Temps aren't for wimps

Triple digits may be upon us but we're doing just fine.  We had a big potluck happy hour at our house yesterday at 5:00.  We all clustered under the awning for shade but were content to be outdoors all the same.  (107 degrees)  I had a bunch of pictures to show you....but....somehow I deleted them.  Whoops.

After happy hour, the pool sounded most welcome.  Some headed up to the main pool for water volleyball.
 

 

And some of us headed for the north pool for cool down and chat time.  Of course, that was after we played catch with a splash ball.

 

I hear via the sales office that we have 19 more homes to be delivered this summer.  Some are already sold, some are spec homes, and some will be rentals.  Nancy and crew will remain busy.

 

 

Two of the homes will go at the far north end of Sandy Desert along the west wall.

 

 

Two more will go on Desert Wind for Sites 1339 and 1340.  Holes are being dug as I type this.

 

 

Along the new Granite Street by the golf course, they're continually building big beautiful patios on the new houses.  Sounds like perfect happy hour environment come this winter.

 

 

 

Work continues at stoning the columns at the bistro.  This is a work of art as he fits each individual stone into place.

 

 

Palm trees continue to be trimmed.  Here's another before and after scene as they go up and down each street.

 

 

Don and I were coming home from Sam's Club this week and spotted a huge dust devil spiriling up into the sky.  No clouds, no heavy wind....just this spiriling stream of dust coming up from the dry area north of the pickleball courts.  We drove out there once we entered the park but by then it had dissipated.  These whirlwinds just come and go sporadically in the desert.  The guy who dreamed up the cartoon of the Tazmanian devil must have lived in Arizona.

 

 

Art and Audrey Combs have been watching this killdeer nest in their backyard.

 

 

Art's caring nature felt sorry for mama bird sitting out in the hot sun so lent her one of his lawn chairs for shade.  I'm sure she appreciated it.  This morning Art  came over to let us know that the eggs have hatched.  I went over to check them out but it was a bad time.  Mama killdeer was really upset and there were grackles in the tree tops up above.  I didn't want to watch so left in a hurry.

 

 

On a much more pleasant note, here's a nice photo of our hard-working, dedicated landscape crew that work so hard in the hot sun to keep our park looking its best.

 

From left to right starting in top row:  Joel, Clint, Pedro, Jose, Fernando (hiding behind Fernando is Larenzo), Tony, Pascal.

 

Bottom row:  Jim Dawson, Rogelio, Faustino, Maurio, and Jesse.

 

 

Since we're showcasing some of our personnel, here's a cute picture of Christy Kochen, our Resident Relations Manager.  I tease her because I can only see her eyes each time I pass the front desk.  She either needs a shorter monitor or a taller chair.  LOL

That's all for today.  Tonight is our big prime rib dinner so I'll have more to write later.

Yum!!!

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Action Begins

Okay!  Now we have some action to report.  Approvals are here and projects can begin.   There will be some much needed major remodeling of storage and office space. 

 

If you've ever worked or assisted with any of our special events, you know how crowded and cramped they are for storage.  Most of the "stuff" was stored in the small area at the back of the Adobe room.  It's time to clean house.  Brandy Wood, our new Director of Activities & Events, is going through each and every box to inventory and label everything. 

 

 

 

Once everything is inventoried, it will be stored in this new room which was the Saguaro Room.  Shelves are ready and waiting.  Good luck with this project, Brandy....it may take a while.   :)

 

 

Work has already started at revising storage behind the stage in the ballroom.  The chapel group has their "stuff" stored in at least three different places.  These new cabinets are now installed on the wall behind the stage so all their supplies will be in one place.

 

 

In the small room beside the stage (stage left as the actors call it) is where all the speakers and stage equipment is stored.  Bingo now has nice new cabinets in there to keep their equipment.

 

 

 

The big truck out front shows a crew at work dismantling the pool tables in the billiards room.  That room will get a face lift with new paint and carpet.  One table will be moved and set up in the Santan Room for the summer so our summer residents still have a place to play during the transition.

 

 

It will be fun to see a "before" picture like this one.

 

 

And an "after" picture when the work is done.  Moving these tables is no small project!  The tables will also be blessed with new cloth playing surface.

 

 

Volunteers are boxing up all the books in the library.  The new remodeling plan calls for moving some walls and making some of the rooms bigger.  I'll have to wait to see some kind of a floor plan before I can give specifics.

