Moving forward

 This past month has been difficult for us.   Our patterns of life have changed, our reasons for doing things have changed.   We've gotten through most of the "firsts" and now the last "first", writing this blog without Lewis.

Earlier this month, friends and former co-workers Linda and Dave came down for lunch.   They live in Scottsdale but haven't seen our house so we had a nice long visit and are making plans to get togther again soon.     

  Another day Hans and Lisa were visiting MonaLiza and Steve so we enjoyed celebrating MonaLiza's birthday together overlooking the beautiful golf course and mountain scenery at Jake's Spoon in Wickenburg Ranch.....   

 Later in the month we had an absolutely wonderful dinner with Steve and MonaLiza (to celebrate Steve's birthday) at Rancho de los Caballeros, just down the road from our house.  We'd never been there before but it certainly won't be our last visit.  I enjoyed  the best steak dinner I've eaten in a very long time.    As usual, I took no people pictures!

The weather has been up and down, much cooler than normal.   The fireplace has been such a welcome place this year.   

Two weeks ago we left home for a little getaway with Pam and John.   Destination - Benson, AZ.

 They broke up their drive from Boulder City to Benson by stopping halfway in Wickenburg and setting up in front of MonaLiza and Steve's house.     We all shared a wonderful signature dinner - Lumpia and Pancit.    Yummmm.

  We're set up next to each other at the Butterfield RV Resort, a nice, neat place with all the amenities one may want, including an observatory with nightly programs.      Don't come here if you are a light sleeper however.    The trains run often and  sound as if they're coming through the window and, since we're across the street from the hospital, medevac helicopters come in right over us, light's blazing.....

After we arrived, and before the wind kicked up, John and Dave installed new slide toppers on their motorhome.  

They work well together and the job was soon finished.....just in time.

finished, smiles all around

One of our reasons for this trip was to join a get together of rv friends at Janna and Mike's house in nearby Pearce, AZ.     Gay and Joe, Jodee and Bill, and the four of us arrived and formed a column of Jeeps in front of their sweet adobe house. 

I wonder if their neighbors thought they were holding a Jeep rally - that is if they had any neighbors....

the driveway.....

Everyone brought something and Janna made a scrumptious brisket - we ate and laughed and talked for a long time.     I took a couple pictures, lest you think I never take people pictures.     Below you'll see why I don't do it often....

 John, Bill, Janna, Jodee (under Tessa), Gay, Joe and Pam's hand, feeding Emmi (of course)

pensive Bill, suspicious Pam, relaxed John, hatless Mike, attentive Janna, smiling Joe and hidden Gay

It's a good thing that John's slide toppers were installed early in the week.....look what we woke up to one morning -

SNOW in southern Arizona!

a very unhappy camper......

I think this is a good place to stop for now, it's near Happy Hour and the internet is not cooperating.     I'll show you the rest of our adventures in another post.