Havasu Magazine Blog

Havasu Balloon FestivalExperiencing Calm and Winds

2012-01-23T08:33:00.000-08:00

We made it down to Rotary Beach on Friday, to catch the Balloon Festival. As you can see, it was a beautiful day and calm. On Saturday the winds kicked up, and I didn't see a single balloon in the sky, yet a few were back on Sunday, for the final day of the event.

Over on Facebook, there has been lots of balloon pictures posted by Havasu locals, all enjoying the spectacular event. Hope the wind doesn't scare them off, and they return next year.

Havasu Balloon Fest

2012-01-20T13:12:00.000-08:00

Yes, it is that time of year again, Balloon Festival in Havasu. Don and I pretty much missed everything yesterday, as we headed out to Vegas to pick some visiting family members coming in from Kansas City, Missouri. Their flight was delayed do to bad weather in Washington, State, where the plane was coming from, which meant we didn't make it back to Lake Havasu City until after 3 am this morning.

As we were sleeping in this morning, Don heard a strange noise go over our house, it was a hot air balloon, reeving its fiery engine, so to speak. When I finally dragged myself out of bed, I snapped this picture from our front yard.

We are heading down later this afternoon, to catch more of the colorful event.

Beautiful weather in Havasu. I feel a bit sorry for all those folks stuck in snowy and cold regions. Such as our daughter, up in Kodiak Alaska...buuuurrrrrrrrr

Layaway Angels Hit Havasu

2011-12-27T14:31:00.000-08:00

Those layaway angels who hit the news this holiday season showed up in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. You heard the stories, good hearted folks who got into the holiday spirit by playing Secret Santa and paying off strangers' Christmas layaway accounts.

My favorite layaway angel story happened right here at our local Kmart. One shopper went into the store and discovered some generous stranger had paid off her Christmas layaway. What did she do? She turned around and paid off some other person's layaway!

A friend of mine works at Kmart, and she tells me the recipients were very grateful - and there lots of tears. Seriously.

Yes Virginia, there really is a Santa Claus. And he stopped by Lake Havasu City, Arizona.

Christmas in Havasu

2011-12-22T14:45:00.000-08:00

Did you think I fell off the face of the earth? I know, I haven't been posting much lately and I've been negligent when it comes to updating the Havasu Magazine calendar. So sorry.

I've been a bit wrapped up launching my new book: Anna J. McIntyre's Lessons. Anna J. McIntyre is a pen name I use, for writing fiction. Lesson's is an adult love story, currently available in eBook format, and soon to be available in print.

Don and I are staying in Havasu this Christmas season. Last year we went to Sacramento, California, to spend Christmas with our granddaughter (it was her first). This year our daughter, son-in-law and granddaughter are in Alaska, where they will be spending the next three years. He is in the Coast Guard. Our son and daughter-in-law live up in Oregon, and we won't be seeing them either.

We will be spending Christmas with my mother and mother-in-law, as well as several of our good friends from Wrightwood, who have a second home in Havasu.

Don and I did manage to drive down to the Bridge the other night, where I snapped this photograph.

To those of you in the midst of celebrating Hanukkah, Happy Hanukkah . And to those who celebrate Christmas, Merry Christmas!

25th Annual London Bridge Seaplane Classic

2011-11-03T22:48:00.000-07:00

The London Bridge Seaplane Classic kicks off tomorrow morning 8 am at Lake Havasu State Park - Windsor 4. The event is free to spectators. We're not talking about full sized seaplanes, like the kind we used to gas up, over at the Havasu Palms marina, when were living on the California side of the lake.

This event is about remote control, mini-replica seaplanes.

The schedule is as follows:

Event Schedule:
Friday, November 4th
8am - 4pm: Open Flying to registered pilots / 7pm - 9pm: Flying off the water
Saturday, November 5th
8am - 4pm: Open Flying to registered pilots
Sunday, November 6th
8am - 12noon: Open Flying to registered pilots

It's Wednesday AgainNew Grocery Specials in Havasu

2011-11-02T16:40:00.000-07:00

This Week's Grocery Ads for
Lake Havasu City, Arizona

Smith

Food City

Alberstons

Safeway

Bashas

I can’t believe it is Wednesday again! Today begins this week’s grocery store specials. To view the current specials, click on the above links. We don’t have a link for Super Walmart, yet that store’s policy is to match sales.

