I inadvertently put the photos that should have been on the last post in www.sharonanddanasfabulousadventure.blogspot.com . Both blogs are in the same account and the they ended up in the wrong place! Sorry about that. I was going to do them all over again here, but I am running out of time before leaving.

I am off to Fiji today! We leave LA at 10:30 tonight.



Saturday, February 25

It has been a few days since I posted I know. 

I have had a good week, as the temperature has risen each day. I have been in the pool every day. It is glorious. 

I have spent time with good friends here, gotten out and around in the car, and have been fed on many occasions by friends.

Today a friend of Donna and Lynn came over to tell me about Fiji. She spent five weeks there a few years ago. She has been around the world five times, and she said Fiji is at the top of the list of her favourite places. My fantasy is to find a populated beach, with calm water and colourful fish close to shore, so I can snorkel. She said that is entirely doable, so I am quite excited about that. I have my snorkel and mask with me. I left my fins at home in the interest of being able to close my suitcase.

I will post some photos below to show what I have been doing this week. 

Oh - on Wednesday Donna and I went to Mesa (the neighbouring suburb to us) to the Republican debate. Now you all know that I am not exactly right leaning, nor is Donna (to say the least!), but we are both political junkies and interested in all of it. Of course, we knew we would not be able to get into the debate, but we just wanted to see the outside event.

It was in downtown Mesa at the Arts Center - a really nice pleasant area - and the weather was perfect. There were police everywhere, including on the tops of buildings with binoculars. There were the expected protesters about everything from Iran to abortion, candidates signs, tables with information about local and presidential candidates,  a band playing, food stands etc. 

CNN had a 40 foot screen up which was a blowup. The screen was something flimsy, like cloth of some kind, and the entire frame and struts and everything were plastic and had been blown up. Quite brilliant. Of course, there was media from every outlet imaginable, and we were able to watch reporters giving their accounts in front of the cameras. They were set up all over the place. 

We sat in the chairs in frontt to the screen for a couple of hours and took turns walking around. When the debate actually started, we left. We did not need to sit and watch it - it was all the other stuff we wanted to see, and could watch the debate on TV. Besides - it was dinnertime and everyone who knows me knows what that means!

If the number of candidate signs means anything, Ron Paul would have been the winner. They sure are good at getting their people out, and you would not believe the number of young people and REALLY young people carrying his signs.

Anyway, we had a lot of fun. 

I was just trying to upload some photos onto here, but I guess my Internet connection is not good enough tonight, so I will add them on Sunday.

Monday, February 29

It is a beautiful day here in Arizona. It has been a bit cool, so I have been in the pool only once. I had planned to have been in about five times by now. However, it is warming up and today I am wearing shorts no matter what - and it is quite comfortable.

I went across the road to Patti and Elaine's for dinner last night. Their friend Phyllis (from Vancouver) was also there. Elaine and Jenny met in 1970 in Newfoundland, when Jenny and Linda Schmidt went to teach there. They were living with some other young women, some of whom were nurses,, and Elaine was a nurse friend of theirs. P and E live in Vancouver.

Elaine on Their Deck

Elaine is a Great Cook

MMMmmm Ribs

Phyllis (L) and Patti (R)

Today I get my rental car. Yeah! I have been fortunate in that others have taken me to where I need to go , but it will be nice to get my own wheels!

Sunday, February 19

I have not posted yet because the Internet is sooooo bad here at SMR (Superstition Mountain Resort) that I would never be able to get through it all. So - this morning am at Donna and Lynn's and finally posting. That is what I will do from now on.

I got in on Friday afternoon and D and L picked me up at the airport. After some lunch and grocery shopping, we arrived at SMR and I was sure glad to get here.

My Hot Rod for a Couple of Days

On Loan from Donna and Lynn

Lindy is the woman who has loaned me her place, and to whom I am very grateful. It is a very lovely park model with an Arizona room (in Florida they call them Florida rooms, and I guess in each state they name the additions after the state). So it is very spacious and nice.

