Early November Update, Thanksgiving, Christmas

Okay, I'm way behind in blog updating.  I'd like to say it is because I've been so busy, but I don't think that is the case - lazy, lacking motivation, lazy?

Larry's job took us to Safford for a quick trip where I was able to meet up with my expat Calama neighbor Tracey.  We also enjoyed dinner with our Peruvian friends who are now the expats living in the U.S.!  I enjoy visiting with them, first because they are such nice people but also to quiz them on what their challenges are regarding living away from their home country.

Friend Michelle organized a potluck gathering at Papago Park in early November.  It was a beautiful Arizona day spent catching up before the hustle and bustle Thanksgiving and Christmas bring.
 (l-r: Jackie, Barb, me, Allison, Joan, Rita in middle front, Sue and Michelle)





And then it was Thanksgiving.  Friends Mike and Sue included us in their family gathering.

The day after Thanksgiving, Larry and I headed out on a road trip for a two-night stay in Monument Valley - about a five hour trip to northeastern Arizona but the trip took a bit longer because we actually stopped at some tourist sites along the way.

Below is a picture of the Wupatki National Monument ruins established in 1924.  The ruins date back to the 1100s.

 

Our next stop was at the Dinosaur Tracks near Tuba City.  We're told these tracks were formed in the early Jurassic period (around 200 million years ago) where several different types of dinosaurs are represented by their tracks - such the Arizona tourists we were that day!

 



Onward we headed for Monument Valley and The View hotel.  This short get-away vaca was relaxing.  Time spent at The View requires spending time on the balcony off of your room while enjoying the changing view of Monument Valley as the day progresses, time spent on an easy hike and time spent on the loop drive.  Time of year for the visit contributed as well - there was hardly anyone there and we came upon only one other couple on our hike. 

 

 

 



 

So, should your travels bring you to Arizona (NOT during the summer months) with time to explore, we recommend The View hotel and Monument Valley.

Early December took Larry to Chile on a 10-day business trip.  Sue and Allison helped me pass the time by coming up for a weekend of good food and a wine pairing, a movie or two and a walk.  They sure helped some of the time pass pleasantly.  I also attended a Boy Scout ceremony for nephew Jimmy who is one step away from becoming an Eagle Scout - he is 14.  What a great kid!  And is he getting tall or what!

Todd and Michelle hosted an preChristmas early December gathering with friends.  Always fun...

And then it was Christmas.  Brother Jim and wife Liz and nephew Jimmy came to our home on Christmas Eve for dinner to celebrate along with and our 57th birthday! 

 

 

 

 

And then New Year's arrived.  Friends Mike and Sue and Michelle and Todd ventured our way to help us welcome 2013. 

 

 

Last, I must include a photo a neighbor shared with me of a bobcat spotted in the neighborhood.  I spotted him/her when taking out the garbage but didn't get as good a photo as the neighbor.

Well, I've met my first New Year's resolution - updating the blog!  Yea!

 

2013 brings about me starting a volunteer "job" at Mayo!  I'll begin "working" four hours a week (Thursdays) on January 17.  Quite the process to volunteer at Mayo: TB test, orientation and a computer class!  Something to do though - I'm thrilled.  I'll be "working" behind the scenes with office duties in internal medicine.

 

Regarding a health update: feeling fine, foot is much better but still a ways to go, and scheduled for another PET scan in late January which always provides the true picture of how I'm doing.  Because that there foot is feeling better, NO excuses for not walking.  Therefore, resolution #2 will be to start walking.  If I put it in the blog, does that then commit me to really doing it?  I'll keep you posted.

 

We enjoyed all the Christmas cards and letters and pictures (and birthday greetings!) allowing us to catch up somewhat on all of your lives.  Wishing you all the best in health and happiness in 2013!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 





Autumn

Larry's travel for work has taken a bit of a turn lately -- not to any of the mining properties but instead, to the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology in Rapid City, South Dakota -- the college he graduated from back in 1978.  "The Company" is utilizing it's employees who have graduated from the many mining related higher learning institutions to act as recruitment "tools" to entice future graduates to consider "The Company" as an employer once they graduate.  I couldn't pass up the opportunity to travel with him considering the destination!

So, while Larry met with SDSM&T representatives and future graduates, I was able to spend the day with Virginia! Yikes but the wind was a blowin'! 

Larry and I then visited our special Aunt Co who was still in the hospital after a slow recovery from what seemed to be multiple health issues.  It was good to be able to see her and how far she has come in her recovery. 

