Arizona – Some like it hot

I am way overdue on this post…I have been struggling writing this post for weeks.  Not because we didn’t enjoy our time there, quite the contrary really, but more that there are a million ways I could have/should have gone with it.  IMG_1352Arizona has always been a special place for Amy and I.  It is not so much the place, but the people.  Let’s be honest, 9 months of the year it is hot as hell in Southern Arizona.  Driving in I was sure the soles of my shoes would melt to the pavement.

The drive south from Flagstaff is a slow descend into the Salt River Valley.   The landscape inevitably changes from pine forests, to high desert piñon forests, to the harsher lowland desert valley that dominates the area.  In addition to the change in scenery, you notice that every 1000 feet in elevation change is marked by not only a sign, but also a significant jump in the temperatures. At 7000 ft. the temp was about 82°F/28°C, 6000 ft. – 87°F/31°C, 5000 ft. – 90°F/32°C, 4000 ft. – 93°F/34°C, 3000 ft. – 97°F/36°C, 2000 ft. – 102°F/39°C…Phoenix is sometimes referred to as the Valley of the Sun and I began to wonder if people called it this because it is similar to standing on the surface of the sun.  At a little over 1000 ft, the temp hit 108°F/42°C (remember, this was early October).  

My Uncle Todd moved to Arizona many years ago to connect with the love of his life Sherry. In many ways I view Todd more as my brother than my uncle, but even that doesn’t properly describe our relationship.  Todd was my best man, he is one of my closest friends and he is family.  This closeness began long ago and was strengthened after I dropped out of high school.  I went to live with Todd in San Diego.  Todd was a bar manager at a downtown hotspot and got me a job as a busboy.  It was a transformative time in my life and it helped forge a bond with Todd that goes beyond uncle/nephew.

Once Todd moved to Tucson, I started visiting frequently.  One summer, after Amy and I started getting serious, I went to stay with them for a while.  My job was to paint their house (I probably didn’t do that great of a job) and then later Todd, Sherry and I would head to San Francisco together for the 4th of July.  It was a great trip and some of my favorite stories stretch back to that summer.  During that time Todd and Sherry got to know Amy (Amy here: I received a very funny phone call from Sherry while they were all together and immediately knew they would be people I would like) and they immediately approved.  Much like them, I am grateful for their support and excitement as we embark on this next year.

Arizona is also the location of the first major family event Amy attended with me.  There she met my Great Grandpa Brown, my Grandfather and it was also the first time she met Todd and Sherry in person.  We often travelled back to Tucson to visit and later Todd, Sherry, Amy and I took several trips together.  They were some of the most enjoyable travel experiences we had ever had.  Needless to say, Amy and I were very excited to head down to see not only them, but my wonderful cousin Colette and her growing family.  We arrived in Phoenix on Colette’s birthday and just barely missed seeing Todd and Sherry.  Thinking back, we didn’t do much on Colette’s birthday…I think the only gift we got her was watching Connor  so she could shower and nap (for all you non parents this ends up being all you really want when you have a baby). (Amy again: we gave her a bottle of wine from the Palisade Winefest)

Colette’s house was a godsend for us (except when the shower door exploded in my face).IMG_1192 Colette has learned well from her parents, she was a fantastic hostess and made us feel right at home.  We ate well, swam in her awesome pool, and played with the newest Martin/ Greenwalt: Connor.  This little guy was quite a treat and brought back many memories of time with our kids.  While we were there, he started the first stages of crawling, gave us a ton of great smiles and entertained the girls.

We did venture out of the house a few times, a visit to one of the many splash parks IMG_1345(great way to beat the heat), the art museum (good spot to teach the girls about Art History), spending some time at the local children’s museum, seeing the theatrical performance “Annie” (girls are still singing the songs weeks later) and visiting the Tucson Tamale Company (you have probably never had tamales like these, my favorite is the either the Tucson or the Green Corn).

Todd and I spent hours talking about opportunities and the possibilities that might be realized through this adventure Amy and I are making.  I love his eyes-open perspective; he is always looking for the positive side of a situation or adding humor to a moment that might be too serious otherwise.  Todd was also the barber who shaved my head and immediately after completing it he started talking about doing it too.  When Sherry asked him if he was serious, he said, “It’s either this or a tattoo!”  Two days later, I shaved his head for the first time in his adult life.  Now that is solidarity!test

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