Doings in Yuma

We are enjoying our life here in the deserts of Yuma, Arizona.  The best part has been having my sister and her husband RIGHT HERE!  Well, since we are sitting on their property, we better like having them right next to us, hadn’t we!  But we are alone now.   They left for home in Jackson Hole, Wyoming a couple of days ago and it just seems so lonely without them.  And Jake can’t figure out how that whole “house”, the people and the dogs just disappeared!  We had him in the house when they left so he wouldn’t get underfoot and when he came out, they were just GONE!  He was quite mystified for a full day but has forgotten all about them now!

That's me on the left and my sister, Joan, on the right.

We had dinner together each night – often outside in the shade of the gazebo.  We are trying to get the cover of the gazebo to make it through until we leave!  I mean, what are a couple of holes?  There is still some shade!  (did I mention that the wind blows all the time here?)

We went for Mexican food one night also.  I ate SO much that I think I have finally settled down in my cravings for it.  I love Mexican food that is all mushed together with rice and beans.  I got tamale, enchilada and taco.  My favorite combination – and No, I didn’t eat it all but I gave it a good try!

And speaking of food – this morning we had breakfast with an old friend of Kirby’s and his wife.  Michael and Linda have lived in Yuma for 13 years but Kirby and Michael grew up together in Taft, CA.  They had not seen each other since the late ‘50’s!  They reconnected on Facebook and guess what – we all got together and it feels like we have known each other forever!

Michael on the left and Kirby on the right.

Tomatoes in May!

While the rest of the country is trying to thaw out from late winter freeze and snow and ice, we are enjoying Red’s vine ripened tomatoes here in Yuma, AZ!  He said that he planted them last November and had to cover them once during the winter when the temps approached freezing.  So here we sit in the beginning of May eating these lush little guys!  It has been over 100 degrees recently so they are getting rather frazzeled.  We are eating them as fast as we can! 

Water

This is the desert, right?  There is water but it is so hard we just can't drink it even with a water filter.  These little stands are all over town.  It is easy and not too expensive.  Certainly cheaper than buying it by the gallon at the store.  Kirby has ordered something simple to soften the water going into our rig to try to protect our pipes and equipment.  I am in a constant battle with hard water deposits in my bathroom and kitchen.  But the desert is so lovely and I the sky is so big and blue!

Yuma, Arizona

This is the view out my front door here in Yuma.  I love all the shades of brown and the textures.  The neighborhood is very interesting.  All of the lots allow a home, a mobile home or up to 2 RV’s.  I have never seen zoning like this before and it is quite interesting.  Each morning I ride my bike around the many streets and enjoy the beautiful homes and the desert landscaping.  Each one is unique.  Some of the homes fill the lots.  Some lots have simply an RV parked on them.  Some have an RV and a small casita with a washer/dryer and storage.  Most have awesome views of the mountains.  My sister’s lot has a gazebo in the middle, a storage unit with a spare refrigerator and another building that has a washer/dryer, a bathroom with shower and a futon for guests.

Yuma has a population of about 100,000 until the snowbirds arrive in the winter.  Then it doubles.  I think most of them are gone now so we are seeing the better part.  I think it will feel much different in the winter.  (We will be here again in the fall and may stay the winter with all the other snowbirds.)  We have been visiting here for years and years.  Sometimes we would stop and spend the night at a motel on our way to or from Mexico when our boat was there.  We even owned a rental home here for a few years. We have seen the growth and the change.  There is a new fantastic hospital downtown which with all the old people probably gets a lot of business.  They built a big mall after we headed east.  Our grocery store is probably the largest, most well stocked store I have ever seen.  I could spend hours in there (and all my money) – if you can think it, they probably have it.  I had forgotten that the produce in the west is better than on the east coast.  (I don’t know about the mid-west)  It is less expensive and fresher.  I am loving that!

So, for now we are here in Yuma and enjoying family!

Family RV Park

We are loving our time in Yuma with my sister, Joan and her husband, Red.  Here we are side by side on their lot.  There is a gazebo in between us, and a casita in the back with a washer and dryer.  We have been sitting outside each night for dinner.  The evenings are beautiful.  But then, so are the mornings.

The sun comes up over the mountains and the sky is so big and beautiful.  We have been riding our bikes each morning before it gets hot.  The first time we go, Kirby takes Jake and he runs with us for a couple of blocks.  We take him home and then go again.  It has been fun to see all the houses in the area - so different from what we left behind....these are all the Santa Fe design.  Fun!

Contrasts

I lived for almost 40 years in the deserts of the southwest.  Southern California may look like a tropical paradise to some but without irrigation it would look like the desert it really is.  I have spent the past 7 or 8 years on the eastern seaboard where it really is a paradise of green and vibrant color.  Heading into Arizona yesterday was almost like coming home and created so many conflicting emotions in me.  I miss my family that I left behind me and yet I am looking forward to seeing the rest of my family out here in the west.  I miss all the lush greenery but am enjoying this dry air.  I do not miss the bugs and the humidity.  The skies in South Carolina never get the same rich blue that they do here.

We love this RV park where we are staying just one night.  Lazydays RV Park in Tucson is the nicest place we have stayed yet.  Not necessarily the prettiest - Canyon Lake takes that prize - but there are paved streets, cement patios with nice tables and chairs, a gorgeous laundry facility and even a fitness center.  The swimming pool was calling to me, there is a large fenced dog playground and a nice restaurant on premises.  AND - there is a Camping World adjacent. We have paid more for less so we love this place!

We forgot that Arizona does not go on Daylight Savings like the rest of the world so we jumped to California time when we arrived.  2 hours in 2 days.  And we were feeling quite smug about adjusting to the one hour.  Two is not quite so easy and so we were up about 4:30 this morning.  Ah, the trials of travel!

So, today we will head on to Yuma where my sister lives.  My little grandsons live in the San Diego area and we will be heading there next.  I can't wait to see them.  They are growing so fast!

This is the view from the back this morning.

New Mexico

View from the back of the rig.

We finally made it out of Texas!  What a big state it is.  But we enjoyed each day we were there - I do love Texas.

We stayed the night in Las Cruces, New Mexico and will head out today for Arizona.  Tomorrow we reach our goal of Yuma, Arizona and my sister!

It amazes me that the setting up each day and breaking down is getting so much easier for us.  We seem to just do it almost wordlessly now.  The only pure blue job is the sewer - but I do hold the bag for Kirby when he puts the slinky away each time.  Actually there are other blue jobs - connecting and disconnecting from the hitch and some of the physically difficult jobs like putting the steps away.  I have tried that and just can't budge them.  The power cord is too heavy for me also.  That thing is huge!  So, anyway, it is becoming more like the boat - we just do it without it stressing us and not too much thought.

Someone asked me recently if I am happy with our chosen lifestyle.  The answer is a solid "YES"!  Kirby and I both need a lot of change so having a new backyard every day or so is perfect for us.  And Jake is finally adjusting to that.  I think he is beginning to enjoy it!

Coachlight RV Park is fine for what we wanted...just an overnighter.  I haven't looked for laundry or showers.  It is kind of strange because it is connected to a motel but the grounds are level, no big holes, and the spaces are large.  I love this life!

Desert Color

It is that time of year in South Carolina when I would be drooling over the displays of color from the azaleas.  Out here in the desert there are no azaleas but there are flowers blooming and I am enjoying the color that I find!  The bluebonnets seem to be behind us but just look what we have found -

And flowers don't have all the color!  Just look at this sunset we had in Junction, TX!