One More Sunset

 My big camera, that I use to take the sunset pictures, has a problem.  The spring that pushes the battery out is dead, so the battery can't be extracted.  It's always something, it's never good.  Anyway, this was an interesting sky the other night.  Many colors were in evidence.

We saw the escrow people this morning and signed papers.  The buyers have already signed, so I guess the deed will record next Tuesday and this will be done.

These are the Catalina Mountains up north.  Look how green the mountain sides are.  Last year they were completely brown and sad.

Well, it's time to put more stuff in boxes. 

The Last Bike Ride Here

Yesterday was supposed to be the last ride day.  Unfortunately, it was pouring when we got up.  So, it was back to bed for us.  Today was better.  We almost didn't go because we're so close to the move, but decided we would do it anyway.  It was a pretty day, but hot!  and humid!  By the time we were done we were both soaked with sweat.

It is eerily green.

This is a ramada of some sort.  We can't get a good look at it from the street, especially now that the palo verdes have leafed out.  They have been working on this for about a year, we never see more than one person working at a time.  There is a chimney on the left, and the base of the supports have had rocks put around them.  For the life of me I can't figure out why you would spend money on this.  It's not close to the house and what would you do out there?

Flagstone will be installed somewhere.  There is a lot of material waiting for installation.  We were really hoping it would be finished prior to our departure, but no.

The road at the bottom of one of the washes has been undercut.  The edge of the road is just out of sight at the bottom of the photo.  There used to be more concrete poured there, but the water has taken it away.  I guess they'll be pouring more concrete after monsoon is over.

Remember the paver project on the driveway?  Short version is here, long version is there.  We have a ten year warranty on it.  Two pavers sank, they were about an inch below their neighbors.  For EIGHT WEEKS Jim has been badgering the company owner about sending someone out to fix it.  The owner does not answer the phone, other people do and then they ignore us.  Jim got a little forceful with the office manager today and told him that they were well on their way to a really terrible Yelp review if they didn't make it right.  Anyway, the repair crew was here in an hour.  According to him, critters tunnel under the driveway.  Then, over time the dirt under the paver moves and the paver sinks.  The repair guy says it happens a lot in Tucson.

Today there was more packing.  There was also cooking for tonight and tomorrow.  After that we switch to frozen dinners served on paper plates so we can box up the kitchen.  I think we're boxing up the tv on Saturday.  It's one of the many tasks that takes longer than you think it should.  I will be happy when we make it to Spokane.

Whining and Packing

You know what I hate about packing?  Well, all of it, but in particular I hate it when I put something in a box, with unlike stuff, don't write the item name on the box, and now the item is essentially lost until the box is opened.  I bought some white gloves on Amazon.  The white newsprint that I pack with must be flattened out some before you can stack it and fold it.  Running your hands across paper for hours just sucks the life out of your skin.  I packed the gloves.  No idea where they are.  So I ordered more from Amazon.  Anyway, the gloves are gone, and my tiny zebra print cross body bag is gone.  It was on top of a chest, now it's gone.  I can only assume I packed it, since it isn't there anymore.  I have zero memory of doing that.  Perhaps I am losing my mind.  I'm documenting this for if we ever decide to move again.

We rode again this morning.  It was a slog, we're kind of tired, and getting up at 6:30 to ride is not helping.  It was good to get out and get some exercise, however. 

I took this with the cell phone - it's a Black Chinned hummingbird.  They're going to miss me when I'm gone.

The bougainvillea is boisterous.

We got the wall art in Tubac.  We're leaving it.  Oddly enough there is one on the house we bought, and we really do not need two.

Wind last night blew the petals into the entryway.

I get the most interesting articles in my news feed on the phone.  Reading this was like reading a garbled translation done by someone who speaks neither language.  The article clarified a little.  It's something to do with mining (as in bitcoin mining) block chains and something is changing and to get people to move to the new software, they're detonating "difficulty bombs" (more software) to get people on the newest level of code.  Personally, I think cryptocurrencies should be banned, their environmental footprints are just horrendous.

So, that's it.  Packing, whining and difficulty bombs.

