Dec 26 - Experiencing Life at Sun City West

Sun City West, AZ

Can't say I've ever experienced life in a real retirement community until now. My attitude about communities of this type was probably like many other "youngin's":  why would I want to live with so many old people? And there's the fear that if you live with them... you'll rapidly become one of them. No sir, just didn't have any interest in that kind of lifestyle at all.

But a weird thing happened this past week. I'm either softening or actually becoming one of them without realizing it. I'm finding life in a "Sun City" is actually not that bad. I'm finding there are a lot more active (even athletic) folks here than I'd ever have thought. And there are so many recreational opportunities and clubs, groups of people with wide ranging interests (literally, almost anything you can imagine), that if you're so inclined you'd never be bored.

Golf may be a dying sport, in part due to the big and increasing cost of keeping golf courses green in a desert, but there are still plenty of them around to satisfy folks with that weird tendency toward self-flagellation. There are recreation centers with what must be a dozen different racket sport courts. The opportunities to get out and move... to raise your heartbeat above "lazyboy levels" are plentiful. You'll only hasten your decline when you choose not to partake.

There's even a grocery store here that falls in the category of "my kind of place". It has a full service wine and beer bar right smack dab in the middle of the store. Cool.  Offering a large selection of craft beers on tap (along with some unfortunate mundane big brands) and interesting wines, it's the perfect place for a break while your partner does the shopping... or, if shopping alone, a perfect oasis for a respite from the rigors of shopping. This was a first for me. It also gave me hope that the collapse of our civilization may not be as imminent as I thought.

We had a very good holiday here with family. Too much food, a little drink, (but offset with a good vigorous walk), watched a couple movies and actually made one of our own.  If you're into wasting about 6 minutes of your life, you can watch what came out of our attempt to make a Christmas Greetings video for the absent family in the frozen north. [click here]  I hope you all are having a good holiday.

Jan 4 - Cycles

Time advances. The winter holidays recede. Parties. Family time. Solstice. Christmas. New Years. Bowl games. Food... so much food. Binges of excess... in so many ways. But it's our way, our ritual, so don't mess with it. We can't wait for it to start; then we can't wait till it's over. What does it all say about us?

So much of our energy and time and money is spent during these holidays. Decorating. Shopping. Black Friday. Cyber Monday. Gifts. Wrapping. Christmas Cards. Hors d'oeuvres. Holiday dinners. Travel. Who's in? Who's out? Gatherings. Small talk. Run here. Run there. Sorry, can't think about it now - no time. After-Christmas sales. Un-decorate. More storage space for more stuff.

But January is when we reach the part of the craziness cycle when things slow down. Back to work. Back to school. Normal weeks again. Sol, our sun, has decided to halt it's southerly procession and head north for another cycle of seasons. A calm settles over the land. There's hope... primordial primitive hope. If we can hold out just a few more weeks life will return to the barren frozen-ness. We hope.

But fear not. There's another holiday... another celebration not far off... another big day to define and give meaning to our lives. Can't you feel the excitement? the anticipation?

It's our way, our ritual, so don't mess with it.

Dec 31 - Our Christmas Holiday with Family

We had a good holiday with the kids and grandkids. For the most part, it's been an easy go... plenty of down-time with a party or two thrown in for good measure. Of course, "down-time" may not be the right term. When there are two energized boys on winter break from school around, it's gonzo-frantic around here much of the day.

As a family we haven't been together on Christmas in 7 years, so this one was special. Both kids, their spouses, the two grandkids, and us. It was a very enjoyable gathering... even if I had to sleep on an air bed for two nights.

It's the same every year. Much anticipation, planning, gifting, food preparation, libations, some football... and then it's all over. Just like that. I shake my head wondering what the heck happened.

Yes, we still have tonight... New Years Eve. But neither Dar nor I have ever been big NYE partiers, preferring to transit into the new year in our own quiet way. I mean, there really is no better time to contemplate the absurdity of life, the passage of time, the immense cosmos, and our tiny dust-speck place in it all.

May 12 - Pampered in Pender

Comfortably parked in the Blue Ox RV Park in Pender, and conveniently attached to full hookups, we had no place to go and no schedule to keep today... a great day for lazing around. It was Mother's Day and Dar had the day off from most normal chores... well, except for a load of laundry, something she doesn't trust me with under any circumstances. Besides whipping up a simple meal for dinner, I did dishes too. Hope the Mother of our children enjoyed her day... near as much as I enjoy having her around every day. And Happy Mothers Day to our Moms up there in Beaver Dam... and to our daughter out in Washington.

We happened to hit Pender on a weekend so we have to wait until Monday morning for the Blue Ox tech to check out the tow bar. Once again, we were the only ones in the place last night. We're obviously not following the RV crowds around these days.

Yesterdays brisk wind abated overnight and we got down to 27f early this morning. And how's this for contrasts... Monday, tomorrow, highs should be well into the 80s... and Tuesday, they're saying well into the 90s. Welcome to Spring in the Midwest.

Nov 23 - Winery times Two

First, let me report for the record, that yesterday's Thanksgiving Dinner was, without a doubt, the best we've had in many years... certainly the best we've had since starting our Sabbatical over 5 years ago. Our hosts and best-friends Tim and Chris were the culinary artists who pulled it all together in a seemingly effortless manner and we could only stand aside and marvel at the sensory performance, choreography, and simply scrumptious results. It'll be one we'll remember for a long long time. "Thanks" is not an adequate word to describe what we feel about it all.

On Friday we (all four of us) loaded up in the car and drove a short distance to the Shelby North Carolina area to visit a couple wineries. The day was a good one... sunny and seasonably warm. Considering the calorie load from the previous day, we probably should have walked the 40 miles each way.

While my taste runs more toward craft beer than wine (hops!... I want hops!), the purpose of the day was really to get out, move around, and experience a nice fall day in rural North Carolina with friends. Tim and Chris picked two wineries relatively close to each other and the two they picked were winners. First up was Owl's Eye Vinyard and Winery. Second was Baker Buffalo Creek Vinyard and Winery. We tasted a lot of good wine, met some knowledgeable and fun people, and had a great time at both.

Tasting wine isn't my strength. I've written before about Dar's ability to discern fine variations in subtle flavors and smells... she can pick out hints of pepper, chocolate, coffee, melon, various fruit and berries, and things as obscure as dirt (??), peat, and smoke. I, on the other hand, can only pick out sweet or dry, like or don't like. I'm a simple guy with simple tastes.

Nov 22 - Thanks

Dar and I hope you all have a happy Thanksgiving Day. We have so much to be thankful for, not the least of which are our family and friends. And then there's all those good folks we meet along the way. Each of those chance meetings enhances our nomadic lifestyle and provides a sense of community that we really treasure.

We'll be enjoying the day with our BFFs - Tim and Chris - while we put together a traditional holiday meal here at their home.  A big 18 pound turkey, dressing, 'taters, and a selection of vegetables... and we can't forget pumpkin pie.

Weather's great... mid 60s and full sun.  Enjoy the day.