April 27, 2012

We spent this past week in Grimshaw, AB visiting with my kids. We had a wonderful week that went by way too fast. The weather wasn't great. Rain most days, but it was warm inside and we just relaxed and enjoyed the company. Today we are heading to Edmonton.

Picture on the right (taken at Christmas) is my son Farren, with his girlfriend Kim and daughter (my granddaughter) Melody (age 4). She has grown alot since we saw here last year at this time!! 

This picture of my daughter Tammy with her boyfriend Rob was taken a couple of summers ago while they were visiting in Nanaimo. Rob had surgery last Friday, so they weren't in the mood to pose for pictures. Glad to report that he's healing well, and will be home for 4 weeks. Tammy is happy about that.

BUT - Melody is a ham - always ready to pose for pictures. I guess most kids are. So here are a few of the pictures she 'posed' for. She's a real sweetie. It was nice to be grandma for a few days!

 

April 17, 2012

We're Home!

Just a quick update - to let you know that we arrived  home safe and sound on Sunday, April 15th. We took more time coming home this year than usual, and we stopped for the evening at a few very nice spots, and still arrived a couple of days early. We enjoyed our journey, but we're both very happy to be home again!

We started unloading the motorhome, what a big job :(  But you know the old saying "Rome wasn't built in a day" - it will take us a few 'days' to get the job done. But no hurry - - - -

This weekend we're going to journey to Northern Alberta to visit with my kids and family, then make our way south to see Michel's daughter and her family. There is a new grand-daughter to meet again this year!!

We start working again soon - May 9th <> Looking forward to that too. Looking forward to another wonderful summer in Greenwood!!

April 12, 2012

We spent Easter at Fiesta RV Resort, arriving back there from Yuma on Good Friday. As per usual they put on a great meal. On Tuesday morning we left the resort enroute for home. Not being in a big rush we didn't go far.... Rich and Tina were staying at the Riverside Casino (Laughlin), so we spent a night there and hung out with them for the last time this season. So Wednesday we were really gone this time. Got to Las Vegas, well, just a few miles north and decided to call it a day. The wind was wicked so we just relaxed for the day and left again on Thursday morning.

BUT, about 100 miles down the road we came across this park. The Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge. We've come across it every year, but today we decided to check it out. Thought we'd stop for coffee anyway.

What a lovely place. There is a three mile trail around the lake, which we walked. I had the camera today (surprise, surprise!) so I got some shots of the scenery.

Michel standing in front of a big tree 

Me sitting on a rock. 

Then when we got back, we sat in the sun sipping the coffee we just brewed. Yummmm.....

We've decided to add it to our list of 'must stop ats' every year. What a nice peaceful place.

April 3, 2012

Before we left Bullhead City we got a chance to meet up again with friends Rich and Tina. They spent their winter in Florida this year and are now on their way home to Rainier, WA. It was nice to spend time with them again. It was not the same without them this year.

We did leave Fiesta RV resort, but on March 31st. After deciding to just stay put, I broke a molar and was in need of dental work. So we left for Yuma, and down to Algodonas to get it fixed. We spent Saturday night in Quartzsite  Here is a picture of our rig where we settled in for the night in the desert in Quartzsite. And of course the trip to Quartzsite just wouldn't be complete without pizza from Silly Al's. I'm sure it is the best pizza we've ever eaten!!

Then we were off to Yuma. We stayed in the parking lot of the Paradise Casino, which is only a few miles from the Mexican border making for easy access on Monday morning. While we were there this huge fire broke out just a few miles to the east of us. Michel got some great shots. As you can see it's very close.... We got all our dental work done and Michel even got himself a new pair of glasses, and we were out of Algodonas by 4:30. Only 1 hour and 40 minutes in line at the border to leave.  Not too bad??

