The Year in Review
2014
This has been a good year and we feel truly lucky to have the good health, good friends and family we enjoy.
Vina continues to volunteer for Call 12 for Action, a local TV station's consumer advocate program. Every week she learns new things about being a good consumer and some of the really crazy things that people do. She also enjoys her Spanish Club where they get together to have lunch and speak only in Spanish on any topics that come up. She enjoys her weekly women's golf group and received golf lessons as a birthday present. She hopes to get back to being advanced duffer.
Gary continues his involvement with New Frontiers for Lifelong Learning teaching classes to fellow seniors and serving on the NFLL Communications Committee, serving on the ASU Retirees Association Board and on the ASURA Travel Committee and on the Seminars Committee and serving on the Emeritus College Dean's Council and leading the Short Talks program for the College. Sometimes it seems he is doing more for ASU and MCC than he did when he was working!
Gary continues to enjoy playing golf at least once a week with his counterpart to Vina's women's group. His scores are now improving enough to fully qualify him as a "duffer."
Life is full. Life is good.
December 2013
Last December we visited the Chihuly exhibit at the Desert Botanical Garden with good friends Dave and Karen Schwalm. The weather was cool (cold by Phoenix standards) but the lighted glass sculptures made the garden truly fascinating.
Sunset San Diego Bay
We spent the holidays in San Diego to be close to Bob and Natalie and Mike. We had the traditional Christmas Eve tamales and a roasted duck for Christmas dinner. 2014 proved to be an ongoing battle of the waistlines. We do enjoy eating well!
We had a different and enjoyable New Year's Eve playing cards with San Diego friends. We are not really card players but we enjoyed the company and the evening. We spent New Year's Day watching football and relaxing with Bob and Natalie.
Back in Phoenix Vina took a tour with her Spanish group of some of the street art murals (a.k.a. graffiti) painted on walls in Phoenix. They represent some of the history of the area and are quite spectacular.
Gary and Vina in the dugout
In February we went with the ASU Retirees Association on a guided tour of Chase Field - home to the Arizona Diamondbacks. It was quite interesting to see "behind the scenes" of how a major facility like this really works.
Elsie, Cricket, Vina and Vera
In April we were able to gather the four Sotelo sisters at one time for a meal at a local restaurant. It is always good to get together with family.
We took another two day excursion with the ASU Retirees to visit Jerome and take a ride on the Verde Canyon Railroad.
Sunrise over Jerome
We had been to Jerome before but had never stayed at the Jerome Hotel which is the converted mental hospital and rumored to be haunted. It had a great view and some good food. We find ASU Retirees are always good company.
The railroad trip took us up the Verde Canyon alongside the Verde River, a great way to see the beauty of the area.
Gary & Vina
We went to a wine dinner at one of our favorite Italian restaurants in Tempe, RigaTony's, where they did an "April Fools" dinner with the food disguised as something other than what you would think. It was a lot of fun.
In preparation for our upcoming trip to Russia in May, we held a get together dinner for those who lived in the Phoenix area. We were able to find only one Russian restaurant in the entire Phoenix area. We had a good dinner and got to meet our travel companions.
The big event in May was our trip to Finland, Estonia and Russia. It was a wonderful adventure and we have written a separate blog all about it.
After returning from our Russian trip we headed to San Diego for the summer where we enjoyed many beach hikes:
- Batiquitos Lagoon
- Rancho La Costa Habitat
- Moonlight Beach
- Tourmaline to Belmont Park
- Swami's Beach down to Solano Beach
- La Jolla Shores
- Torrey Pines north to Del Mar
- Mission Bay and Pacific Beach
- Moonlight Beach north to South Ponto
Botanic Garden Sculpture
We visited the San Diego Botanic Garden with the hiking group. Much different than the Desert Botanical Gardens but very enjoyable.
We helped our good friend Bob Serrano celebrate his 77th birthday in 29 Palms. He was happily surprised by party we pulled
Happy Birthday, Bob
Vina and Bob
Rich, Linda, Bob and Jason
together including a surprise visit by Toad Hall (college house mate) friend Richard Menkin and his wife Linda. Bob was very pleasantly surprised.
