A foggy day . . .

Prescott Valley was blanketed with fog this morning.

Some birds seemed confused . . .

Homes were shrouded in a ghostly vapor . . .

A football field was abandoned . . .

But eventually the sun began to burn off the fog and the mountains became visible . . .

Santa will be able to find his way tonight!

Welcome, new blogger!

There's a new writer on the horizon.  My long-time friend, Tom Cochrun, has started a blog: Light Breezes from his redoubt on the Central California coast.  He's a talented boy*.  Check him out.


* - He's been my friend for over 40 years so I guess the term "boy" may be questionable . . for him or for me.  But I won't hedge on the other term - "talented".

It's not the Alps, but . . .

It's all I've got.  Fresh snow on our Black Hills/Mingus Mountain.

New construction

Everywhere I've been this holiday season, store owners and employees respond to my question - "how's business?" - with positive answers.  They say people are coming in, shopping and buying.  Maybe the economy finally is turning around.

Out in my neighborhood, construction has begun on a U.S. 89-A bridge over Viewpoint Road.  It's only been a couple of days and the project is expected to last until next October but at least there are signs of movement.

The face of a loser

The U.S. Senate approved a cloture motion today that will lead to approval of the Start 2 treaty with Russia.  I'm ashamed to say that the state I live in produced the Republican Senator who continues to oppose the treaty.

Arizona U.S. Senator Jon Kyl

A great Saturday

SWMBO and I made a day trip down to the big city today.  We met our granddaughter, Christina, at the Chinese Cultural Center.  (No, she's not Chinese . . it was just a convenient meeting place that she wanted to see and we had been there before and knew where it was.)  We watched some martial arts demonstrations, did a little grazing through a store jammed full of Chinese tchotchkes, then spent some time in the humongous Ranch Market, which is full of all kind of Asian food items.  She loved it and left with a bottle of sake and some other things.

Then it was on to Christopher's fine French restaurant at the Biltmore Shopping Plaza for a great lunch.  This is our granddaughter, Christina, who . . . when we first saw her today in her black trenchcoat, high heels and big sunglasses, looked like a New York model.

 And (I know I'll get in trouble for this sneaked shot) her grandmother, the legendary and rarely photographed SWMBO.

Yes, we really were at the Biltmore Plaza.

 

That Christmas tree, by the way, is made of poinsettia plants.

And the plant pots are stocked with . . . well . . . maybe not Christmas flowers . . . or are they?

We capped the day with a visit to Trader Joe's.  Christina's first time there and she loved it.  Even the "two buck Chuck", which is now $2.99 Chuck . . . or better yet, "Three Buck Chuck."

(I love the holidays!)

The pressure is on

One week from tomorrow is Chri$tma$ Day.  The time is running short for procrastinators.  They'll be chewing their nails, pulling out their hair, trying to imagine what could possibly be the best gift for those they love.  I used to be like that.  But I have reached an age that allows me to lean back, relax, ask my significant other what she wants for Chri$tma$, then go with her to a store, pick out the gift together, pay for it and hand it to her.  End of story.  End of stress.  End of shopping.

She asked me what I wanted.  I said an I-Pad would be nice.  But I don't really want that and I told her so.  I have enough trouble getting away from my computer as it is.  To have one small and portable enough to go everywhere with me?  It would drive me crazy.

I always ask her for something unattainable, like a Lamborghini or a Maserati.  But I'm not sure I could get in or out of either one of them nowadays.  I went to a drive-in pharmacy the other day driving our 1988 Dodge Neon.  The drawer, the window, the credit card slot, the girl talking to me from behind the glass - - all were far above me.  Apparently access was designed for those driving huge SUV's.  So if I had a Lamborghini or a Maserati, the attendant probably wouldn't even know I was there.

My first two whimsical wishes having been disposed of, I said "I don't really want anything.  I've got everything I want."  That got a negative sneer.

So I fell back on an old favorite - "World Peace".

Yeah, a lot of hope for that one.