Arizona Escape From Texas On Smooth Roads

Few things are more relaxing than my Favorite Sister Jackie chauffeuring me on the beautiful, smooth streets of Chandler, Arizona, and the other towns in the Phoenix metro zone.

Above Jackie is driving us north on Chandler Boulevard, which looks like an actual boulevard, unlike the Texas boulevard, as in Taft Boulevard, that being the pseudo boulevard, my abode is addressed on.

Every time I return from being in either Texas or Washington, getting picked up at the airport, either DFW International, or the local to me now, Wichita Falls Regional Airport, I take over driving duty and instantly think something is wrong with the vehicle, as in, thinking the suspension is broken, or tires partly flat.

And then I remember, I am back driving on a Texas road, where one learns to dodge potholes, and a variety of other detriments to a smooth driving surface, like all the manhole covers that make for big bumps, on the section of Taft Boulevard, north of MSU (Midwestern State University).

Here in Wichita Falls, every time I have left the airport and arrived at the entry ramp to the freeway, unlit, in the dark, it is always a bit disturbing, how beat up that entry ramp is, thinking such to be appalling, what with it being visitor's first experience with getting on a Texas freeway.

I have more than once verbally wondered what a Texan thinks when they get out of Texas to a state like Arizona, with most roads being not like bumpy Texas roads...

Microsoft Remembering Salt River Canyon & Linda Lou's Arizona Visit

An email Microsoft OneDrive Memory from this Day that I remembered, which happens rarely. That, and this memory is from the month of October, though I do not remember the exact day.

It was in October of 2018, roadtripping from Texas to Arizona.

The stairway you see above was at a rest area, at a location on Arizona's Highway 66, between the Arizona towns of Show Low and Globe.

The rest area was at the bottom of a steep canyon. This rest area was more like a park than your regular highway rest area.

I did not remember the name of the canyon til I saw the photo I took of the rest area's welcome sign.

Salt River Canyon. 

A scenic canyon I'd never heard of before, in a state known for its scenic canyons.

The drive through Salt River Canyon took place in October of 2018, on the way to stay a month in an Airnb in Sun Lakes, the Phoenix suburb where my mom's house was located.

That was a memorable month. Hard to believe this was six years ago. Seems so recent.

Linda Lou flew south from Washington to spend a few days with us in the Airnb. It was a mighty fine time, driving mom, aka Miss Daisy, to Tortilla Flats, and to the summit of South Mountain, on roads which triggered Linda Lou's acrophobia.

Six years rushed by so fast. In another six years the year will be 2030.

I do not like time flying by ever faster...

Remembering Pooling With Nephew David In Arizona

The Microsoft OneDrive Memory from this Day, arriving in my email a few minutes ago, was definitely not from this day in July.

This particular memory happened one day in March of the year 2019.

Over five years ago.

That would be me lifting nephew David out of my sister Jackie's pool in Chandler, Arizona. I think David is 15 years old now, which would have made him 10 when I was able to lift him. I doubt I could do that now.

I can not remember when last I got wet in a swimming pool. I do not like the pool at my current location. No shade and the water gets way too warm.

The cold snap, which last week was predicted for this week, never much materialized. I think one day this week managed to stay in the low 90s at the hottest. 

My Friday walking venue was once again Walmart.

The Walmart anthropological observations are particularly interesting when the temperature is way too HOT, and way too many attire themselves in way too skimpy, ill-fitting clothing, revealing way too many garish tattoos, and other things best not seen in public.

Do some people not own mirrors?

More Christmas Fun From Arizona

I have been having myself a virtual Christmas visit to Arizona, of late.

This morning's email brought photo documentation of Christmas at Cade's house.  The first photo was taken in CJ, Carrisa's and Cade's backyard, I assume, since the text with the first three photos said "Christmas at CJ's."

That would be Cade's Uncle Jeremy on the left, next to Cade's Grandpa Jack, the Cade's mama, Carrisa, next to Cade's papa, CJ, with Cade's Grandma Jackie holding Cade, next to Cade's Cousin, Theo, Aunt Michele, Cousin David, Aunt Kristin with Cousin Ruby at the opposite side from Uncle Jeremy.

I do not know the name of the dog. And I did not know Jeremy has had a big growth spurt, rendering him way taller than everyone else.

I do know the name of the cat which Ruby is holding. That is Munchie. I have met Munchie a couple times.

