Lazy Days in AZ

We have not done much in sight-seeing for the past 2 months, just getting accoustomed to where we are and how we live. The weather is warming up, mid to high 80's during the day, mid 50's at night. We have heard the coyotes a couple of nights, but the stars! Amazing! We did get our park model delivered and we have ownership of it now and for the past 10 days we have been busy with putting up hooks, shelves, little of this, little of that. Re-arranging the living area, taking out everything in the cupboards in the kitchen and redoing it, trying to figure out what is best in terms of dining table (we are using a card table and folding chairs for now), but loving every minute of it. So different in a park model versus an RV - we even have a garbage disposal! Are we spoiled, or what? I asked Dave when he is going to go out and dump - something we don't have to do in this place, but will have to relearn this when we get back into the RV. As for Chip and Grace - they are loving it too. The picture above is from the door of the bedroom looking in as they are laying in the sun, and Grace is doing her weird sense of laying - with her head lower than her butt. Silly cat. Chip is doing okay, I load him up with laxatives in the morning and evening meal and he hates taking it - but there is no choice. He has lost weight but I think he has stabilized. I don't mind feeding him alot of food - he isn't gaining. Chip now weighs about 12 pounts - way down from his 18. He doesn't seem to be in any pain, is quite active and jumps and runs all over. We are happy. However, when we take off to go to Montana sometime around the middle of May - we shall see how he does. If he begins to crash, we will head back here. Will get Chip and Grace to the vet before we go - to make sure they are okay. Getting excited - will have our first official guest here the end of April when my sister flies in for a long weekend while Dave flies to Florida and then drive to Cleveland from there (helping Phyllis home), then staying about 5 to 6 days more to visit with family, home the 7th of May. Then we will pack up and head to Montana, providing Chip is doing okay by May 15th. Starting to get the hitch-itch. Watching folks here pull out to go back to their summer homes - Alaska, Kansas, Montana, British Columbia, Colorado, to name some of the places they depart to. And there are a number of folks who live here all year!

Battle of Picacho Peak

This past Sunday we went to our neighbor's property, the Picacho Peak State Park, and watched the reenactment of the Civil War battles of the Southwest. Three separate battles were reenacted there, the Battle of Valverde, NM; the Battle of Glorieta, NM; and the Battle of Picacho Pass, AZ, all served the purpose of paving the way for the opening of Santa Fe Trail. We got to the state park at 9am when the gates opened and walked around the camps of the Confederate Troops - of Texas, and then wandered through the Federal camp of the Northern States. We were impressed with the 250 plus volunteers - men, women, and children - who put in their time, effort, money and travel time to do reenactments. When the volunteers are not doing these three reenactments, most travel to the eastern states and participate in those. The battle of Picacho Pass, fought on April 15, 1862 - which is the 150th year anniversary this year. Although this battle was a draw when both sides withdrew from the skirmish after an hour with few fatalities and wounded, the historical aspects of being the western most battle of the Civil War lasts. We watched an artillery demonstration which the solders explained each of the jobs of the battery, and then commenced with firing the cannons. These cannons are reproduction but deliver the same extremely loud noise and compression of air! And each of the firearms used by the men are also reproductions but with no ammo loaded. Still, pretty convincing. Women also were at the reenactment as nurses, wives of the men, seamstresses, laundry lady, women who like today's groupies - follow a rock band around - those women followed the troops and their roles were to 'entertain' the men, if you get my drift. We saw children also dressed in period costume, even one little girl who was dressed in period costume and selling lemonade - yes, I was a sucker and bought her lemonade, saw doctor (medic) running around the battlefield, young boys who were with a regiment and were drummers or fifers to keep the spirits up of the fighting men. Mounted cavalry were also present. And the cavalry was from Fort Huachuca (pronounced Who-a-cha-ca....like an Indian chant - who-a-cha-ca, who-a-cha-ca) which is near Tombstone, where the Buffalo Soldiers were first enlisted and to this day, the Fort is home to Buffalo Soldiers and the Mounted Cavalry of the United States. Fort Huachuca is an active Army base today with it's main mission in communications and also active drone missile program. The term Buffalo Soldiers was a nickname of the Black Men who served in the Army during the Civil War, and the Indians said they looked like the buffalo since their hair was short and curly just like the buffalo. I really enjoyed Sunday's experience. We have been near another reenactment in Ohio, the battle of Lakeside-Marblehead, while we were camping at East Harbor State Park in Ohio. We will never forget Abe Lincoln walking around handing out copper pennies to children - something he was known for. How life-like was that? As I look back on the pictures of Sunday, I get a chuckle - you see people sitting on the side of the mountain watching the reenactment while in the same picture you see the battle going on in front of them and further in the distance you see the State Park campground with the RVs.

Let's Get Caught Up!

We have been kid sitting every Tuesday and Thursday at Jill's, and for the most part on weekends, follow the middle granddaughter, Emi, to where ever her soccer team is playing. We have also made it back to Mount Lemmon which we see to the south. It is snow covered still and last Sunday when we went there, it was their last day of skiing - the snow is melting too fast. Something else that has occupied our time 24/7 - Chip has gotten very ill - almost lost him about three weeks ago. You have to understand - he has been with us for 14 years, has to be one of the most intelligent cats we have owned, and is our baby. We found a great female vet in Tucson and with encouragement and alot of contact with her over the last couple of weeks, we have gotten him back. I give him laxatives two times a day and he's on food that doesn't produce any solid waste - he has a mass that is obstructing his bowel and therefore can't poop. But - he's not in pain, gotten his appetite back after loosing a number of pounds, is quite playful at times, and can't say that he is fine - he's holding his own and is better than he was a month ago. Our poor Chip. Needless to say, we both watch him closely - his every move. Just like an elderly person -we are so happy when there is a 'BM' out of him, we praise him and pet him - but we see it also takes it toll on him. We are not ready to say goodbye to him - will do everything to keep him going as long as there is no pain. On a lighter note - our new 'RV' has arrived at Picacho Peak and we hope by the end of the week we will have the keys and ownership to it. We have purchased very little furniture, have been looking and talking about what would fit, but will wait until we are in it to do any more big purchases. We plan to stay here this spring until we feel that when we come back late fall, we will be comfortable and can move right in. Once we get in this week or so, we have to make arrangements to get the 5th wheel in for service, then the truck in and get new tires on the truck. Cha-ching. Very expensive winter here, but exciting! Today the window treatment guy is coming to give us an estimate on solar outside coverings, then the concrete work begins and the awning to be installed, the HVAC hooked up, the water done, alot to do in a couple short days! But can't wait!!!