The Big Game...

 

 

Watching sports on TV isn't my thing.  I know stating that publicly puts my Man Card in jeopardy.  Don't get me wrong, we have enjoyed taking in baseball, football, and basketball games while we're here in the Valley of the Sun.  And, we will get together with Steph and Dan to watch the Superbowl today... Dan is an avid Packers fan, but, alas, they aren't in it.  I have no doubt he will enjoy watching the game today.  I enjoy the commercials, and we'll all partake in the food that Joan and Steph will be making.

But, I am over the hype.  Being here in the Phoenix area, it has been non-stop Superbowl hype on every local channel.  No, they don't all get to carry the game, but everyone of them have had reporters at the many "pre-game venues" in various cities around the Valley.  I don't need to see another reporter interviewing a Chiefs or Eagles fan to ask "Which city has the best food?"... or hear another cliche' about "looking like Christmas with all the red and green apparel,"... or listing outrageous prices for seats at the stadium or hotel rooms.  It has been going non-stop for the past week.

I won't miss the added traffic or every restaurant having a waiting list.  We have taken alternative routing to avoid the Loop 101 near the State Farm Stadium (where the big game will happen).

At lunch yesterday, while making the food plans for the game, the question of "Which team will you be cheering for?" came up.  No rabid fans either way at our table... but, with our mid-western routes, it seemed like the Kansas City Chiefs were the tepid choice for all of us... not much rivalry happening for us today.

There will be a bit of "a production" for us, though: Rufus is coming with us to Steph and Dan's house today, so he doesn't have to spend so much time alone.  Really, the boy likes our company.  Steph's cats will get their bedroom suite, Rufus will get the rest of the house.  I have no doubt he will share that space comfortably around their guide-dog-in-training Blaine, but it will be best to keep the felines separated.  With the RV park where we are staying being further away from their place than years past, it isn't a 5 minute jaunt to run back to feed and walk our furry boy.

So, we have huddled and we all know our parts for this play.  And tomorrow, when workers are dismantling all the huge tents and stages surrounding the stadium, and people are boarding business jets and commercial airlines (Monday is being anticipated as the busiest day ever at Phoenix SkyHarbor Airport), and all the hoopla is over, maybe this area will get back to normal... which is still plenty crowded and abundant traffic.

Who's ready for Professional Baseball Spring Training ("the Cactus League") to get underway??  Meh.

;-)

The BoDeans...

 

We had supper last night with Mark and Cindy, and their friends, Tom and Joan.  Yep, two Joans there.  BBQ and good company!

Mark had done some set-up work on the SG I have for sale; yes, the action is even lower and no buzz on the strings.  It plays good.  No, I am not having second thoughts.  It's a nice guitar, but I'm ready to move it on.  I posted Mark's G&L bass for sale on the Acoustic Guitar Forum (yes, some of those guys play electric guitars, including bass).

From Mark's we all headed to MIM for the BoDeans concert.  Mark had great seats for us - it's a really nice venue (as you'd expect at MIM).  I have to say I wasn't familiar with a lot of their music, but we had given a listed to some of their songs yesterday afternoon.  The concert was outstanding: good music, a lively crowd, nice acoustics, and theater-type seating, so every seat has a good view.  A few photos from our seats...

 

I may need a nap...

 

The wind howled again last night; I was up early.  Tonight, we are going to a concert with Mark and Cindy at MIM (the Musical Instrument Museum)... the BoDines.  80s and 90s rock, for those keeping score.  It's "the late show" at MIM - they are doing 2 shows each night that they are here.

From Wikipedia: BoDeans is an American rock band formed in Waukesha, Wisconsin. BoDeans came to prominence in the 1980s. The band's sound encompasses multiple rock genres, including roots rock, heartland rock, and alternative rock.

This will be the first "event" (live concert) we've been to since the start of Covid.

Blowin' In the Wind...

