Tuesday, December 10 through Tuesday, December 31, 2019: Holiday Time, Friends, and Closing of a Year

Eight of the Highland Meadows Ladies group --- including me --- decided to go to the El Tovar for lunch. The El Tovar Hotel, at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, is only an hour away. It is always decorated beautifully for Christmas.

It was amazing how few people were at the South Rim. We walked right into the dining room and were seated at a large table.

After lunch, we visited the El Tovar gift shop and then had our photo taken by the tree.

We then walked along the rim to the Bright Angel Lodge.

We had a fun time dining, shopping, and enjoying the views.

On Wednesday, I had my annual appointment in Flagstaff with my podiatrist, Dr. Rosales. He did a good job shaving some of my corns. 😛😛😛

Thursday night, we attended the Williams City Council meeting.

There is a fairly large grant that is available for our town next year. Several of the pickleball group wanted to find out if we were eligible to apply for it. It seems we are! But of course, there is alot of competition.

Friday night, Tom and I went to Bearizona for their holiday Wild Wonderland event. During the month of December --- on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights --- the gate re-opens at 6:00 pm. We wanted to be early, so we queued up at 5:25 pm.

During this event, there is a schedule of wildlife animals opening edible presents. I am fascinated by the two jaguar brothers.

Tom and I ordered some adult beverages at Canyonlands Restaurant and we went to the Jaguar exhibit for the 6:30 pm present opening.

Another fun event at Wild Wonderland are all of the lights and the music. The lights are choreographed to the music --- dancing lights!

After about an hour at Bearizona, Tom and I decided to go to the Williams Best Western Plus Inn, have something to eat and drink, and listen to Omar and his music.

In the newspaper, I clipped an article about a Christmas Cookie Corral on Saturday morning. The Williams Alliance for the Arts was having a fund raiser --- selling homemade cookies for $8 a pound. Tom and I went to the event and scored some great sweets.

Later in the day, Mark Burson and his daughter Kelly arrived with their two Australian shepherds, Rosie and Rebel. Unfortunately their male dog, Sky, died several months ago. He was 14 years old. So, we introduced Jamie to Rosie and Rebel.

For dinner, we cooked some Kingsford ribs in the oven, stir-fried some quinoa with brown rice, and made a large salad.

Kelly and Mark were on their way to Malibu from Oxford, Mississippi. Mark is a professor at Ole Miss. Mark and his wife Ellen have two homes --- one in Malibu and one in Oxford. Mark spends most of his time in Mississippi. But, twice a year, he makes the round-trip drive to Malibu and back.

Early Sunday morning, the Bursons left for California. A few hours later, I took Jamie and Kelsey to the Grand Canyon Railway Pet Resort.

Tom and I had planned a one-night getaway to Prescott --- a little over an hour drive. We had reservations to stay at the Hassayampa Inn, a very nice historic hotel. Our friends, Priscilla and Roger Lasch, met us for lunch at Augie's. Priscilla and Roger live in nearby Dewey. All four of us worked at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon in 2006.

After a nice leisurely lunch, we said good-bye to Priscilla and Roger. Then, Tom and I drove out to Lynx Lake, a local recreation area.

At about 3:00 pm, we checked into our room, a cozy suite, at the Hassayampa Inn.

Prescott deems itself to be Arizona's Christmas City. The historic city center is comprised of a large County courthouse and a square. The design reminds me of towns and cities in the Midwest, South, and East. The Christmas lights and displays were very nice, indeed!

Tom and I had adult beverages at the Palace Saloon --- part of Whiskey Row on the square.

We walked around the square and returned to our hotel. There, in the bar area, we listened to a guitarist and singer.

We had dinner at the hotel's Peacock Room. I had sea scallops and Tom had lamb shank. Both meals were delicious!  The next morning, we checked out of our hotel and we walked around the historic area before having a late breakfast/early lunch at The Local Restaurant. Before leaving Prescott for home, we went to Costco for some liquor supplies. 😁😁😁

Monday, December 16, is my sister Kimberly's birthday. There was a small birthday celebration in Pasadena.

On Tuesday, eight of us Highland Meadows ladies drove to Flagstaff for lunch at the Little America property. It was the first time I had been there. The food was good and the property was nicely decorated.

Tom received a very nice Christmas card from his nephew Nathaniel in Indiana. Inside the card was a photo of Tom's 93 year old mother, Mary. Nat was Santa Claus at her nursing home!

