At "home" with the Goff's, Birthday Party and below zero

  Dewain and Linda Goff are such perfect hosts and amazing friends.  Can't thank them enough for giving us shelter for nights.  We did a lot of laughing and catching up on our lives and the local news.  Saturday night the four of us attended a 70th birthday party for another old friend, Gerry, at the James Hill Reference Library downtown St Paul. It was an beautiful venue for a party.  Unfortunatly I didn't take many photos so can't show how gorgeous it was.  Saw several people we use to know from our days living in MN.  Best part was seeing Tess and Gerry's two daughters and their families, especially those grandchildren whom we had only seen in pictures!

The birthday guy!

Denise and Daston (10 months) and Will

Woke up to below zero temperatures and a wind chill that would not quit!  We are not liking this!! The four of us went out for breakfast and an old "haunt" that we use to frequent a lot when we lived here.  Still a great breakfast place, same owners as 10 years ago although it is obvious they have had a redo.  Nice improvement.

The Polar bear is their namesake signature. . .with Dewain and Linda and Linda

To Minnesota

Ok, now we are getting into serious winter.  Will had to scrape ice off the wndshield in the morning.

We spent the night in Rockford, Ill and drove through a bit of ice fog before the sun came out to clear it all off.  Made the trees pretty anyway.

Arrived at Dewain and Linda's house in Minnesota in fine shape.  They most certainly had a white Christmas.  Sunrise this morning was quite amazing with the earth's blanket of fresh white snow!  Looking out from a nice warm and cozy house and it is quite beautiful. . .until you have to go somewhere.

Christmas with Stephanie

Stephanie cooked Christmas Dinner.  We had Nabe, or Japanese Hot Pot. We went shopping for all the ingredients yesterday and she put it together this afternoon.  It was really tasty and quite simple once you find all the traditional ingredients.

We got to Facetime with the kids from Shanghai last night.  Our Christmas eve was thier Christmas morning so they saved a present for Lia to open  while we watched!  Looks like Santa made it to China too.

She had already gotten a new "Hello Kitty" back pack and was wearing that with pride.

Stephanie actually had a little down time while we were here and we had a good time just doing fun stuff. Took in a couple of movies, ate out and in, Will got a few projects done around the house that required "dad's tools," figured out the new smart tv, enjoyed being here. Except the cold winter weather, but I am not complaining. . .its not snowing!

Next stop, Bloomington!

It might have been a scenic drive to Bloomington across Tennessee, a bit of Kentucky and up through southern Indiana but it was too wet to see much. It rained 6 of the 7 driving hours on the road.  My smart phone kept sending me flood watch alerts and it was obvious it had been raining in this part of the country right along as fields flooded and rivers overflowing their banks.

But roads were clear and we didn't have any problems.  We are just thankful it was not snow!!  

Still raining in Bloomington when we arrived.  Basements flooded all over town, but Steph high and dry.  We spent the rainy evening going out to see a movie, "Saving Mr Banks." Great fun and Tom Hanks is a perfect Walt Disney.

  Not doing anything special--just enjoying each other's company--loving being here.

Will is hanging Steph's new tv on the wall.  We found a few special jobs that needed to be done.  Its fun to do things here, why is that? If we were home the same tasks would be work!

Memphis tonight

Last night we were in Texarkana, Arkansas and today was a fairly short day to Memphis.  We got to our hotel shortly after noon so we had time to check out Memphis.  Walked down famous Beal Street. Not a lot going on, probably gets going at night when the bar scene starts up.  Lots of bars and restaurants featuring Bar B Que and Blues music and a number of eclectic gift shops. One had drum heads all over the ceiling, all signed by the drummer who played them.  

All along the 3 or 4 blocks of the entertainment district there are these brass musical notes embedded into the sidewalk of the local artists that worked and played thier craft here in Memphis.  

Walked thru the Peabody Hotel Lobby to see the huge Christmas tree

also to check if the infamous Peabody Ducks were stillthere.

There they are, 8 or 10 mallard ducks, having a great time in the lobby fountain.  They are what make the Peabody famous.  They live up on the roof in their shelter and every morning the "duck master" escorts them down the elevator, down the red carpet and into the pool.  Every evening they retrace their steps back to the roof to the delight of young and old.  We didn't wait around for the duck parade today, we have seen it before. Very cute.

  Outside the Peabody on the sidewalk are more brass plates honoring Memphis famous, but these are in the shape of duck feet.  Also very cute.  Who is more famous!

We are booking our hotels using rewards points earned with our credit cards.  We find that these points are so hard to use as flight miles but they work wonderfully for booking hotels.  The first night's hotel in Van Horn, Texas was just ok, but the last two have been really nice hotels.  Last night's Best Western was outstanding and tonight's is also a good pick.  And when you use points, there are no extra fees or taxes.  It feels like getting a hotel night for free!  I recommend this. 

Coproducing Asia -- University of Minnesota Press

Steph's book is now for presale from University or Minnesota Press!


http://www.upress.umn.edu/book-division/books/coproducing-asia#.UrJXLBZsPfQ.email

All the way to Houston.

We were on the road before the sun was up. . .was a beautiful sunrise. Not much to hide the open sky in west Texas.  It goes on forever.  

We drove pretty much all day.  Taking in the countryside, listening to satalite radio.  Stopped near San Antonio at the original "Rudy's" for some Texas Bar-B-Que.  We discovered Rudy's several years ago and always make a point to stop when we get here.  Now there are Rudy's all over, but this is the original one--still the "worst" BBQue.  Thats what the sign says!!

