Tuesday, March 1, 2011

March 1, 2011 Tuesday

I cannot believe how fast the time just flies by!  I did not mean to wait so long before posting again!!  Where does the time go, yet it doesn't seem like it when you're living it.


We rolled into El Centro, CA Rio Bend RV and Golf Resort right on time and were welcomed very warmly.  I have to say I was proud to say "I'm here!  The Zumba instructor has arrived!"  We chose our site, Chuck couldn't have picked one farther away from the clubhouse, we're in site 390 which is about 3-4 blocks from where the Zumba class is held.  Oh well, I can drive the car up there.  Which I do.

We walked around the park and drove around the area the first couple days and then met with the manager on Monday the 15th, think it was.  Chuck got his assignment and we figured out the best time to hold Zumba classes.  I wasn't given much choice:  1pm or 2pm Wed and Fri........I didn't like either but at least I could sleep in!  LOL  We decided on 1pm since it could be cooler at that time than 2pm.  Could be.

Chuck's assignment was painting!!!  I thought, "Oh boy, this is not good!"  And it wasn't.  He spent his first three working days painting!  He is NOT a painter and completely hated it.  I had to go in to the office and tell them that it's just not working out.  I couldn't stand to see Chuck going off at 8am three days a week to paint...........it was painting the water tower!!  Can you believe that?  He was miserable!  The saying that if Mom ain't happy, ain't nobody happy, isn't just a Mom saying, believe me!  When I told them, it wasn't working and that we'd have to be leaving, they wouldn't let us.

They offered Chuck a job in security.......which is what he applied for, duh!  The only thing is we work different days now.  Me, Monday 8am Zumba class, Wdnesday 1pm Zumba class, and Friday 1pm Zumba class while he's working Friday, Saturday and Sunday 10-4pm!  I think that's enough time off together.....most of Monday, all of Tuesday, most of Wednesday and all of Thursday.  It's just that my 1pm class kind of ruins the whole day.  Chuck is being such a wonderful sport in doing this for me so I can teach Zumba.  My passion and my love and hey, I've lost 7 pounds!!!!  What a guy, huh?  He seems to like this work better but really, would rather not be working at all and that will be the stipulation next time.  You learn the hard way sometimes.

We've been to town, El Centro, several times.  They have a wonderful mall and lots of strip malls.  What more can you ask for?  They have two theaters but the closest casino is 40 miles away!!  We spent Valentines days there playing the slots and we had dinner.  One day we went to Sonny Bono Wildlife Preserve and went back to Slab City. We were there last year.  We had lunch at our favorite restaurant in Niland, CA.  A tiny tiny little town that even has a Zumba class three times a week!!

Saturday, the  26th, I attended a Zumbathon at the Imperial Mall!!  What a fabulous Zumbathon!  Zumba is International Latin rhythm dances and what better place to experience Latin dancing.  About 99% of the population here are Latinos from Mexico.  The ladies here are amazing dancers.  There had to be at least 15 instructorsat the Zumbathon, we all didn't get a chance to lead a routine, and there were around 75-100 dancers!  A Zumbathon this year is for the American Heart Association.

Rio Bend RV and Gold Resort


This is the Rio Bend Office and behind this building is the Cafe where I hold the Zumba classes


This is looking out the left side of the RV
El Centro is in the valley.  There's is lots of agriculture around here with beef being their number one and lettuce number 2 product produced here.

The RV sites across from us, looking out the front, is the last row of sites in this park.  I think there are 500 sites here with many that live here fulltime.
Salvation Mountain in Slab City, CA

across the street from where we had lunch in Niland, CA.  See the donkeys hitched up in front of the corner store?





Red Rock Marina at Salton Sea.  A real sea that is saltier than the ocean but is evaporating at a fast rate.  There is no outlet or inlet to the sea.......only rain water feeds it.  The framers around the area grow grasses just for the water fowl, which I should have taken a picture of, but didn't.

There's Chuck again with the Salton Sea in the background.


Oh this is our new rugs we bought while in Yuma


This is the Zumbathon, Party Hearty, in the Imperial Mall Food Court. 
What a truly fun fun day.  2 hours of dancing.

More later...............