Next?

I came back from AZ on Tuesday. It was a red-eye flight that was to leave there at 10:30 pm. However, seeing as how Murphy was an optimist, I was prepared to camp out as long as necessary. I knew we would leave late because for the first time I convinced Late that we should be at the airport at least two minutes before our flight was due to take off.

A woman on our plane on the flight to AZ decided the rules do not apply to her. She went in the tiny little airplane bathroom before takeoff and had a cigarette. Then, in the air, she had a second. There was a delay in deplaning so the police could politely escort her smoked ass off the plane and take her to new accommodations. Eventually, they shuffled us on, about an hour late, and we sat a long time. The woman next to me was chewing gum with her mouth open for the entire time, and just as I was reaching for either my iPod to drown her out or the cord for it to wrap around her neck, they decided to explain the problem to us.

A fuse was not working properly. A mechanic was needed to "sign off." Personally, I would rather have the fuse working as intended. Mechanics are required to be available 24/7, but "ours" decided to go home and was not responding to calls. We were eventually deplaned and told we would be put on another plane. That took another two hours or so.

Once we got on the second plane, and all settled in, I considered removing the gum from my seatmate's mouth. I didn't want to be escorted off and have her fly home, so I was reaching for my iPod again, when we were told that we were delayed due to, I think, missing fire extinguishers, and the mechanic needed to....

We eventually flew out four hours late. I don't mind late flights as much on the way home as I do on the way out, but it's painful for most people on a red-eye flight. Me, I don't much care where I don't sleep.

Just before take off, my cell phone rang (just as I was reaching to turn it off!) and Late said she had a spare seat next to her in the front exit row - did I want to move up? I did, yes, and after we were in the air a flight attendant approved the move. I was then sitting between Late and a Very Large Man who told me he was going to snore, and I should whack him if he gets too loud. I happily opened my book, clipped on the reading light, and read quietly all the way home, between two snoring people. To me, that is almost as good as listening to my favorite CD. Peaceful. So the guy snorted loudly a few times - he didn't mind my giggles.

Arizona itself was a good trip. It was hot, of course, running 105-111 daily. A dry heat, though, you are thinking. Well, dry is relative. It was dry to us, compared to the humidity we are used to. However, it is the rainy season there, and we had storms every day. It always rains when I go - they should send me a ticket whenever it gets too dry. This time we had an added attraction - sand storms. I hadn't run into this before. Late at night, I was driving us home from Bisbee (somewhere down not too far from Tombstone, I think?) and we had storms off and on all the way, about 100 miles or so. Thunderstorms don't bother me much. As we got closer, where there is still construction and some bare dirt, I would have a block of heavy rain, then no rain and heavy sand. Then heavy rain, then no rain and heavy sand. I was looking out for locusts, but only saw some harmless looking crickets. I couldn't remember the word for the events I was thinking of - is it the Scourges? Pestilence and all those nasty things?

We went every place. We went to a cavern that had 99% humidity at 71 degrees. Felt like home :-). We walked around Bisbee some, went to the Desert Museum. Now that was an interesting visit. I have been there maybe 5 times now, and I just love the place. However, the desert walk section was closed due to "a problem." Of course, I had to ask more questions. I had heard about a javalina biting someone, but now I know more.

It seems there was this wild javalina who tried to join the tame herd at the museum to look for a date. He was all nasty and stinky, and the females at the museum are regularly groomed by the vet. The wild guy was not accepted by the ladies. He became a bit irate about his rejection and ended up biting a human male. Jealous, perhaps? So far, the museum people had not been able to trap the wild guy and release him to another area where maybe he can find himself some nice wild gal to hook up with.

I rarely took my camera with me because it was too hot to leave it in the car and I am too lazy to drag it around all the time when we were some place I didn't need it. I did get a few pictures when we went to Mt Lemon and also when I went alone to Catalina Park. Late and Son spent two days at UofA for orientation for Son, leaving me to entertain myself. No problem, I am easily entertained.

What I came home to will have to be another entry. Let's just say for now I had multiple teenaged nieces in my home for ten days and a sick dog here with them, and no maid was in sight.

Sabino Canyon

Also Sabino Canyon

Catalina State Park

I think this was from our start up towards Mt Lemon, but storms sent us back down.

 

 

 

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