Our snowbird life in Tucson

This is our second winter at the Voyager RV Resort in Tucson. We're renting the same place this year. When we passed through the entrance gate, a deep familiarity washed through me. It felt very good.


                           Looking down 4th Street from our driveway



We were introduced to the Voyager by my college roommate Ann and her husband Larry. We met  their friends last year. We met other people through the activities we pursued. And we're doing a few different things this year, and we have met new people doing those things. Almost everyone is from someplace else for the winter, and it is very easy to make friends.

Here's what we've been up to so far.

Two dances - one on New Years Eve and one last night (January 11). At home we don't dance. Here, the music is good, full of oldies. We sit with friends, get up and dance to the irresistible songs. It takes less than five minutes to walk to the ballroom.

Water aerobics. I started last year in a simple class and continued once we got home. I can tell I'm stronger now. I bought my own weights last week, finally, at Sports Authority. I take the easy class on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and the more vigorous one on Tuesday and Thursday. Six minutes to get to the pool on foot. These classes are at 8 a.m. and because the sun is shining I am able to get out of bed that early.

Current events discussion. This one can be aggravating because participants are on wildly divergent places of the political spectrum. Last week we talked about raising the minimum wage and about discontinuing unemployment compensation. I should say we debated and challenged. It's a place where politics isn't something we don't talk about. I will never be a conservative.

Great Decisions. This is a weekly discussion on foreign affairs. I volunteered to facilitate our group this year rather than just participating. I'm a little nervous about the first meeting next week because my role is new, but I know most of the people from last year, and I have done facilitation, and I am a mediator. We have one difficult participant and I am thinking about ways to keep him from dominating the conversation. Probably people will have to raise their hands to be put on a list to speak. I'm glad for the challenge, though.

Line dancing and two-step dancing. We start the two-step class this afternoon, and the line dancing starts tomorrow. We did both of these last year so we know what to expect. I bought dancing shoes this summer and they were wonderful on the dance floor last night.

Handbells. I got promoted to the "varsity" ringers. I love the sound of bells and I don't even care whether we ever perform for anyone besides us. We will, though, at a resort concert in March. It had been 30 years since I played bells before last year. I still remembered.

Pickleball. This is new for us this year since Art was recovering from broken ribs last winter. We took the beginner class this week. Even though I did a face plant on the court because I lunged forward to return a serve, I suspect we'll do this more often. On pickleball days I'll probably skip water aerobics.

Reimagining God - a discussion group for people on a spiritual journey. After I talked to the facilitator she invited us to a fascinating lecture in Tucson, and to her very progressive Methodist church last week. We are exploring progressive faith communities this winter.

Native American flute. We took the beginner lesson last weekend and have been practicing enough that we no longer sound like dying cows most of the time. Yesterday we went to the beginner flute circle. We learned some new techniques and I wasn't too nervous as we went around the circle playing for each other.

Bicycles. We brought ours this year. Our Prius usually gets 43 miles per gallon on the freeway. This year, with the drag from the bicycles on the back, it got about 30. We probably could have rented bikes cheaper! Mine had a flat tire but it is now in good condition. We went for a short ride yesterday and Art fell off his when we got back to our driveway. We need to be careful! I don't foresee taking off-resort rides, but it is quicker to get to the activities on the resort. Feels good to be back on a bike after having it hang on the wall of our garage for six years.

We are busy, but not frenetic. Except for water aerobics and pickleball, our other activities are once a week.

A friend visited the resort this week. On Thursday the three of us took a four-mile hike in the desert and then to a fabulous Mexican place in downtown Tucson for lunch.

My sister Alyx and her husband Virgil are flying in this afternoon. They live in Anchorage and are pining for some sun and warm. They will get it here!