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2003-02-03 - 4:29 p.m.

Greetings From Scottsdale

3 (almost) perfect days. The weather was lovely, sunny and warm. Of course the weather back in Kansas, realizing that we were going out of town, was sunny and warm as well. Mikey washed all the cars, so now it is supposed to snow. Mother Nature always gets the last laugh, doesn�t she?

Hawk was relaxed and indulgent, which is how I like him best. If only I was a little younger or Hawk was a little older, he would make a DAMN fine sugar daddy. We had tee times scheduled both Saturday and Sunday and he left his beeper at home, so he was a happy camper.

Columbia blowing up put a dark cloud over the entire weekend, but I like to think that the lost astronauts, above all else, were explorers and that they have moved on to the next great adventure. There are worse things than dying doing what you love, but that may just be what I telling myself so I could continue to enjoy fun in the sun.

The flight was mostly uneventful; the highlight was a loop over the Grand Canyon, which was awesome as ever. And guess what, airline security doesn�t mind 4 inch bamboo knitting needles, although I am sure they could gouge out an eye if I were homicidally inclined, which I am not.

I love Arizona, it's my second favorite state. (New Mexico is my favorite)

We had been to Scottsdale twice before, but the awesome beauty of the high desert always overwhelms these two sons of the great Midwestern prairie. �What�s that huge thing sticking out of the ground? A mountain, you say?�And Scottsdale, for all you non-golfers is sort of like golf Mecca. World class Golf.

Arriving at the resort around 2pm, and having eaten nothing but granola bars on the plane...Southwest isn�t serving peanuts anymore, you know...we were starving. The desk guy mentioned that �High Tee� was being served by the pool. High tea, now there�s an old-fashioned idea that needs to reborn. Although when Ray found out �high tea� meant little crustless sandwiches, assorted pastries and cookies and had nothing to do with golf, he ordered a bacon double cheese burger while he looked longingly at the 36 hole golf course and wished he�d booked a Friday afternoon tee time.

The pool looked tempting, especially all the little private heated whirlpools scattered around the grounds, so we decided to go swimming and veg in the sun for the rest of the afternoon. I veg anyway, Ray gets out the �What to do in Scottsdale� book and a note pad and starts to plan our itinerary. Have I mentioned that Ray is a type A personality and plans his down time? Have I mentioned how embarrassingly white I am, while Ray is naturally bronzed? We look like before and after pictures for tanning products.

Now, imagine my excitement when Ray reads that the Heard Museum of Native American Culture is hosting the 13th annual World Series of Native American Hoop Dancing this very weekend. Be still my heart! Ray is into Native dancing and registered tribal members he could get into the event for free. I had to pay $7. This is called affirmative action.

Ok, it was pretty amazing, some of the dancers were working with 28 hoops at a time and telling the whole creationist story symbology in their hoops. I'm glad we went. We even ran into a few dancers he knows. The museum was also featuring an exhibit entitled �Remembering Our Indian School Day�s: The Boarding School Experience which was an interactive piece and very powerful, but sad. Hawk�s a boarding school victim so the experience was like a Holocaust survivor visiting Auschwitz. He got really emotional.

White folks had some balls back then.

He perked up when I suggested we go someplace for a wood grilled huge steak dinner, with ancho chili mashed potatoes,red onion marmalade, spinach salad and a hazelnut chocolate cheesecake...and a view of the sunset. Delish

Let�s see, what else did we do? Played golf Saturday and Sunday Morning. I broke 90! Ray shot a 70 on a 72 par course and looked good doing it. I�m a terrible golfer because I have no depth perception, but I was happy to take a golf cart trip through some of the most spectacular landscaping I have ever seen. Saguaro cactus, WOW!

We went HERE and toured around, buying Michael some windchimes. Very Feng Shui. Then we walked around Old Town Scottsdale for a bit, but it�s a lot like Old Town Albuquerque. Mexican restaurants and souvenir shops filed with Southwestern-Made-in-China stuff. WE are both SO over howling coyotes and kokopelli . I did find a yarn shop, however :)

We spend Saturday afternoon, after golfing at the resort's spa, indulging in �The Gentleman�s Package�. Quit that smirking. I had the lemongrass-ginger bamboo body scrub, followed by a 1hr massage and then they oiled me down like I was going to swim the English Channel. After that, when I appeared poolside, I was still pale, but pearly. Ray had a hot stone massage. Our cute therapist offered a special �couples� session that I am pretty certain the Marriott doesn�t know is on the menu.

Sunday Brunch at the hotel made me realize why the Islamakazies call American decadent

Too soon it was time to go tap our red shoes together and go home. Thanks Hawk. What are we doing next weekend



Go Back
Previously in Justinland: Our Last Five Entries

Wagons Ho! - 4-23-2004

This Old Barn - 4-17-2004

Death and Taxes - 4-15-2004

MMQB:Leftover Peeps - 4-12-2004

The Alamo; The Movie not the Shrine - 4-10-2004


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