Goodbye Arizona

July 31 - August 6, 2013:

Dental cleaning and polishing was completed this week and I learned much, possibly too much, about the Dental Hygienist job.  My teeth have never been this clean before.  I was a challenging but good first patient for Angie, (the teacher used the term advanced).  The bad news is that after going to a real dentist on Thursday morning to check on a cracked tooth, I am told that the tooth is cracked vertically very badly (the dentist used the analogy; like a split piece of wood) and is beyond repair. That's not what I wanted to hear !   

Happy Birthday to Twinkles on July 31st, I won't dwell on the details of that.  We celebrated with a quiet dinner at the Old Adobe Cafe and Pub nearby

Friday I had the front tires replaced on the Denali and then went for an oil change at the local GMC dealer.  The tire shop guys were lusting over the truck, it's beginning to annoy me now that wherever I go; doesn't matter if they are men or women, the truck gets more looks than I do !

Twinkles and I then went out for a night in downtown Phoenix to the Arizona Latino Arts and Cultural Center for a "Dream Season art exhibition". The center has a really nice gift shop, several gallery rooms showing Latino art work and a room to the side with a stage and seating for music and dance performances.  They had two ballet folklorico dance groups performing, very colorful and artistic, then a comic/poet (mostly in spanish that we couldn't understand) and three women who did a very entertaining reading called "On getting old" about a group of girls trying to relive a college drinking night and exploring the realities of aging and settling down. Afterwards we walked around the block taking in the bright lights and sights of the city and then stopped at the "Tilted Kilt" Irish pub for a drink and appetizer.  The Tilted Kilt is now my favorite Irish Pub based primarily on the cute "little" outfits worn by the waitresses. It made me think of a Bob Dylan song lyric from "Tangled up in blue"; I must admit I felt a little uneasy when she bent down to tie the laces of my shoe.

A featured painting in the gallery

The Dream Season exhibition poster

Doorway of the Tilted Kilt

The colorful latino art and dancing coupled with the erotic uniforms at the Tilted Kilt put me in the mood for Bob Dylan song lyrics early Saturday morning, they are amazing, could spend days, months, possibly a lifetime trying to understand or analyze them.  I stopped at "Bob Dylan's 115th Dream" that's enough to think about for now ?

Saturday was a family day, the highlight being some old VCR tapes from 25 years or so ago, amazing stuff.  

Sunday shopping at the Arrowhead Mall for new sneakers was probably not a good idea especially with Phoenix school starting this week.  I haven't really gone shoe shopping much in the past year, it's changed a lot, for the worse and I won't be doing much in the next year either.  it's hard to buy a white pair of athletic shoes anymore, everything is weird colors.  I actually like some color, but this new style trend is over the top, mostly just plain ugly.  Also the flat footed shoes, Vans in particular, are crazy popular, you just aren't cool if you don't wear them !  The skateboarder look is really in this year, to the point that it's almost mainstream, this should really piss off the counter culture skateboarders.  As a result, I ended up with a fancy pair of hiking sandals.

Lots more Phoenix mural photos this week, going to the Dental College on N. 18th Street is near several good mural areas.

Mural on Grand Avenue Phoenix

Mural in Phoenix

Old auto radiator repair shop sign

Another Mural

Interesting shop on corner of 16th street and Van Buren in Phoenix
also lots of murals in lot behind the store, No I did not go inside !

Another Mural

Another Mural

A sign on Grand Avenue in Phoenix

1st Presbyterian Church in Phoenix

The New Windsor Hotel in Phoenix, it's really old

Lots of live music shows at the Cresent Ballroom in Phoenix
unfortunately I didn't get there on this trip 

The floating sculpture called "Her secret is patience" in downtown Phoenix, at
night it is illuminated, some think it's beautiful, others stupid ?

Historic Charles Pugh house in Phoenix

A dermatologist visit on Monday afternoon to freeze off a few growths on my forehead, nothing serious he said, but he called then pre cancerous growths, which certainly sounds serious to me.  Going out to buy a big mexican sombrero and high SPF sunscreen.

We are both falling apart, Twinkles had to go to a dentist on Tuesday morning for emergency work.  I need to find a California dentist next week to take care of my cracked tooth.
These are minor issues compared to Howard Payne of RV Dreams who just came down with blood clots in his lungs for unknown reasons and had quite a hospital scare.  Our thoughts and prayers are with Howard.

We get back on the road tomorrow, with this in mind with renewed commitment to enjoying every moment, because one never knows when the engine may blow up.

It's always tough leaving family, one of the down sides of this lifestyle.  We got to spend a lot of time during this trip with my niece Cindy who was kind enough to allow us to stay at her house.  Angie had a few presents for me, an electric toothbrush and a waterpik to thank me for helping her out with her training, no excuses now for proper tooth maintenance.  Thanks Cindy and Angie. Of course, it's always great to see my Mom, sister, brother-in-law and the 10 year old (going on 16) exuberant, dynamic Tatum. 

We leave tomorrow morning heading for Thousand Oaks, California where we will spend the night, then on to Gilroy to connect with the RV again and more adventures.  

Stay tuned for more !

Twinkles and Slick