Time Moves On

I've been gone from blogging far too long.  When I stepped up to the plate last year and took over as English Cocker Spaniel Rescue Chairman, I knew I would be busy, but I wasn't thinking it would overtake my blogging time.  

So very many things have occurred since I last blogged.   Things with dad, doctor visits, therapy appointments, dogs needing saved, family concerns, and before I knew it, it was time for dad and I to head back to Phoenix for the winter.  

Of course, that meant lots of packing and prepping.  Closing the house in Indiana, opening up the house in Phoenix, unpacking, cleaning and of course, my dog grooming clients were all waiting for me to get back so I could 'fix' their dogs!!   

Finally.....finally, things have slowed down a bit!  Today we are having rain and that's the first time we've had rain since we got here two months ago!!

Today, the clouds are hanging low over the Superstition Mountains!  And it's cold!  I won't be surprised if there is snow on the Mountain tops when the clouds clear.  

But the good thing about a day like this is that I don't feel like I have to be 'doing' something!  I have no grooming jobs today and I'm all caught up with our Rescue Dogs and it's raining so I can't work in the yard.  What better to do than blog I say!!!

I have so many pictures and stories to share with you, but it will take some catching up to accomplish that!!   Where to start, where to start?  Oh...I know.......

 

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My baby brother came to have Thanksgiving with dad and I and stayed for about a week.  While he was here, I managed to sneak away and attend a ceramic painting class here in our community, I had sooo much fun!

Our instructor in the back, 'throwing' a pot!

 And here, the lady next to me paints her bowl with raku paints and glazes.

This is my project.  I chose a horse, because I'm different!!  The colored one in the back was already done and fired by the instructor.  I thought I would use hers as a kind of guide.  

Here is my project after being painted with the raku glazes.  It's quite an interesting project because the piece comes out looking so differently after it has been fired!  Wait til you see the finished product!!!

Are you waiting?

I am so excited by how it came out!!

Still waiting????

Here it comes...........

READY.....SET........

GO!

Really different right!!  I had no idea what to expect but I love it!  I'm hoping there will be another class the next time my brother decides to visit!

I hope you enjoyed this blog post!  I am so glad to have had time to sit down and share.  I only hope I still have some followers out there that have not given up on me in my absence!

*Note to self.....make more time to blog and don't wait for a rainy day in Arizona to do it cuz they don't happen often!!

A Change in Perspective

Funny how fast some things change when others seem so slow!  

       In a matter of a day, my perspective on the world changed from this:

Too this:

Ok, well not maybe all in one day, but pretty darn near!!  We thought when my dad bought this house, that we were just the last house before the 

cul-de-sac and that eventually there would only be a couple of homes there we would have to look at!  

Oh no....poof and just like that, cul-de-sac gone and turned into a through street.  And LOOK at the homes in the background next to the woods.  Now those weren't there yesterday I'm sure!!!  

So now I can no longer live in denial that I am living in the country.  I could always ignore all the homes next to me on the 'other' side of the house and pretend I was still in the country by only looking to the East!!!  Did I mention that I MISS my home in the country???   I MISS my home in the country!  But.....I have to stay here and take care of dad.  Just the way it is in life for me right now.  

And in about 6 weeks, dad and I will be heading to the house in Arizona for the winter.  And...oh yeah.....I just heard that they put in a new house out there on the empty lot RIGHT NEXT to ours!!  What is up with all this change and growth!!  I thought the economy was bad!  We only had a one year with our 'sort of' country view above here in Indiana.  But in Arizona, we had the empty lot for 7 years!!!  We could see out!!  We could see the top of a mountain in the distance, we could see sunsets!!  

Gheesh...how fast a perspective changes!!

Still Here!

I'm still here!  At least I think I am....some days I don't know if I'm coming or going.

My dad is doing well.  Mr. Fix-It had knee surgery to repair a tear and "significant" arthritis and is off work for several weeks.  It's not really taking care of two needy males that keeps me running, though that certainly is enough!!  It's this dog rescue chairmanship thingy!!

Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining.  I love doing this job but there are some days I literally can't get away from my computer and emails.  Emails about a dog in need, emails from potential adopters, emails, emails, emails!!

And...in the middle of all this, my foster dog, Bettie Page got adopted.  Oh yeah.....that's supposed to happen when you foster!!  I miss her but she got a fantastic home and it's not that far from me!  

There she is in her new home on her new bed acting like the princess she is!!

