Another Update

Monsoon season is still rumbling around on a nightly basis. The last few nights have brought some awesome sky scenes. One part of the sky will be full of dark menacing threatening clouds with waves of lightning and constant rumble of thunder while if you turn and gaze in the opposite direction, you’ll see a lovely sunset or fluffy white whimsical clouds. It’s really strange and so mesmerizing. Don and I spend lots of evening time just sitting on the patio watching the lightning shows. Rain remains very sparse for us, however. We get a slight shower now and then but we’re still missing all the moisture.

We thank the park for all the fun summer activities this year. We’ll celebrate Labor Day by bringing our favorite hot or cold pasta dish for a park pasta pot luck. Plus we have a dessert & coffee night coming up, an ice cream social, a movie night, a salad night, plus (my favorite) another night of bingo.

A September newsletter brought information about the on-going construction and maintenance that’s happening in preparation for the upcoming season. Projects include refinishing the main spa and redoing the tile, painting the deck around both swimming pools, turning the pickleball courts on the west side and painting the poles at the pickleball/tennis courts, finishing the electric at the north pavilion, working on south tennis courts asphalt, street repairs and striping, replacing cables, and upgrading the phone system. Not to mention trimming every single palm tree within the resort! Whew!

Alice in Activities is also reminding everyone to turn in their favorite recipes so she can start working on our Palm Creek cook book.

Olive Garden is open and thriving!! The food is awesome! We drove past a couple times and opted to avoid the crowds but this weekend we decided it might be worth the wait. Glad we stopped because we got in quite fast. The place is much bigger on the inside than it looks. Had a lovely evening. Service was understandably a bit slow due to so many new employees, but the food was outstanding. It will be a very popular spot when all you snowbirds return.

LA Fitness in front of Palm Creek is open too. Haven’t stopped in yet to get a tour but there seem to be a good number of cars there when I drive past. Ha! Looking at all that exercise equipment doesn’t rank very high on my priority list.

Monsoon Storm Damage

The monsoon storms are finally upon us! We’ve had some fantastic lightning shows with some good rain the last two nights. Last night was the strongest by far as we had 33+ mph winds from the straight north. Don, Anton, and I were outside watching the storm from the shelter of our patio. Mist from the heavy wind would occasionally blow in at us but then suddenly a HUGE gust of wind came out of nowhere . We ran for the front door but by the time we ran those few steps, we were absolutely soaking wet. The rain blow in under our awning all the way to the front door and we were drenched. I didn’t know you could get hit with a tidal wave during a rain storm.

This morning the park crews were out in force cleaning up the aftermath of aluminum that blew off awnings and roofs. I hopped in the golf cart with camera in hand to survey the damage. Neighborhood friends will be relieved to hear there was no damage in our immediate area.


There was roof and skirting damage at Site 1412 plus an electrical box was knocked over....either from the wind or from blowing debris. It left the north section of the park without electricity as I could hear generators running from the few RVs in the area. Will Updyke (our Maintenance Manager) was a busy beaver directing clean up crews and electrical repairmen.


The houses facing the softball field received the most damage...near Sites 25 - 30. Their patios face the open field where a wind sheer blew through.

Either the wind itself...or flying debris from the houses even knocked down the cinder block wall surrounding the pump station across the street.

We didn't have enough rain to flood the golf course but what rain we did have certainly came down in a hurry. Today the sky is clear, the sun is shining, the temperature is rising (again) and we're all safe. PLUS....we have some excitement to talk about. It's a good day.

08-08-08 Update

Friends say I should write on the blog more often as they like to read what’s new here in the park. Hmmmm….there’s hardly anybody here….it’s HOT….we haven’t had any rain to speak of in months….all the storms miss us….no monsoons….the doves are still mating….there are almost more rabbits than there are doves….and they’re still mating! That about sums it up. Oh…..did I mention that it’s HOT???

I had to write something though so I could date it as : 08-08-08

Have a great day!