LAST BLOG BEFORE VACATION

HAPPY DAY AFTER THANKSGIVING... I HOPE EVERYONE ENJOYED THEIR RESPECTIVE FEASTS...(MINE WAS DONE QUITE NICELY, THANK YOU)... SPENT A QUIET DAY COOKING AND PUTTING THE LAST OF THE "STUFF" AWAY... I AM OFFICIALLY MOVED IN!!! ALL THE STUFF HAS FOUND A HOME WITHIN THE HOME AND I AM READY FOR VACATION... I HAVE FIT EVERYTHING IN A LARGE GYM BAG AND AM READY TO DEPART VERY EARLY SATURDAY MORNING MORNING FOR EVEN WARMER CLIMATES...

MET SOME MORE OF THE NEIGHBORS ALONG THE WAY... A GUY FROM BERGEN COUNTY NJ AND A WOMAN FROM MICHIGAN AND A FORMER GI FROM MICHIGAN... ALL NICE AND THEY ALL WELCOMED ME TO THE COMMUNITY... THE PLACE IS VERY QUIET AND PEACEFUL...

MAJOR THUNDERSTORM LAST NIGHT AROUND 8:30... TORRENTIAL RAIN, THUNDER, LIGHTENING AND THEN HAIL! SMALL HAIL, NO GOLF BALLS, BUT HAIL ALL THE SAME... LASTED A GOOD 45 MINUTES... SAT ON THE PATIO AND WATCHED THE LIGHTENING SHOW...

ALONG WITH THE "DRY" HEAT, THERE'S DRY COOL ALSO... (EITHER THAT OR THIS SICKNESS HAS THINNED MY BLOOD)... EVEN THOUGH IT'S IN THE LOW 60'S THE AIR TEMP IS MUCH COOLER... MAKES THE SUN FEEL THAT MUCH BETTER...WILL PROBABLY BRING SOMETHING WARM FOR THE TRIP BACK FROM ARUBA...(DON'T WANT TO GET CAUGHT LIKE I DID ONE TIME... RETURNED BACK TO JFK AIRPORT IN SHORTS AND A TEE SHIRT WHILE A FULL BLOWN BLIZZARD WAS SOCKING NYC!)...

I PROMISE TO RESUME NORMAL ACTIVITY WHEN I RETURN... I WILL CONDENSE MY VACATION INTO ONE BLOG BECAUSE I WON'T BE DOING TOO MUCH OF ANYTHING WHILE I'M DOWN THERE...

GOOD LUCK TO MY MAN VICTOR ON MONDAY (HE'S HAVING HIP REPLACEMENT SURGERY)... I'LL CALL YOU WHEN I RETURN TO THE COUNTRY ON SUNDAY DEC.7... ENJOY THE REST OF THE THANKSGIVING WEEKEND AND I WILL "TALK" TO YOU SOON...

THANKSGIVING EVE

WOKE UP THIS MORNING TO THE STRANGEST SOUND I HAVE HEARD SINCE I LEFT NEW JERSEY ON OCTOBER 15...IT WAS RAINING!! NOT JUST PIDDLING SPRINKLES, BUT A REAL RAIN... IT WAS AMAZING TO WATCH AND THE SMELL WAS LIKE THE FIRST SPRING RAIN WHEN THE TREES AND FLOWERS ARE COMING BACK... OF COURSE, EVEN THOUGH IT RAINED FOR ABOUT AN HOUR, THEY WERE ANNOUNCING FLOOD CLOSURES ON THE RADIO... AND THE DRIVERS WERE LIKE DRIVERS IN THE FIRST SNOW OF THE YEAR... THEY HAD NO CLUE...(MADE ME HOMESICK....NOT!)... IT WAS EVEN CHILLY OUT... (SORRY, BUT ARIZONA CHILLY IS IN THE 50'S)...

WENT TO THE DOCTOR THIS AFTERNOON... I'M GLAD THAT I DIDN'T WALK "JUST UP THE STREET FROM ME"... (BACK IN JERSEY MY DOCTOR WAS 1/4 MILE AWAY IF NOT CLOSER)... THIS "JUST UP THE STREET" WAS ALMOST 8 MILES. HE'S A 39 YEAR OLD INDIAN DOCTOR WHO VERY COOL AND EASY TO TALK TO, SO I GUESS I'LL STICK WITH HIM UNTIL HE DOES ME DIRTY... (AND HE TAKES MY INSURANCE...BONUS)... I ALSO MET HIS BROTHER AND HE RUNS A COMPUTER STORE IN THE SAME MINI-MALL SET-UP AND HE'S GOING TO RESET MY PASSWORD ON MY BACK-UP LAPTOP... (DOUBLE BONUS). THE GOOD NEWS IS I DON'T HAVE PNEUMONIA AND HE GAVE ME SOME GOOD STUFF TO KILL THE DISEASE (HE'S CALLING IT BRONCHITIS)... I ALSO SCHEDULED A PHYSICAL FOR AFTER I GET BACK FROM VACATION SO HE HAS A BACKGROUND ON ME... I NEED TO CONTACT MY OLD DOCTOR AND HAVE HIM SEND MY MEDICAL RECORDS OUT HERE TO DR. J...(NO RELATION TO JULIUS ERVING)... PEACE OF MIND IS A WONDERFUL THING WHEN YOU'RE COUGHING UP A LUNG AND GET GOOD NEWS...

I AM DOWN TO THE CLOTHING PART OF MOVING IN... (MAN, I GOTTA LOT OF STUFF)... ALREADY 2 BOXES OF CLOTHES ARE GOING TO GOODWILL ON FRIDAY... ALL THE FURNITURE AND UTENSILS HAVE FOUND THEIR SPOTS AND I CAN'T WAIT TO GO TO ARUBA...AND DO NOTHING BUT KILL THIS FREAKING BRONCHITIS...(HAVEN'T BEEN REALLY UP FOR MUCH WITH NOT FEELING WELL...

I WANTED TO TAKE THIS TIME ALSO TO WISH MY FAITHFUL READERS AND EVERYONE ELSE OUT THERE IN BLOGDOM A VERY HAPPY AND HEALTHY THANKSGIVING AND GOOD LUCK TO ALL OF YOU BLACK FRIDAY SHOPPERS...(SOME OF THE STORES ARE OPENING AT 4AM OUT HERE...) I WILL MISS BEING AT ERIC AND SUE'S HOUSE FOR THANKSGIVING THIS YEAR AND WILL MISS SEEING MY FAMILY, BUT I HAVE A GREAT DINNER PLANNED FOR MYSELF AND WILL USE THE TIME TO PACK FOR MY TRIP AND GET READY FOR THE CABLE MAN BETWEEN 8 AND 12 FRIDAY MORNING...(LOVE THOSE WINDOWS...) SO HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ONE AND ALL...

ALMOST FORGOT! DOUBLE RAINBOW AFTER THE STORM THIS AFTERNOON... GOT A PICTURE ON MY PHONE OF THE BRIGHTER ONE...WAY COOL...

OH MY GOD, WHERE'S THE SUN????

WOKE UP THIS MORNING AND IT WAS CLOUDY!! OH NO!! STILL IN THE 70'S BUT IT WAS WEIRD SEEING IT FOR THE FIRST TIME...

THE FED-EX MAN BROUGHT MY NEW BROADBAND TODAY AND I RE-INSTALLED EVERYTHING AND....NOTHING!!! ANOTHER HOUR AND A HALF ON THE PHONE WITH JAQUELINE AT TECH SUPPORT AND STILL NOTHING!!! MY COMPUTER INSTALLS EVERY DRIVER BUT DOES NOT COMPLETE THE DATA INTERFACE...(THAT'S GEEK SPEAK FOR IT AIN'T WORKING!!) SO NOW SHE SENT AN EMAIL TO COMPUTER TECH AND IT WILL BE 48-72 HOURS BEFORE THEY HAVE AN ANSWER... SO IF THEY DON'T HAVE AN ANSWER BY FRIDAY THEN I'M INTERNET-LESS UNTIL I GET BACK FROM VACATION... OF COURSE I WON'T BE BLOGGING NEXT WEEK ANYWAY BECAUSE IT COST AN ARM AND A LEG TO USE THE INTERNET AND EMAIL OUT OF THE COUNTRY... I HAVE DECIDED TO DO ONE BLOG FOR THE VACATION BECAUSE I WON'T BE DOING MUCH OF ANYTHING BESIDES GETTING TAN AND READING... (TOUGH JOB, BUT I'M UP TO THE TASK)...

SO I AM NOW UP TO DATE WITH CATCHING YOU UP... COMPUTER ISSUES ASIDE IT HAS BEEN A GREAT 10 DAYS IN THE NEW HOME... I WOULD LIKE TO WISH YOU AND ALL YOUR FAMILIES A HAPPY AND HEALTHY THANKSGIVING... TO THOSE OF YOU TRAVELING ON THURSDAY BE SAFE AND BE CAREFUL... MUCH LOVE TO ALL OF YOU FROM THE "ARIZONA KID"...

RAINY DAYS AND MONDAYS ALWAYS GET ME DOWN

WELL, STILL NO SIGN OF RAIN BUT IT'S STILL MONDAY... I HAVE BEEN IN ARIZONA SINCE NOV 10 AND IT'S BEEN SUNNY EVERY DAY... THEY ARE CALLING FOR CLOUDS ON TUESDAY AND WEDNESDAY AND SSSSSSSHOWERS ON THANKSGIVING DAY... (I MAY HAVE TO MOVE AGAIN... I DIDN'T SIGN UP FOR SHOWERS)... GOT THROUGH TO THE CABLE COMPANY AND THEY CAN'T GET TO ME UNTIL FRIDAY! I GUESS I'LL LISTEN TO THE GAMES ON THE RADIO OR THE COMPUTER... HOW GREAT IS THIS... I FINALLY GET TV AND THE NEXT DAY I GO AWAY FOR A WEEK... AT LEAST I CAN WATCH THE GAMES AT THE CASINOS IN ARUBA...

GETTING CLOSER AND CLOSER TO ABSOLUTELY MOVED IN... GUESTROOM IS UP AND READY... MAKE YOUR RESERVATIONS EARLY... AND FOR A GROUP VISIT THERE ARE GUEST APARTMENTS AVAILABLE...