Part of rescue is making sure we have funds to help future incoming dogs.  So I've been incredibly busy running an online Rescue Raffle drawing.   For $10 you get 5 raffle tickets that could win you a custom hand-drawn 8x10 portrait of your pet by artist extraordinaire, Linda Zielinski.  She will do any dog, any breed.  Below is an example of her work.

This is of course, an English Cocker Spaniel but I'm telling you she is a phenomenal artist and can do any breed.

See what I mean!!!

And another!!!!   

If you are interested in entering our raffle go to:

http://www.ecsca.org/rescuehome.html  Raffle ends on July 31st and winner to be drawn on Aug 5th.  Proceeds benefit English Cocker Spaniel Rescue dogs!

Hope you are all having a great summer that is not too hot, not too cold and not too dry!

Karen

My New Foster Dog

Dad and I have been home from Arizona for almost three weeks.  It's been a whirlwind to be sure.  Getting him discharged from rehab and on a plane bound for Indiana that same day took a lot out of him....me too!   

He's doing better, though I don't know if we will get back to Arizona in the fall, all depends on how he does this summer.  

I've been so busy lining up help and physical therapy here at home.  Seems like there is someone in almost every day.  We've seen two of his docs but more to go! 

I said I wasn't going to foster a dog for a while, not till things smoothed out a bit.  But that all changed when I saw an English Cocker in Chicago, listed on Craigslist.  I should tell you I very much dislike seeing dogs advertised in that venue.  Especially when they are free to a good home or for sale at a ridiculously low price.  There are so many unscrupulous people out there that will pick up these dogs and use them for bait in the dog fighting world and there are those that scoop up these 'deals' and sell them at a higher cost, then buy drugs with the money.  

For those of you that don't know, I am the Rescue Chairman for the English Cocker Spaniel Club of America.  So....when I see my breed so close to home, being given away or in a shelter, of course I react.  The fact that I don't have a wealth of foster homes available for these furbabies is a huge problem for a National Rescue.  Consequently, when I contacted the poster about the dog, they were willing to give her up to Rescue and brought her down to me the very next day.  And voila...just like that, I found myself becoming a foster parent.

So here she is.....my newest foster.

This is Bettie Page and she is absolutely adorable!!  A woolly Cocker for sure!  

And here she is groomed and making herself at home on my bed!

Funny thing, I wondered who names a dog Bettie Page and why!?  Apparently Bettie Page, the woman...not the dog, was a rather known 'Pin up' gal from the fifties!!   So far, I haven't seen any resemblance between the two.  Probably a good thing!!

The Color of Arizona

Many folks think of Arizona as a brown, dull and lifeless desert.  I actually think of it as one of the most colorful States in the US.  Take for instance this photo of the Arizona State tree, the Palo Verde.

I just don't think anything is a colorful as one of these trees in full bloom against an incredibly blue Arizona sky.  And there are so many more things that bloom in the desert.  Blooming cactus are phenomenal this time of year also.  Sadly, I didn't get to take any more photos to share with my readers as I left Gold Canyon, Arizona pretty quickly this year.


You may have noticed I've not been writing regularly and some of you picked up on the fact that I was having issues with my dad.  Well after one week in the hospital and five weeks in rehab, I was finally able to get dad on a plane and fly him home to Indiana this past Thursday.  He was released from rehab on Thursday morning and we were back in Indiana by midnight that night.  


The flight was turbulent at least half the way home. It was a hard journey, physically exhausting for him, mentally wearing for me.    I just wanted to get him back home where family and his doctors are so that I could breathe a sigh of relief.  


But wow, I was not ready for the change!  Yes the grass and trees are green here but the weather.....yuck!  I am having to adjust to a difference in temperature of fifty degrees less.  And it's gloomy and rainy, VERY dull and colorless here.  And did I mention it's FREEZING here???  Oh well...it's FREEZING here!!!


So for now, I am breathing a sigh of relief.......through chattering teeth and mega loads of clothing layers!  Yay for me!

Finished!

Project finished.  There are some advantages to spending a lot of time sitting with dad while he is in rehab!

It is supposed to be sold but have not heard from the lady that custom ordered it in quite awhile.  Soooo....I just may have a new rug!

Happy Easter

Hope all my blogging friends had a wonderful, family-filled day with lots of yummy food and chocolate! 

I had Easter dinner with my dad at rehab and then a wonderful Easter supper at the home of friends.   Missing my family but grateful for good friends!

