In the Valley of the Sun and heat

July 15 - 22, 2013:

I almost forgot our RV "On the road" anniversary !  One year full timing as of July 9th but since we have seen deadheading since July 3rd without the RV, I guess we have to subtract some out of service time, (you railroad guys out there will understand) ?  We have made campground reservations for two weeks in the San Francisco Bay area when we return in early August. It is a challenge finding available reasonably priced campgrounds in this area at this time of year, but we are set for a while.  

Monday through Wednesday mornings this week were spent in the dental chair at Fortis College in Phoenix.  I drive there in rush hour traffic, it feels like going to work !  I'm learning quite a lot by observation but still don't understand why anyone would desire this job ?  Well, maybe if you have sadist tendencies.  Please don't take this wrong Angie, its a great career path, you're helping people and it also pays pretty well. I'm back to college again next week.

While I go to Dental College, Twinkles gets dropped off at my sisters house and spends time with Tatum and my mom.  They have been having a great time doing crafts, making videos, going for pedicures, cooking, making popsicles and cake pops. 

Tatum and Georgio in the pool

Cake Pops

TNT, that's Tatum and Twinkles

I roamed around historic downtown Buckeye some on Thursday, Buckeye is an old town (for Arizona) settled in 1888, it is still predominately agricultural but development is fast encroaching.  It appears that the state has funded some restoration of several old downtown buildings, but they remain unfinished and vacant.  There are a few interesting old buildings, stores and restaurants, but not much to attract a crowd. I stopped at the Wild West Cowboy Steakhouse for lunch, mainly just to see inside, thought that it might be interesting.  Bad idea, should have just peeked through the window ! I don't have a problem drinking in dive bars, but eating in dive restaurants is a different matter. When I picked up my Taco, it was like doing an oil change ! 

Hickman's Family Farms

Corn in the desert

Wonderful things to eat in Buckeye

Grain silos and rail line in Buckeye

Irrigation-makes it all possible

Big farm equipment in Buckeye

Cows in Buckeye

Hay in Buckeye

It's hard to do outside activities like hiking here, it's so hot, unless you get outside at sun rise and Twinkles is not a cheerful early morning riser.  As a result, we are finding the summer climate here to be very unhealthy.  The monsoon season is here, every day this week it has gotten cloudy and stormy in the evening, but only a trace of actual rain in the Phoenix area.  Until Saturday that is, when we did get near a half inch of real rain. The monsoon rain storms are very spotty, some areas get pounded, a few miles away there is nothing.  Areas in Eastern Phoenix had 2 inches of rain and flash flooding. 

I went to a Foot doctor on Friday to check out this nagging soreness in the ball of my foot.  E-rays showed nothing broken and the doctor feels I have a slightly torn ligaments in there.  The recommendation is to tape up the second toe with this KT sports tape to minimize motion, apply ice a couple times a day and wear shoes with firm non flat soles.  Along the way to the doctor I saw many great murals along 16th Street, I stopped to check out a few.

Peace be with you

Let Love in

Keep the devil out

or you go here, the Mortuary Building

What is the meaning ?

Buckeye, AZ Sewer Cover

I always make time for the blues;

The family all went out for dinner Saturday night at Chilli's and we made good use of their special 2 for $20.00 meal and appetizer deal.  We are getting spoiled here with the endless quantity of stores and restaurants in this area, getting fat and lazy, will be ready to get away from it all in a couple of weeks. 

More will be revealed:

Twinkles and Slick