Weekend at Jimmy's...

Up at 5:30am on a Saturday... (sacrilegious, I know but a early hike in Arizona is worth it). Watching the sun come up over the mountains on a yet another beautiful day... (we are on a rainless roll here in the valley--sorry my flood warned friends in the East). I (we, actually... Flat Stan and I) am hiking the trail on South Mountain today we some E&A buddies. We arrived at the parking lot at the trail head at 7am only to find that there were two sets of directions to here and only 4 of us actually showed of the 14 who were signed up... (don't know if it was the directions fault or the earliness of the hike). But we set off up the mountain anyway and it was fairly difficult as the path climbed for almost a mile...(moderate according to the hiking gods). We needed several "catch your wind" breaks but we were in no hurry and as I said it was another gorgeous day in the valley... (will post pictures on facebook). After about 3 hours and over 6 miles of hiking through Hidden Valley and "fat man's pass"...(yes I was able to squeeze through) we parted company and I drove home and opened the windows and got ready to spring clean... (NOT!) and instead collapsed on the bed for a nap. Awoke later on and got myself prettied up (as best I could with the raw materials I have to work with) and went out to dinner with Kate.

I picked her up and we went to an Indian restaurant (India not Native American) in North Scottsdale (Tandoori Times) because it was rated as one of the best on azcentral.com (Phoenix's version of Zagats in NYC). We sat outside on the patio and had a feast (the vindaloo was very, very spicy) and watched as the blond belly dancer came by (blond? hardly traditional). I am fast becoming a fan of Indian cuisine. The spiciness and herb combination and the bread (naan) is fantastic. And the company was excellent also. We talked for hours and when I dropped her off we made tentative plans for her to become a student of mine at the driving range... (what kind of Scot would she be if she didn't play golf?). It would be like an Irishman who didn't drink! (Oops). Came home and resumed my nap (overnight variety).

I woke up before dawn, made coffee and walked outside to watch the sunrise on Easter morning... (Guess what? Another beautiful day in the valley!). Unfortunately, I could not find a service that I liked in the area... (tough enough to join a new church but really difficult on the day when everyone feels "religious"). My faith in a Higher Power has never been stronger and I am a spiritual person, but my mistrust of organized religion is also strong. But I am an adventurous sort, as you know, so I will continue to seek somewhere to call my spiritual home in the many denominational and non-denominational churches available in Arizona. For now I will worship in the cathedral of nature and the outside and be fascinated by God's natural creation. In that "spirit", I attended one of man's natural creations (golf course) and played an uplifting Easter round of golf with some other congregants. Spent the rest of the day food shopping and meal preparing for the coming week... (back to work this week) and watching the Final Four woman's basketball tournament and the first official game of the new baseball season. The Yankees lost but I don't think they are going to lose too many this year (not as many as my hapless Mets, I'm afraid). But hope, like the new season, springs eternal...