Hoping dad will be released from rehab sometime this coming week. 

Fingers crossed!

Friday Photo

Can You Hear Me Now?

 

I've been away from blogging for so long I don't think anyone can hear me anymore!  It's been such a crazy time for the past two or more months that I don't know if I'm coming or going! 

First....Mr. Fix It was here for a month and boy did that go fast.  I have so many great photos of mini-trips to share with you all if I can ever find time to blog!  Here is a sneek peak:

Prickly Pear cactus ice cream from Tortilla Flat!  Yummy!!!

Then just before Mr. Fix-it left, my brother flew in to stay for a month.

Kurt trying to nap with one of my day boarder dogs, Jessie.

Then......all you know what broke loose.  Dad was admitted to the hospital with another blood clot.  They don't want to put him on a blood thinner because he is a risk for falls and because he might not even remember to tell anyone if he did fall.   He was in ICU for about 5 days and he fell twice in the hospital but fortunately didn't hurt himself.  I don't know how he managed to escape hurting himself!!! 

In the middle of all this, Mr. Fix-It had to go home.  Sad.   But at least my brother was here to help.  Dad got so weak in the hospital that he had to go to a Rehab facility because he couldn't even walk.  He's been there almost two weeks now and has complained loudly about it nearly everyday.  To the point that I was so stressed, I almost gave up and brought him home last week.  But I didn't cave because he is getting stronger and can walk a very short way with a walker! 

They want him to stay for two more weeks but I think we will probably bring him home this weekend.  That way, Kurt can be here with me to help for a couple of days before he has to go back home.  Not much of a vacation for him but I am soooo grateful he was here!!

In the meantime....the desert is never boring.  We had a hail storm that made it look like the ground was covered with snow.

And believe me it was freezing!!

But just a few days later.......

Back in the 80's and cactus blooming! (oh and rattlesnakes out too!)

You just never know what life is going to send your way!  And with that....I'm off to see dad at rehab and find out what tribulations are brewing there today!!

Friday Photo

SILLY BOYS....COWBOY HATS ARE FOR GIRLS!

Friday Photo

GOOOOOOD MORNING ARIZONA!

Taken on my walk this morning to the dog park!



Completely Speechless!

I am way behind in everything! 

It started about 3 or 4 weeks ago when my laptop died and I had to buy a new one.  It's taking forever to get used to the new one as I'm not the most technical person out there.  That or I don't take change well (don't tell anyone, but that may be the real reason!).

Then Mr. Fix-it came to visit two weeks ago after being apart for nearly 5 months.  Don't ask me how we make it work, we just do, though it is NOT easy.  Since he's been here we've been so busy carving out time to do things around the house, spend time together, as well as do some fun things.  I actually have some great adventures I want to share with my readers, like the Rodeo we went to yesterday and several hikes we've taken with several more planned before he leaves.  Mr. Fix-it actually is here for two more weeks as he is practicing for his retirement in March of 2014! 

I want to share the fact with you all that I am rarely at a loss for words.  I'm sure I've been speechless before sometime in my life, but to be honest, I don't remember it ever really happening!   Additionally, Mr. Fix-it has NEVER been able to surprise me.  I've always known what I'm getting for any holiday or any secret he has tried to keep, he's just not good at it!

It was such a relief when he arrived.  One...just to see him and, two....I really needed help.  It's very hard being the only one taking care of my dad and spending so much time at it and it gets lonely.  Mr. Fix-it's flight came in late in the day so we grabbed some dinner and headed to the 'ranch', catching up on everything we'd been up to for the last five months.  With the time difference, I expected him to hit the sack at least two hours before me but he stayed up and we continued talking.  At one point late in the evening I was standing in front of the bathroom mirror and he came up behind me and asked if I would scratch his back. 

 Being exhausted as I was, my first thought was.....you just flew 1800 miles and you want me to scratch your back!  Grumble, grumble, #@#!#..  Ok, I said to myself,  "Self stop feeling sorry for yourself just because you are wanting to receive attention, not give it.  He's been alone too for five months too!" 

Ahhhh....what a sly devil he was though!  He planned the reveal of his secret SOOO well, down to the last detail!  He stepped into the bathroom facing the mirror just so he could see my reaction as he took off his t-shirt.  I stepped behind him and raised my 'claws' to scratch and when I did, thought my jaw must have hit floor.  I was absolutely speechless...dumbfounded...in fact he said my face went white.  Blanched was really the word he used.  Blanched.  I don't think I've ever 'blanched' in my life, only read the word in historical romance novels!!  

