Bathroom Philosophy

Finding a clean bathroom on a road trip is essential. I have spent the majority of the last 6 plus years on the road as a Farm Bureau Field Services Manager that I don't really like to do road trips anymore because I do them everyday. I joke about knowing where all the clean bathrooms are and the spots police like to wait for speeders (but that is a different post) and have a philosophy about both.




First my philosophy on bathrooms- specifically bathroom doors.



First, if there was a hook on the bathroom door and it's broken or missing, you have a 75 percent or greater chance the lock on the door doesn't work. I haven't actually done a scientific study but usually more often than not the lock doesn't work or it's been replaced by something that you have jimmy and put your shoulder into it to secure the door and hope you can open it back up.



I tried to find a bathroom door to show you what I mean about the messed up lock but the one time I was in a stall that was messed up I didn't have my phone. And I didn't want to seem crazy running out to get it and coming back to wait for a specific stall. I am dedicated but not crazy!




I did come across a very unique solution to a door lock problem. I am just not sure they fixed it correctly and wouldn't it have been the same about to buy a new knob as it was the chain?




Second, just because the appearance of the establishment is clean and neat doesn't mean the bathrooms are and the same can be said for the opposite in a rare occasion


Third, there is just sometimes that bathroom humor isn't really the typical bathroom humor. For example, in a Mexican Restaurant (Club 21) in Tucson, if you go to the women's bathroom, you may need to bring a foot stool with you if you are.... say under 5'5". Their paper towel dispenser is hung very high on the wall. I have to stretch my arm out completely to reach the handle and I am 5'8". Is it wrong that I want to bring my friend Ana with me to a meeting so I can see her try and dry her hands. I think she is maybe 5'2".


(I took the picture with my phone directly in front of my face.)



I also find it funny that one station in Yuma County was creative to fix the gap between the door and the rest of the partition in the bathroom stalls by using a decorative tape. It makes me laugh every time I stop in there.






Finally, here is the list of clean bathrooms I have found along my travels. I don't try to use or stop at rest stops. They are a little scary and most of them in the state are closed.


When I travel to Apache/Navajo Counties through Payson: I like the Giant on the right hand side as you are leaving Payson just past the Safeway a little ways. If I am headed back into Payson (coming from Navajo/Apache) and can't wait to make it to the Giant, the Circle K in Star Valley works in a pinch.


Once I get to Heber/Overgaard I use the Chevron/Dairy Queen if I need to and finally in Snowflake I like the gas station that is across from the Pizza Hut. I can't really remember what it is.


If I am heading from the Salt River Canyon area I like the gas station just as you are coming into Show Low.





Graham/Greenlee counties: I stop in Globe at the Chevron where the 60 splits off to go to Show Low. They have recently remodeled bathrooms that are nice.



If I must stop on the reservation and I don't like to but I hit the Apache Burger. Once I am into the Gila Valley, I either go to the Quick Stop or Super Stop (can't remember the name), it's on the right just after you pass through Pima but before you get to the stretch that is where the Mormon Temple is. If I have time and can pass that one up I will stop at Walmart but I don't use the front bathrooms, I go to the back.



For Duncan, we meet at the library so that's the bathroom I use. Very clean and just imagine all the reading material available (not that I have ever done that)!


Pinal/Pima/Cochise


Pinal is easy. It's either the bathroom at the Farm Bureau office or if that's not available to you, then the Quick Trip on Pinal Avenue or Target (Florence Blvd and I-10) is a good bet.


Pima- I have three places I will stop (and I always stop because they also have the cheapest gas in the state).



The first two are Quick Trips- one at Cortaro Road on the East side of I-10 or the West side of 10 on Grant Road (. The third is a Circle K (newer store) at Palo Verde on the North side of 10.



Cochise- If I need to I will stop in Benson. They have a new truck stop so the bathrooms are clean there. Just take the exit to Fort Huachuca/Sierra Vista. If I am in town and not at the Farm Bureau meeting then I will also use the ones at the truck stop which is the north side of 10 at Rex Allen. They are clean and nice.



Yuma



When I go to Yuma I take 10 to Maricopa then use "Dead Cow Road" to Gila Bend. I don't know the road number, it's just what those of us who drove it back in the day refer to it as because it use to have dead cows (hit by trains, trucks, cars, etc) littered along since the reservation was open range. They now have it fenced so I haven't seen a dead cow along the road in a couple of years. ( I digress).



