The new year started off in great fashion on Saturday, January 1, with a win by the Arkansas Razorbacks in the Outback Bowl. Hopefully, the team is on its way to long-longer term respectability.

Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday were all about pickleball, as Kay and I each played everyday. And, I got a new paddle (just like the other that was “misplaced” except for color). Kay diverted her interests to golf on Wednesday, playing in the Women’s 9-hole league here at Palm Creek. It has been a real joy to watch as she progressed from having never played to being a decent golfer.

We were both back to pickleball Thursday and Friday. This pattern continued for the next several days, though we did travel to the greater Phoenix area on Saturday afternoon to shop for dark roast coffee beans at Trader Joe’s and miscellaneous food items at Costco. Costco was a madhouse, with shoppers more dense than I have ever seen—a bit claustrophobic in fact. On Sunday afternoon, we joined the Seitz’s, Starr’s, and Graham’s for a 9-hole partner’s scramble; spouses could not pair with one another. It was a fun outing, and all came by our place for beer, wine, and popcorn. Sunday evening we attended a concert, “Not Fade Away Rock and Roll Show,” and it took the band almost 30 minutes to get groovin’, and finally playing songs with which we were familiar. Their high tenor singer was fabulous, as was the drummer, and both rhythm and lead guitars were excellent.

Monday and Tuesday were pickleball days, though Tuesday was so windy that Steve and I cancelled the 3.5 Partners round robin. Kay and I went out to lunch, and afterward, after dropping her off at the craft show, I was returning to the motorhome when a guy backed out of his carport and into the passenger side of the Honda. It was all I could do to not say a dirty word. Kay spent the rest of the afternoon taking care of insurance claims.