Prop 302 survives the November 2 election!!

A bright light in the state of Arizona:

"First Things First appreciates this show of confidence from Arizona voters (70%) and their continued commitment to our youngest kids. We will continue in our mission to ensure that all Arizona kids have the tools they need to start kindergarten healthy and ready to succeed."

Very exciting news. I am ready to go forth and do good. Love it!

an incredible monsoon sky (8/28)

From my balcony (facing west) at dusk, 3 things were happening in the wide open sky at once... straight ahead in the center, due west, is a full ball of sun sitting just above the horizon, lying below a distinct horizontal line of grey clouds with rain showers streaking through the bright red sunset colors. To the north is blue sky and white puffy clouds rising above the mountains; and to the south is dark clouds producing a line of rain with vivid lightening that spread across the sky from top to bottom with a constant roll of thunder to fill my ears. There is a pleasant cool desert wind. It is beautiful to see monsoon from my chair on the balcony.

August 25th

Monsoon is here in Tucson. As the high summer temperatures build during the afternoon, you can watch the huge white puffy clouds rise up vertically in the sky over the Rincon Mountains to the east, and you know it is coming. That's the definition of Monsoon: a reverse in wind direction. Typically we get weather from the west, but in Monsoon it comes from the southeast (the gulf of Mexico). If it makes it over the mountains, it arrives with a jolt of energy: lightening, thunder, severe down pours and sometimes hail (like yesterday). The rivers flow and the washes fill up with water. The roads can be impassable. It is fierce, like a New England blizzard snow storm in winter. Yet it thankfully nourishes the dry desert landscape and drops the temperature by at least 20 degrees. The mountains are noticeably greener these days. That's why people here love the Monsoon. I get it.

June 25th.

It's been some time since we've talked. I have a confession to make. I am actually getting used to the 3-digit temperatures around here. Don't get me wrong. It's hot. HOT. But I caught myself questioning if it was too cool to go do some laps at the pool recently, and the temps were in the 90's. Can that be? It's unreal. But you have to understand something. It is truly sunny every day. A blue, cloudless sky. Every day. There is no Seasonal Affective Disorder here. So you don't have to exercise under less than ideal conditions. So swim, bike, or hike... you go out early and then hang out at the cafe for breakfast. And possibly head to work for the afternoon. What is this dream? Does it have to end? Sadly, time will tell.

So now the talk is "when is the monsoon coming?" I have only a faint idea of what that means. I hear it is dramatic and fierce and cooling. June is the hottest month on record each year. People love the monsoon. I hope I do too.

My job at the U of A is fun and exciting. It is cranking up and on its way. I truly hope it survives the November election. It is good for the future of this state. But not everyone sees money in the same way. So I am considering other options, and I have a couple of things in the pipeline. One is an outdoor guide at a local famous resort. A hiking and biking guide. I like that. Actually, I'd love that. We'll talk again soon.

a walk along the bike path from outside my door

It's a really pleasant evening tonight as the sun sets and the moon (almost full) is high in the sky. The temp is in the 70's. The bike path adjacent to my apartment is popular with walkers, joggers, and cyclists. The Catalinas are the backdrop with blue sky behind. Within walking distance there is an intramural softball game going on next to a pick-up basketball game. Dog parks are along side... one for big dogs and one for small. Liking it.

biking, a little work, and the symphony

Lisa and I climbed Mt Lemmon today, our second time this week ... to Seven Cataracts, which is the furthest Lisa has climbed so far! It is beginning to feel good to me. Just going the distance and not fretting it. It's always a good workout. Descending is getting a bit easier... but to see some of the cyclists come down so fast is incredible. Their 1" tires are screaming down the pavement. You can hear them coming even before you see them.

Then I came home and made a very nice lunch of marinated salmon (yes, I took a chance in the desert), broccoli, and couscous with raisins, almonds, onion and honey. And then I went to work. On-line proficiency testing consisting of scoring and administration of the various standardized assessments. All my fears were for naught. I did great. Ready to move on!

My reward was the free outdoor symphony at Udall Park tonight. The weather is always good, and once the sun goes down, the temperature is delightful. Tonight was the Arizona Symphonic Winds with a special violin concerto. Fabulous! I have not heard a violin solo like that ever. So I expect I will learn a great deal about the symphony before the summer ends.

NBA afternoon

no boys allowed for the afternoon showing of the movie "Nine" at a friends house. Huge tv screen in a gorgeous home on a hot sunny friday in tucson. Snacks and wine and female conversation. Very fun! What a life.

the lovely evenings in the desert

I am still amazed by the beauty of the mountains and the desert landscape. Tonight, I attended an art exhibit at the Tohono Chul Park; an oasis within the city. It is their 25th anniversary, so they had drinks and appetizers and free entrance to their living museum. There are pathways to various botanical gardens outside, and the art exhibit inside. Many local artists are shown, and high schoolers entered a competition for first prize by creating drawings and paintings in various categories. My favorite category is the colored pencil. Crisp and clean, colorful original drawings. Fabulous entries by teenagers.

On my drive home, the sun and the shadows on the Catalina Mountains are simply gorgeous. Just beautiful and mesmerizing at this time of day. A lovely evening in the desert.

So now that the sun has set, I can open my windows again and feel the westerly breeze blowing in. My natural air conditioner after a hot, sunny, cloud free day.

