Hybrid

The car I rented in Phoenix was a Honda Civic hybrid. It wasn't the original car they gave me. The original was some sort of tiny little Ford that didn't allow me to see over the steering wheel. There I was, up two nights in a row without any sleep, in a lot of pain from dragging around luggage, and they stick me in a car I can't see out the windshield. Even I was thinking short person jokes. The steering wheel did not adjust. Of course, I discovered this small inconvenience after I had lifted my luggage into it.

I asked if they had another car. They pointed to the Honda, and I smiled. I may be from the Motor City area, but give me a Japanese car any time. I want one that will run. I crawled in (remember, I was very tired) and adjusted the steering wheel and the seat. The seat even moved up higher, so I was perfectly content. I knew I could adjust from driving a SUV at home to driving a little car because I used to drive sports cars when I was younger. I kept reaching for the clutch with my left foot in the Honda, but I got over it. The car had several minor scratches and hadn't been cleaned, but I told them I didn't care, if they would just remove the used water bottles from the last people.

I couldn't get a phone signal where the cars were. First, I was in a panic thinking my phone wasn't going to work in AZ. No, I just needed to get out of the basement. I was so tired, so very tired/stupid, that I could not process the directions the desk people gave me, plus they had no idea where my nephew's street was and no one had a better map. I called Remo.

The poor man very patiently repeated the simple directions to me about 20 times. Cops and social workers drive from place to place for a living, and we give good directions. We don't just say, "Turn left on this road," we add that it will be 10 miles before the turn, and maybe add in the name of the road before it or some other indicator. I finally decided I had it down pat and got back in the car.

I do not like to drive on freeways. I used to use them daily, but now I am not ever in a hurry and I like to drive surface roads and enjoy the drive. I had to hop on one freeway, switch to another, then find an exit. It sounds so simple, doesn't it? Luckily, it was. I found my nephew's house without an issue. I still have no idea whether I was going north or west or whatever most of the time there.

My nephew had told me his garage door code so I could get in. He told me that it doesn't always work very easily. He is correct. I probably had to put the code in 10 times before it took. I dragged my luggage in and made myself at home. That wasn't hard, since I was the only one there.

Well, the only human, that is. I already knew they have three dogs - two HUGE great danes and one min-pin. Someone forgot to tell me about the three lions. Well, theoretically they are house cats, but I never saw that much fur on three cats in my life. They looked at me and ran, I looked at them and sighed. I have recently developed an allergy to cats. Who needs to breathe? I was in AZ, the sun was out, the dogs were outside, and I was long without sleep. 

The sofa was mine. I called my nephew and left him a message, asking him to direct me some place to get something to eat. It was lunch time, no one fed us on either flight, and I was tired and hungry. I decided to try to nap a bit. The dogs were outside, but I was not comfy letting in 310 lbs of dog when 160 lbs of them never saw me before. They barked every 90 seconds. The cats walked all over me and licked my hands.

I decided that I didn't need any sleep. I got up off my sofa and decided to brave the streets. I had no idea where I was, but I figured if I didn't go too far in any one direction I would be able to find my way back. I needed to get some diet Pepsi, some dinner, and a street map. Give me a map, and I will get there. Finally, I found places that sold me all three plus some Corona. I had to make two trips to the car, since I can't carry with my right hand. Besides, I was on the phone talking to another friend who lives in the area. She helped me find my way around too.

Eventually I realized that even though I had arrived in Phoenix at noon, I had lost the day. It was already dark. My nephew showed up around 8 pm, I think. His wife was later. Luckily I had eaten while I was out. My family is into benign neglect. I had already noticed there was no food in the kitchen.

My nephew and I shared a couple of beers. My niece, who is extremely pregnant, went to bed. He and I chatted and caught up on family news. I started trying to do the math and realized I had been up for 65 hours. I spread out the blankets and the pillow that had been handed to me, grabbed the min-pin, curled up with him, and slept. I slept 7 hours without hearing anything. The dog never moved. When I rolled over, I had to grab him and move him with me. He would growl, but that was it. He didn't snore much, either. I decided that ten pounds of growling, snoring min-pin would fit better on the sofa with me than two 150 lb great danes, but I missed my beagles. The cats walked over me now and then, checking me out and making me pet them.

Once the 7 hours were up, so was I. Wide awake. Still tired, but no longer sleepy at all. I picked up the min-pin, he growled, I tossed him outside, and I tried to figure out how to spend my day. I had lunch with a friend, met another to walk through the mall. We all had a good time. I did not spill my lunch all over myself this time. I am a big girl now.

I returned to my nephew's house for dinner. Silly me. He called, told me they had a baseball game to go to. I said fine, I would take them out to dinner after the game. I spoke with another friend, and was reminded of a mall I went to last time that is outdoors. I needed a walk - this was my second day there and I wanted to walk outside. I thought walking in an outdoors mall would be a good idea, since I would probably still be there after dark and would feel safer than trying to guess which streets were safe by my nephew's house. My niece returned home before I could leave. She decided to skip the game, and I ended up chatting with her so late that I just stayed in. I didn't even want dinner by that time.

Another 7 hours of sleep after delivered pizza and the rest of the beer. The min-pin was getting comfy with the sofa instead of sleeping outside with the danes. I folded my blankies and packed up. I was stopping in a mall to meet the friend again, and it was on the way to Marana, which was my next destination. I said goodbye to my niece and nephew, their 3 dogs, and their 3 cats. I hope to be back not long after the baby is born so I can give her a hand. I should have two working hands by then.

My friend and I walked outside the inside mall so I could get some real fresh air that was above freezing. I hadn't seen any in at least a month at home. It has been really cold. It felt wonderful - I was outside in warm weather, with a lovely friend, and getting some exercise. Does it get much better than that?

Marana and Phoenix are almost 100 miles apart. I live in Michigan, and the terrain is considerably different than the desert. For one thing, it's sort of flat here. We just have glacial gouging. That means some rolling hills, but nothing that resembles a mountain of rocks. Everything grows here without effort. When it's not the dead of winter, everything is green and growing, whether we like it or not.

So, I hopped in my little hybrid and hit the freeway. I-10 was my main road out there. I still don't like freeways, but at least it was a direct route. I don't get it - Tucson and Phoenix are 100 miles apart. There is almost nothing between them except desert. Nevertheless, the freeway is jammed with traffic. I put on some good music and drove straight through. One hundred miles is no big deal, but I also drank two bottles of diet Pepsi.

My friend who is always late, whom I call Late in this journal, recently bought a new house in Marana, near Tucson. I was to meet her there. However, due to flight issues, etc, I arrived before she did. Of course, her flight was - guess - late!

This is long enough, isn't it? I will write the rest later. I could just say, "I went to Arizona for 6 days and had fun," but I am not a woman of few words, now, am I?