Our First Day in Yuma

How to begin?   Here's a You Tube we think you will enjoy.  My sister sent it to us and we really got a kick out of it.  It takes place mostly in Florida but there are a lot of Canadians here in Yuma. Enjoy!  

"SNOW IS A FOUR LETTER WORD"   These guys are involved with the  Snowbirds Association Of Canada. http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=WsOMeru8pxQ&sns=em

First of all - here's where we are staying if you want to see their website:   Cocopah RV and Golf Resort   Looks nice, yes?  Well, it's OK.

It is typical Arizona desert RV park - Park models, RVs, activities, golf, pool, library, dog park, funky internet service, etc.   This one is filled with mostly Canadian snowbirds.   The gravel sites have a cement 4x8 patio.  The rig goes on one side and the truck parks on the other.   If I can get some decent wifi tomorrow I will send some pictures of some of the park models and sites to give you an idea of what we are sitting in.  Today I likened it to an upscale refugee camp.   People coming and going from sun up to sun down.  Most of them in their golf carts with their clubs on the back.  I would say that 95% of the regulars here have a golf cart in their driveway to get around.  Constant motion - like a colony of ants or bees.  Everyone is happy, welcoming, helpful, and friendly.  It's like being plopped down in a Twilight Zone set.   We were so used to Santee where there was some activity but most folks kept to themselves.  We already miss the lakes and ducks but are sure glad we aren't there right now.  I had a text from someone there today saying that they were being "hammered" by the rain.  

After Roger's trials and tribulations in getting the rig into the site we were assigned it turned out that the sewer connection was under the rear of RV and it took every inch of sewer hose he had to reach it. The connection was funky and none of our connectors fit properly so he he had to jerry rig it.  The water is located way at the back of the site at the intersection of 4 sites. There are 4 spigots.  Roger had to link two hoses together to get enough length to reach.  The power box was at a reasonable distance.  It is so frustrating as to why RV parks put their utilities in weird places.  The water and sewer connections in the majority of RVs in mid-ships.  The power in the back.  I believe here everything is in the rear because they really want park models on the sites with all the utilities in the back.  That makes sense, but they should have a few regular RV hook ups, wouldn't ya think?  

Anyway, we got in and settled last night and got a short walk before dark.  We got to sleep with the window open and the furnace never clicked on - the first time on this trip!  It was nice.  

There is a dog park - the Piddle Patch - three streets over but you have to cut through on walkways or walk all the way down the end of the road and then back up another. Otherwise there is no grass or dirt for the dogs.  Just gravel. The place is divided between pet and non-pet sections.  Pets are verboten in the non-pet section, leashed or otherwise so we can only walk Maggie in a small area - probably about one third of the park. But, the Piddle Patch is a nice very large grassy area for the dogs to do their business and run free.  That is a good thing. The bad thing I found out this morning is that there is no fence around it.   

Maggie was very naughty this morning.  Roger was in the shower so I took her and her ball over to the doggie area for some running.  She chased it maybe 5 or 6 times - full speed ahead and was having a great time.  Then I threw it and she went speeding past it at warp speed and started running down the street.  I started after her - at un-warp speed - calling her name.  I tried "come," "stay," "sit," "you dumb dog," but nothing worked.  She was a dog on a mission.  She practically ran under the legs of a Great Dane at full warp speed.  She got to the cutoff and disappeared around the corner.  I got there to see her turning onto the next street and hightailing it down that one.  I then lost sight of her.  I was so upset about losing her and so mad at her!  I headed back home to get Roger to help me look for her.  Who do you think was waiting for me in front of the RV?  I was angry but relieved all at once.  It did cost me, though - a migraine started and I got sick.  Fortunately I have a good supply of meds and in half an hour I was back to feeling normal.  So, Maggie stays leashed.  

Tonight we went for our walk after dinner and passed the laundry room.  I planned to do laundry tomorrow, but the place was empty.  Guess no one wants to do laundry on Friday night. We went back and got the laundry and drove it over in the truck.  While the washers did their thing we finished our walk with Maggie.  We got back about 10 minutes before it was time to put the clothes in the dryer so I stayed there and Roger and Maggie were going to go back to the RV and I would come when I finished loading the dryers.  Maggie wouldn't go past the parking lot.  She sat her little butt down and wouldn't move for Roger. He had to bring her back and sit outside the laundry room until I was ready to walk back with them.  We are now thinking that maybe the incident this morning and this one tonight are telling us that Maggie is stressing about the new surroundings and doesn't want us apart.  She wants us together - with her.   She was OK when we went back to fold the clothes and left her in the RV.  It's just when one of us takes her away from the other one.  She wants her family together!!  

Now that I don't have to do laundry tomorrow we will go exploring!!