Spring?

As you know, I escaped winter, or most of it, by heading off to my favourite little town in Arizona. Three months in the high desert is so good for the body and mind. I delved into writing options, walked at least three miles (not kilometres– miles) a day, sang with the Verde Valley Voices and saw friends I had missed for three years. Yes, there was a gap as I healed my broken bones and nurtured my financial situation. As an old lady, I now pay a ghastly amount for medical insurance. Of course, I managed to get Shingles while there and the doctor and meds were not covered the cost being less than the deductible. Ah well, I would not step one foot over that border without insurance, just break a leg and there goes the house.

A delightful lady opened her home and her heart to me. I was her guest for the entire time there and we managed extremely well. Other occupants of the house were two cats. Peaches immediately adopted me and insisted on a spa treatment no less than four times daily. Lilac was very illusive and we did not even meet until I had been there for over a month. I kept insisting that the second cat was the owner's imagination. She did surface though and eventually allowed me to pet her. One of my favourite pastimes in the desert is photographing wild flowers. I have logged over 100 varieties in a 10 mile radius. This year, however, was very dry – there had been no amount of rain since August. I also returned to Canada earlier than usual which meant absolutely no wild flowers.

When I left, I drove to Houston to spend Easter with my daughter. Lots of wild flowers there! I hadn't seen Kristen for two years due to the fact she bought a house and was busy renovating it and had it nearly completed when Harvey wiped it all out and she was back in construction again. It is complete now and I was anxious to see her and the house. It was a delightful visit and she spoiled me rotten. I walked along the Bayou every morning with my camera slung around my neck.

When I left Texas, I had three wretched days travelling home. Not only did I endure stop-and-go traffic due to accidents and construction, the weather was iffy. On my last day, I wakened to dense fog and crawled through it for an hour and a half. But I did arrive safely to find my pellet stove wouldn't cooperate, my phone wasn't working and the internet was hopeless – not to mention it was still winter here. Ah well, I got it all sorted out the next day in time to head off to work a day later. Life does keep one on their toes, doesn't it.