Thu - Mar 29/12

Things are winding down in the park in regards to regular activities. There is a continuous procession of RVers heading home for Easter.

Today our mission was to make the best of a Joann Fabrics discount that we received by email. Often the discounts have a catch - 40% (on 1 item or 1 regularly priced item. Today it was cash discounts on anything (sale priced or not). It was time to find a few more items for the sewing kit.

Rather than going to the closest Joann's I decided to treat Charlotte to a new restaurant (chain) so we headed out Southwest on the Loop 202 (San Tan Freeway section) to Chandler, AZ. Our destination (and her surprise) was The Genghis Grill.

The Genghis Grill is a Mongolian Stir Fry. The Mongols (Genghis Khan, et al) would use their shields like woks by placing them over the fire and cooking their food. We have gone to similar restaurants near home. There the food was weighed and you paid proportionately. Here there is a fixed charge (very reasonable) and you fill the bowl with whatever you choose from the wide variety at the food bar. $6 more will get you unlimited returns. I like this style much better.

The food is cooked at the huge grill. You may wait and watch or they will bring it to your table when ready. I am sure we will re-visit The Genghis Grill in the future.

The temperature is increasing down here as the sun moves north. We will hit the first 90F on April 1st (no joke - grin). Last year it was 100F on the same date. Unlike home (we live right on the 45th - half way to the North Pole) were the high temps are mostly due to warm air coming up from the south - here it is due to the sun. For this reason any time the (Honda) Del Sol is in the sun, especially in the middle of the day, the roof is too hot to touch. I need gloves to put the top in the trunk so we can enjoy the sunshine.

We made good use of the Joann coupon by picking up some needed items (some 40% off) with an addition $25 discount for spending $75 in total. We easily reached a $65 total; however if we spent another $10 we would receive a $25 discount rather than a $10 discount. Spending $10 to save $15 is harder than it sounds when there is nothing else we really needed. It took us an extra half hour to find items that would be useful that totalled the extra $10.

Finally we succeeded in achieving the $25 discount and headed back. We were graciously invited next door to a steak supper by our neighbours. Naturally, a lot of folks down here are cowboys. All cowboys (and cowgirls) are not from Texas. Our host is from "Big Sky" country (Montana). It was a great evening. Perfect weather and great food and conversation. I confess that I cannot BBQ which turns me green (jealous - grin). The Texas "small" steak was huge by normal standards and I "kid you not"....the best steak I have ever had! The guacamole dip and salad (spices) were (and are still) from secret recipes - darn!

Most of our neighbours are "Full Timers" (I'm trying). If you haven't tried the RV lifestyle your missing something great!