October 2010

After we got back to Mesa on the 2nd, we spent several days unpacking and cleaning up the house a bit.  Then Molly and I had a few days to recuperate. But two days later, we had tickets to the road show of America’s Got Talent here in Phoenix. We had front row seats in the first balcony, which were just great. There were several of the finalists, however, that were absent because, they said, it was a weekday and they needed to stay home and be in school. They included Anna and Patryk the ballroom dancers, and Jackie Evancho the opera singer. Jeremy VanSchoonhoven, the stunt bike rider, had just broken his arm in practice and was unable to perform also. But the other performers were just wonderful. The winner, of course, was the singer Michael Grimm, who put on a great show. The only thing that wasn’t great, was the MC, Jerry Springer. His jokes were old and lame. The audience didn’t even laugh at most of them. They need another MC for next year’s tour.



Mark Mulligan and fans

The next week we went to a back yard concert by Mark Mulligan. He is a singer Molly and I followed in San Carlos, Mexico. As we arrived he greeted us with Hi Brent & Molly. That guy has one fantastic memory. It has been several years since we’ve seen him in San Carlos. He has a nice easy Caribbean Soul type delivery (Jimmy Buffett style) about life in Mexico and on the beach. Every now and then he comes back to the States and Phoenix to do some private shows. The evening was clear and warm. We brought our lawn chairs, some food and drink and wished we were back on the beach in Mexico.

Jacket at Cave Creek Art Festival

After that is was get Molly ready her two week trip to Italy. She had to buy a few new things.  At an arts and craft festival in Cave Creek, she picked up a nice jacket since it was going to ge a little chilly there.  And I got her a very small camcorder about the size of a cell phone. She studied the manual and made several practice videos so she could take some panoramic shots of the countryside in Tuscany. So on the 19th she flew to Portland, spend the night with daughter Jeanette, then to Salem the next night with sister JoAnn. On Thursday they both boarded a bus to Seattle with a group from their quilting shop for their flight to Paris and then on to Florence and Montecatini Terme in Tuscany. Of course, I had to stay home with a long “To Do” list. But we did communicate via email and Skype video.


Superstition Mountains



After getting most of my list completed, however, I decided it was time for a little break and went for a few short hikes in the area.  The first was up into the base of the Superstition Mountains out of the Lost Dutchman State Park in Apache Junction for about 2.7 miles.  It was a hot day (90 degrees) and a little bit of a climb, but quite a view. 



White Tank Mountain



The other hike was into the White Tank Mountain Reginal Park west of Phoenix.  Again, it was a short hike, but in a nice area.  I just hiked up to a periodic waterfall when it rains.  There was only a pool of water at the time.  And then I toured the park and the camping area