I went out yesterday with Marilyn and Jean to the Mesa Swap Meet, and other chores as well as lunch. Then made made dinner for the three of us.

Elaine Forsey came over from across the street (Pueblo Resort) and invited me for dinner today.

So - I am settling in nicely. Tomorrow I will get my rental car.

On Wednesday afternoon/evening, Donna and Lynn and I are going to go to Mesa, the community next to us, to scope out the Republican debate. Of course, we are not able to get in, but we are going to go down to the area to see what's doing.

I forgot to take a picture of Lindy's place, but I will do that later.

Palm Trees

Swimming Pools

Hot Tubs



Thursday, February 16 - LOS ANGELES

How to Start a Holiday

Here I am in Los Angeles at my hotel. I had a good flight down from Vancouver when you don't count in the fact that a big guy was sitting in the middle seat (I am on the aisle). His arms were the size of some people's legs - not fat, just big - the poor guy did not move his legs for the whole trip. I always hope for a small Asian woman to sit next to me (because they are always small). So in spite of the fact I sat for three hours with my arms crossed, with a list to the left, it was a wonderful, smooth flight. I am always thankful when we actually land, and I can feel the brakes going on for the final stop!

So - why did I title this 'How to Start a Holiday? Well.......... I stayed with my friend Lynn Henkel who lives in Richmond near the airport last night. We went out to Whiterock so I could see her grandkids who I had not seen for several years. We dropped Jericho off at his hockey practice which was quite a long way from home, and by then it was time for dinner. We dithered around about where we would eat, then decided on the buffet at the River Rock, a big casino/hotel. While Lynn parked the car I played a game and ticketed out at $35 when she came back. 

After dinner, we went back down to the casino and agreed to meet in 20 minutes. She would get the car, and |I would meet her outside. So - what is a person to do but play a game or two? I did, after all, have my $35 ticket. I sat down at the Jumpin' Jalapenos and started to win immediately. Within about 7 minutes, I walked off with $400!! And THAT is why  I said "how to Start a Holiday'!

I will take off out of here in the morning . My flight for Phoenix leaves at 10 AM. I will arrive there at 12:20, and my friends Donna and Lynn will pick me up.

I am looking forward to being there with friends, spending time in the pool and hot tub and taking in the good old Arizona sun!

Monday, February 13

I am busy scurrying around, getting ready for my big trip to Australia. I promised Jenny that I would go to see her family and friends in her homeland, and she asked me to take a portion of the ashes with me.

She grew up in a small town on the shore of Lake Macquarrie, (click on the blue letters to see info on the lake) about 120 kilometres north of Sydney. It is a very large salt water lake , that begins at Newcastle, where she went to high school.

We will be holding a gathering as a celebration of her life, at the home of her nephew and his wife, Carl and Helen Leary. They live in Toronto on the lakefront, and it will be a lovely setting for the celebration.

I am leaving here on Wednesday to go to Vancouver where I will stay with my friend Lynn Henkel. On Thursday I fly from Vancouver to Los Angeles. The ticket takes me from LA to Fiji, where the plane lands for a few hours, then on to Sydney.

Jenny and I had often gone to a place in the Phoenix area, and some of our friends now own their own places at this resort, which is technically an RV resort, but the lots are privately owned and most have park models on them. A woman there, Lindy Louden, from whom Jenny and I once rented a second one that she owned, has offered to loan me her place while she goes off in her motorhome. It is very generous of her, and I am so grateful to her. So - the long and the short of it is, that I was able to arrange to go over to Phoenix for 12 days on my ticket.

I also arranged to stay for 3 days in Fiji. I am amazed that I was able to do this at no extra charge. So I arrive in Sydney on March 4, and will stay until the 18th. The gathering for Jenny is on Saturday, March 17.

I am down to the wire now with my packing and organizing my life, being as I will be away for a little over a month.

I will post here with photos frequently, if you would like to look in  now and again.