The following day we headed for Harrison for a quick (very quick!) visit with Larry's mom.  The wind conditions had disappeared, thank goodness, which made for a very pleasant following morning spent doing yard work.  Notice all those leaves still on the trees - but at least we made a dent. 

That evening, we visited friends John and Terry who had mutual friends Walt and Pam visiting from New Hampshire!  An incredibly pleasant evening spent reconnecting with these special people.  (l-r: Walt, Pam, John and seated, Terry!)

We arrived in Harrison late afternoon on a Friday and were headed back to Rapid City to catch our flight late morning on Sunday.  I grabbed a photo of Larry and mom Dorothy before heading out.

We returned to our very pleasant Arizona fall weather and a couple of deer hanging out in our "back yard."

And my last photos are of a yucca in our front yard that is working on blooming.  I'm guessing that the stalk grows about a foot a week. 

Below is my most recent picture of the growing process which was probably a week ago.  I have way too much time on my hands to be able to record the growth of this stalk....

What is a shame though, is that this plant will die once it blooms -- a slow process but nonetheless, it'll die.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agave

Regarding a health update, I did go for a scan on Friday, October 26, and the report was that "disease remains stable."  I'll take that.  I remain in that darn boot!  Patience...patience I keep telling myself but jeez!, it has been since August.  Patience...patience....

Vacations are good...

We returned from our Colorado/Nebraska/South Dakota/Utah road trip and before we knew it, it was time to hit the road for Las Vegas for Mine Expo 2012!  MINExpo is a once-every-four-years opportunity for companies whose products, services and technologies serve the mining industry. The show attracts more than 38,000 mining industry professionals from more than one hundred countries.  On the personal side, the beauty of MINExpo is that it is a reunion of sorts.  We saw people as far back as from 30+ years ago - friends (Connie & Dave) met on our first assignment as a couple back in Battle Mountain, Nevada.

 

Below is a photo of Virginia and Whiskey - we met them in Cajamarca, Peru.



We saw several other people from our past mining post living locations but I didn't have the camera with me - we had a great time.

We left Las Vegas with a quick stop to see the "new" Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge.  Construction of the bridge structure began January 2005, and it opened to traffic on October 19, 2010.

 

We last saw the bridge in the midst of construction in 2008.  For those interested in more information, below is a link which discusses the planning and construction of the bridge as well as a multitude of photos.

 

http://highestbridges.com/wiki/index.php?title=Mike_O'Callaghan-Pat_Tilman_Memorial_Bridge

We then headed for the Grand Canyon where we met friends Mike and Sue.  We were treated to close up encounters with elk.

The fellows hiked from the South Rim to the North Rim while Sue and I drove to the North Rim to collect them.  Mike celebrated his 62nd birthday on the day they hiked - what a neat way to celebrate!

Below is a photo from the South Rim looking at the canyon (in the shadows and curves to the left) the fellows hike out to reach the North Rim.  They hike down South Kaibab Trail 6.8 miles to Phantom Ranch and then 14 miles up North Kaibab Trail. 

 

The above photo was taken late afternoon and the following photo was taken just after sunrise.

If you've not been to the Grand Canyon - go.  I like the South Rim but I love the North Rim.  Enough said....

Below is a photo of Larry coming out on the North Rim.  The birthday boy was behind him by a few minutes.

We collected the boys and headed to Jacob's Lake to spend the night and give the guys a chance to rest after their long hike.  The next morning we headed for Bryce Canyon National Park.  If you've not ever visited Bryce Canyon, do!  Once again I was reminded that there are many scenic places to visit in the U.S.!

 

We headed to Zion National Park from here.  If you've never visited Zion National Park - go!  Although my foot was still bothering me a bit, I managed to do some light hiking with the crew, one of which was a hike to The Narrows. 

 

 

Following a day of hiking, we found ourselves under a giant Cottonwood enjoying the shade and the view - the weather was perfect though.

 

 

 

Dinner on the porch of the lodge wasn't bad either!  The below photo was compliments of Sue's iPhone. 

 



 

 

 

Playing with the zoom on the camera...

 

 

And then it was time to leave.  But what a treat to capture the moon setting and some big horn sheep on the side of the road.

 

 

Sometimes this new camera really comes through! 

 

 



 

We stopped for a view of the Colorado on our way home....

 

 



and I'll end with this photo of Larry - he is always so good about letting me take his picture.

 

Our next trip will be a short visit to Rapid City, South Dakota.  Larry has business associated with recruitment of future South Dakota School of Mines & Technology graduates, which then will allow for a quick trip to Harrison and quite possibly raking those fall leaves I so enjoy. 

