TOMBSTONE, AZ

Today we were delighted to travel the hour or so to Tombstone with Darcy and Kathy. We enjoyed ourselves and the hours spent there just flew by with all the many places and things to see and do.

Enjoyed a 25 minute narrative historical tour on the Tombstone Trolly.

This alternate mode of transportation was available as well.

"The Town too Tough to Die," Tombstone was perhaps the most renowned of Arizona's old mining camps. Days of lawlessness and violence, which nearly had then-President Chester A. Arthur declaring martial law in Tombstone and sending in military troops to restore order, climaxed with the infamous Wyatt Earp, his brothers Morgan and Virgil and the renowed Doc Holliday battled the Clanton/McLaury boys, a gunfight fought near the rear entrance of the O.K. Corral, on October 26, 1881.

Truly a Historical American Landmark, Tombstone is America's best example of our 1880 western heritage, which is well preserved with original 1880's buildings and artifacts featured in numerous museums.

Because of the many violent deaths of the early days of Tombstone, the cemetery became known as Boothill Grave Yard. Among the 250 graves here, are outlaws with their victims, suicides, and hangings, (legal or otherwise).

The Shoot Out at the OK Corral...portrayed by talented actors for the enjoyment of spectators at the original site of the original and infamous gunbattle of 1881.

An exact replica of the original Cochise County Courthouse, were they housed, tried and hung many outlaws of the 1800's. Now a museum.

Note the Nooses in the Courtyard in back of the Courthouse below.

Big Nose Kate Saloon. Big Nose Kate was the reputed girlfriend of Doc Holliday. Cool place with lots of memoribilia and nostalgia.

Bocce Ball

This ancient game, whose modern adaptation most closely resembles bowling, requires skill, strategy and just a little luck. Bocce ball is a great game to play outside on a beautiful day. And a beautiful day it was!

After two months of League play, it's Round Robin Playoffs, this week. With 150 residents involved, it's a great chance to meet a lot of friendly people from all over the US and Canada.

What I am looking forward to, is the Pizza Party we have this coming Sunday after the Semi-Finals and finals later this week. :)

Appreciation Picnic

A beautiful day for the residents of Rincon Country East to enjoy the annual Appreciation Day Picnic. Lunch included BarbQ Beef on a Bun, Potato Salad, chips, desert and drinks.

Music was provided by Two's Company and there was lots of dancing.

Even a few line dancers got in on the act, showing off what they have been learning in their weekly classes.

The Grand Poobah, George O'Leary, owner of Rincon Country RV Resorts, East & West.

Thanks George! It was a good time.

My own "Grand Poobah", Ray

Rincon East Little Theatre Show

Rincon East held their Annual Little Theatre last evening, I was thrilled to be a part of the production. The evening began with a Steak/Chicken Dinner and then the Show afterward.

For my part, I played Ethel Mertz in a spoof of an "I Love Lucy" episode called "The Candy Factory". Lucy was played superbly by Pat Schultz of Minnesota. We had a blast!

Mouthfuls of Candy!!

Dolly Parton and Jimmy Buffet!!

Archie and Edith!

There was a lot of craziness and tons of fun!

Eartha Kitt, played eloquently by Barbara from here in Tucson.

The audience seemed to like us; they laughed a lot anyway. That was the goal!

We were glad that Sandy and Michel could join us for the dinner and the frivolity!

Visiting with Friends from Home

We were thrilled to have old friends we met in Greenwood visit with us for a few days. Sandy and Michel wintered in Mazatlan, Mexico, and were heading to California from here, on their way slowly back home.

It was great to hang out with Sandy and Michel for a few days. Spent some "Happy Hours" catching up.

Here we "cleaned up" at one of Rincon's Pancake Breakfasts. Yummm

We enjoyed our time spent with them. Thanks for coming, good friends!

