Vacation Tales

Internet connections have been few and far between up here in the White Mountains of Arizona. We are on our family vacation with the Shanks at a friend's lodge. We are in Show Low, AZ which is also where I am going to be doing my triathlon. But, this week, we are here for other purposes. Our time since Sunday has been wonderful. It is a perfect location with lots of amenities. The drive up here through a beautiful canyon was worth the whole trip in and of itself.

We love this community of houses that we are staying in as well. They are full size homes where some people are retired and others just have second homes. It is a golf community centered around three golf courses, but has all sorts of other amenities like swimming, pool, clubhouse, gym, great biking paths, driving range, fishing, basketball, tennis. Needless to say, we haven't kept too quiet. There's something physical to do every day. I've loved it because it affords me an opportunity to train in the altitude, as well as bike with my road bike instead of at the gym.

The other highlights have been learning to play some golf and playing Scrabble with my new competitor, Janis. She is stiff competition and I have been thrilled to play against such a worthy opponent. Not only that, but she knows all the real rules like: if you don't think your opponent's word is correct or valid, you challenge it. If you are wrong and the word is correct, you lose a turn. If they are wrong, they lose their turn. Cool! And you're not allowed to look at the dictionary unless someone challenges. How great is that! All those years of trying to compete with my family who like to "check" their words in the dictionary before they place them!
We'll post a picture of our first game together later when we get better internet connections. Last night was a rowdier version with Connor (who won) and Travis joining us. There was much more discussion and delay, much to our chagrin.

We have enjoyed other things common to every great vacation: food and fellowship around the table. Great food and laughter are abounding-- we enjoyed grilled teriyaki pork chops with fruit salsa last night and sweet potato fries last night and then followed it up with a hilarious Brian Regan stand-up comedy routine. Our sides were aching from both.

Today's activities include: reading, sleeping, fishing and eating-- of course with some driving range practice (me-- trying not to top the ball and shoot bullets at the golf course) and a daily workout. I'll keep you posted on the fish count- yesterday's results weren't great. We might not be having rainbow trout for dinner but who knows?