I almost forgot to mention that I began the day with a 6 mile hike to Blackett's Ridge. This hike is a steady climb of 1700' and 3 false tops to a pinnacle with 360 degree views of canyons and mountains as a reward for your efforts. Truly the trail ends there as there is nowhere else to go. A nice day.

5/17/2010

I guess I can't leave it at egg coddlers, right? Okay then. Today was a nice success story for work. I had another practice assessment to do. I scheduled the morning with a father and his 4.5 yo son. When I met them at the preschool, the kid was clinging to Dad and crying that he did not want to do this. Great. But Dad persisted, so then I took over. Soon he was laughing and feeling good about his success with the games and tests. He did really well and had fun. Smart kid. I got him! And I got my practice assessment. Maybe the trainees can move forward now?

Who knew about egg coddlers?

After Lisa, Jerry and I climbed Mt Lemmon and then had our mid-morning double espresso, I found an estate sale at the base of the mountain. I stopped in, and although most items had been sold, I found 2 porcelain egg coddlers for $3. I had a couple of bucks in my pocket so I took a chance. I came home, found a recipe and cooked up two eggs. What a surprisingly tasty little package of protein! Have you ever cooked with egg coddlers? Who knew?

getting up early to bike these days

It's getting hot in Tucson so the biking starts early now. The desert air cools off nicely at night, and it is very pleasant in the morning. Today was my longest distance yet (45 miles). We had a fun paceline coming back with nice rotations and very effective 1 minute pulls. It was a blast!

happy trails and biking hills

This is the second time that I have biked Mt Lemmon up to mile marker 12 and 6,000 feet elevation. Today I took the photo. The weather was delightful and I felt good. There were many bikers out today and just a couple of cars. I descended without any car wanting to pass. Nice ride. I needed to put on my wind vest to descend as it was cool. I suspect it will only get warmer from here.

And I swam for the first time yesterday. At the University of Arizona pool. Unfortunately for me, it is 50 meters long before you get to touch a wall, and it is outdoors. So there is wind, sun and temperature, and twice the usual distance per lap. It takes forever to get to a wall! I must repeat... BU has the best pool ever. But I suppose I will get used to it. Dammit.

hiking, biking, working, and the UA symphony (4/30/10)

It has been a while since I have updated you! Where to begin? First of all, and reluctantly, I must admit that going back to work is an adjustment. It has been months since my early retirement began, which has been a truly pleasurable experience. But work is not a bad thing either, and I enjoy my job more now that the dreadful on-line training is complete. What a boring and tedious endeavor that is. Today I had my first in-person practice and I was pleasantly surprised. It went smoothly with a 5.5 year old, and we covered the plethora of tests at a good pace. He did really well and seemed to have fun! This job might be okay.

I got to use my CatCard (short for U of A Wildcats) to purchase discounted tickets ($5) to the symphony on Sunday with a friend. There are many museums and events available for free or at discounted rate for UA CatCard holders. That's me!

The biking has been first rate, and I am closing in on 1,000 miles. The cycling group is challenging and motivating, and includes a former Olympian. I am getting stronger as we climb Mt Lemmon once a week and rack up the miles on the roads in the foothills. I'm sure you've heard that Tucson is ranked #9 for 700 miles of bike lanes. In the springtime our rides begin at 9:30, but now they move to 8am to avoid the heat. Coffee and a sandwich follows each ride. See why retirement is good?

The hiking is incredible. Within a 5 minute drive from my apartment to the mountains, there are so many different hikes. I have not repeated one yet, and we go once a week. I am up to 8 miles at a time now. That's not a piece of cake yet, but we'll keep working at it. The views are gorgeous, and the landscape is so unusual. Don't expect any shade. Thus the wide-brimmed hats. So far, I have encountered snakes, a gila monster and the collard lizard. Here's some photos to show you of our last hike to Seven Falls in Bear Canyon in the Coronado National Forest.

CPR and First Aid Certified!

Day one at the U of A

I love the cool night desert air

Hiking Blackett's Ridge 6.2 miles

This hike is along a ridge between two canyons (Sabino and Bear canyons). At the narrowest point it is called a saddle and the canyons drop steeply on both sides of the narrow trail. There were plenty of wildflowers out today, and a few critters. Temp was in the 70's with a light breeze. Nice day.

Bob Cat on my street today

This is the animal that ran across the street in front of me while I was driving near my apartment. He was fast, but got stopped by a fence on the side of the road. I got a good look at him. He looks just like the bob cat in this photo, minus the green grass. Yikes! I've also seen my first snake on a hike. Almost stepped on him. Not a diamond back, tho. Those are the snakes to avoid around these parts. Venomous!

It's getting hot in Tucson

I know you east coast folks don't want to hear it, and I apologize, but it is in the 80's here. Hot and Sunny at the end of March. Not a cloud in the sky during the day, and random clouds appear in the evening to make beautiful sunsets that I can see from my apartment balcony. People told me it would be be nice from this vantage point. It is. So for the future, maybe you will take pleasure in knowing that the word is once it hits 100 degrees in Tucson, it hangs there for a while. Okay, our summers are your winters. But with clean cars and benefits of Vitamin D! Thus my hiking hat, by the way. And sunscreen. And car ports.

biking instead of hiking today

I went biking without my three partners-in-crime in the Cactus Cycling Club, and I managed to stay up with the intermediate group today. The hill on La Canada is the deal breaker. That separates the pack in to bits and pieces. But I hung on. One needs to be a hill climber here. And that will come. Damn.