Sometimes it is hard to start writing down all the thoughts that float through my mind. I've been wanting to blog about my last trip to Arizona but for some reason it's hard to start, however, here I go.
I wrote about the trip I took with my friend Carol to keep her company as she moved on to the next great adventure in her life. She is now a year-round resident of Apache Junction, AZ, or at least until she can't stand the summer heat any longer. The park that she lives in is all but empty due to the mass exit of the fickle snowbirds. I can make fun of them now that I have become one. What I didn't write about when sharing that trip was the fact that when staying with her I found a park model trailer that just needed to have our name on it. Yes, Doug and I bought a winter get-away. Now you may think this means that we are going to take off at the first snowflake and not return until the last one drifts from the sky but this isn't going to be the case, I'm sure. We can't stand to be gone for more than a week or two from our grandsons, oh, and the kids. Little jaunts for a couple of weeks at a time will be the extent of our retreats. That means the trailer is empty most of the winter/summer, if any of you need/want a chance to get away I now know of a cute little trailer for rent. It overlooks the Usery Mountains and if you sit in the right spot you can see half of Superstition Mountain. Apache Junction is a suburb of Phoenix that isn't far from desert or city. That sounded like a commercial but I am serious about renting it out if any of you know of someone looking for a place to stay in the Valley of the Sun.
What I want to tell you about is the how I found the trailer. Before I left on the moving trip with Carol, Doug and I joked about how I'd just buy us a place down in AZ for the winter. I don't think either of us were serious, or at least I didn't think I was. Carol and I drove around the RV park just looking at the different trailers and how they were decorated, what awnings or shades were on them, etc. Because it was late in the winter season many of the residence had already left for the summer, some never to return. Out of curiosity we decided to call some of the numbers on the for sale signs to see what they looked like on the inside and the prices. We had copied and called several when we stopped in front of number 128. Dan, the owner, was outside and saw that someone was looking at his home. He walked towards us and asked if he knew us. We were a little taken back by that question but he went on to say that he was partially blind and only could see gray outlined shapes. We told him what we were doing so he very eagerly told us to come on in to take a look around. Have you ever had a feeling that you just had to do something? It seemed to me as if I were to buy this home. I wasn't sure why because I really wasn't thinking of buying but as I visited with Dan I knew I was going to buy this one.
That night I texted Doug and told him about all the things Dan was going to leave and how he was from LaPort, Iowa. Yep, another Iowa person who had retired out of the snow. However, he had suffered a stroke that had taken away most of his sight leaving him dependent on the kindness of others. His kids were insisting that he move back to Iowa so they could take care of him. Dan wasn't wanting to leave his home but knew that he really had no choice and the sooner the better. I had become his way home. It's funny how things work out, how God sometimes puts us in places we never plan to be. I think this is one of those times. Dan is now living in Waterloo with one of his sons and Doug and I have a new property to play with.
So for the last two weeks, I wanted longer but life doesn't always give you what you want, I have been in AZ sorting, moving, cleaning and enjoying our new spot. I ate great food, sweated through the heat(105 a couple of days), visited with Linda (our friend who has live there for 32 years) and met new people. Carol and I even spent some time in the pool and hot tub. It's funny how being in 95 degree water makes 90 degree air feel cold.
So I guess Carol isn't the only one who has started another page of adventures. The Lathams are now kinda snowbirds unless a haboob blows the home away this summer. We have tornadoes, AZ have haboobs. Google it, there's some crazy pictures.
 |
| Cactus right by Carol's place |
 |
| Carol's home |
 |
| Carol standing in my backyard pointing to her home |
 |
| An old woman in front of our new spot |
 |
| Outside living is important in AZ. Dan left all of this and much more for us. Wonderful spot for morning coffee. |
 |
| Just a bit of the landscaping Dan has around the home. The cactus bloomed while I was there, beautiful. Just a note, I've been known to kill cactus, not on purpose. |
Comments
Post a Comment