First day of holiday road trip. Leaving Arizona

Cruising down interstate 10 heading east toward Bloomington--with a detour to Houston.  Love the desert flying by the window (no snow!). Past Las Cruses and the Organ Mountains, thru El Paso.  Stopped at Costco in El Paso for lunch ($1.50 hot dog combo) and gas.

Now this looks great, a tanker full of coffee--well, maybe. Gave me a chuckle, anyway.

Stayed the first night in Van Horn, Texas.  Remember this town well as we came thru here on the bike trip a couple of years ago.  Lots of 50's type motels on this crossroads Texas town.

We ate dinner at "Chuy's" , a local restaurant made famous when the sports announcer, John Madden stopped here in his traveling bus and then wrote about his infamous dinner in sports magazines, and then made a regular habit of stopping here on his way thru. Put them on the map and the family's gratitude is obvious on the mural inside the dining room.  They call this place "the John Madden "Haul" of Fame" with all the sports memorabilia.

Christmas party at our house

We have just enjoyed snapping open our " Christmas Crackers" and about to enjoy a wonderful pot luck dinner.  Such good sports--nobody took thier silly hat off until we finished with desert!

  These are our true Tucson family.  Got connected through St Andrews church, we meet for Bible Study and fellowship about twice a month and once in a while we do something extra fun like a Christmas party. These folks have become very special to Will and me.

We giggled a lot during our white elephant gift exchange. Susie is choosing carefully.

Those goofy crowns are still on!

Grinch

'Tis the season!  Went to a community Christmas concert this afternoon at Church of the Nazarene and while waiting for a seat, we were entertainned by the Grinch!

We're going solar

We are in the process of going solar. The panels are installed on the roof.  With our flat roof they can't be seen from the street so it is very unobtrusive.  Not turned on yet as county has to come and inspect and then Tucson Power has to come out and install their stuff so we can feed back into the grid, and/ or get back up power in case the sun goes away.  We're kinda excited, seems a no brainer for Arizona, plus it is a feel good thing to do for future environment.

Had to climb up onto the roof to check it all out.  Hadn't been up there in a while.  Interesting look out over the neighborhood from up there.  Also into our back yard.

This is looking across the street over our neighbor's house at the Catalina mountains.  I have a good view of Pusch Ridge. 

Tucson is epicenter of meteorite strike

http://azstarnet.com/news/local/article_c3ad54f0-627f-11e3-91d2-001a4bcf887a.html

Tucson is the epicenter of a meteorite hunt and scientists want Tucsonans to help them look for the space rocks.
At 7:11 Tuesday night a large meteor entered the earth’s atmosphere northeast of Phoenix and broke up over Marana, said Robert Ward is a planetary science field researcher representing the Chicago Field Museum.


This is OUR neighborhood.  Should I be out looking for rocks?!?  We were home but did not hear or see anything but plenty of people did.  Thornydale and Ina and Linda Vista are very close to my house!    

Holiday Lights

Tohono Chul Park hosts its "Holiday Lights" every year the december weekends before Christmas. Its always a fun thing to do to usher in the holidays.  We bundled up in this Arizona cold snap and went out to the park to walk throught the thousands of white lights.  They served up hot chocolate and yummy Christmas cookies.  We stood in line a couple of times to get seconds and

 thirds!  Three different stages were hosting music.  

We listened to our favorite guitarist, Gabriel Ayala and then headed over to hear a really fun bluegrass band called Senoran Dogs.  They were the best.

Art in the garden

My friend's spacious and eclectic back yard turned into "arte en de jardin" this weekend.  We had 30 vendors displaying everything from jewelry and textiles to iron works and oil paintings and photography and leather craft.  And of course, pottery.  Thats part of my display in the foreground.  We had lots of food for our visitors as they browsed and shopped and we even had soothing guitar music wafting over the grounds that added to the ambiance.  It was nice.  Yesterday the sun kept us all nice and warm. . .today was cloudy and jackets were on order.  Good time, though and even a few nice sales.

Enjoying the borderlands

We packed a lunch and headed out to see what we could find.  First stop was the Sonoita Creek Nature Conservancy Preserve for a hike along Sonoita Creek.  Then we headed out on some of the many back roads around here in search of the San Rafael Valley. Its a beautiful grassland landscape that conjures up imaginations of grand cattle ranches in times past.  There are still big ranches out there but today the land is managed for good farm practices so that the overgrazing of the last century is a thing of the past.  It looks so lush, it is hard to believe the land so fragile.  

There are numerous ghost towns out here that attest to the prosperity that once drew so many people to the mines in the mountains and the ranches in the valleys.  Now its pronghorns in the distance, cattle herds surrounding the water tanks, a lonely Harrier sweeping low looking for his next meal.

Patagonia Lake, southern Arizona

The last of the kids left on Thanksgiving morning. Miss everyone already!  So instead of moping around the house all day and feeling bad, we got the RV out and spent the day loading it up to go on a short weekend adventure to Patagonia State Park.  Campground full on this holiday weekend but we got a reservation.  Weather perfect for hiking, birding, (great winter birding, by the way) into town for a local "Art Walk", dinner at the Velvet Elvis, a fun pizza place. 

   And canoeing on the lake. . .

A little grebe just before he dunked under water to get away from us.  This desert lake is a jewel, we always enjoy coming here.