During the summer, Natalie's family came to visit and we enjoyed a really good dinner with them at Phil's BBQ. It is always great to get together with extended family. We were amazed at how grown up Troy and Sophia are.
Noreen, Troy, Sophia, Geo, Nathaniel, Haydi, Vina, Bob, Natalie
Later in July we visited with Vera and John who were vacationing in their RV on Coronado Island with their grand kids Tatum and Zoe.
Visiting with John and Vera and their grand kids Tatum and Zoe
Seahorse
In August, Dave and Karen Schwalm came for a visit. We planned to go on a beach hike but the weather (rain!) was not cooperating so we all went to the Birch Aquarium and then to the Meditation Gardens in Solano Beach.
Seahorse
Dave, Karen and Vina
View from Meditation Gardens
In September Mike and Bob and Natalie joined us to help celebrate our 44th wedding anniversary just before we returned to Tempe.
Natalie, Vina, Mike, Gary, Bob
Tovrea Castle
In October we again joined the ASURA group for a tour of Tovrea Castle in Phoenix. We have driven by it hundreds of times but had never gone to see what it was all about. A great tour.
Once again this year, we joined other Ajo High School Red Raiders for a Reunion and 72ndBirthday Party (since we were all about the same age!). The class has been getting together to maintain friendships since their 50th reunion. Time does fly - and the girls still look great!
Ajo Reunion Class of 1960
This year we decided to celebrate Thanksgiving in San Diego. We fixed a small turkey and had a great Thanksgiving. We have so much to be thankful for and it was great to have the family close.
Bob, Natalie, Vina and Mike
We returned to Tempe for the start of December. We joined Dave and Karen Schwalm for the Las Noches de las Lumnarias at the Desert Botanical Garden. It was a great brisk evening.
Vina and Gary
Karen and Dave
We capped off the year with a golf outing to Borrego Springs visiting Bill and Susie Wright - friends since college. Since we all are about the same level of golfers, we had a great couple of days chasing that little ball around the courses. I didn't take any pictures -- too busy!
As you can see we do keep busy! We wish you the happiest of holidays and best wishes for a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year. May our paths cross sometime in the near future.
Gary and Vina
This has been a good year and we feel truly lucky to have the good health, good friends and family we enjoy.
Vina continues to volunteer for Call 12 for Action, a local TV station's consumer advocate program. Every week she learns new things about being a good consumer and some of the really crazy things that people do. She also enjoys her Spanish Club where they get together to have lunch and speak only in Spanish on any topics that come up. She enjoys her weekly women's golf group and received golf lessons as a birthday present. She hopes to get back to being advanced duffer.
Gary continues his involvement with New Frontiers for Lifelong Learning teaching classes to fellow seniors and serving on the NFLL Communications Committee, serving on the ASU Retirees Association Board and on the ASURA Travel Committee and on the Seminars Committee and serving on the Emeritus College Dean's Council and leading the Short Talks program for the College. Sometimes it seems he is doing more for ASU and MCC than he did when he was working!
Gary continues to enjoy playing golf at least once a week with his counterpart to Vina's women's group. His scores are now improving enough to fully qualify him as a "duffer."
Life is full. Life is good.
December 2013
Last December we visited the Chihuly exhibit at the Desert Botanical Garden with good friends Dave and Karen Schwalm. The weather was cool (cold by Phoenix standards) but the lighted glass sculptures made the garden truly fascinating.
|
| Sunset San Diego Bay |
We spent the holidays in San Diego to be close to Bob and Natalie and Mike. We had the traditional Christmas Eve tamales and a roasted duck for Christmas dinner. 2014 proved to be an ongoing battle of the waistlines. We do enjoy eating well!
We had a different and enjoyable New Year's Eve playing cards with San Diego friends. We are not really card players but we enjoyed the company and the evening. We spent New Year's Day watching football and relaxing with Bob and Natalie.
Back in Phoenix Vina took a tour with her Spanish group of some of the street art murals (a.k.a. graffiti) painted on walls in Phoenix. They represent some of the history of the area and are quite spectacular.
|
| Gary and Vina in the dugout |
In February we went with the ASU Retirees Association on a guided tour of Chase Field - home to the Arizona Diamondbacks. It was quite interesting to see "behind the scenes" of how a major facility like this really works.
|
| Elsie, Cricket, Vina and Vera |
In April we were able to gather the four Sotelo sisters at one time for a meal at a local restaurant. It is always good to get together with family.
