EXPECTATIONAL EXPERIENCES; Tucson-AZ

I was up early this morning, so I finished up Holland's slippers :-)

I finished Holland's slippers this morning.

And he slipped his feet into them as he drank his morning coffee … and groused about the snowy hilltops.

And they are keeping his feet toasty warm ;-)

BIG MAN HOUSE SLIPPER SOCKS~MOD Revised Unisex Slipper Socks: (https://roadgypsiesvalandholland.blogspot.com/2024/01/big-man-house-slipper-socksmod-revised.html)

There was visual snowfall in the hills surrounding Tucson's metro area; seen from our front door, this morning: Lazydays KOA Resort, Tucson-AZ

Poor Holland - BOTH times he's been in AZ … it has snowed!

We'll be leaving Tucson on Thursday, and Holland's been good about getting Bleu and I out of the house most afternoons; I think he understands now that we all do better when we are out and about for a little bit - it doesn't have to be a spectacular event … just a short drive, will do :-D

We went for another exploratory drive this afternoon, and saw snow-dusted mountain tops along the way …

We enjoyed a retro-style 'In & Out' Burger and fries for lunch - definitely a repeat!

Bright spot of color on a cold Monday afternoon; Tucson-AZ

Roadside art sculpture near home; Tucson-AZ

We really like Arizona, and if we ever decide to sink roots in one place … it will be in Arizona :-)

FAMILY~Tucson-AZ

January 7th, 2024: It is cold here. The wind gusts are brutal.

Hard Freeze coming our way …

Holland has been taking care of us very well - he prides himself on making sure the house is secure; and we are cozily safe within it's walls.

Elohim has truly blessed me with a wonderful husband :-)

Keith Urban - 'God Whispered Your Name' song:

 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyn7_u-sha8)

Holland does not like the cold weather; he's chomping at the bit to cut his hair … but right now, he needs the length to keep his neck warm.

I like the way his curls kick in when his hair reaches a certain length …

I like Holland's curls - but, he's going to cut them off as soon as the weather warms up; Tucson-AZ

Holland - February 5th, 2023; Kalama-WA

Around noon, Bleu was getting himself into mischief … and Holland was thinking about a short exploratory drive around the local neighborhood.

Bleu and I were game :-)

Debate about the necessity of a half hour drive.

We didn't go far: just a looping mile or two.

Resort Lawn Décor; Arizona things that may present themselves at some point - a coral snake, a saguaro cactus, & a tortoise. So far, we've only seen the cactuses.

This week's outlook doesn't look promising, temperature wise …

Pretty chill ;-(

These store doorway fans aren't currently needed.

But it was fun for all of us - and Holland and I laughed about how stormy weather has haunted us our entire marriage to date; a winter storm chased us from Reno and through calimexarabia, on our Wedding Day, across Oregon and kept us close to home, in Washington, the early weeks of our married life.

Seriously dangerous Spring storms chased us all the way back home from West Virginia, when we drove the distance to purchase our new home.

The bending and blending of two independent and self-sufficient lives, added 10 months of emotional and spiritual tempests that at times seemed to rival mother nature's spectacular events: thank the Lord we came through those stormy moments, too (a bit shaken, but otherwise unscathed - a little scared, but wiser for the experience) ;-)

Stormy Weather marriage; LOL

When we got back home, and inside our home, domesticity comfortably wraps itself around us as we basked in loving familial cohesiveness while the rain tap-danced across Independence's rooftop :-)

Final ABB finished; box of 6 is ready to send off …

I got busy on some comfy-warm, manly, house slippers for Holland; they would have been made up months ago if we had known about the (((SUPRISE!!))) weather ;-)

FIRST WEDDING ANNIVERSARY~Tucson-AZ 2024

It's been a roller-coaster ride … we've been outrunning stormy weather since the day we said, "I DO": but I wouldn't change a thing 😁😘

STORMY WEATHER~Shabbat, Tucson-AZ

Hot coffee was very welcome this morning … and I was checking the temperature outlook before my eyes were sufficiently open ;-)

Freezing morning temp …

The upcoming week doesn't look so hot either :-(

When Holland woke, drank his coffee, and shook his mental cobwebs … he spent the afternoon winterizing Independence against the winter storm front moving in this weekend.

This Orange Tree outside our dining room window, will probably be history after the freeze front moves on …

It doesn't really need doing, but I'm doing laundry before the freeze (hedging any unforeseen bets) - and hopefully none of the Resort water lines will burst as the cold front passes through: Tucson-AZ is not prepared for freezing weather; this is very unusual, in these parts.

As laundry loads are running through their cycles … and I cook Supper, I'm watching an old Ray Aldo & Anne Bancroft movie, while working on a ribbed Angel Baby Blanket as the day fades and Shabbat is ushered in.

No matter the stormy weather, peace reigns on Shabbat :-)

Vintage black-n-white movie.

Good possibility I may finish this ABB - with trim - before the weekend is over.

LAZYDAYS KOA RESORT~Tucson-AZ

January 4th: We had spent the night alongside the freeway, in Marana-AZ.

We were about 20 minutes from Tucson.

When we hit the road this morning, we were thinking about boondocking at Ajo (ah-joe) … but while listening to a local music station, we heard a report of a 24-degree evening chill on Sunday (!!); hearing that unwelcome news, we decided to fork the $$$ out for an RV Resort spot. We have a KOA Membership - so, we pulled over, Holland gave the local KOA a jingle, and Elohim worked things out so we could snag a spot for a week.

There is still Sonshine behind the clouds :-)

Forecasted 'bitterly cold' and 'freezing'!

Newer downtown Tucson-AZ

Tucson-AZ: (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tucson,_Arizona)

Tucson's skyline features five mountain ranges; don't know what this one, is.

Fancy - and very expansive. It's a HUGE layout.

It's very nice … I like this type of adobe housing, so being surrounded by it is exciting, to me :-)

I LIKE! And when the rains let up, I intend to explore the grounds. Thoroughly ;-)

Holland can't afford to get sick with a chest cold; and he's already been coughing pretty hard and sneezing - and that is concerning to me. So we need to be where we will have consistent heat … boondocking doesn't allow generator usage after 10 PM. Coughing and sneezing can't automatically be shut down at specified times that suit strangers' stringent restrictions. He can't afford to please other's at his own health's expense - and I can't afford to lose my new husband to a lung infection.

And with my asthmatic lungs, I can't afford to get wet and chilled, either.