Catching Up

Last month we had a going-away gathering for a couple on our street who have sold their casita.  Four other houses on the street are also for sale. We really enjoy our neighbors and are sorry to see things change. But I think that is what happens in resort communities especially with senior citizens.

We keep busy doing our weight training in the exercise room, walking for exercise, and creating in our workshop. John produced an amazing intarsia eagle in January and has been using the scroll saw to cut out Christian sayings. They are very pretty. I have been turning some bowls with mixed success. Finally, one turned out well this week. Hopefully, more will be created soon.

Our house was in a royal mess from last Wednesday through yesterday afternoon. We had the carpet taken out of the bedroom and new wood laminate installed. That means removing all of the furniture including 2 bookcases, 2 bedside tables, a painted chest, a chest of drawers and the bed. They were all moved into the rest of the house. We could hardly walk from room to room.

Now, we are back together.

Sunday we attended the annual deadenders and loopers party. Strange name, right? One street in our resort is a dead end. The next street--where we live--loops around off another street. We have been getting together every spring since we moved it. This year, a caterer smoked a full pig and, for the second time, there was a band so people could dance. We talked for several hours to neighbors we already knew and others we hadn't met yet. It was a noisy but fun evening with excellent food from both the caterer and the potluck dishes the rest of us contributed.

Bob and Jean's grandson was learning to line dance.

Oktoberfest

Almost every weekend through the fall-winter-spring, there are festivals throughout the Phoenix area. Last weekend, we could choose between the Greek Festival, the Fall Olive Harvest Festival, or Oktoberfest. We went for beer and brats next to Tempe Town Lake.

We saw all sorts of different hats and clothing.





And good food, including these butterfly fries.



We came for the beer, but first we had to have our IDs checked so we could get a wrist band to prove we are old enough to drink beer. Can't they just look at our gray hair and wrinkled skin? Or should we be pleased they question if we are really over 21?



We did enjoy the beer and brats with sauerkraut.



But we couldn't talk as we ate because the nearby band, J. Powers, was playing very loud country, rock and motown music.



There is an area with water features that attracted the young. We had a good time watching the little ones.





I think one purpose of Oktoberfest is to raise money for the Tempe Sister Cities program. A group of musicians and dancers from one of those cities was performing and we really enjoyed watching and listening. Unfortunately, we weren't there when they were introduced, so I'm not sure where they are from. Checking on the internet, I think they must be from Cuenca, Ecuador, based on their clothing which looks South American. Tempe has 8 sister cities from all around the world.

This is part of the band.



And some of the dancers, performing a market day dance.



At the end of the dance, the women each chose a man from the audience to join them on the dance floor. One of them chose John, and he looks like he was having a good time. (That isn't what he said about it, afterwards, however.)



I have no idea where this group of folks is from, maybe Mali or New Zealand? Those are the location of two other sister cities.



This sign has some German that I could read without the English translation. There isn't much I remember from my two years of college German.