Folks are setting their air conditioners for 80 to 90 degrees or turning off all their utilities, closing the blinds and curtains, cleaning out the refrigerator, putting their golf carts away, draining the hot water heaters, etc. It's time to head back to the north country a.k.a the great exit for many (i.e. many leave about March 31--we are staying longer this year--we still have a little money left). The native Arizonians say--Hurry back next fall and bring money! At church the pastor said--We are preparing for the famine! You snowbirds are heading back home and our church will seem empty and our cash flow will be way less. I am not on the payroll of the AZ tourism! But let me tell you folks, I popularize wintering in AZ.
This pretty much epitomizes my thinking folks. Do I hear some soft noise going on by some of you folks who are soooooo sick of northern winter. Is that your brain grinding? It's a strange noise like "you can't wait to put on the shorts, fip flops and tank tops". Ya, you guys had to tighten up your belt and just hope for the best (i.e. dig in you heels) this winter. Wow! It appears that this winter thing has been going on for many many years and nobody is the wiser! I remember our little old modest farm house a mile and fourth south of Roseland, MN that was really cold in the winter. Really cold! Any of you had that experience. We had a little oil stove in the living room that was our primary source of heat. We had a combination (i.e. electric and cob burning part in the kitchen. We had black stove pipes running in our kitchen and living room. Wow! Now I have the opportunity to winter in AZ. Now that is quite a change folks.
Never every thought I would ever spend the winter in AZ when growing up as a kid. No way. I wore hand me down clothes of my cousins and never ate in a restaurant until in high school. Didn't have a inside bathroom until I was a teenager. I'm not an exception but pretty much normal in this thinking when talking to many folks down here in AZ. Now I can lay on the couch and do pretty much any type of business and communication using my smart phone. Wow! How things have changed. Now I think more about my dink shot in pickle ball that I do about making a living or what I'm going to eat next. Wow!
Here are my words BUT...! A friend sent me this-- "A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver". Pray to God to always give us a word fitly spoken. That says a lot about maybe being real careful about what and when we say things. Words can be real hurtful or real encouraging. AZ is nice in the winter as I see it. Just nice. I just plain enjoy it. Maybe you don't like 78 degree sunny days; I do. Everyone has their own likes and dislikes. It might not be for you guys. I understand. But the winters are long and dark, and cold in IA folks (i.e. especially long). AverageJoe says--erv, I don't think you see the "big picture" of ever one's life. I think AverageJoe you are right nor do others know the "big picture" of my life. There are "flies in the ointment" for many folks that don't allow them to do what they want. I'm not naive folks! Ya gotta do what you gotta do! Such is life.
I heard this in church soooo...--You snowbirds come here for the winter's heavenly weather. BUT in the summer it's hot as hell!
I'm sorta kinda "hazy" in knowing all the right answers but I have many #s on my contact list of my cell phone. You folks on my list know everything sooooo why do I need to know soooo much. Maybe that's why I'm sorta kinda "hazy"! Could be "By Jove"! ItichieBitchie says--Wait a second erv, you must have a lot of #s on your cell phone as you need a lot of help! I do ItichieBitichie, I do. It's a gut wrenching reality! I really just watch and listen to most of you guys and do what you guys do and I'm fine (i.e. good to go). That is why I'm here in AZ. Such is life.
Headingbacknorth! A friend who was heading home said this to me--Home sounds good. We thought we could come down here and get in better shape, etc. It just feels too much like we're on vacation and we can't get into a routine. We're actually looking forward to that part of home (i.e. my friend you need go get home and scoop some snow; I think the sun got to ya). I can see where staying someplace longer would help that. Ya my friend, for me, staying longer and more often changes my mentality. It becomes more "old hat fun"! I don't need to do everything as we have done most of it and find out much stuff isn't as impressive as it looks and I don't need to be an acquaintance with everyone as I found out that not all of those folks are as impressive as they look and say. Ya don't have to be the "homecoming king or queen" (i.e. at least I don't try). I pick and choose and am "relaxed by design"! As the song goes--After you been having steak for a long time, beans beans taste fine! Some of my acquaintances think I go 80 miles an hour a.k.a. the fast route but I really don't. We all have our pace. Some folks all they do is sit, eat and talk (i.e. the three most popular activities as I see it). OneSmartMan said--As I have aged I am learning that sometimes, even sitting quietly doing what appears to be nothing is still doing something. The people he viewed "doing nothing" could have been thinking about things, praying or even watching others. Much is gained by all of those things and you are still doing something. Some would even say they are constructive things. I feel that it is important not to waste time but what one perceives as wasting time may not be the same to another. I agree OneSmartMan but ya gotta do something to throw those chips away and get your butt of the couch or your butt gets pretty big with time!
And you know what? We all have our interests, abilities, desires, wants and things that we enjoying doing. And that is good. We don't all do the same things. But when the weather is nice, it presents more opportunities and choices. I'm glad all the folks don't like to play pickle ball; the courts are tooooo busy the way it is!!!!! If folks try to impress others (i.e. and some really try) I think they are missing the boat. Most snowbirds don't, they just enjoy life. That's how I see it.
It's been a brutal winter in much of the north. My buddies back home tell me they are sick of winter. VIPHarryfromMN told me this--We had a power outage at our house this morning and my PC, laptop, TV, DVD, Wifi, iPad and my new surround sound music system were all shut down. Then I discovered that my iPhone battery was flat and to top it off it was snowing outside, so I couldn't play golf. I went into the kitchen to make coffee and then I remembered that this also needs power. So I sat down and talked with my wife for a few hours. She seems like a nice person.
