the first 24 hours of Arizona
01.03.08 So I decided to take my laptop with me on my trip through the States. I managed to take a video of our take off as we left Toronto. I said goodbye to the snow and cold as my mom and I bounced around in excitement. My step-grandma, Pat, rented a house in Arizona for two months this winter. Norm, my step-dad, has been flying back and forth so that he has been spending half of his time at home and half of his time in Arizona. My mother and I casually asked if we could come to 'visit' Pat in Arizona, to which he of course said yes. Steven and Karen, due to bed limitations, came a week before my mother and I. So the two of them were there to greet us at the airport in Arizona. My mother and I got off the plane and directly in front of the gate was a tourist shop. My mom went right in, drawn like a homing pigeon. In a matter of minutes she had bought an Arizona themed Christmas ornament to add to her collection. We picked up our luggage and turned around to see Steven and Karen directly outside the open doors to the hot summer sunshine.
We went "downtown" for lunch for the sights and because it was only 10 minutes from the airport. Weird thing: the downtown 'core' is for business only. No one lives there. There are no apartments, no condos, no clubs, no bars, no grocery stores, no building stores. We wandered around for a bit as we slowly made our way to the restaurant. Weird thing: although it was Friday at noon, there was no one around. It was barren. There were a few randoms walking about, but no one was in a rush. They were all, seemingly out for a stroll. We walked past one man doing Tai-Chi on the sidewalk. Weird....
We then came back to Pat's house and finally got to see her. She's got a nice little place here. Probably a bit smaller than the size of my upstairs floor at my house in Toronto. Two bedrooms, and a "den," which Norm converted to a bedroom for me. Downside is there is no door on the room, and it banks into the living room. Weird thing: The house has no basement. No house has a basement. Oh and on our way to Pat's house, we drove past a place that sold homes. But they were trailer-like houses, except more permanent and more house-like. But like a car dealership, this was a home dealership - the homes were even on display like a car would be. So weird.
After a tour of Pat's house, we all went over to the local Recreation Center (Rec Center). The Rec Center has 3 pools and 2 Jacuzzis. It has a gym and a track. However, I should point out that this is basically a senior’s community. To buy a house here, you have to be over 55 years old. There are property up-keep taxes and community taxes. These taxes go to keep the place in perfect working order. We go to the Rec Center and everything just about costs a dollar. You want to go to the Pottery building and take pottery classes? Well, that'll be $1. You want to go to the stained glass building and learn how to make stained glass? That'll be $1. I'm not sure how much the golf course costs, but I suspect it's pretty cheep. Steven, Karen and I are hands down, the youngest people here. Yesterday we all (mom, Karen, Steven, Pat and I) went to the Rec Center to go for a 'float'. Really, it's not a swim, it's a 'float.' The deepest part of that particular pool is 3'6" and there are benches surrounding the inner wall of the pool. So you don't even have to squat in 3'6", you can jus sit on the side benches. The three of us however would go around using our hands to propel ourselves on the bottom of the pool, and then beach ourselves on the walk in entrance or 'beach' as some people call it.
So now I sit outside on our back patio. I've twisted my chair around so it's on the red gravel, so that I'm sitting in the shade. It's remarkable though, when in the sun you become so very hot. But then in the shade, you cool right down. I guess that's what you get when there's no humidity. This morning my mother, the notorious sweeter, went for a run around the block. She got back with not a drop of sweat on her. The dry air just changes everything. Pat was just telling us how they don't have squirrels here. Instead they have rabbits. or as I say, bunnies. Much cuter than our squirrels. Pat sits out side in the mornings and reads her book. The last few days, Karen has sat with her. The two of them have fed the little bunnies crackers. It's so cute. And the bunnies hop and hop from the hot gravel until they get to a shady spot of a shrub.
My mother just called my Nonno and Nonna in Toronto, just to see how they're doing. They told my mom that the other day my Nonna was over at my aunt's house. She's had cancer for the last year, and it's progressively gotten worse. Last week the hospital refused to let her have her Chimo treatment. They said she was too weak. On top of that, the cancer that started in her intestines has now spread to her liver, stomach and lungs. So yesterday the nurse that comes to my aunt's house to check in on her, told my Nonna to "prepare for the worst."
It's easy to get swept up in the sunshine and warmth of this place, but we have to remember our family back home too. The bunny came back. Or perhaps it is a new bunny. They’re all the same. They all are grey-brown with cotton white tails. They chase each other about content with life as much as the people who live here. For a moment the bunny has my attention and I'm lost with it.
I hear my mom inside announcing how we can't swear any more. There are to be no 4 letter swear words that start with "S".... she of course is referring to the word "Snow". Well, Steven, Karen, my mom and I are going to head over to the Rec Center now for a 'float' and perhaps a game of 'shark'.
Steven and Karen are leaving tonight, while at the same time Norm is due to arrive at the house here an hour ago. We got to do a switch because of the sleeping arrangements here. So I'm off to the pool for a float. Oh, Norm just walked in the door. Perhaps we'll let him have lunch and then we'll all go for a 'float'. :) Oh, and this pool that we're going to has a list of rules. Most importantly, "Avoid accidents, change your diaper often."
My brother has been ranting about the price of cars here. I don't know much about them, but he said that a Lincon truck (which I know is expensive, though I don't know by how much) if sold with one year of use, would go for around $4,000. He's been hunting for car parts, etc. But by the time he sees the ad and drives to the person's house, the part is sold. Apparently things go here in under 15 minutes. He's been checking Craig's List here, and the car parts are sold so very very fast. But he is in car heaven here. I have yet to find a downside to this place.
Quotes:
"Does anyone have the time?"
Pat - "Er, um... no."
"What do you mean?"
Pat - "Well, I was going to say something, but I won't because I'm a lady."
"Ha, ha, ha."
Pat - "What you don't think I'm a lady?"
"No."
Pat - "Oh, ok then. I was going to say the time is between half past kiss my ass, and a quarter to my testicel."
"HAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!"
(PS - Pat is 85 years old.)
Steven - "Hey, Norm's here! I'm going to have an Oreo to celebrate this momentous occasion."
List of weird things we've come across:
1) Alcohol is sold in convenient stores and grocery stores. I saw a sign at the local grocery store saying, "Bye 1 get 2 free!" next to a bottle of red wine.... which was only $4.00
2) The alcohol (my brother and I were just looking at a beer can) has no indication of alcohol percent. I can tell you though, after drinking a Bud Light, I can't remember if it was water or beer I just drank. - they taste the same.
3) None of the cars here have rust on them.
4) There is no grass anywhere. It's all 3/4" reddish gravel.
5) Everyone drives a) a luxury car, b) some kind of super sup-ed up truck with hot rims on the wheels, designs across the sides and raised at least a foot. C) golf carts, which they call "golf CARS" and are street worthy.
6) There is no Green Bin here. It feels wrong just throwing out the food stuff with the garbage. But I can see that. I understand it. However, what's even more weird is that they have no Grey Bin. And on top of that, there's no Blue Bin. There's no recycling of any sort. Bizarre. Bizarre, bizarre.
7) Went to the grocery store and us girls needed some 'feminine hygiene products' - pads. We checked the whole pharmacy section and found none. However, we did find two whole isles of Depends - adult diapers. The WHOLE STORE we checked! NONE!!! But boy-oh-boy were there lots of adult diapers. :S Senior's community.
8) The garbage is kept next to the driveway, but in a buried can under the gravel. It is kept very discreet, and the guys come to pick it up every few days.