Hail in Mesa?

The white flecks you see on my shoulders are not dandruff. As we were getting in the car this morning (2/27/11) to head off to church we started having some weather. I'm not smiling here but we three were laughing about this unexpected event.

Here you can see it a little better.

This is the cover on Mom's scooter which doubles, it seems, as a rain catchment system. Last night's rain is visible as is our tiny hail. A lady at church said it's not quite snow, not quite hail. It's more like "slush"

I post this because it is so unusual in this part of the world. My apologies to all of you who are experiencing real weather.

Take Us Out To The Ballgame

Spring Training has begun. Here in Arizona it's called the Cactus League. Our first game this season was at the field where the San Francisco Giants train, the Scottsdale Stadium.

Outside the gate are these cool huge baseballs.

This is our fourth Spring Training. Mom is wearing the hat she got at the first place we visited in 2007, Vera Beach, Florida, "Dodger Town", where the Dodgers trained for many years, as the Brooklyn Dodgers (note I am wearing my Brooklyn hat--which several folks recognized this day), where it is called the Grapefruit League, and then for many years after they moved to L.A.

Our tickets for the SF Giants vs LA Dodgers game 2/26/11

The Boys in Blue walk in to their dugout

This is a beautiful ballpark

One of the fun things about Spring Training is a chance to see some of the new guys trying to make it to "The Show". On the scoreboard is one of the new LA guys, Ivan DeJesus. He started the game as our second baseman, where we need someone terrific. Good luck, Ivan.

We had two unexpected treats at the game because our seats placed us in the last row next to the press box where this guy was seated. The press box has open windows and the guys in there are quite close to the people in the last row like us. Do you recognize him? I bet not. His name is Charley Steiner, on the Dodger team of announcers. He is the main radio voice of the Los Angeles Dodgers, paired with Rick Monday to call innings 4 through 9 of games that are televised. Vin Scully calls the first three innings in a simulcast. Steiner calls the television play-by-play on games that Scully doesn't work (East of the Rockies).For several years I have tried to listen or watch every Dodger game. I am really a Vin Scully fan. But he can't call every inning of every game on TV and radio. He has help and Charley is one of the best. So I know his face and voice. He was here in Mesa to call the game back to LA. I recognized him immediately and spoke to him. He was gracious and agreed to say Hi to Vin Scully for me when he got back to LA . The second treat was a TV monitor in the press box tuned in to the BYU v SDSU game. So we got to watch two games. Jimmer and the boyz spanked the Aztecs! It made up for the Dodgers loss to SF.

Here is my score sheet. I like to follow the game by keeping score. Note the big scribble. It is Charley's autograph. On the other side of the press box Jon Miller was announcing the game for San Francisco. He is a famous guy on his own and many SF fans came up to get his autograph. I decided not to ask for it. I am not a fan of any team whose fans chant "Beat LA"

Old Friends

Who remembers the Moncurs? And what are they doing at the Valley del Oro Valentine's Day dinner?

So here's the story. It began with our Christmas letter email. Brother Moncur's email address was in my address book. He and I worked together, back in the day, in the Stake YM program. And Sister Moncur was a teacher and a District Specialist stationed at Kalaheo. So Mom and I knew her professionally. But maybe our biggest common denominator, besides the Gospel, is our adult Downs Syndrome daughters. We attended many of the same events, like Special Olympics and Young Adult dances where both Becca and Alyssa loved to dance.

Anyway our Christmas card got a surprise reply. These three had retired and moved to Gilbert, AZ--about 20 minutes from VDO. Pretty amazing!

After a couple of emails and phone calls, we've visited their home and they were here last Saturday for the big dinner event. Nice to catch up on topics Hawaiian. (notice his shirt?)

Toe Time

It was time for the Lady Auswanderers to get their toes painted. Becca loves to pick her own color. Green was so last time!

Mom Auswanderer likes to pick her color too. Her taste tends toward the more conservative.

Anyway, they are both ready for Valentine's Day

Country Store

Our park holds an event every Thursday that they call "Country Store". It's more like Hawaii's Wednesday & Saturday Swap Meet. There is a mob of vendors selling all manner of items. And a mob of park residents buying them.

They fill the "ballroom"

And the parking lot.

Out by the pool there is a huge patio filled with tables. Here is Mom on her scooter "table hopping"

Becca enjoys the excitement. Here she is looking at framed paintings. She came back to me and borrowed the camera.

When I got the camera back I had a dozen photos of this eagle painting that caught Becca's attention. Only thing she likes more than Walker are eagles. She has a little collection in her room.

Crispy Corndogs

Oh boy! One of our favorite meals is called "Crispy Corndogs". It is not an easy recipe and requires Gramma to be on her feet more than she likes. But the results are beautiful and Ono.

"Hot Dogs on a Stick" eat your hearts out.

Another Project

Gramma is a Project Lady. She likes to have many going at once. Recently, she decided to do some quilting. Actually it has been on her mind for awhile. Jon, exercising some of his many skills, has given Gramma several designs, one of which she plans to use on her first effort. Here she is at a place called "A Quilter's Oasis"

Inside the Oasis, Mom is getting lessons on materials to buy and techniques to use. It will not be a surprise that she has selected an especially difficult procedure.

The good news is she is limiting this project to a pillow covering. More photos has the covering develops.

Spaghetti dinner

One of the things we enjoy about VDO are the dinners they throw regularly for a 1000 or so of us in the park. Here is Mom in her candy-apple red scooter heading out for the dinner

Here is Becca and me in the huge "ballroom"/dining room. The line behind us are the folks in the spaghetti line. Because there are so many of us, they issue tickets with serving times staggered every 15 minutes. The Auswanderers picked the first serving (so we aren't out late)