THE GOOD THING ABOUT NO TV IS NO EXCUSE NOT TO GET SETTLED IN AND PACKED FOR MY TRIP. I AM TRYING TO GET DOWN TO A GYM BAG TO BRING DOWN TO ARUBA... EVERY YEAR I GO DOWN THERE THE BAG HAS GOTTEN SMALLER... CAN'T WAIT TO CHILL ON THE BEACH AND HANG WITH BOB AND TONI ANN, MY FRIENDS FROM NEW YORK... HAD A BIG FAT STEAK ON THE GRILL TONIGHT... I FORGOT TO MENTION, EXCEPT FOR A COUPLE CHIPS OF THE BEDROOM SET (EASILY FIXABLE), THE MOVERS DID A SUPERB JOB AND PROPS TO ME FOR PACKING BOXES. NOT ONE GLASS OR "VALUABLE" WAS DAMAGED IN THE CROSS-COUNTRY MOVE... HOW BOUT THAT!

IF IT'S SUNDAY, IT MUST BE FOOTBALL

GOING TO MY FIRST GAME IN ARIZONA... ABOUT THE SAME RIDE AS IT WAS TO THE MEADOWLANDS BACK IN NEW JERSEY... A COUPLE OF EXCEPTIONS. I PARKED FOR FREE AND WAS ABLE TO WALK TO THE STADIUM FROM THE LOT...(NO SHUTTLE BUS)... THEY OPENED THE WILL CALL WINDOW AT NOON AND I GOT MY TICKET, BUT I HAD TO GO BACK OUTSIDE AND WAIT FOR THEM TO OPEN THE GATES OFFICIALLY... SO I GOT TO BE SEARCHED TWICE... GREAT STADIUM! BUT THEY DIDN'T OPEN THE ROOF! HERE I'M WEARING MY GIANT BLUE SLEEVELESS TEE AND MY CARDINALS HAT AND THE AIR CONDITIONING IS ON! MY SEAT WAS ON THE 20 YARD LINE AT THE VERY TOP OF THE STADIUM...(LAST ROW)...

LET ME TELL YOU, I KNOW ARIZONA IS A MELTING POT OF PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE COUNTRY BUT THERE WERE A TON OF GIANT FANS EVERYWHERE IN THE STANDS...WHEN THE TEAMS CAME OUT TO STRETCH BEFORE THE GAME THE CHEERS WERE EQUALLY LOUD FOR BOTH TEAMS. LOTS OF RED, BUT A LOT OF BIG BLUE ALSO... SAT NEXT TO A GUY AND HIS WIFE FROM WILLINGBORO, NJ...

THE FIRST HALF WAS PRETTY CLOSE, BUT YOU COULD TELL THE GIANTS COULD PRETTY MUCH MOVE UP AND DOWN AT WILL... BRANDON JACOBS WASN'T AVAILABLE SO ELI MANNING THREW THE BALL ALL OVER THE PLACE AND THE CARDS COULDN'T STOP THEM... THE SECOND HALF WAS ALL GIANTS... THEY CAUSED A FUMBLE, TOOK IT IN AND SCORED... INTERCEPTION, MORE POINTS... BUT THE SPECIAL TEAMS KILLED THE CARDS... (HIXON HAD ALMOST 300 ALL PURPOSE YARDS, 200 PLUS ON RETURNS ALONE...) EXCEPT FOR A ZEBRA AIDED LATE DRIVE BY THE CARDS, THE GAME WAS PRETTY MUCH IN THE BAG...

SEEING THE GIANTS UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL THE LAST 2 WEEKS REALLY OPENED MY EYES TO HOW GOOD THEY REALLY ARE... AGAINST BALTIMORE (WHOSE DEFENSE I THOUGHT MATCHED THE GIANTS), THE GIANTS RAN THE BALL DOWN THEIR THROATS AND DID WHATEVER THEY WANTED TO... AGAINST THE CARDINALS, THE RUNNING GAME WAS DEPLETED, SO THE GIANTS RELIED ON THE PASS TO BEAT THEM... THE THING THAT IMPRESSES ME MOST IS THEIR ABILITY TO ADJUST DURING THE GAME AND THE FACT THAT THEY DON'T MAKE MISTAKES WITH THE BALL... I REALLY HATE PRAISING THE GIANTS, BUT THEY DESERVE ALL THE RESPECT THAT THEY HAVE ABSOLUTELY EARNED...

BUT, HOW ABOUT THOSE J-E-T-S, JETS, JETS, JETS? NOT ONLY DO THEY BEAT THE HATED PATRIOTS BUT THEY GO DOWN TO TENNESSEE AND MANHANDLE THE PREVIOUSLY UNBEATEN TITANS...GO JETS...

ANOTHER SIMILARITY TO THE MEADOWLANDS...TRAFFIC GETTING OUT AND GOING HOME WAS HORRENDOUS... OVER 2 HOURS TO GET HOME, 45 MINUTES TO GET THERE... LIFE IN THE BIG CITY...

SATURDAY--RELAPSE TIME

AS YOU ALL KNOW, SOMEWHERE IN THE NATION'S HEARTLAND, I CAUGHT A NASTY COLD AND BY THE TIME I REACHED TEXAS, IT HAD SETTLED IN MY CHEST WITH A HACKING COUGH AND LOADS OF "LUNG BUTTER." I HAD BEEN GETTING PROGRESSIVELY BETTER WITH OVER THE COUNTER REMEDIES AND AS MUCH SLEEP AS I COULD... SATURDAY, IT CAME BACK WITH A VENGEANCE... SPENT A LOT OF THE DAY BLOWING MY NOSE AND HACKING UP PHLEGM...(SORRY FOR THE GROSS VISUAL). SO I CALLED AETNA AND GOT A LOCAL DOCTOR AND I HAVE AN APPOINTMENT ON WEDNESDAY WITH A DOCTOR RIGHT UP THE BLOCK FROM ME...I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE I GET SOME ANTIBIOTICS TO KILL THIS THING SO I CAN GO ON VACATION SATURDAY...

NOT MUCH HAPPENED SATURDAY... I COOKED MY FIRST MEAL IN THE NEW APARTMENT...(ACTUALLY CLEANED ENOUGH CRAP AWAY TO BE ABLE TO...) IT WAS NICE TO SIT AND ENJOY A MEAL AT "HOME" FOR A CHANGE... NO SHOP-RITES OR STOP-N-SHOPS, BUT SAFEWAY AND BASHA'S ARE PRETTY COOL AND THE PRICES ARE COMPARABLE... (GOD, I SOUND LIKE MARTHA STEWART... I NEED TO GET LAID....HAHAHAHA)... BIG GAME TOMORROW---GIANTS VS. CARDINALS... LOTS OF SLEEP TONIGHT.

BACK ON THE AIR THANKS TO WI-FI

WELL, GENTLE READERS, HERE I AM AGAIN, BACK ON THE AIR IN THE BUSINESS CENTER OF THE NEW DIGS... FINALLY FIGURED OUT HOW TO CONNECT THROUGH MY LAPTOP AND DECIDED TO CATCH YOU GUYS UP BEFORE I LEAVE ON VACATION (ARUBA) ON SATURDAY... FREE WI-FI, SO WHY NOT TAKE ADVANTAGE? TO THOSE OF YOU WHO THOUGHT I FELL OFF THE PLANET WHEN THE BLOGS STOPPED, I APOLOGIZE... I CONTACTED AS MANY OF YOU AS I COULD...

THE PROBLEM WAS THAT ON THURSDAY? (THE DAYS ARE MELTING TOGETHER WITH MOVING IN, NO INTERNET, NO PHONE BOOK...) MY COMPUTER CRASHED AND TOOK MY BROADBAND WITH IT... I CALLED TECH SUPPORT ON FRIDAY? AND SPENT 2 HOURS ON THE PHONE WITH JILL AND AFTER REBOOTING MORE TIMES THAN A SHOE STORE, SHE WASN'T ABLE TO HELP ME... ALSO, MY COMPUTER WENT INTO RECOVERY MODE AND I LOST A LOT OF DOWNLOADS AND A CRAPLOAD OF PICTURES...SO I DECIDED TO FIRE UP MY BACKUP LAPTOP AND SEE IF IT WOULD WORK...BUT I CHANGED THE PASSWORD BEFORE I LEFT NEW JERSEY AND CAN'T FIND THE PAPER I WROTE IT DOWN ON AND CAN'T FOR THE LIFE OF ME REMEMBER THE DAMN THING!!! WHAT A GREAT DAY...

I WAS OUT EXPLORING AND SAW A VERIZON WIRELESS STORE AND WENT BACK HOME AND BROUGHT MY COMPUTER AND WIRELESS MODEM AND THEY WORKED ON IT FOR AN HOUR ABD THE SAME RESULTS AS JILL...NO GO... THE GUY TOLD ME HE WOULD ORDER A NEW DEVICE (UNDER WARRANTY) BUT IT WOULDN'T GET TO ME UNTIL TUESDAY...(WHY I NEVER THOUGHT OF THIS WI-FI OPTION BEFORE IS JUST THE RESULT OF COMPLETE MELTDOWN FRIDAY)... ANYWHO, I SPENT THE REST OF MY FRIDAY TRYING TO GO THROUGH EVERYTHING AND FIND THAT PASSWORD... NO LUCK SO FAR...

I GOT A LOT OF STUFF, MAN

THE MOVERS ARRIVED TODAY WELL WITHIN THE "WINDOW" THEY PROMISED... THEN THEY STARTED BRINGING BOXES AND FURNITURE IN AND THE PARADE DIDN'T SEEM TO WANT TO STOP! UN-FREAKING-BELIEVABLE THAT EVERYTHING THEY BROUGHT INTO THE APARTMENT WAS ACTUALLY MINE...(AND I GAVE AWAY AND SOLD A TON OF STUFF IN NEW JERSEY)... GOT MY WORK CUT OUT FOR ME THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS, BUT EVERYTHING FIT... GOING THROUGH EVERYTHING AGAIN AND DOING A MAJOR WEEDING OUT OF UNNECESSARY ITEMS AND THINGS I WILL PUT ON EBAY OR CRAIGS LIST...

NOW, I HAVE TO CALL THE CABLE COMPANY AND GET ANOTHER "WINDOW" SO THEY CAN HOOK UP MY TVS... ALSO, HAVE TO FIND THE TITLE TO MY JEEP SO I CAN REGISTER IT IN ARIZONA, GIVE UP 2 JERSEY PLATES FOR 1 ARIZONA PLATE... OUT OF STATE CARS HAVE TO BE INSPECTED AND HAVE AN EMISSION TEST BEFORE THEY WILL REGISTER THE VEHICLE... EVEN THOUGH I JUST HAD IT INSPECTED IN NJ IN SEPTEMBER... THE WOMAN TOLD ME THEY DON'T DO "EAST COAST" INSPECTIONS HERE... BUT SHE DID NOT EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT A "WEST COAST" INSPECTION WAS, SO I'LL FIND OUT WHEN I GO...