 And here we have Grandma Jackie and Grandpa Jack, with Baby Cade.

Another group of photos arrived with the text saying, "Burger Making Fun with Uncle Jack".

Apparently, Uncle Jack needed a couple burger makers, likely because the holiday had him short staffed. Uncle Jack manages several dozen McDonald's in the Phoenix area.

My favorite of Uncle Jack's McDonald's is the one in Maricopa, where I have had many a fine time sampling various McDonald's items, with my favorite always being the Filet O' Fish.

Above it appears Theo and Ruby are preparing to deliver a tray to a customer's table, under Uncle Jack's watchful direction.

Above I am guessing we are seeing Theo and Ruby on a lunch break after serving who knows how many McDonald's customers.

All this McDonald's talk has me craving a Filet O' Fish and a Cheeseburger. And Fries.

I am enjoying my virtual visit to Arizona almost as much as being there...

Merry Christmas Greetings From Arizona With Cousin Cade

David, Theo and Ruby flew their parental units to Arizona, which is how they are sending greetings from that state, this Christmas morning of 2023.

Well, actually the photos arrived, via email, on Christmas Eve.

Several photos follow, with the last three photos documenting the Tacoma cousins meeting their Arizona cousin, Cade, for the first time.

The text in the next two photos said simply "From Out Hotel".

Due to the wall of rock in the background, I am guessing the hotel Ruby, Theo, David, Michele and Kristin are staying in is in Scottsdale. 

I am assuming the guy with the white beard is a desert version of Santa Claus.

The text with the next two photos asked "Where in the desert Southwest?"

I would guess they are heading to the summit of South Mountain. Which is in Phoenix.

Or maybe they have driven south to Tucson, since that is Kristin's mom, Janet, on the right of Ruby, Kristin, Theo and David.

 

That looks to be Kristin's mom, Janet, after taking off her coat, next to Ruby and Theo, with a big Saguaro cactus behind them.

And now, the newest member of the Jones/Slotemaker/Weston family, Cade Weston.

That appears to be Grandpa Jack, on the couch behind Cade and Ruby, with Uncle Jeremy on another couch, on the right.

Cade sure does look a lot like his papa, Christopher, when Christopher was a baby.

And now it is Theo's turn to hold Cousin Cade.

And, the final photo is all the Tacoma-ites, except David and Kristin, on the floor, with baby Cade.

Hope y'all have a mighty fine Merry Christmas...

Holliday Rapids With Sunday Wind Blown Arizona Anniversary Disaster & Elsie Hotpepper

Yesterday, which was Sunday, the same series of storms which caused a wind disaster in Dallas, due to a blown over construction crane, caused me my most, or one of my most, dramatic weather events.

I was riding my bike, all was calm.

Rolling around Sikes Lake the air was so calm the lake was like a mirror.

But, I could see to the north an ominous wall of dark clouds moving in my direction, which seemed odd, what with there being no wind.

I left Sikes Lake and headed north across Midwestern Boulevard to the MSU campus. At the north end of the campus I stopped to check out progress on a construction project. I then headed east towards the Circle Trail. I got to the area where MSU has its annual gigantic installation of Christmas displays when suddenly the temperature dropped, the sky darkened, and a strong wind struck seemingly instantly.

I was trying to ride perpendicular to the incoming wind, which did not work, as in the wind would have knocked me over if I kept heading that direction. I did not know what to do. Big trees with big limbs were flapping like bird wings. I tried to see any close by shelter. There was none. Sunday the campus is deserted. Dirt and dust was blowing in my mouth, nose and eyes, along with other stuff hitting me.

Definitely scary.

And then it let up. A little. I decided to make like a high speed rabbit to the Circle Trail, which is open with few trees, about a quarter mile distant. I made it there, keeping an eye out for any flying branches.

On the Circle Trail the wind was behind me, making for a high speed wind assisted return to the safety of my abode.

And now today has been a calm blue sky North Texas spring day.

Something caused me to realize that it was about exactly two years ago that I drove to Arizona to see my dad for the last time. I did not remember the exact date. I went on a walk along the Circle Trail, took the photo you see above of Holliday Creek's current high water rapid status and then remembered in my vehicle there was paperwork which would give me the precise dates of the 2017 drive to Arizona.

