In the mean time, as we sit back and relax, we've done a few (very few, actually) fun visits!
The first was to a wonderful Art Fair in Scottsdale. The artists there put on a great show, displaying some very creative works. We had a nice long chat with metal artists Jackie and Charles Nipper who make some really incredible statues and wall art from found pieces and weld them together to make flowers, horse heads, hearts, crosses, just all kinds of wondrous things.
Another fun artist was a lady who gathers together candy wrappers along with clock works and other bits and makes super-fun art works! I was mesmerized by them! So clever. Don't you just love it when people come up with new ideas? It was such a fun-filled day.
We always take a few days and travel to San Diego to have our annual dental check-ups and Jack's heart doc. appointment, along with the Toyota's checked. We have dear friends who have a lovely guest house at their home in Escondido that often offer it to us, as they did this time as well. It's pure luxury, especially after living in our RV all the time!
On the day that Jack took the Toyota in for it's check-up, it was going to be an "all-day affair". He offered me the option of going with him and sitting in the service waiting area & joining him and his friends for lunch, or staying at the Guest House. I told him I had a better idea...he could drop me off at the San Diego Zoo's Safari Park for the day! When he was done, just come back and pick me up; me and my camera would have a wonderful time just wandering around. I still have a couple of friends who work there and if I play my cards right, I just might have a lunch date too! ;-)
The day was wonderful! Being on my own at the Park was just lovely. No one to please or or show something to, I could just wander willy-nilly wherever my feet just led me to. No agenda, no time restraints. Nice. The weather couldn't have been better. I did manage to meet up with my friends (I worked for the Zoo for over 20 years) and it was great spending a little time with them. I even got to see a rare "duel" cheetah run that they decided to try, very cool. Being in the middle of the week, the Park wasn't very busy, so that was nice for me as well, and made picture taking easy. We ended our day by having a wonderful dinner with some friends at a nearby restaurant.
The following day, we met up with Jack's blacksmith buddy, They have expanded the Wheelwright shop so they can make more than just wagon wheels. They completed a full-on 1800's wagon, now they were finishing up an early buggy. After a nice lunch, and a big bag of fresh oranges, we said our "good-byes" and headed back to pack up to head back to Arizona.
The rest of our time here has been attending wonderful dinners and spending time with friends. We both caught colds, mine has lasted longer than Jack's, but I'm letting the sun "cook it out of me" while I read one book after another! I'm not getting done all the projects I had on my "to do" list, but I'm still enjoying myself, and I guess that's what it's really all about anyway!
...kicking back in Arizona, Marie
If you wish to view the rest of the photos from this trip, you can at my Flickr account at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/74905158@N04/
