Arizona Smerizona

Arizona Smerazona.

After the last five weeks of taquitos and thunderstorms, we have planted ourselves (well, temporarily) in Arizona with my aunt and uncle. 

Sunday we visited with them for a while, then headed out to see my Grandma Hill. Grandma Hill is my father’s mother. Being a southern Baptist, a strict political woman, and well, her and I have never really seen eye to eye. My Grandma Hill is 91 now and she doesn’t remember who I am, she doesn’t remember much of anything actually. Alzheimers is a terrible disease. So we went to have dinner with her, my aunt made spaghetti and we sat around the table reminding her that it was dinner time. My aunt suggested that I play guitar and sing hymns. I did, actually my aunt, who has a beautiful voice for harmonies sang and my grandma who prides herself in her singing chimed in. The three of us sang, three generations, one with Alzheimers, and we had a beautiful time. I recorded a bit of it but I know my aunt would kill me if I shared. 

We headed home, then we spent the evening playing games and taking walks. My aunt and I stayed up til 5:30 talking about everything we have missed for the last 10 years. I think it was necessary.

The biggest lesson I learned this week was that when you don’t understand someone or something that someone does, it is unfair to judge. Appearances don’t mean everything, and misunderstandings can come easily. 

This week has been a fun week of swimming, talking, playing games with family, and painting. Finally I was able to paint again. I sat down to paint and took  a few minutes to decide how to communicate my feelings. I thought about my travels and about how happy it has made me to see more of the world than I ever thought I could. About how I’ve danced around the Earth and how its freed me as a woman, mother, and creature of the world. 

Wednesday night my wonderful Aunt Bonnie made our famous Boyles fudge. Our family has a tradition to make peanut butter fudge, and no one but us know the recipe, actually, its not even written, its just in us. It was divine, reminded me of dad, and I missed it so much!

Friday I rented a car and our roadtrip is underway.

We are sitting in the one bedroom apartment of one of my closest friends in the world. Joe and Katie have graciously let us take up most of the room in their home just so we can all hang out, play video games, and stay out of the AZ sun.

It has been really great catching up. So great that Joe and I stayed up until 5 am talking how we talk, as Katie passed out on the livingroom blow-up mattress. I realized how much I miss my friend as we stayed up til our eyes could hardly stand to stay open, and I also realized how much I needed a friend.

AZ heat is something else. So hot. Everything we do here is to keep hydrated and try and cool down. Its amazing to me that people can go out in this weather and play sports. Seriously, its incredibly hot.

Im really looking forward to this week. We head out to Vegas where Justin is going to meet us and stay at a really nice resort in the Mojave Desert for three days, relaxing, swimming, and catching up with Crandlebox, before heading to the Grand Canyon and Utah.

Okay. Tonight we are heading out with Katies family to celebrate her birthday.

Hope everyone has a great weekend.