Day 9- leaving on a jet plane

Time to go back to reality. Shuttle bus picked us up at the park at 3:30am, for our 7:15 flight. 4-hr lay over in Toronto.

Day 8- great last full day

Pictures were taken in Florence this morning by the welcome sign.

Visit to the jail shop, which was really cool!! Florence has atleast 2-jails (one maximum security with death row); the people in the jails are taught a "trade" (ie: making trinkets; painting; metal work; leather work; etc). These items are then brought out of the jail, and sold at a shop. Some of the proffet goes back to the inmate; I don't know where the rest goes. 

Pool and sun - WOW!! Can people talk! I finally put on my earphones and pretended to sleep because these elderly people talked non-stop!! Interesting the first time but by the time it's told to the 7th person entering the pool, I'd had enough. At one point the almost laughed but it wasn't a funny story; so instead of getting into trouble, I ignored them. Water was lovely and sun was hot. I got some color but am not burned (topped up my tan nicely)!! 

Packing - I hate packing!! Especially when you buy stuff and have to figure out how to get it in the suit case (that is now broken). 

Drinks and appies served. Sinc made us margaritas that were so strong, I thought my nose hairs were going to burn off (damn taquilla). Sausage rolls, nacho chips and layered dip, jalapeño sausage, and crackers. We have had great food here!! Kathy is amazing and I had fun helping out and visiting. 

Greek dinner, cards and goodbye - great dinner of Greek chicken, potatoes, Greek salad, asparagus, tizdiki sauce and pitas. Taught Kathy and Sinc to play Morris Rummy; Kathy kicked our butts! Dessert was molten chocolate cake. YUM!! 

Day 7- WOW!! Herds of cattle

Kathy dropped us off at Mesa Market this morning, while she went to Quilters Oasis. Mesa market, is also called a flea market or trade show. It reminded me of Cameroon or Porta Vallarta and having stall after stall, row after row of stuff!! We started the day not so busy but by the time Kathy joined us, it was crazy. People walk like herds of cattle and don't move for anything. I got us popcorn and grandma got herself a bracelet and something for the cottage. We walked around for about 2-1/2 hrs. It was crazy. 

After that, we went out for lunch and shopped at Walmart. I got uniforms and snack nuts. Successful shopping day but now the fun part of getting it in the suit case, which in going in the garbage, when I get home!!

I swam in the pool for almost an hour when we got home (after appies, of course). Dinner was steak tacos. We played sticks before bed, while listening to the show, blue bloods. 

It was a great day. Sinc seems to think (jokingly) that I should move to Florence and become a private nurse; I'd be very good and successful at it. Ha! Ha! I keep telling him, I'm a prairie girl and would hate living in the USA without my family. He's a great man; keeps calling me "Mel" or "kid". 

Kathy is a great hostess; I don't want to leave on Sunday!!

Day 6- lazy day

Late start to the day but it was nice. Kathy took us over to her friend Evie's house, so she could make us jewellery. I got blue and pink earrings and grandma got a black, crystal and silver necklace with matching earrings. They are very nice and Evie was a sweet lady. Her and her husband Bob joined us for brunch. 

After lunch, I had about 2-hrs to swim and sun. Pool was slow to start, then got busier. 

Grandma and Kathy had hair appointments in town, so they dropped me off and I went on a tour of Florence. 

Florence was once a prisoner of war camp, durning WWII. 

I toured a building that was first the old court house. 

Then it was the hospital. 

It was really cool. 

Florence has some interesting history!!

After we got back, Carol and David come over for supper. I helped Kathy with appies and supper (steak, baked potatoes, 2-salads and garlic bread). 

We had a great visit. David is an avid reader, so I got author suggestions from him. I'm interested to read some. 

Day 5- girls shopping day

Country Store - held at the club house. Different vendors with different items to sell. I bought a pair of earrings. Grandma bought a watch (trendy with the big face)

and surprised me with a second pair of earrings. Kathy bought some dip mixes, which tasted great, as the samples. 

Kathy is a great lady and dispite having to drive a rental because her car was in getting fixed, she started our shopping day at 9:15ish and didn't get us back to the trailer until 6:15ish. It was a great day!!

Drive thru Maricopa - grandma was interested because her friends winter there. Lots of trailer parks. 

Arizona Mills has to be one of the biggest indoor outlet malls I've been too. I found serving trays that match my dishes; and candles from bath and body. We had lunch at the rainforest cafe. Yum!!

Scrapbookers ETC. store - I got paper for card making and used their dye cuts and cut out roses. I was in HEAVEN!! 

Got home and I helped make supper: dill salmon on the BBQ, asparagus, rice, kale salad and garlic toast. Kathy is a great cook!!

I'm getting spoiled here. Hopefully, Kathy and Sinc will drive thru Winnipeg soon, so I can repay the hospitality. 

Day 4- old town

Small rock formation behind us is called Weavers Needle

Lookout on the side of the highway. 

Went to Tortilla Flats, which is like Old town Arizona. It's in a valley between mountains. Lunch was in a cool place with American $1 bills all over the walls, from floor to ceiling. I had a burger with Prickly Pear BBQ sauce (prickly pear is a type of cactus). I tried a local pale ale called Mule Oil on tap. The bathroom had bodies of saloon girls and I got my picture taken as the head. 

Ha! Ha! Ha!

It was great fun and lots of laughs. 

1600 - Halibut Dinner at the clubhouse. We brought our own drinks and had baked halibut with a white sauce overtop, mixed veggies; wild rice; killer coleslaw; buns and butter; plus dessert; all for only $14.00. It was filling and great. 

We came home and played a new game called Scratch. It was fun but I'm not a gambler. Off to bed; early start tomorrow. 

Day 3- all about food

Toured an Olive Mill for lunch. Bought some Parmesan Asiago tampinad. YUM!! Taste tested different Olive Oils and Vinegars; I figured out that I'm not a big olive fan. Lunch was great! Beef brisket sandwich with horseradish cheese spread. Homemade potato chips. It was great. I tried the local Peach flavoured Ale on tap; sweet and sour and hoppy. 

We went shopping at Fry's Market. The have a Starbucks inside, as well as three iles of liquor. I got a 6 pack of "mix-n-match" beer; I picked fruit flavoured beer. 

1600 - buddy beer. Sinc and I went to a get together, called buddy beer. We went to the club house and had 2-beer from a keg; plus, I brought  2 of my own beer. With the beer I had at lunch, I was feeling no pain. 

Dinner with friends, Mike and Jackie. We had appies: salsa and chips; bean and cheese dip; jalapeño jelly made with cranberry juice over cream cheese; pasta salad; ribs; Parmesan Asiago tampinad; tomato, basil and mozzarella screwers; puff pastry with mushrooms inside; pickle tray; jalapeño pepperoni sticks. Dessert was angel food cake with strawberries and cranberry upside down cake. 

We learned a new dice game called Farkel. It was interesting. Mike had made a dice board with sides. Great evening!!