MaryAlice Musings and More

Wow,  what a difference 2 hours make!  We left the valley around noon today.  Had to stop at Sprouts to get stocked up and make sure we had plenty of treats, then back to Cindy's house to pick up the cat, Osa and a few other things, and then we headed North East.  It was a little hazy but that did not matter the drive was beautiful, incredible vistas, lots of cactus, then brush and shrubs, and then the pines - big tall pines and majestic mountains all around!  We went through Payson (elevation 4890), Pine (known for the Randall House) and Strawberry (elevation 5800) then onto Happy Jack (elevation 7493)! We carried in all the groceries, the suitcases and coolers unloaded and I was in heaven.  For the last few days I have been missing trees.  I love trees, I love walking in the woods and there are only Palm trees in Phoenix,  and Mesquite and Olive trees but not trees like those I love in Maine and Minnesota.  But here are trees,...

It was another windy day in Phoenix and as I write the mountains to the north look like they are wrapped in a dust bowl,  The palms are really weaving back and forth and I am glad that I headed home when I did late this afternoon. Today was the day that electrical work was being done that would affect all of the 12th floor.  A memo had gone out over the weekend and I knew that the power would be off from 8-5.  I got up and made my tea, watched the morning news and decided that I would not put the perishables into the freezer until the power went out!  So around 9 a.m. there goes the power!  I put my Power Beet Tonic, half and half and cottage cheese in the freezer. You don't need a light to pack in the morning so I spent time getting all my things ready for my one week trip up into the mountains.  We are starting out tomorrow morning and I am ready!  Had a phone call with my friend who I am staying with and we finalized our plans for tomorrow and...

I started my day by talking to Marcia, long long time friend from LaFarge, Wi, it was her youngest daughter's birthday.  We had a fine talk and lamented about the amount of snow and that it was going to begin snowing again later today.  I have had two photo's from her since the phone call one at 6" and another at 9 1/2" .  We both acknowledged how beautiful it was but enough is enough.  Not sure what happened in Minneapolis but I have not received any SOS messages.  As for my home in Maine the weather forecast looks like it will be too warm to snow, but who knows it might not be over yet. Besides talking with Marcia I called the box office at Penobscot Theatre , left a message and a few minutes later they called me back.  I just bought my first season tickets for the 2018-19 season that begins in the fall.  Lolly and I had season tickets to the Guthrie and I have missed seeing live theater and made a decision that I would get 2 season ticket ...

I feel the joy of the valley.  With each day that I am in Phoenix I am more aware and appreciative of all the mountains that literally create a ring around the city.  They do not look like Kathahdin or the range of mountains that flow along the west of Millinocket.  These are newer mountains,  they have no trees.  We are in the desert.  Today the weather was just beautiful, a sweet steady breeze, and the temperature in the 70's.  I am sitting with the sliders wide open and the it is almost that no weather weather, where when you move your arms nothing happens.  Bliss is what I think about that feeling. Today I came back to the Urban Oasis, I loved that Abby, Jen and Karen all drove me back to the condo.  Abby and I developed quite the sweet bond, and I will miss not having her by my side tonight.  For some reason unknown to me I felt "tired" today, and I did take a long nap this afternoon, so watch out there may be middle of night po...

Today was very pleasant weather, it was overcast most of the day and even though the forecast was for 90 degrees, it was not anywhere near that and I was glad!   Today I had a few responsibilities,  one was feeding Abby and Luna and that was easy peasey!  Luna ate pretty well and Abby reverted back to her picky eater self and took out the morsels she wanted, threw food on the floor and left a lot in her bowl. My second responsibility was to "brush" the pool,  last week a new surface was put on the pool, and a part of the "curing" process requires the owners to brush the pool daily, so I was out there with a very long handled wide pool brush, sweeping the bottom and down the sides and trying to make sure all surfaces got a little swish and pull of the brush to help make sure that the pool doesn't "mottle" ! Luna and Abby liked to watch the spectacle while lounging on the chaise and under the umbrella.  They were not much help, but I enjoyed our o...

Today I started my official house and four legged sitting!  Having been amply trained, reminded and prepared the Moms set off for LA looking very Californian and I settled back into the splendid life at the Valley Oasis.  Luna and Abby are doing quite well, and of course I know where all the treats are, and when it might be a good time to have a little treat. I took a walk this afternoon did a little scooping out the neighborhood,  this is much more neighborhood and much less urban, the house is at the end of the cul-de-sac and you do see folks out but not so much.  I imagine it is much less come June and July!   One street up were some guys working on their house with a MN Vikings flag waving in the yard,  I acknowledged the flag and got a big welcome. I got my nails painted ( I know for many of you that is so un MA like) it seems like the thing to do when in the southwest!  I also found a couple of items at the great second hand store, ...

It was a most beautiful day!  This morning started slowly sipping my London Fog Earl Grey tea and planning my day.  It was off to the Open Air Market I had been there last year and I was looking forward to returning.  I hopped on to the Light Rail, and got off at the Roosevelt stop,  after a little bit of back and forth, I got my bearings and off to the market.  I love to see all the vegetables,  beautiful flowers, herbs and many other vendors.   I had purchased a bar of soap last year that I loved from a friend, Nicholas, of Karen and Jen's.  He has a company called H2E Aromatherapy and you can buy his products online!  I got some fine smelling and feeling treats.  After strolling past every vendor and enjoying them all it was off for lunch. I lunched at FEZ, had a very tasty Bloody Mary and then hopped back on the train to go see the Katsina Doll carvers at the Heard Museum.  It was magnificent. Here is a little ...