A lovestruck ramble...bear with me!

I just returned home from dropping Mike off at Sky Harbor for a 3-week business trip. He will be pulling a Magellan on this one, circumnavigating the globe: Phoenix to Singapore to Frankurt, with layovers in L.A., Taipei and Hong Kong. The day after he returns home, I leave for 2 weeks of work back in Texas...nothing nearly as glamorous.
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The business he works for just acquired a company based in Europe and Mike has absorbed offices in Germany/France/Spain under his wing. He is gaining fantastic experience and although he's working his tail off, we both are viewing this with a really positive attitude. He was feeling like he needed more professional challenges and he's getting it! He has grown a lot and I'm so proud of him.

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When we married nearly 19 years ago, we were young...I was a college student and he was a sergeant in the Air Force. Even then, I knew he was the kind of guy who could accomplish anything he set his mind to...coupled with a very down-to-earth personality. I liked that he seemed to dig chicks who had some strength and verve. His quiet strength grounded my more extroverted energy, but he was never threatened by my opinions or goals. Even to this day, Mike is the strong, silent type, my anchor and best champion. He is one of the most grounded, centered people I know. This is the guy who saw a Hilfiger T-shirt a few years ago and asked if it was a local ball team! ☺ He is completely oblivious to that sort of thing...unless of course, it's a bicycle or electronic gadget. ☺ In fact, he's just like my Dad in many ways. If you psychoanalyzed me, you could honestly say I married a guy a lot like my father. And thank goodness, I have a great dad!

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That is not to imply that any long-term relationship is always smooth sailing. Yes, our relationship started out with immediate sparks and intense romantic love. We were both consumed. But as time has passed, we've had our challenges and ups and downs like anyone else. There are times we frankly piss each other off. There are times we get bored. Times we overreact, times we are selfish, times we disappoint and times we take each other for granted. But when it comes down to it, we fit together like two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. And we grow and we challenge each other to be better people. Our love is not perfect, but it is abiding.

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Recently Mike hugged me and said, "Amber, I really love you...we make a great team!" ♥ I think that is what the definition of "soul mate" really is...Someone who helps you grow and become the best you can be. Someone you can count on to always have your best interest at heart. Your best friend who will always come through for you when it counts.

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Why am I gushing like this on my blog? It's really not my style to be this mushy publicly. Yes, it's only 5 weeks of traveling between us, whichis a pittance compared to some of the separations during our military careers. But, besides missing him already, I think I need to do a better job of relaxing and laying my heart out on the line. Even after all these years, at times I can tend to be vulnerable and a little guarded, despite my outward extroverted nature. So here I am, in all my glory. Laying out what is on my mind and in my heart right now. This is me...unedited. ☺

Up, up and away...

Hot air balloons in the 'hood,

as seen from my backyard

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Hot air balloons are a regular morning feature here in the foothills north of Phoenix. Last Saturday morning, as I drove down into the city, I counted 15 up in the sky at one time. The sight of a colorful balloon in the blue sky always gives me a lift from the weight of terra firma....puts a smile on my face and lowers my blood pressure.

Truly Scrumptious: Krusty, Blockhead and a RenFaire to remember

As I mentioned yesterday, I took the kids out to the Arizona Renaissance Festival on Saturday. This was our third trip to the RenFaire, as I learned it's called by the regulars.

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We had a fun time, but for some reason, this year seemed so much more commercialized to me than it has in years past. Maybe the performers were just getting tired since it's near the end of the run. That could be...and I've gotta be honest...I am SO not a theme park/carnival kind of gal. I would always much rather put my time, energy and money toward experiencing something more authentic.

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I do have to admit, though, I really enjoy some of the shows at the festival. But the best comedy we experienced this year was unscripted.
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About halfway through our day, we attended a show put on by the festival's resident court jester, aka Marquise. He and his wife, who is dressed up like a more mature version of Truly Scrumptious from the dancing toy number in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, perform a routine with their Border Collie, Blockhead.
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We're suckers for cute dog schtick and the show rolled on in good fun, including Marquise selecting Annie as an audience participant in one of the numbers. But the best was yet to come.