PUT A MAJOR DENT IN THE BOXES... HAVING THOSE EXTRA DAYS GAVE ME A CHANCE TO PLAN MY ATTACK ONCE EVERYTHING GOT HERE... HAVING A STORAGE CLOSET OFF THE PATIO IS HUGE...(THE BIKES AND COOLERS AND TOOL BOXES CAN ALL FIT IN THERE)... ALSO NICE TO HAVE A PLACE TO SIT AND EAT... AND JUST SIT... SO TOMORROW WILL BE MORE OF THE SAME, UNPACKING AND RE-PACKING STUFF TO GO TO GOODWILL (SORRY BOYS AT FINKELSTEIN, THE PEOPLE OF ARIZONA GET THIS LOAD)... JUST FINISHED WASHING THE SHEETS AND PILLOW CASES AND MAKING "MY" BED...(HOORAY FOR LIFE'S SIMPLE PLEASURES)...

JUST SO YOU KNOW, WE ARE HAVING A STRETCH OF DAYS REACHING RECORD HIGHS FOR THIS TIME OF YEAR (MID TO UPPER 80'S)... AND NO RAIN IN SIGHT UNTIL LATE NEXT WEEK... BUT DON'T WORRY, I'LL TOUGH IT OUT...

THE FURNITURE IS COMING, THE FURNITURE IS COMING

TODAY, I DECIDED TO DO SOME COMMUNITY THINGS... I WENT TO THE ARIZONA DMV AND CHANGED OVER MY DRIVER'S LICENSE... THE DMV WAS AS CROWDED AS NJ, BUT WITHOUT THE ATTITUDE WE NEW JERSEY NATIVES ARE USED TO... EVERYONE WAS "HI. HOW CAN I HELP YOU" AND "IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE I CAN DO FOR YOU?"... THEY ALSO HAD THE LOGAN'S RUN VOICE ANNOUNCING THE NEXT TICKET NUMBER AND LINE...(A LITTLE CREEPY)... THE WOMAN WHO WAITED ON ME WAS FROM PENNSYLVANIA, BEEN HERE THREE YEARS, YADDA, YADDA, YADDA... ALL IN ALL, NOT A BAD EXPERIENCE...

FROM THERE IT WAS OFF TO THE LOCAL LIBRARY FOR MY LIBRARY CARD... I'M NOT GOING TO START BUYING BOOKS LIKE I USED TO... I DONATED OVER 125 HARDCOVER BOOKS TO THE SOUTH BRUNSWICK LIBRARY BEFORE I LEFT AND I'M NOT GOING TO START THAT CYCLE AGAIN... AS I WAS LEAVING THE LIBRARY, I GOT THE CALL I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR... FURNITURE DELIVERY ON WEDNESDAY!!!! MY WINDOW IS BETWEEN 10 AND 2 AND HE'LL CALL FROM ABOUT A 1/2 HOUR AWAY... DUDE ASKED ME IF EVERYTHING WAS GONNA FIT...("YOU GOT A LOT OF STUFF, MAN")... I TOLD HIM IT CAME FROM A 2 BEDROOM, GOING INTO A 2 BEDROOM... AGAIN. "YOU GOT A LOT OF STUFF, MAN." JUST BRING IT HERE, MAN... I'LL MAKE IT FIT.

FINISHED THE AFTERNOON PICKING UP THE NEW CVS CARD AND THE SUPERMARKET CARD... DID A LITTLE MORE EXPLORING WHILE I WAS OUT, TOO... CAN'T WAIT UNTIL MY BICYCLES GET HERE, SO I CAN RIDE THEM INSTEAD OF WASTING GAS... MOST STREETS HAVE A BIKE LANE AND THEN THERE'S PATHS ALL AROUND THE HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS... PLUS, I HAVE A GOLF BAG THAT HOLDS A FEW CLUBS AND I CAN RIDE MY BIKE TO THE PRACTICE FACILITY AT THE COURSE NEXT DOOR... I NEED TO INQUIRE ABOUT A MEMBERSHIP THERE... WANT TO ESTABLISH MY OFFICIAL HANDICAP (GHIN) SO WHEN I COME BACK TO NEW JERSEY, I CAN TAKE ON BOB AND WALTER WITH MY PARTNER VIC (NEW HIP)...

SO, I GUESS THE NEXT FEW DAYS ARE GOING TO BE BUSY UNPACKING THE "VALUABLES" AND SEEING IF EVERYTHING DOES INDEED FIT... ("I GOT A LOT OF STUFF, MAN")... THEN IT'S OFF TO EBAY AND CRAIG'S LIST WITH THE STUFF I DON'T WANT TO KEEP...

IT'LL BE ANY DAY NOW.... ANY DAY

AS YOU CAN GUESS BY THE TITLE, I AM STILL WAITING FOR THE FURNITURE TO ARRIVE... BUT AS THEY SAY, GOOD THINGS COME TO THOSE WHO WAIT... (AND WAIT AND WAIT!)... IN THE MEANTIME, I HAVE BEEN EXPLORING CHANDLER ARIZONA AND THE IMMEDIATE AREAS TO FAMILIARIZE MYSELF WITH MY NEW SURROUNDINGS...

HERE'S MY SEINFELDIAN OBSERVATION FOR THE DAY: YOU EVER NOTICE HOW WHEN YOU BUY SOMETHING AND THE BOX SAYS "SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED" THAT WHAT IT REALLY MEANS IS "YOU NEED AN ENGINEERING DEGREE." I HAVE A BREAKFAST BAR IN THE KITCHEN, SO I BOUGHT SOME BARSTOOLS... WHEN I OPENED THE BOX, NONE OF THE PIECES WERE ASSEMBLED AT ALL (HENCE, ALL ASSEMBLY REQUIRED)... IF ANYONE OUT THERE HAS EVER BOUGHT ANYTHING FROM IKEA, YOU'LL UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT...(AT LEAST THE INSTRUCTIONS WEREN'T IN SWEDISH). BUT WITH SOME ELBOW GREASE AND A LOT OF ALLEN WRENCHING, I HAVE TWO VERY COMFORTABLE BARSTOOLS TO SIT ON...(WHICH IS GOOD, BECAUSE I HAVE NOTHING ELSE TO SIT ON)...

AFTER 3 UNSUCCESSFUL FORAYS INTO CHANDLER, I HAVE FINALLY FOUND BUCA DI BEPPO! THIS IS A CHAIN OF ITALIAN RESTAURANTS THAT HAS LOCATIONS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY... WHEN MY SISTER WOULD COME UP FROM VIRGINIA I WOULD MEET THEM AT THE CHERRY HILL, NJ LOCATION... (VERY COOL RESTAURANT AND FABULOUS FOOD)... SO WHEN I MOVED OUT HERE I SAW THERE WAS A LOCATION IN CHANDLER BUT FOR THE LIFE OF ME I COULDN'T LOCATE IT (AND I DIDN'T USE PARIS---DUH!)... SO YESTERDAY I MADE ANOTHER ATTEMPT AND VIOLA! EUREKA! I FOUND IT! (JIM DOESN'T HAVE MUCH TO DO, DOES HE?)...

SO EVERYTHING I BROUGHT FROM NEW JERSEY IN THE CAR HAS BEEN SETTLED IN... JUST WAITING FOR THE NEXT WAVE (HOPEFULLY SOON)... IN THE MEANTIME I BOUGHT A NOSEBLEED TICKET FOR SUNDAY'S CARDINALS GAME AGAINST THE WORLD CHAMPION NEW YORK (REALLY NEW JERSEY) GIANTS...THE SEAT IS IN THE LAST SECTION AT THE TOP BUT IS ON THE FIFTY YARD LINE... BRINGING LOTS OF SUN SCREEN AND BINOCULARS...

REFLECTIONS IN THE VALLEY OF THE SUN

I SAT DOWN TODAY TO WRITE THIS BLOG AND INSTEAD OF JUST GIVING A DESCRIPTION OF WHAT I DID, I REFLECTED ON THIS JOURNEY I HAD UNDERTAKEN AND WHAT IT ENTAILED AND WHAT IT MEANT...

I ADDED UP THE ACTUAL MILEAGE COVERED TO REACH CHANDLER, ARIZONA: 3534 MILES... THE STATES I TRAVELED THROUGH: NEW JERSEY, DELAWARE, MARYLAND, VIRGINIA, TENNESSEE, KENTUCKY, MISSOURI, ILLINOIS, IOWA, KANSAS, OKLAHOMA, TEXAS (MAN, THAT STATE IS HUGE!), NEW MEXICO AND ARIZONA... THE AMOUNT OF TOLLS I PAID ONCE I LEFT THE TRI-STATE AREA: $1.75... THE NUMBER OF RAINY DAYS BETWEEN 10/15 AND 11/15/2008: 2... THE NUMBER OF RAINY DAYS SINCE I HIT ARIZONA: 0... THE ROUNDS OF GOLF PLAYED: 7... NICEST HOTEL I STAYED IN: GAYLORD OPRYLAND IN NASHVILLE... COOLEST PLACE TO VISIT: SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS... BEST PLACES I VISITED: GLEN ALLEN, VIRGINIA--DALLAS CITY, ILLINOIS--PRAIRIE VILLAGE, KANSAS...

MANY PEOPLE HAVE ASKED ME WHY I UNDERTOOK THIS JOURNEY AND WHY I ENDED UP IN ARIZONA... A FEW YEARS AGO I VISITED LAS VEGAS AND CALIFORNIA (TO PLAY GOLF, OF COURSE!) AND WHEN I WAS THERE, I FELT MORE AT HOME THAN MY REAL HOME IN NEW JERSEY... I DECIDED THAT WHEN THE TIME WAS RIGHT I WOULD MOVE SOMEWHERE OUT WEST... LITTLE DID I KNOW THAT THE TIME WOULD COME NOW... MY JOB WAS VERY DEMANDING OF MY TIME AND BEING A WORK-A-HOLIC I DIDN'T SEEM TO MIND... MY COMPANY TREATED ME VERY WELL OVER THE YEARS, BUT IT GOT TO BE A MATTER OF TIME... TIME TO DO THE THINGS I LOVED AND TIME TO DISCOVER NEW THINGS ABOUT MYSELF AND THE WORLD IN GENERAL... EVERYTHING FELL INTO PLACE THIS YEAR... I TURNED 50 AND WAS IN FAIRLY GOOD HEALTH, MY LEASE ON MY APT. IN NJ ENDED IN OCT... I HAD SAVED ENOUGH MONEY TO LIVE COMFORTABLY FOR AWHILE WHILE I DISCOVERED MY NEW CALLING... I DECIDED ON ARIZONA FOR THE WEATHER AND COST OF LIVING... RENTS WERE CHEAP AND THE WEATHER WAS SPECTACULAR...AND OF COURSE, GOLF YEAR ROUND...

