Thanksgiving Dinner 2015

December 3, 2015

Thanksgiving Day and more...

Saguaro Co-op in Benson, AZ

We enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner in the clubhouse on Thanksgiving.  There were 6 different tables and we sat with table 3 which means we had Thanksgiving with about 130 people.  We had 22 people on our table that each brought a dish so we had 22 different dishes to stuff ourselves with.  Carol Bezdeka cooked the turkey, stuffing and did gravy.  Here are the folks we celebrated with (less one couple I missed getting a picture).  

Chuck Devine and Roxanne Stewart

Debbie and Doug Eckart

Pete and Anne-Marie Arnold

Lynn and David Cross

Tom and Carol Bezdeka 

(Our Escapee Mom & Dad.  The reason we spent Thanksgiving in Benson, AZ)

Ron and Shirley Pate

Addie and Bob Fife (they are on the lot next to us)

Donna and Dave Esslinger (Bob & Pat King's relatives)

Pat and Bob King are 2 lots down the road from us.

While in Benson we got a few chances to get together with Don and Sharon Del Rosario.  They are staying on the base in Tucson while Don goes through Physical Therapy and Dialysis.  He is making a fantastic recovery after suffering a stoke while undergoing a heart bi-pass operation.  They are working on getting a portable dialysis set-up in their RV so they can go back to life on the road.

We arrived in Yuma on Saturday the 28th and have set up for our 3-4 month stay at Cocopah RV and Golf Resort.  We took a trip across the border to Algadonas with Kay and Steve Krasovetz to check out the dental services available.  We also enjoyed a margarita and lunch.  There is 3 square blocks of dentists, pharmacies, eye doctors and all the merchandise you imagine just a walk across the Mexican Border.

Another fun thing to do in Yuma is the traditional Wednesday afternoon movie and early dinner with the Escapees Boomer group.  We didn't get to the movie this Wednesday because Becky was golfing but we did catch up with them at Hamburger and Beer for dinner.  There are lots of Boomer in Yuma and we will be enjoying some of the activities with them.

Becky signed up with the Ladies 18-hole golf group and will be playing on Wednesday mornings with them.  It is computer picked so she will be getting new golf partners each week.  She is hoping to find more games and play at least 3 times a week.  Monday will be a Ladies and Men's 18-hole mixer scramble.  There are lots of events to sign up for as well as clinics with the golf pro.

Today Kay Krasovetz and Becky went for a Mani/Pedi.  To get in the mood for Christmas, she had snowflakes painted onto my toenails.  It is hard to get into the Christmas spirt when it is sunny and 70 degrees.

If we don't get another Blog out before Christmas, we wish you all a Happy Holidays from Yuma, Arizona.

Becky and Lonnie

Arizona Winter part 1

November 19, 2015

Saguaro Co-op Lot #83

Benson, Arizona

We left Twin Falls on Friday, Oct. 23 taking the Interstate through Utah instead of the usual Highway 93 through Nevada for a change of scenery.  It turned out not to be the best route.  We got stuck in a traffic jam near Sandy, UT for 45 minutes.  After spending a couple of nights in Utah, we arrived at the Escapees North Ranch in Congress, AZ (near Wickenberg).  A high school friend, Dave Lookingbill, that lives in Wickenberg, invited us to his house for a fabulous dinner of burgers on the BBQ and homemade potato salad.  We spent 3 nights at North Ranch so Becky could do some shopping at the bead store there and do some beading with the residents of North Ranch.  She found just the beads she needed to do another Lacy Collar Necklace.

Lacy Collar Necklace was finished with the Benson Beaders that meet on Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons.

We were given Lot #83 and settled in for our one month stay.  We do not have access to the casita but the porch is nice to sit on and store our bikes out of the weather.

We arrived in time for the Halloween Celebration.  A fun night of music, costumes and time with old RV friends.

A lot of couples put effort into their costumes

Our favorite costume with "Trailer Trash"

We are planning a to stay here to enjoy Thanksgiving with our Escapee parents, Tom & Carol Bezdeka.  It was no trouble finding things to keep us busy.  Becky found 2 ladies to show her the San Pedro Golf Course and has enjoyed a weekly game on nice days.  Three days a week we meet with the residents in the Clubhouse for Flexercise at 9:00.

