Friday Night

 Ron and I joined Gerry and Larry for dinner at Cattletown Restaurant last night.  We really haven't been able to spend much time with them this year.  With them being parked so far away and having family in the area time seems to fly by.
Cattletown is one of the few restaurants in the area that serves fish on Fridays.  The others being Montgomery's and Irish Pub.  Their food is adequate, nothing to write home about.  Small fresh salad, to big for the plate so you loose some of it to the table.  Rolls are usually warm and the fish is usually fresh with no fish taste.  They only serve baked potatoes at the fish fry but they do serve butter and sour cream along with bland tartar sauce for the fish.  At $10.00 for all you can eat it's a pretty good deal.  The people who drank adult beverages had quite a wait for their drinks but my ice tea was served right away.
Conversation between Ron and Larry was ongoing throughout the meal.  Gerry and I just ate in silence.  LOL.  Actually, Larry couldn't hear me (he forgot his ears) so I gave up shortly into the meal.  Our political believes are pretty much paralleled so we manage to solve all the problems of the world by the time the evening is over.  We were glad we got their early.  We had to wait a few minutes to be seated but no where near as along if we had been much later.

Shed and Car

The new shed in relationship to the rest of our yard.  It's in the very back corner to the left of our rig as you're looking from the street.

It's been a busy week in the Cummings household.  A bad drug reaction day on Tuesday didn't help but we made it thru and managed to enjoy pizza at the rec hall with friends.  Sure was a lot of good pizza for $6.00. 

The shed with it's flag flying all closed up.

Wednesday had promises of a nice quiet day with a stop at the Honda dealer to get the van fixed from a factory recall but while we waited we walked around the showroom.  Thank goodness there was nothing there that interested me.  After all, we weren't getting another van and what ever we got would definitely not be white.  The Accord they had on display was dark red and stripped down model but the did have a white van.

The inside of the shed showing Ron's work bench on the right.  There's a freezer and shelfs on the left.

As luck would have it none of the salesmen spoke to me, a mere woman, so we were safe.  Alas, poor Ronald made the trek too and a salesman spoke to him but then all they had was that white van, very white van.
Ron came and got me out of the service waiting room to just look.  He said he knew I wasn't interested in a van but if I would just look.
Mr Salesman caught on right away that we didn't want white so he took us out in lot with the other new cars setting in the sun and made us touch a white car and a gold car.  WOW what a difference.  Maybe white wasn't such a bad color and it really wasn't the same shade of white as all those squad cars were.  Then he started showing us other vans but that white van kept coming back in the picture.  I took it for it's first test drive.  Drove just like the old van, which was good.  Ron had to test out the U turn radius, which is just as good as the old van, and the backup camera.  NEATO.  We were hooked.  Maybe a new white van titled in AZ wasn't a bad thing after all?

We're still working on the various personal settings such as the lights and door locks and hands free operation of everything from the phone to the radio to the temperature controls but it has all the nice features (toys) the other van didn't.  No DVD players for the passengers, we opted not to get that one.

Wild Wild Southwest

Most of you are familiar with the horrible event that occurred on the northwest side of Tucson Saturday morning.  The sense of disbelieve was hovering like a heavy cloud over the city.  We were made aware of what was happening via text message from one of my Chicago news agencies that I subscribe.  We immediately turned on the TV to KGUN9 TV to see what was happening.  I have to give them the up most praise for the way they handled their coverage.  They refused to air any information unless they had official notification.  Some of the national news agencies were reporting deaths and injuries and naming the subject in custody but  the only name KGUN aired was Congresswoman Giffords.  Homeland Security Chief Janet Napolatino ( former Arizona governor) released a statement about Giffords and added the Federal Judge and KGUN read it but stated they had no word that he was involved.  We later learned that he died at the scene.
Now the rest of the world is doing the Monday Morning Quarterbacking.  Having heard some of the 911 tapes, I can only say kudos to the witnesses who called 911 remaining calm and relaying important information.  Top of the list to the 911 operators who answered those calls.  I have a working knowledge of that end and the 911 operators were magnificent.  They handled the last call with the same professionalism as they did the first call.  Calm, cool and professional.  In this day we hear so much about them making drastic mistakes.  It does this old dispatcher's heart good to be listed as one of them.

Catching Up

It seems like there is always something to do.  This morning we went to a farmer's market at Jesse Owens Park. It was small and mostly only fresh veggies, some jellies and salsas.  We got a couple tomatoes and cukes and a bulb of garlic.  As we were leaving we ran into a couple that used to live in CCRV.  We usually see them at the Rincon Farmer's Market on Old Spanish Trail on Saturday mornings.  They're going back to Canada the first of March so he can have surgery on his shoulder.  We wish him a speedy recovery and are looking forward to seeing them next year.
Before we left for the farmer's market we started a crockpot of Manhattan Chowder to cook all day.  We used a recipe from a cookbook we've made great recipes before with excellent results, but this time was a flop.  No taste to it at all.  What a disappointment.  We ended up pouring it into old jars and throwing it away.  What a waste of food. Tomorrow morning is breakfast at the rec hall, pancakes, french toast, sausage, juice and coffee.  All you can eat for $4.00. The volunteer committee uses the profits to have other parties.  The corporate doesn't pay the for any of these gatherings but they do support them by providing the kitchen with stove and frig.  Our Tuesday coffee and donuts 50/50 also goes into the volunteer fund.  They do a good job of providing entertainment.  Since the local RV dealers aren't helping by providing the coffee and donuts on Tuesday or sending entertainment during the year, I'm sure the fund get's a little low.
Then to the Rincon Farmer's Market and maybe another one on Catalina Highway and Tanque Verde.  It wasn't that great last year but we'll give it another chance.

Catching Up

Well, it's another 50 degree day with no sun, brrrrr.  In the six years we've been coming to southern Arizona we've never had so many days without sun and it's depressing.  I decided against going to the bookmobile and the Indian Jewelry show this morning.  I have some books from the park's library that I want to read and I don't need any more jewelry since I don't wear the beautiful things I have.
I did win at bingo last night which was a first this year.  The park has been quiet since the new year and it's kind of nice.  We're getting regulars returning nearly every day.  Unfortunately one of our regulars has come in and left.  She became ill and was in the hospital.  Two of her daughters came and got her as soon as she was released and took her back to southern California to a hospital close to them to have the necessary treatments done and her husband followed in the motorhome.  At this time we don't know how that worked out but we pray she made the 500 miles satisfactorily.