THE ACTUAL DRIVING WAS DIFFICULT AT TIMES, BUT THE MEMORIES AND THE THINGS I SAW IN THIS BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY WE LIVE IN, I WILL CHERISH FOREVER...THE PEOPLE I MET AND WILL MEET AS I DISCOVER MY NEW HOME... ENTERTAINING FRIENDS WHEN THEY COME TO VISIT (YOU'RE GONNA LOVE IT HERE!) RECONNECTING WITH FAMILY THAT I HAVEN'T SEEN (I OWE SOME VISITS TO OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS AS WELL)...

I HAVE BEEN TRULY BLESSED ON THIS TRIP WITH NICE WEATHER, NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS, NO THEFT OR BREAK-INS, NO ACCIDENTS, AND I CONSTANTLY RECEIVED SIGNS ALONG THE WAY TO CONFIRM MY DECISION (I WON'T GO INTO DETAIL, BUT TRUST ME, IT WAS EERIE AT TIMES)...I HAVE NEVER BEEN SO SCARED AND SO EXCITED AT THE SAME TIME (SCARED IT MAY NOT WORK OUT, BUT EXCITED BECAUSE I BELIEVE THIS IS THE RIGHT THINGTO DO AND I WILL MAKE IT WORK)...

AND SO, I BID YOU GOOD NIGHT FROM THE VALLEY OF THE SUN... FURNITURE IS COMING AND LOTS OF WORK TO DO...

MOVING IN TO THE NEW DIGS

SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 15 IS FINALLY HERE... I PACKED UP MY BELONGINGS, CHECKED OUT OF THE RADISSON, AND BROUGHT THE LAST OF THE ROAD "VALUABLES" TO MY NEW HOME... MY PARKING SPACE IS CLOSE, WHICH IS KEY FOR GROCERIES AND SUCH... PUT AWAY MOST OF THE STUFF I BROUGHT WITH ME ON THE ROAD, EXCEPT FOR CLOTHES... WENT THROUGH THE BOX OF MAIL I HAD FORWARDED AND WROTE A LIST TO GO FOOD SHOPPING... I AM ENTERING THE "NESTING" PHASE OF THE TRIP...(GOT TO GET IN TOUCH WITH MY INTERIOR DESIGN SIDE)...

HUNG OUT AT THE POOL AND HOT TUB FOR A COUPLE OF HOURS...(SUNNY AND IN THE 80'S...NEVER GET TIRED OF SAYING THAT!) THEN WENT ON THE SHOPPING EXCURSION...(SAFEWAY, DOLLAR STORE, BED,BATH & BEYOND). PICKED UP SOME ESSENTIALS (NOT TOO MUCH BECAUSE I AM FURNITURE-LESS AND POT,PAN AND PLATE-LESS)... ARIZONA IS SET UP PRETTY MUCH LIKE EVERYWHERE ELSE... THE MAIN DRAGS HAVE THE STORES AND RESTAURANTS, SURROUNDED BY THE HOUSING DEVELOPMENTS. THE MALLS ARE LOCATED MORE DOWNTOWN (ALTHOUGH I HAVEN'T REALLY FOUND DOWNTOWN CHANDLER YET)...

SO NO WORD FROM THE MOVING COMPANY... I GUESS THEY'LL CALL ME ON MONDAY AND LET ME KNOW WHEN I CAN EXPECT A DELIVERY... SHOULD BE NO PROBLEM GETTING THE 53' TRAILER DOWN TO MY APARTMENT... I AM RIGHT DOWN THE MAIN DRIVEWAY FROM THE ENTRANCE...

NOT SURE WHAT TO DO TOMORROW... WILL PROBABLY "NEST" SOME MORE IN THE MORNING AND THEN GO FIND A SPORTS BAR TO WATCH THE GAMES... FIRST NIGHT'S SLEEP IN THE NEW APARTMENT TONIGHT... PSYCHED...

STANDING ON A CORNER IN CHANDLER, ARIZONA

I WENT TO THE BANK AND POST OFFICE TODAY AND HANDLED SOME BUSINESS...SPENT THE DAY EXPLORING OUTWARD FROM THE HOOD...(LEARNING THE STREETS AND DIFFERENT WAYS TO GET TO PLACES)... AROUND NOON I GOT THE FIRST "BAD NEWS" OF THE TRIP. THE MOVING COMPANY TRUCK HAD BROKEN DOWN AND WAS HOPING TO GET BACK ON THE ROAD ON SATURDAY SOMETIME, SO MY FURNITURE AND OTHER "VALUABLES" WILL NOT BE COMING UNTIL MONDAY OR TUESDAY OF NEXT WEEK...

AROUND 4 PM, I HEADED OVER TO CORNERSTONE RANCH AND SIGNED ALL THE PAPERWORK FOR THE LEASE AND PAID MY PARTIAL RENT FOR NOVEMBER AND RECEIVED MY KEYS... DID THE PRELIMINARY INSPECTION REPORT AND RETURNED IT AND MOVED ALL THE "VALUABLES" FROM THE CAR INTO THE APARTMENT... I AM NO LONGER HOMELESS!! THE PLACE IS GREAT...2 BEDROOMS (SO Y'ALL CAN PLAN ON VISITING), A NICE ENCLOSED PATIO, OPEN LIVING ROOM, DINING ROOM AND KITCHEN... I AM FACING INSIDE THE COMPLEX AWAY FROM STREET NOISE AND A GOOD VIEW OF THE POOL...I PLAN A PHOTO SHOOT SHOWING BEFORE AND DURING AND AFTER THE MOVE AND WILL SEND PICTURES OF THE TRIP WHEN I GET A LITTLE MORE SETTLED IN...

ON THE DAY OF MY "COPS" EPISODE, I FORGOT TO TELL YOU ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED ON THE GOLF COURSE... WE HAD JUST FINISHED THE FIRST NINE HOLES AND WERE WAITING ON THE 10TH TEE AND TALKING ABOUT EAST COAST WEATHER, WHEN A BOBCAT MEANDERED ACROSS THE TEE BOX ABOUT 20 FEET IN FRONT OF US! HE PAID US NO ATTENTION AND WALKED INTO THE DESERT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TEE, OBVIOUSLY HUNTING FOR LUNCH...(YES, I GOT A PICTURE)... WHEN WE FINISHED HITTING OUR SHOTS, WE DROVE AROUND THE CORNER AND SAW HIM LEAP INTO A SCRUB TREE AND SNATCH AN ANIMAL OUT OF THE TREE AND WALK FURTHER INTO THE SCRUB...(IT WAS LIKE AN EPISODE OF "WILD KINGDOM")...

SO, NOW I HAVE THE WEEKEND FREE...(HMMM, MAYBE I'LL PLAY SOME GOLF!)...GLAD I HAVE THE AEROBED AND MY PILLOW AND BLANKET BECAUSE I AM SLEEPING IN MY APARTMENT SATURDAY NIGHT... GOING TO ADD UP THE MILES AND SEE JUST HOW FAR ME AND THE MIRACLE JEEP HAVE COME... IT WAS KINDA NICE HAVING YOU GUYS ALONG FOR THE RIDE... BUT DON'T WORRY. THE BLOGS WILL CONTINUE...

AS AN ASIDE, WENT TO CVS TO PICK SOME STUFF UP AND SIGN UP FOR THE "EXTRACARE" CARD, AND THE GUY BEHIND THE COUNTER ASKED WHERE I'M MOVING FROM... CENTRAL NEW JERSEY I TELL HIM... I LIVED IN NEW JERSEY HE SAYS...YOU KNOW WHERE NEW BRUNSWICK IS? HE LIVED 10 MILES AWAY FROM WHERE I USED TO LIVE! (CAN'T GET AWA FROM THESE TRANSPLANTS!)...

J-E-T-S, JETS, JETS, JETS!!!!

QUIET DAY IN CHANDLER ON THURSDAY...WENT TO BREAKFAST AND THEN DROVE AROUND THE NEW "HOOD," GETTING A FEEL FOR WHERE THINGS ARE IN RELATION TO THE NEW APARTMENT... I HAVE SUPERMARKETS WITHIN A MILE AND MEDICAL FACILITIES OUT THE "YING-YANG" (HOSPITAL AND MEDICAL OFFICES TREATING EVERYTHING YOU CAN THINK OF ARE WITHIN 5 MILES OF HOME--HOPE I DON'T NEED 'EM QUITE YET)... AS I WAS DRIVING DOWN ALMA SCHOOL ROAD (MAIN DRAG WHERE ALL THE BUSINESSES ARE) I STRUCK GOLD! THERE IS A DUNKIN' DONUTS IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD! I KNEW I PICKED THE RIGHT SPOT TO LIVE... HAVEN'T SEEN THAT ORANGE AND PINK SIGN SINCE MISSOURI!

SPENT THE REST OF THE AFTERNOON AROUND THE POOL (TEMPS HIT 79 THURSDAY--7 DAY FORECAST? SUNNY EVERY DAY IN THE 80'S...SORRY, BUT THAT'S "MY" IDEA OF A WINTER)...AROUND 4 PM I WENT IN AND WATCHED THE HYPE SURROUNDING THE JETS-PATRIOTS SHOWDOWN ON THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL...

I WATCHED THE FIRST HALF DOWN IN THE BAR AT THE RADISSON AND WAS MIGHTY IMPRESSED WITH THOSE JETS (EXCEPT WHEN THEY GAVE UP THE LAST MINUTE TOUCHDOWN BEFORE HALFTIME)... BUT I AM A LONG SUFFERING JETS FAN AND I KNEW THE GAME WOULDN'T BE THAT EASY TO WIN... TOO MANY TIMES I HAVE WATCHED THE JETS SNATCH DEFEAT FROM THE JAWS OF VICTORY! SO WHEN NEW ENGLAND RALLIED TO TIE AT 24-24 I WAS SICK BUT NOT SURPRISED... I WENT TO MY ROOM FOR THE SECOND HALF (I WAS OVERDOSING ON COCA-COLA DOWN AT THE BAR...) WHEN THE JETS TOOK THE LEAD AT 31-24 (TOUGH CALL ON VRABLE FOR HOLDING) I STILL HAD WAS WORRIED...THEN THEY STOPPED THE PATS! ONE FIRST DOWN FOR THE WIN (BUT NO!!!!! NEVER THAT EASY)... THEN THE REMARKABLE CATCH BY RANDY MOSS (WHY DID THEY CHANGE THE COVERAGE THAT WORKED ALL NIGHT ON THAT PLAY?!)...

