Temperature is Rising and the Old Folks Are Acting Like Kids Again

Daytime temperatures have risen into the 80's for the last two days, and the 10-day forecast calls for a lot more of the same.  The park is filling up with snow birds and we are seeing more senior activity each day.

This spirited group meets for a competitive game of water volleyball each morning at the smaller south pool .  They do not exactly play by NCAA rules, but they do rotate their positions and they do have a splashing good time.

Happy hour at the north pool is getting so crowded that you almost need a reservation to get into the water and hot tub when the small bands are playing.

A grassy spot by the pool has now been turned into a full-blown cornhole court for some lively games during happy hour each day.  We'll tell you - plenty of these old fogies are acting like college kids on spring break.  Delightful!

The daily sunshine in Yuma is excellent for outside activities as well as attitude, for sure.

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Maybe it has something to do with the Full  - Blue- Super moon last night!

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Here and There and This and That In Yuma

Here is what the offspring looks like when a Harley Davidson meets up with a pretty little Bel Air.  They named him Boss Hoss.

This resident found a better way to use his rake and pitchfork.

This was a unique lawn decoration.  Note the driver in yellow.

And the people who live here do not like to get involved with the issues of the day--

they would rather sit on their hands!

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How About a Game of Golf?

This year we brought our golf clubs from home, so we dusted them off and teed  up at the Fortuna De Oro 9-Hole Golf course on Friday.

The course is not fancy and it was a warm and breezy afternoon.

Show-off Karen did not take a mulligan on the first hole, and instead shot a two on the par 3 for our only Birdie of the day.  Luckily for Bill, her true form came back on the next eight holes.

The Fortuna De Oro course is fairly long, and we walked with pull carts.  With all the swings we took we got plenty of exercise.  After 9 holes we were ready for a drink and supper.  It was a fun afternoon with plenty of fresh air.

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Interior Views of the New Cougar Travel Trailer

Here is the main living area taken from inside the rear door.  We chose the booth on the left rather than free-standing table and chairs.  All the windows have shades rather than blinds.

The living room with two recliners and a couch that makes into a bed.  We love a large rear window.

The kitchen area with microwave above the stove.  The water heater runs on propane or electric.

Shower

throne and vaniety

King-size bed with windows that open on each side for ventilation.

and last....

the bedroom with a large closet and plenty of storage in a dresser and overhead cabinets.

Karen loves her new baby, and we are starting to feel at home.

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She Gets Traded In for a New Model ----------> (the trailer not the wife!)

Our Edgewater Travel Trailer by Sunny Brook was a 2010 model, so after eight years she was getting a little long in the tooth and obsolete.  So we took the plunge and traded her in for this new Cougar Travel Trailer by Keystone at RV World in Yuma.

It is two feet longer than our old trailer and has two slide-outs instead of one.  It also has fiberglass siding instead of aluminum.  The floorplan is similar to our old unit, with two doors. The bedroom is in the front, with a large picture window in the back in the main living area.

This model Cougar 29RLDWE has a king-size bed and much newer electronics throughout. (many of which we are still figuring out)  It has auto leveling,  a bluetooth stereo, and a much larger TV as examples.  The bathroom is much larger with a sit-down shower.  We will take some pictures of the interior and post them tomorrow.

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Playing Cards in Arizona

Do you know what this is?

It is what your playing hand might look like at the start of "Card Bingo".  Our RV park recently hosted a once-a-month Saturday tournament.  It cost $3.10 to enter and 81 people showed up.  Each player gets a deck of cards and picks any 13 cards for each game.  The announcer shuffles her deck and keeps calling out cards one-at-a-time.  If you match hers and turn over all of your cards first - you win.

Karen won one of the games - and 81 quarters!  

also----

How about Pinochle?

We recently tried the twice-a-week Pinochle group.  We were surprised to find that they play a "Western Version" of Pinochle here that is different than we play in Michigan.  It is single-deck, but if you win the bid you call trump and your partner passes you four cards.  After you pass four back you play pretty much the same.  Bidding starts at 26 and if it is dropped on you you get it for 25.

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We struggled with the new rules and strategy, but we were still recruited to come play at a Sunday tournament when the planner was two people short to make even four-somes.  We got to play as partners and we did not get the losers' trophy.

Yea!  Whew!!

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Desert Ornamental Plants

We have not yet figured out the name  of these beautiful flowering bushes, but in southern Arizona we are seeing plenty of them and they are cheerful, indeed.

We see them in front yards ...

...and at commercial buildings as well.  We suspect that they are a main reason why there are Hummingbirds in this area now.

Grapefruit trees are also popular in these parts.  We sometimes see people giving the fruit away to passersby, rather than letting it go to waste.

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How To Make Your Own Privacy Fence

Over in the original and oldest area of our RV park is this unique park model unit that has obviously been here for quite a few years.  The first time you see it you just have to look twice.

It is pretty well surrounded in shrubs.

From some angles it is well-camouflaged by the bushes.

So if you want privacy and shade, sometimes you just have to be patient and create your own.