So....what caused such a reaction you ask???

THIS!!!!

  I don't think my reaction was what he expected.  And I can't figure out how he managed to keep this secret for so long especially since it had to be done months before he came out or it wouldn't have been healed.  In his defense, he's talked about this wanting this tattoo for quite a few years but I never took it seriously AND......I thought if he was serious, I'd be able talk him out of it!! 

Ummm...yeah....that didn't get to happen! 

Romancing A Mystery

I rarely read anything other than western Historical Romance and am a closet wanna-be Historical Romance writer.  However, I do read and am a huge fan of mystery writer J.A. Jance, in particular her Joanna Brady series.   The character, Brady, is a modern day female sheriff in Cochise County, Arizona and centers around the town of Bisbee.  I got 'hooked' on these books thanks to my dad who is also an avid fan. 

Last Saturday, Ms. Jance was scheduled to appear at the Apache Junction Public Library.  I tried to talk dad into going.  I even drove over to the library ahead of time to see how far he might have to walk.  Unfortunatley, it was a bit far and he decided he would rather not attend.  I was disappointed but admitedly it would have been very difficult to get him in. 

My neighbor encouraged me to go without him as afterall dad would likely be napping while I would be away.  It makes me nervous to be gone when I think I might not be there when he wakes up but....I decided to do it!

I hustled back over to the library and grabbed a chair and waited anxiously as if I was about to meet a huge celebrity!  At the appointed time, Ms. Jance walked right beside me and up to the podium.  It was doubly exciting for me, being the rescue dog person I am,  as she had Bella the Tour Dog with her.  Bella, a mini Dachschund was rescued by the author and now attends tours with her everywhere she goes! 

Bella's outline standing on the table beside Ms. Jance

Bella and the author's husband

She related how the little dog had come into her life and now attends all her book signings.  I already knew Bella's story because I follow Ms. Jance's Blog but I enjoyed listening to her every word on the subject as well as the discussion about her newest book (not a Joanna Brady book, book but I didn't care!).  I even managed to be the first one to ask her a question after the discussion was over. 

My dream for years has been to write a western romance set in the Superstition Mountains but lately, before I even knew Ms. Jance was coming to town, I've been toying with the idea of trying my hand at a modern day murder mystery.  I have some ideas about people and some scene ideas but that's about it.  I asked Ms. Jance if, when she sits down to write a book, does she have it all worked out in her head before she ever starts or do her characters write the book for her.  Basically she told the audience, her characters write the story for her.  She does start with a dead body in mind though, as she is afterall, "a murder mystery writer!"  That was like a light bulb going off in my head....."ahhhh so that's how you do it!"  Get the body first and solve the mystery from there!  Kinda like the CSI shows on TV.  I get it now!!!

After all the questions had been answered, Ms Jance would be signing copies of her books.   I waited patiently (and excitedly) in a long line to meet the author and have my book signed.  It was finally my turn!  I handed over my book, and told her how much I love the Joanna Brady series and that I was just as excited to meet Bella as I was her since I am a dog rescue person myself. 

I'm not sure she was all that pleased that I was equally excited about meeting her dog as well as her!  Since the book she was promoting was a character from another series that I don't read, I didn't purchase the book being sold. Instead had taken a paperback book from the Joanna Brady series that I love.  Many other people had purchased her new book just out in hardback and were getting their photos taken behind the trio with Ms. Jance holding up the new book.  However, when it came time for my photo, she took the next person in line and started signing his book....no posing! 

I don't know if it was because I hadn't purchased her new book or that I was a fan of Bella's!  At first I was taken aback thinking to myself,  "hey wait a minute you didn't pose for me!"  But then.....take a look where my hand ended up in the photo.  Yep....right there petting Bella!  At that point it didn't matter that she wasn't looking directly at my camera.  I got an afternoon out to do something for me!  I met an author that I enjoy reading!  I learned something about the craft of writing......and......I got to pet the dog!  

Doesn't get much better than that now does it!!

Friday Photo

Indiana Sunset

Arizona Sunset

That's Amore!

The moon was full.  Valentine's Day was nigh.  Love was in the air!!

Frosty: "Ahhhh.....new girl on the block, let me whisper sweet nothings in your ear, me amore"!