On Thursday, our friend, Chris, wore her Santa outfit to play pickleball. I brought my Santa hat for a photo opportunity.

Later that day, Chris was a Salvation Army Kettle girl at our local bank.

On Friday, Tom and I enjoyed some local flavor. At a Young Life Silent Auction, I purchased several rides on the Grand Canyon zip-line in our town. The voucher was expiring the next day. So, Tom and I rode the zip-line twice.

Then, we had a photo opportunity at our town's Christmas tree and sled.

Our finale was going to the Canyon Club --- a "throw-back" bar that is frequented by locals and several of our pickleball friends. Tom had a beer, and I had a glass of red wine.

This Christmas, I decided to prepare a prime rib dinner. We invited Jon and several neighbors to join us. Back in the day, Richard and I used to host Christmas in Los Angeles. Our main entree was prime rib. In my Joy of Cooking cookbook, I still had notes on how to prepare the meal --- the beef and the Yorkshire Pudding. It was 17 years since I last made a prime rib!

We ordered the meat --- a total of eleven pounds! And yes, we will have leftovers 😋😋😋 

Christmas morning, we woke to over three inches of snow. What fun to have a white Christmas!

It has been over three years since I have been home in Williams for Christmas. It is nice to enjoy our home over the holidays.

For the first walk of the morning, I put matching jackets on Kelsey and Jamie. I donned my Santa hat.

While I was walking the dogs, Tom removed the snow from the driveway.

Even though it was only 3 inches, it was more work than Tom had imagined. So, he got out the trusty snowblower for the final section!

Our Christmas guests arrived around 3:30 p.m.

It was Jon, Joe and Jan Chumley, and Gus Beatty. After some appetizers and some adult beverages, Tom carved the Prime Rib.

The meat was pink, but could have been more rare. We'll make a note for next time! 

I received two fun texts with photos. One was from my Italian "son" Francesco and his family.

Another was from my brother Peter and my family in Los Angeles.

Merry Christmas, everyone!!!

The day after Christmas, a fellow came to fix our one garage door. Loren Vickers, a Flagstaff Garage Door company, installed our Martin doors 18 or 19 years ago. 

A recent garage door company, A1, wanted to sell us new doors --- instead of fixing them. Steve, from Loren Vickers, said that both doors were in great condition. He said that the larger door was installed properly, but that the smaller door needed to be adjusted and that he needed to replace the springs. The springs installed by A1, two years ago, were the wrong size for the weight of the door.

That evening, we received another 3-4 inches of snow. Tom, once again, used the snowblower to clear the driveway. On Friday, five of us showed up for pickleball in the Rodeo Barn. It was good exercise!

That afternoon, I walked the dogs in the sunshine. It was still below freezing and the trees were full of snow.

USPS delivered several human hair wigs that I ordered three weeks ago. The company was headquartered in Europe, but the wigs arrived via China. My friend Carla looked so cute in a wig she had. So, I wanted to try it out --- for fun. Wouldn't you know it, the wigs looked nothing like this advertised photo!

Instead, the unshaped wigs looked like dead beaver pelts. What a disappointment!

I sent an e-mail to the company, wigsbuy.com. I also initiated a dispute with my credit card company. There is no way that I would settle for anything less than a full refund. And, I was not going to pay for the return shipping to China! We'll see what happens.

UPS delivered a Christmas package from daughter Donna and her family. It was a gift package of delicious Harry & David edible products.

Thank-you so much, Bernstein Family!

The weather has been cold since our Christmas Day snow fall. So, the snow is not melting quickly. It does create beautiful walks with Jamie and Kelsey.

I had my last 90 minute massage for the year with Natanya. She does such a great job!

New Year's Eve was a quiet one. Tom and I had filet mignon steaks for dinner and lava cakes for dessert. And, of course, we enjoyed a bottle of the Prosecco! Happy New Year!

Monday, November 25 through Monday, December 9: Friends, Viva Las Vegas, and Readying for the Holidays

Monday, November 25, was my brother John's birthday. He would have been fifty-seven years old. John is no longer with us, but his memory continues on. Happy Birthday to my brother an Angel! These photos was taken a year ago.

The dogs and I took an afternoon walk around the golf course. Mt. Humphreys boasted snow capped mountains from the several days of precipitation.

