Spring Training

So here we are in the Phoenix area again, only this time it is to stay for about 6 weeks.  We awoke early this morning (6am) to take Grandpa Chance to his cataract surgery in Cottonwood, AZ this morning only to receive a call from him about 630am.  He was informing us that the doctor had to postpone the surgery today due to a family emergency in her family.  Ugh!  If only we had known but alas emergencies don't schedule themselves into your schedule!!!  So we finished up our preparations to leave for the Phoenix area, Curtis took a little nap and we left to head in to their apartment.  On the way we stopped for coffee for G,G and me and donuts for all.  We had an impromptu birthday celebration for them both instead of eye surgery.  Grandpa's birthday is Friday, Feb. 27 and Grandma's is March 8.  They seemed to really enjoy it and so did we.  Beats a poke in the eye....... lol...... pun intended!!!

Now we are settled into the Casa Del Sol RV Resort in Peoria, AZ.  Within 30 minutes of checking in and setting up the motor home, we had 2 neighbors come over to tell us not to let Zeke, our puppy, out by himself and to take a stick along when we walk him in the evening, at night or early morning.  It seems even though this resort is really in the middle of civilization, coyotes are frequent visitors in the resort.  They pass through and snatch whatever little animal is available, even trying to snatch a dog off a leash while the owner beat it over the head with a stick.  The woman next door told me that she has an axe handle for just that purpose and we are welcome to borrow it!  YIKES!!!  We just spent 4 months in the high desert of AZ where we heard coyotes howling late at night near the Thousand Trails Preserve we were staying in.  We didn't hear of any abductions of pets by them and that preserve is out in the middle of the desert.  Just goes to show that when civilization creeps up on the wildlife in an area and all the small rodents are erradicated the population of predators goes looking for their food supply in the inhabited areas.   Needless, to say we won't be straying too far at night with Zeke.  

The weather this week is above normal temperatures for the Valley of the Sun so say the weather mavens.  DUH!!!  I am back in the Valley for an extended stay so of course, all kinds of  records will be set.  It is February and we have the A/C on.  What's up with that??  But at least it is only for about 5-6 weeks.  Right now we are not too pleased with the lack of hours on the schedule for working here.  We were told yesterday at the last orientation session that we would be working 20-30 hours per person per week.  For the entire Spring Training the current schedule shows us working only 90 hours for the two of us combined.  Curtis called the head guy and asked him to give us a call to discuss the discrepancy.  We shall see how it goes from here.  Our finances are in desperate need of a boost and 90 hours in 6 weeks is just not going to cut it.  Our sufficiency is with our Lord however, so we are certain that He will provide no matter what the outcome.  But the change in hours, if it is correct, has taken us by surprise to say the least.

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day to everyone.  We have spent a quiet Saturday just doing some odd jobs and preparing a nice dinner for Grandma and Grandpa Chance tonight.  Curtis has gone into Cottonwood to pick them up and bring them out to our motor home.  I'm making a pot roast with potatoes, carrots, celery and onions.  A fruit salad, rolls and brownies with raspberries and chocolate syrup completes the meal.  I figure they don't often have pot roast at the assisted living they are in so I'd treat them to one.  

Our time in Cottonwood is drawing to a close.  Only one week left to be here.  We will be trying to cram a lot into our last week.  Dinners with two couples as well as time spent with Grandma and Grandpa.  

Hope all of those reading this post are spending time with ones they love today.  

The End Is Near

Now don't get in an uproar about the title "The End Is Near".  I just mean I can see the end of our time in Cottonwood, AZ.  It is near!!  We are pulling out of here on Feb. 21 to head down to the Phoenix for our work commitment with baseball's spring training.  Then on April 3rd our time is done there and we will head out for Texas for a few days.  We will head out from there to return to NY's Finger Lakes area to work at the KOA again and to await the arrival of our third grandchild.  I am not sure how Curtis' folks will handle our leaving.  I think they have really enjoyed us being here and may feel somewhat abandoned by us.  I sure hope not.  Grandma Chance got a good report from the blood work she had done last week.  So no chemo for at least the next six weeks.  Another test will be run then to determine if she will need anymore for a while longer.  Hopefully, it will stay in remission for a nice long period of time.  Grandpa Chance will need to have a cataract removed from one of his eyes.  Curtis takes him to the opthamologist on Thursday to consult about that.  Perhaps he can have it done before we pull out on 2/21.  

The concert on Sunday down in Phoenix was really good.  The Signature Sound puts on a wonderful and lively Christian Gospel concert.  We enjoyed a great steak dinner before the show at one of our favorite restaurants in the Phoenix area.... Bill Johnson's Big Apple.  Curtis' brother and his wife, Dave and Jean, met us for dinner and the concert.  It was a very fun evening all the way around.

 

Busy, busy, busy

Wow, it is already well into the first week of February and I haven't blogged for over a week.  We have been to Phoenix for a memorial service of a friend on Monday, then back down to Phoenix for a training class with Aramark concessions for our job at the Surprise Stadium during Spring Training.  Tonight we went to a pie auction and spaghetti dinner at church.  On Sunday, Feb. 8 we are going back to Phoenix for a concert by Ernie Hasse and the Signature Sound.  Zeke stayed at the vet's boarding kennel while we were at the training session.  He came home today ready to play and play hard he did.  Then he fell asleep for a long time.  He seems to be calming down during car rides and relaxing more so hopefully he will be a good traveler for us.  Zeke has interacted really well with other dogs here at the preserve and with friends' dogs.  When other dogs approach he is not as yippy at all as Max was.  So hopefully we can keep him from being a barky type of dog.  Now if we can just hang on until we get him house broken.