To get the sale prices you’ll normally need to show your customer card from that particular store, required at all local grocery stores except Albertsons and Walmart.

Highlight of this week’s local meat department specials:

Smiths
Boneless Rump Roasts $3.49 LB.
Ground Beef $2.99 LB.
Boneless Pork Loin Roast $1.99 LB.
Boneless Pork Loin Roast $1.99 LB.
Rib Eye Steaks $4.99 LB.
Kroger Corned Beef Brisket $3.49 LB.
Kroger Corned Beef Brisket $3.49 LB.

Food City
Boneless New York Steaks $4.99 LB.
Bone-In Rib Eye Steaks $4.99 LB.
Bone-In Pork Shoulder Roast $1.79 LB..
Boneless Beef Short Ribs Value Pack $2.99 LB.
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts $1.69 LB.
80% Lean Ground Chuck Value pack $1.99 LB.

Safeway
Safeway Turkey 59¢ LB.
Butterball Turkey $1.49 LB.
Pork Spareribs $2.99
Chicken Drumsticks and thighs 99¢
Rancher's Reserve® Beef Back Ribs $1.99
Rancher's Reserve® Boneless Beef Bottom Round Roast $2.49 lb
Stuffed Cornish Hens $1.99 lb
Whole Boneless Pork Loin $2.29 lb

Bashas
Sanderson Farms Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts $1.57 LB.
Farmland Assorted Pork Chops $1.67
Pork Shoulder Roast $2.49

Albertsons
Free turkey with $100 Purchase
Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts $1.67 LB.
PORK Spare Ribs BUY ONE GET ONE FREE
USDA CHOICE BEEF Cross Rib Roast or Family Pack Steak BUY ONE GET ONE FREE
USDA CHOICE BEEF Petite Sirloin Steak BUY 1 GET 2 FREE

(The above photograph of Lake Havasu City's Bashas was taken before the parking lot covers were built.)

Halloween Havasu, now onto Thanksgiving!

2011-11-01T10:51:00.000-07:00

Havasu's Halloween on Main Street (McCulloch Blvd) was a success. Not just the kids came in costume. I saw pets and adults getting into the Halloween spirit. There were games, haunted houses and even off key karaoke singers.

This was the 6th year for the Halloween event, which kept the trick or treaters uptown and out of neighborhoods. At least I didn't see any in our neighborhood.

That was fun, but now let's start talking turkey!

6th Annual Main Street Halloween Fright Night

2011-10-31T15:30:00.000-07:00

This Halloween photograph was taken back in 2007, on McCulloch Blvd, aka Main Street.

And once again, local Havasu businesses will be hosting their annual Main Street Halloween Fright Night, from 6 to 9 pm. Trick or Treaters, Zombies and other ghouls will be out, treat bags in hand.

Don and I are planning to wander down to Main Street, with my camera in hand, and see what scary sights I might capture.

Have a safe and frightfully fun Halloween!

See you tonight, on Lake Havasu City's Main Street!

Lake Havasu City Symphonic Winds and ASU

2011-10-30T20:57:00.000-07:00

This afternoon, Don and I attended the Lake Havasu Association of Realtors and the Lake Havasu City Symphonic Winds, “An Afternoon of Music for the Benefit of ASU at Lake Havasu.”

It made me ashamed - ashamed at myself for not attending every performance of the Lake Havasu City Symphonic Winds. Believe me, it is no hype - they are truly the “finest music ensemble in Mohave County and surrounding area.” Frankly, they would impress audiences in any city, not just our remote desert community.

While we really enjoyed the performance, the highlight was Holly Huff, singing God Bless America. Once a teacher in Lake Havasu City, she now teaches in Parker, which is Havasu’s loss and Parker’s obvious gain.

All I can say about Ms. Huff’s performance….amazing.

Thank you to Director Wesley Humphreys and the entire orchestra, for a truly enjoyable afternoon. Such talent!

(Photo: Holly Huff and the Lake Havasu City Symphonic Winds)

Lighting of Cupcake Mountain TONIGHT

2011-10-29T13:31:00.000-07:00

This time every year, for the last nineteen years, I tell the story of the first time I witnessed the lighting of Cupcake Mountain.