Monday night, long-time friends of mine --- Elaine and Don LaMarr --- had dinner with us at the Red Raven Restaurant. Also in attendance was their daughter Courtney and their grandson Austin.

This foursome had been up at the Grand Canyon for a night. They took the train up on Sunday and returned on Monday. It was a fun reunion!

Tuesday, Tom and I played pickleball. I had to leave early, as the A1 Garage technician was early. He originally was expected sometime between 1 pm and 6 pm. He showed up at 11:45 am. I was ready for him!

 Ryan, the technician, immediately went to work to fix the garage door.

Ryan did repair the door, but he said that it might be only a temporary fix. He left some brochures and a quote for replacing both of the doors. I have time to think it over. Both Tom and I were surprised that the quote was only in the $2,500 range.

Tom made a decision several weeks ago to sell his 2014 Chevrolet Silverado truck. He advertised it on various sales websites. One potential buyer, Jorge from Phoenix, had been in communication with Tom for a week or so. It now seems real --- he wants the truck. Our household really doesn't need two silver trucks.

My truck has the capacity to pull the travel trailer. Tom is interested in buying his son's new Subaru. Jon does a lot of off-road driving, and he wants a vehicle better geared to that venue. The Subaru is also an all-wheel drive --- nice for living in Williams. We'll see if Jorge comes through!

On the day before Thanksgiving, I had an appointment to have my nails done. Then, that evening, we played pickleball in the Rodeo Barn. Only three of us showed up, so we played games of "skinny singles." I had never played it before. Jon and Tom learned the game when they went to the two-day clinic in Prescott.

Thanksgiving Day, we were supposed to get snow. But, it didn't snow until early the next morning. So, the festivities of preparing for the Thanksgiving Day meal began with fixing the Cornish game hens.

Tom's son Jon was coming to the family feast. The dinner consisted of hens, mashed potatoes, stuffing, dumplings, cranberry sauce, and green beans. After dinner, Jon and Tom wanted to do a bourbon taste test. Eight bottles of bourbon were lined up in the pantry.

I poured shots of four of the bourbons. The glasses were cleaned, and then I poured another set of shots, for four more bottles. Jon and Tom were taking notes and selecting their two favorites. I then poured a shot of each favorite.

Jon's palette leaned to the more expensive brands. Tom was middle of the road. It was a fun exercise!

Jon spent the night, as we had planned.  The next morning, we woke up to a foot of new snow! I was supposed to drive to Las Vegas that morning to meet up with three of my California friends. But, Interstate 40 was closed west of Williams. So, I was going nowhere. Tom and Jon made a delightful breakfast of eggs, biscuits, sausage, and potatoes.

It was scheduled to snow all day. And, it did.

After breakfast, we decided to enjoy the fresh snow. Jon brought his cross-country skis.

Tom and I had our snowshoes that we bought last year through Costco. We had never taken them out of the boxes. But, we did now. We put on our equipment, crossed through some empty lots, and arrived at the golf course.

This was the first time that I have ever snowshoed. It was good exercise!

After our snow activity, Tom got the snow blower ready for some action in the driveway.

And, Jon helped out as well!

The weather forecast for Saturday was clear skies. I left it with my California girlfriends, who are staying in Las Vegas, that I would try to make it there on Saturday.

Saturday was a beautiful sunny day.

We did get another foot of snow. But, my 4x4 Dodge Ram truck can handle it. About 45 minutes after getting on Interstate 40 --- going west --- traffic came to a complete stop. I was still ten miles east of Seligman. I watched as some large tow trucks passed in the right shoulder.

I assume the traffic was caused by some 18 wheeler trucks jack-knifing on the interstate. The roads were quite clear. I waited in this queue for over 90 minutes. The line began to move, but I was routed to Seligman and the old historic Route 66. This was going to add 30 miles to my commute. But, at least I was moving. There were a few areas of low visibility, but I made it to Kingman.

From Kingman to Las Vegas was a piece of cake. A normal 3 1/4 hour drive took me almost seven hours! But, the girls were waiting for me. After I relaxed for an hour, we got into their rental car and drove to Fremont Street. Carla, Judy, and Barbara did some gambling at the Golden Nugget.

I walked out onto Fremont Street and stretched my legs.

After about 45 minutes, the four of us gathered together and we all walked down Fremont Street.

There is a new zipline adventure just under the Fremont Street tent top. It got a lot of attention.

