I'm back! Did you miss me? I was off having adventures. And this time most of my adventures didn't involve blisters OR extreme sidetrips into the realm of stinkiness. Much.
JD and I flew out to see my Mom and Dad for Christmas. We're on a three year rotation. Last year was JD's Mom's year. This year was mine. Next year, we're staying home. In theory anybody is welcome to travel to our home for Christmas, but in practice there is a strong bias in favor of the bipedal grandchildren. Presumably because Dori refuses to wait until Christmas morning to open the presents.
So JD and I flew into Phoenix, and then we stopped. Previously we flew into Phoenix, rented a car, drove for a couple of hours, and then collapsed for two days at the other end. Stopping in Phoenix is so much easier. AND it meant that we got to eat at Sweet Tomatoes, which is a wonderful restaurant, existing only in places where we do not, currently, live. So after a good night's sleep and more salad than you can shake a fork at, we finally arrived at Chez Mom and Dad.
It was a pretty nice, relaxed Christmas. I love nice, relaxed Christmases. We did jigsaw puzzles, and went for walks, and calmly discussed the fact that I want nothing to do with Skype. And we ate. We ate A LOT. I'm afraid to get on my scale now. Not so much because the number will be higher. More because I'm afraid I will give it a hernia. My double chin grew an extra chin this weekend. I blame that bitch See, whoever she is, and her yummy, yummy candies.
On Saturday JD and I went for a hike in the Dells, which are fantastic weathered granitic formations. In three hours, while almost completely covered, and with two applications of sunscreen, I burnt both my hands and my face. I am not made for desert living.
On Monday we started the travel in reverse, only this time we didn't go to Sweet Tomatoes. We went to Julio's and had excellent Mexican food and met up with my hiker friend Phoenix Rising. I suppose I feel like I know her a lot better than I really do. We hiked together in 2005, and then I saw her for like 90 seconds last year. But we've kept in touch, and she sent me trail magic all during 2010. She's planning to hike a big chunk of trail this year, and I hope to return the favor.
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| Everybody else Skyping |
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| Mom's furniture is a little snarly. What's up with that? |
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| Look! I got a fuzzy, soft, wonderful scarf! It's delightful. |
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| My folks looking cute. It didn't take much persuading to get them to go to a brewpub for Christmas Eve dinner. JD and my Dad don't even drink, but their wives do. |
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| A redhead attempting to minimize the damage |
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| The fact that this is so weathered that you can't read it anymore is slightly reassuring. |
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| That sky! Those wacky rocks! Love 'em. |
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| A lone decorated tree along the trail. |
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| Sigh. So pretty. |
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