AZ was great!  We drove around everywhere.  About half of the pictures we took are of cactai and the other half is probably the Grand Canyon.  Which was very cool by the way.  It just didn't look real.  We stayed in Phoenix and took day trips to Tucscon, Sedona, and the Grand Canyon.  We stopped in Flagstaff on the way up there to pick up lunch.  We put over a thousand miles on the rental car.  Even with all that running around, I still came back happy and relaxed.  I was even happy to go to work.  That lasted about 3 days and then it took me two hours to get there one morning and yeah, the bloom was off that rose pretty damn quick.  For all that it was absolutely gorgeous, I still think that I like SF better.  Sue me, I like water. 

 

I don't think much else has been going on.  All seems to be worked out with the band stuff.  The groom to be actually called the band's manager and set things up with him.  Naturally, two days later the band fired their manager so the groom then had to call his friend in the band and set things up again.  But whatever, I no longer have to be involved in any of it. 

 

I don't remember if I put anything up here about him recently - but my dad is doing better.  He hasn't smoked for 40 days.  He said hes  had some set backs but thats going to happen but hes trying to avoid the things that trigger a craving for a cigarette.  I don't know how well that will work long term but for the moment its good.  He was around my brother yesterday and my brother smoked but dad didn't (brother will be quitting soon.  Hes trying Chantix).  He is taking his insulin and blood thinners and all that and for the moment is taking ok care of himself.  He still has no feeling in his left foot but he can move two of the toes now.  Although, he can't feel them moving.  He says its weird, if he tries to move them when he has socks on, he'd have no idea because he couldn't see them.  He gets really bad stabbing pains in the leg, its still very swollen, and possibly getting infected as he thinks he's been running a low grade fever. He's alone with my grandmother a lot and its driving him nuts.  Shes getting really loopy and kind of (kindly understated!) mean.  I would like to get down to see him sometime soon.  Thankfully, one of my cousins is flying in and will be staying there for a few days until an uncle comes to get him.  At least there will be someone else to talk to. 

 

My sister's divorce will be final next week I think.  She also had a custody hearing and got partial custody of her kids.  Her husband will  have them two weekends in a row and every other holiday.  I think thats what it was.  I know thats got to be a relief for her.  If he had decided to push things, she'd probably have lost them and ended up paying him alimony.   

 

I just tried Mexican Chile Pepper tea and it is excellent.  The aftertaste is like honey and oranges.  Best thing ever!  Right, I just completely lost track of anything else I was going to put up here. 

 

Oh and can I just say I love wikipedia?  I know that you have to take the stuff up there with a grain of salt but I love being able to look up someone and read about them and link to other important people in their lives and read about them and just keep on going.  I looked up Louise O'Murphy the other day and also Queen Ann, Queen Mary II, Lola Montez, and Empress Maria Theresa and all of the siblings of Marie Antoinette and most of their children.  It was awesome!  

 

I need another cup of tea.