BUT THE JETS RE-IMPRESSED ME BY TAKING THE BALL AND DRIVING METHODICALLY DOWNFIELD AND WINNING THE GAME WITHOUT LETTING NEW ENGLAND TOUCH THE BALL (HEY FEELEY! A LITTLE MORE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE UPRIGHTS PLEASE!)...SO I WILL ENJOY BEING THE "FIRST-PLACE" TEAM FOR 10 DAYS UNTIL THEY TAKE ON THE TENNESSEE TITANS A WEEK FROM SUNDAY... (DON'T WORRY GIANT FANS--THE JETS ARE "FAVRE" FROM BEING IN YOUR CALIBER, YET!)
BUT, IT SURE IS NICE TO WIN AFTER 4-12 LAST YEAR...

MY EPISODE OF "COPS-TUCSON"

LAST ROUND OF GOLF IN TUCSON REMINDED ME OF PLAYING IN NEW JERSEY... (EXCEPT THE COURSE AND WEATHER WERE NICER)... TOOK ALMOST 5 1/2 HOURS TO PLAY... PLAYED WITH A THREESOME OF OLDER PEOPLE FROM THE PITTSBURGH AREA...(ONE OF THEM HAS A WINTER HOME IN THE TUCSON AREA)... SHOT 38 ON THE FRONT NINE WITH A 35 FOOT BIRDIE PUTT ON THE 3RD HOLE AND 40 ON THE BACK NINE... FINISHED THE DAY AROUND 4:30 TIRED, BUT PHYSICALLY IN ONE PIECE...

SO OFF I WENT FROM TUCSON ON THE LAST LONG LEG OF THE "INCREDIBLE JOURNEY"TO THE CITY I HAVE CHOSEN AS MY NEW HOME (CHANDLER, AZ)... PARIS SAID IT WAS ABOUT 97 MILES (A "BAG OF SHELLS" COMPARED TO SOME OF THE LENGTHS I'VE BEEN DRIVING)... GOT ON "THE 10" (PEOPLE DON'T SAY ROUTE OR HIGHWAY OUT HERE JUST "THE") AND HEADED WEST... LOTS OF CONSTRUCTION AND A LOT OF POLICE PRESENCE AS THE SPEED LIMITS CONTINUALLY CHANGED FROM 75 TO 65 TO 55 IN SOME AREAS... I NOTICED A HIGHWAY PATROL CAR GET ON BEHIND ME, BUT I WAS DOING THE SPEED LIMIT AND ADJUSTING THROUGH ALL THE CHANGES...

NEXT THING I KNOW, THE LIGHTS ARE ON AND I'M PULLED OVER!! ALMOST 3,000 MILES OF DRIVING AND I'M 60 MILES FROM "HOME" AND I'M YANKED OFF THE HIGHWAY BY TUCSON'S FINEST... I ROLL DOWN THE DRIVER'S WINDOW AND HE COMES TO THE PASSENGER SIDE! I ROLL DOWN THAT WINDOW AND HE ASKS IF NEW JERSEY HAS THE STICKERS YOU PUT ON LICENSE PLATES TO SHOW THE EXPIRATION DATE. I EXPLAIN ABOUT THE WINDOW STICKER AND GIVE HIM MY LICENSE, REGISTRATION AND INSURANCE CARD... HE PULLED ME OVER FOR FOLLOWING A VEHICLE TOO CLOSELY AND WAS GOING TO ISSUE A WARNING... SO, OUT OF THE CAR I GO AND STAND NEXT TO HIS CRUISER WHILE HE WRITES THE WARNING... ALL THE WHILE, HE'S ASKING ME WHERE I'M HEADED, WHERE I'M COMING FROM, DID I GO OVER THE BORDER, DID ANYONE APPROACH ME TO CARRY ANYTHING, WHAT'S MY NEW ADDRESS, ETC... VERY PROFESSIONAL AND COURTEOUS... WHILE HE WAS WRITING, I WAS WATCHING ONE OF THE MOST SPECTACULAR SUNSETS OVER THE MOUNTAINS I HAVE EVER SEEN!

SO HE FINISHED THE WARNING (NO NEED TO DO ANYTHING, JUST FILE IT) AND HE ASKED ME IF I WOULD MIND IF HE SEARCHED THE CAR (BECAUSE WE ARE SO CLOSE TO THE BORDER AND "THE 10" IS A KNOWN DRUG TRAFFICKING HIGHWAY)... TOLD HIM NO PROBLEM, JUST GOT A BUNCH OF JUNK FROM JERSEY IN THERE... HE SAID HE WASN'T GOING TO, BUT FOR TRAINING PURPOSES WAS IT OKAY IF HE RAN HIS DOG AROUND THE CAR... HE HAD A DRUG SNIFFING DOG IN THE BACKSEAT! I SAID SURE, GO AHEAD AND THE DOG SNIFFED AROUND THE CAR TWICE AND HE RETURNED HIM TO THE BACKSEAT... THEN THE OFFICER HANDED ME MY PAPERWORK AND SHOOK MY HAND AND TOLD ME TO BE CAREFUL... THAT WAS THE COOLEST TRAFFIC STOP (AND ONE I CAN ACTUALLY REMEMBER) I HAVE EVER BEEN INVOLVED IN...

THE REST OF THE RIDE WAS PRETTY CALM AFTER THAT... ARRIVED IN CHANDLER AROUND 8:00 AND CRAWLED INTO BED EXHAUSTED...

TAKING IT UP A NOTCH

ANOTHER EARLY ROUND OF GOLF TUESDAY AT LA PALOMA (THE DOVE)... MORE OF THE SAME: BEAUTIFUL SCENERY AND CHALLENGING LAYOUT... I PLAYED WITH ALVY FROM RENO, NV. AND 2 MEMBERS OF THE CLUB WHO SHARED SOME LOCAL KNOWLEDGE WITH US ABOUT THE COURSES... SHOT 84 (STILL HAVING TROUBLE WITH THE TEE SHOTS, WHICH IS ESSENTIAL WHEN YOU PLAY A DESERT COURSE)...

WE FINISHED AROUND 12:30 AND ALVY ASKED IF I WANTED TO DO A REPLAY...(MOST COURSES OFFER ANOTHER ROUND AT A DISCOUNTED RATE)... WE WENT TO THE CLUBHOUSE AND INQUIRED ABOUT HOW MUCH IT WOULD SET US BACK... THEY TOLD US JUST GO AND PLAY! (FREE REPLAY!)...I WAS IN HOG HEAVEN... WE PLAYED THE 3RD NINE AT LA PALOMA AND THEN REPLAYED THE HILL NINE... SHOT 78 THIS TIME BY PLAYING THE COURSE AND TAKING WHAT I COULD GET (REMINDED ME A LOT OF PINE BARRENS IN LAKEWOOD NEW JERSEY)... SO THE GOLF WHORE PLAYED 36 HOLES AND CAME BACK TO THE CONDO A TIRED BUT HAPPY MAN...

STARTED PACKING UP THE CAR FOR THE TRIP TO MY NEW CITY... AFTER GOLF AGAIN AT ARIZONA NATIONAL ON WEDNESDAY, I AM DRIVING UP TO CHANDLER (THE NEXT TO LAST LEG OF THIS INCREDIBLE JOURNEY)... I AM STAYING IN CHANDLER THE NEXT FEW DAYS UNTIL MOVE IN DAY SATURDAY...(NEED TO COLLECT FORWARDED MAIL, DO SOME BANKING, GET SOME POSTAL MONEY ORDERS FOR THE PARTIAL RENT AND THE REST OF THE MOVER'S FEES, ETC.)....

THE COURSE I'M PLAYING ON WEDNESDAY IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE BEST OF THE 3 I WILL PLAY...(CAN'T SEE HOW IT COULD BE-BUT I WILL)... THE BACK HAS HELD UP NICELY AND HOPEFULLY SO WILL MY GAME...

VENTANA CANYON-MOUNTAIN COURSE

MONDAY MORNING... EARLY RISE TEMP OUTSIDE IN THE UPPER 40'S BUT THE SUNRISE IS SPECTACULAR COMING UP OVER THE MOUNTAINS... THE COURSE IS ONLY 5 MILES AWAY AND I MAKE IT WITH A LITTLE TROUBLE...(PARIS COULD NOT MATCH THE ADDRESS AND THE RESORT DOESN'T OWN THE GOLF COURSE, SO IT TOOK MORE TIME THAN I FIGURED)... 8:00 SHOTGUN START AND WE STARTED ON THE 5TH HOLE... WHAT A COURSE! LINKS STYLE MEANDERING THROUGH THE FOOTHILLS OF THE MOUNTAINS...(YOU HAD TO CLIMB UP THE CLIFFS ON SEVERAL HOLES TO REACH THE BACK TEES)... DEFINITELY A MUST RETURN COURSE...

AFTER GOLF BACK TO THE CONDO FOR A NAP... THE LAST COUPLE OF DAYS DRIVING HAVE TAKEN THEIR TOLL AND I'M WORN OUT...(STILL HAVE THE REMNANTS OF THE ENTITY MAKING AN APPEARANCE, BUT FEELING MUCH BETTER)...TEMPS MADE IT TO 70 BUT THE BREEZE WAS COOL (THE DRY HEAT THING--HUMIDITY LOW KEPT THE TEMPS VERY COMFORTABLE)... BRILLIANT SUNSHINE... SOAKED IN THE HOT TUB, DROVE AROUND TUCSON FOR A WHILE AND CAME BACK, MADE DINNER AND JUST CHILLED WATCHING THE GAME (6:30 START--WHAT A GREAT CONCEPT)...NICE WIN FOR THE ADOPTED TEAM...(WOULD BE PRETTY COOL IF THE CARDS MAKE THE PLAYOFFS)....

MORE OF THE SAME TOMORROW... ANOTHER EARLY TEE TIME AT A DIFFERENT COURSE..

