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| This is our home...for now! Nice place to stay. |
We went to our first game, the opening game between Texas and Kansas City, who use the facility in Surprise for their Spring Training. The KC Royals won the game 13-2. KC was one of the World Series teams last year where they lost the 7th game or would have won it all. Yesterday, in their second game, the Rangers led by 1 run into the 9th inning where the Royals came back on a two run home run with 2 outs already. Game over! Today the Royals play the Giants in a repeat of the World Series teams of last year.
We only attended the game on Wednesday. Here are a couple of pictures.
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| Watching the Game. Lois' portable shade is nice! |
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| The stadium from our right field seats. This is a really nice stadium. Holds about 10,000 with the grass "seats" over the fence in the outfield. |
March 8, Sunday
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| The Stake Center on Conference Sunday |
We attended Stake Conference this morning and last night. It was very inspirational. Many talks were given in the Adult Session last night about how to do member missionary work.
This morning the themes seemed to center around seeking the spirit and help from Heavenly Father when we have trials. A sister who is a convert of less than a year spoke and told of her conversion. She has a son that is on a full time mission and went out some time before she jointed the Church. He talk was filled with experiences she had which led to her conversion, especially when she prayed and felt the spirit.
Another sister spoke on the blessings of a Christ-centered home and related some of her children's thoughts as to what that was. One said that it meant that if they get angry with one another it makes it easier to forgive. Another said that it helps to be able to feel the spirit when one gets down.
So far, a great Sunday!
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| Just Because! |
Monday and Wednesday we attended volleyball games to see Brooke play. She plays sand volleyball with her Friend McKayla. They play on the team for Willow Canyon High School. Unfortunately they lost both matches but she sure does enjoy playing. Here a are a couple of shots of them playing on Monday.
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| Brooke serving. |
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| Brooke setting for McKayla. (Sorry I missed the ball!) |
Lois and I went to Applebee's for lunch today and were able to cover most of it with our last Applebee's gift card. We still have a couple left for Olive Garden and one for P.F. Chengs. That should be enough for 4 more "eat outs". We really have to watch the budget but it is fun to be here and to participate in things our Grandchildren do.
Last night Stuart installed a new network system here in his house. He is now signed with Cox and He put in a Ubiquiti system with an access point that he can mount anywhere in the house. Getting about 50mbs from it. Fast!!
Saturday, March 14.
Today we were in need of some Calcium for Lois and we have usually had good luck finding it at CVS, but they have been out of stock, along with all of the close in stores. (She did have some left!) We found that a CVS in a place called Buckeye, showed that they had them in stock. Stuart told us a little about how nice the development called Verrado is, which is where the store is located. It is in Buckeye, so we hopped the Sonata and headed out today. Below are a some of the pictures of the town.
This area has a definite European feel to it, especially how they have decorated it with "Meat Market", "Bakery", and so on. A couple of nice Bistros were there and a Pizza place. And the community is somewhat isolated from the rest of the towns in the valley.
It took us about 30 minutes to drive to this place, and it was really worth it. They had it, the calcium, on sale for half price and so we bought three bottles there.
Oh...and they have a Golf Club there, with condos all around.
I think I could live here. The Golf Club is only 1 block from "downtown". (However, the cost of living here is "high".)
This is the plaque on the condo in the picture above.
Looks like the right kind of people live here!
See you all soon.
Monday, March 16, 2015
Lois took a spill yesterday as we were going in to church. Skinned her elbow and bruised her hip and knee, but it looks like she will be OK. She came home for the rest of the block meetings and Don went back to Priesthood Meeting.
She can't use the thumb on her left hand and it is swelled a lot this morning. It looks like it may have been hyper extended when she tried to break her fall and over stressed the ligaments. But everything else seems to be working!
Other than that, it was an uneventful day and we just enjoyed being together here at "home" for the remainder of the Sabbath.
