Weekend Trip to PHX

So my weekend trip began with me flying out of Bellingham, WA, which is an hour from Vancouver and involved me crossing the border (which if you haven't done is quite fun, because you get asked invasive questions from someone you don't know... go try that on the street). After a connection in Seattle and a small layover, I got to PHX at 3:30pm. I cleaned my place up and threw out some food that was NASTY (tofu doesn't age well, nor does sour cream) and finally Heather got off work to visit.

Instead of heading straight to the pool, we came home to a dehydrated, panting Hudson

(Heather's cat), which meant that we had to do several things. First, he drank a bowl of water, literally. Second, he looked like he rolled in some mud, so Heather held him in the shower and I washed/shampooed him (Hudson got more affection than she did)... I was shocked I didn't get clawed. After a call with the vet, Heather was convinced we still needed to check his temp. OK....I wait for Heather to go get a thermometer and she comes back and say's "Here, you do it?" Ummm, "how?". I don't see through the mouth working, so she says "it has to be anal."

Oh ok.....yeah not happening. I already washed the cat . . . and I think he's ok, so that is your job Heather. Anyway, after a few attempts, Hudson registed a 103F, which was high, but good enough. I walked away from the experience changed, even if I didn't watch it happen.

Anyways, Friday, we did the pool, a nice Udon soup dinner prepared by Heather, and we went out to a few bars in Scottsdale (so glitzy). We were both tired and knew we had to get up e

arly, so we retired quickly in the night. On Saturday morning, we headed up to Flagstaff (which is at least 20degrees cooler). I talked Heather's ear off, trying to find any story she had never heard of. I don't know how she listens to me. We stopped at a casino on the way to watch

Heather shove $10 through a slot machine faster than I have ever seen. I only had Canadian money on hand, so I stayed away. Anyways, we ended up doing a volcanic ruins hike and a few hikes around some pueblo ruins. Here are the pics:

Sunday: We woke up and Heather made her AppleSauce Pancakes. . . I LIKE VERY MUCH! After finishing, she just kept going, making a picnic for our lunch in Sedona. I helped by cutting celery & snap peas into ridiculously thin strips... I'm realizing that Heather seems like a professional cook.... when she does decide to do so, it is reallllyyyyy good... but she supposedly doesn't do it often. Anyways, we walked around the streets of Sedona and Tlaquepaque (try saying that).. We found this awesome park, that I have dreamed of finding.... it had a bird

garden, bocce ball court, checker/backgammon tables, mini golf course, waterway, plenty of grass, and my favorite... A HUMAN SIZE CHESS BOARD...YES!!!

I flew back Monday,... to keep the misery short, I was supposed to leave PHX at 6:45 pm.. I left at 11:15pm. That's what a monsoon and a changed airplane tire will do for you. Either way, I stayed in Seattle that night and got home the next morning.

1 Day left of work for Riley... 4 days left before I'm in NC.