It just doesn't get any better

We have been home almost a month now. A very uneventful month. Today I am very grateful for all the wonderful people in my life. For my good health and good health of my family, for my comfy home, cool patio, clingy dog, shade trees, running water and flushing toilets. For my mind and its connection with the Great Creator. Thank you God!!! My life is beyond good.

Home again

Arrived home around 5:00. Good trip. Good to be home.
Anyone believe in Karma??? When we visited my sister, Jane, there was a stray cat that gave birth to 5 kittens in Janes storage shed. Jane, not being a cat lover didn't want them there but didn't want to cause them harm by calling animal control. I gave her a pretty hard time about the cats knowing they would be safe with her etc. Well....when we got home Charlie bounded into the back yard and just had a fit. We found two baby kittens in the jeep. Hmmmmmm

Las Cruces, NM

Finally got out of Arizona. Seems we was there a long time. Before we left Kingman, we visited with a young lady at IHOP. She had lived in Texas growing up and a few years ago she moved to AZ. We asked her why and she said because of the Joshua trees. WHAT?? Seems her father has arthritis and when a person lives in an area where Joshua trees grow, there is less pain. Well.....new one to me and I had never heard of a Joshua tree.
Right outside Phoenix there is a Joshua tree forest. Below is a picture. I googled but didn't come up with anything about the tree relieving pain. If you think it does, it probably does.

There are a lot of really pretty desert plants. They really stand out among the rocks and sand.

We had a long day in the car so we are much closer to home. In fact we are so close to Texas we can smell it. Unless its the Rio Grande right down the road. Should be home tomorrow.

Joshua Tree

Heading home

We left Kingman around 10:30 this morning. A little later than we normally leave but went out for breakfast first. We had planned to get past Tucson today but decided to stop early. We had hoped we would get to see the Kentucky Derby but was a little late. Oh well, Calvin is watching the car races.
It was sort of sad going through Phoenix. Started thinking about J.L. and realized how much we missed not staying in touch. Feel bad I didn't make an effort to see him more. It takes two doing nothing for nothing to happen. It just takes one putting forth some effort to make something happen. Oh well. It is what it was. For all the pain of loosing a parent, it is not as hard compared to loosing a sibling. Life is short. Have you been there for someone today??

Hoover Dam and Lake Mead

We drove to Needles California, by Laughlin Nevada and on to Boulder City. The drive wasn't in especially attractive country. It was a cross between desert and dull rocky mountains. We stopped along the road for a leg stretch and met some people for Oregan who were going to Alaska for the summer. Had a good chat and Charlie put on his charm. The lady just went on and on about how loving and sweet and pretty...... That ornery dog can be so charming and such a pain.

Near Needles,Ca.


Hoover dam is beyond big. I really don't know why so many people go to view it. It is a grand feat of workmanship but it was so crowded. We were there in off season so can't imagine what it is like in the summer. There was some large construction project in process. The roads were congested and narrow and high and twisting. Whew!!! Seen it, don't need to see it again.