It’s been a fairly routine week here at Towerpoint RV Resort in Mesa, Arizona. That’s what happens when we stay in one location for an extended period of time – we fall into a routine. Donna plays pickleball with me on Monday, Wednesday and Friday – I play at least five days a week. On Tuesday and Thursday, Donna works out with a personal trainer. She also bicycles, runs or walks a few times a week, so we’re getting plenty of exercise.

On Mondays and Fridays, I hit happy hour at Red, White and Brew. On Thursdays, I have happy hour with the usual crew at Lucky Lou’s. Last Wednesday, we met my friend from our high school days, Andy King, and his wife Donna for sushi at Osaka Japanese Steakhouse. We each ordered our favorites a la carte from the sushi menu and sat and talked for about two hours. It was a good time and I’m looking forward to meeting up again next Wednesday at the Handlebar Pub where Andy will be performing with the String ’em Up bluegrass band.

On Thursday at Lucky Lou’s, tables were set up by the entrance with a variety of snack foods. It was a fundraiser for Golden Gates of America – a local non-profit funding education for learning challenged kids.

Fundraiser at Lucky Lou’s

That night, Donna prepared a new recipe – fennel-crusted pork chops. She cooked 1-inch thick pork chops in a cast iron skillet on the induction cooktop along with potatoes and shallots, then popped the skillet in the oven to finish cooking.

Fennel-crusted pork chops in the skillet

Fennel-crusted pork chops with potatoes and broccoli

It was an excellent meal. Donna says it was easy to prepare – everything in one skillet, except for the steamed broccoli which was cooked separately. Next time, she says she’ll make it even simpler by just mixing fresh baby spinach or other greens in with the potatoes when they come out of the oven.

I managed to do a little more work in the trailer this week – it’s shaping up. I’m waiting for two more Suncast cabinets to arrive. Meanwhile, I have a few things that need to be done on the coach. I’ll try to get started on those projects this weekend.

On Friday morning, instead of playing pickleball, Donna took an Uber ride to downtown Phoenix. She met Jan Walker at 40th and Van Buren (map). Jan is traveling by foot from Oceanside, California to the Pentagon Memorial in Arlington County, Virginia. The reason for her long journey is to raise awareness and funds for the September 11th National Memorial Trail. Donna has been following Jan’s journey via Facebook after a fellow minimalist from San Diego mentioned meeting her on the first day of her trek. Donna walked with Jan for about seven miles – Jan said it made the time go by much easier. Their route took them up Galvin Parkway past the Desert Botanical Garden to McDowell Road. I rode the Spyder to the intersection of McDowell and Pima Road to pick Donna up at 12:30pm. Jan planned to make it to Fountain Hills by the end of the day.

Jan and Donna and Jan’s Rise Up for the Fallen cart on McDowell

I picked Donna up so we could make it to a lunch date at Fat Willy’s restaurant at the Viewpoint RV Resort. We met our friend, Marilyn Cross, there for lunch on the patio. We met Marilyn and her husband Ron in Hemet, California at the RV Resort there. They took us on a day trip to Idyllwild when we were in Hemet. They were in Mesa for the afternoon having some interior work done on their motorhome. Ron stayed with the coach while Marilyn met a friend to play pickleball in the morning, then ran a few errands before meeting us for lunch.

Marilyn is an avid pickleballer and we talked a little about game strategy. Donna and Marilyn caught up on things and the conversation danced around politics – scary topic. We talked about border crossings – Ron and Marilyn are Canadians. She told us a couple of funny stories. Once, when crossing the Canadian border, Ron was asked if he had any firearms in his coach. He said, “No, but my wife’s a pistol.” Another time he was asked if had anything to declare and he said, “I do declare I’m one handsome guy.” Funny stuff, but you have to be careful – not all border agents have a sense of humor.

After taking Donna home, I made my usual stop at Red, White and Brew. They had a new IPA on tap – Birthday Suit from Goldwater Brewing in Scottsdale, Arizona. It’s a new brewery and pub that opened about a year ago. The IPA was citrusy and surprisingly light-bodied although it had a kick with 7.6% ABV.

A citrusy and refreshing IPA

While I was sipping my beer, a woman sat next to me at the bar and started conversation. A few minutes later, three guys walked in. There were only two open seats at the bar. One of the guys came up to the woman and asked her if she wanted tickets for the Indycar Race at Phoenix International Raceway. He said he would give her two tickets so we could go to the races. She told him she wasn’t with me – we’d just met. Then she told him she couldn’t make it to the race. The guy offered the tickets to me if I would give up my seat at the bar. I thought it might be some kind of April Fool’s prank but I took him up on it and called my friend, Mike Hall. Mike was planning to go to the race and buy tickets there. I told him I had two free tickets – he’ll pick me up this afternoon and we’ll head out to Glendale for the race.

Free tickets!

Speaking of April Fool’s, I posted on Facebook that our old house here in Mesa was up for sale and Donna and I were getting off the road and buying our old house back. This morning I revealed it was an April Fool’s post. Actually, our old house WAS for sale in the fall when we stopped in Mesa for a brief visit. It’s since been sold.

Last night at 5:30pm, one of our neighbors organized a potluck dinner for the people on J Street and friends. Donna made chicken meatballs to contribute. It was a fun time and good eats too!

Chicken meatballs over a bed of spinach

J Street potluck

Today my projects will go on the back burner again so I can go to the races.