No April Fool

We aren't even going to think about trying to pull the wool over your eyes this morning. It's April Fool Day and we won't go there. So you're safe. Let others mess with your head--we're not taking the bait. That being said, we would like to recommend you view Google April Fool. Each year, Google puts up some totally untrue thing on their email gateway page. This year, they've really outdone themselves. You don't have to have a Google (gmail) account to enjoy the fun. Just go to gmail.com and check out Gmail Motion. It's easily the best spoof they've ever designed and a classic for the ages. Enjoy!

Thursday morning slipped away like a fish escaping a hook. I went and looked at the potential new vehicle and quickly decided to decline. It was a 1994 Nissan Pathfinder for $1000. The seller had all the maintenance records going back maybe 12-13 years. Impeccable maintenance by our local Star, Pat D. Great vehicle and the seller was brutally honest about every tiny detail. Such honesty helped me learn it needed $1000 in repairs an only got 15 mpg on a "good day." Well that sealed the deal and we "passed" on acquiring that dinosaur.

Then it was over to Cottonwood for lunch with some HAM Heads. As I expected, the group resembled a bunch of RSVP volunteers hanging out together and swapping inside stories such as only they can tell. (The photo tells the story better than I can.) They were a VERY hospitable bunch of people and made me feel very welcome as Old School people are wont to do. The lunch was a typical Chinese buffet with all sorts of fat-filled, highly salted concoctions. I ate a lot of the salad shrimp--they were the only thing that hadn't been deep fried to oblivion. And the glass of water was great, too. Well, anyway, I stayed there 90 minutes so I must have been enjoying myself. Actually, I did learn a lot and am looking forward to learning even more.

Afterwards, I went to the county offices and retrieved our assessed valuations for our Arizona property. Luckily, it's in line with what we think it should be so there's no need to appeal. Whew. I thought about running some errands but it was so hot I simply drove home panting all the way back. (See below.)

Susun had a great morning with Phyllis and they visited with Kristen, too. Later, Miss Susun went off and did laundry and refilled 18 gallons of filtered water. She's such an awesome, tireless worker. GOOD JOB, Sweetie!

After tidying up our place, Jim Bishop and Steve Ayers showed up at 5 pm to interview me for their book on The Verde River. Jim stayed almost two hours and Steve stayed a little over 3 hours. Susun and I thoroughly enjoyed their visit. We all had a lot of laughs and told great stories. I'm not sure they got a speck of anything usable for book material because I kept telling them "this is off the record," but they sure seemed to enjoy themselves. It was great getting to know Steve for the first time. He has a unique story too long to retell here but, trust me, it's a heck of a story. He's doing a super job in his reportorial capacity and is a genuine asset to the past, present and future of The Verde Valley. Jim, of course, is now a living legend in his own right and time. Any time we spend with him qualifies as your proverbial "golden moments." He's such a treasure and such a great guy. VIVA BISHOP! Anyway, we had veggie burgers for din-din after Steve departed and spent some time online before falling asleep after another great day.

Have a great April Fool Day and Many Fun Cheers, jp