January 18

I just returned home this afternoon from a 10 day Arizona vacation.  I was in Yuma for 5 days and Mesa for the last 5 days.

The highlights:  While in Yuma, I stayed in a Microtel and visited my sister, Paulette.  Let me tel you, the tel was Micro.  The room was the same size as the room at the Trail's End Hotel where I hung my hat for my first few days in Wood Mountain during my first year of teaching in 1978.

Paulette kept me busy all week.  Elvis tribute on Monday, trip to Algodones, Mexico on Tuesday, dance lessons/dance/jam session on Wednesday, and dance on Thursday.  I clocked 22 000 steps on my iPhone app Tuesday.  Paulette and her friends love to dance.  I was bagged after every day's activities. 

Yuma is tailor made for the plus 70 crowd.  You don't see many youngins in Yuma.

On Friday, January 13, I took a shuttle to Phoenix.  My buddy, Rick Gosselin, picked me up on Tempe and we made a bee line for the Coyotes game.  On Saturday, we enjoyed the day at Rick's RV resort, then took in the movie, Allies.  On Sunday, we went to church then checked out the Mesa Flea Market on Boundary Road...acres of golf equipment, clothing, jewelry, lawn ornaments, useless things, and goo gaws all for surprisingly high prices.  Sunday night, Rick and I took in the ASU Sun devils ladies basketball game against Washington State.  On Monday, Rick and I golfed with his buddies at Phoenix Resort Golf Course.  I tore up the course as only I can do, but I had fun. On Tuesday, I went hiking in the Gold Canyon (Superstition Mountains).  My friends, Lyle and Bernice Wudrich and I hiked to The Wave Cave.  Three hours, 12 000 steps and the equivalent of 47 stories.
After hiking, we drove up to Tortilla Flats for some country music and a little bit of dancing at a roadside tavern.  On the road back to Phoenix, we stopped the Dutchman Copper Mine, a re-created western town.  We ended the day with some excellent pork ribs at the Philly Restaurant.

Today, I took a direct flight to Saskatoon.  The plane was on time and landed 5 minutes ahead of schedule.

This weekend, I am off to Wishart with Mary for Malanka.  Mary is performing this year with the Wishart Hopac Ukrainian Dancers.  I should be in dance shape after the Yuma experience.