We took another two day excursion with the ASU Retirees to visit Jerome and take a ride on the Verde Canyon Railroad.
|
| Sunrise over Jerome |
We had been to Jerome before but had never stayed at the Jerome Hotel which is the converted mental hospital and rumored to be haunted. It had a great view and some good food. We find ASU Retirees are always good company.
The railroad trip took us up the Verde Canyon alongside the Verde River, a great way to see the beauty of the area.
|
| Gary & Vina |
We went to a wine dinner at one of our favorite Italian restaurants in Tempe, RigaTony's, where they did an "April Fools" dinner with the food disguised as something other than what you would think. It was a lot of fun.
In preparation for our upcoming trip to Russia in May, we held a get together dinner for those who lived in the Phoenix area. We were able to find only one Russian restaurant in the entire Phoenix area. We had a good dinner and got to meet our travel companions.
The big event in May was our trip to Finland, Estonia and Russia. It was a wonderful adventure and we have written a separate blog all about it.
After returning from our Russian trip we headed to San Diego for the summer where we enjoyed many beach hikes:
- Batiquitos Lagoon
- Rancho La Costa Habitat
- Moonlight Beach
- Tourmaline to Belmont Park
- Swami's Beach down to Solano Beach
- La Jolla Shores
- Torrey Pines north to Del Mar
- Mission Bay and Pacific Beach
- Moonlight Beach north to South Ponto
|
| Botanic Garden Sculpture |
We visited the San Diego Botanic Garden with the hiking group. Much different than the Desert Botanical Gardens but very enjoyable.
We helped our good friend Bob Serrano celebrate his 77th birthday in 29 Palms. He was happily surprised by party we pulled
|
| Happy Birthday, Bob |
|
| Vina and Bob |
|
| Rich, Linda, Bob and Jason |
During the summer, Natalie's family came to visit and we enjoyed a really good dinner with them at Phil's BBQ. It is always great to get together with extended family. We were amazed at how grown up Troy and Sophia are.
|
| Noreen, Troy, Sophia, Geo, Nathaniel, Haydi, Vina, Bob, Natalie |
Later in July we visited with Vera and John who were vacationing in their RV on Coronado Island with their grand kids Tatum and Zoe.
|
| Visiting with John and Vera and their grand kids Tatum and Zoe |
|
| Seahorse |
In August, Dave and Karen Schwalm came for a visit. We planned to go on a beach hike but the weather (rain!) was not cooperating so we all went to the Birch Aquarium and then to the Meditation Gardens in Solano Beach.
|
| Seahorse |
|
| Dave, Karen and Vina |
|
| View from Meditation Gardens |
In September Mike and Bob and Natalie joined us to help celebrate our 44th wedding anniversary just before we returned to Tempe.
|
| Natalie, Vina, Mike, Gary, Bob |
|
| Tovrea Castle |
In October we again joined the ASURA group for a tour of Tovrea Castle in Phoenix. We have driven by it hundreds of times but had never gone to see what it was all about. A great tour.
Once again this year, we joined other Ajo High School Red Raiders for a Reunion and 72ndBirthday Party (since we were all about the same age!). The class has been getting together to maintain friendships since their 50th reunion. Time does fly - and the girls still look great!
|
| Ajo Reunion Class of 1960 |
This year we decided to celebrate Thanksgiving in San Diego. We fixed a small turkey and had a great Thanksgiving. We have so much to be thankful for and it was great to have the family close.
|
| Bob, Natalie, Vina and Mike |
We returned to Tempe for the start of December. We joined Dave and Karen Schwalm for the Las Noches de las Lumnarias at the Desert Botanical Garden. It was a great brisk evening.
|
| Vina and Gary |
|
| Karen and Dave |
We capped off the year with a golf outing to Borrego Springs visiting Bill and Susie Wright - friends since college. Since we all are about the same level of golfers, we had a great couple of days chasing that little ball around the courses. I didn't take any pictures -- too busy!
As you can see we do keep busy! We wish you the happiest of holidays and best wishes for a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year. May our paths cross sometime in the near future.
Gary and Vina
