Poker, fiber optics, flowers

Say hello to our remaining poker family.  The group numbers well over 100 players during the peak of the season but this is the remaining group as of this week.  We're still playing seven nights/days a week as long as enough players remain.

We spotted Fernando on the tractor yesterday so had to see what he was doing in the parking lot.  He said he was looking for the junction box for the fiber optics line.  Fernando will put in a new line and Dish will pull the fiber optics through this area.  We're hoping this brings us even faster and more secure service for next year.  

Just when I think I've seen all the pretty cactus flowers, another one pops open to say "Look at ME".  What a beautiful RED flower!!

Our weather remains absolutely PERFECT.  It's 7:20 a.m. so I'm rushing off to make a second cup of fresh coffee and head out to the patio to enjoy the cool beautiful sunshine.  Ya gotta LOVE Arizona this time of year.  Have a great day, folks.  

Bingo

The American Legion continues with their weekly Monday night bingo game but has now started another game on Fridays.  If you like to play bingo, this is the place to go.....especially for those of us who like to daub our cards.

713 N. Park Avenue, Casa Grande

Be there on Monday or Friday nights.  Games start at 6:00 but I recommend going at least a half hour early so you have time to mark your cards and wild numbers.  Buy in costs about $30-$40 depending on how many cards you purchase.

Our veterans donate their time to help with the event.

Deanna Taylor is a bingo PRO.  She can handle 18 cards at a time!

To our summer residents:  Hope to see you there!  Need a ride?  Call me at 7707.

Boston's Open, Entertainment Center, Flowers

Boston's Restaurant and Sports Bar opened on April 12.  We've been there three times already and know we will return as the food was GREAT.  It's a tad pricey but delicious.  They serve the typical sports bar food with pizza, calzones, salads, burgers, etc. but their big meals are great too.  

There is a HUGE Fun Zone arcade at one end of the building that is loaded with games of all kinds for kids..........and..........anyone techie enough to play.

We also went out to the big Entertainment Center near Akchin casino in Maricopa.  If you haven't been there, mark it on your agenda as a "must see".  It is truly a lovely building entirely smoke free.  It has a couple small restaurants, 24 bowling alleys, 12 theaters, meeting rooms, bars, etc.

Food was delicious and quite inexpensive.

Meanwhile, cactus flowers continue to emerge.  This tiny plant is only about 6 inches tall but sent out blooms twice its size.   

How can one plant manage to put out so many blossoms!  Beautiful!!

Still have a busy time at water aerobics in the mornings.

Other gals gather for golf outings.

Happy 80th birthday to Ellen Bingham.  She enjoyed a delightful surprise party this week.

Woodpeckers

When you choose a home on or near the golf course, you must take the good with the bad.  You have a beautiful view of our green luscious grass but there are hazards besides the occasional stray golf ball.  There are a lot of woodpeckers in Arizona and the Gila Woodpecker loves to drill holes for nesting.  If he doesn't find the right tree, he may try a house.  With that giant sharp beak, he can be very determined.

Greg and Shirley Nelson discovered traces of that determination last summer.  When a neighbor spotted the damage the bird was doing to the Nelson's house, he tried to stop the feathered fiend by applying wood blocks over the spots where the bird was building.

This year the Nelson's put up a more durable defense.  I admire their creativity.  

The Nelson's aren't alone in their battle against feathers.

Water Heaters

Don and I have heard (AND SEEN) how a leaking hot water heater can ruin an entire kitchen floor and if not detected soon enough, can cause molding and thereby new kitchen cabinets and dry wall as well.  What an unwelcome mess it can cause!  Realizing that our home is now over 12 years old, Don did some careful research and got several quotes from a couple local vendors.  We decided to do some preventive maintenance and replace our two water heaters with new ones to avoid potential disaster.

Son's Plumbing earned first place through pleasant customer service, prompt follow up, pricing, and professional work.  If you're ever in the market for plumbing service, call Phillip Smit.  He certainly earned our respect with his attention to our job.

I don't know how interested you'll be in learning about water heaters, but I'm posting this anyway because I thought it was fascinating.

Step one is to drain the existing tank.  They hooked up a hose and let it drain into the street.

Yuck!  Look at the thick gunk that had accumulated in the bottom of the tank.  This is just a small sample of the ugly stuff.

Here's what it looked like when they removed the tank.

New tank.

A pan is now inserted to protect the kitchen from any leaking water for the future.

All done.

We also had Phillip install this little drain thingy so if the pan would overflow, the water would flow outside.  

Next came the water heater located in the bathroom of our add-on room.

This definitely required working in tight spaces.

The leaking or over flow protection for this unit will be an alarm that sounds when water is detected in the pan.

Since a plumber was headed our way, I sweet-talked Don into getting me one of those instant hot water tanks for the kitchen sink so I could enjoy a quick cup of hot tea, cocoa, or soup at the touch of a button.  Yes......our Keurig coffee maker can heat water too but not nearly as fast or as hot.  I'm spoiled.  I admit it and Don is a push over for any kind of a gadget.

  I'm excited!  Thank you, Dear.

Now I can enjoy my hot tea while playing with my iPad.