March 2013 update: I am told that these candle are available during certain time of the year when candles are more popular. I think Christmas may be one of those time of year. Ask about them at your local Trader Joes.
Retirement Thoughts
It's Thursday...finding things to do on Thursday can be really hard! Like a child on summer vacation when the weather is cold and windy, Mom and Dad are at work and you are at loss ends, Thursday can be hard. That is what retirement is like. Thankfully we are old enough to read and make soup! Sigh! The photo above was taken yesterday after a cleansing 1/2 inch of rain. Today the mountains are black and the wind is howling.
Perfect Candles
I have a wonderful product for center pieces when you are entertaining. It is candle season in the northern hemisphere and candle season everywhere in the world. Candles can warm a dark room, provide light when the power goes out and even get rid of the smell of cabbage cooking! I have probably bought enough candles in my lifetime to fill a semi-truck. Finally, I have found the perfect affordable solution to the dripping messy taper dilemma. Trader Joe's carries a wonderful product called Eight Candles. I doubted their claim to be a dripless and self-extinguishing candle. You know what...they really are. I used them for a party of 60 last week and placed them on rented table clothes. They burned for the whole evening without a sign of a drip. (Trader Joe's says they will last 6-7 hours.) The wick is treated with a non-flammable solution that makes self-extinguishing possible. I bought several packages and paid a little over $3.00 per package of eight including taxes. I love them.
These are called Vibe and are being sold by Seimens. Take a look at these!
Who knew???
I am always amazed at what I find when I begin searching around on the web. I live part of each year in a 55+ RV park. Hearing aids are just a part of survival around here. We all sport plastic gadgets behind our ears with another ugly gadget inside our ear. UGH!!! These devices just scream I am oldoldoldoldold!!! Because of the wonderful boomer generation coming down the pike, we are seeing wonderful style choices that we have never seen before. Hearing aids are only the tip of the iceberg.
Neckline Slimmer!
Below pictures of Carole before and after.
Have you seen the Neck Slimmerad? (Compare this link with the Amazon ad above. I was amazed at the difference in price.) The first time I saw it introduced on TV several month ago I was so tempted to buy one. But I passed it up in favor of trying to do some exercises myself. Today I was talking to a friend. She was on the way to the gym and I commented on how slim her face looked...had she lost weight? Not at all...she claims to be heavier than she has ever been. How did her face look so slim? Well, she bought the Neckline Slimmer device last summer and has used it faithfully ever since. WOW!!!
How do I look?
No matter how old or young we are we worry about our personal appearance...in fact I really do believe that our health is in some way related to our self image and if we feel good about ourselves we are healthier.
I can honestly say that when I do "sporting" things, I am generally all about the beauty. Ambiance is what I generally look for. I would rather fish in a beautiful mountain lake on a sunny afternoon than at a brown reservoir in the hills of eastern Oregon. I am funny that way. Life style for me is not about money...it is about beauty.
When we are visiting the desert southwest in the winter months of the year, we golf quite a bit. While I love those "goat track" courses here because of their history or native appeal, Arizona National and course like it are my first choice. The settings is so stunning it takes my breath away.
Last week we played Arizona National using our Wild Cat Card (take a look at this website) for a free round of golf. When you buy the card you get several rounds at a reduced price and one round free plus a free round on the card owner's birthday. The cards are good until the end of January and then again in late spring and next fall. We can play either here in Tucson at Arizona National and Forty-niner or in Green Valley at Canoa Hills and San Ignacio. The beauty of the Arizona National course, the setting on the side of the Catalina Mountains and a generous helping of wild beauty all mixed together to make a spectacular day.
Speaking of "wild cats" we really did see two on the golf course. A pair of bobcats were playing on the fairway as we walked came up one of the holes on the front side. They are so tame that one is tempted to treat them as pets. But when you get up close and personal with them, you realize how large even the kittens are. The pictures I took were from about 10 yards away. The cat had it's head turned so I whistled at it to make it turn it's head. The perfect shot of a bobcat sitting on a rock with it's paws on the ground playing the part of a "cool cat" was mine! I noticed quail, road runners, rabbits all under one little piece of rough.
How we even focus on our golf game is beyond me. I scored 49 on the back side so I must have been paying a little attention.
Waiting in the airport....one of those love hate relationship you know! True they have wireless in Salt Lake City but the passageways from one terminal to another care is colder than a landlord's heart! When I am flying from Tucson to Portland, I freeze to death. Going the other way it is not so bad because I am still dressed like Nanook of the North. I have a good book...that is perfect but they also have a book store in this terminal E and I am so tempted to add one more to my bag. I saw Stones into Schools setting out to suck me in.
