Monday, March 1, 2021

Friday, February 19 to Thursday, March 11, 2021: Life in Northern Arizona and a Birthday Celebration

I had a manicure and pedicure on Friday. Jennifer always does a great job! Saturday morning was pickleball. There were eight of us --- two courts active.
After pickleball, I had a ZOOM call with the Northern Arizona Republican Precinct Committeeman. I am volunteering to be a precinct committeeman in my Highland Meadows neighborhood. It is Williams Precinct 98.
The call went well until my computer froze up. I had to leave the ZOOM meeting after an hour. Next time, I need to use Tom's computer.
 
On Sunday, Tom, and I met Jon off Devil Dog Road. We parked Tom's Subaru there and we hopped into Jon's Jeep Rubicon.
 Jon had a place he wanted to walk --- where last year he saw a herd of Elk. Jon led the way.
Tom forgot his phone --- which has the vehicle usage map of the Kaibab National Forest. So, we tried to visually keep together. There was more snow and mud than I expected.
That same day, my sister Wendy and her husband Kai took my sister Kimberly out to lunch in Palm Desert. Kim moved to Palm Springs last year.
My sister Carrie and her husband Brent posted an Instagram photo from Atlanta, Georgia.
My nephew Blake was celebrating a birthday with his wife Nicole, his sister Lauren, Mom Carrie, and Dad Brent.

Monday morning, there were six of us who played pickleball.
Later in the afternoon, I had a 90 minute massage appointment with Natanya Nagy at Gods Gift of Healing Hands.
Jon has a new project. He bought a 1989 Dodge Charger truck for $4,000 to tinker with and use in the woods.
Tuesday afternoon, I had a telemedicine appointment with Dr. Laura Wade. It was a ZOOM call format, so I used Tom's computer. Dr. Wade is a new physician at the North Country Healthcare in Williams. My former medical provider left the clinic, so I wanted to establish a new relationship with Dr. Wade.
Later in the day, a Rotech Healthcare technician from Prescott delivered Tom a new piece for his BiPAP sleeping machine. Such service!
Wednesday morning, Tom had an ultrasound procedure in Flagstaff. I had a conflicting appointment, so Jon took Tom to Flagstaff and they later went driving and walking in the woods. Twin Peaks Glass came to the house to took at a cloudy duel pane window that needs to be replaced.
They measured the window and would be giving me an estimate. I had to replace a similar window last May.  I knew that Tom would probably be late coming home, so I streamed the movie Sicario through Red Box.
It was an excellent movie about the Mexican Cartel. Since Joe Biden is reopening the southern border, there has been a lot of talk about the border, human trafficking, and illegal immigration.