More on the Neighbor

 The Junk King truck showed up bright and early yesterday. They brought out a few items, but then we saw the men standing in the street doing nothing.   The Junk King lady pulled up and asked what was the hold up - with a slightly exasperated tone of voice in use.  As we expected, the neighbor refused to let them take any more away.  So, I guess home improvement is now on hold.

The 26 foot truck is back on our reservation number.  Jim has been calling frequently to ensure it's still there and that no weirdness has happened in the mean time.  They also know about our two dozen moving blankets, so I'm less anxious than I was.

I guess it's time to start rolling up the rugs, and getting them ready to go.  I have to laugh at myself, they spent eleven years in storage, rolled, and I keep thinking "it's too soon, they'll flip up at the corners."  No, they'll be fine and it needs to be done.  So, back on our heads!

We've had some clouds, but nothing spectacular.

That's it, that's all I've got.
 

Packing and the Neighbor

Greetings Fellow Humans!  How are you?  I feel like people have been beating the bottoms of my feet with rubber hoses; not that I've ever had that happen, but that's how I imagine it would feel.  I'm currently in my recliner writing this, no more on the feet for me today.  This is how life is being lived in the house at the moment.

This is the fragile grouping; china and stuff like that there.

Lamps.  Lamps are just the work of the devil.  Each lamp generates two boxes, one for the base and one for the shade.

Miscellaneous stuff.

Progress is being made, but it feels like we've spent more time in the car this past week than in previous months.  Jim's had three appointments with his fleet of medical professionals, there was a trip to Costco to replace Jim's dead laptop, two trips were required to get four bikes to the bike store, and today there was one trip with two cars to pick up said bikes.  We decided to have the road bikes professionally packed in bike cartons so their chances of surviving the drive to Spokane would be increased.  The truck rental is just fraught with anxiety.  We checked on it yesterday, and somehow our reservation had been changed from a 26 foot to a 20 foot truck.  It's an interesting process, you don't get to choose where you will pick up the truck, they text two days prior and tell you where it will be.  This whole truck rental is just giving me the willies.

In every neighborhood there seems to be the homeowner who is not like the other neighbors.  Ours is across the street.  For three years we have been badgering the HOA to make him clean up his yard, but to no avail.  It's an eyesore, people drive by in golf carts and stop and point.  Anyway, yesterday three ladies came by and inspected the property and took photos.  Allegedly the photos are in support of a case being brought to get a court order to clean up the yard.  Today one of the ladies came back and talked to the owner briefly.  Then a Junk King truck showed up.

We were wildly excited, thinking they were going to do something about the abandoned car, the weeds, the dead trees, and etc.  But no, they're only going to be working in the house.  We talked to the Junk King lady for a bit.  Apparently there is mold and mildew in the house.  There is also a cat, but there is no cat litter in evidence.  It's pretty bad in there, respirators may be required.  The owner is not letting them take too much, he's a hoarder.  The Junk King lady is going to call a department in adult services that might come out and clean.  All of the carpet needs to be removed.  It's unlikely that the flat roof has been done in years, one wonders if the roof has leaked during the recent rains. The lady from yesterday, who also chatted for awhile mentioned that she's been helping the owner recently, stuff like going to the dentist, the doctor, the bank, and getting the flat tire on his golf cart fixed.  He's paying her, so at least he has some help.

So, after being faced with this for three years, and being low level angry about it daily, it looks like maybe there will be some resolution to it. 

The prickly pear fruit are becoming a deeper purplish red.

If you look closely, you can see that one fruit has split open, and there are seeds inside.

 We're hoping this will be a sign of more rain.

So, that's what we're up to - primarily putting things in boxes.

Oh, and ebay refunded the cost of the jacket I didn't receive and shipping this morning.

Bad Thought Processes

 This is why covid is never going to be over.  The owner of this car clearly has the disposable income to buy an expensive vehicle, so most likely they have a job.  However,  something is wrong with their thought processes.  We saw this today.  I just had to share.

The website on his car is pushing the use of ivermectin (used to treat parasitic worms in large animals and people), hydroxychloroquine in combination with azithromycin (both of which can cause arryhthmias) and zinc. What could go wrong?