My family moved to Havasu Palms, on the California side of the lake, in 1968. From Havasu Palms, Cupcake Mountain is located to the north, and is one of the mountaintops on the California side of the lake. As its name suggests, it resembles a cupcake.

The year was 1991.I had recently moved back to Havasu, bringing with me my husband, Don, and our two children, Scott and Elizabeth. My father was ill with congestive heart failure, and we moved back to assume management of my parent’s resort, Havasu Palms.

When I was growing up in Havasu, no one was lighting up Cupcake, and until 1991, I knew nothing about it. The event started 25 years ago. A hiking group called the Leaping Lizard Tribe makes the trek every year about this time, to light up the ridge of the mountain with flairs, to honor the memory of Patrick William O'Connor. According to information on the Havasu Tourism website, this may be the last year. But, I’ve heard that before.

Anyway….

At the time Havasu Palms’ Road’s End Restaurant was open, yet we were getting ready to close for the season. It was October.

I remember walking up from the store to the restaurant, taking the road that ran to the north of the building. As I was about at the top of the hill, Don drove up to me in his vehicle, and with him were are two kids. Instead of saying anything to me, he simply pointed up to Cupcake.

I can’t recall why I was walking up the hill in the evening, but I do remember looking over to the ridge and seeing something bizarre. A crescent shape series of lights was hovering over the ridge. Just hovering.

Now I must remind you at this point, that Havasu Palms and Cupcake Mountain are both remote, surrounded by miles of vacant desert.

So what did I think in that moment? I thought, quite seriously, it was a flying saucer.

Yep, a spaceship. People always wonder how they would react if the little green men landed. As for me, I know. I was excited and not afraid. Instead of jumping in the vehicle with my family, and seeking refuge from the potentially evil aliens, I raced (by foot) to the restaurant to share this really cool thing with the crew and customers.

At the front of the restaurant, I threw open the door and hollered for them to quick, come look.

About this time our bartender (who knew about the Leaping Lizards) casually walked outside, glanced up at the ridge, and mumbled something about the Leaping Lizards before she turned around and went back to work.

Needless to say, I was a tad disappointed. In retrospect, I’m rather glad it was the Leaping Lizard Tribe, and not an alien invasion.

You can see lighting of Cupcake Mountain from many parts of Lake Havasu City - look south, between 8:30 and 9 pm tonight.

London Bridge Sunday Swap Meet

2011-10-28T15:55:00.000-07:00

Weather is worth mentioning, as I haven’t had to have my air conditioning on the last couple days, nice change. Windy yesterday, and seems a little breezy today. But I’m looking at the world from my home office window, where I see clear blue skies and the magenta flowers on the Bougainvillea plant in our front yard appear to be dancing merrily on the bush, and a nice breeze is coming through the open window.

Don and I will be heading down to the London Bridge Swap Meet this Sunday, to promote ABC Photography. If you are planning a local event, and need someone to take pictures, think of me! If you are at the swap meet, stop and say hi. We are over on C27.

And if you have any real estate questions, you can always ask Don when you see him at the swap meet.

Concert and Haunted House in Lake Havasu City

2011-10-27T21:29:00.000-07:00

Once again I ask…where did the week go? Tomorrow is Friday already. Have you made your Friday night plans?

The Concert in the Park Series continues, at London Bridge Beach, beginning at 6 pm and admission is free. It features Rockabilly and Country Music by Garlin Heckney and Driftback. Bring your chairs, and with the recent weather change, a blanket and jacket might be a good idea.

If you want to do something scary, visit the Haunted House, at the old Candle Factory building in the English Village. The Haunted House, sponsored by Havasu for Youth, begins at 7 pm and admission is $3 per person.

This Week's Grocery Store Specials in Lake Havasu City

2011-10-26T16:38:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine recently mentioned that it would be cool if the local grocery stores posted their weekly ads online. But they are! I told him. If you forget to pick up the newspaper, you can look online to see what’s on sale.

Lake Havasu City doesn’t have a shortage of great grocery stores. Aside from a Super Walmart, we have Safeway, Albersons, Bashas, Food City and Smith's.

