I tried to sew today but didn’t get an awful lot accomplished I must say. We took walks in between rain storms, we had some thunder and lightening along with the wind and rain. Emmi and Michael took a nice long nap this afternoon and that was about it for our Sunday. I am baking cornbread and regular bread to take over to Jim and Ellie’s. They made a big pot of chili, just the right kind of eating on a day like this.
We are truly blessed.
Judging from all the flowers we saw in Wickenburg, AZ today, spring is certainly here in this neck of the woods. Emmi let us sleep in today, Michael might have slept a little better last night and all was right with the world! We took a long walk after asking Jim and Ellie and Gina and Rollie to join us on a day trip to the little western town of Wickenburg. Just after noon we headed off with us in one car with Miss Emmi and the rest of the gang in Jim and Ellie’s car.
First stop was Anita’s, a very popular Mexican restaurant—we have eaten there just a few times! Our friends who live near Wickenburg, Caryl and Jerry met us at the restaurant to pick up a quilt and to visit. Caryl told us about all the must see sights, a few we hadn’t heard about—just last winter the city of Wickenburg commissioned all these realistic and life size painted bronzes—the statues are scattered all about town and some of them are very startling!
We worked up an appetite for ice cream after walking around town then it was on to the quilt store which is owned by a friend of Caryl’s. I am going to make Ellie a Mexican Star quilt—Caryl had one made up hanging in the quilt store and I wanted Ellie to see it.
Next on our list was a trip to check out potential boondocking spots near Wickenburg. 
I think we could park our RV there—beautiful! Jim & Ellie and Rollie & Gina wanted to take a look at the Escapee’s park in nearby Congress so we dropped them off there and headed to Caryl and Jerry’s just purchased newly remodeled home. They purchased a beautiful piece of property that borders state land and has gorgeous views. They have sold their lots and park models in North Ranch, their place in Montana and their motor home and will live year round in Congress.
It was just a special day with great friends. Al from the Bayfield Bunch must have gotten really tired of that wind in California and shipped it over here to us—it is howling tonight!
We’ve had Emmi for how long now??? Seven months??? Will she ever grow up??? Emmi decided that it was time to get up a little after 5am this morning—UGH—I wasn’t ready to get up!
Hiking up through one of the many washes out here in the desert we saw some beautiful scenery today. We came upon two separate dry waterfalls each probably 12 feet deep. The rocks were a deep red color and coupled with the green palo verde trees—it was gorgeous. We checked out other potential boondocking sites a little farther up the road—Mike is having trouble sleeping—the traffic noise from Highway 72 keeps him awake and you can hear the train whistle too. While this spot is nice it is not as nice as the one we had—our internet does work much better here, though.
Michael discovered that the faucet we bought in Yuma yesterday wouldn’t work, bummer. The kitchen faucet is leaking terribly—he did manage to take apart and fix it enough that perhaps we can get home without flooding the place!
Dave dropped by just after lunch to visit our new spot in the desert. We had a great chat with him, he is leaving this area on Sunday. Hopefully we will meet up with him again next year.
I ran into Bouse to take garbage and to mail some packages at the post office. The little general store actually had jalapenos—supplies are limited in Bouse! I wanted to make some more pico de gallo.
Spent the rest of the afternoon outside reading and chatting with whoever happened by. Jim and Ellie took Mr. BoJangles and Jasmine to a groomer in Parker today with less than satisfactory results.
And that’s it for our day here in the desert. With Mike not sleeping we are pondering our next move—should we move farther back into the desert here or should we go on down to the Sierra Vista area to visit friends?? Our weather is supposed to be crummy tomorrow and Sunday, wind, rain and cooler.
Photos from our hike today:
Whew—we never get up to an alarm clock any more but did this morning—YUK! Our plans were to head to Yuma really early, walk across the border and get back into the US before the line got really long. We dropped Emmi off with Dave about 7:20 and with a little waiting for the construction pilot car we were walking into Mexico just before 10am. Went straight to the purple pharmacy (so named because the buildings of which there are several are all purple and so are the shopping bags they give you) got our list of medications and were walking out of Mexico by 10:30. The border crossing line was only about 10 minutes long as compared to the three hour wait we had one afternoon last March. Total success!
Glad we saved some money on medications because on the way to Yuma a gravel truck passed us going the opposite direction and tossed out a major size rock hitting us square in the middle of the windshield. It is, needless to say not one of the rock chips that is fixable!
In the parking lot on the US side of the border I saw a couple that I thought looked familiar. As they walked by I turned to look again and the man was looking at me, I said, “Tom?” and he said, “Janna?” We met Tom and Sally a couple of years ago when we rented a private lot at the Escapees Park in Congress, AZ. They also own a lot there and were our neighbors during our stay.
Once back in Yuma we hit Home Depot for a new kitchen faucet for the motor home. Famous Dave’s for lunch (yes we are in a rut but it is so good) and then to Target. Why is it that when you are looking for that exact gift you have had in mind for weeks it is never in the store when you go to shop for that gift?? That was my experience in Target today! Our last stop was Sam’s Club—I would see something and say, “that would be nice.” Michael would reply, “it won’t fit.” We were driving the convertible so shopping at Sam’s Club was limited!