Twister: "Excuse me!   YICK, EWWW!!!   Who do you think you are buddy"?


Frosty:  "Well that didn't go over so well".

Archie "Speaks"

Hi!  

My name is Archie and I REALLY want to find my forever home, could you be the one?  I'm an 8 year old English Cocker Spaniel.  I am sweet and loving to my foster mom but I sometimes get upset with strangers that come into the house when I am in my crate.  It makes me feel scared and trapped.  My foster mom had an Animal Behaviorist come to see me and she gave us some very easy to implement techniques so I don't feel so anxious about new people and to learn that visitors can be trusted!  It works!!

I love to give kisses when my fur mom says, "kiss" and I know what "sit" and "down" means.  I'm house trained too and I get along with the other dog that lives with my foster mom.  He's full-time and that's all I want to be, somebody's full-time buddy that I can hang out with!  I really only want to live in an adult home as kids make me nervous.  I'm up to date with all my shots.   

I was abandoned and left chained in a horse stall without food and water when a kind person rescued me.  I just want to feel safe, loved and live in a home with a quiet lifestyle.  I would be GREAT for a mature person and would be such a wonderful companion.  Could you please be my 'forever home'?  Wouldn't it be great if I could have a home for Valentine's Day!!!



*Archie currently resides with his foster mom in Pennsylvania whom he adores, but he really wants a mom of his very own.  We can help you work out transport for Archie too!  If you or someone you know can provide the kind of home Archie is searching for and want more information about him please contact:
Karen Florentine  kfloren@ptd.net   Foster mom

You can also complete an Adoption Application found at:
http://www.ecsca.org/adoptionform.html  and forward to
Karen Kirby, ECSCA Rescue Chair
fencerow@sbcglobal.net


Archie is just one of several dogs the English Cocker Spaniel Club of America has in it's Rescue program right now.

Weather Forecast?

Look out a Twister has landed here today!

Ok...so not really...at least not the kind of weather Twister.

She's a calm Twister too and a Brindle!  

I'm excited as I'm partial to this color since my very first Grey was Brindle.

She is a SWEETHEART!  But she breaks my heart.  Twister and another Greyhound that she lived with were owner give ups!   So not only is she now in some place new, she doesn't have her brother Greyhound anymore either.  I'm worried that she will be depressed so I will be giving her lots of attention and keeping a close eye on her.  The owner gave up both dogs because his fiance is extremely allergic to dogs.   

Hmmmmmm.....can any of my readers out there guess what I'd give up if I had to choose between my dogs or a fiance?????

Frito and Rugs

Sooooo.....the bathroom rugs have been put back in place and the toys have all been put away.  The toilet paper is back on the hanger, the waste basket has been brought back out, my shoes are just where I took them off, not hiding behind a closet door.   

 

But boy it's boring around here without Frito!!

I probably won't hear anything about how she's doing until next Friday when I get my next foster dog.  

 

 

In the meantime, I've had more time for rug hooking.

Here's where I'm at so far.  

 

This is the first time I've ever done a custom order for someone and I'm a bit nervous about it.  Will I get the colors just right?   Will the customer like the finished product?   Oh me, oh my! 

Gotcha Day!

Today was a special day for Frito....it was her 'Gotcha Day'.  

What is a 'Gotcha Day' you ask?  

It is the day a Rescue dog is adopted by a forever home.

Kinda like a birthday.

 

So this was our last car ride together as I took her to her adoption at the Arizona Adopt A Greyhound, Inc office.  Even though I only had Frito for a week, we had a lot of fun together.  It had been a long time since I'd had a 'juvenile' in the house and her mischievous nature kept dad and I laughing.  And...sometimes, on my toes !! 

Have a GREYT life Frito!!!

 

Frito Settles In

It's been five days and Frito is settling in nicely.

She got along well over the weekend with Spike, my boarder.  Although she did seem to think the toys he came with were hers!

 She enjoys going for walks, rides in the car and being outside.  In other words, she's pretty normal.  She has not had one accident in the house since she's been here (knock on wood).  Though I must say, typically I find Greyhounds to be fairly easy to house train.  On the farms and race tracks, they are used to being crated and let outside to go so it kind of comes easy for them to make the transition to a home setting. 

She can be goofy too!

And quite the stinker!  Frito is barely two years old and still very much a youngster.  I've forgotten what it's like to have a toddler in the house!!  She likes to drag everything she can get her teeth around into the dining room by my computer.  I've also forgotten what it's like to have one that partakes of the cool and fresh water available in my bathroom.  