On Thursday, I walked around nearby Cataract Lake. It was a beautiful day.
Thursday was also the start of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Orlando, Florida.  I just watched the highlights.
On Friday, I walked in the neighborhood and noticed the beauty of Mt. Humphreys. 
Later in the afternoon, the new garage lights arrived. Tom ordered them on Amazon. These new lights are LED and will replace the old florescent lights.
Mounting the new lights was handled by Tom. I did help him install the first one. These new lights are very light, but very bright. Thank you, Tom!
There was a full moon early Saturday morning. The light from the moon was shinning through our sitting room blinds.
There was no pickleball on Saturday. The barn was reserved by another group. So, Tom and I went to Prescott. It is about a 65 minute drive. We parked near the historic part of town and walked around Courthouse Plaza, the town square.
Prescott was the territorial capital of Arizona from 1864 to 1867. The territorial capital was then moved to Tucson. The historical area of the town is very colorful.
After walking a mile or so, we drove a few minutes to a favorite restaurant, Augie's, for lunch. I had a large grilled artichoke with Aioli sauce and Tom had delicious fish and chips.
Tom and I enjoyed a leisurely afternoon drive back home. On Sunday, President Trump spoke at CPAC. He is quite the orator. It was a great speech!
Monday afternoon, I walked the dogs in town. It is fun living in a small town with the history of Route 66.
Tuesday afternoon, I had two appointments is Flagstaff. The first one was picking up my new prescription sunglasses. The frames of my old sunglasses broke last month. And, my prescription changed slightly.
The second appointment was at Canyon Pet Hospital with Kelsey. It was her monthly acupuncture appointment with Dr. Amstutz. Somehow, Kelsey lost one of her dew claws several days ago. She seemed to be more sensitive during the session.
Wednesday was no pickleball, as the elementary school has the Rodeo Barn every Wednesday morning. I went to the North Country Healthcare to have my blood drawn. Dr. Wade requested a blood panel for me. Colleen came to clean our house. Poor thing, she slipped and fell last month and broke her right wrist. She will have surgery next week.
That afternoon, Gabe --- the plumbing and heating fellow --- came to look at our potable expansion tank for the water heater. It has been leaking for several months. Gabe informed us that it needs to be replaced. Unfortunately, it is not covered by my American Home Shield policy.
Gabe will purchase a replacement for the expansion tank in a few days. After Gabe left, Tom and I went to lunch at the Wild West Junction. The relatively new owners of the complex have done a great job adding tasty food to their menu. In the winter months, the saloon/bar is where you dine.
Tom had their daily special of southern fried chicken. I had a cowboy chicken salad. Both were very good.

Thursday, we received 1 1/2 inches of fresh snow.
The book series of Dr. Seuss with cartoons and rhyming verses has been banned by Liberals. Somehow, it is politically incorrect.
The Democratic Legislature is passing another Coronavirus Spending Bill. This time it is for 1.9 trillion dollars. Only 9 percent of this huge expenditure is going to impacted Americans.
On Friday, a friend of mine shared a photo of rising gasoline prices. Way to go, Joe Biden --- cancelling the Keystone Pipeline project.
On Saturday, a package from Amazon arrived. It was a container of leather cleaner. Unfortunately, the top was no longer on the container and the sticky substance leaked out. Yes, this spoiled leather cleaner will be returned.
Tuesday morning, I dropped off the dogs at the Grand Canyon Railway Kennel. Kelsey and Jamie are staying there for two nights, as Tom and I are off to the Verde Valley for his 74th birthday celebration.
Tom does not know where we are going for his birthday. I finally hinted that it was the Verde Valley, so he could appropriately plan for clothing. Tom had to drop off his 3-day sleep study kit at the FedEx office in Flagstaff. So, we took 89A --- Oak Creek Canyon --- to Sedona. Once in Sedona, we drove down to the Village of Oak Creek. 
I had plans to eat lunch at Farm a GoGo in Cornville. But, they were closed for remodeling. So, we went to Old Town Cottonwood and ate lunch at Colt Grill.
Our table was on outside patio. There, a young man was cooking barbecue meats. Tom enjoyed a brisket sandwich with french fries. I had a Cobb Salad.
The Colt Grill Restaurant also had a nice bar area.
After lunch, we walked the three or four blocks of the Historic Old Town. Tom sat on a bench while I was using the restroom facilities of the Visitor Center.
It was now time to head to the town of Jerome. I finally had to tell Tom that we were spending two nights at the Jerome Grand Hotel.
This historic hotel was originally built as a hospital supporting all of the copper, gold, and silver mining efforts in the boom town of Jerome.

We had a beautiful Garden Room on the 3rd floor with a private sun porch. Tom is looking out one of the doors!
The Garden Room with the private sun porch had magnificent views of the valley below.
The Garden Room was lovely too.
That evening, we had dinner at the hotel's Asylum Restaurant. Happy Birthday, Tom!
I had a baseball Filet Mignon and Tom had their lamb chop special.
The food, drink, and service was excellent!