Some folks in the hot tub said to me--I get over that thinking in about one second! I struggle in my mind sometimes! I have such a Life of Riley and struggle with having it sooooo goood (i.e. I'm in the very minority folks). My buddies tell me--You worked hard, you deserve it erv. Just enjoy it. I do enjoy it but struggle with that maybe I'm not using my time wise enough (i.e. pickle ball and golf and biking and reading, and eating etc--you get the idea). I had the opportunity to play some golf with some college buddies and have a burger with them and their wives a couple of weeks ago. We talked about it and Rocky told me--moderation erv, moderation. Good advice. CadillacJack says--Now that is a tricky one! It appears that this struggle isn't much of a struggle for many. I need to talk my way out of that struggle. I'm getting better. I have a new life purpose that helps me. Such is life.
EngineerHaroldFromIA says--I've often been asked, 'What do you do now that you're retired and winter in AZ? 'Well...I'm fortunate to have a chemical engineering background and one of the things I enjoy most is converting beer, wine and whiskey into urine. It's rewarding, uplifting, satisfying and fulfilling. I do it every day and I really enjoy it."
Like I said, AZ living has it's problems toooo! Every Wednesday I play with the Linksters in our same foursome. We were giving EngineerJohnFromDubuque crap about his fancy Sun Mountain Speed pull cart as he was taking it out of the vehicle. He was showing us all the features including a little brake on it soooo it won't roll away. We get to the 13th hole (i.e. a par three with ob on the left and a pond about 50 feet to the right). EngineerJohnFromDubuque parks his pull cart next to the green and is standing there getting ready to putt when all of a sudden we hear this wow wow! His Sun Mountain Speed Cart without the brake on is rolling down the hill toward the pond with him after it. He never did catch up soooo it went into the pond as well as John. He dumped the water out of his bag and threw it on the bank and went back for his Sun Mountain Speed cart. He threw it on the bank while standing in water up to his knees. His deluxe cart has this pouch to keep his wallet in--his wallet and contents completely soaked. Where is his smart phone that he keeps in the special tray of his deluxe cart? He's back in the pond and finds it on the bottom. I couldn't help but laugh; it was hilarious. I had to cover my face until we got done playing and had a beer and a dog; then it was funny to EngineerJohnFromDubuque as well. We play for a dollar for the fewest putts. I was the winner and it was the first time I was paid with "laundered money"! Guess what, his smart phone dried out and worked when we got done eating. What a fun time! He put on quite a show for us!
Arlene and I like the Waldorf Apple salad at Alberstens deli. We were picking some up the other day and Mark was helping us. Mark is a big guy with a big mustache (i.e. not a typical guy I think would be a clerk at a deli). ANYWAY I thanked Mark for giving me the tip to buy my crab salad in the meat section (i.e. he said it was better and saved about $3 a pound). I said--We shouldn't shop when we're hungry; everything looks soooo goood. He laughed and said--My wife sent my to Costco for detergent and I spent $489 and forgot the detergent! That is sorta kinda what wintering in AZ is, ya come down here with ideas and expectations but find many many different enjoyments that you had no idea you were going to find. You have not idea what the next day will bring ya. ItchieBitchie says--Each day is new, as unpredictable as a ride on a rodeo bull and over seemingly as quickly. Such is life.
Will times change AZ snowbirding? A pickle ball buddy (i.e. who butchered game in Billings, MT--still does but sold his business 10 years ago and now just works for the new owner) told me that 10 years ago they processed 110,000 pounds of game. Last year they processed 30,000 pounds. Wow, that is quite a difference. Why? Several factors that include the economy, hard to find ground to hunt on--land owners lease the ground (i.e. all about the $$$$ folks), and the younger folks are not interested in hunting (i.e. don't want to spend the time and money on hunting--they would rather do other things with their money if they have any spendable money for recreation). Huh, interesting. Sooooo I wonder if the future generations will save any money sooooo they can winter in AZ when they retire. I wonder about that. Some things change folks. And some don't. I visited with another pickle ball buddy who lost her husband last November. We had a very open and real conversation. She shared her faith in God with me. Wow, she is quite a gal and a good pickle ball player tooooo!!! This was just one day at the pickle ball courts folks, just one day.
I will miss acquaintances and friends I made here in AZ. I read somewhere sooooo it must be true--Everyone needs friends, deep friends. In fact, there are three kinds of relationships we need in life: (1) a person who ministers to you and for whom you do not necessarily do anything in return; (2) a peer relationship in which you share, build, and minister to each other in a give and take relationship; and (3) a relationship in which you minister to someone else and perhaps, in the process, never receive anything from that person in return. Aristotle wrote: “Friendship is a single soul dwelling in two bodies.”
End of the trail! For some of you who I spent time with down here in AZ, I might not ever see again (i.e. for different reasons). Some of you I hope to see again next winter. All of you have affected my life (i.e. some more than others and in many different ways). I say thanksamillion for being you. I really appreciate you guys. I have had many good laughs, good times, and learned a lot from you. It really has been a hoot. There are soooooo many great folks in this world and you are some of them; keep up being a good, real folks. MissPerfect says--The deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated. I appreciate you guys. I read this while eating my oatmeal with half a banana on it (i.e. Paul's usual benediction that I would like to use with you)--The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you.
Have a FUN day my friends unless you have other plans. (-:
erv
MyFriendJean says--The best preparation for tomorrow is the proper use of today.
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