Its not like I don't know what I am getting myself into. A trip home in May is sure to be hot, busy and filled with more than my fare share of cactus related injuries. I spent the first night of my "vacation" in Phoenix at my sister's place. I did a bit of yard work in the morning (in between play time with Sawyer.)
They have a pool, so that all but negates the effort of the yard work (which I love to do anyway.) Sawyer is really a fun little girl. She took her time getting to know me. After a few bottles, a couple of diaper changes and lots of jumping, we are best buds. Never met a baby that liked to jump so much!
My mom drove me down to Coolidge Monday evening. Before I even put my bags in the bedroom, I was rearranging furniture and pictures in the living room (I blame my mother for my overactive sense of "spatial correctness".) Since my last visit in December, my parents downsized from two overstuffed red couches to a little orange one. The size is much better suited to the space, but it is very ORANGE and all the afghans and pillows cant hide that fact. At least the paintings on the walls nearby don't clash with the overt desert tone. Bookshelves rearranged, rugs and paintings repositioned, I was finally able to fall asleep.
Once again I was up around 5am the next day. This time it wasn't the morning cries of a baby but the glow of the early sunrise creeping through my window that woke me up (not to mention my body thought it was 6am since Arizona doesn't need Daylight Savings Time.) Mom was already up watering her garden by the time I donned my work-in-the-yard attire.
We harvested beets, onions, radishes and one lone crookneck squash. I chopped off a few gangly cactus pads and transplanted them to barren spots along the fence. Over the years I have gotten quite skilled at wielding the shovel and balancing the pads into place without actually touching the cactus. Regardless, a stray thorn always finds me.
By 8:30pm, my mom was already drifting off to sleep. Earlier she had me "approve" her wardrobe, not wanting to be under dressed for the resort crowd. She always looks very coordinated and stylish, so I am not sure what she was worried about. My dad announced that he would be bringing his "vintage car" shirt - enough said. Very few people wear a shirt like that as well as my dear ol' dad.
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| First Bloom |
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| Blossoming Desert Willow |
Time for bed and I was still quite warm, possibly from too much sun today. Turns out my dad had the AC set for 84 degrees. I guess compared to the 102 degrees this afternoon, 84 is markedly less hot - but far from cool. I convinced my dad to turn the AC to an actual cooler temp, our compromise was 78 degrees. I explained that one night of actually sleeping under the sheets instead of on top of them was worth my visiting in the heat of the "not-yet-Summer" temps of May in Arizona.
Tomorrow. The Beach.
My mom drove me down to Coolidge Monday evening. Before I even put my bags in the bedroom, I was rearranging furniture and pictures in the living room (I blame my mother for my overactive sense of "spatial correctness".) Since my last visit in December, my parents downsized from two overstuffed red couches to a little orange one. The size is much better suited to the space, but it is very ORANGE and all the afghans and pillows cant hide that fact. At least the paintings on the walls nearby don't clash with the overt desert tone. Bookshelves rearranged, rugs and paintings repositioned, I was finally able to fall asleep.
Good stuff...very nice blog.
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