I woke seriously early and got to the airport about three hours before my flight. Check-in was smooth as I have some status with united Airlines which avoids the long queues on what was a very fully flight.
A walk around the shops and some T-Shirts for the Warring kids and a very smooth flight to Houston, stopover for an hour and on to Phoenix.
I work out on the plane that my travels have extended my birthday to a total of 33 hours which is kinda cool!
Graeme picks me up from the airport and takes me to collect the Convertible Jaguar which they are lending me for my trip - a spare car of theirs. I drop off my belongings at the Orange Tree Resort, my timeshare accommodation for this trip, and we meet at Fogo de Chao. This restaurant is a Brazilian Churascaria - constantly bringing around and carving meat at the table with a salad bar (my choice without meat) to due for.
It was so so good to see them back together again and the kids are growing up so fast.
Next morning I wake early and arrive at 08:00 for Hunter's soccer try outs. There are three teams here and they all hold try outs to try and secure the best players for their teams. The very best are offered scholarships saving the parents the $1,000+ season fees. It is very hot, around 35 and Hunter almost faints not having had enough water. I have watched the kids play soccer in 40+ degree heat - it's no fun for them, or me for that matter.
We go back to their home and chill before having Mexican lunch at a dingy little cantina that was probably last renovated when - well you get the message. That said the buffet was outstanding with make your own burritos, nachos etc.
I go back to my 'hotel' which is a lovely spacious one bedroom apartment on a golf course and relax for a few hours and go to Hunter's next Soccer tryout at 18:00 where he performs well and is told he will be offered a place in a good team - happy boy!!
Pizzeria and back to the Warrings where we start to watch Django but after 45 minutes for the 2:45 movie I excuse myself as I am dozing off.
Next morning I bring bagels and cold cuts for breakfast and we watch the last two hours of the movie which I must say I truly enjoyed and recommend to anybody who hasn't seen it.
Penny need to go to some shops so I go with her and we discuss their lives, the kids, relationships etc..
We spend the afternoon shooting the breeze and relaxing. Now Phoenix is an interesting place for me, it is one of the few places that I allow my mind to go blank and empty. I don't feel like I need to be on the go or be doing something - I am not sure why but it is. The weather here is great mid 30's dry desert heat - my favourite - heat without sweat!
I have been here maybe 8 or 9 times and it's kinda scary that I know my way around the place without maps or GPS. The city has a grid system of about 6 major roads in each direction so everything is referred to relative to the major road grids. I like it.
That night Hunter cooks Shrimp Linguine. He is interested in cooking and I must say does a great job of it. I think kids should be encouraged to cook it is a good life skill.
Riley has been sleeping on and off all day and we think its because he has an assignment to do but find out the next day that he has a bladder infection.
I was planning to go to Vegas for four days then LA for one night and home but the closer the reality of two five hour drives became the less interested I was. When I mentioned this we hatched a plan to go to Puerto Peñasco known as Sandy Beach/Rocky Point in Mexico for three days which I am very keen to do. Rocky Point has RV parks, hotels, golf courses and a wide variety of restaurants and clubs. Timeshares are everywhere, and people are buying beach condos. Beach activities are plentiful. You can fish, snorkel sail, scuba dive and go whale watching in the winter months.
This coming weekend is Memorial Day long weekend and EVERYTHING was booked out. A consult on Craigslist and a very prompt commitment and payment saw us secure a two bedroom apartment for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. This is a 3.5-4.0 hour drive with a border crossing but a mid market resort on beautiful sandy beaches - should be fun - let you know.
Monday and I start the day with Graeme having coffee at Starbucks where he tells me his latest idea for an iPhone app - which does sound interesting. I spend the rest of the day chilling in and around their house visiting a few shops etc.. Penny makes pulled pork for dinner which I love. For some reason this only seems to be popular in the USA and its such a good dish. I'm going to try and pulled chicken when I get back.
You've got to love the USA. I have a $100 Skagen watch with a metal mesh band. The band must have caught on something and started to tear. I phone to try and get a new band - sir for $32 including shipping we will replace the band, the case, the glass and the battery, everything except the movement - DONE deal!
