Monday: 

Our last bike ride here at Paradise for this season.  Since most people in our bike group have gone home, including our leader, we were a smaller group heading out of Monday.  One of our other members lead us on 12 mile ride with a stop at Burger King for brunch.  When we got back to the park we completed our ride up to 15 miles. 

Tuesday: 

Tuesday morning Harris took the truck to get the tires rotated in preparation for heading back east on Saturday. 

When he got home we had lunch and then headed to Wickenberg to check out what was there.  It is a cute little town about 30 miles from here.  We visited several of the stores and took a walking tour.  The town had many status that when you pressed a button they told the history of the town.  It was really neat. 

Then back to the camper for dinner. 



Sign at Wickenburg

Another Statue

Harris and his new friend

EASTER SUNDAY!! 

Christ is Risen!!!  Christ is Risen indeed! 

Easter is always a joyous time.  This morning was no different.  We arrived at church at 8:00 to begin our choir practice.  Prior to this morning we were asked to wear our Easter bonnet to service this morning.  I don't have a bonnet, but thankfully Ellen brought extras as did one of the other choir members.  Our choir director is a good sport and let us wear them to service with our choir robes.  There were a good number of us wearing them. 

This morning's service had special meaning as it was our first time to celebrate with the Faith  Presbyterian community.  The choir was full today.  I don't think anyone was missing.  I counted 31. It was a joyous day for choir and congregation. 

After church we headed to fellowship hall for our usual Coffee hour at Faith.  We had a special treat, someone made scones. 

By the time we got out of church it was lunch time.  Harris suggested we go to Cracker Barrel for lunch.  To our surprise it was not all that crowded.  We had not visited Cracker Barrel since we arrived here in City.  So it was a good time to do it.  

Rick, Sharon, and Jacob will be here for dinner tonight.  Rick and Sharon are making  barbecue pulled pork, I have Potato salad, and coleslaw.  I will also add some stir fried veggies.  Chelle is working, so she will not be able to join us.  

All in all is has been a WONDERFUL Day!!

Happy Easter!!

Look we are in the choir

The choir on break

Pastor Dave

Dale, our choir director

Prayer garden at Faith Presbyterian Church

Ellen and Jan in our Easter Bonnets

Saturday:

Not much happening around here on Saturday until Chelle came over for lunch and to spend the rest of the day with us.  It is always good to spend time with Chelle.  After lunch Chelle and I headed out to Goodwill to see what they might have on their half price day.  We found a few things, but didn't buy them out.  I was really surprised it was not really crowded.  It might have been early in the day. 

For dinner Chelle wanted tacos.  She and I made Tacos, while Harris did some things outside.  After dinner she headed home, as she had to be at work today at 8:00 a.m. 

It is so good to be around both Chelle and Jacob.  We have really enjoyed spending time with them.  I will miss them when we head back east.

Have a wonderful day

Friday:  " Good Friday"

With Good Friday services being held at Faith Presbyterian Church, our choir was scheduled to sing for the service.  We had to be at church at 11:00 a.m. for practice.  The service began at 12:00, again with the three churches participating.  Once again it set the tone for the day.  After services were finished we were also to leave in silence. 

Friday afternoon, we prepared for Dave and Ellen to come over to the camper for dinner.  Dave is the Pastor of Faith and Ellen, his wife, is our parish nurse.  Harris fixed barbecue pork back ribs on the grill. We added the coleslaw he made the day before and the  made potato salad I made that afternoon.  We topped it off with a homemade lemon pie.  It was really great to have them over to our place so we could be better acquainted.  We look forward to many more occasions to be together when we return next year.  In the meantime we will keep in touch. 

Thursday:

Today was laundry day!!!  It is always nice to get the laundry all done at one time.  The laundry room here at Paradise is really nicc, so I really don't mind.  Since so many people have gone home, the laundry was really quiet.  While the laundry is washing we head out to begin our walk.  In 25 minutes we return to put the laundry in the dryer.  Once again we head out to finish our walk, this time for 45 minutes.  That way we feel like we are getting two things done at once.  With the laundry done we headed back to the camper for lunch. 

After lunch we got our on bikes for our daily bike ride around the park.  The rest of the day we just caught up on some needed tasks around here. 

Thursday night we went to Church of the Palms UCC church for the Maundy Thursday service.  Church of the Palms, First Presbyterian Church of Sun City and Faith Presbyterian Church join together for special worship services.  Ash Wednesday services were held at First Presbyterian Church and Good Friday will be held at Faith. 

The service was one of Tennebre with varying degrees of darkness after each lesson was read.  By the end of the service the sanctuary was in darkness.  At the end of the service we were asked to leave quietly.  It is amazing how so many people can leave a service without talking. 

Thus began our journey through Holy week.

Have a wonderful day

Wednesday: 

This morning after breakfast, Harris loaded our bikes on the back of the truck for our trip to McDowell Regional Park, where our friends Ann and Gary are camping.  Ann and Gary invited us out to visit them at McDowell Regional park, campground where they moved to from here last Thursday.  I made homemade chicken salad for lunch.  Ann and Gary told us about the wonderful bike trails at the park.  So we were up for the challenge.    It took us about an hour to get out there.  Once the bikes were unloaded we headed out on the trail.  WOW what a ride.  The trail is unimproved with lots of hills, curves, etc.  We road for about an hour and then headed back to their camper for lunch.  After lunch we headed out again to finish our ride.  Earlier Harris and Gary took our truck to the overflow parking so we would have a ride back to camper (instead of riding up hill all the way).

When we got back to the camper, we just chilled!!  Around 5:00 p.m. we headed back into town.  On the way back we stopped Applebees for dinner.  Harris had a hamburger and I had a wrap.  It was really good.  By the time we got back to the camper, we were both pooped.  The bikes are still on the truck and will get unloaded tomorrow. 

All in all we had a wonderful day!!

We hope you have a wonderful day.

Gary taking a break

Harris inspecting an old water tank we found on the trail



Ann taking a break

Tuesday:   Day trip to Lake Pleasant Regional Park.   We wanted to go check our what the Lake Pleasant Regional Park looked like.  So we headed out after lunch.  We found Lake Pleasant.  It is really strange to see a lake in this area since it is so dry.  The creeks do not have even a trickle of water.   After touring a private campground, we headed to the Regional Park campground to check it out. 

After checking the campground out we headed for the marina where we found Dillon's Scorpion restaurant.  We both decided on a catfish sandwich, cole slaw and a beer.  It made it even better since we ate on the deck looking out at the lake.  Of course there were several ducks thinking we should share our dinner with them.  Many did, but we just enjoyed ours. 

Then it was back to the camper!

Have a wonderful day.

Who me?

The satisfied look

Waiting for a morsel??