Thoughts

I have little to blog about this week, other than the fact that our house in Virginia is scheduled to close tomorrow.  HOWEVER, I don't want to talk about it for fear of jinxing it.  

We are adjusting well to our new climate here in AZ.  Honestly, I really don't mind the daytime heat.  It is the night-time heat that seems like a killer for me.  It is not unusual for it to be 100 degrees as the 10:00 PM news starts...and ends.  

It has rained twice since we have been here, but I'm afraid that we got an entire year's worth of water in those two storms and we won't see another drop for a very long time.  

We are currently living in Trevor's Aunt and Uncle's winter home, which is conveniently located in a 55+ community.  We are a little under age, and with the exception of "Anne," a great-grandmother who lives across the street, the whole place has cleared out for the summer.  The home has been great; but the yard is exclusively rocks, with a few fierce looking cacti, so we don't use it much.  We practically live at the pool, which I love, but because school starts very early here (August 11) the pool closes next weekend.  What will I do???

I think I must be missing something, because I was under the impression that we still had at least two months of summer left, with a possible third, depending on whether or not you consider 80 degrees "fall weather".  Also, I have noticed that stores are clearing out their summer clothes in place of winter coats and sweaters.  What??!!  Who wears winter coats and sweaters in Arizona??  If that's what is coming this winter, I am in big trouble.  Before we left Virginia I sent nearly all of my sweaters to Goodwill knowing that I would only be tempted to turn the A/C way down in the house just so I could feel cozy in a heavy wool sweater.  I'll believe "winter" when I see it.  

This morning I ran at 5:30 AM (thanks Marie for waking up at the literal crack of dawn!) so that I could be back before Trevor left for work.  It was 80 degrees already, but without the sun shining it felt great.  (I can't believe I just wrote that about the 5:00 AM hour of the day.)  Trevor works 7AM-2PM, which is a fantastic schedule, other than that it forces me to run VERY early, or not at all.  It takes several hours to cool down after a good run, so I try to take a cold shower when I get home.  The only problem is that the water is NEVER cold coming out of the tap, even on the coldest setting.  Can you folks living in the mountains even imagine?  You know how men like to stand with their head in the fridge/freezer sometimes, just to check things out or smell the cold air?  Sometimes the fridge is the only point of refuge and I've found myself lingering there a little too long.  My fridge has never been so clean and tidy. 

Another observation: my brain is turning to mush.  I have read Go Dog Go! at least thirty times a day, and know Goodnight Moon in English and Spanish.  I can find the mouse on every page with the book turned upside-down, my eyes shut, and while talking on the phone.  I am an expert at picking out every airplane in the sky, every flag surrounding every trailer park, and every bunch of balloons advertising the move-in specials of the apartment complexes.  I can have a conversation with myself, out loud, and seriously believe that Savannah participated if she raised her eyebrows, or nodded, or even gave me a "no way."

I suffer from nasal sensory overload from changing the diapers of a child who eats all table food and I fear that I will never be able to slow down and enjoy a meal again, including tasting and thinking about the food I am inhaling.   ("What did you order at dinner?"  me: "I don't remember, but I think it was good.")   As the song says, "Mama said there'd be days like this, there'd be days like this my Mama said!"  Several years ago I took her advice and started myself a file containing papers I wrote in undergrad and grad school, as well as work projects and positive feedback from employers.  Her words were,"... to remind you that before you were a mother of young children, you used to be smart."  I am so grateful for my file, except that mine has been in storage for two critical months, and I am in desperate need of a reminder.  Anyone need a PowerPoint presentation or a thesis??  Okay, but only for some positive feedback or preferably a raise!!

Not unlike many of my days, this post is mostly fluff, so I'll wrap it up.    I'll let you know if we close on the house tomorrow, and if anything develops on the housing front here.