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As the show was winding down and it was time to pass the proverbial hat for tips, Marquise realized the "basket wenches", who walk through the crowd holding the donation baskets, were nowhere to be found. (I'm guessing they'd snuck off behind the port-a-potties with a couple of the dudes from Tartanic, not that *I* would have considered such a thing at their ages...I'm just sayin'...)
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It was at that point that the switch flipped and Marquise shifted from kid-loving court jester to what can best be described as a Medieval version of Krusty the Clown. Still flashing the big smile for the crowd, he started mouthing little side comments about "the girls" to his wife, finally prompting the mizzus, in her Raggedy Ann garb and red-circled cheeks to declare, "It's OKAY, Marquise!" (Read: Shut the hell up!)
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About the time Marquise said, "C'mon kids, line up for a photo with Blockhead and purchase your Blockhead magnet and coloring book!" with a big smile, the basket wenches appeared. Half the audience had dispersed, prompting another irritated: "GIRLS! You need to be walking with the baskets!"...It was Jeckyll and Hyde at their harlequined, pancake-makeup, carny-lovin' best.
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As my kids got in the queue, I stood there in total amusement...I could just see him walking backstage after the show, pulling off the jester hat, scratching his crotch, taking a big swig out of a whiskey bottle and saying, "Goddammm brats!" to his wife.

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Wouldn't YOU have put a dollar in the basket in for that performance?!?!?!?

A technicolor Easter!

Tonopah wildflowers

Arizona Highways magazine

One of the best parts of living in the American Southwest is the gorgeous spring weather. This year is especially spectacular here in the Sonoran Desert, due to the heavy winter rains we received. Everywhere you drive, the desert is abloom in a magnificent palette of wildflowers in yellow, orange, purple and fuschia.

I can remember studying the desert in 4th grade in the 1970s, (the same age my daughter is now). I didn't live in the Southwest then and had not yet visited the desert, but I was completely enchanted by the full color photos in my textbook: the wildlife, the vivid sunsets, and the amazing photos of desert wildflowers and cactus in bloom. Today, as an adult, I realize that people all over the world, including many artists, subscribe to Arizona Highways magazine for that very reason...to be inspired by the gorgeous landscapes of this land.

Yesterday, I dropped my parents off at Sky Harbor Int'l Airport for their flight home and then took the kids out for the day, so Mike could get some studying done at home. We drove out U.S. Hwy 60 to the Arizona Renaissance Festival in Apache Junction. We enjoyed the festival this year as we have in the past, but the real treat was driving through the desert in bloom.

U.S. Hwy 60 near the Superstition Mountains

photos by Annie, age 9

March 22, 2008

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I can't think of a better Easter gift than witnessing the beauty of a Sonoran Desert spring in bloom. The pops of intense color against the rugged landscape are a poignant example of how life, hope and renewal flourish in even the harshest conditions. In this juxtaposition, the beauty is all the more intense, the colors are that much bolder. It brings home the spirit of the season in technicolor.

Happy Easter!

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Postscript: We did receive a better Easter gift! My SIL delivered a baby boy, Matthew, on Easter Sunday in Michigan! We are looking forward to photos!

I was an Easter baby myself. ☺

Take Five: In the MotherHood

If you want a good laugh, check out the hilarious online comedy series "In the MotherHood" created by Sprint and Suave. These sketches are based on real stories submitted by real moms, daughters and sisters and star the talented trio of Jenny McCarthy, Leah Remini and Chelsea Handler. Topics cover everything from sibling rivalry to Mother's Day, dating, the birds and the bees, traveling with kids, etc...Grab a cup of coffee or tea and enjoy! ☺

Spring sprucing...and the great rabbit chase

Pink Joey Paw (dwarf Kangaroo Paw)