In Maricopa, if I drank too much water before leaving or it's on my way back, I will go through town to the Quick Trip (are you seeing a pattern). It's a new one so the bathrooms are really clean. If I can't make it that far then I hit the Basha's at the intersection. There is a Circle K there but the bathroom leaves a lot to be desired.



Once to Gila Bend, I use the Pilot, not really great but clean and it's the best of all the options. If I need to go before I get to Yuma, I stop in Dateland. Great Bathrooms!!! They tore down the old center and built a new one. Full length doors and the new dryers that take your skin off but dry your hands in 15 seconds (not that I am in love with public bathrooms, but it might be my favorite). In Yuma, I pretty much just go to Booth Machinery (off Araby Road). We hold our meetings there but I am sure Harold and Dennis wouldn't mind you stopping in and saying hello as you use their facility. They also have a free soda machine although it's now Pepsi instead of Coke. Another spot in Yuma is the Pilot on 3E. It's new.



On my way back from Yuma if I can't make it to Dateland, I hit the Cheveron at Coyote Wash. There, ladies will get to see the butterfly tape as they use the facilities.



I hope this public service announcement was helpful.

Small Towns

I grew up in a small town and now I live in Phoenix. I have enjoyed the availability of things such as the grocery store, take out, doctor visits without the 45 minute drive. If run out of something I run down to the store to pick it up. I have found an affection for Target and the movies. I only have to buy enough groceries for a couple days instead of a week or a month. I don't have to plan to buy gas if I am at a quarter of a tank before heading home so that I make sure that I have enough to get back to town. If I was still in my small town, the movies (up until recently) and Target was an hour and half away.

That all being said... I realized yesterday on my way to Yuma for the Farm Bureau meeting how much I miss my small town. Where I grew up in Oregon, our town consisted of a store, gas station, post office, bar/cafe and a house.



Maybe I should clarify... the entire town is in one building. Maybe town is the wrong word... medium wide spot along the road. But it was where I grew up and I have a lot of great memories there. It's a place that the hours of the bar are the same as the store.

It's where you can spend a couple hours drinking coffee or soda and see your neighbors and catch up with what is going on. It's where if you are walking or jogging down the road, people stop to see if you need a ride because you might be broken down. It's where you leave your doors unlocked and keys in the ignition of your vehicles because no one is going to take them. It's where you run a tab at the store because up until a few years ago it was strictly a cash or check business. It's where the only time you don't recognize vehicles or have more than 5 pass you on the way to town is during hunting and fishing season. It's where going to the parade in town (the town 45 minutes away) is a big deal because you and your dad walk the entire length of it and back to see all the neighbors that live within a 50 mile radius. It's where everyone knows your name, your parents and grandparents names and your dog's too.

I thought of all of this because I was driving through Wellton/Roll area after leaving a school and a farmer waved at me. He didn't know me but he probably was a Farm Bureau member and I was in the Farm Bureau truck but the most logical reason he waved is because that is what you do when you live in a small town or come from a medium wide spot in the road.

When I moved to college I loved the fact that for the first time, most people didn't know me. I wasn't hindered by who I was in kindergarten or grade school. When I moved to Phoenix I loved it for the same reasons. But yesterday I realized I don't like having my neighbors not know me or the fact that people don't wave driving down the road or that instead of going to a neighbor's house to borrow sugar I go to the store instead. I miss the long and deep friendships you have with your neighbors when you live in a wide spot in the road that you miss living in a large city.

I miss living in a place without smog, rush hour traffic and where you can't order a pizza for delivery.

Accountability- My Running Last Night

Last night I went for a run. When I say run- what I really mean is a run a little bit and walk a little bit for the loop through my neighborhood. It was my first time since January 15th. I was nervous but my friend Danyelle joined me. We make a good team. We are both learning to run so there isn't really the intimidation of running woth a runner.

I realized when we were almost done that even though I was slower than the last time I was out there I did more. Not in running distance but in speed. Danyelle may be five inches shorter but she runs faster. She pushed me and I appreciated it. I am looking forward to it again. We were able to talk and I didn't even listen to my music.

I felt a little sore this morning but I enjoyed the soreness because it meant I was working out and that I could breathe.

