VISITORS

We have just had a long awaited visit from my nephew, Dr. Barry Taylor, and his wife, Amy Fredregill, of St. Paul, Minnesota.  I had not seen Barry in 24 years so there was a lot to catch up on.  Considering that he and Amy are about to celebrate their 5th anniversary, we had never met her before.



Barry had been at a medical conference in Las Vegas since Wednesday, Amy joined him there on Saturday.

They came to our home last night for a dinner, a lot of wine and hours of conversation.  Then we joined them for lunch today before sending them on their way.

"On their way" means to Tusayan, Arizona, just south of the Grand Canyon.  Tomorrow they will descend into the canyon for a 4 day backpacking trip.  When they go on one of these trips they choose the most remote areas they can find, where they're not likely to see another person for the entire time.  Considering that Northern Arizona has just been through a 48-hour winter storm that dumped about 13 inches on the south rim of the Canyon, we were a bit doubtful.  But they have tons of experience and they've done this particular trip before.  Plus the weather began clearing up today and will be warming up through the next several days.

We loved their visit and wish them well as they continue their adventurous life.

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES

Here's one for the files.  This is what it looked like in my neighborhood yesterday afternoon.

And . . for all of you folks who wish you could have just one more taste of winter . . here's what it looks like outside this morning.  In Arizona!



A DINNER

I wish I had pictures of it.  SWMBO presented her daughter with a special Christmas gift today - dinner for six at her house, giver not to be invited.

This goes way back to when the BRD was not nearly as gorgeous as she is now and was living with a guy in a small apartment in Phoenix.  We were all poorer then so the daughter was given a dinner for four, lasagna, salad, french bread, some kind of dessert.  It was all prepared and taken to her apartment.  All she had to do was heat it up and be a hostess extraordinaire.  She loved it but I had no idea how much she had appreciated it.

Last year at our Christmas Eve gathering at her house, she brought it up and told her Beau Jack about that great gift.  Well, said her mum, here's your first Christmas gift.  She presented her with a scroll that was the same gift only a bit advanced - a tossed salad with Cuties and Craisins, raspberry vinaigrette and toasted almonds; beef bourguinon over egg noodles; french baguette; and a dessert of chocolate crepes with a warm vanilla sauce and fresh raspberries.  It brought tears to the BRD's eyes so this year she did it again.

That was nearly three months ago and today was the day the BRD selected.  So we have returned after delivering all the food to the BRD's house ahead of her guests.

It's a great, personal gift and the way SWMBO cooks it's probably as good as it gets.  As SWMBO said when the BRD answered the door, "MERRY CHRISTMAS!"

IS IT SPRING YET?

As the temperature hovers in the 60's, buds and tiny flowers are popping out on the trees.



But hold on.  Old Man Winter has (at least) one more shot.  A winter storm is due to hit the state this weekend with heavy snow in the forecast.

He likes to play these games most every year.

NEWT - NADA

Newt Gingrich lost both the Alabama and Mississippi primary elections tonight.  That was supposed to be his territory.  But he LOST both states.  How much longer will we have to put up with this fat little spider.

This photo is not photoshopped.  It is an actual photo of (big) Newt dancing with his (####) wife the other night. 

The man may feel like he's big enough for the job of president.

We feel like he's too big.

Goodbye Newt.

TOURNAMENT TIME!

THE BIG DAY!

Yes, after all these months and years, Trader Joe's has finally opened it's first store in our immediate area.

Only a couple of hours after the doors were opened, parked cars ringed the building.

SWMBO said she probably wouldn't go near the store for a week or so because it would be mobbed.  During the months since the store was announced there has been a running feud going on in the local paper.  On one side people like me who said they couldn't wait for the store to open.  On the other side the grumps who said it wouldn't be popular.  Guess which side won the argument today?

The employees wear Trader Joe's t-shirts or Hawaiian shirts.

I merely walked through the store, taking pictures.  I didn't even try to shop.  Not today.  But lots of people did.

A couple of doors down, a Five Guys hamburger shop appeared to be still under construction.

I asked a fellow bolting steel tables together when they would open.

"11 o'clock," he said.  That was less than an hour away.  He said at 8 o'clock this morning they didn't have any tables.



There's another shop - the House of Bread Bakery Cafe - in between Five Guys and TJ's but it looks like it's opening is a little ways away yet.

Meantime, adjacent to the Trader Joe's property more ground has been cleared and leveled in preparation for construction of another row of shops.  Sort of looks like the economy is recovering.