 

 

There will also be some major change in the front reception area and the activities office.  More details will follow when I get some specifics.  It's pretty exciting and the staff is buzzing about the potential for more space.

 

Another plan in progress is much needed expansion for our kitchen.  The kitchen will be blessed with a large walk-in refrigerator and a walk-in freezer plus more storage area.  Some of the machines have been moved in the room next to the kitchen (where folding chairs were previously stored) but that's all we can see right now.

 

  

 

That's enough for a good start.  Stay tuned for further details.

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Triple Digit are Here

Okay.  Triple digit temps have arrived.  We've had some cloud over the last few days which protected us from the sun's intense rays but the beautiful clear blue sky is back and that means no protection from the heat.  We actually had about 12 drops of rain yesterday.  We could actually see some spots on our cars but I think the "rain"

 evaporated before it made it all the way down as the streets never got wet.  It's been a LONG time since we've had precipitation.

Rain or no rain, heat or no heat, the owls are thriving.  Looks like our nest across the street from the front gate had four babies this year.  Sooooo cute.  Connie Morin forwarded these photos to me but I don't know who the photographer was to give credit.  I see the little feathered critters each time we leave the park but haven't stopped with my camera.

It may be warm outside but our avid pickle players just start playing earlier in the morning.  We stopped over to say hello this morning....just in time to see Ed Brown miss this easy shot.  Sorry Ed!!  :)

Avis Gray had the gang gather together for a group shot.  We want everyone to know how much those courts are loved and used.....all year round!!

 

 Finishing touches are being added to our wonderful bistro patio.  The final brick work is being added to all the columns.  Very nice!!

 

The ducks are flourishing too.  There are several different aged families in the park.

Golfers are out EVERY morning at the break of dawn. 

It's time for all the palm trees to get their annual trimming.  Our landscape crew never runs out of work to do.

Look how cute the trees look with their freshly shorn tops. 

The June newsletter just came out.  Looks like we continue to have numerous fun summer events coming up.  I already bought tickets for all the events so should have some fun photos from each day.

June 6 -- Prime Rib Dinner

June 9 -- Bingo

June 11-12 -- Overnight Bus Trip to Fort McDowell

June 15 -- Father's Day

June 24 -- Mexican Fiesta

July 4 -- Celebration

July 15 -- Coffee and Donuts

July 31 -- Coke Float Special

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Memorial Day plus more

Memorial Day, Monday, May 26 

Flags at half mast in memory of our troops.  It is always a sobering sight.

 

 

Indoors we celebrated the day with a group luncheon catered from Culvers with yummy chicken, cole slaw, and mashed potatoes.  Of course there was lots of luscious dessert!

 

Thanks to the Culver's team (and Linda Balzan for guiding them around our kitchen.)

 

I hope I didn't miss any tables as I wandered around the room.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now for other scenes around the park.

Doesn't mama dove look cute nesting in her very own tree?  What a perfect place for her.  She says thank you to Joe and Bev Guidinger for hosting the spot.

 

 

 

To all you fans who have been following mama duck:  Her agony is now over.  She received some loving care from folks who didn't want to see her suffer anymore.  The nest has been removed and the area all cleaned up.  The last two remaining eggs were doomed.  Who knows how long the poor mama would have continued to sit in that intense sun every day.  Now she is free to run and play with her friends.  Better luck to her next time.

 

 

It's fun to watch all the different fruit trees in the park.  It's a bonus to watch the yard of Len and Rosemary Nichol as they have a kumquat tree in their backyard and I get a refreshing handful (or two) of yummy fruit each time we visit.

 

 

 

Across the street at Bill and Sue Leeson's, there is a fig tree that has a VERY bountiful crop of figs this year.  I had never had a raw fig before.  I learned from a neighbor that they're even better if you spread a little honey on them.  Yup.  They're good!

 

 

 

No blog entry is complete unless we have a flower picture.  How about these yellow beauties!

 

 

 

Landscaping downed another tree on the course where the driving cage was located.

 

 

 I end today's entry with some wonderful news for those of you who know Art and Audrey Combs.  We met Art while out on our rounds and he was very happy to report that Audrey's last Doctor visit showed her to be cancer free!!!!  Yahoo!!!

 

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I'll put this photo at the end where I usually post cartoons.  This is  Donna Cox and me with our toys in the swimming pool.  LOL

 

 

Wow.....just checked the stats for this blog.  Lots of traffic now that you're all back at your other home!