Saturday, May 18, 2013

NEW FRIENDS AND A NEW WORLD

I'd like to start today's post with a musical selection.  Feel free to sing along.




Now what, you may ask, possessed me to play the national anthem of Canada today?  Well I'll tell you.

As you know we have fairly recently moved to Phoenix, Arizona from our previous home about 100 miles to the northwest.  We moved to a community that has homes both rented and lived in by their owners.  We're renters but one of our next door neighbors lives in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and only comes to this home half a dozen or so times a year for a week or two at a time.  The second time I met him we had a nice conversation which culminated in him giving me a key to his house and asking if I'd mind keeping an eye on it for him when he's back in Canada.  I was somewhat stunned but readily agreed to do that.  

He was heading back north that day and I've done walk-throughs a couple of times, just checking to make sure everything is all right.

He and his wife arrived back again yesterday and last evening invited us over for a "nightcap".  Well, sure.

So SWMBO and I went over and were surprised to be presented with gifts for watching over their property.


That is a nice jug of 100 percent pure Canadian maple syrup!  The lady of the house presented it in a familiar purple and gold bag which she described as Canadian wrapping paper.


Crown Royal Canadian whisky is a favorite of SWMBO so she was doubly pleased.

And there was MORE!


A bottle of red wine - a four grape blend of California wines.  Red wine is my favorite so I'll appreciate that.

So, to our new friends D and C, we say thank you!  Now, you may wish to play that sound clip again.  Or you can go on to the next little surprise.

That took place at our nearby grocery store this afternoon.  I stopped for a couple of things and was flabbergasted by a huge crowd just inside the door.  Then I recognized Arizona's newest sports star, Brittney Griner, at a table signing autographs.


The 22 year old woman was the first overall pick in the WNBA women's basketball draft this year, going to the Phoenix Mercury.  Brittney is 6 feet 8 inches tall.  With an arm span of 86 inches she was the first NCAA basketball player to score 2,000 points and block 500 shots in her college career.

Just last month she acknowledged that she was gay.  But judging by the throng of people lined up to get her autograph today that won't hurt her popularity in Phoenix.


I hope you're all having as good a weekend as I am.

6 comments:

  1. Yes, a good weekend for the Catalyst and SWMBO indeed. Good here too.
    An afternoon in the vineyards with Griff and Lady Jacque and tonite dinner with your fellow Dakotan, Mr. Christy and lady Jan. We'll toast to you both.

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  2. It's raining here in Portland (imagine that.) Glad you're having a great weekend.

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  3. What great neighbors. Maybe they could invite you to summer with them in Canada? It's beautiful there that time of the year.

    Enjoy your good fortune. ;)

    S

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  4. Bruce: There's nothing quite like an orally-to-be-consumed present. What rather surprised me was the level of instant trust that was generated. You and SWMBO are persons special indeed.

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  5. I wish neighbors could be as friendly as you and your own neighbors are to each other,
    Let's sing the Canadian anthem for today and another one soon...

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  6. You are a trusty looking gent.

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