In The Review Mirror

On March 11, 2022 the moving truck pulled out of Tucson and arrived here in Sun Lakes, 91 miles to the North.  It doesn’t seem possible we have been here a year.  We’ve survived a hotter than usual summer although we complained a lot and an unusually cool winter when we also complained.  We weren’t alone, almost everyone complained about the weather this year.  

Considering our To Do List last year at this time consisted of address changes, telephone tag with utility companies, finding a grocery store, bank, pharmacy and the library.  Meeting new people for everything from haircuts for us and a groomer for Daisy, to a primary physician, dentist and an Ear, Nose and Throat guy, apparently we are sensitive to this green stuff called grass.  

Did you know that the Medicare Advantage Programs are attached to the county you live in?  Well, it was a surprise to us, we never gave it any thought and all of a sudden we got a letter telling us we would no longer have health care in 23 days.  Because we moved from Pima to Maricopa County we needed to quickly shop for new coverage.   That in addition to everything else was a heavy load. But we got it done and now everything is good.

Choosing a Medicare Plan. Which one?

Now our To do List consists of checking what the dining specials are at the club house, making sure we get tickets for the latest cover band, signing up for lectures, playing bocce ball and taking Daisy to see the ducks at the lakes.   

After twenty-seven years in  the desert house in Tucson where the coyotes, javelina and bobcats roamed and the snakes slithered, we are adjusting to this new environment. About as wild as it gets here are the leashed dogs in the park.  If I had to pick one word to describe this new place it would be tidy. The maintenance folks here are tireless, working dawn to dusk, mowing, trimming, seeding, and there isn’t a piece of trash anywhere in sight.  

 We are learning our way around the Chandler area. Like most people, we think the I-10 corridor is a nightmare. But it doesn’t impact our life at all.  We have plenty of shopping in the Chandler and Gilbert area. Since this whole area is relatively new the shops are newer and brighter, the   boulevards are wider and the well landscaped medians are tidy.   We will vote for an Oscar for the  genius who discovered the button that synchronizes the traffic lights.  Driving has turned into a pleasure instead of a chore.  

Our new house, well new to us anyway, is on the 18th tee for the Paloverde golf course. We thought it might be a little weird seeing people playing golf just outside the yard but actually it is rather nice.  While we have lunch on the patio we watch the guys tee off  and when they duff a ball we holler  ‘Nice Shot Buddy’ they wave, wait, maybe they aren’t really waving.  

Just a block away from our front door is a lovely park with a mini  putting green, without the windmill and the moat.  The lady putters meet there several days a week and putt to their heart’s content.  Each week there is a winner and a cash prize is involved.  I think that explains the gleam in their eyes. We love the spacious ramada with BBQ grills and tables, it can be  reserved for special events, and our favorite part of the park are the four bocce ball courts.  (more on that in another post)

We walk Daisy in the park every morning, the walking path is wide enough that we can walk side by side and Daisy can walk in the grass, yes there is real grass.  We’ve met lots of folks and their dogs, Daisy is always excited to run into  Molly, Fisher, Elle, Ginger, Jessie, Reilly, Chloe and Charlie. There are people attached to the end of these leashes but it is easier to remember them by their four legged companions. Fisher is a  favorite, he brings Chuck with him, they are here in the winter and in the summer they are fishing up in the Dakotas. 

There are a lot of winter residents here and it is always interesting to hear where they spend the summers.  In a lot of ways it seems ideal to have a  home here for the winter and a home to spend the summers in one of those M places, you know, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana or Montreal.  But other M words like, maintenance, management and money might prove to be a downside to that  plan.  I wonder what the difference in population is here in Sun Lakes June as opposed to January.  

I’ve previously mentioned that I’m a regular at the Writers’ Group and Monty is enjoying  Italian classes.  We joined the Italian American Club and enjoy meeting the people with a dinner meeting every month. Last month was a change of pace with a potluck at our park.  

Whoa, I’m out of practice for potlucks, I’m going to have to up my game. My bowtie pasta with Zesty Italian dressing was sadly lacking on the table with sausage and peppers,  Caprese salad, spicy Italian squash and veggies, followed by homemade tiramisu for dessert.  

We’ve really enjoyed the music here. The open mike on Tuesdays has introduced us to several people who are excellent musicians and singers. Like any senior community this is a favorite stop over for cover bands.  We have been to Margaritaville with Jimmy Buffet, Greg joined Monty to see the Blues Brothers, then there were covers for The Rolling Stones, Heart, my favorite has been Fleetwood Mac, this week is Waylan, Willie and Johnny, next week is the Eagles, then Neil Diamond followed by George Strait.  These concerts are usually sold out so that’s over 300 folks.  The ballroom is just a few blocks from the house and there is an open bar.  What’s not to like about this whole deal? It’s just like Disneyland for adults.

Our covered patio faces north so it is perfect for summer happy hour and the sunsets are lovely. We added a fire table to

Sunset from our patio

the patio set so even in the winter evenings it is pleasant.   As much as we loved the Tucson house and the quiet of gully living, the hill behind us blocked any real sunsets.  If we saw the mountains turn pink we had to run up to the mailbox to see the whole sunset.  Now we just adjust the chairs and watch the sun set behind the palm trees. (we admit we do miss the Catalina Mountains)

The golf course and its pathways are for folks who are actually playing golf. (pretty narrow minded if you ask me) but there are five lakes that offer ample opportunity to walk around or cruise around on a golf cart.  You don’t even have to guess, of course we have a golf cart.  We were only here a short time when  Monty was sure Miss Daisy would like to go for evening rides in the cart to visit the ducks.   We have over two hundred miles on the cart so I guess she is enjoying her rides.

Daisy on her way to see the ducks

It is wonderful being here with the kids, everything is easier. They have been most gracious to include us in their plans and it is nice to know they seem to like us.  Just this weekend Tricia was over to share wedding talk about her daughter, Sarah.  Greg and Debbie were here on Sunday to visit and go to lunch.

Life is good! We really love it here!

The cart in front of our walking path in the park