We had dinner reservations at 5:15 p.m. at the Golden Steer Steakhouse. The reservation was early, as there was a mix-up on the restaurant's end. The Golden Steer Steakhouse is down the street from the Sahara Resort. At the height of the "Rat Pack" team of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis, Jr., this restaurant was one of their usual hang-outs.

The steaks were delicious. We also had escargot, creamed spinach, and potatoes au gratin. A very nice bottle of red wine topped off the meal. It was "8 Years in the Desert" by Orin Swift, a Zinfandel Blend.

Barbara is a member of the Hilton Grand Vacations timeshare. She rented this two-bedroom suite for five nights over Thanksgiving. I have never stayed at a unit so close to the Stratosphere. By the way, it is now only called the Strat.

For lunch, we were meeting another girlfriend at the Wynn's Tableau restaurant. This Wynn tower was created as an "all suites" hotel. The lobby was beautiful.

All of the decorations are made of flowers. It reminded me of the Rose Parade.

A photo was also shot of me and Barbara. Barbara had been my travel partner in Australia.

The Tableau Restaurant had excellent food for a Sunday brunch. It was not a buffet. We ordered off the menu. Vicky Martin joined the four of us. She and her husband Preston moved to Las Vegas seven years ago. They also have a home in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. About nine years ago, Richard and I saw the two of them in Coeur d'Alene. Years ago, Vicky and Barbara worked together at Vidal Sassoon.

I eventually left Las Vegas by about 2:00 p.m. I was driving back to Williams. There were several accidents on Highway 93, so I took a route through Searchlight and Laughlin. I finally made it home around 6:30 p.m.

When I entered the garage, I knew that Tom had sold his truck.

The deal was consummated earlier in the day. Jorge, from the Phoenix area, brought his family. His young son enjoyed playing in the snow and meeting my Dalmatians.

The Shutterfly book --- that I made of my trip to Australia --- had arrived over the weekend. A separate book was sent to Barbara. It was fun to review it and remember the trip!

On Monday, I had a pedicure appointment at 66 Nails in Williams. Winter is here, and proprietor Will did a nice job. 

Wednesday night and Tuesday morning, Tom and I played pickleball. Lunchtime on Tuesday, I met three other Highland Meadows ladies at Pine Country Restaurant. The food is always good there.

Tom bought his son Jon's 2018 Subaru. It was in need of interior and exterior detail. Tom first tackled the exterior --- going to a local "do it yourself" car wash. Then, he started on the interior.

Tom can be very meticulous when it comes to cleaning! It is nice having a "go to town" car.

Wednesday night, we were not able to play pickleball in the Rodeo Barn. The Young Hunters group monopolized the place. We later found out that they were not scheduled that evening. So, we did play Thursday morning.

There were six of us waiting to play, as we only have two courts. This morning, we had 14 pickleball players.

My Christmas cards arrived from Shutterfly. Years ago, Richard and I sent out over 550 cards this time of year. It was kind of a statement that we were still alive and provided a visual photo display. With the advent of social media, I have significantly cut back on the number of cards I send. Most of the cards are sent to friends who are not on Facebook or Instagram.

On Friday morning, I drove to Flagstaff for a hair appointment with Shawna at Wildflower Salon.

Later that afternoon, I decided that it was time to turn on the lights of our front lawn Ponderosa tree that has the white lights. In December 2015, Richard and I paid a local handyman to hang the lights on the tree. And, the lights are still on the tree! This year, through Amazon, I did buy several more strings of lights to put on the tree.

Tom and I started to notice rabbit droppings in the garage. Before I went to Las Vegas, I accidentally left my garage door open all night. Our neighbor, Joe, has some live traps. So, we called Joe and he brought them to our house. Tom set the two traps and provided lettuce as an enticement. Two days later, we caught the little bunny!

We decided to take the bunny to the other side of Cataract Lake and let it go.

That cute little bunny quickly hopped away!

My neighbor, Libby Beatty, moved to Prescott Valley in May. She bought a home there, and her husband Gus remained in their Williams home. Although they had been married for thirty years, Libby was not happy in the marriage. She also wanted to live in a warmer climate. Libby and I made a date to have lunch together in Prescott.

It is always hard when married friends decide to separate. But, Libby is very happy with her decision. I also had a chance to do some shopping at Costco and Trader Joe's while I was there in Prescott!