We finally got our trees. We were prepared and ready to pick out the trees at the Moon Valley Nursery on Arizona and Germann in Chandler, but at the last minute realized I forgot my coupon that could have saved me $22. It was towards the end of a long day, it was cloudy and pleasantly cool with a soothing breeze blowing in the air. We chose 7 trees: Raywood Ash, Chinese Elm, Arizona Elm, Jacaranda, Navel Orange, Lemon tree and a Ficus. We knew some were deciduous, all of them except for the last three, and they were probably going to consume a lot of water, but we didn’t care. We were going to finally have trees in our back yard! They gave us 7 flags to put in our back yard which I felt was going to be a fun task. They will dig in November. This gives me time to get quotes on drip irrigation. I wanted to do it myself, but with the baby, I didn’t think I realistically had the time to do it within a week, which is what the nursery people told us is a good time frame to install the lines. Once those are installed, we need to spray the perimeter of our home. I saw a black widow in our front door and back patio the other day. I can’t imagine what would happen if they got into our house or had little babies.

I got an important Sex Offender Notification letter in my mail today. Apparently there is a sex offender that just moved in our neighborhood. Yikes! Before we had a child, I would have just tossed it out with the rest of the junk mail, but this has me concerned for our child’s safety. I checked out this website http://www.mapsexoffenders.com/ and was shocked to see so many out there amongst us.

I developed an idea about what’s behind much of the crazy ass driving that goes on around the Valley. Every day I drink one large cup of coffee, brewed either by Einstein Bros or the MU at ASU. My selection comes not from the orange handled pot and liberal quantities of half and half are applied. This daily routine did not prepare me for Starbucks, where I met a friend for a cuppa this past Sunday. When I ordered, I could only get a mix of house blend and their anniversary “bold”. I told him to make the mix and leave room for milk. Well, let me tell you, I spent the rest of the day like a dragster on the line, revved to go. My insides quaked and shook and my attention span lasted between slim and none. My mother called in the late afternoon and I nearly took her head off for reasons I still don’t understand. Impatience ruled during that conversation. Still humming at 10:30 pm, I finally went to sleep around midnight; however, I woke up at 2:15 am, never to return to the land of nod.

Ugly describes those 24 hours. Considering that coffee is swilled by the gallon, along with so-called energy drinks like Red Bull and Monster (caffeine cloaked in vitamins), no wonder people are horrible drivers. Put my phone call impatience behind the wheel and you have cause for some of the uncivilized, unintelligent driving that occurs on our local roads.

As for me and Starbucks? Next time, orange handles, please and lots of room for milk.

For those interested, I just heard about the Healing Field, a moving 9-11 memorial, is at Tempe Beach Park through the end of today. There are a few thousand American flags on the grounds … one for each victim of attack.

There’s also a piece of the Trade Center down there as well.

I won’t be going, but if you do, be sure to save your money for the $25 souvenir t-shirts and $10 souvenir postcards.

As one east coast friend exclaimed to me earlier today, most New Yorkers in the Trade Center on 9-11 would probably puke both at the level of self-masturbatory, obligated regalia that we have attributed to this event and the commercialism thereof.

Be sad, never forget, love, hold one another … but continue on with life at the same time. What happened was terrible and tragic, and perhaps we should take a drive down to the lake to remember, but let us know that those who actually lost their live that day probably wouldn’t want it as such. You have an advantage. You were not there. Take advantage of freedom and liberty, until the scare tactics employed on us are removed due to the events of that day, in the name of security.

In the very most, visit Tempe. In the very least, stay home and do not embrace those (i.e. CNN Pipeline) who like to use this occurance to point to themselves rather then the lessons learned that day. The best tribute you can give these people, if you feel one needs to be given yet again, is to live life and embrace it for what you have.

You have an advantage. You were not there.

I really just wanted to be the first one to post about today’s rainstorm.

I’ll admit, it caught me off gaurd. And my windshield wipers still don’t work. But hey, it was only the I-10. What’s the worst that could happen?

I am sipping the wifi at Terminal 3 at Sky Harbor. It was very easy to connect.

And waiting for the red eye it is fast enough for World of Warcraft.

Kekeke…

Mark Goudeau has been arrested as a suspect in two of the assaults in the Baseline Killer series. This shot was released by Phoenix Police. People are commenting on the resemblance. Is there one? Or are we seeing what we want to see?

Quizno’s, it’s not bad for a chain, better than subway or blimpie. Dilly’s, like their paninis. Cheba Hut, pretty darn good. Sacks Sandwiches, out of this world! It’s on University and Hardy in the same plaza as Sabuddy and Cafe Lalibela, and if you’ve never been there I urge you to stop in and get yourself a Tom (yours truly) original. Turkey on marble rye, toasted, havarti cheese, easy mayonnaise, lots of lettuce, and cranberry sauce. Yes, cranberry sauce. Oh so yummy. They have quite a few original sandwiches and a large menu of options if you’d like to make your own “self portrait” as they call it. They have at least 4 flavors of iced tea in constant rotation, including a hawaiian red tea that is delicious (have only seen this @ the Phoenix location). To top it off, every sandwich order comes with a yummy chocolate chip cookie that’s made from their own cookie dough that you can also purchase. It’s a nice finishing touch.

The sun set earlier today and my daughter skipped a feeding and slept when the sun was setting down the Arizonian horizon. This was a clear indication that autumn was closely upon us. This summer’s weather has been surprisingly bearable. Maybe it was because of the evenly spread out monsoon rains. Even though it is going to be much cooler in the upcoming months, one of my pet peeves about living in a desert climate is not being able to buy winter wear and some bulkier fall wear. I was doing some on-line shopping and sighed at some pretty clothes that I wouldn’t have the opportunity to wear because it wasn’t cold enough here. I think a trip up north with the family - Flagstaff, Sedona, etc. is in order. :D

Just heard from a very reliable source that Sen. Barack Obama will be coming to Phoenix, guest of that great and favorite, Changing Hands Bookstore. For the curious, he delivered a strong and insightful keynote address at the 2004 Democrat National Convention. I look forward to the opportunity to hear him speak in person. Hope life in Washington hasn’t jaded his enthusiasm. He will be at the Orpheum Theater in October - date and time to be announced.