Well, finally, a gathering of the ole cowboys from the Yellowstone bunkhouse. Of course Lloyd made in the person of John Spellman….can miss the likeness with the goatee and hair.. We had a great day of sun and temperatures in the low 60’s…winter in the Valley of the Sun. Tom Nielsen as taking some time away from having a new kitchen and new roof construction on his ranch house. Everyone is doing well, but Joann has been slightly under the weather in a non Covid virus condition. Mark is doing extremely well and I think the Nielsens are just counting time until they can get back on their travel pony. Stan Petersen ventured down from Anthem to make sure everything is A-ok on the lower 40. I hear he is wanting to be called Rip. Brent Keil is counting the days until his April Cruise leaving from Barcelona. He is still unhappy that his Austria and Germany Christmas trip was canceled in December because of the Omicron surge. Mr. Spellman did not make it to Maui this January, per usual, so the golf tournament went on without his assistance. I am surprised it wasn’t canceled. All is well with his son who had the heart and lung Transplant…he just completed a follow up evaluation and everything is top notch. Curt Larson traveled from the Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert area to be with his ole buckaroos. Rumor has it that he and his partner are purchasing a home in Queen Creek to close in February. They had previously purchased a very nice trailer in a Mesa Park and will be selling that as they move into their new digs. Dick Davis looks fantastic and we hear that Sandy, as always, is doing very well and looking great. Mark Panzer, Mr. Red Bull as he is known, is excellent as is his family. I didn’t get to talk to much to Mark as he was at the other end of the table for eleven. Lee Hoekstra, came down from the mount and he looked like he was frozen in time…..never aging or changing. Chuck Barth made his first visit to Romeo..first of many I am sure…and he is also one who has aged gracefully. He is playing golf 5 to 6 times per week. He will not readily disclose his handicap as I think is has something, if not everything, to do with his golf betting routines. He kept trying to pawn off his meal ticket to others around the table…I kept waiting for him to display a hand made sign indicating that he is a down and out ole retailer……sad really. Ron Grove was as svelt as I every recall. He and Liz have been very diligent to healthy nutritious eating and it really shows. They have finished some major remodeling on their house and will soon under take phase two. He mentioned that two of his daughters now live in the Phoenix area with one in Mesa and another in Grayhawk. He also has two grandkids going to ASU, a senior and freshman, and one grandson who graduated from their and working for Garmin in Kansas City. Time continues…..Maybe next gathering we can have Beth join our brunch…wonder what she will say about us.
