The Smell of Desert Rain

It has been a gray, dreary, rainy day today in the valley of the sun! But it was still warm. Dare I say there was a tad bit of humidity in the air? Of course, this is a nice change of pace from the usual beautiful blue skies except for one small, but wet, problem. My car roof leaks. It isn't the new top that "Santa" got me for Christmas (T is planning on putting that on Sunday). It is the old, beat up, ripped version. I don't think a new top will actually solve the leaking problem. I believe it is the rubber around the windows. But, boy, is it bad. I slammed the car door pretty hard to try and get most of the water out of the mysterious resevoirs around the window but that only created another problem. I must have done something to the sensor that turns on and off the "door ajar" dashboard light as well as the interior lights of the car. So now they seem to be permanently on and are sucking the life right out of my brand new Walmart battery. Ahh, to be a ghetto queen.

Luckily, I was planning on showering at the gym today so that I could go and meet my friend Jason (that I met at A6) for lunch. Lucky because I had a towel in my gym bag that I draped over my legs before driving so that I wouldn't get completely soaked by the leak!

I worked out for about an hour and a half - really busted my rear on some cardio and weights, lunges and abs. It was a great work out that left me soaked for other reasons other than a leak (whew, glad I didn't have a leak!). As usual, the showers at the gym were less than desirable which is why I brought my rubber "funk" flip flops that have been my feet's friend in the sailboat shower, the marina shower and now the hair ridden gym shower.

I met Jason at a sheek Mexican bistro called Zivaz that is right up the road from my gym. It was tasty and the conversation interesting as it always is! He is so funny! If any of you are wondering if T has anything to worry about, he doesn't. Jason is gay and is one of my dearest friends. We can talk about anything together. Plus he makes some KILLER salsa that he was so kind to bring with him AND he gave me the secret recipe!!! I am so excited to try it. However, I have a strange feeling it won't be as good as if he made it.

After lunch (it was a 2 hour lunch that felt like 2 minutes), I headed to Walmart to pick up some groceries. I usually do that on Thursdays before Tatum comes over. The important kid things to have: milk, chicken (for tenders), ice cream, pancake fixins (I got blueberries for this weekend). So, with towel in lap, I headed to Walmart.

As usual, that place is a zoo. It never ceases to amaze me how people are...I mean, there were three carts in my way and, the people who's carts were blocking me, were just standing there not offering to move their carts at all. Amazing. Not the highest caliber of people at Walmart...oops, what does that say about me?

I made it home in time to see our neighbors with the continuous barking dogs wandering around in the streets. It was odd! I have never seen them outside of their four walls. I thought maybe the sky was falling or that something was on fire...maybe a meteor was going to come crashing down on our little town of Marana! Why are our freaky neighbors out in the light of day where people could see them? It turns out that their dogs got out of their yard. This is something that I realized, not anything they told me. They walked right past me and didn't say a word. I saw one of three kids (I thought they only had two) carry in the Dachsund but the other apes were looking for the smaller chihuaha/terrier mix looking dog.

Now, the background is that these folks started with the Dachsund. That poor dog sat outside day and night without any human interaction. There was some tore up sheet that they threw out in the yard for his "bed" and a chewed up bowl for his water. It infuriated me everyday to see that poor dog try to find a small patch of sun to lay in during the cool mornings. The problem is that, because he was insanely bored, he BARKED (YAPPED) all the time!!! Allllllll the time!!!! It would drive T and I crazy but I kept reminding T (and myself) that it isn't his fault. He is bored and has no interaction with any human or animal. He doesn't know what to do with himself.

I was about to say something to the dumb-as-rocks, doesn't-deserve-a-pet people until, next thing I know, there is another dog back there. And it yaps. But at least they had each other to play with (and hump with...omg). I was just glad that they had each other to curl up with and play with since it didn't seem anyone in that house was going to do it.

Well, this morning before I left the house, I took the garbage can to the curb. Of course both dogs were going ballistic at me the whole time beneath their gate (which is right next to ours). I started noticing the smaller dog digging at the rocks under their gate but didn't think anything about it. But, now seeing the vampires out front, seems as if little buddy found his way out. Out of hell, I would assume. Pet owners, they are not!! I sure hope he is ok. They didn't make much of an effort to find him. Ever wanted to hang people upside down from their toe nails? That's how I feel right now about them. Even the short bus kids.

Well, I am off to fix a kid friendly meal for Tay. In about an hour it will be a nonstop Tay fest until Saturday at 4. Put on your helmet, it's a wild ride!