Beautiful Weather for Joan's Visit

We could not have asked for nicer weather for Joan's visit, adding to the pleasure was the nasty weather in Chicago while she was here!

Friday 1/24

Nancy & Joan headed out and did some serious shopping this morning. I met them at Beyond Bread for lunch. We all relaxed in the afternoon and then went to see Mariachi Aztlan, the high school band from Pueblo High School at the rec hall. Then had our lunch leftovers for dinner.

Saturday 1/25

Joan headed up to Phoenix this morning to visit some friends. Nancy & I took a nice long walk in the desert and then puttered around home. Nancy did some more Spanish homework.

When Joan returned we all went to Taco Grio for dinner.

Sunday 1/26

During our morning walk today we finally found what we ahd been looking for - a young saguaro! We found one along one of the trails in the BLM area north of Desert Trails, it is about 5” tall. Here is a picture: Well, there was going to be a picture, but I seem to have misplaced the cord that connects the camera to the computer. Picture will come later.

Watched the end of the Rolex 24 at Daytona, most of it by fast forwarding through the last six hours on the DVR. Joan came over and had a hot rocks massage from Angel here in the park. After that Nancy & Joan took a short hike, then we went to BK Tacos for lunch.

Dinner at home and watched the Blackhawks choke and throw away a game that the dominated, losing 3-1. So their January slump continues.

Monday 1/27

Skipped the Monday morning meeting and took a hike this morning. Then we all went to the Reed Park Zoo. Nice day with partial cloud cover, so it was a good day for the zoo. In mid-afternoon we met a couple who used to work with Joan at Nimbus Brewing for a late lunch, great burger as usual. They have a place in Voyager. There was some confusion over where we were meeting. Apparently there is also a Nimbus Bistro a ways north of the brewery. We have always eaten at the brewery and never were even aware of the other place which is farther away from us. Joan's friends went there first and it was closed, maybe because it was Monday. The next day there was an article in the paper noting that it had closed permanently. Apparently the only connection with the brewery was that they served their beer.

Light dinner at home.

Tuesday 1/28

Off first thing to the Desert Museum. Spent the morning there and as happened last time we saw something unusual. The mountain lion, who usually is seen sleeping somewhere in the enclosure was running around like crazy, climbing trees, hanging from branches when they would not hold his weight. One of the tour guide docents that was there when we were said she had never seen him so active.

Lunch at the museum, then Joan & Nancy walked around the desert loop while I browsed in the book shop.

We went to Cushing Street Bar & Grille for dinner, food and service were still good, but they seemed to be cheapening things up a bit - no drink specials & paper napkins. We’ll reserve judgement.

Back home the Blackhawks stunk up the place and lost tonight. 

Wednesday 1/29

Nancy had her Spanish class this AM and I did some wood polishing. Then we went and met Joan and we went to the Titan II Missile Museum in Sahuarita for a tour. A really interesting place and well worth a visit. Excellent one hour tour and a lot of interesting displays. Joan and Nancy got to sit in the launch control seats and simulate a missile launch.

Stopped at BK Tacos for lunch.

In the evening we went to Wilbur’s Grille in the Viscount hotel for dinner. There were two reasons to go there: the Arizona Roadrunners play there on Wednesday evening and the Ellington Band is performing there for Valentines day and we wanted to see if the place was good for a nice dinner. Turned out to be very nice and as a bonus Max Goldschmidt was playing with the Road Runners, as well as a lady who we have heard before whose name I cannot remember.

Blackhawks had some issues and fell behind 0-2 early but came roaring back in the 2nd period with 4 goals and defeated Vancouver 5-2.

Thursday 1/30

Off to Tucson Yoga for our regular yoga class. Joan came over to the park to get a hot rocks massage from Angel.

Later in the morning we went to Beyond Bread for lunch, then stopped at an outlet store where Nancy & Joan did some shopping. 

Then cocktails and relaxed at home.

Friday 1/31

Took our regular hike in the morning, then Nancy did some laundry. Karen and Gary  are getting married this afternoon. They dropped Margo off this morning and we will take care of her overnight.

Lunch at home and then Nancy & I went to the wedding while Joan watched Margo. The ceremony was at a nearby Lutheran church and was very nice. Afterwards they had a small reception in the church hall which was organized by the “church ladies”. That was also very nice, about 50 guests, which we thought was a nice turnout. We shared a table with Reed and Angel and Karen’s parents who had flown in from Minnesota for the wedding.

Had cocktails and then went to Fred’s Arena for pizza.

Saturday 2/1

Joan was scheduled to return home today, but due to the weather in Chicago (they are expecting 9" of snow today!) Southwest was offering flight changes for no charge, so she has decided to stay until Sunday. She called the lady who runs the limo service she uses in Chicago to see if the change was a problem and she said "So you can stay another day in Tucson for no cost, but you are thinking about coming home today. Are you crazy!?."

Nancy took off early and picked up Joan to go the H. F. Coors first Saturday seconds sale. They bought a fair amount of stuff. Late in the morning we took Margo home and then went and met Joan. We made another stop at Coors as Nancy decided she needed another item.

Then we went to Beyond Bread on Speedway and stopped at Bookman’s to do some browsing. Nancy picked up a Spanish verb book and they both got a couple kids books. I bought ... NOTHING! A new record for me. I did look through a couple of interesting books, but I have such a big backlog between regular books and the Kindle that I probably do not need anything for at least a year!

Stop at the grocery store and back home for cocktails and dinner. Spent some time looking at guest houses in England for our trip next summer and sent some enquiries.

Hawks lost in a shoot-out, bummer!

Sunday 2/2

Ground hog saw his shadow this morning, about all that means to us is we might stay in Arizona a week or two longer.

Joan came by early and we went over to Coyote Pause for breakfast and then back home to review the responses to our guest house enquiries and selected one for the night before the Prairie Home Companion Cruise.

Joan headed home, Nancy had a hot rocks massage from Angel and we took it easy at home.

Watched the beginning of the Super Bowl, recorded most of it and them fast forwarded through watching just the scoring and the commercials. Actually watched more of the Puppy Bowl!

Of course we watched Downton Abby and Sherlock this evening.

Monday 2/3

Monday AM meeting, then quickly home to change clothes, check bike tires and head out with the bike group. Went to a bike path along the Santa Cruz in Marana, about 20 miles North of here. Rode 11 miles on paths along the river and through a nearby subdivision. Had about 24 people in  the group. After the ride the group had lunch at the Sky Rider Coffee Shop at Marana Airport. Got home around 3 PM. 

Hawks played late tonight and had a good game against the Kings. Maybe they are getting their groove back. It is funny how we feel like they have been in a slump lately, but they are still at or near the top of the league in most categories. Things like the 3rd best power play in the league - to us it seems terrible - and the only team with three 20+ goal scorers - Sharp, Kane and Taves in that order.