V2N4A

How the Hell are your Parents?

By: Jennifer Nettell

Iron Mountain Bureau Correspondent

I am asked, at least weekly, "Where are your parents?", "How are your parents doing?", "Are your parents having fun?". To be honest, it is very sad, but I have no idea!!!

They are like bad children. They don't send letters, they don't send postcards, they don't call to chat. If they need something, they call. (Thank God they haven't called for money...I draw the line there!)

CALL #1: How is the house?" "Dad forgot his Insulin, Bye!"

CALL #2: We need our Car Title, Motorhome Title and Birth Certificates to get into Mexico." Then Mom goes into the helpful information..."They are either in the 3rd drawer on the far left side of the desk, the top right drawer of the desk or in the top drawer of my dresser in the bedroom." So I hike through 20" of snow, de-ice the door, and find only 3 of the 4 items listed. No Motorhome Title.

CALL #3: Maybe the Motorhome Title is in the 3rd drawer of the gray file cabinet...We really need it. You have to find it!" Back again, 25" of snow, 3" of ice on the door...No title!

CALL #4: "Ya know, I don't know if I've ever seen the Motorhome Title! Besides, as it turns out, we don't need them anyway!" Information that could have been useful before call #2.

CALL #5: Dad ordered a cowboy jacket and it is going to be mailed to your house in 4-6 weeks." We figure this call was because Dad was overly concerned Tom would wear it to Greenleaf's before he gets home!!! Can you picture it?

The moral of this article is, the next time you see me or my sister on the street, keep in mind... We don't know where they are. We don't know what they are doing. All we know is, if they need something, they will call! (SEE: "We're Fine, Thanks!" for rebuttal) CLICK HERE

March @ Marana

Most of our loyal readers know that we spend a month in Marana, Az during the winter months, while we are avoiding the snow. This year our month was very special for several reasons. We got a chance to see my sister Cookie and her husband Bill, and their daughter Nicole. And we also got a chance to see my brother Ed, and his wife Maxine, and Ed's son Daniel and his wife Sheri.

We also got to spend the month with good friends from home, Walt and Kathy Werden, Wally and Anne Petersen and Bob and Jayce Dale. We also saw other friends from home who stopped by the campground on their way to other parts. All in all, there were 13 Yoopers who were at the Valley of the Sun RV Park for at least 1 day. Before Sharon and I found the park, there hadn't been one there in 5 years. We know this, because Ivan the Terrible (The Resident Yooper) relayed that fact on the first day we were there.

We also took several shopping trips, including one to the Apache Junction Flea Market with Cookie and Bill, Walt and Kathy.

We visited the Desert Museum and took a side trip to San Manuel to visit with friends Suellen and David Aronson. (She used to work at City Hall in Iron Mtn.) And along with Bob and Jayce, and Walt and Kathy had a fabulous dinner with them.

There was even a Pasty Day this year that we'll write more on in another part of this issue.

The weather was very warm the entire month this year, unlike the bad weather that we experienced all winter last year. We swam in the pool on every day that we weren't gone from the park. And even some of those days we took a dip after we got back. And we cooked out by the pool, twice together. We had a good month with friends and family and are looking forward to more of them in the future.

Puerto Peñasco

We have toyed with the idea of camping in Mexico, and thanks to Suellen and David Aronson we have accomplished it. Along with Bob and Jayce we went to the beach right at the Sea of Cortez. We stayed for 4 days, and even though the weather was bad, Sharon and I had a great time. We drank Margaritas for $4 a pitcher, and Dos Equis beer with lime. We ate Mexican food and Sharon even contrived a meal from a dream she had one night.

We never actually swam in the Sea of Cortez cause it was too cold, but we have pictures of us pretending to. We would like to go back again sometime, maybe next year. Until then, adios Mexico!!