway

HAPPY ST. PATRICK’S DAY

We got lucky again this year – we won tickets to the NASCAR cup race at Phoenix International Raceway.  Our seats this time were between the start/finish line and turn one.

 

 

The opening ceremony was pretty impressive with fireworks and the presentation of the flag.

 

 

If Dale Jr. couldn’t get the win we were satisfied with Harvick’s photo finish win.  I guess that was the closest win they have ever had at Phoenix.

Greg has been trying to get me to go to a foot doctor because I was having pain in my right foot.  The pain only happened after I had been sitting in my recliner with my feet propped up.  When I would get up I could hardly step on my right foot for about 10 steps and then it was fine.  I kind of thought the solution was to not sit in the recliner but he didn’t buy it.  We went to Arizona Foot and Ankle Clinic and had an x-ray.  There is no bone damage but they felt there was the possibility of some ligament damage because of the way I walk and it would take time to heal.  They suggested some special insoles to align my foot and guess what – it feels much better!!  We ordered some tennis shoes and some shoes I can wear around the house that have insoles in them.  I guess walking around barefoot on hard tile floors isn’t the best thing for your feet.

We also got into the skin cancer screening that is sponsored by the resort.  We couldn’t get a spot last year and I felt like it was something we needed to get done.  Greg passed with flying colors – naturally he is the one that doesn’t wear a bit of sunscreen.  I have one spot that I need to have checked when we get back to Indiana.  They didn’t think it was a problem but recommended the check up just to be sure.

 

We are still square dancing at least three times a week but the number of dancers dwindles a little more each week as the snowbirds are headed back home.  We will be leaving Mesa on April 15.

From here we will be heading north to Page, AZ for a week.  Then on into Utah to visit a couple of the National parks there.  Providing the weather is good we will continue on to visit Yellowstone in Wyoming.  Next on our list is western South Dakota to see Mount Rushmore.  We will drop down into Kansas from there to visit with David and the kids for a while, probably mid-May.  After Kansas we will be headed to Indiana where we will stay until mid-September.  From Indiana we will head to Washington, D.C. to visit with Robyn and her family before heading back to Arizona for the winter again next year.