Another Week

 Not much new to report today but it's too hot to go anywhere so thought I'd post a couple tidbits to occupy my time.

We were out on our patio for our usual morning coffee.  Temperature was already 81 degrees and climbing fast.  We now have a nice big fan out there to keep us cool.  The forecast is for solid triple digit temps every day.  

Quite a few summer residents read my last post about the vendor fair held at Tractor Supply on Saturday mornings so it was fun to see so many friends there.    It was already 88 degrees.  

We had to be there to get more of those fresh melons!  They're so delicious, ripe, and juicy.  Today we stocked up on the cantaloupe.  The free samples the vendor was handing out convinced us to buy several.

Don had a nice chat with the man who has a laser printer in his stand.  This is a great booth to custom make some special gifts for your family or friends.

It's hard to think ahead to Christmas when its this hot outside, but what nice custom gifts.

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We have a good week ahead.  The special at Chef's Cafe will be those delicious Rueben Sandwiches.  We'll definitely be there at least once.  Tuesday is a coffee with a free donut of course.  Wednesday is the Ice Cream Social.  Be sure to get a ticket on Monday!  Stay later to see Mango:

Thursday morning is Chef's Omelet special from 8:00 - 10:00.

It will be a FUN week!

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Now for a couple short personal entries:

Kat  had a visitor at his condo.  Pardon the water spotted window.

Watch the action video.

Mouse prefers to be inside in the heat of the day.  Don's closet is one of his favorite hangouts.

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My two sons are both just as fanatic as I am about birds, bugs, and animals.  We always send photos back and forth whenever one of us comes upon a new critter.  Kevin found a dandy this week!

What a weird insect!  Google lens identified it as a Leafhopper Assassin Bug.  Look at that long stinger emanating from its head!

I got this info from the internet.

Despite its common name, Leafhopper Assassin Bugs will attack and eat any insect it comes across. Using stealth, speed, and strong forelegs to hold a victim, the Leafhopper Assassin Bug kills using a long, sharp fang to quickly and repeatedly stab its prey. This fang can also stab fingers and arms, inflicting a mighty painful wound. Aside from intense pain, however, the Leafhopper Assassin Bug is not lethal to humans and a 'bite' does not require medical attention. Avoid rough handling or scaring the bug and it is content to ignore humans. It is more interested in hunting for insects and spiders on flowers and branches.

I told Kevin to try using the magnifier on his telephone to get a better picture.  Don and I had a great laugh when Kevin replied:

Ok.  I guess Kevin already knows about the magnifier.😀

Speaking of phone tips, sign up to attend my iPhone Tricks and Techniques class being held in the SanTan room at 1:00 on Tuesday, July 18.  There's bound to be at least one tip that's new to you.

Mango and Tree Trimming

 Bring some extra cash to the ice cream social next Wednesday.  Mango will steal your heart and you'll want to contribute to such a unique and worthy cause.

Mango is the 2016 Hero Dog in the therapy category for American Humane.  Mango's owner (Judy Walters) is a Veteran serving six years in the Army Reserve and she and Mango volunteer at Fort Bliss, in El Paso TX where they encourage and assist Vets who are rehabbing.

Mango is 12 years old.  She was paralyzed at the age of one year from a car accident.  Mango and Judy created a Facebook page eight years ago called "Mango on a Mission."  They have 41k followers and they take in donations to purchase custom wheelchairs for other disabled pets.  They have donated over 5,000 carts so far!

Here's a link to their Facebook page:

  Mango on a Mission

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The annual trimming of the palm trees has definitely begun with the help of an awesome, hardworking crew.  It's quite a job in our triple digit temps!

Branches are stacked, picked up, and shredded right away.

I briefly chatted with a member of the crew and asked how they dealt with the heat.  His answer was that they all grew up in Arizona desert so know how to deal with it.  

It's still nice enough outdoors for an early game of golf.  We spotted Al and Evie Walker enjoying a round today.  The course looks pretty good for the heat of July.