On my patio, March 2008

One of the great joys of spring is a trip to the nursery or garden center. Yesterday I stopped by and picked up four new pots for my back yard. The small pot is pictured above. Of course they are my favorite color, one of my favorite styles, and they were a great bargain. Today I began transplanting some flowers. It is so therapeutic to get my hands in the dirt.
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I had a great laugh today. We've had a rabbit problem in our backyard for a while now. These are wild rabbits that reproduce like mad and have fewer predators since many of the coyotes, bobcats and mountain lions have moved out of the area due to development. The little buggers get into our yard through the drainage holes in our fence, take up residence under our built-in BBQ and then make salad out of all my potted flowers. I caught this photo a few weeks ago of one of them climbing up to finish off one of my plants!

Now, I know it's almost Easter. And believe it or not, Mike and I had pet lop-eared rabbits when we were first married. We loved those rabbits, but vowed "never again" after they died. Even the domestic variety can be very destructive.

So...I decided to make like an Aussie and create a rabbit-proof fence. Basically just asked my yard guy, Baki, to install a mesh screen across our drainage holes when he came out to do yard maintenance this morning. Determined to solve my rabbit problem, Baki installed a double-thick mesh screen and embedded it 6"+ under ground. That drainage area is locked down like freakin' Fort Knox. The only things missing are motion-detectors, spotlights and concertina wire.

One rabbit still remains trapped in the backyard, and it went running toward the drainage holes today. When it got there, it realized it couldn't exit. It turned around and saw a 75-lb dog staring at it. So it bolted, and off Zoë went in pursuit. They ran around the pool twice. I swear, I thought Zoë was going to fall into the pool. She couldn't catch a rabbit if her life depended on it! Baki and I were standing there laughing like crazy. The rabbit managed to get back into the BBQ. I opened the door under the grill and Aaron spied inside with his flashlight. We could see the rabbit but we couldn't rout it. I knew it had to be terrified and Aaron and I felt kind of bad. We gave up, but Zoë had a hard time admitting defeat. She stood at the door to the grill with her head inside, crying, for about 15 minutes. To my knowledge, the rabbit is still there. I finally made Zoë shut up and come inside.
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Next week is spring break and my parents will be visiting. We also heard from one of Mike's former undergrad college professors (his faculty advisor), who is in Phoenix for several days. He will be coming over for dinner Monday evening. Guests are always good impetus to do some spring cleaning. I spent the day today cleaning blinds, shutters and ceiling fans in addition to the gardening and rabbit chasing. I'm wiped! And I still have sooooo much to do tomorrow.
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Hope you are having a good weekend!

No whining!