Back home we picked up our mail from the Bouse post office and Emmi from Dave’s rig. It was so good to roll into our little slice of desert this afternoon. Ellie and Gina had prepared an awesome supper—Gina made a fresh strawberry/spinach salad and Ellie and Jim collaborated on the rest of the meal—grilled chicken and pork with potatoes and squash. Ellie made a wonderful fruit salad for dessert.
After telling stories and visiting for a while we all waddled to our respective rigs. What a beautiful, perfect day.
Emmi woke me early this morning with an unwelcome surprise and for those folks who subscribe to the theory that dogs will not “soil” their own bed or crate—those folks never met Emmi! And as usual it was probably our fault. We came home late last night from Gina and Rollie’s, let Emmi out at that time and didn’t let her out again. Our routine is to always go out right before we all go to bed—well she obviously missed her routine last night!
Since we were up so early I decided I would like to hike to the cave Mike discovered on Monday while I was at the laundromat. 
No rattlesnakes or creepy crawly creatures and I kept a tight rein on Emmi. By the time we got back the day was warming up!
Michael painted today after calling his teacher Steve and getting some pointers—the painting was one of the best he has done. Talked to friends back at home today and got all the latest scoop!
I made some awesome pico de gallo today, it was delicious. Gina had invited all of us over for leftovers tonight and I volunteered to make cornbread. Ellie and Jim made a wonderful peach cobbler. Yes, Weight Watcher’s kind of went by the wayside today but I think you have to have an off day every once in a while. We also enjoyed cheese/crackers and the pico de gallo before dinner with wine so yes, our points were used up for the day!
Our weather was just perfect today, almost 80 degrees with a slight breeze.
Life is good! Our granddaughter Laci has left Iraq and is on her way back to the US—life is indeed good!
After a leisurely morning using the computers, drinking coffee and having breakfast we took a nice long hike. The dry washes here in this area are more narrow and deep forming miniature canyons across the desert. We were out for almost two hours, it felt good to walk again. The dirt and rocks are many different hues, in one wash we found red rocks like in this photo, in another spot we found huge almost purple slabs of rock. There is a cave in the mountain side and Mike wants to hike up there and take flashlights. Hmmmmm? Wonder what kind of critters live in Arizona caves??? See the dark half circle in the middle of the photo—that’s the cave.
Emmi needed her “do” spiffed up so I got out all the tools and she and I began to do battle. The first time I cut her hair she was really good, not today! We struggled and as a result I am less than satisfied with the end look! But it will do.
Packed up the three quilts I had finished and sent them off to Arkansas today. Spent some time soaking up some sun today (hope my dermatologist doesn’t read this) and relaxing. Michael go a painting started, took a nap and bought and sold some stocks. That’s about it for our day.
Tonight we are in for a treat—Gina is making gumbo!
Well, today was laundry day and I got up later than I usually do on laundry day. I rolled into the laundromat parking lot just after 8am and it was all ready busy. For whatever reason the owner chose to install 20+ washing machines and 11 dryers—now do the math—that ain’t gonna work!! There were some ladies today who needed a lesson in laundromat ettiquete:
1. Do not hog the rolling wire carts because if you do some mouthy southern girl is going to ask you to move your purse out of the cart so she can unload her washer and get the clothes to the dryer without dropping them piece by piece on the way! Giving that southern girl a dirty look isn’t gonna change one thing!
2. Do not think you are going to go and stand in front of 3 dryers to “save” them when your clothes are still in the rinse cycle and that mouthy southern girl’s clothes are all ready in the moving basket—she is gonna move in front of you and load those dryers with her clothes. Again, that dirty look isn’t gonna change one thing!
Needless to say, laundry was an experience today and Michael should be glad he isn’t visiting me in jail tonight!
The morning experience must have given me energy cause when I got home I bathed Emmi, started a pot of beans and vacuumed all after putting away the laundry.
Dave, our neighbor and friend from the other spot we just left was expecting guests today—the couple we camped next to in Las Vegas on New Year’s Eve who are from British Columbia. They are related to friends of Dave’s from Yuma—his spot was the gathering spot before everyone heads off for home. We drove over this afternoon taking Emmi with us to say hello to these very nice folks again, Warren and Gloria and to meet Dave’s friends from Yuma—Bill is American, Darcey is Canadian. We enjoyed our visit with them and left with promises to keep in touch.
When we drove out to go for this visit we met Ellie and Jim and a big black truck (a really big black truck) coming in containing friends of theirs Gina and Rollie. The two couples had met through the RV Dreams folks, Howard and Linda. Gina and Rollie are fulltimers in an Excel 5th wheel pulled by a Volvo semi truck. They have come to join us for a while. What nice people—we all enjoyed a supper of grilled sausages, red beans and rice, pinto beans, and slaw topped off with ice cream for desert. We spent the rest of the evening visiting and getting to know each other.
Mike took a very long hike this morning and poor little Emmi is one pooped puppy!
Another great day and looking forward to a day at home tomorrow far from any crabby ladies in some laundromat myself included! And if you’re wondering why my blog sounds a little southern speaking tonight its because Gina and Rollie are from Louisiana and it rubbed off on me!
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