And there off! Westward bound. Have a good trip, Sandy and Michel. Drive Safe! We'll catch up in Greenwood later this Spring. :)

Tanque Verde Swap Meet

Finally made it out to the Tanque Verse Swap meet here in Tucson last Saturday. Huge Outdoor market. Antiques, collectibles, locally made arts and crafts, Indian jewelry, sportswear, sporting goods, new and used merchandise and produce.

With approximately 750 Vendors, many from Mexico, on 19 acres, we got planty of exercise, mulling over all the different booths. Brought home a couple of treasures, the coveted Roadrunner lawn ornament and Kokopelli Welcome plaque for my front cactus bed. :) Also got some sundries that were a fraction of the cost in the stores. A fun time!

An Adorable Pink Bundle of Joy!

We were thrilled to visit Alise and Nathan and meet their new little baby girl, Rylie Alise Dozier. She arrived promptly on her due date, February 6, 2008, weighing in at 9 lbs 3 1/2 oz. And real beauty she is! Here's Rylie with her proud Grampy and Grammy, Darcy & Kathy and Mama Alise, at one week old. Of course, can't forget first baby, little Max. =^..^=

Three generations, Grammy, Mommy, and Baby.

Poolside

The temps have been close to 80F for the past few days, so it was time to hit the pool!

Ray's favorte spot, chatting with some nice folks from Ontario.

Before going back home, just had to stop to "smell the Roses". :)

Pima Air and Space Museum

There are so many events going on in Arizona this weekend and the days following. Tucson's Gem Show, FBR Open (formerly Phoenix Open Golf Tournament) in Phoenix where Tiger Woods is struttin' his stuff, PGA Match Play Golf Tournament in Marana AZ, (just North of Tucson), Presidential candidates in Phoenix and Tucson vieing for votes in the upcoming Primary on Tuesday. Hilary Clinton is speaking in Tucson tonight. And of course, that tiny little football event, The Super Bowl.

The weather is perfect and typical, blue skies and warm temperatures, 67F. After both of us being laid up for most of last week with a nasty cold bug, it was time to get out and do some more sight-seeing and Ray has been hankerin' to see the Pima Air and Space Museum since we arrived in November. So today was the day. Left early this morning and didn't arrive home until close to suppertime. Sooo interesting! Took a tram ride that took a little more than an hour and toured the outside exhibits. The tour guide was a retired Air Force pilot and was very knowledgeable. All in all, a very enjoyable (but pleasantly tiring) day.

"The Pima Air & Space Museum is one of the largest aviation Museums in the world, and the largest non-government funded aviation Museum in the United States. The Museum maintains a collection of more than 275 aircraft and spacecraft from around the globe, including many rare and one-of-a-kind, and more than 125,000 artifacts. Here you will walk among the giants of our aviation heritage, including military, commercial, and civil aviation. Among them are a B-29 Superfortress, the SR-71 Blackbird, and a rare World War II German V-1 "buzz bomb."
The collection includes President John F. Kennedy's Air Force One, and presidential aircraft used by president's Nixon and Johnson. The Museum has five large hangars totaling more than 177,000 feet of exhibit space."

This big fella fascinated me! The SR-71 Blackbird.
"It is hard to overstate the technological achievement represented by the Blackbird. It holds world speed and altitude records and is the only manned, jet-powered aircraft to exceed Mach 3. A brief list of some of the records held by the Blackbird is:

July 28, 1976 – World absolute speed record – 2,193 mph

July 28, 1976 – World absolute record for sustained altitude – 85,069 feet

September 1, 1974 – New York to London – 1 hour 55 minutes 42 seconds

March 6, 1990 – Los Angeles to Washington, D.C. – 1 hour 4 minutes 2 seconds."

The F-107A Fighter Bomber

I kept waiting for Tom Cruise to pop out from the Cockpit! This is a F-14A Tomcat, like the ones they used in the movie "Top Gun".

Air Force One, Douglas VC-118A Liftmaster. This aircraft served as the official Air Force One for Presidents Kennedy and Johnson.

That would be President Ray, waving to his devoted people...that would be Me. :)