The weekly specials usually begin on Wednesdays. Here are the links to this week’s local specials:

Smiths
Food City
Alberstons
Safeway
Bashas

According to the flyers, here are the local meat sales for this week:

(Prices per pound)

Smiths

Petite Sirloin, 2.99

Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, Tenders, thighs 1.79 pound

Cook’s Butt Portion Ham 1.39

Assorted Pork Loin 2.49

Boneless London Broil 3.99

Boneless Pork Loin Roast 2.79

Albertson's

Ground Beef 2.39

Buy one – equal value

Safeway

Whole Pork Shoulder Blade Roast 1.29

Rancher's Reserve® Boneless Chuck Cross Rib Roast 2.49

Rancher's Reserve® Beef Loin T-Bone Steak 4.99

Alaskan Cod or Tilapia Fillets 3.99

Bashas

Sanderson Farms Split Chicken Breasts or Fryer Leg Quarters .99

Boneless New York Strip Steak 4.69

USDA Choice Beef Cross Rib or Bottom Round Steak 3.99

Pork Baby Back Ribs 2.99

Fresh Ground Chuck 2.99

Sanderson Farms Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts 1.99

Farmland Pork Shoulder Steak 3.49

USDA Choice Beef Cube Steak 3.99

Food City

Boneless Top Sirloin 2.99

Whole Chicken Fryers .69

Lean Ground Chuck 1.99

Bone-In Sirloin Cut Pork Chops 1.99

Boneless Beef Cross Rib Roast 2.99

Beef Skirt Steak 3.99

Make Time for Lake Havasu City's Museum

2011-10-25T09:58:00.000-07:00

Lake Havasu’s little museum has really grown up. I first got involved with the museum about seven years ago. I served as a docent, built their website and serve on the board. Yet the truth is, I do very little compared to the other board members and museum staff, who have worked tireless to bring us a museum we can really be proud of.

If you’d like to donate your time, consider serving as a docent. It is a great way to meet people and learn more about the area. At the very least, take time to visit the museum and see all that it has to offer.

If you like playing Bunco, consider attending their Bunco fundraiser, slated for Monday, November 7, beginning at noon at the museum. Tickets are $6 each. Don and I went last year, and had a great time.

If you are on Facebook, look up the Museum’s Facebook page. Mike Riddle, museum curator, is doing a great job posting current photos and information on Facebook.

The holidays are upon us, which means Christmas shopping. The museum’s gift stop is an excellent place to start your holiday shopping. The gifts are unique and affordable. They have an extensive collection of books, art objects and much more.

Warm Oktoberfest in Havasu

2011-10-24T20:48:00.000-07:00

Don and I made it to Oktoberfest last Thursday, on Main Street, aka McCulloch Blvd. We went to the mall earlier that day, for some shopping. But, didn't stick around to catch the car show. One thing I noticed, it was warm! It's still pretty warm in Havasu. Makes me wish I'd left the solar cover on the pool. We still have the air conditioner on, at least part of the day.

On Saturday we headed down to Havasu Springs for a wedding reception. As a gift for the bride and groom I captured the event with my camera. Happy to report I got some great pictures. One of the services I provide, under my new business, ABC Photography, is event photography. At a wedding reception, I replace those little cameras they normally put on the tables. I usually end up taking about 300 pictures, which normally gets me at least 100 good photos.

I also do portraits and digital photo editing and restoration, yet I confess, event photography is my favorite.

Oktoberfest & Relics and Rods - TODAY

2011-10-20T12:15:00.000-07:00

Busy Thursday in Lake Havasu City today. From 4 – 9 pm. It is Oktoberfest on Main Street, with the Old Town Arts and Crafts Market from 4 – 7 pm. All on Main Street, aka upper McCulloch Blvd.

Big change: the kick off for Relics and Rods is this evening, yet unlike previous years, it won’t be on Main Street, but at the Mall – at The Shops at Lake Havasu.

Taste of Havasu Tonight!

2011-10-18T10:03:00.000-07:00

Forget about making dinner. Tonight is Taste of Havasu, from 5 pm to 8 pm at the London Bridge Shopping Plaza parking lot. It is a chance for you to sample what Havasu restaurants have to offer.

