Cloudy morning with beads on my tray

A cloudy start to the day and black coffee. When I made my coffee this morning I forgot to add the meager amount of milk that I usually have and then realized that I was drinking my coffee black. I may be onto something new for me. Anyway, and update on the MIA bunny is that he is still MIA. His spot is empty and who knows maybe he went on vacation to another area of the courtyard. It is nature and we learn to adjust.... but I do miss that cute bunny.

I am ready for the next phase of the removed cupboards...patching the holes left from the screws. Last year Don showed me how to fill in using spackling.... I do have a tool that I need to look for but if all else fails I have a plastic knife. I will need to pull out the fridge to reach the area and I will definitely do so slowly. This is maybe today or tomorrow or the weekend. I am learning not to be impatient.... I am trying to be more patient.

I have been so pleased with myself...here is my new beading project...a 5 pointed dimensional peyote star. Well, it is the start of it. The piece in the center is one completed point and I am working on piece #2. I love working with tiny delica beads. I am working on a plain one and will make a few like this until I am totally comfortable with the process then move on the one with a design. There are 10 pieces to form the star. I love this dimensional beading so I can see more of it on my beading tray.
I see a little sun beginning to appear. It will be a warm day, actually still hot weather.  I hope the temps start to cool for the arrival of The Brother Alan and Lisa in 12 days...12 more days.

 Lisa has not been feeling well so I am hoping that by the time they board the plane she is okay. There is a horse out here waiting to take her on a tail ride. they will be trying a new stable because the usual one is not riding here in The Valley during the hot weather. They are up North until the end of September and it is a distance to  drive. One day I am sure they will take the drive and it will be an overnight trip, just to make it more enjoyable. The area is about 2 hours North and we have gone there to a rodeo and it was tiring after a full day to drive home at nightfall. Anyway, soon they will be here. I am happy that you are here visiting. Thank you for your kind words and for your friendship.
😟Special request....sis Lynowl, friend Glenda and Lisa need special thoughts as they all are not feeling well. Please keep them in your thoughts.

A Wondeful Time

Hello, it has been a wonderful time, sorry for neglecting the blog. With the extended time here in Arizona we have enjoyed every moment. Happy to have missed the storm, glad for the sunshine. We have once again traveled the Tonto National Forest on horseback, visited the Botanical garden (with  a bonus trip to the Butterfly Exhibit), shopped at Scottsdale, enjoyed some fine dining as well as great company. We hosted a small gathering for our new friends here in Sun City. We went out for Ribs at a Saloon in West Gate and there was a car show there. We laughed. Grace and I cleaned the pond in the backyard and extended our automatic watering system for the beautiful backyard, while Lisa supervised. Grace and Lisa worked on a shadow box for our room.

Always amazes me how the Cacti bloom the most vibrant flowers.

Did I mentioned we laughed? The extra days were relaxed, dividing our time home and exploring always finding a nice place for lunch. We were invited to friends houses and enjoyed everyone's company. Many pictures and did I mentioned we laughed? This visit was more spending time at a second home rather than running around, and I liked it. Perhaps that is why I have neglected the Blog. It has been a while since I have taken two weeks away from work, but  have a great Assistant Director and besides a few phone calls to check in I have not had to work from here. Our daily travels were spur of the moment deciding in the morning which way to go and where to stop. We were visited multiple times a day by "Buddy" our resident Humming Bird.

"Buddy"

My mount was "Colonel and Lisa's was "Woody"

 A Shelby Cobra, the real deal not a replica, a car I have seen at the Barret Jackson Auction which sells for over 1 Million Dollars,

View from Dinner

 The yard at night casting a spell on the wall

Botanical Garden 

The Pond with resident Ducks

The visit so far....

Well hello friends. No I am not among the missing....just having a good time. Alan and Lisa arrived on Tuesday. I received an email very early from him saying they missed the flight!~ Luckily they were able to catch the very next one and honestly they still arrived around the same time....and of course missed the East Coast storm. Now we hear there may be a new storm brewing for Monday/Tuesday....gee, they may have to stay another day longer...awwww.
Wednesday was our day trip into Scottsdale and yesterday we visited the Botanical Garden.

