Flagsfatt

Remember what I said last week about updating every Sunday? Turns out I actually have so much to do I didn’t have time to write an update yesterday!

I personally hate to read anything longer than a Post-It note, but I do love to talk, which, on paper translates to a whole lotta readin’ for anyone kind enough to visit my blog. So I’ll try to make this as quick and as low-fat as possible.

Test night Monday – Greg was still in Bartlesville trying to exorcise all of the demons from the Cheeto, so I slept in the trailer with both dogs and Finn. Contrary to popular belief, dog farts aren’t cut. They’re sliced after curing in vats of rotten eggs and aging for up to eight years. Incense is going to be essential for survival this summer.

We didn’t get to leave Tulsa until Wednesday morning, which actually turned out to be some prime timing because Tuesday, I got a nice surprise in the mail. Nice surprises never come in the mail. Any guessers??? Well, the Harrah Swindlers sent me a check for $200 to get the trailer tagged. I’m still in shock. I don’t know if I should feel guilty for pestering them or proud of myself for getting a result. I quickly decided that I’m at peace with it. Edwina made it to Arizona and she's legal. I've got the papers to prove it.

Moments before departure on Wednesday – Finn threw up an entire bail of hay. I assumed that meant he was now ready to travel. After loading the kayak and canoe, we took off just in time to miss the woeful welcome of Oklahoma storm season. We escaped unscathed.

Wednesday night…stayed in Tucumcari, NM again…hardly worth mentioning…stopped at some gas station for coffee and took this picture of the bananas. Seems like an excessive amount to plop up on the counter there, makes me wonder why no one else is buying them. I didn't buy any either despite the sweet deal they were offering. Anyway, got back on the road and arrived in Flagstaff around 10 p.m. Thursday. We set up official summer residence in slot # 1!

 

 

Friday and Saturday I spent mostly unpacking and arranging everything. Greg was busy moving into his spot in the new shop and learning how to use Quickbooks, haha. Sorry, it's just that he has always refused to use Quicken with me, and now he has to use it everyday at work. Splendid justice. Also on Saturday, I got out on my bike and rode over to the UPS Store to check the mailbox. Nothing. Where are my postcards and care packages, people?! It was about a 10 mile ride, and I had either a bike lane or pathfinder to follow the entire way. It’s like that all over town. If I don’t finally get in shape this summer, I truly have no one and no thing to blame other than myself.

Sunday was the busiest day I’ve had in a long time. We got up, ate some breakfast, showered and headed to the Grand Opening cookout for The Bus Stop. I finally got to meet the shop owner and Greg’s new boss, Mickey, as well as a good deal of the local VW community. VW people are always good people, and it was good times indeed. Perfect weather, good food, and everyone made us feel very welcome. I made a lot of new acquaintances and got a chance to talk to a lot of people about the job market out here. Most said it was still bleak, but from looking at the jobs listed on Craigslist alone, I know there are at least more jobs available than in Tulsa. Now, if I can just wrangle myself into one. I had already applied for a bunch of jobs in and around Flagstaff on Saturday, so we’ll see what happens. And that is the last I will say about any sort of job search update until I am officially hired somewhere :)

 

I just realized this update is not low-fat at all. Seems my attempt at cutting the fat fails in the blog realm as well. Sorry.

Back to Sunday…we’re having a great time visiting with everyone when Greg gets a phone call. HE SOLD THE CHEETO! Thank God. I mean, really. We were both literally drunk with relief. Details to be ironed out soon, but the buyer is a guy from Canada and he has no idea that this bus is on a mission from beyond the Inferno to drive him insane. I’m just kidding. It’s a great bus and I’m sad to see it go. On a related note, I just can’t wait to stick needles in my eyes. See ya Cheeto! Wouldn't wanna be ya!

After the cookout we hiked Mt. Elden, which we can access by walking about 50 feet from our campsite. It was so beautiful I didn’t even notice the workout. Well, that’s a lie. I’m really not in fighting form so I was bellyaching about getting left behind as I huffed and puffed and clicked away with the camera. Pictures don’t do it justice, but here’s a few anyway.

 

 

And just for good measure, we decided to test our joints and muscles even more by riding our bikes all the way downtown. I’m looking forward to the day when I’m in shape so I can enjoy doing all of these activities as much as I should. Downtown is a long way from the campsite, and to our delight it seemed that all the motorists on the roads could not have cared less about us. We went to the Flagstaff Brewery and split some Poon-tin, Greg and Keith had a few pints, then we zipped up the jackets and got back on our bikes.

We took a different route home, which climbed uphill for about the first 2 miles. Needless to say, we were walking most of that. But it was beautiful and we were in no hurry. The light pollution was minimal if any, and the sky was filled with stars. In that moment, I got a little lump in my throat as it sunk in that we weren’t in Oklahoma anymore. But even though we were cold and miles from our campsite without the creature comfort of a car, it was exactly where we all wanted to be. I had just said to Greg and Keith, “Oh my God, look at that sky”.

We all took in a long peaceful gaze upwards as we continued to push our bikes uphill, when a pickup truck flew by. The engine sounded like a whale fart and a booming male voice blustered, "YOU FUCKING LOSERS GET A CAR! GET A FUCKING JOB YOU LOSERS!” Dammit our moment was over. Damn it.
 
We all erupted into laughter almost instantly. And there it was: living, belching proof that rednecks live in Arizona, too. It was the perfect end to a great day.   

Quick Edwina Update – our migratory mystery leak has moved from under the shower to under the sink. Otherwise, all is sweet and solid. We installed her official nameplate, and Prickly Pete the trailer-warming cactus adds the perfect cozy desert vibe.

Miscellaneous Update - this could also be called the Peter Griffin "This Really Grinds My Gears" Update...a little over a week ago I gave my email address to my HOA back in Tulsa for the new neighborhood directory. Since then, I’ve gotten no less than two emails a day from them about lost dogs, found dogs, and various other irritating and overkill uses of a mass email list. Oh, this just in, I just got another one from them as I sit here typing. This last one is thanking all of us who sent out the emails about the lost/found dogs and those who replied to them, and then telling people to tag their dogs. After that came a long and detailed paragraph targeted especially toward any idiot who doesn't know that Southern Agriculture (pet superstore) is right around the corner. One would have to be a complete shut-in to not know there’s a Southern Ag within 2 minutes by foot, and the shut-ins aren't going to go there anyway. Anyway, it ended with an awesome ad someone had copied and pasted for some fundraiser in Jenks. I didn’t read what it was for, but I did see that it was sponsored in part by the ass-hats that run the radio station I used to work for. These are not the "letters from home" I enjoy reading, and it makes me want to start producing my bullets that kill people for 15 minutes. Or maybe a day.  

Dog Update - the dogs are very dirty. And Casper is still a lazy pooper. Unless she is directed otherwise, she'll poop 5 feet from the picnic table. I learned this the hard way when I was sitting in a lawn chair, enjoying a campfire, when an unidentified poo stench filled the perimeter. It was so strong we were sure one of us had either stepped in poo or farted so terribly it was beyond admission. But nope. There it was, 5 feet away, steaming with pride and watching us like the money we could be saving with Geico. Bad Casper.

Ok, that’s all I got for now! Toodles!