So, I walked to that vehicle and found the warranty for the fuel pump that got installed when disaster struck me on I-40 about ten miles east of Flagstaff. The date on that receipt was June 9, 2017, which meant I left Texas the day before, and arrived at my brother's, post repair, in Scottsdale June 9, staying overnight til June 10, two years ago today, when I made it to Sun Lakes and my mom and dad's house, to drive my mom to where my dad was, with me seeing my dad for the first time since 2012.

The next couple weeks were among the most stressful I've ever made it through. I made it back to Texas on June 25, and got the sad news about dad five days later.

Hard to believe this is already two years ago, and that I have been back to Arizona so many times since.

Including a return next month, flying out July 10, returning July 27. I am traveling solo. I asked Elsie Hotpepper if she wanted to come along, thinking it would be good for her to experience modern America after what Texas has put her through of late. The Hotpepper, of course, is giving this some consideration, but she already has July plans to visit another area of modern America, as in Colorado.

Methinks Elsie would like the Valley of the Sun more, it's less elevated...

Heading East On Way To Arizona In About A Month

In a little over a month I will be seeing the view I am seeing in the photo you are seeing here.

Lounging post swim at one of the Sun Lakes pool locations.

I booked the bird outta here this morning, flying east at around 5 in the afternoon on March 5 before switching to a bigger bird to fly west to Phoenix. Then returning to my current location two weeks later, if all goes according to plan and an idiot does not cause a total shutdown of air traffic or some other similar stupid lunacy.

It seems like I was just in Arizona, but it was way back last year that I last saw mountains combined with blue sky, cactus and palm trees.

I am Miss Daisy's favorite driver, so I guess I am looking forward to driving Miss Daisy to all the places I have driven Miss Daisy to on previous drives.

One of the highlights of my visits to Arizona is always the drive south to Maricopa, where I get to see Penny at my favorite Maricopa McDonald's. That and go to the Maricopa Aki-Chin Casino where I usually win a small fortune at a slot machine the operation of which requires constant supervision, due to modern slot machines bearing no resemblance to the slot machines I was used to in the previous century.

I think I am going to enjoy being in a somewhat HOT climate, what with this COLD winter I have been shivering through...

Looking Forward To My New Arizona Home Location With Big Ed & Miss Linda

What you are looking at here is a location I am sort of looking forward to being at next month.

The backyard of my Arizona abode.

This is semi-conveniently located about a mile from my dear maternal parental unit.

Nurse Canecracker, also known as Lil' Miss Linda, called this morning from Newport on the Oregon coast confirming her arrival time in Phoenix on October 16.

I have never picked any one up at Sky Harbor Airport. I have always been the recipient of the pickup, never the picker upper. Thus I have paid zero attention to the process, other than slightly paying attention when I have been dropped off at the airport.

I am sure it will all work out.

I am driving to Arizona this time. After last summer's driving to Arizona debacle I sort of indicated I would not do such a thing again. But, you know how time changes ones attitude.

That and this time I will not be driving solo.

Big Ed is coming along. This will be the first time Big Ed has been back to modern America since a 2002 visit up to Washington. I have told Big Ed to brace himself for some culture shock. That and a lot of visits to various McDonald's.

This morning Elsie Hotpepper was lamenting wishing she was still on vacation at some beach zone in semi-modern America. I told Elsie she should come to Arizona next month and stay in my temporary abode. And that she could check out what Gilbert has done to make their downtown a cool location, which might give Elsie some ideas as to what could be done to fix the rundown downtown of Elsie's hometown of Bug Tussle, Texas.

I am looking forward to driving Big Ed and Nurse Canecracker up South Mountain. That and the drive to Tortilla Flats. And wandering around Scottsdale and Tempe. I am hoping to get my mom an upgrade of her rolling chair device so as to facilitate easily exploring various locations.

Since my last visit apparently my mom had learned to enjoy getting rolled around the HUGE Ak Chin Casino in Maricopa.

Currently a Maricopa visit is scheduled for October 12, with a casino stop and a lunch at Penny's Maricopa McDonald's....

Sunday Morning Worrying Arizona Monsoon Swim

You are looking at my slightly cock-eyed morning Monsoon view, post swimming, this third Arizona Sunday of the 2018 version of July.

Miss Daisy did not accompany me to the pool this morning. I think the threatening sky worried her.

Last night, early in the evening, my phone went off with multiple dust storm warnings. Miss Daisy and I had returned to cover shortly before the warnings arrived. We saw the incoming wall of dust on our way back to Sun Lakes.