For one hour Monday, Wednesday and Friday...

we get together to move and stretch all the muscles in our bodies.

On Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings Becky has been joining the Line Dancing Classes for 2 hours of dancing.

Line Dancing is great exercise and takes the place of the Zumba she was doing at home this summer.

Saguaro Co-op has a wonderful Clubhouse with many activities. Saturday morning breakfasts, Monday dinners, free live entertainment on Saturday nights,  BIG screen movies on Wednesday evenings complete with pop corn and hot dogs.  Tuesday night is Bingo.

This is Becky's winning blackout game that got her $70.  Of course she played 3 weeks before getting this winning card.

There are also Pool Tables, library with books, DVD's and puzzles to fill your time, and card rooms for weekly games.  Wood Carvers, Quilters and Beaders also meet in the clubhouse in the afternoons.

We enjoyed a wonderful Veteran's Day dinner of Cornish Game Hens to honor all the park Veterans.

There were plenty that received their dinner free of charge to thank them for their service.

We have had some cool weather but mostly it has been sunny and nice.  We are planning to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner with 20 other people, just at our table.  We did the meal planning yesterday and no body will go away hungry.  We have even planned a leftover day on Friday at noon to eat whatever is left.

Our plan is to leave here the Saturday after Thanksgiving to go to Cocopah RV & Golf Resort in Yuma.  We will be staying there until mid-March.  I'm sure we can find lots to do besides play golf.  We will keep you posted....

Becky and Lonnie

Bead Week in Congress

March 27-April 3, 2015
North Ranch Escapee Park
Congress, AZ

We arrived at North Ranch on Friday afternoon.  The weather was beautiful with temps in the 80's.  The Easter Cactus was blooming around the RV park.

This cactus blooms at Easter time and the bloom only last 24-36 hours.

Prickly Pear are starting pop open also.

Spring time in the desert can be very beautiful.

Wood Carvers week was just finishing up when we arrived.  This NRPA wooden statue from Wickenburg was being restored by the wood carvers.  The horses head had broken off and it was very weathered.  

During Bead week at North Ranch we get a chance to try many hobbies such as his Wood Turning demonstration.

Students were given a chance to try their hand at this hobby.

Inside the activities center lots of happy beaders are creating new jewelry.

Six separate areas are set up for teaching beading, polymer clay and Gourd art.  There are 3 hour classes in the mornings and again in the afternoons to choose from Monday thru Friday.  Becky taught 3 of those classes. 

There were classes in Gourd Art.  

 Learning how to put beaded edges on gourd bowls..

and beaded patterns in the bottom.

Wire wrapping stones..

and wire jewelry making.

Polymer Clay is also a popular class.  Students learn to create clay patterned beads that are then baked into hard stones.

These disks will be baked and put together to create a necklace or bracelet.

Making clay flowers to decorate many things is easy and fun.

After baking in the oven they are as hard as stone.

Classes in necklace bead stringing are also given.

This is one of Becky's students. She taught classes on how to make the Twin Cube Necklace, bracelet and earring.

This is the Twin Cube Necklace.

This is another bracelet done during a class.

Each year Cathy Benton takes everyone's unfinished pieces and puts them together into a collage necklace.  It is a crazy piece that will be given away to one of the people that contributed something to the necklace.

There is also a Bead Challenge in which you purchase a bag full of beads.  The person makes something with the beads in their bag and everyone votes on the best creation.  #4 was this year's winner.

Everyone has a great time sharing and creating beautiful art.  

There are beads for sale to help everyone make new creations.  The teacher of each class puts together the needed beads and sells the student a "kit" to make the jewelry design being taught.  You can then go into the bead store to purchase more beads to make the same pattern in other colors or your own variation.

It is a week of inspiration in beading, clay, wire and gourd art.

These a few of the pieces that Becky finished this week.  She still has some projects that will be finished this summer and a huge supply of beads from the store to keep her occupied this summer.

Saturday morning we head north on Highway 93 through Nevada headed for Twin Falls, Idaho.  We should be home by late Easter Sunday afternoon.  We will be in Twin Falls until sometime in October so if you are in the area, stop in and visit us.

Becky and Lonnie