My family has a vested interest in education and my son works as an administrator in Shanghai American Schools. He has also worked in Saudi Arabia. He can attest to the fact that stone throwing is a middle eastern cultural way of expression. You remember the stories of stoneings in the Bible resulting in people being killed. Well it turns out they are not just stories. The people in that region evidently are very skillful with stones. I will be reading Stones into Schools soon.
Oh I suppose I should confess that we were late leaving PDX by 45 minutes. That turns out to be plenty of time to browse and buy at the Powell's there. I bought The Know It All for my husband (and myself of course). This guy decided to read the encyclopedia and then write his own brief version of entries he found ...his website said "Part memoir, part Cliff's Notes to every topic under the sun, The Know-It-All is about the year I spent reading the Encyclopaedia Britannica from A to Z (or, more precisely, from a-ak to zywiec). All forty-four million words of it. The book is many things...." As you can well imagine he might not be really popular with his co-workers. If you remember Cliff Clavin in the Cheers TV series...will no one wants to be him! In fact the magazine MORE listed this trait as a sign of being old. We tend to come off as KNOW IT ALLS. Sigh!
Late planes are a problem these days but our check in at PDX was just so simple. We carry everything on and still scooted through. We always have our driver's license ready along with our ticket. We check in on the computer the night before we leave. The as we approach the belt we take shoes off, remove the computer from the bag and put it all in plastic tubs along with our coat, cell phone and even big belts. You just assume that they want to be able to get as close to your body as they can without you going naked! It works just fine for us.
Living the senior life style is so much fun. We arrived home here in Tucson, the sun was shining and we had drinks outside with friends. After a lovely visit and great food we slept in our Tucson bed. Friends have arrived while we were gone over the holidays so there is lots of catching up to do. Life is good!
I couldn't decide...do we look forward to a wonderful new year OR do we look back at what the old year had to offer? Then my husband got the best Christmas gift ever.
The little box sat in his lap weighed almost nothing. It was about the size of a package of large crackers. When he opened it we were both delighted to see that he had received the iconvertdevice sold by the Brookstone Company. The iconvert is a wonderful little machine that will convert all those old slides we have been storing... not only our own but those of my parents...for a gajillion years. Truly many of these slides are over 40 years old. The company describes the device in the following way:
Discover the fast, easy way to convert old slides and negatives to high-resolution digital files before they fade and crack. Just connect iConvert® to your computer, insert a negative strip or photo slide, press the negative scan button or slide scan button—and get instant digital pictures! It’s a simple, welcome alternative to paying a professional.
Powered by, and connects to, your computer.
Connect iConvert® to your PC or Mac® with the included USB cable and download your slides and negatives. iConvert® captures the images as high-resolution (600, 1200, 1800 or 3600 dpi) digital files you can save, edit and share. Compatible with Windows® 98/XP/Vista®, Mac® OS X 10.4 and later (with Intel® processor).
We had wanted to get the slides into our computers for years. Not only are they great memories of family members that are gone now, they also give us the window into the past that we wanted. Many of the slides are ones taken by my father of places around the United States that we are just now getting around to visiting. It is fun to compare what was and is.
I do recommend this little machine to you. It really does work. While storing slide boxes may be your favorite use of space, it isn't ours. We will sort through and keep the best and dispose of the rest. And it allows you to look back while moving into the future. Wow, the best of both worlds.
I found a journal yesterday. It was one I wrote back in the days before my computer was a permanent part of my travel baggage. Reading a few of the pages brought back a time when I was figuring it all out. I had forgotten how basic things simply stymied a me upon arriving in a new city or even a small town. Wouldn't it be nice to just know everything right from the time you check into the motel or park the RV? I think it would!
After traveling up and down the Interstate I-5/I-10 corridors for 10+ years I have learned a thing of two. So let me share a few ideas with you...over the next few days.
TUCSON
RV PARKS IN TUCSON
There are two large RV Resorts in Tucson owned by Rincon Country . The westside resort is very large and has everything you could possibly want in that type of facility. It is located off Mission Road, close to A Mountain and the sunsets are sensational because the park is close to the Tucson Mountians. It is not close to downtown though. Their other park, Rincon Country East, is located on the east edge of the city and getting down town is a pain. But Rincon Country Resorts are not the only show in town. There are a number of smaller RV parks in Tucson. Just be warned that key words used to describe the park like "easy access from I-10" means you can see the freeway from your motor home and the noise on this very busy interstate highway will make a difference in how much you enjoy the view of the sunsets. Prince of Tucson RV Park is just one of the parks with a location like this.
Located on the north side of Tucson, Prince of Tucson does have some real advantages. Some of the best restaurants are close by, the University of Arizona and Desert Museum are all on the west side of town and that easy off the freeway also means it is easy on too. We avoided this type of location because we were in Tucson for long periods of time and we wanted a quieter atmosphere associated with a resort life style. But if we had been just passing through this would have been great. A quick, easy visit to a big city that has a small town feel can be a wonderful experience. So lets talk about what is available on that side of town.
