Another Day, Another Monsoon Storm...

 

Well, overnight.  Before going to bed, we checked the hourly forecasts: nothing of any significance.  Not the way it played out.  A dust storm overnight woke Joan up and she went out to take down the cover over the hot tub.  I didn't hear any of this until she came back into the bedroom.

Yesterday late afternoon, Joan hosed off the furniture and patio while I added some water to the hot tub.  Everything was covered with dust again this morning.  'Tis that time of year.  Fa-la-freakin'-la.

I did take Murphy outside this morning.  The dust doesn't seem to bother him.

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Hello, my friend...

Yes, I have friends here.  Many of them are music related.  Some are neighbors or HOA related.  But this friend is one who hasn't received much attention lately...

 

Yes, I am talking about the RoadTrek.  It has been weeks since we've even visited it.  With the monsoon storms we've had lately, I felt the need to go check on my friend.  As you can see from that windshield cover, that's the direction the wind has generally been coming from.  The covered storage keeps it out of the sun here, but there is no stopping the blowing dirt with these storms.

The RoadTrek could use a bath, but it has been hot and humid.  And, with no plan to go anywhere anytime soon, it doesn't make sense to clean it up, just so it can get dirty again.  The interior is nice and clean; batteries are in storage mode and are strong.  The tires have the right amount of air in them.  It is ready to go when we can come up with a place within a day's drive that isn't on fire, smokey, getting localized flooding, or is just too dang hot.  Seems the higher elevation places in the state have been getting rain.  Fun places like Laughlin or Palm Springs are even hotter than here.  

Still Crap Air Quality...

 

I took Murphy out this morning - we didn't stay out too long.  The visibility is better, but you can feel the grit in the air.  A Category 5 dust storm moved through the area early yesterday morning.

That said, cabin fever is setting in for the humans in our house - Joan asked if we could do lunch out.  I suggested it yesterday, but... nope.  I think we are both in for today.

In a response to a comment from Earl on yesterday's post, I mentioned that we have put off any short trips (3 to 5 days) because of smoke from wildfires, hot temperatures, and even localized flooding in a couple places we considered.

On the way to Mark's on Monday, I recorded some rambling with the Oakley Meta Vanguard Glasses.  Finally got around to uploading it today.  This is "unlisted," so this blog post is the only place you'll see this clip...

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NHD...

New Hat Day.  It pays to advertise - I have been seeing ads on Facebook for "vintage" hats/caps.  I've had a version of these from Taylor (Guitars).  I called it a "driving cap" rather than vintage.  Some call it a "flat cap."  This one is denim - casual, but goes with most apparel that I wear.  I like it...

 More stylish than a ball cap... for guys of a certain age.  :-)

 

 

The Heat Is On...

 

If you said, "Glenn Frey, 1984, from the album The Allnighter," you get 15 bonus points.

Yes, I am talking about the weather in the desert again.  I think this is day 16 of "Extreme Heat Warning"... I may have lost track.  Interestingly enough, the high today is supposed to be only (??) 109º.  I guess the warning is because the humidity is relatively high, as expected during monsoon season.

To add to the fun, the wind came up last night and the air is full of dirt.  Murphy likes to go out after his breakfast - I put on a mask to take him outside.  The mask to help filter the dirty air.  I had forgotten how unpleasant it is to wear a mask.

How bad is the air?  Thanks for asking; South Mountain is visible (but diffused), the Estrella Mountains to the west are not.  The Air Quality Index in Phoenix is 104.  I have no idea how that scale works, but 104 is in the Hazardous range.

So, that is fun.  Not.

 

Still Rock n' Roll To Me...

 

If you said, "Billy Joel, 1980, from the album Glass Houses," you get 15 bonus points.

Music at Mark's house on Monday.  With everyone having different travel/vacation schedules, we have permutations of the 7 of us, depending on who is available.  For this session, it was Mark, Danny, Carl, and me.  Carl brought lunch (Jersey Mike's), Cindy provided cookies.  We had a great time making music.  First opportunity I've had for using the new amp with the guys, and it sounds great.

Before we were done, I asked Cindy if she would take some photos of us playing - nothing particular, just some photos for each of us.  She did a fine job - here's the results...

 And some individual shots while we were playing...

 

A good time!  Cindy and Carl's wife Pat were a good audience for us.

 

A Bar Fight...

 

Are you starting trouble again, Jim?

