After all is said and done...

After all is said and done...hot is still hot. As I experience my first "summer" here in Valley...(to me it's summer all year long) this last week has climbed into the 110-120 range. I worked...(yes, I'm using the "w" word again) on Saturday and Sunday at a festival celebrating the Gold Cup Soccer matches at Cardinal Stadium (technically the University of Phoenix Stadium) and the temperatures were 114 and 115, respectively. Taking into consideration that it's a "dry heat", it is still HOT! The sun is so intense that you can feel it burning your skin as you stand in it. The breezes, unless they're coming across water, are just like opening the oven door on a preheated oven... and please don't get me wrong, I am not complaining! I am absolutely loving this...(maybe I'm suffering from heat induced delusions). It's still beautiful and sunny and warm (make that very warm) with daytime temps in the 1-teens going down to a balmy 85-90 at night. It's hard not to want to be outside when you look out the window in the morning and see how beautiful it is, it's just that you have to be very careful. That's why I'm working... to adapt to the heat more.

Last Thursday we went tubing down the Salt River again (not E&A, but my bff Mary Ellen and her parents, who flew in from North Carolina). The river was running faster than the last time and the water temperature was 68... (so damn delicious!). We cruised on another 6 man tube complete with coolers and "picnicked" on the raft for 4 glorious hours...(tough work if you can find it). Later that day I hosted an indoor volleyball event in Tempe and only 2 of the people who signed up showed up (way to go guys!). I ended up shooting hoops for a couple of hours before packing it in... (good free throw practice). The rest of the week was spent surviving P.J. my personal trainer...(trying to do it right this time, with someone who knows what they're doing) and he worked me like a dog. Sore as hell, but no pain. One day a week we do "rehab" exercises to strengthen the muscles around my knees... (and it seems to be working already--15 hours on my feet last weekend and no swelling in the knees).

This morning, after a rigorous (read that as long and sweat-filled) workout I took the car for an oil change and hand wash (she deserved both as the dust and bugs are no friend to a white vehicle). The Jeep has turned 130,000+ miles and (knock wood) is going as strong as ever, even in the "dry" heat. The hand wash is because Daddy (me) kept locking his keys in the car in NJ and AAA had to go in through the top of the door to rescue them. Now the door doesn't close completely and when going through the "rinse" cycle and blow dry in the autowash, the driver (me) gets a full blown shower, so baby (the Jeep) gets a hand washing when she needs one. Squeaky clean and fresh oil and filter...nothing is too good for baby. FYI, Paris (my GPS) and I are getting along famously again, ever since I almost left her in the rental car back in NJ. No problems at all...(sometimes you have to threaten these devices).

So, while the temps remain in 1-teens (read that freakin' hot!), I will be playing golf mostly in the early am until I am more used to this balmy weather...(and I will be playing in the afternoon because the prices are phenomenal--unlike the wallet rape I experienced back East). No events for me this week until Saturday and Cardio Kick Boxing (yes, I'm a glutton for punishment). And speaking of balmy here's what the week looks like temp-wise (Tues. 114-86, Wed. 111-87, Thurs. 112-88, Fri. 113-88, Sat. 112-88) but the good news is it's DRY heat. Enjoy your humidity back East and I will enjoy being "microwaved".