A VERY HAPPY THURSDAY

SWMBO and I visited the Arizona Science Center yesterday afternoon specifically to see the traveling exhibit "DaVinci - the Genius."  It was well worth it.  

There were huge reproductions of pages from DaVinci's drawings - anatomical and mechanical.  His skill is an artist was unequaled.  But his creative mind must have been constantly busy.

Many of his ideas predicted inventions that would be made hundreds of years into the future.  This is a forerunner of today's helicopter.  Many of his ideas never worked in his lifetime but the science that was involved came into play and was developed much later.

And then there was one of his most famous paintings.

The Mona Lisa.  This, of course, is a reproduction.  We saw the real thing at the Louvre in Paris back in the 1980's.  I don't think we knew though that a photographer was given exclusive permission to photograph the painting, unframed, some years back and used today's technology, including infrared photography to determine the actual pigments and oils used by DaVinci to create the masterpiece.  Fascinating display with many different views of the Mona Lisa.

That took up much of the afternoon and since this is Arizona Restaurant Week featuring prix fixe meals at dozens of restaurants, we had made a reservation at one of our favorites - Tomaso's.  Dinner began with some crusty bread, garlic butter and/or a Balsamic Vinegar and Olive oil dip.

Accompanied, of course, by wine - an Argentine Malbec for the lady, a Tuscan blend for me.

Then - the appetizers.  Mine was an Italian pasta selection with an incredible parmesan cheese sauce.  SWMBO chose a delicious crab cake and a Portobello mushroom.  Mine disappeared before I remembered the camera and I've somehow lost a shot I took of hers.

But I DID get pictures of her humongous butterflied pork chop with pasta and my plate, which included lamb, petite filet and sausage over risotto.

She brought perhaps better than half of hers home.  I, typically, ate all of mine!

But there's more!  This was a three course dinner and desserts were the finishing touch, accompanied by tiny cups of espresso.

Mine was a foamy-stuffed profiterole drowned in chocolate with a couple of strawberry wedges on the side.  (And, by the way, I wasn't sloppy - the kitchen had painted the serving plate with chocolate!)

But just to prove that Mother Knows Best, SWMBO finished her meal with a delicious pistachio gelato.

Everything was delicious and it was a fantastic day!

YUMMY MUSHROOMS & SHADE SCREENS

I made Garlic Butter Roasted Mushrooms for our dinner last night.  They were pretty darned good.  The recipe comes from Gourmet but I found it at good old Smitten Kitchen's website.  You can find a link to Deb's webpage on the right side of my page and you'll find lots of great recipes there.

The BRD was here yesterday to hang two sun blinds on our patio for us.  We drafted her because she has similar blinds on her own patio that she hung herself.  She did a great job and the blinds should help keep the heat down in the house as the living room windows face southwest.  Hopefully it will help keep the electric bill down some, too.

Trust me, these 100 degree days can heat up the house, even with air conditioning.

And it's only May!

OKLAHOMA

There's some irony there in that line about "...the wind comes sweepin' down the plain..."

TAKE THE A TRAIN

There's a lengthy and interesting article in the Sunday edition of the New York Times about the decaying railroad lines in Pakistan.  The problem seems to be one of funding disappearing as more and more shipping went to different modes of transportation.  That coupled with a country rent by militias and warlords and the Taliban and the tracks are rusting and trains are running later and later and passengers are leaving in droves to ride buses.  The last time the railroad, which was created by the British in the days of the Raj, made a profit was 1974.  That's nearly 40 years ago!  The destruction of the rail industry seems to echo much that has gone wrong in Pakistan.  

The wealthy and the military center around Lahore, on the Indian border, but their lavish social events have to be held in secure compounds even there.

But the railroads.  I remember reading Paul Theroux' wondrous tales of traveling to mysterious corners of the world on some of those trains that used to run from the Khyber Pass all the way to the former capital and largest city of Karachi, on the Arabian Sea.  But now the railcars are hot and dirty and less used and always late.

I couldn't help wondering if this is the future of Amtrak in the United States.  Much of the freight shipping business has left the trains here for trucks.  We hear of a crumbling infrastructure here, too.  Can Amtrak be far behind the wasting railroads of Pakistan?