Facing My Fear- Running (in public)

Just over a year ago, two of my friends- Stacey and Bethany- and I got together for our almost monthly get together to catch up on each others lives. Stacey had just ran in a marathon in Iowa to qualify for the Boston Marathon. She mentioned that it was on her bucket list. So we decided to each make up a bucket list and meet the next month and share our lists. It was exciting making my list. Being an organized person, my list was broken down into places I wanted to visit and things I wanted to do. I put on there things like going to Russia, Germany, Scotland, Prague, all 50 states and the list goes on for places. As for experiences I put down things like going to a Broadway show in NYC, attending an Olympic game (that was on all three of our lists) and seeing the musical Wicked (I did that last weekend).

The conversation progressed to about getting out of our comfort zones and experiencing things maybe not on our list but on each others. So I ended up with doing a half marathon on my list (read not on your life would I do that). I am not a runner, I am not built like a runner and my philosophy on running has always been "why run when you can drive." But I took on the challenge.

It has been a challenge. I found out I have asthma when I run so I worked on that. I still can't run a mile and it's been over a year. I used to have almost a panic attack when I would think about running. It wasn't about actually running but more of what are people going to think. I would picture myself running like Pheobe did in Friends- arms flaling about. I eventually got over that fear and then self doubt would creep into my head... "I can't finish 13.1 miles in 4 hours; I can't do this; I am not a runner" and so on.

The deal is I did a half marathon in January and I finished in 3 hours and 29 minutes and 10 seconds. That's about 29 minutes and 10 seconds longer than I had set a my goal at but the thing is that I finished. I set out to accomplish something but I didn't cross it off my list just yet. Instead I signed up for another one in November. I want to be able to come in under 3 hours and eventually be able to run the entire thing. That means more half marathons and more running. Something I never ever imagined I would do.

I say all this because for the last 7-8 weeks since the race, I have had an asthma issue followed by a head cold/sinus infection. So today I am planning on going out and running again but I find myself totally slipping back into the panic mode. I still think I run like Pheobe but now I doubt that I can do the 3.2 mile loop around my neighborhood in 45 minutes that I did right before the race.

I know it's self doubt and maybe a little bit of Satan picking at me but I am going to face my fear tonight and as a way to hold myself accountable I will post here tomorrow (and on Facebook) what my time was.

I am not observing Lent

I grew up in a Baptist church and I currently am going to a Baptist church but until I moved to Arizona I don't think I had ever heard of Lent. I didn't know what Ash Wednesday was until I went to college. Then I would see a few of the girls at the sorority house come in on a wednesday and have ash all over their forhead. When I moved to Arizona, I heard friends talking about giving up stuff- chocolate, soda, dessert, etc for Lent. So I thought it was just a Catholic holiday until I learned that Methodists and some Lutherans were observing Lent.


A few years ago, I had a conversation with my cousin about Lent and the real meaning behind it. Lent isn't to just give up something but to add something to your life and to focus on God during that time and hopefully it would become a permant part of your life. Not just something you did prior to Easter. A few of my friends this year are giving up sweets, soda or focusing on verses during Lent.


I am still a Baptist and we don't as a church practice Lent but I have been thinking about it for the past few weeks and although I am not doing it for Lent, I am trying to release the hold chocolate- specifically candy- has on me. I am a self- admitted sweets eater. I love my candy and especially chocolate. I eat if I get bad news, I eat it if I get good news or I am bored or I am driving and just want it. It has gotten to the point that I would pick bathroom stops along my travels based on what candy bar options I had.


Before Lent, I was reading a friends blog about how she was going to give up sweets and eating out because they had become a god in her life. It got me thinking that instead of turning to chocolate for good/bad news or because of boredom maybe I should shift that focus to God.


So I am working on not eating chocolate until Easter and instead trying to focus on God. I haven't eaten any and I do more time in prayer or working on my Bible study. Don't get me wrong, I still want chocolate and I catch myself reaching for that Symphony bar or Dove bar or my favorite Easter candy- Cadbury mini chocalate eggs. I am not giving up my chocolate forever but I am trying to learn new, healthier eating habits. Now I pack snacks or reach for veggies instead of candy.


I am trying to be a better steward of the body God gave me and live a longer and healther life. So I am not participating in Lent but I am trying to focus not on instant gratification (even if it is for a split second) and focus on the bigger picture. I will still struggle and there may be bad days but if I can accomplish this small task, I may be one step closer to conquering my food addition issues.

