Thanksgiving Visit to Phoenix

 

 

Where do I start?  I decided at the last minute that I would use some time off at work to go to Phoenix AZ for Thanksgiving,  After a meeting with someone in Human Resources to get information on my Retirement Package.  Bottom Line!  I can retire anytime after January 1, 2012 and get all of the earned incentive bonus, plus 40 hours of vacation pay and accrued vacation.  Now all I have to do is figure out what it will cost for insurance and other budget items.  I will also need to get some definite Workamping commitments for Summer 2012 and Winter 2012/2013.  I’ve got a couple of applications out there, but haven’t any answers yet. Before I can set an actual date, I will have to get all of my appointments made, doctors’, dentist, Social Security, etc..  Everything has to be in place first.

While in Phoenix, I was able to meet with the person that hires and check out the resort and the Workampers area.  It’s a nice place and close to where one of my daughters lives.  They won’t make any offers until after May for the Winter season.

                               4:30 am

Back to Tuesday, one of my neighbors, John helped me get the containers out of storage and loaded into the back of the truck,  It was a puzzle, packing around the fifth wheel hitch and then covering it with a tarp and strapping it all down.  Wednesday morning,  I left Rancho Cordova at 4:30 am.  I drove straight through, stopping for fuel and rest areas to let Angel out and check on the tarp coming loose,  My first stop for #2 diesel was in Bakersfield where I also went to Target to get a net to cover the tarp, it worked fairly well.

      

From Bakersfield I took 58 East to avoid the Grapevine and check out the steepness of the grades going over the mountains.  It was so much easier and a prettier drive, although it was a longer route to take and not as much traffic, although there was an accident on the westbound (a truck and travel trailer that jack-knifed) where it backed up traffic for a few miles, glad I was going Eastbound.  From 58 I took I 15 North to connect with I 40 East and then I took US 95 South to I 10 and then East to the 303 North to El Mirage where my daughter Mellissa lives with three kids and three dogs.  I got there at 8 pm, Boy was I tired!  As tired as I was I didn’t get more than a couple hours(?) sleep. 

Thanksgiving Day!

                              

                                   Angel is such a good traveler.

In the morning we all (Mellissa, Elyzabeth, Robert, Katie and Me) went out for breakfast (not her dogs), Angel stayed in her crate in the car, poor baby!  From there we went to a Women’s Shelter to serve them their Thanksgiving Dinner,  The company that she works for (Waste Management) volunteers each year, not only to serve dinner, but also for other activities or the women and the kids, bowling, arts and crafts, football, basket ball etc.. My granddaughter and I took the arts ad crafts.  I think that the mothers and kid had fun and created some things to take back up to their rooms.  No pictures were allowed to protect identities.

From there we went out to Queen Creek where my oldest daughter, Heidi lives with her husband, Chris and daughter, Svea Ailis.  (They are currently living with his parents to save $$ to relocate to the Dallas/Fort Worth area next Spring).  That’s where we had our Thanksgiving Dinner, at her in-laws.  Janelle certainly set out a great spread.   Most of their family was there too. 

                          

                                               combined families

                          

                    

                               me          Heidi        Sandi       Mellissa

                                         

                                                me              Sandi

Then out of the blue my #2 daughter, Sandi comes to the door.  She lives in Texas and decided that morning to fly in and surprise us.  A VERY BIG SURPRISE!!!  It has been over 10 years since I’ve seen her and more than that since we have all been together at the same time.  The only one missing was my son Ted, Nick and Sandi’s two children, Mary and Charlie.  We had a great visit with everyone there and then Sandi and I shared a motel room.         

More on my visit in my next post.

In the mean time I hope that you all had a wonderful holiday as I did. I certainly have a lot to be thankful for, friends and family are right there at the top of the list along with my fur kid Angel.

                                               

Thanks for visiting

Susan and Angel  http://whatsupwithsusanandcompany.blogspot.com/