I am a bit worried my return to Texas may be more adventurous than I like. Both ways, this trip, my DFW connection was less than an hour. No big deal when the plane departs, or arrives, on time. The flight out of DFW was delayed almost an hour. Which really caused no problem, except for the extra wait time for the pickup crew in Phoenix.

The return to DFW is where I may have a problem.

Saturday the Arizona temperature at my location is scheduled to reach around 115. We have this ongoing Monsoon madness. With that, and a high temperature, flights may be delayed out of Sky Harbor Airport.

If there is a significant delay I will not be able to make the connection to the flight to Wichita Falls. Thus rendering a wait til the first flight out the following morning.

I am sure if such a calamity happens someone like Miss Puerto Rico or Elsie Hotpepper will come to my rescue.

Or not.

The photo of me you see here was taken post-pooling this morning, drying out on a lounge chair under a gray sky with cooling drops dripping slowing the drying process.

Arizona Day One HOT As Expected With No Additional Turbulence

In the view you are looking at here you are looking east from my mama's living room, with a sun-blocking screen causing the pattern of squares between you and the pair of cactus.

The ride to Arizona was the wildest yet. Extreme turbulence on the leg from Wichita Falls to DFW. The flight to Phoenix from DFW was postponed a couple times, ending up with about an hour delay.

As we descended into the Valley of the Sun a blockade of dark clouds appeared, shooting lightning. The turbulence hit quick and hard, banging my fragile head against the window.

The turbulence soon abated.

Nearing Phoenix I looked out the window on what looked like those palm islands in Dubai. I quickly realized I was looking directly down at mom's Sun Lakes location and the clubhouse swimming pool I pooled in this morning.

A few minutes later I was on the ground. A few minutes after that after traveling on three sections of moving sidewalks my little brother came into view in the distance. Then I saw mom and sister Jackie. Spencer Jack's grandpa was rolling mom in her chariot. I took over that duty whilst SJ's grandpa took over wheeling my rolling bag.

Upon exiting the Sky Harbor interior I was a bit surprised at how HOT the blast of 115 degrees felt. I mean, this really was not all that much HOTTER than the Texas temperature I had just left. But it felt like I was at the Gateway to Hell.

This Sunday morning mom took me on a shopping expedition to Food City, Costco and WinCo. We got all the fixin's for tonight's steak grilling.

Almost one day down, and only 13 to go. Not that I am counting...

Is Hippie Spencer Jack Climbing Camelback Mountain With Me?

What you see here I found whilst checking email this morning, on this, my last day in Texas, for about a month.

A photo and a message from Spencer Jack's dad, my Favorite Nephew Jason, aka FNJ.

FUD-

Spencer Jack fashioned 1960s progressive America at school today.  

Thought you would enjoy seeing the soon to be 11 year old liberal Jones nephew’s cute photo.

Hope all is well,
FNJ

P.S. - Perhaps we can connect sometime soon in AZ. Perhaps we can hike Camelback Mountain together?

__________________

The 1960s? A time of rapid change, riots, assassinations, raging wars in Southeast Asia and the Middle East, Beatles, Beach Boys, Rolling Stones.

And Hippies.

I wonder if Spencer Jack's grandma Cindy, she being my favorite ex-sister-in-law, helped turn Spencer into a Hippie.

Spencer Jack and his dad are probably not aware of what a Flower Child their grandma and mom was back in those long ago days of peace, love and freedom.

Peace, love and freedom? Am I remembering right? That that was/is the Hippie Credo?

Am I to insinuate from Spencer Jack's dad's message that the boys will be in Arizona at some point in time this month?

I don't know about hiking up Camelback Mountain. That is in Scottsdale, where Spencer Jack's dad, my little brother, Jake, lives. There is a Camelback Mountain website devoted to climbing this mountain.

Wikipedia's description of hiking Camelback Mountain...

Two hiking trails ascend 1,280 feet (390 m) to the peak of Camelback Mountain. The Echo Canyon Trail is 1.14 miles (1900 m) and the Cholla Trail is 1.4 mi (2300 m). Both trails are considered strenuous with steep grades. The hiking path has dirt, gravel, boulders, and some handrail-assisted sections. The average hike requires a round trip time of 1.5 to 3 hours.

Closer to Jake than Camelback Mountain is Papago Park. There are a lot of fun things to hike to in Papago Park. Such as the Hole in the Rock.

