One less on the 'Bucket List'.

G'day folks

We have been having a pretty quiet time of it for the last week or so. Since we left Pahrump and all the good folk there we have stayed in Phoenix and Casa Grande, Arizona.

We left Congress on Monday morning as I was fortunate enough to be able to buy two brilliant seats for the Phoenix Suns vs Denver Nuggets, NBA game. To see an NBA game was on Norm's 'Bucket' list as well as mine.

We were able to get seats in row eleven right on the centre line!! Couldn't have asked for better seats if we had tried. They put a dent in the budget but.. eh.. we were only planning on doing it once! We took a train into Phoenix (we were staying in Mesa) and grabbed something to eat before the game. I was so excited Norm kept telling me it was just like an NBL game back home. News Flash Norm!!!! No it wasn't! The whole atmosphere was different. More people, more entertainment, more of everything! It was just awesome and to make it a top night, Phoenix were down most of the game and came up to win so the Phoenix crowd was really pleased!

We took the train back to the car. Now that was another experience! Talk about sardines in a can! People were jammed in to the point that I was standing and had nothing to hang onto except Norm's jacket but it didn't matter because I couldn't have fallen over anyway! You really got 'up close and personal' with the person next to you or at least their armpit!

A quiet day followed and we made plans to leave for Casa Grande on Wednesday. We are not going to the Grand Canyon as they have had some snow falls and we don't really want to be driving in those conditions.

Have you ever noticed that I never detail any of my faux pas? I only ever tell you when Norm stuffs up! I write this so I control the content - so there Norm!

And of course this comment precedes another stuff up by Norm. I had decided that one of the footstools would look good with some perspex (acrylic sheeting) on the top of it with some photos underneath. The idea was that it could double as a coffee table. Well we went of to the Home Depot and after much explanation with the salesperson we were able to find what we were looking for! We got some and headed home. Norm wasn't sure how he was going to mold it but it needed to be heated so it could be bent over.

The Barbeque was to be our salvation as the piece wouldn't fit into the oven. So Norm heated the bbq and came inside and set the time. Beep beep and out Norm goes to check to see how it is going. The next second I hear him saying "oh Sh*&, oh sh*&'. I rush outside to see Norm trying to remove the melted perspex from the hotplate on the bbq. I would have laughed but I knew that my life wouldn't be worth living. We got it all off but that project has been put on hold for the time being. It would work just with a shorter time frame!

Because we were staying in one place I was able to get the top of my quilt finished and took it to a lady in Arizona City (just south of Casa Grande) to be quilted. Barbara was a really interesting lady. She has a complete four bedroom house set up as her quilting/scrapbooking place. It is unreal! What I wouldn't give to have the space she has. When we get home I might be able to talk Norm into building me a studio for my quilting! And pigs fly!!!!

The weather in Casa Grande has been wonderful. Lovely warm days and cold nights. So warm in fact that Norm and I have had to break out the shorts again. But it has been bl*^%$ cold at night. The polar fleece sheets are so warm it is great!

Remember back when we were in Kansas and I was describing the sea of yellow from the sunflowers? Well I have seen a sea of white here in Casa Grande! I always thought that cotton only grew in the south eastern states of the USA where there is lots of rain. Got that wrong didn't I - cotton is grown in Arizona! It is amazing and they are harvesting at the moment so there are these giant cotton packs the size of a shipping container, in the paddocks around here.

Can't wait for the next, and final, Harry Potter movie. We went to see the first part of the Deathly Hallows and it was soooo good.

We have really had a quiet time here in Casa Grande. We have been waiting for another parcel through the postal service and while we were planning on leaving on Saturday it still hadn't arrived. So we have decided to stay here till after Thanksgiving. The folks here at Casa Grande are so lovely and have really taken us into their group. We thoroughly enjoy the coffee hour in the morning and the happy hour in the afternoon. It is all really good fun.

This is a pretty short blog (and no saying thank goodness for that anyone!) as we have really been taking some time off from running around.

Take care everyone and stay healthy and happy. And I will see you back next week and maybe we will have some interesting places to report on.