The next morning, I noticed that a film crew was in the Garden Room across the hall. Apparently, the Jerome Grand Hotel has resident ghosts. A documentary was being filmed by Texas company, Longhorn Paranormal. This was there fifth and final day of shooting.
Tom and I decided to do some sightseeing. We went to the Jerome State Historical Park. There, the Douglas Mansion is open to the public.
There were many exhibits and displays of Jerome in its mining heyday. We also watched a 30 minute video of the town history and ghost town elements.
For lunch, we went back into Cottonwood and dined at a local hangout --- Verde Lea Grill & Deli.
It was a fun "comfort food" experience.

That afternoon, I went walking around the town of Jerome. Our hotel certainly is a noticeable landmark, high on top of the hill.
That evening, we had cocktails in the Asylum Restaurant bar. The bartender made a great Old Fashion for Tom!
We had dinner once again in the restaurant. I had their King Crab Legs special and Tom had Roasted Duck. The food was excellent once again, but the service was subpar. The male server was not attentive as the female server was the night before. Too bad.

Thursday morning, we woke up to wet snow. Jerome's elevation is about 5200 feet. We had coffee and breakfast on our sun porch and leisurely began to pack up to head home. Bye-bye, Jerome Grand Hotel.
With slushy road conditions, we decided to head back to Williams over Mingus Mountain and through Prescott Valley. We were expected to pick up the dogs by 2:00 p.m. It was snowing lightly when we got home. By the end of the day, we only receive about 1 1/2 inches of snow.

Tuesday, February 9, 2021

Monday, February 1 to Thursday, February 18, 2021: Appointments in Flagstaff, Superbowl Sunday, and Phoenix

Monday morning, Tom backed the trailer into the RV barn.
In the afternoon, I had an appointment to donate blood at the Williams High School. I dutifully showed up for my appointment.
Unfortunately, my iron level was tested --- it was below the standard --- so I was not able to give blood. I have never had this problem in the past. I do have a doctor's appointment set up for later in the month, so I will add this to my list.

I had three appointments in Flagstaff. One was Kelsey seeing Dr. Amstutz for acupuncture, one was my annual optometry exam, and one was for an oil change for my truck at Planet Dodge.
Superbowl Sunday was a beautiful day. I took the dogs for a walk in our neighborhood. Mt. Humphreys looked majestic.
Super Bowl LV television coverage starts at 4:30p.m. Tom and I decided to watch the game. In past years, I was always coming back from the Organization of Women Executives Spa Weekend. So, it was nice to casually enjoy the game. I am a fan of  Quarterback Tom Brady. I stopped by Safeway earlier to obtain fun eats like cheese and crackers, chips and dips, pizza slices, etc. The game has begun!
It was a good game. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers won the Super Bowl over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Monday afternoon brought a very pretty sunset.
Tuesday afternoon, Tom, Jon, and I went for a walk in the woods. Tom and I met Jon on a dirt forest road off N. Spring Valley Road. We left Tom's car and hopped into Jon's Jeep Rubicon. Jon's jeep is great for imperfect off-road conditions. Jon had an area he wanted to explore. It was a relatively easy 20 minute drive. Jon went off in one direction.
Tom and I went in another direction. We agreed to meet back at the jeep in about an hour and one-half.
At about 4:00 p.m., Tom and I started to return to the jeep. 
 A Voila! In a tree thicket area, we found our first shed!!!!!
It was a mule deer antler, which was probably dropped several years ago. We've been walking in the woods for several years. Finally, a treasure!
 
On Wednesday morning, Colleen came to clean our house. Tom and I headed to Flagstaff for some shopping and some appointments. Between shopping and the two 2:00 p.m. appointments, we stopped at Pho Vietnamese Restaurant for lunch. I had coconut shrimp and spring rolls. Tom had Pho (soup) with brisket, meatballs and tendon.
Tom dropped me off at the medical office building for my appointment with Audiologist --- Dr. Kerry Beasley.
Tom drove off to his dental appointment with Dr. Benjamin Stark. We reconnected after about 1 1/2 hours and drove home.