RESTAURANTS
Tucson has some wonderful old standbys that should not be missed. El Charro's in the downtown location just happens to be one of them. From Prince you will get on the freeway, travel south to the Broadway exit, travel east to Granada, turn left and travel one block north to W. Alameda, turn right and continue east to N. Court Ave. Turn left on to N. Court. You will find a large parking lot across the street from the restaurant. Located in the barrio part of Tucson it features Sonoran style food. This kind of Mexican food is unique and for the adventurous eater, the perfect evening meal. PLUS a stroll around the neighbor hood is wonderful. There are several classic adobe type buildings in the area. This is the core area of the historic old Tucson barrio.
Remember, not only is Tucson a place where you can get a taste of Mexico it is also the home to a very large university. U of A is located just north of downtown Tucson and the stadium is visible from a considerable distance. If you are staying at Prince, you can get on the freeway and go south to Speedway, exit and go east and follow it east to 4th Avenue. The University will be to your right (south) off Speedway.
Caruso's
Here is where the fun begins. This huge campus is home to some really good places to eat. Caruso's, a wonderful old Italian restaurant is located on 4th Avenue and the neighborhood is a the place to visit late in the afternoon. Quirky shops line the street and a college atmosphere prevails.
University Blvd. is the main street that will enter the core of the campus. Park as close as you can get and pick a lunch/happy hour place. Anything will do I guess but I always go for out door seating if the weather is good. It is just fun to hang out late in the afternoon with college students. Friday night is especially busy...something I love a lot.
Arizona Inn
If you are up for a real dining experience find Arizona Inn located off Campell Avenue north off Speedway. Follow Campell north to Elm. This is a very old neighborhood and Elm is definitely not a main street so watch carefully. Turn east (right) and just drive slowly down the street, take in the old charming villas that line the street and find a parking place as close to the Inn as you can (on the right hand side of the street). Reservations are a good idea and you can eat in the charming old dining room or on a beautiful patio that has a view of the gardens. Or, if you just want to look, wander around, take pictures. Better yet book a room and stay in the great location. Arizona Inn is not a huge hotel so the atmosphere may be just what you want.
There is one last place I want to mention...The Hotel Congress in downtown Tucson. The Congress is an old hotel located near the Amtrak station on Congress Street. Since the center of the city has fallen on to hard times most of what happens in that part of Tucson has to do with business and government. The Congress is a quirky yet wonderful place for lunch. Exit freeway at Broadway going east you will need to go to 5th Ave, turn north, cross Congress and go to 10th Street, turn right and park in back of the hotel.
ARIZONA-SONORAN DESERT MUSEUM
The Arizona-Sonoran Desert Museum is located on the west side of Tucson and believe me it is worth your time. Not only is the drive to the museum a treat, the museum in and of itself can take the whole day. Just when you think that desert is dry and empty you, you discover the wonderful wildlife and plants that live in this glorious place. You can get up close and personal with Javelinas, snakes and Hummingbirds. I absolute recommend that you take the time to visit this park. The Saguaro National Park is on the east side of Tucson and if you follow the freeway headed toward El Paso there will be signs to direct you there.
HOTEL/MOTELS I am not going to go into the motels in the Tucson area other than to say that I would recommend that you find something near the University, near one of the big malls or in Marana north of town. There is a Four Points Sheratin and a Marriot less than a mile from campus. The motels located near downtown and the freeway are noisy and more likely to have problems with the clientele. Cheap is not really a good thing in this city. Remember, Tucson has one of the highest crime rates in the nation and you can just avoid that part of the scene totally by getting away from seedy motels.
These are just ideas if you should choose to stay in north Tucson. If you are in a motor home and just want to spend a few days this might be perfect for you.
I have a wonderful product for center pieces when you are entertaining. It is candle season in the northern hemisphere and candle season everywhere in the world. Candles can warm a dark room, provide light when the power goes out and even get rid of the smell of cabbage cooking! I have probably bought enough candles in my lifetime to fill a semi-truck. Finally, I have found the perfect affordable solution to the dripping messy taper dilemma. Trader Joe's carries a wonderful product called Eight Candles. I doubted their claim to be a dripless and self-extinguishing candle. You know what...they really are. I used them for a party of 60 last week and placed them on rented table clothes. They burned for the whole evening without a sign of a drip. (Trader Joe's says they will last 6-7 hours.) The wick is treated with a non-flammable solution that makes self-extinguishing possible. I bought several packages and paid a little over $3.00 per package of eight including taxes. I love them.
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