Admission is $20 for adults and ages 11 and older. It is $10 for kids 5 to 10 and free for those under five. Yes, the price seems a little steep, yet proceeds benefit the K-12 Foundation, so it is for a good cause.

London Bridge Parade

2011-10-15T08:36:00.000-07:00

Last night was the London Bridge Dedication - the 40 year Anniversary. I was there 40 years ago....has it really been that long? Yikes. I feel old.

This morning is the London Bridge parade. It begins around 10 am, down McCulloch Blvd.

Havasu Haunted House Begins Tomorrow Night

2011-10-12T21:26:00.000-07:00

Sponsored by Havasu For Youth, the 3rd Annual Haunted House begins October 13th at the Old Candle Factory by the London Bridge across from In N Out Burger. It will be open every Thursday, Friday and Saturday night through October 29th. Admission is $3 per person and all monies raised will benefit the local kids in Havasu.

Summer is over in Havasu

2011-10-07T10:51:00.000-07:00

At least I think so…

Up until a couple days ago, we were still using our swimming pool. I think this is the first time we were still using the pool in October. The water wasn’t even cold – and we don’t have a heated pool, although we do use thermal disks.

While I will be missing the pool, I must say the air feels wonderful. I love having the windows open and letting in the fresh air.

Hope the weather is great this weekend. I have a booth at the London Bridge Sunday Swap Meet – to promote my new business, ABC Photography. My space is C-27, so if you there, stop by and say hi!

Lots of events going on in October. Check them out.

Suddenlink…..thanks…finally.

2011-10-03T16:29:00.000-07:00

During this last week I received three different emails, from three different folks in Suddenlink management….

Happy to say, no one insinuated I was lying and one promised to provide a tad more guidance to help support people handle situations….and crazy angry customers like me. Okay, they didn’t quite say that, but sorta.

So thanks Suddenlink. I’m not as cranky over the time wasted, as they did agree to wave fees.

We had intended to pull our account with them completely, but since they finally paid attention, we only canceled our landline. We will make do with our cell phones.

We are still considering canceling our TV and going with antenna. But my mom, who lives with us, is delighted we agreed to give them another chance. If Suddenlink makes me crazy again, then up with the antenna and out with the TV. I’m fine with streaming Netfix and Hulu. Not sure who I would go with for Internet.

They are planning some big channel change over, to hit sometime this week.

Yikes…I hope they don’t make me nuts again.

More of the Suddenlink saga…

2011-09-30T07:29:00.000-07:00

When you call in for tech support for Suddenlink, the recording urges you to email support, and promises to get back with you within 2 days, but typically less.

Not true. I emailed tech Support on Monday, and it took 3 days for their response, and when they did respond, they never addressed the specific questions I asked them in the email.

What they did do, was basically call me a liar. In my email, I mentioned the fact that I had been on hold with tech support for two hours, and their response: “I am not sure which number that you called in on, but there hasn't been a two hour hold time.”

Oh really? Well there is apparently someone out there with a similar phone number who is playing a Suddenlink recording, while people stay on hold for two hours.

I miss NPG Cable!!!!

2011-09-26T07:43:00.000-07:00

Seems the only time I post these days is to bitch about Suddenlink. Our life has been so hectic lately that we haven’t had time to get a different provider. But, after last night and this morning, I realize I can’t put off the task any longer. Because when a company, like Suddenlink, continues to dish out horrible service, it is our fault for still having them as our provider.

What is my recent complaint?

I write for a client that posts available articles around 1 am. The work goes to the freelancers on a first-come-first-serve basis, so I decided to wake up at 1 am last night, and claim some articles.

When I got up at 1 am, I discovered our TV, Internet and phone were all down. When I called Suddenlink, there was a recording saying they were performing routine servicing in our area and it might be down until around 6 am.

I had a few questions, such as was this going to be a regular thing? What happens to those people whose only phone service is Suddenlink, and they have an emergency in the middle of the night?

Since I was up anyway, I called their 24 hour service, and was on hold for an hour. I finally decided to got back to bed, so I hung up. I never talked to anyone.

This morning I was back to the computer at 6am. The Internet and phone are up, but the TV is still down.

