I figure, even though it’s early, many of us could use some bright and cheery in our lives right now, so here are the rest of the photos. Just for you.

We spent a couple hours at the pool in the complex where Maryann and Dave live. Since I still had a scab on my toe where the railroad spikes were pulled out, I watched from the shady sidelines;-)

After the gals were finished, Maryann took us to the restaurant, also at the same complex. The food was yummy and the views spectacular. Oh, there is also a golf course, but the grass here is not part of it.

Maryann’s daughter and beloved son in law

Goodest Friends, Maryann, Linda, and moi.

The drive from Tucson to Henderson NV was pleasant. I’m going to have to get a city map of Phoenix and environs because I honestly don’t know where I was in driving through it on the Interstate. For years, there was a funky place to eat between Phoenix and Henderson, called Rose’s, or Rosie’s. It burned down a few years ago and they rebuilt it, I thought Kay and I would go up for one of their burgers, but I didn’t see it. Come to find out, it burned down again, and they didn’t rebuild. sigh. There hamburgers were some of the best ever!!!!

This shot is from the patio of the house where Kay lives. I tried to get more planes in a shot but could never manage to get them all showing. Pretty fun watching them come in and line up for the runway which is surprisingly close.

The patio faces east, so this one must be sunrise. Why was I up that early??? I dunno.

GeriLyn, Kay’s daughter in law and Tod took us out to a delightful Italian restaurant my last night there. GeriLynn works in the same complex the restaurant is in, and knows the people there. We were treated quite well, and the food was scrumptious. We were served very special desserts. The manager is also an artist and gave us each a different picture and cake. I thought the icing on the plate was part of the plate i.e. part of the china, and when I moved my plate for this photo, it smudged! Here I thought they’d bought special dessert plates. Nope, make ’em to order 😉

And here we all sit, preparing to dive in to our respective plates. Starting with Tod and going clockwise: GeriLyn, an old wanna be hippie, and Goodest Friend and Travel Buddy ever, Kay. We’ve been friends for something like 57 years!

As I pulled out of their drive, I stopped and shot a neighbor’s yard. Lots of interesting decorations. I think they can do more because they aren’t too concerned rain will spoil the decorations, and they don’t have the winds we get this time of year.

From Henderson to Castaic CA was a pretty short drive. One of the reasons I stopped there was to meet a couple of my Zoomroom poetry buddies. This photo was taken by Good Friend Elizabeth. She is at the left, holding her phone, then is Good Friend Will, and bringing up the rear is me. They life in the LA region somewhere, and fought the traffic to come meet me in person. I consider myself to be super honored. I must have been mid word when she snapped this. I really wasn’t grimacing! And my tee shirt is from a poetry group in LA, Beyond Baroque, and says: Metaphors Be With You!! I saw another tee I liked that says: I use (pix of darth vader’s mask) the / Fo R Ce / Periodically. Love it.

From Castaic it was a pretty easy shot up I-5 to Vallejo where I spent a couple of nights at my brother’s. Getting to know him a bit more was wonderful. Mostly, he sleeps all day and is up all night. That’s been his schedule for years. Anyhow, we went out for dinner at a place he’d not been too. I forgot what he had, I had a yummy salad.

Then he drove me by the Dragon House. These dragon heads are in front, I think I saw two on one side, and maybe one on the other. They are quite spectacular!

When I left a couple days later, I met another Zoomroom buddy who lives fairly close, for breakfast at a place she likes, then we went to a small, indie Book Store, The Alibi. Great little store. If you’re ever in it, stop by and buy a book. Multiple book purchases are appreciated. Alas no photos of Good Poet Friend Anita, or the store, or the restaurant. I hadn’t had coffee yet. Then it was up the road about thirty minutes to stay a few days with my cousins.

Cousin Jimmy is rightfully called Farmer Jimmy in my mind. They have a very busy back yard with pomegranate tree, bay tree, kumquat tree, and I don’t know what all. He told me, I forgot. He also grows tomatoes, herbs, and flowers. Some of his tomatoes And yes the black ones are truly black, and very tasty.

I brought one of the pomegranates home, it was delish! And, in watching him de-seed one, I finally learned how to do it without making a mess!

I asked what this was, and he couldn’t remember, until he saw another one that still had flowers. I can’t remember, either. My phone says it’s a Red Spider Lily. My phone is not 100% accurate. But it tries.

This is their pool. When I first looked out, very early in the morning, it looked like deep water and ice. It’s a wrinkly blue plastic tarp.

Cousin Betty is married to Jimmy and Cousin Barb is his sister. We three females all quilt, so Betty had some chores to do and sent Barb and me out to buy fabric. Oh, what a horrible thing to do to a quilter, especially when with another quilter. She who dies with the most fabric WINS!! Not sure what we win, but we’re all trying to get there. We went to a resale store that sells fabric and bought fabrics galore, and I found this jacket. I love it, though the gold next to my skin isn’t so great. But with a black turtle neck it should be fine. If not, it will go into a quilt or two. I’m looking for a pattern maker who can make a pattern without cutting it apart. The cut, etc is fun. A perfect Poetry Reading jacket over black slacks and a black turtleneck.

Oh, it was $7.99! It just begged to go in my cart.

And there you have it. The truly last photos of my trip. I hope they help lighten any down you are experiencing.

I will post something on Monday. Unless I’m stuck in a rehabilitation/concentration camp by then.

Peace, Love, Hugs all around.