London Bridge

Hi everyone! :)
Today is the first day that is too hot to be outside at lunchtime, even in the shade so I figured I had better do a little catching up!

So backing up a bit - The weather slowly got better and the sun started to shine, still needed a light jacket while walking Tess but we were getting reports that snow was falling at home so a light jacket sounded good to us!!

First chance I got we drove into Quartzsite. At the right time of year the ..um...town? is crazy with vendors selling pretty much everything. In February they have a big rock and gem show and its wall to wall vending tents and RVers... we have never made it to that, I think Greg plans it that way! There are a couple permanent stores that sell lots of important must have souvenirs and things.... but my favourite, and the favourite of most of the ladies around here are the bead shops!!! Rows upon rows upon rows of beads - glass and wood and plastic and shell and STONE!

Greg is very patient as I marvel over the size and shape and color and, well, just the idea of all those pretty rocks just hanging around waiting for me to take them home! And the best part!!!!! Everything is half price!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Although I think one sale sign was printed on a newspaper dated 1945 and permanently glued to the wall - but if it says sale it must be good!

I was pretty well behaved this trip since I haven’t had a chance to use the turquoise from our last trip, I resisted the temptation to get more. I picked up a couple small beads and some findings for my chain maille earrings and didn’t buy anything for Tanya even though EVERYTHING would have been PERFECT for her jewellery and her creations would sell so well at her etsy store at http://www.etsy.com/shop/tanyaw85! (sorry tan but no worries, next year maybe Grandma will come and the guys won’t be around but it was a good plug huh?? ;) )

There is one higher end bead store that I left for last and again was well behaved...until Greg was busy paying for the couple things I had picked out and I was left to wander over to the glass case with more stone beads.... well I bet none of you ladies would have been able to resist the natural purple stone I found either!!!!!!

The next day the sun was warm and we were going to spend it relaxing around the river, right after a quick trip back to quartzite to pick up a couple more glass beads since they worked so well! I was only after the last store we had been to and Greg said sure :) I think he knew it was closed Tuesdays!!

Back at the park we had a nice relaxing day and it warmed up enough to put our shorts on.

Tess was thrilled to be able to play in the water.

Until she went just a little too far

But all in all it was a good day :)

Wednesday we went up to Lake Havasu to see the London Bridge.

This bridge was built in the city of London and purchased by the city of Lake Havasu in 1968 for $2,460,000.00. It took three years and another $4,500,000.00 to transport and rebuild the bridge. This is very interesting I agree but the real reason I absolutely HAD to go stand on this bridge was because my Grandmother stood on this exact bridge when it was still in London :) So this was my pilgrimage to honour my Grandmother :)

Driving up to the bridge:

Driving over the bridge:

And no great pilgrimage is complete without a beer to cheers with!!

And of course the other side:

Holding the Bridge up:

In case you’re not sure... me on the bridge:

And I am certain that this must be the exact place my Grandma stood!!

Driving home I had to take pictures of the surrounding desert. This may not look like much to some but I could not get over how green the desert was!! (Oh look mom! She was right! the mountains are darker as they get closer!!)

It was a beautiful drive along the river

That was our stay in Colorado Springs in Ehrenberg. We headed out on Thursday March 11th to one of my favourite Western Horizon Resort parks for our last two weeks of vacation but you will have to wait for midday on Friday to hear about it because there is a breeze and I’m about to put on my spf 45 and go sit in the shade!! Lol

Oh, did I mention we stopped at Quartzsite on the way home from the bridge??? ;)