On the road again

We're off! Southern California here we come!

And I hear gas prices are astronomical...so we'll have to remember to gas up at the border again. And the biggest perk of the whole thing? For eight days we'll be staying in a hotel. A church opted to put us up there rather than passing us around the church for 8 days.

Our last day

OUR LAST DAY IN ARIZONA!

What a relief. I feel I've seen as much of this state as I wanted to, and more. We have done more driving than is typical (They keep mentioning the mythical standard that is the "normal tour." We have yet to see it). I think we've crossed the state three or four times. Tomorrow morning we leave for the Murietta/Tumecula area in Southern California. I'm so excited!

Time does seem to be standing still on tour. The weather down here is basically the same all year. It should be fall now. When we hit Dallas, OR in November, it's going to be quite a shock!

The Blue Castle

The other day I was co-ping for Tasha, so I began to read The Blue Castle aloud for her and Vicky. Yesterday we read another 120 pages aloud on the way from Sonoita to Phoenix. Last night Tasha rigged it so that Julie, Tasha and I could house together to finish the last four chapters before bed.

That is the second time I've read that book aloud. Last time with Wendy and Drea.

Next long drive we start Little Women -- which Tasha (contrary to everything this country holds dear) has never read.

Adventures with a Leech

Yesterday I came the closest to breaking character I ever have in this run.

Jo came onstage for the scene where she pulls a leech off her leg in the jungle. She looks puzzled, and doesn't lift the hem of her skirt to show the black blog of tape. Then I notice there is something on my shoe. At a convenient point in the scene, I look down and notice...its stuck to the bottom of my shoe.

Of course from there on it's all over. Every time I took a step I'm reminded. Burt swears I was laughing so hard I shook the stage. I doubt it, but dang was that funny!

Real Coffee

I found a Seattle's Best Coffeehouse located almost hidden on the corner behind a gas station. We parked at the Starbucks two blocks away and I walked back. Prompting Jonathan to say, "You know she's a really NW-er when Starbucks isn't good enough." I do go to the one, but not when the other is so handily present.

Dad, for you I had a raspberry hazelnut mocha.

Ramadan

After the show on the 15th, I went with my homestay to a Ramadan party.

It was upstairs at the church, blankets on the floor, pillows strewn about, and shoes prohibited. They had a table of Middle-Eastern snacks and (ironically) Mango Nectar made in the Philippines.

Jessica went right away to the group centered around our hosts. I walked over to the missions table, looking for something to do after a long night that didn't involve trying to "recommend myself to strangers." Jeremy was that guy at the table. He gave me the low down on everyone in the room. Most have been to the Middle East in the short term, or will be heading there full time within the next five years. A few years ago that would have been tantamount to a suicide mission in many places, but he said doors have begun to open.

After that I talked to the youth leader. He's still in college, and doesn't feel called to long term missions (missions was kind of in the air that night), but wanted to know if I was called, and what am I currently studying in the Bible. I have to say, I could tell him verses, badly misquoted, but he would jump right in with, " Oh that's from Matthew 13, right?" Rather daunting, but we had some good conversation on the topic of giving. I had a few opinions and ideas, and his comments have prompted a topical overview on the subject.

Gilbert, AZ

Today we have a show that is quite the three ring circus. They have special tables that will be discussing missions during breaks in the show. Afterwards they will spend a half an hour doing their own presentation. It is going to be a late night.

Nogales

So yesterday we went to Nogales, Mexico. It was interesting. I bought an anklet (down from $6 each to 3 for $5) just to get the experience of bartering (although the acual haggling was expertly done by Walter and Nicole. I walked around trying not to get accosted, and Vicky took Walter's injunction to "not speak to anyone" seriously to a fault. But after a few minutes we got into the swing of things, and stood back and watched Nicole at work. She didn't want anything, she'd just pick something up, smile when they set a price, and walk away. She got a guy down from $34 to $12.50 in thirty seconds flat without even saying anything.

After that we crossed the train tracks and went to eat at La Roca. I had my first non-Taco Bell gordita. It was excellent, as was the tortilla soup with a mysterious spice in a dish on the side. That was good too. We finished it off with some cheesecake. How awesome, and another country to color in on my map.

Grand Canyon

We went to the Grand Canyon. Grand isn't a big enough word. It was so colossal it seemed stupid to take a picture of yourself pointing. How silly we are. Someone along the way told us the average person spends only 15 minutes staring into it. We spent four hours, and even got to see sunset. What an amazing range of colors. I've never liked southwestern architecture, except for the palates it produces. What awesome pinks and oranges.

The Colorado River (which we could only see a tiny bit of) isn't picturesque. A settler once said it was too thick to drink and too thin to plow. I bought postcards of scenic parts you can't see from the top -- beautiful waterfalls with rare plants around them -- hardly desert at all.

Following Aaron's example I climbed out on a rock that jutted over the precipice. I walked almost to the end, then crawled the last few feet. There was a hairline fracture at the tip I decided not to cross -- but I have a picture floating around of me out there.

The guys peed off the edge...

The aftermath

Thanksgiving was fun...I feel like I need to break out John Denver and the Muppets and pull out the trees this morning. We did sing Christmas carols after dinner.

Julie and I had a great time. We found a book of music that had all of our old favorites. No one else knew them, so they must have been "homeschool songs." We sang "Bullfrogs and Butterflies," "Rise and Shine," -- with motions, and a whole slew of others.

My favorite, though, was turning a page and finding "Horse and Riders." One of my earliest memories is of my Dad standing up with a guitar in front of Tieton Drive Bible Chapel leading that song. I've never seen in anywhere else, but I can still sing all three parts of the round. That was neat!