Even though we knew this was going to happen sometime, when the letter came from Gail's mother, Joyce, asking me to come for her operations I had to move fast. I forced myself to finish copying/editing the seven camera tapes from our trip to USA in 1990 into two VCR tapes. Then bought a VCR machine which records USA playable tapes, so I could make a copy to show the folks back home. Was busy doing that up to an hour before I left for the plane. I only had a week to do slot of yardwork and one last whiz around the house doing things that normally get put off. I left on 9 Sept which is the start of spring here and just when the majority of trees and shrubs burst into flower, so I was glad to leave the pollen behind.

I did stay long enough to be at home for Renee's 15th b'day. We went bowling and she got a new high score of 150 (more than David's best). In the second game she almost beat me; but I came through in the 10th frame to edge her out by three. So it looks like we have another bowler in the family. After the bowling we went to a nice restaurant for lunch - sort of a birthday/bon voyage meal.

Getting to Prescott was a lot of fun - 33 hours during which I was only able to sleep for half an hour. I was pretty spaced out by the time I got to Phoenix at 8.40PM, and 91°F. But the fresh air woke me up, so I enjoyed the two hour cab ride to Prescott. The driver was from Eritrea and he had many interesting tales to relate so the ride went quickly.

Timed my arrival to give me one day with Joyce before she left for Minnesota. So that left me alone for a week and a chance to get absolute rest and adjust to the climate. I felt better almost immediately and only felt rotten when Joyce came back and filled the house with cigarette smoke.

Prescott is small and isolated - about a mile high up in the mountains. Not as hot as in the valley where Phoenix is; it was in the 80'8 the first month I was there. So I had a nice routine of exercising, pulling weeds from the rock covered yard and read on the deck in the sun. Then a walk in evening before settling down to TV.

I found many interesting places to explore. Joyce is in a planned community about two miles north of the town on a small mountain. Her house is at the bottom and a dirt road allows you to reach the peak where a water tank has been installed. I soon made that a regular trip. About 20 minutes up. From there its very scenic views and no buildings in sight. Only a herd of 50 antelope and birds. Last year when we were in Prescott, we had a laugh over the lakes which were filled with grass and no water. But this year I noticed water in one, so I went there to take a photo. Found out that there is a lake permanently, dammed in the granite dells; just can't be seen from the road. In fact there is a campground/picnic area on the lake and it's only a 20 minute walk from Joyce's, so I went there several times.

Joyce's house is on the highway and traffic has gotten very dense and very noisy. So when the community owner removed all low-level branches from the big elms on the highway edge (so his sign could be seen) life became unbearable (unhearable?) in the yard. So I pick-axed eight holes into the rock and planted bushes which we hope will grow into a. hedge one day.