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