TRUCKIN' INTO TUCSON

WHAT'S ANOTHER 300+ MILES AFTER A DAY OF DRIVING 500+? A PAIN IN THE ASS IN ALL SENSES OF THE WORD... TODAY'S RIDE WAS DEFINITELY FILLED WITH FIRSTS I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED... FIRST BORDER PATROL STOP...(THE GUARD WAS SHOCKED I DRIVING FROM NEW JERSEY TO ARIZONA)...FIRST DUST STORM...(WASN'T TOO BAD BUT I CAN IMAGINE HOW FIERCE THEY CAN GET---SIGNS WARNING OF DUST STORMS ALL ACROSS NEW MEXICO AND ARIZONA)... FIRST ATTACK BY A TUMBLEWEED...(BOUNCED RIGHT OFF MY DRIVER'S DOOR)...

ARRIVED AT THE CONDO (THE DEAL I BOOKED INCLUDED 3 NIGHTS, 3 ROUNDS OF GOLF AT 3 DIFFERENT COURSES (I AM SUCH A WHORE!))... INSTEAD OF THE 1 BEDROOM, THEY UPGRADED ME TO A 2 BEDROOM CONDO OVERLOOKING THE MOUNTAIN RANGE SURROUNDING TUCSON (CATALINA MTS. I THINK)... THE VIEW FROM MY FRONT DOOR IS AWESOME! THE CONDO IS LOADED WITH AMENITIES SO I WENT FOOD SHOPPING AND COOKED FOR MYSELF (NEED TO START DOING THAT)... THEN I HAD A CIGAR OUT ON THE PATIO AND WATCHED THE GIANTS BOOT THE EAGLES (GREAT GAME G-MEN---AND A WOO-HOO FOR MY JETS DESTROYING THE HAPLESS RAMS)...

OK, GOTTA GET SOME SLEEP... 8 AM TEE TIME MONDAY AND I WANT TO GET THERE EARLY AND HIT BALLS IF I CAN... MAY NEED A SWEATER... MIGHT GET DOWN IN THE 40'S OVERNIGHT (BRRR!) AND THEN UP TO 70 DURING THE DAY... BOOKED MY LAST HOTEL STAY FOR THE DAYS BEFORE THE BIG MOVE IN ON SATURDAY... CAN'T WAIT TO EMPTY THE JEEP OUT ONCE AND FOR ALL AND PARK IT FOR A COUPLE WEEKS...(IT SURE HAS EARNED A REST--SO DOES MY BUTT!)...

OUT IN THE WEST TEXAS TOWN OF EL PASO...

YOU KNOW YOU HAVE A LONG RIDE WHEN YOUR GPS UNIT ANNOUNCES "PROCEED 544 MILES" BEFORE YOUR NEXT TURN!! THAT'S WHAT PARIS SAID TO ME AS I GOT ON THE 10 AND HEADED WEST...

NOW I KNOW WHERE THEY CAME UP WITH TERM "WIDE OPEN SPACES". WESTERN TEXAS IS BIG AND OPEN. LOTS OF OIL PUMPING STATIONS AND A BIG SECTION OF WINDMILLS ABOUT HALF WAY ACROSS, BUT THE TOWNS ARE FEW AND VERY SMALL... IT WAS ONE CONTINUOUS SCENE OF EVERY WESTERN YOU'VE SEEN... (THE GUY GALLOPING ACROSS THE PLAIN, DRY CREEK BEDS, SCRUB BUSHES AND TREES, PASSES THROUGH THE HILLS...). THE RADIO PICKED UP NO STATIONS (YOU HIT SEEK AND IT JUST CIRCLED THE DIAL OVER AND OVER) SO IT WAS LUCKY THE CD PLAYER WAS WORKING...

AT THIS TIME I WOULD LIKE TO GIVE MAJOR PROPS TO MY JEEP AND THE GUYS WHO GOT IT READY FOR THIS TRIP... KNOCK WOOD I HAVE NOT HAD A PROBLEM WITH IT YET...

MADE IT TO EL PASO AROUND 4:30 PM MOUNTAIN TIME, CHECKED IN AND PASSED OUT. WOKE UP AROUND 8, GRABBED SOME TAKE OUT AND WATCHED THE GAMES... TO MY IOWA FRIENDS, "HOW BOUT THEM HAWKEYES!" KNOCKING JOE PA OUT OF THE PICTURE... IT'S A SHAME ALABAMA WON BUT I'M GLAD FOR THE RED RAIDERS OF TEXAS TECH (GO HOME TEAM)... FELL ASLEEP IN THE SECOND HALF AND WOKE UP AROUND 3 SUNDAY MORNING...

SO, I DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE TO FIND ROSE'S CANTINA... BUT I KNOW THE WAY INTO THE BADLANDS OF NEW MEXICO... THAT SONG HAS BEEN A FAVORITE OF MINE FOR MANY YEARS AND IT'S VERY COOL TO BE IN THE TOWN IT MADE FAMOUS...

SAN ANTONIO STROLL--TANYA TUCKER

ANOTHER DAY OF GOLF FOR THE THE GOLF "WHORE". CANYON SPRINGS WAS NICE, BUT THE GAME DIDN'T MATCH THE NICENESS OF THE COURSE OR THE WEATHER... SHOT 85 AND WAS BOTHERED THE WHOLE ROUND BY THE RETURN OF A HACKING COUGH THAT I JUST COULDN'T CONTROL... (GOT SOME COUGH SYRUP--IT HELPED)...

CAME BACK AND TOOK ANOTHER STROLL ALONG THE RIVER WALK, THEN TOOK THE WATER TAXI RIDE ALONG THE MAIN BRANCH WHERE THEY TELL YOU ABOUT THE BUILDINGS AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE RIVER WALK... LUNCH AT HOOTERS AND SOME MEANINGFUL CONVERSATION ABOUT THE SPURS WITH ASHLEY AND DEB... THEN WALKED DOWN TO THE NEW HOTEL FOR A NAP AND A SOAK IN THE HOT TUB...(NEITHER ASHLEY NOR DEB WERE AVAILABLE TO CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION...)

GOING TO CALL IT A NIGHT EARLY... WANT TO GET A JUMP ON THE NEXT LEG AS SOON AS I CAN TOMORROW MORNING... IT'S A LONG WAY TO EL PASO AND I WANT TO MAKE IT IN TIME TO SEE THE TEXAS TECH-OKLAHOMA STATE GAME TOMORROW NIGHT... CALLED ABOUT A THREE DAY STAY AND PLAY IN TUCSON AND GOT A GREAT PRICE, SO IT'S TUCSON INSTEAD OF ALBUQUERQUE... WILL BE ARRIVING IN THE NEW HOME STATE SOMETIME SUNDAY AFTERNOON... YEE HAW!!!

QUIET DAY IN SAN ANTONIO

AND THEN... I ALMOST MISSED MY TEE TIME... LUCKILY IT WAS CLOSE TO DOWNTOWN AND I MADE IT WITH TIME TO SPARE... PLAYED A COURSE CALLED THE QUARRY BECAUSE HALF THE COURSE IS BUILT INTO THE OLD ALAMO QUARRY... NICE COURSE, TOUGH TEST... (PLAYED THE FRONT NINE VERY WELL, BUT RAN OUT OF GAS ON THE BACK, HAD TO SETTLE FOR 81...)

SPENT THE REST OF THE DAY CATCHING UP ON SLEEP, LYING BY THE POOL, GOT A SHIATSU MASSAGE IN THE MALL, AND EARLY DINNER ON THE RIVER...

CHECKING OUT OF THE MENGER THURSDAY (WITH THE MONEY I SAVED ON THE RATES BY NOT STAYING FRIDAY, I BOOKED A CHEAP STAY FOR FRIDAY NIGHT)... PLAYING GOLF AGAIN FRIDAY AT A GOOD LOCAL COURSE CALLED CANYON SPRINGS (THANKS TO CHRIS, MY PLAYING PARTNER AT THE QUARRY) AND STAYING OVERNIGHT IN SAN ANTONIO TO REST UP FOR THE TREK ACROSS TEXAS TO EL PASO ON SATURDAY MORNING...

BEGINNING TO LOOK FORWARD TO REACHING ARIZONA AND MAY MAKE SOME TRIP CHANGES (ALBUQUERQUE MAY BE TRADED FOR TUCSON--GOLF PACKAGE?) GOING TO TALK TO MY BOY AT SONORAN SUITES (HE HOOKED ME UP FOR THE PALM SPRINGS TRIP) AND SEE IF HE CAN GET ME A DEAL...

ONE WEEK FROM TOMORROW I WILL OFFICIALLY MOVE IN TO THE NEW APARTMENT... HAVE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE CABLE HOOK-UP ALREADY AND SRP ELECTRIC IS READY TO GO... LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING "HOME"...

REMEMBER THE ALAMO!

THE DAY BEGAN WITH A TRIP BACK IN TIME TO 1836 JUST BY CROSSING THE STREET... THE FACT THAT THE ALAMO SHRINE IS IN THE HEART OF THE CITY FLIPS ME OUT... ALL THE PICTURES I'VE SEEN JUST SHOW THE BUILDING WITH NOTHING AROUND... BUT WHEN YOU ENTER THE BUILDINGS, TIME STANDS STILL AND IT'S EASY TO PUT YOURSELF BACK IN THAT TIME FRAME. THE WALLS QUIET THE OUTSIDE NOISE AND YOU CAN "FEEL" THE HISTORY OF THE PLACE... NO PICTURES INSIDE BUT IF IT MEANS SOMETHING TO YOU, YOU HAVE TO VISIT... ANOTHER REASON TO VISIT IS THE RIVER WALK...

THIS MODERN "VENICE" MEANDERS THROUGH THE CITY JUST BELOW THE MAIN STREETS... WITH WALKWAYS ON BOTH SIDES, IT IS COVERED WITH SHOPS, HOTELS, CONDOS, RESTAURANTS, THE RIVERCENTER MALL AND MORE... THERE ARE WATER TAXIS THAT TAKE YOU ON TOURS UP AND DOWN THE RIVER... IT IS TRULY SPECTACULAR...

GOT BACK TO THE HOTEL AND A MESSAGE WAS WAITING FOR ME! I HAD A DINNER DATE FOR THE EVENING... GOT MYSELF READY (I LIKE TO THINK I CLEAN UP NICE) AND MET THE LADIES AT THE RESTAURANT IN THE WESTIN RIVERFRONT HOTEL... HAD A FABULOUS MEAL (THEY PAID-- OVER MY OBJECTIONS--BONUS!) ONE OF THE WOMEN BEGGED OFF A WALK ALONG THE RIVER (HAD TO PACK--THOUGHT IT WAS A SET-UP) SO I HAD A LITTLE ALONE TIME... WENT FOR A NICE LEISURELY WALK ALONG THE RIVER (TRES ROMANTIC!) I WALKED HER BACK TO HER ROOM AND SHE PLANTED A LIPLOCK ON ME THAT THREW ME FOR A LOOP! OF COURSE, I RETURNED THE KISS... AND THEN...