I have ridden Amtrak trains . . . up the California coastline, from New York to Washington, D.C. on the Metroliner, and even before it was Amtrak, taking to the rails between Minneapolis and Bismarck, North Dakota.  When I was a very young lad, the train still stopped at the depot in Stanley, my very small home town, and occasionally I would ride it to Minot, a mere 60 mile trek.

I have ridden trains in Mexico (decidedly NOT a good experience) and through Europe (a grand experience).  I remember a wonderful meal served on a white table cloth covered table between Innsbruck, Austria, and Florence, Italy.  My memory seems to tell me there was even a flower in a vase on the table and I'm sure wine was served.  Somewhere I have a photo of SWMBO and I standing outside a railcar with a sign proclaiming it "The Orient Express".  It wasn't the train of fame but one of many that have borrowed that title.

All of which is to say that I would hate to see Amtrak go the fate of the Pakistani trains.

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.

RUN-AROUND THURSDAY

SWMBO had a doctor appointment in Chandler this morning.  I was the chauffer.  Afterwards we visited Mimi's Cafe . . .

. . . where we each enjoyed Eggs Benedict.

SWMBO said it felt special to have Eggs Benedict in a restaurant on a Thursday morning!

Then we came home and I dropped her to put her feet up and relax while I ran out to do some errands.

By the way, I WON THE POWERBALL last night!

Well . . . not the big one.  But I did get three numbers which earned me seven dollars.  I cashed my ticket, got one more set of numbers for the next game and pocketed a five-spot.  Now for that big one on Saturday night!  I definitely have a use for that half a billion dollars.  Well, I guess it's only around 350 million if you take a one-time cash payment.  But still.

While out and about I found a correct digital cable for my computer monitor today so I'm back in business, full screen.

And I stopped in at Arizona Mills . . a huge outlet mall in Tempe.  Here's an overhead view.

You can get an idea of the size of it if you compare it with the cars parked all around it or on the adjacent streets.  I went inside at Entry Seven, which is where a multiple screen theatre complex is located, right next to an IMAX theatre which advertises a six-story tall screen.  Just past the theatres is a huge food court with many restaurants AND a full-scale carousel.

If you're looking for a nice quiet meal, this is NOT the place.  But it's fun to watch the kids enjoying themselves at full volume.

There are at least 185 stores and many restaurants in the mall.  I only covered a very small part of it but the legs weren't having any more today.

And if you were wondering after yesterday's post, it's still hot today.  But the weatherman says tomorrow the mercury will peak at only 96 degrees and Saturday will be positively cool at 93!  If you're around Lake Tahoe, in California or Nevada, today, it's snowing!  Eat your heart out!

HELLO OUT THERE

Yes, I've been missing.  Computer problems again.  After some difficulty and various try and fail, try and succeed, try and fail again, I think I have narrowed down my problems to a faulty digital cable running between my computer and my monitor.  So I'm using an analog cable right now which is less than perfect but it works.  My screen is narrowed by about an inch and a quarter on each side and the fonts are a little fuzzy but it works.  So here I am.

It has been warm here.  At a little after 5 p.m., it's 98 outside right now.  The high was 101 earlier.  It's been hovering right around 100 degrees every day for about a week.  And this is only May.  There will come a slight monsoon season sometime this summer, as I recall, but I can't tell you when.  And it may be more dust storms than actual rain.

So the heat is on and we put up with it.  It is still pleasant to sit out on the patio in the mornings and so I do.  We've had another problem with tiny red ants.  But our gardener says they don't damage the plants but SWMBO has been waging war with them with Spectracide, Triazicide and I have contributed Andron.  They seemed to be largely defeated this morning though there were still some wandering in confused circles.

A Gila woodpecker has been hammering away at our tallest palm tree and appears to have built a nest.  I can hear him (hell, the whole neighborhood can hear him) screaming from time to time.  I'm not sure if that's a call to a prospective mate or just frustration on his part.

And yesterday morning one of the several mockingbirds who seem to have taken possession of our neighborhood was going through his entire litany of song atop a neighbor's roof.  They have an amazing number of different calls and songs.  

Then there are sparrows and finches and the monotonous mourning doves.  And a starling or two and who knows what else.  Perhaps I'll name this residence Birdland!  I wonder what the birds would think if I began blasting out some Dizzy Gillespie tunes at them.  I wonder what our neighbors would think.  Perhaps that's not such a good idea.

Best leave the entertainment to the birds.

As mundane as this post is . . it's good to be back.