Please Prepare For Descent

I love to hear those words after flying for nine hours.  Once this announcement is made from the pilot I to put everything away in their proper-easy-to-get-to places.  And after everything is stowed I start to relax (or tense up because I think we will crash) knowing that soon -- one way or another we will be on the ground.  I feel the same way now only I am not flying.  Just like in preparation for landing I am now making preparations for my long awaited move.

Prepare for descent could mean anything to anybody I suppose.  Descent into hell.  Descent into madness, chaos, darkness or misery -- been there and done all of those.  For me prepare for descent means butterflies and rose gardens.  It is no surprise to anyone who knows me how much I dislike where I live let alone Arizona.  Preparation for moving and selling a house is more complicated than preparing for landing yet very similar because they both involve stowing things away.  Also with similar consequences -- crashing and burning.  Of course we want to get the most for our house and at the very least what we paid.  Unfortunately the market doesn't agree with what we want for our house but we are going to ask for it anyway hoping there is someone out there who wants this house badly enough to pay it.  So while we are waiting I am preparing myself for my inevitable descent into something better!

Summer is Just Around the Corner

Is there anywhere in this country where the sun and clouds reign equally?  Nothing is more depressing to me than to wake up to yet another sunny day.  Perhaps it is because I realize in about two months the temperatures here will be climbing back up into the 80's which only heralds in the over 100 degree days soon thereafter.  With the high temperatures and unending sunshine comes the days of constant noise from the air conditioner running non-stop, continuous fight against the onslaught of scorpions trying to take over our home, and finally the disgusting overwhelming heat that keeps us confined to the house full noise and scorpions.

Granted weather in Arizona for five months out of the year is quite pleasant if you like continuous sunshine and temps in the 60's to 70's, but the other seven months are quite unbearable if you like to be outside.  My friend who lives in New York complained she and her family (including the dog) were becoming tired of being inside since winter began.  She said even the dog won't go out in the cold.  I say wait until your dog gets here -- she will be stuck inside, again, only this time she really can't go out because her paws will get burnt or she could die of heat stroke from trying to walk from the park to the house.

I just long for walks in the cold, clouds and rainy days.  I wouldn't mind the sunny days so much if there just weren't so may of them and they weren't harbingers of what is to come.

Kids Say the Darndest Things

Three year old insights:

• “I tooted. Did you smell it?”
• "Do you understand what is coming out of my mouth?”
• "The light is green…go faster.”
• “Move out of the way. Beep at them momma."
• “To Infinity and Beyond.”
• “Bullshit.”
• “You are the meanest momma and I am going to shoot you (with the little toy gun he found at park).” I hope this isn’t a sign of something more formidable to come.
• After being told he is going to a different “Little Gym”: “This gym is sucked up.” I prefer not to tell you what he really meant and just take this as a cue I need to stop saying the “F” word.

My oldest son showed up on Christmas Eve …high, here are some righteous insights he had to pass on:

• “Yeah I smoked pot two hours ago, but I’m not high.”
• “What’s wrong with pot? it is natural and from the earth.”
• “You just don’t worry about my life – I got it handled. I know what I am doing.”  This quote is my personal favorite and one that makes me laugh frequently.