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Here Is Where You Pull In For Another Kind of "Fill Up"

In this arid desert region the city tap water looks clear, has no odor, and is okay to drink.

However, it has an unpleasant and salty taste.

So.......

Roadside vending stands like this one above are a common sigh in Yuma.

You often see people pulling in to the small buildings with various size jugs to fill.

At first glance some vending stands look like gas stations, but don't try putting this in your car's tank by mistake.

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Exploring Yuma on Saturday Mornings

Pretty much all days down here are sunny, so on Saturday mornings Bill enjoys jumping on his old bicycle, that he stores with the trailer, to go explore the nearby neighborhoods.

He finds interesting yard displays like this small waterfall in the desert.

There are always a few yard sales.

Mostly junk, but you never know where there might be a treasure.  Up in Michigan there are not many garage/yard sales this time of year, so you have to make hay when the sun shines! (so to speak)

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Fortuna De Oro Hosts a Car Show

Saturday was the coolest day we have seen in the the last three weeks with the high temperature only going to 65 degrees.  (We know that will not bring a tear to the eye of any of our Michigan readers).

Anyway, the sun was out so it was still a good day for our RV park to host the Navy League Classic Car Show in the North Hall parking lot.

We are not "car nuts" but we had to go check out the the beautiful automobiles that the owners were so proud to display.  Here are a few of the cars that we found to be rare and interesting.

Above is a 1956 Studebaker pickup built in South Bend, Indiana.

This is a 1959 Ford Hardtop Convertible built in Detroit.

And finally this is a rare 1953 Kaiser built at Willow Run, Michigan, before the company merged with the Frazer Company from Toledo, Ohio.

We enjoy looking at old cars but prefer owning newer ones. (much newer!)

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PS:  Feel free at any time to leave a comment that we receive in our email account.
B & K

Different Strokes for Different Folks

Down here in "Retirement Land" in southwest Arizona there are quite a variety of residents in our RV park with many different physical conditions.  Everyone except visitors and employees  are above the age of 55 in our park.

In the main registration building there are plenty of jigsaw puzzles with special tables dedicated to 

puzzle-use like you see above.  Some couples go up each evening and work on the current puzzle together.

There are eight bocce ball courts with lights.  Above, Bill checks out who will get the points vs. Karen.  See the Yuma foothills in the background.

And of course, there is always the exercise room.  Note the blue machine on the left that allows you to hang upside down (like a bat).  But hey, who wants to get their exercise inside when the sun is shining outside??  Right??

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Bicycles - Not Everyone Rides a Ten-Speed

Down here in the middle of  hundreds of retirees, we see that many travel around the RV park in golf carts.  But bicycles are also popular.  Some people even have fancy "Retro" bikes like these below.

No modern hand brakes, or multiple gears.  These are built like bicycles from the 50's.

With their bright colors, and white-wall tires, they stand our in the crowd of normal bikes.

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A Different Kind of Desert Front Yard

In the neighborhoods around Yuma most houses have a gravel or stone yard such as this beautiful home below.  Many have cacti or stone statuettes to go with the gravel or crushed rock.

Therefore, on a recent bicycle ride through some nearby subdivisions, Bill was very surprised to ride by this house with the unusual yard shown below.

Yes, that is grass.  Real green grass!

The modest house has a dooryard much like you would find in Michigan in the summer.  The type of grass remains an unknown.  Fresh water is precious here, so how the owners keeps the yard so green and lush is a mystery, or at least an expensive venture.  Another footnote is that the hardware stores here do not even sell lawnmowers.

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We Like are the RV Lot we Picked

Last year, before we headed back to Michigan, we reserved lot #1226 for the month of January, 2018.

Here it is below:

It backs up to a small canyon so there is pretty good seclusion there.  Also, we are next to a new 2015 Villa that is for sale and has never been occupied.  That gives us semi-privacy on two of our four sides.

The new home next door has one bedroom, one bath, with a 15 x 14 finished Arizona Room. It has A/C and washer/dryer hookups.  It comes with 4-years half rent (normally $400/mo) and 2-years free membership to the golf course.  Ownership includes all the amenities that Fortuna De Oro offers.

Price?   FYI 

$79,900.   

With sunshine guaranteed.

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Not Far Outside the RV Park.......

The Yuma County Sheriff Department is located about a half-mile from Fortuna De Oro.

In their parking lot is this military hummer in case of a real emergency.

(we think)

Right next door to the Sheriff is this branch of the Yuma District Library, below. For $10.00 we got a two-month library card.  The library is very modern with a large selection of books, DVDs, personal computers, magazines, etc.

We can easily ride our bikes to the library.  Karen likes the selection of new books and also the small store across the street that sells lotto tickets. Bill likes the documentary DVDs the library has.  This is another reason we picked our RV location on the east side of Yuma.

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Some Guys Just Aren't Treating Their Wives and Pets LIke They Should

Here are two examples of pure domestic abuse that we have witnessed in our RV park and we are outraged.

We think that this wife was left out in the heat far too long with her dog and gnome friend who was just egging her on.

And two doors down the block this wife got to drinking and forgot to feed her dog.

Pitiful just Pitiful.

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