God's Fortune Cookies

I may offend some people but I think the book of Proverbs is the orginal fortune cookie. Think about it... it's full of wonderful words of wisdom and instruction, gems so to speak. Solomon wrote it and his was the wisest person.

I love all parts of Proverbs, there are parts about raising kids, how you should treat others and words on relationships. But there is also a couple funny parts that make me laugh everytime. Proverbs 21:9 and 25:24 both talk about living on the corner of a rooftop than with a quarelsome wife. If you read those chapters, those two verses seem to be a little out of place. I can just see it: Solomon is writing his words and they are full of wisdom and instruction and all of a sudden one of his hundred wives is complaining because he didn't put the toilet seat down or he left his clothes on the floor or forgot to take out the garbage. I know in reality that probably isn't what happened but we experience it all the time in our lives.

How many times are we in our groove doing our thing and someone disrupts it and we get frustrated or we stop or stumble or get side tracked and it takes us a moment to refocus. How often do we do that with our faith and walk with God. I know I have faith ADHD- I am focused on God's plan with my life and something shiny comes along to distract me and have me lose my focus.

Another idea is sometimes it may be easier to retreat and live on the corner of the roof than constantly be fighting. A nagging wife (or person, issue, or sin) can keep us unfocused, not content and not able to enjoy the blessings that God has given us.

I do know that I have found focus and comfort in my times of need in the Bible but the most comfort or encouragement has come from Proverbs and each time I read it, I find new gems to discover and apply to my life.


What gems have you discovered?

Giver's Remorse

My Bible Study has been going through Andy Stanley's Enemy of the Heart. It works on various issues - anger, guilt, jealousy and greed. I admit it, I struggle with all of those and each week I would think that topic was the one I was suppose to focus on and work on improving until the next week when I would have the same thought.

A couple weeks ago the topic was on greed. I shared with my group that I am a greedy person in the normal ways, I don't really like to share my things or my food. If we go to a restaurant don't expect me to share my food. If you want what I have then you need to order it.

Some of my friends may say that I am a giving person. I don't mind giving my time or efforts or even things- books, games, clothes and other stuff to people who need to borrow it or even keep it. I am fine with giving my stuff away but sometimes I have giver's remorse.

Giver's remorse is like buyer's remorse but I regret giving somethings away but I would never ask for it back. It could be shoes or a shirt that would go perfect with the outfit I am trying to put together but I gave it away so I regret giving the item away and sometimes if I see it again if a friend is wearing it or in their house.

I know it's wrong. I have more than enough clothes to wear and I have been blessed with what I have. Not having the right shoes or the book I want to read again because I gave them away is silly but I wonder how many of us struggle with greed like this.

Extreme Couponing and Helping Others

I spent a lot of time on the road this week and a few nights in hotels. I don't like watching TV in hotels because new towns usually means different stations and that results in not watching or finding my normal TV programming. So I watch random shows like Extreme Couponing or Storage Wars.


One episode a month or so ago, a husband had put his foot down and told his wife to stop buying with coupons because they had enough toothpaste and toilet paper to last several years. They had a spare room in their house full of stuff.



This in my travels I spent time with our Young Farmers and Ranchers in Yuma. They have spent a lot of time and resources the last couple of years helping their local food bank and mission giving them food, jackets and paper. This last year they gave over 1,000 pounds of food- veggies and meat. At Christmas they did a dinner with a coat and canned food drive. They also collected funds to use towards things the mission needed like toilet paper and meat. They ended up being able to buy over 900 rolls of toilet paper that they will be able to hand out to those in need.



This week begins Food Check Out week. Food Check Out week celebrates the fact that by now the average family of four in the US has earned enough money to pay for their food for the entire year. Maybe we should partner with extreme couponing people who can get cases of toilet paper, cleaning products and food in the future. Use their skills at shopping and our ability to produce safe and affordable food. Besides, we may help their marriages by allowing them to continue to shop with coupons without overstocking their homes.

Sliding Doors

Do you ever think about what would have happened if you had made a different decision in life and where you would be? It could be a big one like moving to a new city, picking a different college, saying yes to a job or marrying someone else. It's like the movie Sliding Doors with Gwyneth Paltrow where it depicts her life if she makes the train and what happens or if she misses the train.