No.  And, hey, it isn't always me starting things.  Last night, I had nothing to do with it.  As near as I can tell, Murphy and Stella got into a drunken brawl.  On our bed.  It extended to Joan's nightstand, where something went crashing to the floor.  I didn't know that Joan had a collection of empty beer cans (since neither of us drink beer), but that is what it sounded like.  Probably some kind of jewelry.  Whatever, it made a lot of noise.

The cats like to sleep by Joan.  Body heat?  Murphy goes for the legs, Stella is more about the torso.  It frequently "traps" Joan under the covers.  So, that is fun.

Then, about 4:48, the "Hugala, hugala" sound that precedes a cat spewing puke.  On our bed.  It was Murphy.  I swear he shoves his paw down his throat, just to make that gagging sound.  It is very effective in getting the humans up from a sound sleep.

When I got up for real, I discovered that Stella had overturned the rack that hold 3 food and water dishes.  That, too, is fun.  There were cat toys scattered about. 

I would say I am going to need a nap today, but I have music with Mark and the guys.  Yes, I am taking my new amp.  We'll have lunch and make some music.  Pretty sure there won't be time or space for a nap.

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Today will be 15 days in a row of "Extreme Heat Warning," with an expected high of 113º.   It was 94º at 6:15.  So, that's fun, too.

Mall Rats...

 

A vermin infestation?  Well, of sorts.

Friday evening, Steph came over to our house and asked if we wanted to have lunch out with them on Saturday.  "Sure!"  A discussion of when and where ensued and a decision was made: Cheesecake Factory at Chandler Fashion Mall.  On a Saturday.  We were going to meet there.

Joan saw that there was a WayFair Outlet not far from that mall and wanted to check it out.

Saturday, and we headed out at noon for a 2:00 meet-up at Cheesecake Factory.  The stop at the WayFair Outlet was underwhelming.  Joan didn't have anything particular in mind for going there, which was a good thing.  With over an hour to kill, I suggested we just to go the mall and get some walking in... in air conditioned comfort.

Apparently, a LOT of people had that same idea... we had to drive around to find a parking spot.  "Oh, crap - there are 3 cars in front of us as we go down this lane.  But fortunately, someone was pulling out just as we were coming up on it.  Only a block or two to walk in the 115º heat to get to the air conditioned mall.

Joan asked me, "Do you want to go to Scheel's?"

Not needing a thing, I said, "Sure!" 

This is a BIG Scheel's store.  How big?  Thanks for asking; big enough that they have a ferris wheel right in the store...

 And there was a line waiting to ride.  That image above is in the store, not in the main part of the mall.

I haven't walked around a mall in a long time.  I had heard that malls were dying - you wouldn't know that by the crowds of people.  There is a new SeaFood City in this mall, and there was a line waiting to get in the store.  This is a big mall, two levels.

 A rare break in the crowd in that image above; intentional, because I took it with my Oakley Meta Glasses.  We walked enough that I was ready to sit down for a bit; Joan found a sitting area that had a couple open chairs.  I texted Steph to let her know we were in the mall - we met them at the restaurant.  She had a reservation - you needed it if you didn't want to stand and wait.

The Cheesecake Factory has a pretty extensive menu... but I was there for the cheesecake.  Joan picked a cinnamon roll cheesecake that we shared.  Tasty!  Steph and Dan had a piece and took another one home... sharing that piece with Joan took care of my sugar intake for the week.  And so worth it.

Leaving, we joined the line of cars working to get out of the parking lot.  This mall seems to be alive and well.

 

No, I Didn't...

 

... forget to make a blog post yesterday and today. 

I took it easy for a couple days, recuperating from the root canal.  Today was much better.  Only 2 Extra Strength Tylenol as of 4:00 pm.

Not wanting to do much of anything outside; today's high was 115º.  Same thing for tomorrow.  We did make an excursion out for lunch, to the nearby In & Out Burger.  With me taking little bites and chewing on the "other side" of my mouth.

 Yes, that mediocre image was taken with my Oakley Meta glasses.  Joan was leaning in because I was whispering.

When we got home, I did take on one Honey-Do project: installing a keypad lock between Steph and Dan's house and ours.  There was a "double-key" deadbolt; Joan wanted a keypad so it can be locked or unlocked from either side without needing a key... making it like the rest of our exterior and garage doors.

 While I had the door open between our homes, there was a parade of cats going back and forth.  They have 3, we have 2... it felt like there were about 15 of 'em with all the coming and going.  Yes, everybody got a treat.