This is a Chihuly sculpture as you enter the garden. There were many more pictures taken but this will do for now.
Did I mention that on the first evening here Alan and Lisa and I went to Best Buy

I am now in the correct century with my cell phone! Going from the old flip no test to a Samsung yes I can text you now has been fun. I am all set up and since it is very much like my tablet I know lots of the in and outs.
Today I will be relaxing while they go horseback riding. I also will be making bread for us to have with the beef stew that I am also making for tonight. Alan cooked Shrimp Mozambique...delicious.
So that will be it for now as I have a few things to do like packing them a small cooler with extra water. The temp will be around 80 today. Glad you stopped by and thank you for your kind words and always for your friendship. You will no doubt be hearing from Alan soon.

From Commuter to Cowboy

There are times when you need to let go. Easier said then done, but let me share....

I am fortunate to have a good job, which takes me into Boston every day, the traffic is indescribable on some days but that was rectified by taking the train. Not glamorous but easier on the mind, an hour and forty five minute commute on a good day (2 plus on others) is replaced with a one hour train ride. Obscene drivers replaced by sleepy commuters, some of which are on laptops working. Me I read or listen to a book on tape.

But travel  2587 Miles or 4163 Km and I am a Cowboy, transformed from suit and tie to jeans with a Stetson hat and all, from alert and looking for what might go wrong to looking around and enjoying scenery, as you will see from the picture.

We went on a 3.5 hour trail ride yesterday into Tonto National Park, second largest National Park in the USA (Denali in Alaska is larger) outstanding views and a calmness of being on the back of "Woody" my steed. The views and quietness of it all was overwhelming at first but it soon became therapy. Woody is a Palomino, conveyor of people, therapist, sure footed as you will see in the next picture and protector. He patiently took me where I wanted to go kept alert sometimes stopping to identify a movement or noise. The park is full of wildlife such as Mule Deer, Bobcat, Javelinas and a Mountain Lion who lives right above his ranch in an auspicious rock summit. It is a female whom can be seen at times taking the sun looking down to the people who traverse her domain.

Yes I am slightly sore today but it is not enough to complain, like I mentioned I am a Cowboy out here. Peaceful day with a Wrangler for a guide (didn't want to get lost like a commuter) and Lisa who is happiest in a saddle.

To become this Cowboy you need to look at things differently, patiently and with caring. I have found the Wranglers (as they are called) enjoy the company of the horses, even the large Wrangler named Paul who was our guide continually spoke to his horse as if a child, a naughty one his mount was described to us by him as a "Knuckle Head" at times with a stubbornness. But with Paul's gentle but firm control he led us though and back.

The ride concluded physically only, because I can reflect on it at anytime feeling the warmth see the cacti and hear the stillness of yourself with a magnificent creature. Every bend introduced me to a yet different view, when you turn around the view you looked at is different, just like it is a different perspective. That this Cowboy will take back when I once again become a commuter.

As you know by now, this is poste by The Brother Alan. And before you ask, no, I did not take the ride this year...3.5 hours is a bit long for me...I can only handle 1.5 hour rides and not too sure about that anymore. Alan is now a co-administrator here so occasionally you may hear from him from way out in Boston. I am so enjoying having this guy and gal here if only for a week. More to come....

The Brother is Here

My brother Alan has finally arrived, in fact this is "THE BROTHER"! Hello I am Alan Piccirilli and also known as the brother. Everyone knew of my arrival thanks to "The Sister", actually why am I "The Brother" I am not sure. I've been in her life for 57 years (yes the younger one) and suddenly she has forgot my name? I have been coming here since Dennis and Grace moved here, maybe not every year but most. I decided to come out at this time of the year (a first) to celebrate my sister's birthday. I know many of you have responded to her "un birthday party" and it is nice to read all of the well wishes to her. My flight here was nice, the weather in Arizona is great. First thing we did when we landed was change into shorts and sat in the yard for a bit. Weather in Rhode Island is brrr cold here it is in the mid 70's practically swimming weather. Dennis looks great and is doing well, we have been to the Museum in Phoenix and Horse Back riding already. Today we went shopping for Cowboy Boots and found a quaint Mexican restaurant the served very large Margaritas, so you can imagine it was a nice lunch. There are several more day trips planned and I am sure you will hear about them.  My story is not germane to this blog so I will not bore you. It is sufficient to know that I am the "kid" and enjoy my yearly visits with Dennis and Grace. So in the future "The Brother" is not a character in a novel but a person who lives, breathes and can be a pain in the ass.

 

 

So thank you for stopping by this blog and your friendship to my sister Grace. You may or not read my thoughts again here in the blog but who knows I am her till Thursday.