I am reminded every time I sit down to a wet seat!

A Superior Outing!

Dad will be 84 this coming June.  He is diabetic, has Parkinson's and had a 6-way heart by-pass several years ago.  It gets increasingly more difficult to get him to walk, move around, exercise and his short-term memory is fading.  He would rather eat, nap on the couch and watch westerns.   I'm sure he is doing exactly what he wants but it frustrates me because I see him slowly declining and he won't listen to me.  In other words.....he isn't doing exactly what I want!!!

We just finished with some physical and occupational therapy several weeks ago and already I see the improvements he made, slipping away because he won't do the exercises.  Walking is a challenge, he shuffles because of the Parkinson's and loss of feeling below the knees due to diabetes.  He can't use a cane, the logic part of the brain and the function of moving the cane at the right time don't work together.  He can push a grocery cart but doesn't like to go to the grocery.  Dad could use a walker, but his pride won't let him.  

I am constantly bugging him about getting off the couch, trying to encourage him to do something but he worked all his life and has no hobbies.  The arthritis in his hands make it difficult to hold onto utensils and tools so 'fixing' something is out of the question.  He used to be an avid reader but now tends to forget what he read or where he was in a book.  I try to buy magazines with short articles to keep him engaged but he is only interested in westerns and there aren't many magazines in that genre.  

So why did I bore you with all his medical issues?  Well, about the only thing dad wants to do that gets him off the couch and moving around is going out to eat.  So we do.   He HAS to walk from the car to the restaurant if he wants to eat, so we go out at least once a day.  And yes, eating out that much is heck on my weight!  And it can get boring too.  Dad won't eat chicken nor does he eat Chinese, Mexican or Italian food.  Lunchtime is a circuit of the local fast food places around here for hamburgers and fries but it's easy because I don't have to 'think' about what he will eat.  Suppertime is more of a challenge.  There are only about three different eating establishments that he likes and the menus are overwhelming to him and he never knows what to order.  

After being in Arizona for nearly 4 months, I'm getting pretty tired of going to the same old places.  Last weekend I remembered a tiny, out-of-the-way cafe that I had been to several years back but without dad....Hark the Herald.....Angels are singing!!  A new place to go and just the kind of place he likes!   

So...we tested his blood sugar, packed his insulin, piled into the car and off we went.  Destination.....20 minutes northeast, up in the mountains to the, blink-and-you-miss-it, sleepy little town of Superior, Arizona.  It was a beautiful day with a brilliant blue sky and a couple of puffy white clouds.  Superior is an old mining town established in 1902 built up near the Silver Queen Mine that had been successfully mining copper, silver and gold since 1875.  


So smug and proud of myself that I remembered the old Buckboard Cafe, I could hardly wait to get dad's approval!   That is.....until I pulled into the parking lot.  CLOSED......not one single car.  I didn't know that the cafe was closed on Mondays and Tuesdays and since it was Tuesday, well....we weren't going to eat there!  The only other place in town that I knew of was a Mexican Restaurant and that was out.  By now I was a bit nervous because I didn't want dad's sugar to drop since I had no food with me and it was another 20 minutes down the Mountain.  So I headed back but took the turn that leads  through main street Superior where most buildings are empty, some even falling down. We were just about out of the downtown area (only two cross streets I think!) when, lo and behold, I spotted a cafe on a corner!  Was it open?  YES!!!   Fa la, la, la, la....the Angels are singing again.  

Porter's Cafe

Well....it was a bar too but I like little 'hole in the wall' places like that even though they can be really good or really bad!  The question is, would dad like it?  In we went.   It was so cool....and old...and we were both fascinated with some of the antiques in the place!   

The bar itself was almost as long as the building and sported an old, hazy mirror behind it.

I love the Sepia tone of this photo.  

The food came....we ordered hamburgers.....and they were GREAT!!!

The most interesting and ironic thing in the place was this tattered and very yellowed newspaper laying on the bar for anyone to look at and touch.  Printed on April 12, 1945, the ironic thing about the paper was that it is from Fort Wayne, Indiana.  Fort Wayne is only a few hours north of where we live in Indiana!  And there it was in the middle of the desert.  If only that paper could talk, I would love to know how it got there. 

As we headed back home, we decided it was a successful trip, a beautiful day,  a great lunch and something different.  

All in all, it was truly a Superior outing!