The second highest mountain in the Phoenix mountain range is known as Piestewa Peak, formerly Squaw Peak. Spencer Jack's aunt Jackie, she being my sister, and I hiked Piestewa Peak back in March of 2012. We did not make it to the summit.

We could also go hiking on South Mountain. South Mountain Park is the biggest city park in America and one of the biggest urban parks in the world. A Republican president of the decent sort, who helped make parks, not destroy them, or open them to drilling, Calvin Coolidge, helped Phoenix acquire the South Mountain parkland.

The first time I drove the road to the top of South Mountain I saw bikers mountain biking on trails which I would not be comfortable riding. Treacherous.

A bike has been delivered to where I will be staying in Arizona. It is not a mountain bike, and so its wheels will not be seeing mountain bike trails. Those wheels will likely be seeing a lot of miles of paved trails trailing all over this location with multiple lakes, appropriately called Sun Lakes.

This is likely going to be my last blog posting for awhile. I am not bring a laptop with me. My only internet connection will be via my phone. Or when I am at my sister's in Chandler. I may be using this break from the Internet World, and my computer, to break my blogging addiction.

It is said it takes 21 days to break a bad habit, or start a new good habit...

Arizona Desert Horse Ride With David, Theo, Ruby & Texas Longhorn

A week or so ago a postcard from Tacoma arrived in my mailbox.

That postcard caused me to blog From Tacoma Postcard I Learn David, Theo & Ruby Will Never Come To Fort Worth.

In that blogging I mentioned my initial confusion regarding the message on the postcard, which I momentarily thought had David, Theo and Ruby asking me to come explore Fort Worth with them.

I recollect instantly thinking what fresh hell is this?

Then I realized my mistake, that it was Fort Worden in Washington that was in need of exploration, not Fort Worth in Texas.

When I shared my confusion with my sister she said she can't see bringing the kids to Fort Worth to explore any time soon. Then she added, well, okay, never.

To which I replied that the kids would enjoy the Fort Worth Stockyards, but then I drew a blank as to anything else they might enjoy in Fort Worth, and admitted, well, after the Stockyards, there pretty much is nothing that is not bigger and better in multiple other locations David, Theo and Ruby have already been to.

So, regarding that visit to the Fort Worth Stockyards, within a week that no longer is something of the sort the kids have not seen, hence, now there is absolutely nothing they would find fun to explore in Fort Worth.

In the photo at the top you see nephews David and Theo, and niece Ruby, with a Texas longhorn behind them. The kids are at an Arizona horse ranch, getting ready to do some riding.

When the kids picked me up at Sea-Tac last summer, David and Theo insisted on carrying my bags for me. Those bags were heavy.

Here we see Theo carrying his saddle to put on his horse.

I am guessing this was a HOT day in Arizona, because in the following photos we see Theo has lost the long sleeve shirt.

Prepare for a dose of cowboy, and cowgirl, cuteness in the following photos....

Ruby on her Palomino, ready to ride. Ruby looks like a seasoned cowgirl, comfortable in the saddle. I don't actually know if this horse is a Palomino, but it is blonde, so I figured, why not?

David also looks to be totally comfortable onboard a horse. David has a tendency to be like his uncle, and find ways to be particular when he finds himself in unfamiliar territory, but being on a horse does not appear to have triggered that impulse in David.

And here we see Theo steering his horse right at us. After a little practice inside the corral it was time for David, Theo and Ruby's Indian Guide to lead them out into the Arizona desert.

I'm impressed at how quickly the kids seem to have become seasoned horse riders. Their uncle's one and only horse riding attempt, in Texas, did not go so well. Suffice to say that incident led me to accuse someone of trying to kill me. Too painful a memory, even after many years, to go into any detail.

Further into the desert the cowboys and cowgirl ride. Those are mountains in the distance, for those in Texas who are not familiar with that type geologic formation.

 I do not know if there was much of a rattlesnake danger whilst the kids were riding in the desert. I do know that later David and Theo were in a restaurant called Robber's Rooste where the boys ordered the rattlesnake combo plate. I may share those photos in a following blogging.

At trail's end all but Ruby seem to be striking a classic cowboy pose.

I talked to David and Theo on Thanksgiving. Neither mentioned their cowboy experience. Theo did ask if I was going to be a Thanksgiving dinner. I told Theo I did not think I could make it in time...

Pool Time With David, Theo & Ruby In Chandler Arizona With Spencer Jack In Fiery Furnace

The trio you are looking at here are Theo, Ruby and David. My nephews and niece from Tacoma.

