Just for Fun

When I moved here, I was pretty sure, Mexican food would not be on my menu often, and some items be be removed completely.   This wasn't the entire truth!   I did bring six cans of green chiles with me, and have made one batch so far.   I did find a store that features other Country's favs, and found tortillas, salsa, and taco shells.  YIPPEE!  Win-Win!I was craving fajitas, but of course, they do not sell packets of the fajita mix.  BUT, I found a recipe online, and made it last night.   Chicken fajitas are SO good, and this recipe was fabulous!   It made more than I needed for one meal, so put the rest into a ziplock bag.   I need to find some small jars for spices, as I found cayenne pepper in a packet at the store.They do sell avocadoes, and are really good.   The one thing I have f... 09/02/2026

Michelle wanted to share her feelings about compression socks.  She is very proud of her new neon pink socks.  I did some research about compression socks and the average age of Villagers and this is what I found: Compression socks can be especially helpful for seniors because circulation in the legs may become less efficient with age. Gentle compression helps blood move back toward the heart, which can reduce swelling, aching and tired legs. They may also help lower the risk of blood clots during periods of prolonged sitting. As Michelle mentioned we are flying in a few week and the past few years we have been wearing compression socks on all of our flights! Dick Betts, REALTOR®The Betts TeamLPT RealtyThe Villages, Florida717-860-3107 cellDick@DickBetts.comwww.DickBetts.com#realestate ... 09/02/2026

Wordless Wednesday…My Daily VitaminThere are only a few days when Larry and I don’t begin our mornings with a long walk. We’ve walked in temperatures as low as 25 degrees and as high as 85 degrees with a feels-like temperature of 96. We’ve walked through everything from a light drizzle to rain heavy enough to require an umbrella.   An early-morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.Henry David ThoreauIf we’re lucky, we catch a beautiful sunrise. And even if clouds hide it, we are there early enough to feed the blue jays, woodpeckers, cardinals, and squirrels the peanuts Larry and I carry with us on our walks.   Sunrise is the reminder that we can always begin again. Rupi Kaur This is how we jumpstart our day. When we visit our good friends in Kansas, we sneak out early to walk the go... 09/02/2026

Stillness Along the St. Johns RiverRiding our ATV through Lake County, Florida, with my husband brings us face-to-face with some of the most breathtaking views in nature. The trails wind beneath a canopy of towering trees, palms, and graceful strands of Spanish moss, while sunlight filters through the leaves and casts a warm glow across the water. Along the St. Johns River, quiet coves mirror the blue sky, soft clouds, and lush green shoreline. Cypress trees rise from the still water, their roots reaching into the sandy banks, while floating plants drift gently across the surface.When my husband and I park beside the river and turn off the ATV, everything becomes wonderfully still. The silence is broken only by the rustling leaves, the distant call of a bird, and the soft movement of wa... 09/01/2026

Bill Salvatore of Arizona Elite Properties featured a post toRe-Blog today on Active Rain. Good post by Roy today, andworthy of our daily Re-B. Gilbert AZ  GILBERT ARIZONA HOMES FOR SALE, Bill Salvatore, AZVHV / HelpingArizona Heroes, New-Construction Advantage, Realtor, sell my house, 2026Market, Chandler  #Sellmyhouse #whatsmyhomeworth #homevalues#2026market #ArizonaEliteProperties #ChandlerAZ#yourValleyProperty #GilbertRealtor #AZVHV Amylu Chicken Red Pepper & Gouda Burgers Chef Dolores and I really like these chicken burgers that I purchased at our local Costco store. Amylu charbroiled chicken burgers made with chicken raised without antibiotics, featuring savory Gouda cheese, sweet caramelized onions, and red bell peppers. Each 2.5 lb package contains 10 fully cooked burger patties... 09/01/2026

Book Recommendation: Renewed for Murder by Victoria GilbertRenewed for Murder (2021, Crooked Lane Books) is book number six of the Blue Ridge Library Mystery series by North Carolina author Victoria Gilbert. I recommend this series for your reading pleasure. Click on the link to reach the website to learn more about the author and her books.Librarian Amy Webber dances with death in this sixth Blue Ridge Library cozy mystery by critically acclaimed author Victoria Gilbert. “An intricately plotted library whodunit that both cozy readers and librarians will love!” —Amanda Flower, author of the Magic Bookshop Mysteries August in Taylorsford, Virginia finds library director Amy Webber and her new husband, dancer Richard Muir, settling into married life—and a new project. Richard and his danc... 09/07/2026

