Monday, August 8 through Tuesday, August 23, 2022: Dining In & Out, House Chores, Pickleball, Passing of a Friend

Monday, I arranged for the Highland Meadows ladies to have lunch in Ash Fork at the Ranch House Cafe. In May, The Food Network show Restaurant: Impossible, hosted by Chef Robert Irvine, came to Ash Fork to perk up this Route 66. So, eight of us drove the 15 minutes to Ash Fork. The owner, Felicia, took good care of us!

Tuesday, I had a hair appointment with Shawna Ritter in Flagstaff. It was a nice evening when I got home, so Tom barbecued Elk steaks for our dinner. Yummy!

Wednesday morning, Colleen came to service/clean our home. She always does an excellent job!

Later in the day, I went to the gym. When I was ready to come home, the skies opened up and it poured.

I finally had to leave the gym and run to my truck. My shoes were soaked from the rain!

Thursday, was a good pickleball day. Donna and John Fry brought their friends, Ken and Pam Jackson, to play. All four of them live in Wickenburg Ranch, a Trilogy 55+ community.

Friday, was another good pickleball day. Robbie and Steve Miller from Phoenix returned from an absence of several months.

After pickleball, Tom and I went to Jake's Butcher Shop. We selected lamb loin chops and a large sirloin steak.

All of the meat is from locally grown beef, lamb, pork, and chicken. What a fun new business to have in Williams!

Before dinner, I took the dogs over to Cataract Lake. Fortunately, no monsoon weather this day!

Saturday was a nice day for pickleball on the Manley Racquet Courts.

Sunday, after church, there was a fellowship potluck lunch. I made my delicious salmon dip. The church provided hamburgers and hot dogs. It was quite the feast!   

After the meal, we were able to play some pickleball in the Rodeo Barn.

Meghan posted on Instagram that today, August 14, is Carl's birthday. He is my great grand dog. What a cutie!

Monday, we had another good morning of pickleball on the outdoor courts.

This was the last day that Chuck Kuigg was able to play. He lives in the Phoenix area. Karen and Phil Whisnant are back in Williams. They are fun to play with!

After pickleball, I walked the dogs in town. It was not a hot day, so they enjoyed the outing.

Tuesday, I had an afternoon appointment in Prescott with my pulmonary/sleep doctor. Dr. El-Harakeh. is very pleased with my sleep apnea therapy. So much so, that I don't have to see him until January, 2023.

Driving home from Prescott, on Arizona 89, I drove through a storm funnel. Weird!

Wednesday, Tom and I had our six-month teeth cleaning dental appointments in Flagstaff. All was a good report --- no cavities.

The dogs do like to greet me at the front door --- when I come back from a walk without them.

Meghan and Emily are visiting their parents in Santa Fe. One of the days, they went to Taos, New Mexico. Meghan posted a photo of them in front of the pueblo --- now and years before.

On Saturday, Linda Davison and her pickleball partner, Jack, are visiting Williams for ten days. Linda and Jack live in Bullhead City. Every year, the same three couples rent a VRBO in Williams. It is nice having them back!

Sunday morning, I did not go to church. Pastor Joe and his family are out of town. So, Tom and I had an early lunch at Goldies Route 66 Diner. 

Back in the day, this diner was a Denney's Restaurant. In the afternoon, I walked around the Elephant Rocks Golf Course. There were some beautiful clouds!

Monday, the Highland Meadows ladies went to Canyonlands Restaurant at Bearizona. Jami Casey's husband, Sean, is the owner of the wildlife park. We arrived at the park at 11:45 a.m.

Sean greeted us and we watched a bird show.

Then, we walked to the restaurant.

At Canyonlands Restaurant, you order your food at a counter and then someone brings the food out to your table.

I stayed for lunch, but had to leave early for an appointment in Flagstaff. After lunch, Jami arranged for the ladies to go on a VIP bus tour. Lucky them!