Monday, March 23, 2015
This past week there have been a few extra guests here. Jo's aunt Luisa, Fred's sister, was here, as well as his friend Maralyn. They attended some games with Fred and his brother Bob. And on Friday night Tori and her fiance Darian Nielsen were here because Tori needed to have her dress measured for her wedding on July 11. The wedding will be in St. George that day. It is Monday now and they have all left. Fred and Bob will be here until Spring Training is over in April.
On St. Patrick's day, Fred cooked us the Corned Beef and cabbage dinner like he traditionally does. It was good as usual, authentic Irish with potatoes, onions, and turnips and, of course carrots and cabbage.
Tuesday, last week, Alan came over for an evening visit and joined us for the Irish dinner. He is working at the Frito Lay plant in Casa Grande, down towards Tucson, and is staying in Mesa. On Thursday Stuart and the family went over to Mesa (really Scottsdale) and met him at the Diamond Backs training field, and together they watched a Game with the D-Backs and the Colorado Rockies.
Stuart's company is changing from GE appliances to Electrolux, which I think is Frigidaire, for all their model homes and so all of the GE appliances in the model homes are up for bid. Greg made bids for two washer and dry sets, and a beautiful french door refrigerator (28 cubic feet) for his new home, and got it all. Starting bids for the refrigerator was 200 dollars and it retails for 1800! The total of Greg's bids was $1700 and so he effectively got the refrigerator at a slight discount and his washers and dryers were free! Stuart got some things for his kitchen and another set of washer and dryer for Uncle Bob, Fred's brother. So on Saturday he rented a U-haul and he and Darian picked them all up. To do so they had to drive about 200 miles total and so it took them all day. The appliances are now resting here in Stu's garage!
We still walk occasionally, and we need to make it regularly. We have included a couple of pictures on an evening walk we took last week. For a couple of days before, it had rained quite steadily and the pictures show the results. Everything is nice a green, though.
Lois is mending from her fall a week ago, but still has to be careful about her left thumb and not tweak it. Still a bit sore.
Sunday, March 29, 2015
On Thursday this past week we went to a night ball game here in Surprise and Alan was here as well. It was nice to have him with us for a short time.
Adam and Donelle. with Noah and Elle have been here since Wednesday and left for home today. Noah flew down on Monday with Ethan, Dave's son, so they could have two more days of baseball! We picked them up at the airport and Ethan's duffel bag didn't arrive with him. We later found out it went to Oakland instead of here so they (Southwest) had it flown to Phoenix and they delivered it here on Tuesday afternoon. The joys of travel! They all went home together today.
We were able to get in a couple of walks this past week. One was to Fry's to get some groceries and prescriptions. That is about 1.9 miles round trip. It was 88 that day. It is really getting hotter here now, but we both feel we have acclimated a bit and really it isn't to bad...yet! It was 96 today. Normals here this time of year are in the low 80s.
Click for full size on these two pictures.
Until next time,
"God bless us everyone!" Tiny Tim and Charles Dickens
Last night Stuart installed a new network system here in his house. He is now signed with Cox and He put in a Ubiquiti system with an access point that he can mount anywhere in the house. Getting about 50mbs from it. Fast!!
Saturday, March 14.
Today we were in need of some Calcium for Lois and we have usually had good luck finding it at CVS, but they have been out of stock, along with all of the close in stores. (She did have some left!) We found that a CVS in a place called Buckeye, showed that they had them in stock. Stuart told us a little about how nice the development called Verrado is, which is where the store is located. It is in Buckeye, so we hopped the Sonata and headed out today. Below are a some of the pictures of the town.
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| Many suites and some apartments are above the stores. |
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| The Meat Market and Bakery |
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| Covered Walkway on Main Street |
It took us about 30 minutes to drive to this place, and it was really worth it. They had it, the calcium, on sale for half price and so we bought three bottles there.
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| The Verrado Golf Club main building. |
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| Nice Living! These are to the right and left of the previous picture. |
This is the plaque on the condo in the picture above.
Looks like the right kind of people live here!