The trio are currently visiting their grandma, and other relatives, currently located in Arizona, such as aunt Jackie, uncles Jack and Jake, .cousins Chris and Jeremy, and others, like Clancy and Fancy.

Where the trio are in this photo is a public pool in Chandler.

According to the trio's mother...

"We went to an awesome public pool in Chandler with a vortex pool, various waterslides, lazy river and a variety of diving boards. We went on a special family day, so it cost $1 for all of us!!! Pics to follow..."

Those aforementioned following pics are what you are seeing here.

On a sort of related note, last week I blogged about learning the shocking news From A Tacoma Postcard David, Theo & Ruby Will Never Come To Fort Worth.

I learned the Tacoma Trio would not be coming to Tacoma after I mentioned being momentarily confused via their postcard causing me to think the Tacoma Trio was in Fort Worth wanting me to come explore the town with them.

As I said in that blogging, I told my sister of my initial confusion to which my sister said,  "I can't see us coming to explore Fort Worth anytime soon. OK. Ever."

To which I said, "I can almost guarantee the kids would love the Fort Worth Stockyards. But, other than that. Nothing. Well, unless a storm blew in with tornado sirens. They might think that was fun."

Well, I feel terribly remiss in neglecting to mention to my sister anything about all the Fort Worth public pools the kids could enjoy during a visit to that fine "world class" town.

Imagine, I should have told my sister, the public pools in a town the size of Fort Worth, with what, a population about eight times the size of Chandler, obviously with a myriad of fun public pools being enjoyed by the public, in addition to one of the world's only defunct urban wakeboard park ponds.

Anyway, with that painful sarcasm out of the way, the rest of those aforementioned pics of the Tacoma Trio enjoying public pooling in Arizona...

That would be Ruby, below, shooting out of one of those waterslides. With Theo, above, about to hit water at the end of a long slide.

And then we have future Olympian David.

Whilst in Arizona David has been going by the new name of Michael. Something to do with uncle confusion.

Above that appears to be Ruby and Mama Kristin floated around on a Lazy River.

And Ruby now showing off her unique diving skills.

Which Theo then upping the ante with a reverse spin around dive into the pool.

I was scared to dive into a pool when I was these kid's age. I don't even think I knew how to swim at that age.

And here we have Theo and Ruby and a third unidentified swimmer. I forget what the name is of those floating tubes. Worms? Is that it? In the above photo I believe the kids are no longer at a public pool, but are at the pool at the place where their Aunts Clancy & Fancy are staying.

Yesterday whilst in the D/FW zone I began getting text messages from Spencer Jack and his dad. They have flown to Denver, then drove to Moab, where this morning they are going on the Fiery Furnace hike in Arches National Park. I expect to see photo documentation.

Driving Miss Daisy Searching For Jeremy While Navigating Around South Mountain

Yesterday began soon after dawn with the Miss Daisy Uber Taxi Service delivering my favorite brother-in-law, Jack, to Dobson's Ranch, site of a housing development of one of America's notorious criminals, last name Keating.

Jack was not in Dobson's Ranch for any nefarious criminal activity, but instead to make his ride connection to Prescott, site of a Pickle Ball Tournament, where he is paired with his first wife, whilst staying in a replica of the Bates Motel.

A few hours later Miss Daisy had her driver drive her to Tempe, to find her grandson Jeremy, to visit his jungle backyard which serves as a sort of Arizona Noah's Ark. We failed in our quest to find Jeremy's jungle.

Failing the Jeremy finding quest Miss Daisy directed her driver to drive to South Mountain. Eventually we made it high above Phoenix where I used my phone to take one of those rare, for me, selfie photos.

Another view of the same selfie scene, but without me in the view. South Mountain Park is the largest city park in any city in America. The drive up and down the mountain is a fun roller coaster of ups and downs and twists and turns.

South Mountain is home to a forest of saguaro cactus of various sizes and shapes. I dodged scorpions and rattlesnakes to get the cactus selfie closeup you see here.

When we left South Mountain Miss Daisy directed me to head west, rather than east. West heads away from civilization. Soon we were in an agricultural zone growing cotton and other such stuff, with irrigation ditches flowing a lot of water on both sides of the road.

Even though Miss Daisy directed me to go west, soon Miss Daisy decided maybe we should have gone the other direction. I opted to continue west, countermanding Miss Daisy's directions.