I missed getting any of the newly released articles from my client (other freelancers with a better Internet providers snagged them) – so once again Suddenlink has cost me money.

By the way, it is 7:40 am as I write this, and I have been on hold with Suddenlink’s tech support since about 6am.

Have I mentioned…Suddenlink sucks

Resolution To the Email Issue

2011-09-21T18:01:00.000-07:00

Okay, I FINALLY figured this out.

I decided to post the resolution, and how to fix this problem – for those of you in Havasu who have Suddenlink and never used a Suddenlink email address.

The tech people I spoke to today didn’t have a quick fix. And it was like pulling teeth to get the answer from the last tech guy.

They did not give me the answer – and had Don’s office not proven they could mail from Outlook using non-Suddenlink addresses, this last tech guy was ready to tell me it couldn’t be done.

Okay…this is what you need to do.

Go to the Suddenlink website and sign up for an account (on the right side) and then sign up for an email account. You need this, even if you don’t intend to use their email.

Change the outgoing mail server (in Outlook’s Internet Email Settings) to smtp.suddenlink.net

Go to advanced settings in Outlook’s Internet Email Settings and click on the tab for outgoing server.

Click that the outgoing server requires authentication.

Type in your Suddenlink EMAIL address (not the user name) under Username.

Type in your Suddenlink Email password for password.

It should work.

This should have been an easy fix, and Suddenlink tech support should have been prepared, since the email change shut us down. They kept telling me none of this applied to me because I didn't use a Suddenlink email. But they were WRONG. And they should have known.

They wasted my time and have given me a major headache. How hard would it for a tech person to tell me what I just told you?

Suddenlink, or as my husband says....Missing Link

2011-09-21T16:38:00.000-07:00

(Read the previous post for part one of my rant)

I decided the tech person at Suddenlink couldn’t be right. I mean really, how could that be?

So, we go to the local office.

I ask the lady at the counter if it is true….are we only able to send Suddlenlink emails from Outlook – she says that doesn’t sound right, yet does not have a definite yes or no, but instead tells me to call tech support back, and ask for a supervisor.

I ask her if she could ask her supervisor, to which she hands me some papers on setting up my email and just smiles. It appears, there is no one she can directly go to for the answer. Apparently, I have to research this problem.

When I look closer at the papers she hands me, one is something they printed off from a website, which isn’t specific to Suddenlink, and the other applies to those with a Suddenlink email account.

Useless papers. Useless trip.

I come home, call for a supervisor. I am told I would have to leave a message. I am not willing to, so ask the person on the line if she can find the answer – she puts me on hold, and then disappears.

It takes me a while to figure out they have disconnected the call. Since the phone line is with Suddenlink, it is their fault either way.

I call back, and once again push the button for tech support. I am given this very nice lady, who has absolutely no flipping clue about Suddenlink’s email system.

Funny thing – while waiting for tech support, I am reading the promotional crap put out by Suddenlink. One lines say “We make things easier, with one number to call, one connection , and one simple bill.” LOL LOL

I remember the good old days with NPG cable, when there was a separate line for tech support – and when you called Internet tech support you actually got a tech person, and you weren’t put on hold for hours or forced to listen to an endless recording pitching Easy Street, instead it cut through the crap and helped you, instead of giving you the run around.

Anyway, I ask this nice lady, who is totally (I mean seriously) clueless about setting up email accounts – why I was directed to her, when I made the selection for the tech support. She says the incoming calls go to the next available service person – wow, that one number might seem like a nifty thing for Suddenlink, but I think it sucks.

She has no clue if the first tech guy was correct – but takes my name and number and promises to get back with me.

Back at Don’s office they discover the tech guy was NOT correct. They manage to get the email thing going, and Don can send emails with his non-Suddenlink email. But they had to use a user name and password.

The only user name and password I have is with my wireless, and I tried it – but still won’t work.

If only someone from Suddenlink, who knew what the heck they were doing would contact me, I could at least get my email back up and running completely. I suspect they need to give me some sort of user name and password, yet no one suggested that – yet I will ask if they ever call.

Since I am a freelancer, and I only make money when I work – I made nothing today, instead I chased Suddenlink for answers, and still it is not working. Think they will pay me for my lost earnings?

I still need a new provider. Any suggestions?