Sunday was golf day for HSV folks here at Palm Creek; today it was a plain scramble. The wives choose a paper slip with one of the husband’s names, and they partner up. Today, Bev Graham and I played as a team, and she is a good golfer. Though tied on scoring, we beat Kay and Gary Star for 2nd place based on scoring difficulty of holes played. Afterward, we enjoyed a great happy hour on the Graham’s patio overlooking the 18th hole. Not a big fan of the NFL, we missed the great playoff game between Kansas City and Buffalo; such a shame one had to lose.

Monday was a resumption of pickleball, and Kay and I both played, despite my not feeling 100 percent. Our allergies—caused by dust—this year have been debilitating. Though we don’t feel terribly bad, we don’t feel good; It’s always something. A big potluck was held at the Tennis pavilion to celebrate Helen Baggett’s birthday, and meet and greet kew arrivals. As always, the food was great and the conversations was even better. Laurie and Dale Furney, our street neighbors here at Palm Creek for three years, joined us at the potluck; just this last July they moved into a newly built house in Hot Springs Village; what a small world, and they play pickleball, golf, and bridge—doesn’t get much better than that.

Tomorrow (Wednesday), we travel to the Arizona Sonoran Desert Museum specifically to watch the raptor free flight program. The Desert Museum is an outdoor museum with birds, butterflies, wild animals know to inhabit the desert, cacti, etc. Here are a few photos, in advance.