Eventually we came to a highway which headed south. Around South Mountain. This seemed a logical direction to go. A few miles later we entered the Gila River Indian Reservation and passed a casino.

Soon after passing the casino Miss Daisy announced we were on Riggs Road.

Riggs Road is the road which leads back to Miss Daisy's home location in Sun Lakes. Riggs Road runs east and west, not south and north. I informed Miss Daisy of this fact.

A few miles later Miss Daisy announced that she was now certain we were on Riggs Road. I tried to gently tell Miss Daisy that this was impossible, that the road sign says we are on Beltline Road.

A few miles later the mile marker said 2.0, which indicated we were 2 miles from some sort of junction or road change.

Imagine my shock as Beltline Road took a bend to the east and when we hit mile marker 0.0 the road name changed from Beltline to Riggs.

There are some who insist Miss Daisy has serious memory lapses. I have notice such lapses myself. And then I have an incident like this knowing we were on Riggs Road thing and I get confused as to how bad mom's, I mean, Miss Daisy's, memory actually is.

Oh, a few hours later we found Jeremy. He showed up at grandma's to watch the Arizona Diamondbacks lose again. Neither Jeremy or I have seen the Diamondbacks win. We are watching those D-Backs likely lose again tonight. Miss Daisy is slow cooking one of her recovered pot roasts...

Missing Arizona Diamondback Baseball & McDonald's While Re-Adjusting To Texas

After over two weeks of being separated, yesterday I was reunited with the USB cord which connects my phone to my computer, thus allowing me to move photos from the phone to that aforementioned computer.

If I remember right I previously mentioned my sweet sister Jackie had photo documented me over indulging in McDonald's delicacies at my dad's Father's Day All You Can Eat McDonald's buffet.

This would be that previously mentioned photo you are looking at here.

That would be my little brother under that Seattle Seahawk baseball, I mean, football cap you see in the lower right of the photo.

That mug with the number 12 on it is also a Seattle Seahawk item, not a Texas A & M item. I do not know why there was Seattle Seahawks stuff at the table, what with it being baseball season,  not football.

Speaking of baseball, and adding beef to what we are speaking of. In the past couple weeks I found myself watching more baseball games than I have watched this entire century. It was a baseball team called the Arizona Diamondbacks I found myself watching. It seems an odd thing to name ones team after, a venomous snake.

Apparently the word "Diamondbacks" is too  long, so this particular baseball team seems to always be referred to as the D-Backs.

I almost forgot about the beef.  In addition to consuming more baseball than I have consumed this entire century, I also found myself consuming more beef in the past couple weeks than I have consumed this entire current century, prior to my arrival in Arizona a couple weeks ago.

Apparently consuming a lot of McDonald's products and a lot of beef is a good weight loss program, because I lost myself a few pounds that I had when I left Texas. Stress and being up and about from the crack of dawn til past the crack of sunset may have been a weight loss contributing factor.

In Arizona I found myself sleeping peacefully all through the night. And despite the outdoor temperature being well above 100 we did not run the A/C at night, and I was totally comfortable. Now I am back where people say things like  it is not the heat, it's the humidity. So, true. Even though the temperature is way below 100 I ran the A/C all night. And I did not sleep peacefully all night long. There was a two hour plus bout of tossing and turning.

In Arizona I had an allergic reaction to nothing. Now back in Texas something is once again irritating my eyes.

However, all in all, I am happy to be back in my current cloudy, green, humid location in Texas...

Seeing Dad Before Heading To Maricopa Seeking McDonald's Penny

What you are looking at here is the tropical-like pool zone of the Ak-Chin Casino Resort in Maricopa.

Maricopa is a town a short distance south of the Phoenix metro zone.

Maricopa has three McDonald's, one of which is the location of Penny. On Tuesday we did not find Penny at her McDonald's location.

We did find Penny at a slot machine in the Ak Chin Casino Resort.

Today we are returning to Maricopa to try and find Penny at her McDonald's, among other reasons to be in Maricopa.

Such as returning to the Ak-Chin Casino. On Tuesday we visited the casino to get a crock pot, along with what seemed to be hundreds of other people seeking crock pots. I have never seen so many people carrying crock pots. Or sitting at slot machines with their crock pots.

Apparently if one visits the Ak-Chin Casino frequently enough one gets to get an assortment of kitchen appliances. Like I said, we are returning to Maricopa today, including going to the casino. I think today I am going to be seeing a lot of people, if I remember right, toting an electric mixer beater type device.

