Elvis is Alive

Contrary to what you've heard - Elvis is definitely alive and well.

Valle del Oro is no stranger to outstanding stage shows and entertainment, but last night's dinner and dance was totally over the top. We even stayed up late, and never missed a dance.

This was the Don Rose Show, and there's an outside chance that Elvis was really Don. Not sure.

VDO We've Got Talent

Photo by David Park

Our friends Ed Young and Ruth Gray (centre), appeared last night in the Talent Show at VDO. The second singer is Carol Hansen, and she is from Saskatoon.

This is a very popular event each year attracting an audience of several hundred. Ruth and Carol sang: 'My Nova Scotia Home.'

Ed and Ruth live in Eastern Passage, near Halifax, N.S.

We've been wintering together for many years, including four years in Tucson, and one year in Texas. This is their first year in Mesa, and this was their first appearance in the VDO Talent Show.

Perfect Soft Boiled Eggs

For years I've been in search of the perfect soft boiled egg. This year, I've studied the matter and come up with this:

1. boil some water in a pot, enough to cover the eggs. Don't add the eggs until the water is boiling;
2. warm the eggs first, a glass with warm water will work fine. This keeps them from breaking open;
3. add the eggs to the boiling water, leave the pot uncovered, boil for approximately five minutes. Use a timer;
4. when time is up, immediately cool eggs under running cold water from your kitchen tap for five to ten seconds (this stops them from cooking);
5. break open and add to serving bowl. Hopefully, they're perfect. If not try again and vary the time.

Snow in Scottsdale?

February 12, 2013

On Monday, there was snow in Scottsdale. There were cool temperatures everywhere in Arizona. Freezing in most places.

January recorded three records in respect to weather. Warmest day. Coldest day. Most rain. 

February may not set records (not sure that it didn't), but the weather wasn't much different from  January. This is not the norm for Arizona, and we're at least ten degrees below norms so far this winter. Climate change?

We're just finishing up a straight seven days of cooler temperatures with a few rain events thrown in. The locals like the rain. Short-term tourists are disappointed, but how does all of this really affect life? It doesn't.

Golfers have frost delayed starts. Tennis and Pickle Ball players dress in layers. Hikers do the same. The sun shines, you still need sunscreen, life goes on. During cooler periods I use or fireplace more, my fuel bills are higher, I'm inside more, but it's no big deal.

My friend and I walked 32 miles last week, over 54,000 steps and never missed a day. We spent nine early morning hours out in the weather with light jackets and long pants. On one occasion I wore gloves.

The Arizona air is dry, the sun warms the body, the cool air feels good. The snow in Scottsdale was melted an hour after it landed. Soon enough the temperatures will warm, and that's another story.

Winter Air Travel Trying at Times

February 2013 Was Not Always Travel Friendly

There has been lots to talk about this winter when it comes to weather. Huge storms have moved across the country on numerous occasions creating travel headaches for many, including our Judy.

Departing Phoenix in early February on a beautiful sunny morning she found her flight departure delayed an hour, with no explanation why. It was almost certainly due to weather, not in Phoenix, but somewhere else. Huge storms were moving across the southern states, it was going to be a challenging travel day for everyone.

When she did arrive in Chicago she found her connecting flight to Syracuse had been cancelled, again due to weather somewhere besides Chicago. The option she was offered was a later flight to Newark, and then a flight to Syracuse the next morning. So it meant a stopover.

This couple had been two days waiting for a flight

Problem with this scenario was the forecast weather for Syracuse the next day - big snow was on the way, which could mean more flight delays and possibly another overnight if she wasn't able to drive home.

She made an appeal to a sympathetic customer care agent (not ticket agent) at the airport, who was able to find her a seat later in the day to Syracuse on another airline. It was a very rough ride due to weather, but she got there. She still had the drive home, another two hours, late in the day, and you're tired.

As I write this today, the eastern part of the U.S., extending into Canada is still in recovery from a record breaking snow event this weekend. The usual stuff, thousands without power, property damage, and lives upset. On February 9 alone, almost 6,000 flight were cancelled. You see the problem.

Lesson in all of this: plan for delays, and be happy when it doesn't happen. Go prepared.