This week's special at the Ballroom Cafe is a hamburger, fries, and baked beans.  YUM.

Thank you once again to Sun Communities, our General Manager, Chef and his crew.....plus whoever else may be involved in having our Cafe open this summer.  It has been wonderful!!...and much appreciated.

JULY Calendar of Events

 Mark this post so you can find the information all month long.  So much to do this summer!

First (and very important change!) are the new hours for our Ballroom Cafe.  After carefully monitoring the most popular times, the hours are changed to better accommodate our usage.  

New menu for July:

Gather your friends and head to the Cafe for the good American special to celebrate our Independence Day.  Nothing more American for a summer day than a hot dog or a hamburger.  Cafe, offices, and the mail room will be closed on the 4th.

Look at our busy July calendar!

My birthday is July 25 so I hope we have a big turnout for the July birthday breakfast. We July Leos get to eat for free!😇

I guess we had a dead palm tree in the courtyard by the main pool.  The guy with the chainsaw was creative!  😃

July News & Tractor Supply Event

Welcome to July.  Triple digit temps are here every afternoon now.  Don't walk your dog on the HOT pavement.  Even the spiders have to wear shoes.

Offices will be closed on Tuesday, July 4, to celebrate Independence Day but our Chef is having his weekly special on Monday thru Thursday.  Join us in the Ballroom Cafe for hot dogs, hamburgers, baked beans and frys for only $8.  

Wednesday, July 5:  Movie Matinee in Ballroom 2 at 1:00 to see "A Man Called Otto" with Tom Hanks.  Free admission.  Sign up in Activities.

Tues July 11:  Coffee & donuts at 8:30.  Ticket cut off is July 7.

Wed July 12:  Ice cream social with a red, white, and blueberry Sundae.  Ballroom 1 at 1:30.  Get $5 in Activities by July 7.

Thur July 13:  Chef's Omelet Morning w/coffee.  Buy your $8 ticket in Activities by July 10.  Limited Supply.

Tues July 18:  iPhone tricks & Techniques by Sue Hepler (ME) 1:00 in the santan room.  Sign up in Activities.

Sooooo many activities this month.  Calendars have been placed in our mailboxes.

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We've lived in this resort for over 18 years and I continually come across some strange plant I hadn't noticed before.  We just need to slow down and view our surroundings I guess.  Look at this weird little palm tree ... right beside this huge round tree.

It appears that its growing out of a weird base.

And....I found another dove nestled in a cactus plant.

Arizona snow that gathers on streets and patios for the next couple months.

Out of curiosity, Don and I stopped by Tractor Supply this morning for their Saturday morning tent event.  It was GREAT and very interesting.  It was sort of like a craft fair but had such interesting booths.  Most of them were food items.  It was hard for us to decide what to buy as everything looked so good.  

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I never saw a whole booth devoted to goat products!  I'm sending the info to our Activities department with a strong recommendation to set up a farm tour this winter when all the baby goats are born.  I had a great chat with one of the owners.

All the vendors seemed like such nice people and proud of their produce.  We had such a fun time visiting with so many.  I highly recommend you stop in on Saturday mornings...from 8:00 till noon.  Better make it closer to 8:00 because it certainly got HOT.  Felt sorry for the vendors!

Here's just a sample of some of the booths:

Cute crafts about bees

delicious baked goods

delicious baked goods

home made jellies..prickly pear too

baked goods...all delicious flavors

melons from a farm near Picacho

variety of sandwiches ... special Monte Cristo

Snacks and lots of goodies

I have no idea what these were selling?

Such a variety of goodies

and a small line of food trucks

This couple were selling mounted bugs.  Of course I found it fascinating!

Don doesn't care much for nachos but I bet he liked flirting with the pretty girls. 😇

Our good friends Jim and Linda Rainer from here in Palm Creek also had a booth there for their CBD products.  I told them they could point at me and advertise that I was able to walk through the whole event because of the CBD I had rubbed on my knees and back before leaving home. 😉

Jim and Linda Rainer
Rainer Wellness Products