There is a grocery store not far from me (all uphill though, so ride my bike), promotes business!   I saw a person in front of me on one of my trips with a red Continente card.   I went to the customer service desk, but then had to wait for someone who spoke English.She gave me an application and a card.   On the next visit, the clerk let me know that day was a discount day, and I got 15% off on my entire grocery bill.   Also, when you buy anything in a plastic bottle, or a can that has "Volta" on it, you can return it to the store for 10¢ and will be applied to your grocery bill.No coupons, just a full discount.   I now know it is Thursdays, but I had to get some cat litter today, and got 15% off today too.  YIPPEE.   We can always use a discount.   I didn't buy a bunch, but 3 differen... 09/01/2026

Trivia question answers for Monday August 31, 20261. What secret society is the oldest men's club in the world? Freemasons2. What are the two fruit juices in a cosmopolitan? Cranberry & lime3. Where did the tradition of pumpkin carving originate? Ireland 4. What is the term for a word that reads the same forward and backwards?     PolindrineTrivia questions for Tuesday September 1, 20261. What is the young of a pigeon called?2. What is the most expensive aircraft in the world?3. Who was. the firs singer to have five #1 singles off one album?4. Which European countries has the most islands?Enjoy your day. 09/01/2026

The IRS Has Fewer Employees—but Its Computers Have Not RetiredIf you have unfiled tax returns or an unpaid IRS balance, you may have heard that the IRS lost thousands of employees and assumed:“Wonderful. Maybe they have forgotten about me.”That is not a tax-resolution strategy. It is more of a wish wearing business casual.A new report from the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, better known as TIGTA, shows that the IRS lost approximately 27 percent of its Examination and Collection staff between fiscal years 2024 and 2025. Unfortunately for taxpayers hoping to disappear quietly into the federal filing cabinets, IRS collection revenue still increased substantially.Apparently, fewer employees do not mean fewer collection letters. The computers are still employed, they do n... 08/31/2026

She Came With the House John Palmer asked an interesting question in the Q&A a few days ago…What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever seen left behind in a house? Some answers baffle the mind. I hope you’ll head to John’s question and share what you have!While I never saw anything left behind while consulting on a home, a house that came with something I never would have expected came to mind.  Years ago, Larry and I were thinking of moving to Orlando and wanted something on a lake.  We drove up a winding road, with a small house tucked along the side.  I asked the agent the name of the street we were on.  “Oh, this isn’t a street…this is the driveway to the house we’re looking at!”  The house wasn’t a mansion by any means, but a large ranch house on a lake. Outside the master bedroom door... 09/01/2026

“The foundation stones for a balanced success are honesty, character, integrity, faith, love and loyalty.” —Zig Ziglar “I know the price of success: dedication, hard work and an unremitting devotion to the things you want to see happen.” —Frank Lloyd Wright  “Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.” —Henry Ford \ “Success is simple. Do what’s right, the right way, at the right time.” —Arnold H. Glascow “Success comes from knowing that you did your best to become the best that you are capable of becoming.” —John Wooden  “For success, attitude is equally as important as ability.” —Walter Scott \You can make things happen if you keep things on a goal, not a wish.  Will Hamm 08/31/2026

Golden Valley was named for the poppies seen growing on the mountain sides  and in the open fields. Summer time is quite warm with temperatures reaching over 105 degrees.Being from NW IN where the summer temps reach the low to mid 90’s and humidity reaches 98%, we knew about the higher summer temperatures and the lower humidity.Before I share about the summers here in Golden Valley, AZ here are some quick facts.The valley is over 300 square miles.  Putting that into perspective, the old city of Toyoko, Japan covers 243 square miles.  Rhode Island has approximately 1,034 sq. miles. So Golden Valley would cover about 1/3 of this state. Mohave County is the fifth largest land mass county in the continental US with San Bernadino County in CA being the largest. Arizona has three of the top 1... 08/31/2026

Every once in a while, a recipe takes something wonderfully simple and turns it into the dessert everyone suddenly must try.This time, it’s Dot Cakes—individual cups layered with soft cake and fluffy buttercream, then finished with a thick blanket of tiny, crunchy nonpareil sprinkles.  RECIPE: Confetti Dot Cakes, a Nostalgic Little Treat Every once in a while, a recipe takes something wonderfully simple and turns it into the dessert everyone suddenly must try. This time, it’s Dot Cakes—individual cups layered with soft cake and fluffy buttercream, then finished with a thick blanket of tiny, crunchy nonpareil sprinkles. They were made famous by New York’s Dotcakes bakery, where the little treats have reportedly sold for $11 each with a two-cake purchase limit. Naturally, someone decided ... 09/05/2026