It's like a compass, if you are just a smidge off in the beginning you are great distances off at the end. I've been contemplating that the last few months. Were would I be if I hadn't stayed in Arizona? What if I had not applied for the position at Farm Bureau, what if I had said yes to this and no to that?

I think of regrets I have in decisions I have made but find joy in the people I have met along the way and the things I have learned but I wonder what or where I would be in life if I had changed one decision. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy my life and have been blessed with amazing friends and family but am curious if I would be standing in a hole in some field or building today if I had majored in archeology instead of animal science in college.

I know God has a plan for me and I take comfort in Proverbs 20:24 "A person's steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand their own way?" I know I will walk out of this shadow of doubt in my life.

I've been thinking...

I have had a lot of time to be thinking of things this past year. A lot has changed in my life and I've had a lot of windshield time to contemplate it. I'm going to try and post my observations and conclusions about life. My experiences both with Farm Bureau and just in general and those "life things" that I contemplate on my 50 plus hours of drive time each month.

I have made changes to the design of my blog and with a little help from my more hip blogging friends I will make a few more additons. I hope this will become a weekly post. So starting tomorrow there will be a post and feel free to comment.

A Day with the Germans

I spent a day taking some German farmers around southern Arizona. We met up in Globe and then went to Safford to tour a cotton gin and cotton farm. Then we traveled on to Willcox to tour a vineyard and pistachio farm then on to Tucson for a pumpkin farm then home. It was a long day but very interesting.

I think the highlight for the farmers, and for myself was the ride in the module-making cotton picker in Pima. Justin Layton, one of my farmers, has one of these new amazing machines that makes the module of cotton (the loaf) so it saves time and employees.

We began the morning with Scott Alder telling the group about how the cotton is ginned and how this gin can do both long and short staple cotton. Scott is also an expert on water so he was able to explain how the farmers are switching their irrigation methods to conserve water. Farmers in Gila Valley are now moving towards drip irrigation to save money and water.

After they visited the gin we went to Justin's farm (across the road) to see the drip irrigation system and to see the Case IH module making cotton picker.

Justin was so nice to take each of the farmers and myself on a trip up and down the field. The
carriage on the cotton picker would fill up about every third person or so which allowed us to see the module be dumped from the cotton picker. The way it is done without this type of cotton picker is to fill the holding carriage and then dump it into a metal box on the side of the field. Then two employees must mash it down tight to make the module. This new machine does it all so you just need the driver.

There are screens inside to tell you how much cotton is being picked from each row/acre and there is a camera that allows you to see how the cotton is flowing into the bin. It is very technical.

After the cotton farm tour we headed to Willcox to visit Cochise Groves and Golden Rule Vineyard. Another one of my farmers, Jim Graham and his wife own both. Jim was so nice to answer questions and talk about how he grows pistachios.

After our visit to Cochise Groves we drove to Tucson and out to Buckelew Farms for the Pumpkin Festival. Clint was so nice to talk to the Germans about growing pumpkins and the agritourism his family does.

Afterwards I took them back to Phoenix and to their hotel where they were headed to the New England area to visit greenhouses.

In all it was very interesting and I even learned some new things as we were teaching them about farming and ranching in Arizona.

Beef.... It's What's definetly for Dinner!

We spent two days in Williams for our state board meeting. We had tours of two ranches- Perrin Ranch and Brooks Cameron's ranch.

Picture: Mike Mcauley talking about trees and water on the Perrin Ranch.

There was a lot of dust but we had a lot of fun and even had a few 'races' on dirt road. To say the least, our trucks were covered when we were done and back to the hotel.

After the tours and talking about how the ranchers are dealing with hunters and off-roaders and the drought in addition to the government regulations, we went to another ranch to have dinner.

And of course we had steak!!! Lots and lots of steak!

Time Magazine is Wrong

This week, Time Magazine is running an article that is blatantly wrong about American agriculture. In the article "America's Food Crisis and How to Fix it". The author states that we are pollutants of the environment and that we are factory farms that are pushing government subsidized crops down the throats of our over medicated animals.

