Adventure 205: Covered Wagon RV Park/Phoenix, AZ/Post I

Really. It's a holiday?

One of the best things about teaching seventh grade was watching the students grow. They'd typically enter the year as unsure as new born fawns. They'd wobble around for the first month or so of school. Most would struggle to learn to open their lockers on the first day. Many would wander in a daze looking for their classes for the first month. Some would struggle socially for a quarter. And a few would be overwhelmed (At first) by the sheer size of their new school for most of the year. But inevitably, as the year progressed, they grew more comfortable, more aware, and more confident. Their confusion would fall away and the shining light of their individual talents would shine through. You could see it happen, and it happened every year. The best part of all was being in a position to help the process. I feel like a first day seventh grader in my new Tai Chi environment. I'm struggling (Joyfully). But tonight I was in the capable hands of John Hagel (Our Monday night teacher) who has studied with David Block for twenty-eight years. He guided the lesson tonight with a graceful firm hand that made both Judy and I beam like we'd just figured out the mystery of a combination lock. It made us glad we came to Phoenix. I left feeling like I may claim some confidence by the time our stay is over As for daily adventures, we rode the bike today for a post operative record (6.4 miles; 45 minute duration). Judy says she feels no real ill effects. We started out with the idea that we'd go to the Post Office to mail a couple of cards. We got about half way to the nearest one when we noticed kids playing in yards all over the place. We asked ourselves, "Why aren't these kids in school?" And when we realized that it was President's Day, we laughed because the best part of being retired is that every day is President's Day (We didn't quite give in to the notion that it might be senility setting in). And no day is complete without an excursion in search of food. Today's juke joint was called Rocket Burger and Subs. It was quite good (We shared a California Club). Their schtick is that they have a selection of over a hundred kinds of soda pop. It's a great example of a family working hard in a tough business, trying to make good. Tomorrow, we will get to experience a new part of the Valley of the Sun as we travel down Mesa way to visit Happy and Forey for lunch.  Happy and Forey, former farmers from Ritzville, are long time friends of Judy. I've been fortunate to tag along in recent years as we've run into each other here and there. Like many, they find the pleasant weather in the valley a good place to spend the winter. Tomorrow, it is likely that we'll chatter like spring semester seventh graders, laughing all the way, sure that we've solved every problem. We'll probably even decide that life is good, especially today. 


 We found this mile long bike trail on our way to the 'closed' Post Office.

 There's Stumpy, working out before lunch.

 Thirty-fifth and Cactus Avenue.

 Any kind of Soda Pop you can think of.

 This guy was so hungry, he crashed through the building.

 Toasted bun, fresh fries.

 I'm ahead by one after the first week. Lots of time left.

 Feeling like a seventh grader, here I'm working on the opening moves.

 Hers I'm shifting my weight int a move called Grasping the Peacock's Tail.

 The weight is shifted back.

And it moves forward into a position called the Single Whip.