Scottsdale, AZ: Mark & Karen Welcome Us Into Their Home

This afternoon we drove north to Mark & Karen's house in Scottsdale Arizona, which is a little over an hour away from Casa Grande. Mark & Karen used to live in Maryland not to far from where we lived.  

They moved to Scottsdale in 1997 and have a beautiful house they share with their two children and a dog named Sparky. As I'm sure you've gathered from my other posts, the weather here in the Phoenix area is great year round, especially fall, winter and spring. It does get hot during the summer however there is no humidity.

Last year Mark & Karen re-modeled their backyard  and it looks terrific. When you enter the front door you see all the way through to the backyard, where the fountain and pool is the focal point. Casual outdoor living at it's best. With no bugs and comfortable temperatures, Mark & Karen are able to leave the doors to the backyard wide open. Really quite nice. The pictures would have come out much nicer if I had a tripod for the camera however it gives you an idea of how nice their backyard is. 

Mark & I worked together at HP for years and it was great getting caught up with him and his lovely wife. Mark manned the grill while Karen steamed some fresh vegetables and prepared a salad. Everything was delicious.

Mark is still at HP where he is responsible for 3rd party products that can be added to personal computers. Karen works for an Internet based company that helps people and companies send out customized cards. The web address is www.sendperfectcards.com. Really an innovative idea and using the Internet makes it soooo easy, especially for Mary Lynn and I while we are travelling. 

You know how time flies when your friends make you feel welcome? Well that's what happened to us this evening. We had a great time laughing and telling stories, getting caught up on what we've been doing and what both families have planned for the next few months. Time flew by and before you knew what had happened, it was time to say goodbye & head back to Casa Grande.

At great ending to a day that started with going to breakfast with Dave & Mary Anne. They are the couple we will be travelling with to & through Alaska starting in mid-May and going through August. MLA was feeling under the weather so Dave, Mary Anne, and I enjoyed a long, leisurely breakfast discussing our travel options for Alaska and making sure Dave's cup of coffee did not run dry. I've never met anyone who enjoys their coffee more than Dave does -- just don't let him run out!

In any case, another great day in paradise comes to a close.

See Ya!

Casa Grande, AZ: Travel 2000 Miles To See Your Neighbors

When we bought our first house, Sandy & Marshall were our next door neighbors. We lived next to them for seven years and then just three doors down from them for another eight years. You see, we liked our neighbors and neighborhood in Maryland so much that we purchased our second house on the same street. On the same side of the  street even! It had a lot more room, four bedrooms and most importantly, at least to the kids, a pool. 

When Christopher, our oldest started to complain about having to move I told him I didn't want to hear it. We only moved three house up the street for pete's sake. I told him he had no right to complain. I mean, he not only didn't have to change schools, he didn't have to change bus stops. 

I was a military brat growing up and attended 17 schools in the first 12 years of school so I didn't have much compassion for someone moving three houses away....

In any case, Sandy & Marshall were great neighbors and even better friends. You know how some people have the ability to bring life to a party? That's Sandy & Marshall. They are a lot of fun and you know it's going to be a good party if Sandy & Marshall are there. 

So imagine our surprise, sitting here in Arizona some 2000 miles from Maryland, when we get a call from Sandy & Marshall letting us know they would be in the area and wanting to know if we could get together. 

Wow - I always thinks it's a stitch to get together with your neighbors when you are 1000's of miles away from your normal circle.

We had a blast today. Sandy & Marshall brought Sandy's dad Bill and his wife Angie along with them. They really wanted to see our RV and the RV park where we are staying. And we had a great time showing them around before we went to dinner at Mimi's Cafe. The food was excellent however the best part by far were the stories told around the dinner table. I laughed so hard I thought I would bust. What a fantastic afternoon & evening.

You know you are with good friends when you are able to pick up your friendship and relationships after months or even years have gone by. Sandy & Marshall are like that. Sandy's dad is 87 and, except for stairs where he needs a little help, he gets around extremely well. We had a great time and all too soon it was time to say goodbye. So good to see all of them.

I said it before and I'll say it again, check out our travel map and if you are going to be in any area at the same time we are going to be in that area, give us a call. We love seeing family and friends, even if its only for a short time.

See Ya! 

NEWFLASH - THIS JUST IN.     NEWSFLASH -- THIS JUST IN.

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