This is the best way I can describe my Monday. It can only get better.
Discovery.
Despite the 110ºF and above temperatures, we decided to march around the desert a little bit. Colossal Cave Mountain Park is a short drive from our new home, so we decided to check it out to see if it’s some place the entire family would enjoy visiting in the future, and ideally, when it’s not quite so hot here in the Arizona desert.
We didn’t explore the cave yet, we wanted to save that for the family outing, but we did enjoy the Visitor’s Center and the surrounding area. We’re looking forward to our next visit. It’ll be a target for outings when we have friends and family visiting.
Float.
As a road geek I’ve noticed ADOT has installed these reminder signs advising motorists not to drive into flooded washes, gullies, and other low lying areas of the desert. Apparently they’re a reminder of the “Arizona Stupid Driver Law” or something of that nature. I guess there’s video of a Volkswagen being swept away as the driver tried to navigate through six feet of water or something.
It would never occur to me to drive through water rushing across a roadway. The road approaching our house has some pretty impressive dips passing through washes. I can’t wait to see what this year’s Monsoon brings.
No Fear.
Truman has decided he’s a big fan of the bannister. He enjoys looking down on the dining room. I have concerns about him falling but he’s insistent on enjoying his new perch.
Warm.
The weather is suppose to reach 110ºF and higher starting Saturday. When telling folks about our move to Arizona we’re often warmed that it’s going to be hot. Then someone in the conversation says, “But it’s a dry heat”.
It IS a dry heat.
I try to get my morning walk in before 8:00 a.m. Sometimes my work schedule does not allow this but I won’t go for my walk of the neighborhood after 9:00 a.m., the sun is just too intense and uncomfortable for me.
Earl bought me a hat more suited for the desert sun and I’m finding it enjoyable. The walks are pleasant, but when I get back to the house the first thing I do is wipe the collected sweat off the top of my bald head.
Neighbors are friendly when our paths cross in the neighborhood; everyone says “good morning” and folks driving by all wave. I wave back. I’m happy to be in our little development here. We’re a few degrees cooler than the more urban areas of Tucson. It’s still very hot but I find it enjoyable. I’ve just had to adjust my schedule to enjoy the sunny weather accordingly.
After all, it is a dry heat.
Serenade.
My husband and I were out for a short ride tonight and this song came on Sirius/XM 80s on 8. I sang the entire track for him in full voice. He’d never heard it. Now he has.
From 1987, here’s The Other Ones with “Holiday”.
Lunch.
I’m sitting in the gazebo today for lunch. It’s 93ºF at the moment and while it’s hot, it’s not entirely unpleasant. I’m happy to be out of the sun. My Irish skin is just not built for a lot of sun exposure.
I just finished watching the Apple Keynote event at WWDC21 (their annual Developer’s conference) and I have to admit that while it was interesting, my eyes glazed over a couple of times. I don’t know what any technology company could do for “revolutionary” impact in the space these days, but like previous years, today’s announcements seem more evolutionary than revolutionary. I really like Apple’s leaning on privacy and the importance of not sharing your data with every tech company that comes along. That is really important to me and the primary driver for my using Apple products. It used to be I enjoyed the “fit and finish” of Apple devices, and while I believe they’re still the best the space has to offer, I don’t believe they’re the premium experience they once were. The privacy angle is still quite premium though, and that’s good enough for me.
I was hoping for more in the way of the iPadOS 15 developments; Apple is now selling their iPad Pro with the same processor as their latest Macs, the Apple M1 chip. With the iPad Pro running with a lot of horsepower under the hood I was hoping we would see some of the Mac-only “Pro” apps like Final Cut Pro or Logic Pro (video editing, audio creation, respectively) come to the iPad Pro. But apparently not yet.
All in all I was interested in the offerings but not blown away. I don’t know what “the next big thing” could be, outside of an Apple Car or some Apple Glasses or something, but I feel like as a world in the midst of the 21st century we’re do for “the next big thing”.
We didn’t hear about that today.
I’ll just enjoy the dry heat and catch up on some reading.
Perky.
Lauren Tewes was very perky in her credits shot in the third “Love Boat” movie, the first to feature her character, as well as Gavin McLeod playing Captain Stubing.
