Phoenix is hot as Hell! At 5 pm
it is 102 and we baking in the sun and I see 58 and rain in Charlotte on my
phone! But despite the heat, we are still having fun. (Dave keeps asking me,”Are you having fun
yet?” YES! I’m having fun and despite
what he thinks, I’m doing this willingly!
LOL… and yes, I miss our friends and grandchildren!.... as does he!)
We were a little disappointed at
the RV site in Phoenix, so since the office was closed for lunch, we took the
truck and visited 2 others and figured out that NOTHING in Phoenix has trees
and the original site had the best amenities… in other words, after checking
out the competition, the first site looked better! After a quick set up, we headed out to
Scotsdale to some of our favorite art galleries, for we were afraid they might
be closed Sunday or Monday. The first
guy “remembered us” (after a sneak peak at his computer I’m sure) and really
tried to sell us some Miro’s that we had admired 8 years earlier (and were
still there with higher prices!), even placing them in a private room for us,
etc. And we were sorely tempted. But as we walked around some of the other
galleries to think about it, we fell in love with some fused glass art. As we talked to the gallery manager, she
encouraged us to have the local artist do exactly what we wanted as a
commission so that we could get the size and colors we wanted. The price on 3 of these (done as a triptych)
was what 1 of the Miro’s would have cost (and we were looking at 3 of them
too…. 3 seems to be a theme in my life lately!) and we both agreed that we
would smile at these every time we walked down the stairs. For those of you familiar with our house,
they will replace the masks in the dining room (Clay just called with the
measurements to make sure) and those will find a new home… probably in the
stairwell. Watch for an unveiling party
sometime in June or July. So Deb has
more glass, and Dave STILL doesn’t have his canvas art, but these are “glass
canvases”… compromise is the germ of a happy marriage.
We finished the day in a VERY upscale “fashion mall”…. It had a Louis
Voutin AND a Jimmy Choo store. But since this was the “Wife-Eye-for
the-Straight-Hubby” tour, Deb only window shopped! We bought Dave a linen (complete with
wrinkles!) jacket, and 2 “tie-less” shirts to go with it for Kate’s wedding!
Well the day wasn’t completely finished! All that shopping and spending had worked up
a thirst, so Papago’s Brewery truly completed the day. They had their “own” contracted beer on tap
with some others and a terrific selection, a la Common Market, of bottle
beer. It was so good we went back for
lunch after church on Sunday…. Really, it was that good! Of course picking up the credit card we left
behind “encouraged” our choice just a little!
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| Glass, copper and wood Baptismal FOUNTAIN |
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| Glass cross with quilted paraments |
THE HEAVEN PART…This will not surprise many of you, but after church at
All Saints Lutheran, David and I looked at each other and said, “What are we
doing? WE ARE LUTHERAN!!” If felt SO GOOD to be in an amazing sanctuary,
with just the right blend of Contemporary and Traditional music and
liturgy. By the last hymn, an Easter
version of Earth Wind and Stars, we were both actually tearing up… ok… Dave was
glistening and I was balling! The
setting from the Red Book, had a slightly Latin feel and they alternated
between piano with percussion and organ.
The art in the sanctuary was done by local church member and I’ve never
seen such a Baptismal font…. Right in the middle of the Sanctuary where it
should be!! Needless to say, we gushed
our thanks to the music director and pastor.
I thought his comment back to us interesting when we complimented on the
“spot on” mix of traditional and contemporary.
He said that they had been working hard on the “mix” for about 5 years…
and that it seemed only visitors noticed!
I guess it is true what they say about a prophet in his own country….
LOL David and I vowed to make another
round of visiting LUTHERAN churches when we return to Charlotte.
The rest of the day was spent trying to stay cool and taking care of
our bodies. We stopped in for haircuts
at a SuperCuts and Deb had a nagging heal/ankle looked at a Walgreens Wellness
Center. Diagnosis: an Achilles inflammation (probably not a tear
– yet). Ice and ibuprofen will have to
do for now and it will either get better or worse. Darn, just when I had mastered walking
without a limp!! I truly miss Dr. Diane.
Tomorrow we head for the mountains and hopefully cooler weather. We hope to meet up with the Kuklentz again on
Wednesday. We are doing a clockwise tour
of Arizona, and they are going counter-clockwise!!
Finally, everyone PLEASE check out David’s blog! He FINALLY posted his counterpoints to
mine!!! He had been working on it for
several days and last night as I was drifting off to sleep, he kept saying,
“But you used all “my” best pictures!”
Note #2: I posted twice today... Tucson, etc. is below!
Note #2: I posted twice today... Tucson, etc. is below!
the church looks AMAZING!
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