Back to reality

Noah and I are readjusting to being together all the time again after a week of not being together at all.  He said, "I'm going to my room for awhile.  I got used to not having people around last week, and I'm still a little feral."

When we got home, the house looked clean, but when Mike opened the dishwasher, he discovered just about every dish we own was stuffed in there in dirty piles and layers.  He took out half of them, and we ran them in two loads.  I was talking to Noah about that today, and I asked him if they even ran the dishwasher one time all week, and he said, "I was going to, but I couldn't get the door closed."

He was asking me how adults know how to do everything, like apply for credit cards and get a mortgage.  I said we would help him and that he would learn through trial and lots of errors, like we all do.  He said, "Here's another example.  Yesterday, Dad noticed that the vent in the kitchen was closed, and he got down there and unstuck it and opened it.  At what point do you start noticing things like that?  The only time I ever pay any attention to the vent is when I'm playing with it, flipping it open and closed for fun."  I told him that he's still in that in-between age, not quite an adult, not quite a kid, and that someday he too will be noticing registers like an adult. :) 

Phoenix--last day

Friday, March 23, 2019
      
Last day. Our flight didn't leave till 2:12 p.m., so we were planning on sleeping in, having a leisurely breakfast, and taking our time packing, but Mike got a work call very early in the morning, so we didn't do that first part.  We did have breakfast and feed the pigeons, pack up, check out of the hotel, and get to the airport way early.  I saw a lady holding an adorable dog, and of course I asked if I could pet it.  She said, "Oh yes, please do!" so I was petting away and chatting to the dog, and he was responding happily, but then the owner said to me, "You're a cat person, aren't you?"  I stopped petting and said, "Why...am I doing it wrong?"  She laughed and said, "No, there are cats on your shirt."

When we boarded the plane, I was in the middle seat again, this time between Mike and a huge guy.  For the first hour or so, I tried to keep from touching him, but then he went to sleep, and I got weary of using my muscles to hold my limbs away from his, so I just relaxed and let my left arm and leg press up against his.  We had a huge plane this time that had individual screens on each headrest, so I got to watch a movie that I've been wanting to see (The Green Book).  I loved it!

We got home around 10:30 p.m. and were pleasantly surprised to find a clean house!  The kids were waiting up for us and seemed happy to see us.  Noah gave us big hugs, and Sarah had made a welcome home sign.  We are so proud of their trustworthiness and responsibility!

              

Phoenix--day 5

Friday, March 22, 2019
         After Mike got done working, we took the bus to Papago Park and hiked to the Hole in the Rock, which was pretty cool.  

The zoo is in the same area.  I zoomed in on these giraffes from the Hole in the Rock.

We were the only ones on the bus for awhile, so we got the best seats. We got off the bus at Central Station, and I made Mike go into the station to meet my friend who works there.  She helped me every day, and we bonded.  I told her I came to say goodbye, and she stuck her hands under the little slot where you're supposed to slide stuff, and I squeezed her hands and thanked her for all her help, and she told me I was her favorite person the whole week.

 I walked to Vegan House, while Mike stayed at the hotel and ordered a pizza.

 I ordered the Peanut Sauce Noodle, which was delicious. 

I walked about 8 blocks west and went to the top of a parking garage to watch the sun set. 

This beautiful church was across from the parking garage.

Phoenix--day 4

Thursday, March 21, 2019

                I took the lightrail to a bus stop, where I had to wait awhile for a bus. That’s where the weird thing happened.  When I’m traveling alone, I pay close attention to what’s going on around me.  I was standing on the street corner with a few other people (including a lady dressed like a cheetah).  I knew who was around me.  I looked left to see if the bus was coming.  I didn’t hear or see anyone coming up on my right, but when I turned back around, a well-dressed older lady had appeared right next to me.  She didn’t start with hi, hello, nice weather, or small talk of any kind.  She just said something like, “What would it take for people to feel safe and secure in this crazy world?” I was completely taken aback.  She looked like a normal, nice lady, not crazy at all, but who comes up to a stranger at a bus stop and says something like that, especially after appearing out of nowhere?  But I knew the answer, so I said, “Jesus?”  She seemed pleasantly surprised by my answer and asked me if I was a Bible reader.  I said yes.  Then she asked me if I thought Jesus was a king and I said yes.  She quoted from Luke when the angel appeared to Mary and told her that her son would be a king.  She asked me if I considered the new earth to be a government. I said I guess I hadn’t really thought of it that way. She said, “Most people don’t. I think you would find this interesting reading” and she whipped out a brochure and handed it to me.  She said her name was Sally, and I told her my name, and we God blessed each other, and I watched her start to walk away.  I looked down at the brochure she had given me and when I looked back up two seconds later, she was gone.  She was just there, walking down a long street, and there was nowhere she could have gone to disappear so quickly.  I even walked down the street and looked for her, but she was nowhere to be found. The whole thing was surreal.  Then the bus arrived and I got on, but I was so consumed with thinking about that encounter that I almost missed my stop. 

