Saturday, November-06-10
When we left Canyon de Chelly, we did a quick visit to the Petrified Forest NP and we spent the chilly night in Williams, AZ. In the morning, I & A went over to the Grand Canyon and we set off to Laughlin.
To our surprise, there were very few RV’ers at the Tropicana (where we usually park and find all the folks we have met over the years). The casino started charging to stay there and people have just moved on. Mya (one of the ole’ time friends) was over at another casino. We spent one night there and then moved down to the AVI (no one there either) for about a week.
Nov. 6th found us sitting at Hi Jolly BLM in Quartzsite, AZ, again. I & A arrived just a few minutes after we did. We parked at our usual spot over by the Wash. This is really old routine, by now. We’ve tried other locations, but always seem to come back here. We like it! Fred can scrutinize the comings and goings along the road and I can scrutinize the comings and goings of the birds and animals in the wash.
I watched the hummingbirds feed from our little red feeder – one female who keeps coming back and a male who just showed up. They land on one of the two tiny perches that stick out from the side of the feeder. They then stick their long thin beaks into centre of the little yellow plastic flowers some ingenious Chinese designer stuck onto the base. I’m not sure if it is the same female but one seems to arrive to feed about every three to four minutes but the male only comes around occasionally. Every once in a while they seem to get into an argument but that’s not unlike most other domestic couples we know.
There is a family of California Quail that live in the wash. Dad comes out first and flies up onto a branch while Mom and the brood waddle up the wash to find food and waddle back again. They seem to do this every morning and every evening. I’m yet to find out where they nest but I will, over time. We’ll probably be here for a couple of weeks.
I managed to break the Broadband2Go internet stick so we were restricted to the Library or Senior Centre again until I got another one – what a pain!!
Sunday, November-28-10
Time flies by when you are either having fun, or getting older (one or the other or both) and here it is nearing the end of November.
Quartzsite was Quartzsite was Quartzsite was Quartzsite – We stayed our 14 days on the Hi Jolly BLM. That gave us time to get a new internet stick; dump once at the Pit Stop (an interesting business that is set up specifically for RVers to dump their waste water and flush out the tanks; fill the fresh water tank with good water; and have the propane tanks filled) and move on. All the prices here seem to have gone up since last year – RV parking at the Pit Stop was $12 last year and $20 this year. We’ve noticed an increase in food, as well. The General Store here has a real butcher shop and still sells the best meat around.
The price of fuel always goes up at this time of the year, so it is hard to tell if the price is higher because it’s Snowbird Season or because of the economy.
We did manage to go to a fund-raising dinner for Cecelia’s Garden at the Quartzsite community center (QIA). Cecelia was Paul (the fellow who owns the Oasis bookstore and wears a thong) and Joanne’s daughter who died in the mid 90’s.
Paul’s alter-ego (Sweet pea) came out – he plays an incredible boogie-woogie piano and is, in fact, quite shy.
Cecelia was born in Toronto and lived for seven years. She had been the smallest baby born in Canada (1.25 pounds). Over the years in Quartzsite, she captured the hearts of many who met her. In her memory, Cecelia's Rainbow Garden is set on 8 acres of desert donated by the BLM on the edge of Quartzsite. It seems the whole community has become involved. They sell plots and people create garden sites and memorials in whatever way they choose. They encourage people to donate something live so there are a lot of the unusual cacti, trees and shrubs that don't ordinarily grow there.
There really was not much going on in Quartzsite so we left to go down to Yuma and Algodones and expect to go back later in the Season. Our plan was to check into our usual spot in The Foothills (Yuma) but Sallee and John were busy that week and Bob (our on-site landlord) was not there, so we decided to check into the Escapees Park, Kofa Ko-op for the week and here we still are.
This is not the same up-tight park we encountered six years ago when we stayed here and Fred got sick and we couldn’t find anyone to help us. The atmosphere has changed . . . they seem to appreciate visitors as opposed to resenting their intrusion (that’s the way it felt before). We already knew a number of folks and there are a lot of Canadians here. The swimming pool is nice and we’ve already been in the hot tub twice and I’m doing a Writers Workshop next week.
We went down to Algodones (Mexico) last week and Fred got his new glasses - not only can he now see (I was beginning to be a bit concerned with him driving) he looks kind of spiffy too.
I got a great hair-cut - as good as the one at Casa Grande last year - and another purse - like I need another one (?) - But it was $10.00 and I couldn't resist. We got some more vanilla and those wonderful chocolates.
Sallee and John have introduced us to the $10.00 seniors’ free play at the casino. It looks like we may stay here at least until after Fred’s birthday.
They say learning is life-long and I certainly have learned a lot about myself over this past month. I am extremely independent. I like to do what I like to do when I want to do it!
I can get very bitchy if I feel someone expects me to do something I don’t want to do or I feel is trying to take advantage of me. I almost got to the point that I didn’t even like myself.
