return to our "home page"

February 2006

return to "What we've been doing..."

Don and Bonnie Wolfe hosted us for dinner in their coach.

February was a busy month here at Palm Creek.  Starting right away, during the first week of the month, we had visitors.  Our friends Bonnie and Don Wolfe who live in Las Vegas stopped by for a few days while they were out touring the southwest in their Southwind motor home.  We enjoyed some evenings and meals together before they moved on.  Several days later Mary’s cousin Geoff and his wife Bethann came for lunch on their way from Las Cruces, NM to Los Angeles.  Our visit was far too short, but we plan to visit them in Las Cruces soon.  Then it was on to get-togethers with “the locals.”  Jim and Pat McGrath were neighbors here in Palm Creek for several years.  This year they bought a “park model” at nearby Sundance RV Resort.  One afternoon we went with Peter and Cathy Nichita to visit the McGraths and see their new winter home.  We miss their great sense of humor, but they have a nice place!

Bethann and Geoff came for lunch one day.

Peter and Cathy Nichita, Jim and Pat McGrath and Mary at Sundance RV Resort.

We want everyone to know that there is more to life at Palm Creek than golf and tennis.  We have opportunities for all sorts of activities….so much so that there are not enough hours in the day or days in the week to try them all out.  We attended the Quilt Show and marveled at the time and effort that the members of the group had put into making many, many beautiful projects.  The Pottery group held an “open house” to display all of their many types of work and also had quite a few pieces for sale.  Mary even won a small figurine as a door prize.  Tom has had several different partners for duplicate bridge lately, and they have done well.  Mary also attended a ladies tea and style show tea put on by the local schools deparments of culinary arts.

A few of the pottery projects made by Palm Creek residents.

Just a sample of the quilts at the quilt show.

Then there are the other “sports.”   Quite a few people are involved in a weekly “pine car derby.”  They have built the track and all their cars by hand and film the races so that winners can be determined in a “photo finish.”   We gathered with some of the neighbors one afternoon for some “marshmallow golf” using a 5-wood and a nice mat while we worked to see who could hit the longest drive.  Another day we all played beanbag baseball.  Eating has almost become a “sport” as we have shared with neighbors and friends...one night a neighbor from Washington state grilled many pounds of salmon that he had caught last fall….yummy!  The rest of us contributed the side dishes.  Another night there was a “Mexican Fiesta” night in the neighborhood.  And on another evening, Tom and I shared some of our shrimp and scallops from Mexico with the Nichitas and the McGoverns who have been our airport shuttle drivers and good friends every winter that we’ve been here at Palm Creek.

Fore!     Marshmallow golf in action.

Our neighborhood's style of baseball.

Ready,  set,  go!

On  Sunday, February 26 Tom flew from Phoenix to Atlanta.  He was supposed to catch another flight to Meridian, Mississippi, but the flight was cancelled so he and two other Head Start reviewers drove a rental car about 5 hours to get to their hotel.  After the review they were going to have to drive the car back to Atlanta because the rental company would not let them “drop” the car in Mississippi.  At least life for us “  ‘ole retired folks” is not dull!

Bev and Don McGovern, Cathy and Peter Nichita, and Tom enjoying dinner.