On Thursday, Tom noticed that my truck was leaking oil.
Since I had my truck's oil changed last week, I was sure that the leak was correlated to this. I called Planet Dodge and made an appointment for the next day. I already had a facial appointment in Flagstaff that day. So, I went to Planet Dodge first. The leak was an easy fix --- loose drain plug!

Friday, February 12, is Chinese New Year --- Year of the Ox. So, for dinner that evening, I bought Chinese food to celebrate. Not very "homemade." 😊😊😊
Overnight, we received 3 1/2 inches of new snow.
The next morning, the sun came out and the beauty was revealed.
Later in the day, the Second Impeachment Trial of Donald J. Trump ended with no conviction.
Sunday was Valentine's Day. Tom and I went to the World Famous Sultana Bar for some drinks and live music with Rick Remender.
After a little over an hour, Tom and I left to make a special Valentine's dinner of flat iron steak and baked potatoes.

Texas is having very cold weather. Rick and Joell's wedding venue --- near Dripping Springs --- had single digit temperatures over the weekend. Austin received snow! Rick texted me a photo from their home.
On Monday, Tom and I went to Flagstaff for several appointments. Tom had a dental appointment with Dr. Stark. I had an optometry appoint with Dr. Miller. I selected a frame for new dark glasses and I had an additional procedure for Dr. Miller to look deeper inside my eyes.
I am starting to get some cataracts. Fortunately, they are not yet a problem.
On Tuesday, I dropped the dogs off at the Grand Canyon Railway Kennel.
At about noon, Tom and I headed down to Phoenix. We stopped in Black Canyon City for lunch at Rock Springs Cafe.
This restaurant is noted for its pies.
Tom and I knew that we would be going out to dinner that evening, so we refrained from ordering a piece of pie. I had a chicken salad with mixed greens and Tom had fish and chips.

We arrived at our Best Western Plus Mesa hotel at about 3:00 p.m. I went for an hour walk in the neighborhood. Emerald Park was a good place to walk and watch Frisbee golf.
At about 5:15 p.m., we went to the pool area and enjoyed adult beverages in a nice setting.
That evening, Tom and I had dinner at Seafood Market and Restaurant. We had raw oysters, mussels, and Oysters Rockefeller.
Wednesday morning, I went for a walk in another neighborhood for another hour or so. We left for Tom's ophthalmologist appointment at about noon. He was having a laser procedure for his glaucoma.
Great news! Dr. Kay decided to do the laser procedure for both eyes. So, we will not have to return in March. After Tom's appointment, we decided to go to a commercial ghost town called Goldfield, in Apache Junction.
Tom had been to Goldfield before. It was a first for me. I was very impressed! I asked an employee who owned the property. It is privately owned and the buildings are leased to retail operations. This town has a backdrop of the Superstition Mountains.
I love the Superstition Mountains! So beautiful 💕
Tom suggested that we stop at the Mammoth Saloon for an adult beverage.
The saloon is very eclectic and colorful.
Dan, the proprietor, was playing chess with a friend. After our drinks, we left Goldfield and headed further down the road to Tortilla Flat. Tortilla Flat is a small mining town encampment near the Dutchman Gold Mine.
The restrooms were cleverly painted in a mining town theme.
On our way back to our hotel, we stopped for a photo at the vista point of Canyon Lake.
That evening, we dined at Charleston's Restaurant. It was an excellent meal and we enjoyed a bottle of Malbec.
Thursday morning, we checked out of our hotel and headed up Interstate 17 toward Flagstaff. We did not have to pick up the dogs until 2:00 p.m. So, we made one stop in Flagstaff. Tom's son Josh thought that some recreational marijuana might be good for Tom's glaucoma. Mountain High Health was recommended to me by my facialist. So, Tom bought a box of marijuana dark chocolates!

Sunday, July 5 through Tuesday, July 21, 2026: Rodeos, Geocaching, Flagstaff Appointments, and Life in Williams

Throughout the summer, the Williams Rodeo grounds hosts a number of Rodeos. There are the Cowpuncher's Annual Reunion Rodeo and the Nigh...