Side Tracked

Yes, we are home....yes, we had a wonderful time and yes, I have pictures to post, but I am going to veer off here on a few side notes.

I often watch Bill O'Riley and for the most part can find agreement with him but recently he made some comments about the reality program...."John and Kate plus Eight"

First off he declared the children are being exploited and secondly he stated that no one should watch this program....period. Maybe you are familiar with this show and maybe you aren't but it has recently been in the news because of suspected philandering...and adultery allegations. This show has had 10 million viewers and has provided some insight into a loving, Christian family that made a decision to carry to term the six babies that rarely occur in artificial insemination. The brother and sister-in-law that in the past were very much part of the show are now making claims of exploitation and making statements how hurtful it will be for the children to know that the wonderful trips and birthday parties were all for ratings and etc. but how about the fact that the trips that she herself went on with them wouldn't have happened at all without the fact that they were filmed and shown and that both John and Kate say over and over on the show how grateful they are to be able to do all these things with their children and provide them the same opportunities that a small family would have. I guess my biggest gripe here is freedom...........I personally prefer to watch something real instead of a sitcom like Sex in the City that also had 10 million viewers or Star War fantasies that are visions of someones imagination so don't tell me what to watch and don't convict people on hearsay.

Second side note......I think I have mentioned before that our daughter is a staff interpreter for ASU so guess who interpreted for the commencement with speaker President Obama?????

It was an honor, yes, but guess what....he is just a man with a lot of Secret Service around him. Her and team interpreter had to have special badges due to the fact that they would need to move on the stage and to keep the secret service agents from attacking them when they did so.

Escape

Every since I downloaded the update of Explorer 8 I have had nothing but trouble on my web site and patience isn't my best attribute....................

It has made it difficult to see my favorite blogs and takes forever to leave a comment because it insists on asking me if I want to view it with some safety thing grrrrrr. I have turned everything off that I can find and it still does its own thing...well anyhow, enough of that.

May is definitely a month that is ALL about me:)

First it is Mothers Day then...my birthday and then...........our wedding anniversary.

This year is our 42nd and we are heading for Savannah, Ga. to revel in a little southern hospitality.....I'll just leave this darn old computer behind...............................

Home town tourist

So many times we travel to far away places to see (things) and yet not go and see the things that other people come from far and wide to see in our home town. The best time to do this local tourist thing here in the Valley of the Sun, is the summertime. It is when tourist season dips to non existent because of our high heat and the time the prices plummet and the $350.00 and night hotel room at a resort can be as low as $99.00....so hubby and I have committed to take in a few sights each summer. .........................WARNING...these are not sights you would expect to see in the desert of Arizona...........................
Our first stop:
SRP Falls Created from the canal that runs through our valley

Then lunch at the Arcacia Farms Restaurant....... this is one of those girly places but since it was my B-day, hubby consented and said our appetizer............

CRAB AND AVOCADO TOWER
with blue lump crab, diced avocado, gazpacho salsa, diced tomatoes and micro greens
was worth the discomfort he felt among the throng of women.

We chose to spend the evening at the Firesky resort in old town Scottsdale. It is highlighted by all the water features is has......................
In the lobby area

Courtyard

Enjoyed in the early morning hours

If you haven't guessed....water is a big deal here:)

They also have some unique lighting fixtures....

hanging from the ceiling

Free wine tasting was offered from 5:00pm and 6:00 pm and then off to their wonderful restaurant, Taggia, which features Coastal Italian Cuisine. Because we booked a room for the night we were given a certificate for a free appetizer and took the servers suggestion of Burrata.......That is grilled Italian bread with Caponata (chunky salsa like stuff made with eggplant, onion, mushrooms, tomatoes and spices) and Burrata cheese (This is mozzarella cheese before it gets hard).....well, let me tell you........its was sooooooooo good!
Hope you too look at your hometown with tourist eyes sometimes.............................

Challenge

If you have set any goal for yourself you have created a challenge. It could be anything..losing weight, learning to make a really good pie, sewing a skirt, finishing a book, growing a garden and etc.
For me right now.....it is making a baby hat on double pointed knitting needles. I have knitted it and ripped it out over and over and over again but low and behold I think I am finally making some progress. A challenge is good for the soul, after all if you don't fail a few times you will never win. What is your challenge?

Happy Mother's Day

The Images of Mother


4 YEARS OF AGE - My Mommy can do anything!

8 YEARS OF AGE - My Mom knows a lot! A whole lot!

12 YEARS OF AGE - My Mother doesn't really know quite everything.

14 YEARS OF AGE - Naturally, Mother doesn't know that, either.

16 YEARS OF AGE - Mother? She's hopelessly old-fashioned.

18 YEARS OF AGE - That old woman? She's way out of date!

25 YEARS OF AGE - Well, she might know a little bit about it!

35 YEARS OF AGE - Before we decide, let's get Mom's opinion..

45 YEARS OF AGE - Wonder what Mom would have thought about i t?

65 YEARS OF AGE - Wish I could talk it over with Mom.

FIVE MILLION

My hubby and I recently attended an open house...not just any open house but a five million dollar open house.......five thousand sq. feet, high on a hill in Scottsdale with an unobstructed view of the city, containing four classic cars, bronzes and Indian artifacts that you would expect to see in museums and an awesome collection of the 101 Wild West and not to be left our was a work our room with a mountain view and a theatre with the red curtains and a pop corn machine, a gun room with a beautiful display of collector weapons and wasn't I pleased to see my book displayed on the table...I could go on and on because it was beautifully decorated with wood beams, granite counter tops, fireplaces (many) and etc. but the most outstanding thing????? It was comfortable! You never felt that it was one of those (better not touch) things and in most of the rooms there was a sitting area that enticed you to just sit down and take it all it. My favorite room was the kitchen and yes....at the far end were two small leather swivel chairs in front of a small cozy fireplace.
Note to self.......be sure my home is COMFORTABLE and people want to come and sit a spell...that is what really counts.

See what happens when you mess around

You get a Zorse


A zorse or zebrula is a zebroid, specifically the offspring of a zebra stallion and a horse mare. The rarer reverse pairing is sometimes called a horbra. Like most other hybrids, the zorse is sterile, meaning it cannot go on to reproduce young thus creating a separate Zorse species, completely differentiated from Horses and Zebras altogether is impossible.

Since a zebra is stripped to confuse its lion predator a zorse will only survive in the barnyard.