The round robin tennis with he; my daughter; hubby and I at sunset; had to quit for darkness. He beat me near every game in singles. Same in ping pong the last night before he went home while others hot tubbing, sauna or packing.
He and I golf while his mom made butter tart pies. He hits a great three wood. His errant drives took out two RV’s and at least four tindominiums. No windows though.
He did not get to see the library as he was sleeping in but he did get to see the ballroom transformed into a country store where he bought the peppy sauce he put on sausage and eggs.
He tried out all five or six sauces at Famous Dave’s Barbeque Ribs at the San Tan Mall. He seemed to enjoy our pool day; a do-nothing afternoon celebrating his mom’s birthday. He made the dessert for her birthday; serving it with a flourish following the barbeque on the patio area where we could pull down shades and have the heater going after dark.
He was right into it all. He helped with dishes, putting out and bringing in our recycle box; getting water, going to the post office; delivering money amid learning to drive the golf cart, That was an experience in itself with the big furniture truck bearing down and turning beside him; waving him to proceed when he had a stop sign.
He said he enjoyed the lunch on the golf clubhouse patio before leaving for Saquaro Lake where he became photographer of the day. Pictures of the Phoenix sign; the hills; mountains and then in Fountain Hills being photographed with the fountain as backdrop or checking out Lincoln’s hat.
The Mesa Art Festival was lame according to him, whereas the Fountain Hill drink on the patio listening to the talented family held more attention than my band. The day of our band get together he may have been happy we had a tennis date even if it was hard dragging him away when he had just finished singing Ring of Fire. At our Fountain Hill sit around outside; he said will remember Iced Tea in the States is not for him.
Eight booths of security doors at the Mesa Marketplace is boring I’m sure but not as bad as listening to the announcer’s voice letting you know what is there. Noisy was how it was for me and yet he was saying, “Gramma , your Quiet Voice please” but I will mention his forgetting the part, “I would like”.
It is so good to connect again and find out what interests him now. Mexican food went over well with his mom’s lime marquerita going over so extremely well; he forgot to try out the strawberry one. He did enjoy vanilla coke and I was surprised there are two left and he’s gone.
He still knows the games we used to play. Now could whip his mother in double solitaire. I’m a little concerned about the amount of money he spends on his phone; even if it is a game; talk of a million an hour but said he has over a million credit in his mafia game.
We ate at the Organ Stop Pizza in celebration of his fourteenth birthday and ended with the light show at the Morman temple.
His backing up the golf cart had his Mom and I freaked when he tried for the final perfect park. He actually did a better job than my ramming of the chairs while he was here. I never had a problem prior to that.
His trying an orange picked right off the neighbor’s orange tree and going into the liquor store are probably firsts. He did get to see the Christmas train and I’m not sure which street of Christmas lights would be his final choice as best.
He and his mom now have an idea of how we live with the blue skies, palm trees and every day warm and mostly sunny; in the high seventies while they were here which is about twenty six celsius.
Hope his ride home and through customs was easier than the mess up of three flights to get here; an Air Canada, United and US Airways; not one with TV but did get to experience Denver Airport Terminal; birds and all.
He left the sunshine state of Arizona on December 9, 2012 and knew as he was leaving he was headed to thirty below in Saskatoon which was actually minus forty with the windchill. I’m not sure he is looking forward to getting back to reading Romeo and Juliette.
He will no doubt think of me as I think of him with much love from Gramma. December 2012
ellensagh 