On Tuesday to get the crock pot we made our way through the throng of people playing various games til we got to a location where two pieces of paper were shown to one of the ladies checking the paper pieces. Then another piece of paper was given to my sister. We then meandered a confusing maze of halls til we arrived at the cool pool you see above.

Under a shaded zone near the ;pool was the biggest collection of crock pots I have ever eye witnessed. You can see some of those crock pots below.

That would be my dear sister, Jackie, soon after taking possession of one of the crock pots. We then joined all the other people toting crock pots and gradually made our way through the confusing maze of halls til we came to the location from whence we entered. Soon we found ourselves back in air conditioned car comfort with our dear mother where we left her with the engine and air conditioning running.

On Tuesday I had one of the new McDonald's signature sandwiches. A BBQ bacon crispy chicken, with equally crispy onion on an artisan bun. Plus a fish sandwich and maybe a couple other items. Today I will go lighter with one of the McDonald's signature salads. And maybe a fish sandwich.

I am currently in the lobby of my dad's current location. Mom is in with dad. Lunch should soon arrive. Dad was not too perky this morning. I left them with mom asking dad if he wanted chocolate milk and a banana...

Following Elsie Hotpepper Technical Computer Advice Arizona Malfunction

I asked for technical advice from that well known computer whiz, Elsie Hotpepper, regarding trying to get on to my computer an infamous photo of me eating way too many McDonald's products at my dad's Happy Father's Day All You Can Eat McDonald's Buffet.

Elsie cleverly advised me to use the phone blogging Blogger app to upload the photo from my phone. I followed Elsie's precise instructions.

But, when I got my computer back online, after getting dad back to his room, after another successful exercise therapy session, I opened the blogger program and the saved from the phone blog post, but the infamous photo of me eating way too many McDonald's products at my dad's Happy Father's Day All You Can Eat McDonald's Buffet was nowhere to be seen.

I suspect it will take til I am back in Texas, reunited with the cable which connects the phone to the computer, to get that notorious photo off my phone.

Meanwhile when I looked for that photo possibly being somewhere in the Google Cloud I clicked on a photo titled Durango New Mexico and soon found myself wondering as to the when and where of the above photo.

This photo would be from sometime back in the previous decade. I believe the rock behind me is called Shipwreck Rock, or some such similar name. I do not ever remember having a blue baseball cap. Blue has never been one of my favorite colors.

Back to the present.

Arrived at dad's location around ten. Found him in the therapy room walking the parallel bars. The physical therapist told us dad is making good progress of late. I was surprised by how fast he was moving on the parallel bars.

Soon mom and I will be leaving here, going to pick up sister Jackie, and then heading south to Maricopa to see Penny at McDonald's. I suspect one of those new fangled McDonald's signature burgers is in my future for day...

Day After Father's Day Dad Takes A Long Walk

Back to the latest episode of the Days of Our Lives, also known as American Horror Story: Seinfeld.

Arrived at dad's place in time for his morning therapy session. Well, the end of the therapy session. Dad had finished 20 minutes on the elliptical trainer.

The Physical Therapist came out to see mom and me to tell us that dad would now be walking back to his room.

Huh? Mom and I sort of reacted at the same time.

Soon mom and I found ourselves following dad, walking, all the way back to his room. We went from two days ago being told dad had walked fifteen feet to this morning he walked all the way back to his room.

Back in his room I left mom and dad to return to the lobby to wait for my sister and the hearing aid expert to arrive.

When the hearing aid expert arrived he quickly determined there was nothing wrong with dad's hearing aids. Except, uh, the filter needed replacing. An extremely little filter installed from the end of an extremely small stick. My sister got the lesson on how to perform this task. I knew it was far beyond my technical expertise.

A few minutes after the hearing aid expert exited dad indicated he would not mind getting HOT. And so we exited the lobby to the courtyard, where we enjoyed the HEAT for a short duration, before crossing the courtyard to exit to the location where movies and church takes place.

Above you see sister Jackie moving dad into a HEAT absorbing position, with mom providing directional advice. Dad is in celebrity mode with the sunglasses, hiding from the paparazzi.

Tomorrow Jackie is taking mom and me to Maricopa to see Penny at McDonalds. This will take place after the noontime dad visit. I do not know why I am not exhausted. Today began with a long swim with Ann, Phyllis and the rest of the ladies, including the Grande Dame, Jacqui...