Our Lifestyle Adventures: Taking a Break from Writing IV

largest UFO sighting in history, The Phoenix Lights, on March 13, 1997

Thanks DJ for giving us these SeaHawks Champions T shirts!

But, of course, I had to take time out! It was a milestone in Bill’s life: he finally reached the midpoint in the Sexy Sixties and Seventies, his 70^th birthday! So, on March 10, I cooked up a storm, green chile enchilada casserole, beef tacos, nachos and dips, and cut veggies plus the traditional chocolate cake and vanilla ice cream for our friends and neighbors at Viewpoint. Starting at 5 pm, the party went on till nearly 9 with the campfire still blazing. One of his favorite cards had 70 pennies given by Bonnie of 5524.

Bill with neighbor-friends at his party

his many cards

It is nice to note that around the same time are the birthdays of Claudine, my second daughter on February 7, Krishna, my first Apo, on March 1, Trisha, my panganay (eldest) on March 12, and April, and my bunso (youngest) on March 12. Last year, they all celebrated together on a ‘Moveable Feasts’ party at Trisha’s house in Seattle when we were gathered for a reunion. Please see http://rvcruisinglifestyle.blogspot.com/2013/03/ola-celebrating-moveable-feasts.html. No luck this year! 

Bill, signing up for K of C at the Friday Fish Fry

March 7 was also the start of the Friday Fish Fry tradition in observance of Lent. The Knights of Columbus hosts this annually and for $7 you can have fish fry, potato salad, cole slaw, and hush puppies at the local parish hall. Bill and I plan to complete all seven Fridays with them. He also finally signed up to be a member of the KofC chapter and will be inducted on April 28. A great find on the wall of the corridor leading to the dinner while we were in line is a latticed woodwork of the lines of Our Father.

Our Father, latticed woodwork

tennis socials at Fat Willys

We also had the last Tennis Socials of the season on March 8 at the bar and grille inside Viewpoint, Fat Willys. Almost two hundred avid tennis players gathered for a dance with a live band. Besides having lots to eat, we danced to many rock and rolls. Finally, we started our tradition of Date Nights on the second Sunday of the month after the 4 PM Mass, March 9. Next one is April 13! This time around we went to Cheesecake Factory where I just loved my lettuce wrap and Chocolate Tower Cake!

Arizona wildflowers in bloom

my everlasting poinsettias

At my School of Practical Philosophy class, we talked about timeless beauty. Our assignment was to find things of beauty around us during the week. As it is nearing spring, the wildflowers of Arizona are creating a storm, the desert flowers of cacti are already in bloom, and, the poinsettia plant I bought in the first week of November 2014 is still going strong! It was the centerpiece of my birthday table last November 25 and it still was the centerpiece of Bill’s birthday table last March 10. I wonder if it will make it to next Christmas. What a thing of beauty!

cacti in spring

The Phoenix Lights on March 13, 1997

Lastly, Bill and I were intrigued by the phenomenon that happened on March 13, 1997 so we went to see the showing of the documentary film, The Phoenix Lights, at Harkins Theatre in Scottsdale on March 16. The lights were the largest UFO sighting: a mile wide of 5 to 7 orbs in a V formation gliding very low without sound, lasting for many hours, traveling from Nevada through Arizona, and then Mexico, seen by thousands of individuals corroborating each other, and celebrated annually on March 13 in Phoenix. The author of the book of the same title and writer and producer of the documentary together with people who worked with her formed a panel at the end of the showing, answering questions from the audience, half of was composed of people who were witnesses to the event. It was very interesting for us who have adopted Phoenix as our home city! 

Bill with the audience, half of whom witnessed the phenomenon

author and writer/producer, Dr. Lynne Kitei with a panelist

But, back to the book project again that is nearing completion!