We go to the yogurt bar for dessert and for me a good night's sleep.
Anyway now you know all as I continue to chill out in PHX AZ.
Love to all
XD
A walk around the shops and some T-Shirts for the Warring kids and a very smooth flight to Houston, stopover for an hour and on to Phoenix.
I work out on the plane that my travels have extended my birthday to a total of 33 hours which is kinda cool!
Graeme picks me up from the airport and takes me to collect the Convertible Jaguar which they are lending me for my trip - a spare car of theirs. I drop off my belongings at the Orange Tree Resort, my timeshare accommodation for this trip, and we meet at Fogo de Chao. This restaurant is a Brazilian Churascaria - constantly bringing around and carving meat at the table with a salad bar (my choice without meat) to due for.
It was so so good to see them back together again and the kids are growing up so fast.
We go back to their home and chill before having Mexican lunch at a dingy little cantina that was probably last renovated when - well you get the message. That said the buffet was outstanding with make your own burritos, nachos etc.
I go back to my 'hotel' which is a lovely spacious one bedroom apartment on a golf course and relax for a few hours and go to Hunter's next Soccer tryout at 18:00 where he performs well and is told he will be offered a place in a good team - happy boy!!
Pizzeria and back to the Warrings where we start to watch Django but after 45 minutes for the 2:45 movie I excuse myself as I am dozing off.
Next morning I bring bagels and cold cuts for breakfast and we watch the last two hours of the movie which I must say I truly enjoyed and recommend to anybody who hasn't seen it.
Penny need to go to some shops so I go with her and we discuss their lives, the kids, relationships etc..
We spend the afternoon shooting the breeze and relaxing. Now Phoenix is an interesting place for me, it is one of the few places that I allow my mind to go blank and empty. I don't feel like I need to be on the go or be doing something - I am not sure why but it is. The weather here is great mid 30's dry desert heat - my favourite - heat without sweat!
I have been here maybe 8 or 9 times and it's kinda scary that I know my way around the place without maps or GPS. The city has a grid system of about 6 major roads in each direction so everything is referred to relative to the major road grids. I like it.
That night Hunter cooks Shrimp Linguine. He is interested in cooking and I must say does a great job of it. I think kids should be encouraged to cook it is a good life skill.
Riley has been sleeping on and off all day and we think its because he has an assignment to do but find out the next day that he has a bladder infection.
I was planning to go to Vegas for four days then LA for one night and home but the closer the reality of two five hour drives became the less interested I was. When I mentioned this we hatched a plan to go to Puerto Peñasco known as Sandy Beach/Rocky Point in Mexico for three days which I am very keen to do. Rocky Point has RV parks, hotels, golf courses and a wide variety of restaurants and clubs. Timeshares are everywhere, and people are buying beach condos. Beach activities are plentiful. You can fish, snorkel sail, scuba dive and go whale watching in the winter months.
This coming weekend is Memorial Day long weekend and EVERYTHING was booked out. A consult on Craigslist and a very prompt commitment and payment saw us secure a two bedroom apartment for Friday, Saturday and Sunday. This is a 3.5-4.0 hour drive with a border crossing but a mid market resort on beautiful sandy beaches - should be fun - let you know.
Monday and I start the day with Graeme having coffee at Starbucks where he tells me his latest idea for an iPhone app - which does sound interesting. I spend the rest of the day chilling in and around their house visiting a few shops etc.. Penny makes pulled pork for dinner which I love. For some reason this only seems to be popular in the USA and its such a good dish. I'm going to try and pulled chicken when I get back.
You've got to love the USA. I have a $100 Skagen watch with a metal mesh band. The band must have caught on something and started to tear. I phone to try and get a new band - sir for $32 including shipping we will replace the band, the case, the glass and the battery, everything except the movement - DONE deal!
We go to the yogurt bar for dessert and for me a good night's sleep.
Anyway now you know all as I continue to chill out in PHX AZ.
Love to all
XD
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