First let me say that I am not a whiny person by nature, and I really don't like it in other people. My kids know the fastest way to get mom in a snit is to start whining.
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But I'll never forget the day, about 15 years ago, that I received a button identical to the one pictured above. I was a young first lieutenant in the Air Force at the time, working as executive officer to our wing commander, Brig. Gen. Wilson. My desk and his secretary's desk faced each other and were located outside the entrance to his office. One day I was kvetching to the secretary about something...I can't even remember what. It probably had to do with some testy colonel, or trouble with a computer or something like that. Whatever it was, I certainly didn't think General Wilson could hear me.
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But next thing I knew, his thin, 6'3 frame, in flight suit, appeared before my desk. "Amber, I have a gift for you that I reserve for my very favorite officers," he said. Then he placed the NO WHINING pin on my desk in front of me and started cracking up as he walked back into his office.
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I still have that pin and display it proudly on my desk. Although, I admit, I still get the urge to whine sometimes.
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Okay...I've had the urge just this week. My planned 6-week trip for work later this summer in Hawaii is now off. They really need someone for 6 months and I just can't go for that long. My husband, on the other hand, is heading out soon for 3 weeks in Singapore and Germany, the lucky dawg! I'm happy for him, but it means we'll be unable to attend the Candy Dulfer concert (including meeting Candy) that I'd hoped to see with him for my birthday. To top it off, I've made the big-girl decision to postpone my new countertops a while longer until we get through some of his MBA tuition payments and other expenses. (I like paying cash for these types of home projects.) I know this is small fry...but when you think you've got some fun stuff coming your way and then it all falls apart the same week, well...
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Whine. Whine. Whine.
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Then this morning, I was looking out my window at a house behind us that is in foreclosure. This house sold for upwards of $800K a couple years ago and the buyers bit off more than they could chew. Yes, they created a mess for themselves, but it's still a bad situation. They got into this predicament because either they weren't satisfied with what they could afford, or they wanted to keep up with the Joneses, or they were afraid of being priced out of a nice home in the future. They let fear and ego usurp their better judgment.
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Later, I spoke to my dear friend who had to put her dog to sleep this week. She's lost her treasured companion of many years. Four family members and friends are battling cancer as I type. Another friend's family paint business, which her late father founded years ago, just collapsed, beyond her control. It has torn her up to let long-term employees go, to salvage what she can, and pick up the pieces. But her attitude is amazing.
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I came back in my office feeling pretty foolish and found my pin. It's my reminder that, no matter how petty the situation (like mine) or how severe, whining really doesn't serve any positive purpose. Action does. So does having a positive attitude and counting one's blessings.
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Note to self: Drop General Wilson a note and thank him for the lesson.

Texas fare and friendship!

*3/13 Update*: Sandra has started a blog (finally!) Visit her at Canyon Wren Cottage!

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Last night I made a nice dinner for the family...I started the meal with stuffed jalapenos as an appetizer, using my friend Sandra's recipe, paired with a smooth Pinot Noir. For our main meal, I made grilled BBQ chicken, red beans and rice and tortillas.
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The Sunday prior, I drove up to visit Sandra in her beautiful new home in Buda, Texas, just south of Austin. We sat in rocking chairs on her big front porch overlooking the Texas Hill Country and enjoyed some of Sandra's stuffed jalapenos, as well as homemade guacamole, grilled chicken and her signature margaritas. What a perfect way to spend an afternoon...with a dear friend, delicious food and in one of my favorite places...Austin, Texas!
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Sandra is like my older sister...She always offers great wisdom, common sense and she's one heck of a decorator! I learn so much from her. She is currently the executive director of the Central Texas Chapter of the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. She has led the chapter to amazing growth and fundraising. If you're looking for a worthy cause to support, this would be a great one!
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Here's a great photo of Sandra with my two kids here at my home a few years ago. And Sandra's recipe follows.

Sandra's Stuffed Jalapenos

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Ingredients:

20 large jalapeno peppers

1 block cream cheese

1-2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 pkg bacon, strips cut in half

skewers

disposable gloves

paring knife

toothpicks

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Directions:

Wearing gloves, cut the ends off the jalapenos and scrape out the flesh/seeds with the paring knife. In a separate bowl, soften the cream cheese and mix 50/50 with the cheddar. Stuff each pepper with the cheese mixture. Wrap each pepper with half a piece of bacon and secure with toothpick. You will probably want to cook the bacon a little bit first before wrapping to ensure it's fully cooked on the grill. Put the stuffed peppers on skewers and grill until the peppers are soft, the cheese is melted and the bacon is fully cooked.

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Enjoy!

Oy...

A note to my friends...I am back in Arizona now, albeit with some communication challenges. My cell phone was lost somewhere between the rental car return and the airport yesterday. It's nowhere to be found and I've had to suspend service until I get a new phone. Second, the LAN in my room in Texas was down for more than a week and I arrived home to discover that I've also lost all personal e-mail (not my business account) that came in since Feb 24. Mike and I spent two hours trying to recover the e-mails today, with no luck. So if you e-mailed me at my home address in the past two weeks, please resend!

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I'll be back up in action again soon. Hope all is well with you!

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Post Script/6:30 pm: The rental car counter has my phone and they're sending it to me on Monday! ☺