Friday, Jan 3rd

Another cool morning that was a very nice day after the sun did it's work.
  We got out early for some things we needed.  First we wanted a few groceries as well as some sundry items and a jug of water.  Our first stop was Walmart where we got the best parking spot in the lot.  A handicap stall right in front of the door.  Given the way Marg has been feeling it was much appreciated.  I only use the pass when Marg is in the vehicle, in case you are wondering.  After picking up everything we cold find it was on to Safeway for the balance.
  When Marg was in the store I filled the 5 gallon bottle of water.  The guy next to me was a retired farmer from Weyburn, Sask.  Sometimes older folks get chatty when standing about, such was the case today.  Funny I know but what else do you do when you are waiting for the bottle to fill.  25 cents a gallon seems to be the going rate, except for some dodgy looking places that are less.  Well for the difference it amazes me there are customers for the grungy looking little places, obviously people who place little value on appearances. 
  We picked up groceries we needed, but also some basics to put in Kenny & Doris' place.  Knowing they would get in late in the day, Marg got them a 2 quart milk, small can of coffee, loaf of bread, bananas, 4 yogurts and a few things from home like butter. 
  After we got back we cleaned out the Az room.  Our neighbours in the condo at home [Bonnie & George] will be arriving tomorrow and staying 3 nights.  I needed garbage bags to put the insulated window coverings in.  After that Marg opened up the hide-a-bed, inflated the mattress and put on clean bedding.  I got the RV toilet out and put water and chemical into it.  We put it in there for night time use.  Sure hope it all works out for the, this is pretty basic, camping type accommodation and we are not sure whether they have done much of that.
  After lunch we took a ride [in golf cart] to get the mail and there was none.  From there I went to play pool.  All 3 tables were in action today and I ended up on the newly recovered one where the competition is keen.  Just after we got started, Marg peeked her head in the door with my water bottle, I had left it in the cart.  Everyone knows her of course, so they were all beckoning her to come in, but she just stood in the doorway looking for me.  It was kind of funny, very cute of her to bring it in.  I played until the 3 players at the table left.  Then I went over to another table where I played a couple of games with 2 other fellows. 
  Marg went home and had a bit of visiting.  She stopped in at one of the neighbours who are running the Pub night next weekend.  It turns out they have had something come up and will not be there, so she worked out a new scheduled day and then ran around getting agreement on it.  In the process it seems she committed to happy hour at our place today.
  Shortly after I got back it was happy hour.  It was a fairly small group today, about a dozen.  It was funny as there was another happy right across the road from us and a third one on the road behind us.  On of the ladies was at our happy hour while her husband was at the one across the road.  It's not a competitive thing as you can generally stop at any happy.  In fact the people across the road often ask us and we do likewise.  It seems to be an Arizona or Snowbird ritual.  Near the end they were all speculating on when Blanke's would arrive, so I called them on the speaker phone.  It turned out they were only an hour from here.
  After that was done we went over to Blanke's and opened it up.  I turned the water on while Marg put the groceries she picked up into the fridge.  The we turned on the porch lights in the carport to make it easier for them.  It was a bit later that they pulled in, so we went down see if we could help them unload.  After that we took them out for a bite to eat at IHop.  Nice seeing them again.  They have had a tough year, especially recently.  Two days on the road from Kansas and they finally made it.