After a week's vacation to sunny Arizona we are back in the real world. However, I have settled on a new vacation strategy which is to vacation from Wednesday to Wednesday. This gives you a two day week before vacation and a two day week after vacation making for a civilized departure from, and soft landing to, the real world. The other bonus is that air travel on Wednesdays is very civilized; fewer intense business types, hardly any four-generation family groups with all of their needs and machinations, and the plane is not stuffed to overcrowding, thus reducing the chance that you will be sharing a seat with someone you were so hoping was going to keep on down the aisle as you avoid eye contact and fiddle with crap in the extra seat as if it might be occupied.
The weather in Arizona was perfect 80's. Spring training baseball was in full swing. Poolside was relaxing. Our book selections satisfying (I devoured four). There were many visitors from the northern midwest and Canada allowing me to brush up on my Lawrence Welk-inspired accent (Ay dunno what it is aboot tha way theey talk that fascinates me soo). We have acquired tans and I was a bit smarter (Karen always is) and used sunscreen to avoid most of the burn. I know, tanning is bad, but what isn't?
We took a four mile walk most days and snagged a grapefruit from a tree (delicious), a golf ball, and saw the culmination of a high speed chase which involved two girls in a truck, a spike strip, and a dozen cop cars. We went to our favorite restaurant, Los Dos Molinos, three times. The original is in the former home of early movie cowboy, Tom Mix and is very funky. We went the other two times to a new location in Chandler and struck up a conversation with the granddaughter of the founder and her husband who run this location owned by her aunt who had a location in NYC for ten years. They are pretty interested in coming to Portland and we invited them to stay in touch. They are a neat couple in probably their early 30's with four kids (3, 5, 6, & &7!). They are definitely over-achievers, but so friendly, not at all pretentious, and not wound (they should sell their secret). We would like to see a location here (although would it take away the mystique - we visited a Krispy Kreme once after they arrived and it was a vacation favorite too).
Home is nice though. The pussy willow is blooming and all manner of bulbs are out getting ready to display themselves. The cats are back in their routine (or are we just in their routine?). Now I guess it is time to get to work and do a few things before the weekend escapes.
