Lake Havasu City, Arizona, founded in 1963, is a youngster as far as towns go. Its Southwest-styled homes and businesses in sun-baked desert colors rise on sandy slopes along Arizona’s Highway 95 and hunker among sand dunes close to the lake. The deep blue waters of Lake Havasu, formed by Parker Dam about 25 miles to the south skirt the reddish-brown Mojave Mountains. For two weeks, we made our home at Colorado River Adventures’ Lake Havasu Resort located near the upper end of the lake on London Bridge Road.

One sunny day stretched into another as we hung out at our motorhome with a view of the lake and mountains over the top of swaying palm trees. We read books, played music, wrote stories, and set no clock for bedtime or breakfast. Spot and I took long walks into the neighboring desert dotted here and there with clumps of yellow brittlebush. Conveniently located about a mile from the Shops at Lake Havasu and Ultra Star Cinema, we went to movies and shopped at Wal-Mart. We browsed a used book store in town and visited the Mohave County Library for speedy Internet connections.

On Sundays, we attended morning worship with local Lake Havasu Baptists. Twice we met friends, Norm and Chris Denton, once for dinner and again for a Sunday lunch. On February 9, we celebrated our 10^th wedding anniversary with dinner at Chili’s. This was not our first anniversary to mark in Lake Havasu City; or our first to dine at Chili’s on our special day.

Spot made new friends at the Lions Dog Park, located along Bridgewater Channel in London Bridge Beach Park and appropriately marked with brightly painted fire hydrants. Sometimes, he ran with the big dogs; other days, he sniffed every blade of grass and gravel of the fenced area. Mostly, he ignored the other furry four-footed visitors in that space. Speed boats idled up and down the channel beside the dog park, making their way to and from Lake Havasu.  White triangular sails on other water craft bobbed on the sparkling blue water beyond the beach. Sandals and tennis shoes padded along the park’s sidewalks, some behind baby strollers while others dashed after a dog on a leash. Laughter and good-natured shouts rose from the basketball court to the tops of tall palm trees. An occasional biker or runner made his way for the path circling the island. Sporty cars with no tops, brightly colored ATVs, sedate sedans, and pick-up trucks rolled slowly through the park, heading for the loop road around the island.

We like this spot in the desert, its wide streets lined with fresh adobe houses and lawns landscaped with gravel, cacti, and blooming bushes of bougainvillea. Likely, we’ll spend more winter days here.