DEEP IN THE HEART OF TEXAS

LEFT DALLAS AROUND 10:00 AM... AFTER THE RESTLESS NIGHT OF WORRYING ABOUT THE CAR, I FELL ASLEEP AT DAWN AND WOKE UP AND GOT OUT BEFORE THE DEADLINE... WHILE I WAS ON SECURITY WATCH I MANAGED TO BOOK AHEAD THE NEXT LEG OF THE TRIP...(SAN ANTONIO AND EL PASO).

THE DRIVE DOWN TO SAN ANTONIO WENT THROUGH WACO (REMEMBER THE BRANCH DAVIDIANS AND JANET RENO? OUR OWN LITTLE JONESTOWN) AND THE CAPITAL CITY OF AUSTIN... THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS TAKES UP THREE HIGHWAY EXITS ON 35 SOUTH... (HOOK 'EM HORNS!) THEY SURE KNOW HOW TO TO BIG IN TEXAS... SPOKE WITH VICTOR ON THE WAY (VICTOR TURNED 50 YESTERDAY---HAPPY BIRTHDAY AGAIN, BROTHER) AND HE TOLD ME THAT HE ENJOYED THE BLOGS BUT HE WAS WONDERING WHEN I WOULD RESUME THE ROLE OF SINGLE MAN ON THIS TRIP AND DO A LITTLE ADULT ENTERTAINMENT FOR MYSELF... ( I ENJOYED THE "FAMILY LIFE" I WAS EXPOSED TO, DON'T GET ME WRONG)... SO I TOLD HIM I WOULD TAKE IT UNDER ADVISEMENT AND MAKE AN EFFORT TO EXPLORE SOMETHING OTHER THAN HISTORICAL SITES...

I BOOKED A ROOM FOR THREE NIGHTS AT THE HISTORIC MENGER HOTEL WHICH IS DOWNTOWN, ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE ALAMO, A BLOCK FROM THE RIVERWALK AND IN THE MIDDLE OF EVERYTHING SAN ANTONIO...(MY ROOM OVERLOOKS THE ALAMO)... ERNESTO THE VALET, ASKED ME IF I WAS HERE FOR THE SPURS GAME TONITE AND THAT HE COULD HOOK ME UP WITH TICKETS... THE PRICE INCLUDED A FREE SHUTTLE BUS TRIP BACK AND FORTH TO THE AT&T CENTER (THEY DON'T PLAY AT THE ALAMODOME ANYMORE)... SO I PICKED UP A CENTER COURT SEAT AND WENT UPSTAIRS AND GOT READY FOR THE GAME...(THEY DELIVERED THE TICKET RIGHT TO MY ROOM) SO I TOOK THE BUS TO THE GAME...

MY SEAT WAS GREAT... CENTER COURT ABOUT HALFWAY UP FROM THE COURT... THE AT& T CENTER WAS ROCKING (THE HATED DALLAS MAVERICKS WERE IN TOWN.) I SAT NEXT TO A TRANSPLANTED WOMAN FROM SYRACUSE NY LIVING IN SAN ANTONIO NOW AND TO MY RIGHT WERE TWO FEMALE CONVENTIONERS IN TOWN UNTIL THURSDAY NIGHT... EXCITING GAME BUT DALLAS PULLED AWAY FROM THE SPURS IN THE 4TH QUARTER... THE WOMEN TO MY RIGHT WONDERED IF I WAS INTERESTED IN GOING TO DINNER WITH THEM WEDNESDAY NIGHT (THEY'D BEEN HANGING WITH WORK FRIENDS AND WERE BORED) AND BEING A GENTLEMAN OF COURSE I ACCEPTED... THEY HAD MEETINGS TOMORROW BUT THEY WOULD CALL THE HOTEL AND LEAVE A MESSAGE WHERE TO MEET THEM...(WE'LL SEE IF THEY CALL)...

HOPPED THE BUS BACK TO THE HOTEL AND WENT TO MORTON'S FOR A QUICK STEAK AND THEN BACK TO THE ROOM FOR SOME WELL NEEDED SLEEP... CONGRATULATIONS TO PRESIDENT-ELECT BARACK OBAMA... NOW LET'S GET THIS COUNTRY BACK ON TRACK, AND KICK THAT MORON (W) OUT OF THE WHITE HOUSE... THAT'S ALL FOR POLITICAL COMMENTARY.... A LITTLE SIGHT-SEEING TOMORROW AND A RIVER WALK AND HOPEFULY A DINNER DATE TOMORROW NIGHT... WILL KEEP YOU POSTED...

OKLAHOMA IS OK WITH ME, BUT I BLEW IT OFF FOR A NIGHT IN "BIG D"

WOKE UP YESTERDAY AND SAID GOODBYE TO ANNA AND HER FAMILY AND THEN HEADED OUT IN SEARCH OF AN OIL CHANGE... FOUND A PLACE AND GOT THE OIL CHANGED, NEW WIPER BLADES (FOR THE BUGS, I GUESS), THEN FILLED UP AT 1.99 A GALLON (CAN'T BELIEVE IT) AND MADE MY WAY SOUTH FROM KANSAS CITY...

WITH 12 DAYS LEFT ON MY ADVENTURE (THE TRAVELING PART, ANYWAY) IT WAS TIME TO DO SOME SERIOUS DRIVING, SO INSTEAD OF STOPPING IN OKLAHOMA CITY, I DECIDED TO BLOW THROUGH OKLAHOMA AND ARRIVED IN DALLAS, TEXAS AROUND 7 PM... MADE THE ARRANGEMENTS WHILE DRIVING, PARIS (MY GPS) HANDLED THE DIRECTIONS AND HERE I AM... WHAT A RIDE... MY ASS WAS NUMB BY THE TIME I REACHED THE HOTEL, BUT I WAS ABLE TO MAKE IT THANKS TO THE REPACK OF THE JEEP... THE PLAN NOW IS TO CONTINUE TODAY ON TO SAN ANTONIO AND SPEND A FEW DAYS THERE AND THEN HEAD WEST...

OKLAHOMA IS SOME BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY... ONCE YOU LEAVE THE PLAINS OF KANSAS, THE TERRAIN CHANGES AND YOU ENTER THE CHEROKEE NATION... I DROVE ON THE INDIAN NATION PARKWAY THE WHOLE THROUGH (CHEROKEE, CREEK AND CHOCTAW)... THE TERRAIN LOOKED LIKE I WAS DRIVING THROUGH A WESTERN MOVIE... (WAS EXPECTING TO SEE THE INDIAN SCOUT ON THE HILLS OFF THE "TRAIL")...WHAT I DID SEE WAS A LOT OF CASINOS AND THE CONTRASTING POVERTY OF THE SMALL TOWNS NOT FAR FROM ALL THAT WEALTH... (REMINDED ME OF ATLANTIC CITY IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE CASINOS, ONLY WORSE)... AND, OF COURSE THEY WERE PACKED WITH CUSTOMERS... THIS TRIP IS ENOUGH OF A GAMBLE FOR ME SO I JUST KEPT ON TRUCKING... THERE WERE LOTS OF RANCHES AND HORSES AND CATTLE...(A LITTLE BETTER SCENERY THIS LEG)... I ALSO PAID THE FIRST TOLL SINCE I LEFT VIRGINIA ($1.75) ON THE WAY THROUGH THE NATIONS...(NOT GONNA MISS THE TRI-STATE AREA THAT WAY)...

SO, AFTER ABOUT 9 HOURS IN THE CAR, COUNTING FREQUENT STRETCH AND WATER STOPS, AND OVER 400 MILES, I MADE IT TO "BIG D". I HAPPENED TO FIND THE LOCAL SPORTS RADIO STATION AND I WISH I COULD HAVE RECORDED IT FOR MY GIANT FAN FRIENDS BECAUSE THEY WERE KILLING THE COWBOYS AND WHINING ABOUT THEIR INJURIES AND HOW THEY NEED TO DISMANTLE THE TEAM...(I WAS ENJOYING EVERY MINUTE)... ACTUALLY, IT REMINDED ME OF HOW THE NEW YORK MEDIA TREATS MY FAVORITE TEAMS EVERY YEAR... NICE TO KNOW THAT "AMERICA'S TEAM" IS NOT IMMUNE FROM MAJOR CRITICISM... ("HOW BOUT THEM COWBOYS?")

AS I CHECK IN TO THE HOTEL, THE FRONT DESK DUDE TELLS ME I CAN PARK AROUND BACK CLOSER TO MY ROOM AND USE THE ENTRANCE ON THAT SIDE... AS I PULL INTO A SPOT I SEE THE REMNANTS OF SOMEONE'S WINDOW IN THE PARKING LOT... I ASK THE DUDE WHEN IT HAPPENED AND HE SAID "LIKE AN HOUR AGO... AS SOON AS IT GETS DARK, THEY COME OUT..." SO I IMMEDIATELY MOVED MY CAR BY MY ROOM WINDOW AND EMPTIED IT ALMOST COMPLETELY, RECORDED THE LICENSE PLATES OF THE CARS AROUND AND FREQUENTLY LOOKED OUT THE WINDOW...(NICE). BUT I WOKE UP THIS MORNING AND THE CAR IS INTACT...(NOTE TO SELF...NO MORE RESERVATIONS ON THE FLY)

BOOMER SOONER! BOOMER SOONER!

SORRY ABOUT THAT... THAT'S TWICE NOW I SENT THE TITLE ONLY AS A BLOG AND I APOLOGIZE... THE FINGERS GET A LITTLE FATTER AND SLOWER AS THE THE DAY WINDS DOWN... AND WHAT A DAY IT WAS!

DAY TWO OF THE SOCCER TOURNAMENT WHERE THE ENTIRE POPULATION OF THREE (3) STATES IS PARTICIPATING! (JUST SEEMS LIKE IT, OK?)... A NIFTY PIECE OF DRIVING BY ANNA (VERY IMPRESSIVE CONSIDERING SHE COULDN'T MANEUVER OUT OF HER DRIVEWAY THE OTHER DAY) NETTED US A PRIME PARKING SPOT FOR MOLLY'S THIRD AND FINAL GAME... IT WAS AGAINST A TEAM MORE ON THEIR SKILL LEVEL AND A HARD FOUGHT GAME ENDED IN A 0-0 TIE... MOLLY PLAYED WELL AND I WAS IMPRESSED AT HOW WELL THE GIRLS LISTENED TO THEIR COACHES AND STAYED DISCIPLINED THROUGHOUT THE GAME... LITTLE MAGGIE WAS ALL OVER THE PLACE AND INTO EVERYTHING...(WHAT A FOUNTAIN OF ENERGY!)... WE CAME BACK AND MET DADDY MIKE (HE HAS A PAYING GIG PLAYING MUSIC FOR A CHURCH IN TOWN) AND HAD A PICNIC IN THE BACKYARD, (GRILLIN' AND CHILLIN').