I think he is dead wrong. We in America, have the safest and most affordable food supply. We have so many regulations that when we do use pesticides and fertilizers we have to fill out paperwork. How many times has the average joe had to fill out paperwork to get a weed out of his yard with the weed killer he picked up at the Home Depot or local garden center. The regulations that American farmers and ranchers use in growing the food and fiber that the average joe eats and wears is by far more than any other country in the world. The American farmer can now feed 143 people and in 1940 it was only 19. In the last 40 years, the price that the farmers and ranchers have received has been declining. Just because a person pays $12.00 for steaks at the store does not mean that the rancher received $12.00. In fact farmers and ranchers make about 19 cents from every dollar spent on food. This means that farmers in the US need to be larger and more efficient to provide the public with the safe and affordable food or they will go out of business. We complain about our gas prices and being dependant on another country for our energy. Can you imagine what we would pay if we were dependant on another country for our food?

Today's agriculture isn't what it was even 20 years ago. You will find family farms and ranches that are large and incorporated- in essence they are the factory farms that people complain about. The way farmers and ranchers operate are economically viable to survive but they are also ethical, scientific and environmentally sound. Why would someone use a method that would be harmful to the land or animals that they are dependent on for their livelihoods. Farmers and Rancher for the most part live and work on and around their operations with their families. They feel an obligation to their heritage but also to their community and children's future.

I would encourage people to read the article and then respond to the author about his very slanted and artificial story about the American farmer or rancher. And possibly invite him to another country to visit their farms and ranchers to see how it is in reality.

A week in Southern Arizona

Each year I have about two weeks that are just extra crazy then my life goes back to just normal craziness. I just ended my two weeks. I drove over 2500 miles in two weeks and by the end I was tired of driving and felt like I really knew my songs on my IPOD. I also end up needing to get the truck washed. Usually it isn't as dirty as it was when I was done but normally I don't go through a mud puddle (or two).

I had my normal board meetings in Graham, Cochise and Greenlee Counties. Then I had two policy development meetings in Yuma and Pinal and I also had my first annual meeting (Pima) and just a regular event meeting back in Yuma. I love the policy development meetings because farmers and ranchers get together to discuss issue that are important to them and their respective industries. This year we had great discussion on immigration, health care, food safety and CDL requirements. Annual meetings are always fun because you get to visit with people who you only see once or twice a year.

I facebooked my entire two weeks and it was funny. I mentioned the checkpoint leaving Yuma and some of my friends from Oregon didn't realize that we have Border Patrol Checkpoints. They are really easy to roll through if you are legal citizens and are not packing drugs. I went through the one in Yuma twice in one week- once at night and then again two days later. So on my trip through during the day- I snapped a picture so my northern friends would know what those of us in Southern AZ deal with. Thankfully I don't have to go through this one daily like some of my friends have to.

I think my childhood prepared me for this job. See I am an only child and I spend a lot of time now by myself driving too and from meetings. So I am ok being by myself and enjoy my company. For example- I drove from Safford to Duncan last week for the Greenlee board meeting and only met 3 cars on the entire trip (two of them were once I reached the town. But Arizona is a beautiful state and the drive is always nice.

Drive from Safford Drive to Duncan

Cochise County Picnic

Last Saturday I spent the afternoon and evening in Cochise County at their county Farm Bureau Picnic. We had a great tour of Cochise Groves, a pistachio farm and Golden Rule Vineyard. We had about 60 people show up and it didn't rain. It rained on me on the way there and just a few drops after I was headed back to Phoenix.

I did drive through a mud puddle pretty fast and felt great about getting the truck a little dirty- made me think of home.

I learned a few things about pistachios and wine grapes.

1. pistachios that are red in color are dyed to hide the flaws and stained shells from harvesting.

2. clear or natural shells are usually pistachios grown in the U.S. which means it comes from either CA (#1), AZ (#2), NM(#3) or TX (#4).

3. Pistachios don't actually grow out until almost harvest time, unlike all other crops such as corn, lettuce and such.

4. a pistachio tree can last for up to 50 years.

5. Male trees don't produce nuts.

6. Bees do not pollinate trees- it is done by the wind.

7. Wine grape vines are cut for two years before they actually are allowed to produce fruit.

8. Wine grapes taste nothing like regular grapes.

Vacation Bible School

I have been helping with the preschool group for Vacation Bible School. I know what you are thinking- preschool. I like little kids individually but as a herd it is a whole different story. I have come to the conclusion after only 3 days that it isn't too bad- although sometimes I think I may never have kids if I continue with the group. Ha Ha

We started out Sunday with 10 little kids but were able to pass four of them off to the Kindergarten class which only had 2. So we have six and they are really funny and very entertaining. We have three more days left. We have our lesson then head out to missions where we get to take a boat ride to visit different missionaries (Tuesday night was to some cowboy pastors in Idaho). Then we head to music and back for recreation and snacks then we get to go to crafts before heading back to our room to finish out the night with another snack and review the different lessons.

