From one Desert to Another

You may be getting pretty tired of these picture-less vacation posts, but you will have to deal with it because: 1) I didn't use my camera for 2/3 of my vacation; 2) I haven't figured out how to post a picture I saved in iPhoto (on my new Mac. Help someone!); and 3) you already know what you look like anyway.

Since my sister's teeth surgery was more important than flying the whole family to Seattle (indeed it was, I'm not being sarcastic) my sister flew me down to see my niece and nephew, both of whom have grown quite a bit since I saw them a whopping two years ago. Sam is nearly my height, and even though his voice is much lower, it sounded just like him. The best word to describe Liz is: pixie. With her heart-shaped face, lithe frame, small mouth, and hair that flips in places she is very much like a pixie. What good-looking kids. What good kids, too. I couldn't help but feel that they were good and tried to do good as well.

In the interest of keeping this interesting, I'll cover the main points of my visit to Arizona:

• the first order of business on my trip to Arizona was my nephew's football game. This is his first year playing football, and he is a fullback on the 9th grade team. I was warned that the team wasn't very successful, and the rumor proved true during the first few seconds when the opposing team scored a touchdown and a two-point conversion. I was very glad that Sam got to play a lot during the 4th quarter (and carry the ball too!) otherwise I wouldn't have been able to say "I am so glad that I got to see you play!" after his team got sorely beaten. Sam loves playing football, and he has not yet been discouraged by the lack of wins; hard practices, and the jerky starting players. I love that he enjoys it.

• The next day Amy introduced me to what I see as the one benefit of living in Arizona: RetroTV. We should probably be embarrassed to admit to watching countless hours of T.V. instead of touring Phoenix, but it was loads of fun reminiscing over our favorite childhood shows, like Emergency! and A-Team. The latter remains a T.V. icon (and an upcoming feature-length film), but does anyone else remember Emergency!--the late 70's medical drama(?) about a couple of EMT, doctors, and taciturn nurse? It was fabulous--it's even better to watch it now, and compare it with similar shows in our day that probably hire doctors to help write the medical stuff. The stark differences between medical dramas today and that show turned the once-dramatic stuff into sheer comedy: "We don't know why your toddler stopped breathing, but we do know that it happens sometimes." Or "How do we get this (80-year-old) woman off the hill during the wildfire?" "We can strap the stretcher to the top of our truck." Something very similar to that, at least.
  

• Friday, we made a quick mile or so hike on this little hill somewhere in Phoenix. Sam, in full football-training mode decided to run. Show-off. I was glad that it was not humid and that we didn't see any rattlesnakes or scorpions. Liz saw a roadrunner. My sister and I discussed my future.

• It's always fun to see Uncle Jerry, although the visit was pretty quick. He mostly just asked about Dubai, and I was glad to recount as much as I could. Sometimes I get a little boring when people find out that I actually haven't seen anything too exciting. I haven't even seen a camel.
  

• While in town, I got a much needed haircut. I've had my haircut twice in the Middle East, and both times were disappointing. While in the chair it was discovered that my hair is wavier than I thought. It's amazing what one can discover with good hair products and a diffuser. And to think that I've been hiding all of this in a ponytail and under a bandanna. I've been trying to let it go wavy in public now, but I am not sure what to do with the bangs, and I need bangs.

• I ate my first Sprinkles cupcakes. They were fine. I liked the idea of the cinnamon sugar cupcake, though. It's nice to have a non-frosting option.

• IloveyouAnthropologieforeverandeverandeverandoneofthesedaysIwillgetabetterjobsoIcanafford you.

• I had a fun night out with my friend LeeAnn, who left Seattle for Phoenix about the time I left for NYC. It's always good to hang out with her. I love that she loves her job; it inspires me. Plus she's active and social, and that inspires me as well. We went to a lyrical opera entitled "The Turn of a Screw" or something like that. Here's my thoughts: Don't go. Unless you absolutely love everything that is in the form of an opera or love everything that Henry James wrote. I didn't love the music or the idea of ghosts fondling children. LeeAnn felt the same way, so we ditched the opera for Greek food, frozen yogurt, and good conversation. So much better than the opera.
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• Saturday morning Liz and I helped my sister with a photo shoot/promotion for a dog kennel/place to do dog stuff. Liz was very confident about setting up our information booth; I guess she helps out pretty often. Then I got to sit with her and chat about school, fashion, and all the dogs we saw. She was such a fun baby, toddler, little girl, and now that she is 12 years old she is growing into a fabulous person.
  
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• I don't remember which days these things happened, but they made me happy. One night for dinner my brother-in-law Jake made burritos, and we s'mores for dessert. Another time we ate waffles. I've missed those food items. But I think you already know that.
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• So apparently Blogger wants to do funny stuff with my bullet points. Oh well.
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• Sunday morning my sister and I participated in the Susan G. Komen Walk for the Cure, although I would like to submit that the event should be called the Susan G. Komen Shuffle for the Cure because there were so many people that we didn't really take any normal walking strides. I was glad to do the walk for such a good cause, and I wore a friend's name on my back to show support for her. However, I just have to say these two things: 1)I don't particularly like cheerleaders shouting out cheers like, "Go Boobies!" It sounds like something one would hear at Hooters or Las Vegas. 2) It was a 5k walk/shuffle--not a race--and it was so not hard, so the typical "you're almost done" "good work" "you can do it" shouts were a little misplaced. It's not a marathon, for crying out loud. The only place where those cheers may be necessary would be while standing in a long line in front of an outhouse at such events. Those are my opinions, treat them as such.

Thanks Amy, Jake, Sam, Liz, and Shadow the dog that became my shadow. I had a wonderful time.