So while we were in Yuma we visited with friends Russ and Mary Thomas. We met them in 2005 down in San Felipe and have tried to stay in touch, although we haven't seen them in 3 years. But we had a good visit - had a bbq in their back yard on Sunday and then on Tuesday we went to Olive Garden where we celebrated Michel's birthday.

March 24, 2012

Spring has sprung,
and soon we'll be home enjoying our yard, and the creek running by, the green grass, the flowers, the evergreen trees and of course our friends. It's only been 6 months, but somehow it seems longer - and yet it also feels like we just left - can you figure that one out????


It's been over two weeks now that Michel has been down with shingles. Who knew that this disease would knock the sh-t out of him? Besides being very painful, he's had zero energy, so we haven't been doing anything, and thus nothing to blog about. 

Well, that's not entirely true - we did get a visit from my cousin Ed and his wife Jane. Had a wonderful visit, but no pictures (go figure). They live in Edmonton, but were in Laughlin for a week or so, so they drove over to see us. It was really nice to see them again, I'm sure it's been close to 6 years since I've seen them last.

We were planning on leaving Fiesta RV park on the 29th and going to Yuma, then drifting for a week or so before heading home, but now under the circumstances we're going to sit tight and let Michel recoup before we journey home. So we'll be hanging around Bullhead City until the 10th of April, having Easter dinner with the residents of the park, then heading home afterwards.

We've really enjoyed our winter here at Fiesta RV Park and in Bullhead City. We weren't sure about sitting in one spot for the entire winter, but found that it is nice, and stress free. No worries about where we'll go next and if we can get reservations..... and where we'll go over the holidays, because we can't get into our Coast to Coast parks. We'll likely return next year, our spot #1404 will be waiting for us!!

March 16, 2012

Happy St. Patrick's Day Everyone!

Once again it's been a long time since I've blogged. We just haven't done anything to speak about. Michel  has been sick. He caught the Desert Valley Fever, so that put him down for a couple of weeks. And just when he started feeling like himself again, he came down with shingles..... He's been on medication for a week now so hopefully he'll begin healing soon.

In the mean time, we haven't been anywhere or done anything. But the weather here has been in the 80's this week, so I've been in the pool.

We're planning on leaving this park in Bullhead City on March 29th, and going south toward Yuma so we can jot on down to Algodonas. We have a couple of weeks so we'll bop around and Coast to Coast it for the time before heading home.

February 20, 2012

The Desert Bar

Our winter just wouldn't be complete without a trip or two to the Desert Bar, in Parker, AZ. Denis and Janine (Ontario) picked us up this morning and we drove the two hours to get there. It was a beautiful sunny day and we really enjoyed our outing. 

We listened to the band "Hard Rain', who hail from Los Angeles, and play every President's Day weekend at the Desert Bar. Well, the music was fantastic - good old rock and roll - a mix of music from the 60's, 70's and 80's. Very talented group of musicians. 

 We can never believe how much this place changes each year. This being our 5th year visiting the Desert Bar it was interesting to see all the additional seating areas. This area you are viewing is the newest - they now have the stage down in this huge wash....They had a New Years Eve party this past year and we heard there were over 3,000 in attendance!!  

 And this is a new attraction - they were offering helicopter rides from the open space behind the bar area.

 People from all over come to visit this bar that is located in the middle of nowhere - 5 miles into the desert down a dirt 'path'. Here is a group from northern Alberta - a little town called Falher, which is only a short distance from where I lived for 30 some odd years (Grimshaw, AB). As it turns out we know some of the same people. It sure is a small world!

We spent the afternoon, sipping, listening and visiting and as we were leaving we had to have our picture taken in front of the chapel 'facade' in the parking lot. 

We stopped at a well recommended micro-brewery pub called "Mudsharks" in Lake Havasu on our way back to Bullhead City. There we had dinner and sampled the beers they make.

Very interesting flavors! 

Just give me a Coors Light and clamato - I'm happy with that!!

We had a great day - great entertainment with great friends!!