Merry Christmas - Happy New Year!!
It is 8:30 pm, I just got back from a nice half hour swim and 5 minute hot tub. I have been trying to get at least a half hour of exercise in every day just in case we don't get out on the bikes or for a hike.  It is pretty easy to do, really no excuse, there is a gym, 3 pools and numerous aerobics and water aerobics classes daily.  I have discovered that the indoor pool is not busy in the evenings so I can do lane swimming without running into anyone and it is warmer than the outside pools - especially on exit.  It is only about a block to the pool so even the walk home is not bad as the swim and hot tub really warm you up!

Since the last blog we have had pretty decent weather for the most part - considering it is December. This week temperatures are above normal which is awesome!

This is my Christmas decoration - which has a string of battery operated lights that come on at 5 pm and stay on for 6 hours. The birds have been loving the feeder and bird bath.  Yesterday we were sitting out with our neighbors and I was wearing a bright coral top with flowers, a little hummer came within 2 feet to check them out.  Totally cool!
It is really hard to feel Christmassy at all here really, doesn't seem like it without family or snow (not that I miss snow!)

We sat out and watched the annual Christmas parade with some of our neighbors.  It is really fun and everyone has a good time.  They even throw out treats, Linda ended up with a tootsie roll in her drink.

I did not do any Christmas baking but the Christmas angel's kept on dropping of trays of amazing things!  There was another tray full too but I forgot to take a picture and somehow it disappeared.  I tell you , the ladies around here really know how to bake!  Thanks so much to Glenda and Terry, Maureen and Glen and Angel and Bob.  We spent Christmas eve with a group of people, lots of them from our block that we knew from last year.  It was a super fun time and the first time ever I have sat out until 10:30 pm on Dec. 24th
Our friends, the Taylor's, came for a visit on December 17 so we spent a lot of time sightseeing and visiting.  We were lucky to have them here for Christmas and we cooked the full meal deal at the place they were staying as it is a lot bigger than our motorhome.  We had a relaxing day, cooking easy style, going for a walk and sitting in the sun and some fun games after supper.

These are pictures of the Mormon temple all decked out beautifully.  We went and walked around there after a trip to the Organ stop pizza.

These are pictures from the trip we took out to Tortilla Flats.  It is so beautiful out there, I never get sick of looking at the Superstition Mountains.  As you can see it was a cloudy day and there was wind as well.  None of us had dressed warm enough so there was a bit of shivering going on and we did not stop for ice cream.

 Not sure how I got Don to church.  LOL

We did stop at a fun restaurant that has these silly things in the washroom which of course Jocelyn and I had to take pictures of.  She made up this cute little collage for me.

These pictures are from a 3 mile hike Don and I took at Usery park.  The sky was beautiful and it was a pleasant day for a hike.  In the bottom one you can see a gila woodpecker going to town on the saguaro cactus.  Since then we both have got proper hiking boots and awesome comfy socks.  We also have maps for lots of hikes both walking and biking.

 This group of pictures is at the Gilbert Riparian area.  We love it here, there are all kinds of areas to walk and bike.  It never disappoints in the bird sighting area either.  These cormorants were out sunning.

 this is some kind of Heron.

 These were the biggest, fattest Canada geese I have ever seen.  Seems they should be all skinny after all that flying.

Turtle - just sunning on the rocks.

One of these things is not like the others.

These 2 pictures are taken in the area adjacent to the Riparian area - we loaded up the bikes and went there for about an hours ride yesterday.  The first picture is the canal which is paved so a great place to ride along, the sea shells are everywhere right beside the canal.  I guess some sort of little sea creatures must live in the canals and get picked out and eaten by the birds.

 It was a great spot to ride and we saw such diverse things along the way. It is such a mix of rural and urban, green space and nature area all rolled into one.  Look at the size of this house!!

 And then we would see animals and hear chickens.

 Even a llama and a donkey and some pot bellied pigs and some goats.

 And some birds too - see the herons perched up there?

There's one close up.
Then when we were almost back to where the car was parked there was a nice path so we followed that for a while too.  Don found a nice place to try and do some metal detecting.

 That's Don, and beside him a beautiful mesquite tree.

 This is an aloe of some sort I believe.  This thing was like 8 feet tall.

Mountains in the background and a palo verde tree on the side.  Such a beautiful area for bike riding.

 Can you imagine getting a dozen huge yummy fresh oranges for $3?? 

Jocelyn or Wes took this of us in front of our motorhome.
We are looking forward to Kylie coming in January.  I have signed up for Spanish lessons which start in 2 weeks, also I have signed up for an iPad course.  I realized it is not just the iPad that is dumb, probably it is mostly me so I should really find out all the things I can do on it.  Also I have met the ladies that run the sewing club.  Maureen has offered to get together some scraps so I can make a casserole carrier.  Then as we got to talking and her showing me her amazing quilts I have decided to make a lap quilt.  I have made quilts before but she is a real expert and I am lucky that she will share her knowledge with me.  Hoping I can still work in the wood carving class and of course the bird walks.  There is also a rock class . . .   hmmmm