 

If you said, "Bob Dylan, 1962," you get 20 bonus points.  If you said, "Peter, Paul, and Mary, 1963," you get a partial credit of 5 points, because they did cover that song.  If you said, "Is it windy there today?" you get 5 bonus points for understating the obvious.  It is blowing like stink out there.  Current wind conditions here: 18 gusting to over 40 mph.  So, that's fun.

Joan requested a 1/1/1/1 breakfast this morning.  It wasn't that windy when I started...

 But, it is chilly in the desert in the morning.

I am using the new griddle table Joan ordered...

Midway through the cooking, the wind kicked up.  Four beer cans, one by one, blew into our site from a neighbor's site (somewhere upwind of us).  I had to be careful when flipping the pancakes that they didn't blow off the spatula.  It was a handful while trying to stand upright in those gusts.  I handed the plates in to Joan, then went to crush and pick up the beer cans.  In the meantime, a guy walking his dog let it crap  and started to walk away.  "Hey!  You have to pick that up!"  Fortunate for him, there is a "bag station" just across the street.  Smart pet owners carry a bag with them.  In some parks, you have to have a "visible means of picking up after your pet" on you.

After eating, I went back outside to clean up the griddle.  In the wind.  Hold on tight to those paper towels and handi-wipes.

It's a good day to not be going anywhere on the bikes.

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Back to School:

We got a text from Steph late this morning, asking if we wanted to see her classroom in her new position... "Absolutely!"  She isn't in a traditional classroom this year.  She might not like my description, but she is working with what I call "last chance" situations; students who have been long-term suspended... this could well be their last chance at getting an education.  I won't go into the behavioral or academic problems, but these students have this last opportunity to stay in school.  I would think it is a seriously challenging task for Steph, but she believes she can make a difference for the kids who are given this opportunity.

She has also been tasked with establishing and administering a similar program in each of the schools in their district.

With class time over for the day, we got to look around...

This is very different from the traditional classroom where Joan and I have volunteered in the past.  It is not in a school with a bunch of classroom - this is the only classroom in the administration complex.  The school believes in this program, as does Steph.

She took us over to the building where Dan's office is...

Dan's position is doing the social media for the district and being the "community liaison" for the school district.  His job today took him to Luke Airforce base and the opportunity to meet several NFL Hall of Famers (including Dan Merino and Warren Moon) who are in the area for this weekend's Superbowl... interesting job, huh?

It was interesting to see their work areas.  Changes for them over the years.

Sold!

 

Mark is a selling machine.  Second item sold, the Taylor 522ce 12-fret, the biggest ($$-wise) of the items.

That is a sweet guitar, and the person getting it will be playing a like-new instrument.  Both items he sold so far have to be shipped; we brought boxes for both guitars.  It is a relief to know that we won't have to cart them back home.

Making Music...

 

I went to Mark's today to play some music with him and 3 of his friends... which makes them my friends, too.  They do this a couple times a month, so it was a treat for me to be able to sit in with them.  Our musical tastes are similar, so it is easy enough to take turns picking a song and getting everyone familiar with it.  I was having fun, so I didn't get any photos.

I took my CTX to Mark's place, making for a brisk ride this morning - it was still in the 50s when I got there.  With that temp, I put on a pair of flannel lined jeans that I haven't worn in a couple years; the were a little big on me (guess I've lost weight since I last wore them).  The style of the jeans has a fuller leg... so I got to experience the legs flapping in the breeze on the way there and back.  This is the first time in a couple years that I didn't wear motorcycle pants with armor in the knees and hip... yes, I felt a bit "unprotected."  Not to mention that I was mixing it up with traffic on I-10, Loop 101, and Loop 303... where 70+ mph is where traffic is flowing.  It was a bit unnerving at first, since it has been a while since I've ridden that speed in busy traffic; but, I did settle into the flow.  The CTX does a great job... I was able to twist the throttle and pull away from the two tailgaters (not the party kind) along the way.  Lots of traffic here in the big city. 