                I went to Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, and a couple other stores, didn’t buy anything.  Went to PetSmart to pet the cats.  Sat there and had a long conversation with a foster cat mom. Then I saw a woman holding a tiny furry creature that looked sort of like a dog, but it couldn’t possibly be, because it was smaller than a kitten.  I went up to her and said something intelligent like, “what is that?” and she said, “It’s a teacup Pomeranian. His name is Versace.”  She said he weighed 1.6 pounds and was full grown.  He was wearing a little vest that said “bad hombre” on it, which made me laugh.  On my way back to the bus stop, somebody stopped me and asked me for money.  I didn’t give him any (I actually didn’t have any), but I talked to him for a few minutes, which caused me to miss the bus.  I knew it would be 30 minutes before the next bus came, so I went into a shop called “World Market” or something like that.  It was a neat store, way too expensive to buy anything, but I killed some time in there instead of waiting in the direct sun at the bus stop.  Took the bus back to the lightrail and sat by this poor guy who had twins in a stroller in front of him.  They looked to be between one and two years old and clearly in need of a nap.  They were both unhappy and crying and rejecting all his attempts to quiet them. 

 I was traveling light and didn’t really have anything interesting to offer them, but I did have my stash of granola bars for homeless people, so I asked him if I could give them one.  He said yes and they were distracted enough by the stranger giving them something with crinkly paper on it that they stopped crying. 

I got off the train at a different stop than I usually do, thinking I could easily find my way back to the hotel, but no.  I got pretty badly lost.  But I ended up wandering in a cool part of downtown and saw some interesting buildings, fountains, etc.  I stumbled upon City Hall, which houses the police museum. This is the site of the 1966 trial of Miranda vs. Arizona, which is why police now have to read you your Miranda rights before questioning you.   

Finally found my way back to the hotel.  Mike and I went to dinner at The Copper Blues, which was kind of a neat restaurant downtown.  Saw a crazy guy stomping and flailing and yelling, "Stop following me!" and there was nobody around him. After dinner we came back to the hotel and took a little nap before our next plan: dessert at the revolving restaurant at the top of our hotel.  On certain night, during limited late night hours, they offer a happy hour menu, which is the only time regular people can afford to set foot in there.  It was a cool experience!  

               

Phoenix trip--day 3

Wednesday, March 20, 2019

                Watched a beautiful sunrise from the hotel bed with Mike. Then he went to work and I went to figure out the public transportation system.  It’s always a challenge for me.  I studied the maps and schedules for a long time, talked to someone at Central Station, where I bought my day pass for $4, and still didn’t really have a clue what I was doing. 

So I just sat at the station and decided to get on the next train that arrived and ride it until I saw something interesting. 

I saw this weird tornado-looking thing.

Mike wanted me to get cookies and a belt for him.  So when I saw a Fry’s (the AZ version of Kroger), I got off the train. Immediately had a run-in with a cop, who told me I couldn’t exit the platform this way and had to turn around and go the other way.  I didn’t really comprehend what he was talking about, since I had been careful to do everything right. He threatened to give me a ticket and I asked him to explain exactly what I was doing wrong and what he wanted me to do instead.  I finally got the cookies and got on another train.   I saw a Ross store and hopped off to buy a belt.  I also went next door to PetSmart to pet the cats who are up for adoption.  Got on the next train and rode it to the end of the line.  Switched trains and came back to the hotel. Saw Mike briefly during his lunch break. Then hung out in the room and made sure I know which buses and trains to take to Mesa tonight for the Cubs game.

Mike was happy to watch his first game at Sloan Park, "Wrigleyville West".

Mike got to see some old hall of famers, including Andre Dawson and some Ferguson guy I never heard of.