Health update:  Stable.  Dr. Paripati is back from maternity leave and it felt like seeing an old friend at our appointment on the 9th.  A scan will be scheduled for late October.  The foot is slowly recovering - very slowly!

Fall is almost here...

Goodness but summer is flying by.  We've been to Tucson for a getaway thanks to Larry's Freeport business; we escaped the summer heat for a weekend getaway to Christopher Creek in the White Mountains in the northeastern part of Arizona with brother Jim and Liz and Jimmy; we escaped the summer heat for another weekend getaway to Prescott to visit friend Laurie; we're enjoying Wednesday night freshman football thanks to nephew Jimmy, and we hosted Jim, Liz, Jimmy and friend Mike last weekend.

Check out the deer we spotted one evening just outside the back yard.

 

 

Life in Carefree is very relaxing and we never tire of seeing the sunsets - life is good!

This was the view from our hotel in Tucson -- just pretty.

We then traveled to Christopher Creek for a relaxing escape from the summer heat -- highs in the 80s and lows in the 60s, but those nice temps evidently come with mosquitoes -- I got a million bites. 

Larry and Jim went hiking and saw a bear! but neither had a camera.

The below photo is of Woods Canyon Lake. We need to return with the kayak.

It was a pretty day....

Jim's wife Liz's family has had this cabin in Christopher Creek for 25 plus years - it is just a 1 1/2 hour drive from their home and they can escape the summer heat!  Very nice - even with the mosquitoes.  Although, as I think about it, I was the only one that got bitten...hmmmm?

We've enjoyed some monsoon rains in Carefree - love it!

We traveled to Prescott one weekend and met up with friend Laurie - always a pleasure to spend some time with her.  Laurie and her husband Mike are friends we met while living in Peru.

I joined Sue for a Harper Monday.  Harper is now 19 months young and a joy to watch grow.

Shouldn't that new camera be giving me totally in focus pictures? -- could it be operator error?

Check out this one though - Harper has very pretty eyes!

And yikes, almost a year to the day, we found another baby rattlesnake in the pool one morning.  I couldn't get the camera to cooperate due to the low light but this at least gives you an idea of how he gets critters out of the pool.  However, I wanted him to vault it into the desert and he instead gently set it down on the other side of the fence.  I guess I can't complain if I'm the one that doesn't need to deal with it. 

Can you see him amidst the rocks?  He was only about a foot long.  He does look bigger in this picture though?

We're thrilled that nephew Jimmy (#77) is playing football.  He plays right tackle - I'm finally learning a lot about football, and I've been watching it for how long?

And here we have the cheering section....

Darn it anyway that the below photo isn't in focus but I know it was operator error because I was hurrying.  Jimmy's team, the Saguaro Saber Cats, is 3-0!

Last weekend, the Whites and friend Mike ventured our way for an on the back porch and some pool time.

We leave this weekend for a few days in Las Vegas - business and pleasure for Larry, pleasure for me!  We'll drive, because we can ha!  So, we'll travel to Vegas and from there drive to the Grand Canyon where we'll meet up with friends Mike and Sue.  Larry and Mike are going to do their hike across the Canyon.  Sue and I are reversing our roles and this time we'll drive from the South Rim to the North Rim to retrieve them.  From there we head for Bryce Canyon National Park and Zion National Park for a few days of exploring - maybe Larry, Mike and Sue more than me regarding the hiking front....

Just before our trip to Nebraska, way back in late July, Larry and I went golfing and it was my first time in probably a couple years and after a year of a lot of doing nothing.  Well, a few days after our golfing outing, my right foot started bothering me and that bother progressed while traveling through Colorado, doing what we did while in Harrison, etc.  An x-ray doesn't show a fracture but I'm tellin' ya, it is a Google search textbook case of a stress fracture.  My doctor agreed that something was wrong so put me in a boot.  I was five weeks out before I went to the doctor and now I'm three weeks into wearing the boot.  I can report that the foot is getting better, but I don't see myself doing any heavy duty hiking while visiting the three hiking destinations we'll be traveling to.  Good thing I like to read! and take pictures!

September was my first time of not seeing my oncologist since July 2011!  Dr. Paripati has been on maternity leave and returned this month but scheduling of all of her patients means it'll be October 9, before I see her again.  I've been seeing a physician's assistant while she has been on leave and am thankful that I've remained stable during this time.  Nonetheless, I look forward to seeing Dr. Paripati again and I imagine she'll be scheduling a scan for me soon which is always the measure that really shows how I'm doing.  I feel great though - onward and upward and may I add, Life is Good!