One other bit of music gear info: one of the mixers sold on Reverb, and Mark and I were able to get it wrapped and ready to ship tomorrow morning.  One item down, 4 to go.  There was an offer on the Taylor 522, but it was a bit shy of what we were hoping for - the guy said, "I'll think about it."  He low-balled an offer, Mark declined that and gave him another price.  Mark enjoys this give and take - I am not a fan.  When I got home, a guy who had made an offer on the mixer that sold was willing to take it for the listed price... but, it was already sold.  Or, as Mark said, "You snooze, you lose."

It was chilly and I was staring right into the sun on the way home, heading west.  That aside, it was a good ride.

Morgan...

 

It's our young neighbor's name.  And by young: I'm guessing he is about 3 years old.  While we have not been formally introduced, we know his name because we constantly hear:

"Morgan, NO!"

"Morgan, put that down!"

"Morgan, stop screaming!  Morgan, shut UP!

"Morgan, stop throwing gravel!  I mean it!  Stop!"

We know when Morgan is awake, because we hear him stomping from one end of the travel trailer to the other.  Over and over.  Morgan seems to have plenty of energy.  And by that, I mean he makes the Energizer Bunny look like a slacker.

The RV sites are quite close together here.  The window at our dinette is about 4 feet from the side of their trailer... much closer where their slide out sticks over the top of our shared water connection.  Yesterday, when I raised the shade on our dinette window, I was treated to Morgan energetically licking the inside of their window.  Licking doesn't do justice to what he was doing... he was full-on French kissing that window.  I'm surprised I didn't hear: "Morgan, stop licking the window!"  I'm guessing the parents were still asleep.

Morgan has no shortage of toys to keep him busy.  There is a table with a toy car parking garage on it.  Two bicycles: one with pedals, the other is a Strider.  A kid size table and chairs.  And that's just what I can see from our window.

You're thinking: "Jim, you're just being a grumpy old guy."  No, I am grateful that we didn't raise a Morgan.  I can't even say, "Get off my lawn, ya damn kid!" because, first of all, it is all gravel here (no lawn) (so Morgan has plenty of throwing material), and the kid hasn't wandered onto our site.  Yet.

Don't get me wrong.  I like kids.  Well, some kids.  Well, I'm sure there are a few good ones out there.  No doubt grandparents will come out of the woodwork to tell me how great their grandkids are.  They, obviously, don't have a Morgan.  We don't have one, either, but we sure get the effects of the neighbors having one.  Even Rufus looks up and me, saying, "I don't get what people see in having a kid."  The furry boy has a point.

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Out and about this afternoon.  I wanted to check out a nice guitar shop in Tempe, Joan was interested in checking out some kitchen stuff (like pans).  We got both what we wanted.

At Acoustic Vibes, I looked at a McPherson Touring...

Yes, it is carbon fiber.  No, I am not hot to buy it.  But, if both other guitars I have for sale go away... no, it is close in size to my delightful Emerald X7... even smaller scale length... sounds good.

From there, it was on to...

If you said, "IKEA," you get 5 bonus points.  This was a good stop because it has been too cold in the mornings since we got here to ride my bicycle... you get in PLENTY of steps as you work your way through "the maze"... seriously, they should give you a piece of cheese when you make it through there.

It is rare that I am looking for anything from this place, but I find the doo-dads interesting.  And, I especially like the names of all their merchandise.  Like: Skanka... I mean, who doesn't want to bring home a Skanka??  I did find this...

I thought it might be a good tool to bring back to the motorhome and give to Morgan's parents; but, no, it was just a silverware holder.  Maybe they could still smack him with it?  Yes, I know that isn't the way people parent these days.  It seemed to keep me in line when I was a kid.

 

Unlike my visit at the guitar shop, Joan did not leave empty-handed.  What?  No... no Skanka.  From there it was onto Texas Roadhouse (right next door to IKEA).

Traffic was thick coming back from the east side of the Valley to our RV park on the west side.  It took a bit over an hour to go 34 miles.  When traffic wasn't at a stand-still, I was able to do 70mph... it doesn't balance out.

Rufus was ready to go for a walk, after he had supper.  I was already wore out from walking the equivalence of a marathon while going through IKEA.  But, the boy needs to get out there and see his adoring public.  ;-)