Friday...finishing up!

Well.....we were due to leave on Saturday, March 1, but we have decided to cut it short by SIX DAYS and head home. We plan to leave on Sunday morning. Dad said we surprised him....he didn't think we would last this long!!!

Wednesday is the day that Ron and I headed into downtown Phoenix. We had a great tour of Chase Stadium, which is what the Diamondback's ballpark is called. Do you know that the Diamondback's have the only Major League ballpark with a swimming pool in the stands?? It can be rented by groups and up to 35 people can actually watch the baseball game from the pool in the center field seats!!! Also...there are only two major league ballparks with "catcher's walks". Who can tell me what a catcher's walk is, and what stadium has the other one ????

After that tour, we drove about a mile to the Arizona State Capitol

Building. It doesn't look much like a capitol building, but it you look closely you will see that there IS a dome roof. It is copper.

We had lunch in the cafeteria just before going on a tour of the building. The original building has been turned into a museum so after touring the House of Representatives, we were taken through the museum. There were several interesting displays there and we toured for over an hour before heading "home".

Of course on Wednesday nights we play bingo....again no winnings, but always a lot of fun.

Thursday evening we attended the Michigan State Dinner in the ballroom/auditorium. The dinner was catered and was quite nice. The entertainment was a fantastic musician that winters here in the park. He and his wife are from Bear Lake, Michigan. He played saxiphone, trumpet, clarinet, flute, and keyboard and had a vocal accompanist. His program was on their "favorites" and he played "Jambalaya, Crawfish Pie, Filet Gumbo" and actually dedicated it to Ron and I. As I have told you before....Ron is probably the only bonified Louisianan in the park! Mr. Moore had seen us earlier at the hot tub and was visiting with Ron when I arrived. He commented that he had learned the entire story of how Ron and I met and we ended up in Louisiana. During his program when he started to make his introduction of the number and SAID that he had met Ron and learned the story, Ron turned to me and said "Good thing I didn't dress this story up!" I told Ron he should always be careful what he tells people about me....it may come back to haunt him! Ha!

So Thursday was a pleasant evening with decent food and great entertainment. Then today we attended another dinner with the folks that was put on at a country club nearby by Edward Jones Investments. Another EXCELLENT meal.

Today was EXTREMELY gloomy and cool. It drizzled rain off and on today. I guess that has helped us to be comfortable with our decision. Tomorrow we will stow everything.....make sure we have our laundry done and packed and ready everything to head out first thing Sunday.

We had originally planned to do some side trips on our way home, but as we get closer to the departure day we know without a doubt that we are ready to get home to our little house and our precious family!

Jake sent me a photo of little Emmie...

Who could blame us for not wanting to hurry home to this. On a couple of occasions this past month, bad weather in Louisiana has found Jake taking Christie and Emmie to OUR house, rather than stay in his woodframe house on pylons with tornadoes in the area. He says that she wanders through our house saying "Gwamma? Gwampa??"

And then....our news flash from home today was that Samantha has broken out with chicken pox!!! I am truly ready to be back home to help love my granddaughters!!!!

So...possibly, by the middle of next week, you will see our post announcing our arrival back in Louisiana. Please pray for our safe travels! And thanks for following along with us on this part of our adventure!