THE LAST THREE DAYS

We are in Yuma Arizona. We left Las Vegas on Friday morning and drove to the Yuma Proving Grounds about 40 miles north of Yuma, out in the middle of nowhere in the desert. There is an Army base there where we spent the night, and we drove on into Yuma on Saturday afternoon. We are staying with Dick's cousin and her husband, Joan and Red, the friendliest and nicest people we've met in our travels. They have a lot here in a neighborhood where each lot is fenced in with Mexican bricks forming the wall, and with iron gates across the front. Their lot has a small shed along the back, and a covered patio in the middle. Their 5th wheel RV is parked on the west side, and Dick and Bev's and our RVs are parked along the east side. All three trucks fit in too, and the gate is closed behind us. What fun we are having!

Saturday afternoon we went to the flea market, held in a huge lot, all under the cover of tents, and blocks long and wide. I've never seen anything like it! And you can buy just about anything from fruit to nuts; and also candy, RV supplies, T-shirts, jewelry, garden flags and ornaments, quilting patterns and fabric, books, Avon, purses, and on and on. The merchandise is new, and the prices are good. That was a lot of fun.

Then yesterday we went to Mexico, my first trip there ever. I had a ball bickering with the shop workers over the prices of items. Ernie and I bought a stained glass window for the door of the RV. I'd always seen people with these fancy stained glass windows in their RV, and I knew that the factory wasn't putting them in. I had no clue that they came from Mexico. I picked out a very colorful kokopelli, the little hunchback flute playing stick man, who is known, among other things, as the story teller and is used in decorating vases, shirts, lanterns, plates, bowls, cups, etc. We installed it right away when we got home and he looks good.

Today we went back to Mexico to exchange the stained glass that our friends bought. So we had to have another look round and had to bargain for a few more items. I got some brightly painted tin ornaments and a blue plate with very colorful little people painted on it. After we got back to Yuma we toured the historic Yuma prison that is now a state park. That was very interesting. Sure glad I didn't have to spend any time in there. Seems that the prisoners who were put in the "dark room" often had scorpions and rattlesnakes dropped down on them through a vent in the ceiling, by the guards.

I don't know what is on the schedule for tomorrow, but I am hoping it includes a trip to the date farm. I understand you can buy date milkshakes that are out of this world!