It's raining now, for the first time since we have been in Arizona, and apparently for the first time in a month or two. The desert doesn't get much rain, so this is much anticipated and welcomed. The forecast is for about a third of an inch, but this small amount will make a huge difference to the plants. As we sit around at lunch, looking outside at the small puddles in the gravel, I notice that all of the cactus and greenery look just a little happier, greener, and stand just a little more upright. In a few days many of them will be blooming.
The weather is hardly a problem for us, as there is always something to do, or even not do. One of the best parts of being out here for more than a couple of days is the ability to just sit and talk and enjoy our friends and the beautiful surroundings, both inside and out. We can definitely see why people enjoy living out here so much. It's summertime almost all year round, and even the "winter", which we are experiencing right now, is beautiful and invigorating. The living is easy: the weather is mild; the architecture is perfect for those of us who no longer enjoy climbing stairs; and the landscape is incredibly low maintenance.
There are a lot of nice facilities here within Saddlebrooke. Bob has been going to the gym almost every day since we have been here, which is far more than he does at home. I know he's trying to make sure he stays in shape for hockey when we get back, but it's also pretty easy, mentally, to get up and go to the gym when you don't have to slog through the dark or the rain or even a little snow.
It's Barbara's birthday today, so tonight we are enjoying a steak dinner at a local restaurant, Keg's. This is a chain that has not yet reached New England. The steak is outstanding, and I'm told by the men that the short, tight black dresses worn by the female waitstaff are equally excellent.
We wake up to snow! Now snow here is nothing like snow in New England, and it's falling quite gently, creating a beautiful dusting on many of the plants in the garden as well as on the mountains in the distance. By midmorning it will be gone, except for what fell in the mountains, and even that will be gone within a day.
The weather has never stopped anyone from New England, so Bob and I take the opportunity to go shopping. I am on a quest. I saw a beautiful Mexican tin and Talavera tile mirror that I would like to take home with me. After six stores, a tour of most of Tucson's out-of-the-way places, and a stop for lunch at a little tamale shop, I am no closer to the object of my quest. However, we have managed to pick up a few little things at each of the stores we visited, as well as some frozen take-out tamales for dinner sometime. Never let it be said that we went away empty-handed!
We had another excellent dinner at El Charro. I ordered a duo of enchiladas, and along with the barbacoa that I had ordered, they brought me one filled with vegetables that I had not ordered. It was a delicious mistake! Another benefit of vacation is just being able to enjoy what comes your way, whether it's a store that happens to be next to a tattoo shop in a questionable area of town, yet happens to have some wonderful Mexican decorative items, or a mis-delivered enchilada. Each is an unexpected experience, more enjoyable because of that.
The blue skies are back as we wake up the next day. We never had any doubt. It's still a little cool (relatively speaking) but the sun is so strong that by later in the day we sit outside for a short while. My nose seems to like the sun the best, and tomorrow I will need to make sure that I put some heavy sunscreen on it so I don't come home looking like Rudolph.
Tuesday night is trivia night at Saddlebrooke! After the obligatory pre-tournament cocktail, our team, the "Ruptured Ducks", is primed and ready. At the end of the questions, we are tied with one other team, so it's time for sudden death. Question one - tie. We are relieved. Question two - tie. We're starting to get a little cocky now. Question three - tie. Hmm... Maybe we should start to worry. Question four - we win! Each of us is given a poker chip, redeemable for a cocktail any time.
Postscript to the mirror quest: I went online later, and within about 15 min. had found and ordered the exact mirror that I wanted, at exactly the same price as all the others I had seen in the stores. The Internet is an amazing thing, but I really enjoyed the day of shopping.
It's another good day in Arizona.
The weather is hardly a problem for us, as there is always something to do, or even not do. One of the best parts of being out here for more than a couple of days is the ability to just sit and talk and enjoy our friends and the beautiful surroundings, both inside and out. We can definitely see why people enjoy living out here so much. It's summertime almost all year round, and even the "winter", which we are experiencing right now, is beautiful and invigorating. The living is easy: the weather is mild; the architecture is perfect for those of us who no longer enjoy climbing stairs; and the landscape is incredibly low maintenance.
There are a lot of nice facilities here within Saddlebrooke. Bob has been going to the gym almost every day since we have been here, which is far more than he does at home. I know he's trying to make sure he stays in shape for hockey when we get back, but it's also pretty easy, mentally, to get up and go to the gym when you don't have to slog through the dark or the rain or even a little snow.
It's Barbara's birthday today, so tonight we are enjoying a steak dinner at a local restaurant, Keg's. This is a chain that has not yet reached New England. The steak is outstanding, and I'm told by the men that the short, tight black dresses worn by the female waitstaff are equally excellent.
We wake up to snow! Now snow here is nothing like snow in New England, and it's falling quite gently, creating a beautiful dusting on many of the plants in the garden as well as on the mountains in the distance. By midmorning it will be gone, except for what fell in the mountains, and even that will be gone within a day.
We had another excellent dinner at El Charro. I ordered a duo of enchiladas, and along with the barbacoa that I had ordered, they brought me one filled with vegetables that I had not ordered. It was a delicious mistake! Another benefit of vacation is just being able to enjoy what comes your way, whether it's a store that happens to be next to a tattoo shop in a questionable area of town, yet happens to have some wonderful Mexican decorative items, or a mis-delivered enchilada. Each is an unexpected experience, more enjoyable because of that.
The blue skies are back as we wake up the next day. We never had any doubt. It's still a little cool (relatively speaking) but the sun is so strong that by later in the day we sit outside for a short while. My nose seems to like the sun the best, and tomorrow I will need to make sure that I put some heavy sunscreen on it so I don't come home looking like Rudolph.
Tuesday night is trivia night at Saddlebrooke! After the obligatory pre-tournament cocktail, our team, the "Ruptured Ducks", is primed and ready. At the end of the questions, we are tied with one other team, so it's time for sudden death. Question one - tie. We are relieved. Question two - tie. We're starting to get a little cocky now. Question three - tie. Hmm... Maybe we should start to worry. Question four - we win! Each of us is given a poker chip, redeemable for a cocktail any time.
Postscript to the mirror quest: I went online later, and within about 15 min. had found and ordered the exact mirror that I wanted, at exactly the same price as all the others I had seen in the stores. The Internet is an amazing thing, but I really enjoyed the day of shopping.
It's another good day in Arizona.
No comments:
Post a Comment