See you all soon.
Monday, March 16, 2015
Lois took a spill yesterday as we were going in to church. Skinned her elbow and bruised her hip and knee, but it looks like she will be OK. She came home for the rest of the block meetings and Don went back to Priesthood Meeting.
She can't use the thumb on her left hand and it is swelled a lot this morning. It looks like it may have been hyper extended when she tried to break her fall and over stressed the ligaments. But everything else seems to be working!
Other than that, it was an uneventful day and we just enjoyed being together here at "home" for the remainder of the Sabbath.
This past week there have been a few extra guests here. Jo's aunt Luisa, Fred's sister, was here, as well as his friend Maralyn. They attended some games with Fred and his brother Bob. And on Friday night Tori and her fiance Darian Nielsen were here because Tori needed to have her dress measured for her wedding on July 11. The wedding will be in St. George that day. It is Monday now and they have all left. Fred and Bob will be here until Spring Training is over in April.
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| Paradise Ln, Just south of Stuarts, has a sidewalk in the middle. |
Tuesday, last week, Alan came over for an evening visit and joined us for the Irish dinner. He is working at the Frito Lay plant in Casa Grande, down towards Tucson, and is staying in Mesa. On Thursday Stuart and the family went over to Mesa (really Scottsdale) and met him at the Diamond Backs training field, and together they watched a Game with the D-Backs and the Colorado Rockies.
Stuart's company is changing from GE appliances to Electrolux, which I think is Frigidaire, for all their model homes and so all of the GE appliances in the model homes are up for bid. Greg made bids for two washer and dry sets, and a beautiful french door refrigerator (28 cubic feet) for his new home, and got it all. Starting bids for the refrigerator was 200 dollars and it retails for 1800! The total of Greg's bids was $1700 and so he effectively got the refrigerator at a slight discount and his washers and dryers were free! Stuart got some things for his kitchen and another set of washer and dryer for Uncle Bob, Fred's brother. So on Saturday he rented a U-haul and he and Darian picked them all up. To do so they had to drive about 200 miles total and so it took them all day. The appliances are now resting here in Stu's garage!
We still walk occasionally, and we need to make it regularly. We have included a couple of pictures on an evening walk we took last week. For a couple of days before, it had rained quite steadily and the pictures show the results. Everything is nice a green, though.
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| When it rains, this is what the green belts are for. |
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| This is the playground at the school, after the aforementioned rain. |
Sunday, March 29, 2015
On Thursday this past week we went to a night ball game here in Surprise and Alan was here as well. It was nice to have him with us for a short time.
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| The "gang" in the lawn seats at the ball game on Thursday |
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| On the first row directly above CR 0 sit Jo's Dad Fred, (White Shirt), and her Uncle Bob (Gray Shirt.) Taken across the field from our lawn seats. |
On Friday morning last, Don and Noah went together to the White Tanks Regional Park which is southwest of where we stay in Surprise. Noah has really taken to being a photographer and does some exceptional work for one with his experience. Don went there to share some picture taking with him. He has developed, with a bit of coaching, a good eye for composition. He didn't leave any of his pictures and so we can't post one here. Maybe we will see if we can get him to send us one or two to include in next month's blog.
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| "Soldiers of the desert", the mighty Saguaro. A Barrel cactus in the foreground. |
We were able to get in a couple of walks this past week. One was to Fry's to get some groceries and prescriptions. That is about 1.9 miles round trip. It was 88 that day. It is really getting hotter here now, but we both feel we have acclimated a bit and really it isn't to bad...yet! It was 96 today. Normals here this time of year are in the low 80s.
Click for full size on these two pictures.
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| Cactus blossom. |
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| Another Cactus Blossom |
We watched the General Women's meeting last night over the Internet. It was very good. We stream it full size to the TV using my Apple TV adapter. We are really looking forward to the rest of Conference this weekend.
Until next time,
"God bless us everyone!" Tiny Tim and Charles Dickens
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