Our kids are also collecting items to send to soliders in Afghanistan. So we spent one evening during missions time coloring pictures and writing notes to put in all the boxes.

I have come to the conclusion though that I think I like babies more than I like any other age group- teens I don't really know what to say when they think their life is over and I can't really laugh at them (because that would be wrong). And little kids scare me a little so I like babies because you can smile and make faces and they just laugh and can't talk back to you and they still think you are funny and great!

again... been a while

It seems like I can't keep up on this thing....

I have spent a lot of this year dog sitting or dad sitting. In October, dad had open heart surgery and I spent 3 weeks at home on the ranch. At the end of the 3 weeks, I packed up dad to come and stay with me (in my one- bedroom condo) for 5.5 months. It is very difficult to take a rancher and plop him down in the middle of mesa and expect him not to go crazy or to some extent drive you crazy in 5 months.

But we did have fun. When I was on the road to my various county Farm Bureau meetings, I would bring him along. He really enjoyed chatting with other farmers and ranchers. The weather may be different and some the crops were definetlydifferent but the issues were the same.
He even got to tour a cotton gin and ride in one the the new Case IH module building cotton pickers. He really liked that.

He went home in March and I started to dog sit and have done that off and on (more on) all summer.

We are currently in the middle of the county policy development meetings for all my counties. next week I start my county picnics. I really enjoy those.

totally catching up

So I haven't written here in a very long time- maybe because I haven't really traveled that much (out of state) since I went to Greece.

However, I have still been busy...

I promise to keep posting on a regular basis now that I am back in the swing of things...

A short catch up of things that have happened since 2006

1. I bought a house- really it is an oversized closet that is 780 square feet (two stories).
2. I traveled to DC, Fargo, New Orleans and home in the last two years...
3. My dad had open heart surgery again and is now staying with me until March...

That is pretty much the big items in my life...

Until next time!

Two Days in Yuma

I spent two days in Yuma this week. The County Farm Bureau had their policy development meetings and I was down there to assist them. It was fun and I enjoy going to Yuma.

We had our first meeting and then the vice president met me at my hotel to take me by his house and grab his oldest son and the boat and then we went out to the river. You would never know such a beautiful place was so close to Yuma. There was so much water! Yuma is beautiful anyways with all the fields but the river so reminded me of home, that I was a little homesick that night. John let me even drive his boat which was so much fun. We then headed back into town and met up with his wife (very nice woman). She couldn't make it to the river with us because of her signing classes she is taking. I am a little envious that she can sign, I had tried to take a class a few years ago and just didn't have the time. We had a great dinner and just a great conversation. They are such great people!

The next morning after doing some research for the next meeting, I toured around the town and looked at the real estate that is for sale. The board is looking to replace their building and I wanted to make sure that I understood their options and what the area was like. I also met up with John again, this time out in Wellton. We met at his company shop and then he took me around to a few fields and showed me several crops. I really learned about cotton and think that I finally understand how the plant grows and what the grower has to do to make it productive. John also showed me some artichokes growing for seed. They look just like mini sunflowers as they dry out prior to harvesting. I also walked into a black eyed pea field and learned the how they determine when to harvest them. We also talked a lot about the vegetable industry and different things the growers need to keep in mind. Overall, it was a very productive couple of hours and I learned more in those two hours than in six years of sitting in meetings about vegetables and cotton.

The one thing that I still need to learn is how to walk into the fields. John just walked in, no problem, I thought I was going to fall over trying to walk down the row!

Grand Canyon Hotel

I stayed the weekend at the Grand Canyon Hotel in Williams, AZ. We were up there for a retreat with work, but it is a cool little town and a cool hotel. It is the oldest hotel in the state and they are remodeling it to look like it did a hundred years ago. It is taking a lot of work because it stood empty for about 85 years. There is no AC in the hotel but every room has a fan and the windows were open for the breeze. The town is actually a happening place Friday nights. A group of us went to a local establishment and played a version of shuffle board (or something like that). We also played a little poker and had great fun betting the trail mix and especially raising a “raisin.”

If anyone is ever in Williams, they should try and stay at this hotel.