 

Chris Covington, the husband of one of my favorite sorority sisters, contacted me. Unfortunately, my girlfriend Bann passed away from a sixteen month battle with breast cancer. Chris told me that she died on July 29 --- with metastic breast cancer that spread to her cerebrospinal fluid. The last time I saw Bann was in October, 2011. Bann, Chris, Richard, and I had dinner in San Francisco.

Bann was four days short of her 73 birthday. She and Chris would have celebrated 48 years of marriage on August 10.

 

Tuesday, I played pickleball and I had my nails done by Ali Rico.

Saturday, July 23 through Sunday August 7, 2022: Williams Dining, Pickleball Play, Prescott Valley, Francesco & Thomas Announcement

Amazon delivered a new flagpole. Now, we have all three: new flag, a new pole, and a new bracket!

Jon came over to bring his weekly trash. He stayed several hours and we all chatted.

The dogs have been interested watching the house being built across the street.

Sunday, after church, five of us played pickleball on the Manley Racquet Courts. Di and Greg Jonsen live in Valle --- about 40 minutes north of Williams. They attend First Baptist Church and like to play pickleball afterwards.

Monday, I made a Chinese Chicken Salad to take to a First Baptist Church Ladies Dinner. Before the dinner, we played some "get acquainted" games.

Jan Chumley also organized some chair exercises.

Dudley Doan, my brother's mother-in-law, celebrated her 92nd birthday by taking her entire family on a Tauck Tour to Canada. My nephew posted a photo of the family in Calgary. Fun!

Thursday was a good day of pickleball. We had a couple from Surprise --- Sandie and Bob Mills.

Lance Roberts from Bullhead City (on the left), joined us for two weeks.

The play was very competitive.

Donna and David and the girls headed to Park City, Utah, for the wedding of one of Meghan's best friends. Donna and David took their travel trailer from Santa Fe. Granddaughters Meghan and Emily flew in from Los Angeles.

Meghan was honored by actually officiating the wedding. Wow! Awesome!

The wedding venue was Log Haven Restaurant in Salt Lake City.

Sunday morning, I finally finished refurbishing my six year old pickleball pup, Molly. She got seven new pickleball balls, two new eyes, and touched up ears, tail, and nose.

That afternoon, five of us played pickleball in the Rodeo Barn.

Monday, there was no pickleball. So, I decided to walk to Cataract Lake. It is monsoon season, so hence, the dark clouds.

At 11:45 a.m., I joined the Highland Meadows ladies for lunch at Nanys Tacos.

Tuesday, August 2, was Arizona's Primary Election Day. I dropped off our two absentee ballots at the polling place.

Tom and I voted for all of the Trump endorsed candidates. In the afternoon, I took Kelsey to Flagstaff for her monthly acupuncture session at Canyon Pet Hospital.

My brother Peter texted a photo of his family on the Athebascan Glacier in Jasper National Park. Gorgeous!

On Wednesday, I went to Prescott Valley to get my CPAP mask fitted. The technician decided to change my mask. I had arranged to have lunch with my former Highland Meadows neighbor, Libby Beatty. Libby and her dog Bucky moved to Prescott Valley 3 1/2 years ago. It was a very nice lunch and visit.

After lunch, I went to Alliance Homecare to pick-up a new mask. Then, back home!

 

Thursday, I had an appointment to get a pedicure and fill with Alie Rico. When I arrived, she was finishing up a manicure with her client, Christina.

Friday, I played pickleball with Donna and John Fry. They live in Wickenburg, but are renting an Airbnb in Highland Meadows. They will be in Williams for ten days.

After pickleball, I went to a new meat market, Jake's Butcher Shop. There, I bought some hamburgers for dinner.

In the mail, I received a large envelope from my Italian son, Francesco Giganti --- who lives in London. It was an announcement that he and Thomas Gobbetti are getting married next month on September 17th in Milan. Wow! They have been together for 6 1/2 years.