A New Year Has Arrived

 Once again we have been blessed with perfect weather which continues day after day.  This week, 2024 came to a close and of course we had to celebrate.  We started with a campfire  and had a wiener roast with all the trimmings and of course, smores!!

  While this may seem like an unusual New Year's Eve  celebration, you must remember that we no longer see midnight so we just say good-bye to last year a little earlier than most.

On New Year's day, we went all out with tenderloins wrapped with bacon

and again, all the trimmings.  Two days in a row, we had similar meats - they were both round.

Just as we said good-bye to 2024, we  likewise to Yuma as we headed to Borrego Springs.  We normally take the interstate but decided to go across country for some different scenery.  We went through the Glamis Recreation Area and the sand dunes.  There were a lot of folks camped at the dunes although there didn't seem to be a lot of vehicles playing.

  A nice drive, but the roads were not great.

Once at Borrego Springs we met up with our friends, Rick and Chris.  We has spent some time with them earlier in the year but it was great to see them again.

Somehow, a person gets to have the odd little mishap.  Well, here is a photo

of what can happen when something falls behind a slide.  Fortunately, when I heard a crunch, I stopped.  While it was quite a challenge getting it out, we were finally able to retrieve it.  Although it doesn't look too pretty, it still works.

We went into town to see what was new and what changed.  It seems each year, water is withheld from some crop.  Here we noticed that some palm trees were dying out,

but in another area, a new crop was planted. 

It seems that the crops need to be replaced every so often.  Every Friday there is a farmer's market at the Christmas circle so we had to go and check out the vendors.  While it isn't very big, the setting is quite nice and there was quite a variety of vendors.

As the week comes to a closed we would like to wish everyone a very Happy New Year and may each of you have a happy and healthy 2025.

Tis Christmas Week

 The stockings have been hung,  and the gifts have been opened.  Now it's time to say good-bye to 2024!!

We are still in Yuma and enjoyed our Christmas week with friends.  We started the week with a tour of 55th Street.  55th Street in the Foothills (suburb of Yuma) has one block which is dedicated to the "Night Before Christmas".  At the entrance of the home there is a large sign with a verse or so of the poem and the property is decorated according to the owner's choice. 

There is a variety of decorations and themes which may or may not reflect the portion of the poem that is on the sign to their entrance.  Some decorations are simple, some quite elaborate. 

This year, the weather has been unbelievable so the walk up and down the block was really enjoyable.

As always, some homes are decorated, and some are not, and some incorporate desert theme.

We had a great Christmas  dinner of turkey, ham, and all the trimmings.  We did a spatchcocked turkey on the barbecue - the perfect way to cook the big bird.  And there is always the moment when one gets to have a minute to just sit and relax.

There were eight of us for dinner.   It's a great time when one can enjoy good food, good conversation, and good fun!

The week has been rather quiet and while we enjoy the warm desert temps and the sunshine, we sure do miss the fun of being with the kids at this time of year.  In fact, we miss them the rest of the winter but prefer not to spend several months inside escaping the cold so we head south instead.  This week is the end of another year and we hope it has been good for you.  

As of today, the motorhome has been washed and waxed.  Gerry has spent the last couple of weeks working on the beast.  Not sure what is next - we will have to see!

Until next week!!!