As the Civil War ended and the nation struggled to heal, Eliza McCardle Johnson entered the White House during one of the most turbulent periods in American history. Unlike many First Ladies who embraced public life, Eliza preferred the quiet comfort of home. Frail health kept her largely out of the spotlight, yet her influence behind the scenes helped support her husband through one of the most difficult presidencies in American history.   "She proved that quiet strength can leave a lasting mark on history." Born: October 4, 1810 (Leesburg, Tennessee, USA)Died: January 15, 1876 (Elizabethton, Tennessee, USA)Years as First Lady: 1865–1869 As the Civil War ended and the nation struggled to heal, Eliza McCardle Johnson entered the White House during one of the most turbulent periods in Am... 09/04/2026

Trivia question answers for Sunday August 30, 20261. In which country was the Wankel engine, also known as a rotary engine invented?    Germany2. What is the complimentary color of red? Green3. Which metal is liquid at room temperature? Mercury4. What color diamond is produced if it contains traces of boron? BlueTrivia questions for Monday August 31, 20261. What secret society is the oldest men's club in the world?2. What are the two fruit juices in a cosmopolitan?3. Where did the tradition of pumpkin carving originate?4. What is the term for a word that reads the same forward and backwards? Enjoy your day. 08/31/2026

FINALLY got to meet these girls, and OH MY was that fun!   A few were Brits, one other American from Atlanta, Brazil, and Scotland (Glasgow).    I got there a few minutes after 10, and there was already a table of 7 or so, then a couple more came.With this many at a table, this time I did not get to talk to the ones at the other end of the table, so I will need to make an effort to meet the others in a couple of weeks.It was fun sharing stories of the AIMA office ordeal, and Julie from Atlanta has been waiting for 3 months already for her residency card.   The lady from Glasgow (Wendy) said hers took TWO YEARS!   But, you just have to take the papers you get that says you HAVE been to the office and turned in your paperwork.They also celebrate birthdays, so on 9/14, we not only will enj... 08/31/2026

RECIPE: Confetti Dot Cakes, a Nostalgic Little TreatEvery once in a while, a recipe takes something wonderfully simple and turns it into the dessert everyone suddenly must try.This time, it’s Dot Cakes—individual cups layered with soft cake and fluffy buttercream, then finished with a thick blanket of tiny, crunchy nonpareil sprinkles.They were made famous by New York’s Dotcakes bakery, where the little treats have reportedly sold for $11 each with a two-cake purchase limit. Naturally, someone decided to recreate them at home—and I can certainly understand why!They’re cheerful, nostalgic and easy to personalize for birthdays, showers, holidays, team celebrations or any ordinary day that could benefit from more sprinkles.My Prime Brand Collective version uses hot pink, Tiffany blue, whit... 08/30/2026

Motivational Monday…Know You and Be YouDon’t change so people will like you. Be yourself, and the right people will love the real you. Dolly Parton’s passing and the many stories about her reminded me how much her life embodied the above quote. Know who you are. What are the rules that guide your life? Where are you willing to bend, and where do you stand firm?  Dolly did not bend to what Nashville or Hollywood expected. She knew who she was.  She adapted when she felt she needed to, but in the end…she was always Dolly.While watching Hurricane Irma several years ago, I watched tall palm trees bend with the winds.  There were moments when the wind was so powerful it looked as if one of the palms was going down. It bent over maybe 40 degrees and then gently righted itself.  How was this p... 08/31/2026

Thursdays are now my day to practice retirement, and this week we headed to Demorest, Georgia, simply because I had never stopped there before.Dinner was at Holden Oversoul Kitchen and Oyster Bar, and it turned into one of those meals you remember. We had oysters, Bang Bang Shrimp, and redfish, and every bit of it was excellent. In fact, it was the best meal we have ever had in Georgia.After dinner, we walked around the Piedmont University campus. The grounds were beautiful, with a great park, wide sidewalks, and a skywalk crossing over the streets. It was an easy place to slow down, walk, look around, and enjoy the evening.Demorest was a pleasant surprise and exactly what a practice-retirement Thursday should be: a short trip, a good meal, a little exploring, and no reason to hurry hom... 08/30/2026

A Tree That Has Watched Generations Pass By at Piedmont UniversitySome places make you stop and look twice.This enormous old tree on the Piedmont University campus in Demorest, Georgia, did exactly that for me. You can walk past buildings, sidewalks, and landscaping, but a tree like this demands a little attention.Look at those limbs.They stretch in nearly every direction, twisting and turning around one another as though the tree has spent decades deciding exactly where it wanted to grow. The trunk is massive, and several of the lower branches are nearly as impressive as smaller trees themselves.I found myself wondering how old it might be and how much of this campus's history it has witnessed.Imagine What This Tree Has SeenPiedmont has been part of Demorest since the late 1800s. Stude... 08/30/2026