AFTER A ROUND OF NAPS FOR ALL, MOLLY CAME DOWN AND ASKED ME TO JOIN A HUGE RAKE-A-THON ON THE FRONT LAWN. WE AMASSED A HUGE PILE OF LEAVES AND EACH TOOK A TURN DIVING INTO THEM...(NOT AS SOFT AS THEY LOOK--THAT'S GONNA LEAVE A MARK!)...THEN WE TOOK A RIDE OVER TO THE CHURCH WHERE MIKE AND ANNA BELONG FOR SERVICES... VERY IMPRESSED WITH THE SIZE AND SCOPE OF THE CHURCH AND THE CONGREGATION... AGAIN, THE CHILDREN ARE BROUGHT TO A SEPARATE WORSHIP AREA SO THE PARENTS CAN HAVE SOME ALONE TIME... THE SERMON WAS ABOUT A SUBJECT THAT ONCE AGAIN REAFFIRMED THAT THE DECISION I HAVE MADE IS THE CORRECT ONE... (I WILL NOT PREACH, YOU'LL HAVE TO TAKE MY WORD ON FAITH---BUT YOU CAN UPLOAD THE SERMON, IT WAS VIDEOTAPED.) A VERY COMFORTABLE EXPERIENCE ALL AROUND...

CAME BACK TO THE HOUSE AND PACKED UP MY "VALUABLES" AGAIN...(THE REPACK OF THE JEEP WENT WELL---I NOW HAVE SUPERIOR LEG ROOM)...WATCHED SPORTSCENTER TO CATCH UP ON SOME FOOTBALL (GIANTS RULE, J-E-T-S JETS, JETS, JETS!) AND SAT DOWN WITH MIKE AND ANNA AND GAVE THEM THE REAL STORY ABOUT MY PAST...TALKING ABOUT IT WAS A BIT PAINFUL, BUT I NEED TO KEEP IT FRESH IN MY MIND...TALKING ABOUT IT MAKES MY COMMITTMENT TO BE CLEAN AND SOBER THAT MUCH STRONGER...KEEPING IT FRESH REMINDS ME OF WHAT I COULD LOSE...AND IT RELEASES THOSE MEMORIES AGAIN AND IT FEELS GOOD TO LET GO OF THEM...

OK, I'M OUT OF GAS AND NEED SOME SLEEP... I HOPE TO MAKE OKLAHOMA CITY TOMORROW, MAYBE MORE IF THE FEELING MOVES ME... MY THANKS TO COUSIN ANNA, MIKE, MOLLY AND MAGGIE FOR WELCOMING ME INTO THEIR HOME AND LIVES FOR THE LAST FEW DAYS...THANKS TO THEIR FRIENDS FOR MAKING ME FEEL WELCOME IN THE COMMUNITY... AFTER TOMORROW "YOU'RE NOT IN KANSAS, ANYMORE."

TOURNAMENTTIME IN KANSAS CITY

SATURDAY BEGAN AND IT WAS ALL ABOUT SOCCER... MOLLY'S TEAM WAS INVOLVED IN A TOURNAMENT ACROSS TOWN... I THOUGHT IT WAS A LOCAL DEAL WITH A COUPLE DOZEN TEAMS... (WRONG!). THIS WAS A HUGE TOURNAMENT FOR KIDS IN ALL AGE GROUPS AND NOT JUST KANSAS EITHER (THERE WERE CARS FROM IOWA AND MISSOURI ALSO)... THE "COMPLEX" THIS WAS HELD AT HAD 18 FIELDS AND ALL WERE IN USE! AND IN USE ALL DAY TOO! IT WAS AN INCREDIBLE MASS OF PLAYERS AND SOCCER MOMS AND DADS (AND MAY I ADD, THERE ARE SOME VERY LOVELY SOCCER MOMS IN KANSAS...)

MOLLY HAD A GAME IN THE MORNING AND THEN ANOTHER GAME LATER IN THE DAY SO IN BETWEEN WE ESCAPED AND MIKE TOOK US ON A TOUR OF DOWNTOWN AND WE PARKED BY THE MISSOURI RIVER AND TOOK SOME PICTURES... THE WEATHER IS STILL UNSEASONABLY WARM (HIGHS IN THE 70'S...). THE AFTERNOON GAME WAS EXCITING. THE GIRLS HELD THEIR OWN AGAINST AN OLDER TEAM. I CAUGHT SOME SERIOUS RAYS STANDING ON THE SIDELINES...

WE DINED IN THE "DINING ROOM" AND RETIRED TO THE DOWNSTAIRS AND MIKE LIT THE FIRST FIRE OF THE SEASON (I AM TRULY HONORED)... WE THEN SAT AND WATCHED THE TEXAS-TEXAS TECH FOOTBALL GAME (GREAT ENDING!) AND ENJOYED THE FIRE AND TALKED... ALL IN ALL, A PRETTY TYPICAL DAY IN SUBURBAN KANSAS CITY... THIS EXPOSURE TO THE FAMILY LIFE HAS BEEN PRETTY EYE OPENING... I'M USED TO HAVING TO DO EVERYTHING FOR MYSELF, BUT I ADMIRE THE HARD WORK AND PLANNING AND SELF-SACRIFICING THAT THESE FAMILIES EXHIBIT ON A DAY-TO-DAY BASIS... AND THEY EACH WENT OUT OF THEIR WAY TO ADD IN SOME QUALITY TIME FOR THE "TRAVELER." BIG PROPS TO ALL INVOLVED AND I'M GLAD I WAS ABLE TO ENJOY THEIR COMPANY...

ON A WEIRD NOTE, I AM OFFICIALLY "HOMELESS" ON NOVEMBER 1, 2008... MY LEASE IN NEW JERSEY EXPIRED ON 10/31/08 AND MY ARIZONA LEASE BEGINS ON 11/15/08... SO "HOBO JIM" MAKES HIS ROAD DEBUT STARTING MONDAY... GOT TO DECIDE WHERE THE NEXT LEG OF THE TRIP LEADS....

TRICK OR TREAT

FEELING A LITTLE BETTER TODAY... (CAN'T SEEM TO SHAKE THE HEADACHE... FEELS LIKE MY HEAD IS STUFFED WITH SOCKS... WHICH COULD EXPLAIN A LOT)... EMPTIED THE TRUCK INTO MY DOWNSTAIRS LIVING QUARTERS AT THE "TERLOUW ARMS." MUST REDISTRIBUTE THE JEEP SO I CAN GET THAT LEG ROOM...

ANNA TOOK ME AND MAGGIE ON A DRIVING TOUR OF THE KANSAS CITIES (KANSAS AND MISSOURI). WE WENT DOWN WARD PARKWAY WHICH HAD SOME BEAUTIFUL HOMES AND THROUGH THE PLAZA SHOPPING AREA (REMINDED ME OF 5TH AVE. IN NYC... LOTS OF HIGH-END SHOPS AND STORES, BISTROS, SPECIALTY STORES, ETC.), THEN PAST THE ART MUSEUM AND THE MISSION HILLS DISTRICT (UBER-RICH!)... SAW MISSION HILLS COUNTRY CLUB...(NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH MISSION HILLS IN RANCHO MIRAGE, CALIFORNIA, BUT VERY NICE ALL THE SAME)...CAME BACK AND HA SOME LUNCH AND BEGAN TO PREPARE FOR THE TRICK OR TREATING...

ONE OF THEIR NEIGHBORS DOWN THE STREET ARRANGED A SMALL GATHERING WITH SOME FOOD AND DRINK FOR THE PARENTS AND KIDS (AND OUT-OF-STATE RELATIVES) BEFORE THE ACTUAL "DRIVE TO AMASS GREAT AMOUNTS OF SWEETS." THERE WAS A LARGE GROUP OF KIDS AND SEVERAL PARENTS AND WE WALKED THE NEIGHBORHOODS COLLECTING GOODIES (MAGGIE WAS RED RIDING HOOD, MOLLY WAS CAPTAIN LIGHTNING, SUPER HERO, ANNA WAS "FRAZZLED MOM", MIKE WAS "DAD WHO JUST GOT HOME FROM MINUTES BEFORE WE HAD TO GO", AND UNCLE JIM WAS A COWBOY IN HIS NEW BOOTS AND COWBOY HAT...

THE ONLY SNAG WAS WHEN A DRIVER LOST CONTROL OF HIS CAR AND HAD A FRONT END COLLISION WITH A TREE ON A ROAD THE GIRLS (MOLLY WAS WITH HER SOCCER TEAM) WERE TRICK OR TREATING ON AND THEY SAW THE ACCIDENT... SHE WAS BADLY SHAKEN BUT THANK GOD NOBODY WAS HURT OUTSIDE OF THE DRIVER...WE LATER FOUND OUT THE DRIVER HAD A SEIZURE AND LOST CONTROL OF THE CAR... WHICH IS NOT THE EXCUSE THAT ANNA COULD HAVE USED WHEN SHE BACKED INTO THE SIDE OF MIKE'S JEEP!! SHE WAS TRYING TO AVOID THE BASKETBALL HOOP AND CRUNCHED HIS PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. LUCKILY, SHE STOPPED BEFORE HITTING MINE...(I WAS PARKED BEHIND MIKE)...

WE CONTINUED CLOSE TO HOME...(WE MET A DEAD RINGER FOR SANTA CLAUS-HE ACTUALLY PLAYS HIM AS A BUSINESS) AND THEN WE WENT HOME TO COUNT UP THE LOOT. HUGE HAUL FOR BOTH GIRLS...

ON A SIDE NOTE...MIKE (ANNA) WON THE CHILI COOK-OFF AT HIS OFFICE...WAS THINKING OF PLAYING A ROUND OF GOLF BUT WANT TO SHAKE THIS COLD FIRST...DON'T WANT TO COMPLICATE THINGS (1700 MILES SO FAR AND MORE TO COME...GOING TO WATCH MOLLY PLAY SOCCER TOMORROW...