On the third evening of our desert escape, Toby and I decided to tuck away to secluded setting of the Tuscany restaurant in Phoenix. Sitting outside in a 106 degree oven we tried to convince ourselves that this was the good life. All around us the desert was bursting with hearty, determined blooms, and the occasional, sun-weary critter would skitter by with what I imagined were exhales of exhausted disgust. [...] 
A few weeks ago, Toby and I headed to Phoenix for a trip part-business, part-sweet relief. Days were filled with meetings, but nights were our chance to unwind, restore, and simply breathe. We knew that Arizona was going to be warmer than Alaska, but we were not at all prepared for the onslaught of heat that would overtake us. (We actually packed at the last minute, and brought our wool [...] 
Okay, so I know it’s a bit odd, but I love signs. Buildings. Posters. Road signs. Especially, Arizona road signs. Last week as Toby and I sped through the desert, we were captivated by the mystery of the scenery. Rolling, cactus covered hills. Flat, scarred plains. Brilliant red rocks climbing upwards and piercing the burnt sky. But my favorite were… the road signs. The names were captivating. Better than Jones [...] 
Have you ever heard the skies whisper your name? Hints of what may come. Promises of what could be. Flickers of light revealing answers, or maybe just more questions. Maybe it’s a warning of a coming storm. Maybe it’s just their turn to show off colors and light and power. I love when the skies whisper my [...] 
I’m rushing out of Costco trying to get back home when I hear her call to me. I can’t see; doing my usual routine of running errands without my contacts, squinting as I go. I walk over to discover she’s selling Girl Scout cookies and apparently it’s the last day to buy. “Last chance,” she says. I usually pass on these, but the boys have been fairly good this weekend. They deserve something [...] As a recipient of several accidents resulting from distracted or impaired drivers, this new UK PSA tells a story that brings back scary, personal visions for me. Everyone needs to watch this; especially teens enamored with texting. Warning: the reality of it all is a bit graphic. 
I’m driving down the road, looking for signs and watching traffic, when suddenly a flurry of activity and cacophony of sound bellowed out of the back seat. “SlugBug! Blue with silver stripes and rims! No returns. No slugbacks. No Time Machine. No Ultimate World 2. No NOTHING!” And that was just for the first person in the car! With lightening speed the same phrase was repeated over and over, each person punched [...] 
When we found her she was a scared little thing, hungry and lonely. After time, her fear gave way to peace and she began loving us unreservedly. Today, she is still dreadfully timid, but quick to welcome and smother us with licks and wags of her tail. They were all much the same. There were six of them, from all over the neighborhood. Each happened to be equally broken: two were abused, [...] 
I’ve always loved the concept of being structured and organized. And, I’ve always been a complete loser at it. Blame it on my creative mind, ADD, procrastination, or whatever. It’s just who I am. I get distracted. I overcommit. I am constantly starting my organization plans over at square one. I’ve tried a thousand calendar formats and schedules, trying to structure sanity and productivity into my life; still, after 38 years my [...] 
I was inside scrubbing another sticky floor, when I heard her screeching outside. I glanced out the window to see our neighbor lady (the one who drinks alot – for those who might know the area). She was standing in my driveway, bellowing at the small, neighborhood gathering of boys in our yard. I walked out, dismissed the kids back to the treehouse, and asked her if I could assist her in [...] |
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