We did arrive at my parents' house in Sun City West, Arizona on Saturday. It was so good to see them. Dad will be 91 at the end of July and they are both so sharp and independent still. Mom's staying home for a while to get a medical issue stabilized, but not many of us would be living independently, I think, at that age. They live simply, enjoy each other's company, and take care of each other. What more could one ask? Their 70th wedding anniversary is in February and we will be celebrating that and both Mom and Dad's birthdays soon.
We just heard that my oldest of two younger brothers, Gary, will be arriving August 1! What a welcome surprise! He's bringing his wife, Natalie, and youngest child, Lilia (she's an adult now). It will be so, so good to see them again. I last saw Gary during Mom's medical emergency about two years ago and haven't seen Natalie and Lilia since 2004, when Meghan and I went to the March for Women's Lives in Washington, D. C. Needless to say, Lilia has changed a lot since then. She's no longer an Olympic level gymnast and is now dancing with the Pittsburgh Ballet, on leave recovering from surgery to both feet. I'm very proud of her.
So, instead of posting on my blog, I have been visiting with parents, computer troubleshooting (Dad and I fixed it!!! Yesss!), and touring the "acres", as Dad calls walking around the yard. Because we arrived two days early (due to beach burnout), we stayed at Mom and Dad's house until Monday, when our BnB was ready for us.
We are now settled into a very nice AirBnb in Phoenix for the next month. We have three rooms: a bedroom with two queen beds (I feel like the Mad Hatter, "on to the next bed"), a large connecting bathroom, and a really nice, carpeted TV room/office with a foldout sofa and a huge TV (2, actually, one in each room) with cable and Roku (hog heaven). I think we'll be able to manage. :)
Peoria, AZ is very close by. I imagine this place that will sleep 6 would be great for a family coming to watch baseball spring training. They even have another room available downstairs.
Visited my younger brother, Mark, at his home in Phoenix. He's about 7 years younger than I , white-headed, too, and he looks like Hemingway with his white beard. His dog, Yogi, is so sweet and sooo big (115 lbs); this Akita looks like a polar bear when sitting up. Mark is 6'3" with long legs and Yogi's head is at Mark's hip. He's a great guard dog because all it would take is one look and a deep bark to send an intruder running.
The Akita personality-type, according to Mark, is intelligent, but not prone to separation anxiety, and is very comfortable with being alone. Mark worked a full-time job until recently and Yogi came and went through the dog-door during the day. They got a nice long walk when Mark got home; now it's at 5am. He seems to be a very happy dog and he adores Mark.
My toe is healing nicely (as you can see in the photo of the room), but I'm still walking funny because my 69 year old big toe joint doesn't appear to like the way I've been limping. Got new/different shoes and it's better, even normal looking occasionally. Another week and I will be able to pass for uninjured. I'm looking so forward to that and getting into my hiking boots (when it's not 115 degrees outside). Our Sedona visit may be a good place for that [coming soon, with lots of pix].
So, we have been treating this Arizona trip like a shakedown "cruise" for our European adventure in September and we have learned a great deal so far:
We just heard that my oldest of two younger brothers, Gary, will be arriving August 1! What a welcome surprise! He's bringing his wife, Natalie, and youngest child, Lilia (she's an adult now). It will be so, so good to see them again. I last saw Gary during Mom's medical emergency about two years ago and haven't seen Natalie and Lilia since 2004, when Meghan and I went to the March for Women's Lives in Washington, D. C. Needless to say, Lilia has changed a lot since then. She's no longer an Olympic level gymnast and is now dancing with the Pittsburgh Ballet, on leave recovering from surgery to both feet. I'm very proud of her.
So, instead of posting on my blog, I have been visiting with parents, computer troubleshooting (Dad and I fixed it!!! Yesss!), and touring the "acres", as Dad calls walking around the yard. Because we arrived two days early (due to beach burnout), we stayed at Mom and Dad's house until Monday, when our BnB was ready for us.
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| Toe and room, both nice. |
Peoria, AZ is very close by. I imagine this place that will sleep 6 would be great for a family coming to watch baseball spring training. They even have another room available downstairs.
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| Steve's head for perspective. |
The Akita personality-type, according to Mark, is intelligent, but not prone to separation anxiety, and is very comfortable with being alone. Mark worked a full-time job until recently and Yogi came and went through the dog-door during the day. They got a nice long walk when Mark got home; now it's at 5am. He seems to be a very happy dog and he adores Mark.
My toe is healing nicely (as you can see in the photo of the room), but I'm still walking funny because my 69 year old big toe joint doesn't appear to like the way I've been limping. Got new/different shoes and it's better, even normal looking occasionally. Another week and I will be able to pass for uninjured. I'm looking so forward to that and getting into my hiking boots (when it's not 115 degrees outside). Our Sedona visit may be a good place for that [coming soon, with lots of pix].
So, we have been treating this Arizona trip like a shakedown "cruise" for our European adventure in September and we have learned a great deal so far:
- Pack less than you want and maybe a little more than you think you absolutely need.
- Remember, you aren't going to the wilderness; there will be hair dryers and stores.
- Remember to live in the moment; maybe you need to see it more than you need to photograph it.
- Get your medications refilled before travel.
- Beware of aggressive drivers and don't let yourself be goaded. Arizona is rife with them.
- Camping isn't for everyone (okay, it isn't for Donnie).
- Expect problems and concentrate on positive creativity.
- Compromise is essential to traveling with others (oh, boy, is it).
- Listen carefully to your hosts, they have their own problems.
- Give yourself time to adjust and to heal; it will all still be there.
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