Holding pattern

We're still here in Wickenburg, in our nice green site beside the Hassayampa River bed.  

 insert picture here.....I've managed to lose an entire "camera roll" of photos on this laptop somewhere, including one of Beluga and the leafy green trees beside our sitting area.

Some of those leafy green trees are Cottonwoods, however, and the little white fuzzies often drift into our coffee or wine and they seem to make a bee line for poor Lew's nose.    Another lost picture.....

There have been some major changes since we last talked.     Dave had  bilateral epidural steroid injections on April 2.     This treatment did not work, made absolutely no change in his pain or pain level.     We weren't surprised but were very disappointed.        On to the next step, surgery.     Yesterday we met with the Neurosurgeon and discussed various options.    He suggested one that he felt would do the trick and would work within our timetable (more on that later).      He left us alone to talk and Dave decided it was the way to go so, after getting a chest xray, a Covid test and various blood work done, he scheduled the hemilaminectomy for this Monday, April 19!     The procedure should take about an hour and Dave will be able to come home the same day.    He's planning on feeling good enough to go out for a Sonoran Hot Dog on Wednesday - cross your fingers, he's pretty serious about his hot dogs!

Now about our timetable......We've found a house here that we think will make a good winter home base and the owners have accepted our offer.    We'll close on the property on April 30!  It's a small home, about 1700 sq. feet, sitting on a hilly 1 3/4 acre lot with 3 bedrooms and 2 baths.   The bonus is that they recently built a very nice 24x40 building just perfect for Beluga!    It's definitely a country property on an unpaved, dead end road.    There are homes in the area but, other than the one directly across the road from it, they are spread out on similar sized and not next to us.  I'll  see horses from my front windows and will have mountain views dotted with Saguaro for second cup, happy hour in the back yard.   

There are a few complications.   Dave will need to fly back to the lake, (Jesse will be fully vaccinated and join him there) organize and prepare for movers to load our belongings onto their truck for the long ride across the country, and then fly back here to meet them at the new house.    All this while recovering from surgery.     The surgeon assures us this will work.     Without the love and assistance of our friends it most assuredly would not work.    We have faith in Dr. Baaj and our friends so - here we go!      Once Angel (yes, that's the mover's name....) wonderful Angel delivers and unloads our stuff we may or may not get back on the road and head up to the Pacific Northwest for the summer.     Can' let any grass grow under our feet now can we!

So, that's the news from Wickenburg!    There have been too many moving parts to get a blog out before today, I'll try to be better in the future.    One of our Canadian readers said that just because we don't think things are interesting enough to blog about, it doesn't mean that others aren't waiting to read those blogs to keep them sane during their imposed shut downs.....I never thought about things that way, but I'm guilty of comulsively reading friends blogs to keep my spirits up during this difficult year too.

   

In addition to  filling out papers, talking with realtors, insurance people, inspectors, etc., we've managed enjoyed a few lunches out.   Now that we're fully vaccinated I can't tell you how  freeing it is to be able to sit in (outside actually) in a restaurant, share a meal and wine with friends, laugh  and feel normal again!

Our first was at tiny Nichols West in Congress.   We had the entire patio to ourselves (after a reservation mix-up and half hour wait).   We shared a lovely cool bottle of French white wine, shrimp tacos and chicken with waffles.   Time flew by as we ate and watched the birds in the trees surrounding our umbrella table.

The next week (we're trying to spread our fun out....) Dave and I discovered another small, relatively new place in "downtown" Wickenburg named European Kitchen,   The chef/owner is English and runs the little restaurant with the aid of only one waitress.   The effect is intimate and the food eclectic.

Once again we picked a slow day and time so we had the patio to ourselves.   I originally ordered the Konigsberg Klopse (german meatballs) but Dianna, our waitress, told us that Clair, the chef/owner, was still making them and they wouldn't be done for an hour or so!    Instead I chose chicken/spinach lasagna with watermelon radish salad while Dave had a lucious chicken pot pie with puff pastry top.  

Neither of us was disappointed and vowed to return for those meatballs.    

Easter came and went with nothing of note here except the end of our carefully metered out jelly beans.

Mr. David's A-1 Mobile RV Repair and Grooming Salon, LLC came twice.    Once to continue the work he started on a perplexing situation involving Beluga's aging emergency brake dashboard surround. 

 The next time he didn't come himself, but instead, sent one of his newer holiday crew to mow the poodle.   It didn't begin well - he forgot to put a comb on the clipper before he cut the first strip and the resulting crooked  "landing strip" is finally beginning to grow out.    We didn't point it out to Lewis because he is very sensitive about his looks and would have been mortified.

Luckily, hair grows back and we can barely see the mistake now.   Needless to say he comped the entire grooming job and we were happy.  

That's all I have for now.    I just tried, unsuccessfully, to fnd those lost pictures.   I know there is one of a huge and stunning cactus flower that I really wanted to show you.    Perhaps I'll find them another time.    Sorry.