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Wednesday, November 29, 2017

With Love from AZ!

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The sky was just beginning to glow as we took off for Atlanta from Greensboro.

These early morning flights are the hardest to get up for – not to mention the hardest to fall asleep for the night before.

I haven’t hauled a trunk show to the airport since October!  I feel almost out of practice!

Did I pack everything I need?  Yes, and a big box of rulers went priority mail yesterday as well, and should beat me to Oregon before I get there.

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It seemed like no time had passed, and we were descending.

I really love seeing the world from above!

I made it half way through episode 8 of GENIUS on National Geographic - hoping to finish the remainder on my return home from Oregon.  FASCINATING series.  Watch it if you have a chance.

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Headed out to lunch with my papa – top down!

It’s been years since I have been in Arizona in December.  It’s usually January or February, and I have missed all of the south-westernly holiday décor and hubbub. 

It’s beginning to look festive in a very desert like way, as only a desert can!

And that sun on our faces?  Bliss!

So glad to catch up with my dad for just a bit ---lunch out, and then I was out for the count for a long nap.  I’d been up and running since 1:15am Arizona time.  My batteries were running on low.

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See what I mean?  LOL!!

A saguaro with Santa hats on each arm.  TOO fun.  IO took this photo around the corner from my dad’s as I headed over to my brother Mark’s for dinner. 

Toto, we are NOT in North Carolina anymore!

How many of you remember when my brother’s neighborhood was in a cut-throat competition for the best neighborhood light show in the Great Christmas Light Fight a couple of years ago?  Click HERE for that post.

Well, this neighborhood is at it again!  It’s one of the drive-by Christmas light displays not to be missed if you are anywhere near Gilbert, AZ.

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Mark & Sharolyn’s house!

And lights are JUST going up!

Click to play:


The drive-by opens to the public on December 1st.  ALL 13 houses on this street, and many others on neighboring streets will be all lit up.  Seeing these last night brought out the inner child full of wonder inside of me, and we had a beautiful walk around the neighborhood, talking to friends and neighbors.

It’s not often that a whole street will participate, and the best benefit? You get to KNOW your neighbors.  REALLY know them.  I’m just this side of envious when it comes to that. What a fun group of neighbors they have!

It was past 11pm last night and folks were still hanging lights.  Thursday evening is the “trial run” for the neighbors, and then it goes live for real.  To check what it really looks like live, be sure to click the link I gave you above to see how ALL the houses are synchronized to music…it’s just fabulous.

We sat and talked into the wee small hours of “past 10pm!” And we crawled into our beds with visions of Christmas lights dancing in our heads.

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Auntie Bonnie playing taxi driver!

This morning my niece Ashley needed a ride to school with her viola – and off we went in the rental car.  I figure if I’m paying for the car, we may as well use it, and I was excited to have just a few minutes one-on-one with her so she could fill me in on everything high school before going off to her busy day.  Oh, that traffic is a cluster.  I haven’t been in school drop off traffic for a good 10 years or more.

Today?  Sharolyn and I have planned a bit of Christmas shopping together, and are just playing it by ear with a plan for lunch out just the two of us as well.

In other news --- I’m sad to say that at least HALF of the entries that have come in on our Mystery Monday Link-Up, Part 1 for On Ringo Lake did NOT include a link back to the link-up page.  

I’ve been deleting links left and right as time allows.  I’m also concerned that MANY of these entries are listing piece counts as well as sizes in their posts.

Folks, this is serious business.  If this continues, I’m going to discontinue the link-ups all together because it is way too much work to go through them all and remove the posts that fall short of their mark.  

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE read the directions, and follow along.  Link back to my post in your post.  Do not give sizes and piece counts.  I don’t think that is asking too much, do you? Thank you for double checking your posts to make sure that they comply on both accounts.

I really hate to have to post about this, but there is no point in having a link-up if folks don’t follow these rules.  Thank you.

On the upside, there are 187 posts remaining, and they are WONDERFUL shares!  Please check them out ON THAT POST.

And don’t forget to enter the Quiltmaker Bundle Gift-Away that was just posted YESTERDAY!  Drawing for that one happens Saturday morning.

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Quiltville Quote of the Day!

Ever so true. And ever so grateful!

Have a terrific Wednesday, everyone!  2 more sleeps until Part 2 of On Ringo Lake!



11 comments:

Carolyn A S said...

My sister lives outside Sydney AU. Her house is on a four-way intersection. One year she put up lights and decorated. The following year the neighbors across from her decorate their house. Needless to say...all four houses on the intersection are decorated. Happy visit with Dad and family!

Momcat said...

Love the lights. Looking forward to meeting you Monday in Oregon.

Mary said...

I loved seeing the Cactus with Santa hats on. The lights at the Mesa Temple are pretty cool too. I had to leave before the Concerts started. Yea, for 2 more sleeps. Happy for your family time!

Unknown said...

The very first CHRISTmas was in a desert country... palm trees, figs and all. have a super time.
JulieinTN

Linda W said...

Happy family time!! You deserve every minute of it! Looking forward to Friday!!

Kerry said...

A sharp dressed cactus! Oh well done putting all those hats on a prickly plant whoever that was!

Sunshine and family fun. Cool! Enjoy your trip.

vincenzo126 said...

I am making 'On Ringo Lake', Bonnie, but I have none of the 'accounts' to link-up.(Not even sure what that is.) But I'm here...see me or not!:)
-Jean

shoshu said...

hi Bonnie,
i'm sorry you're having so mucfh [or any at all} trouble with the link up, and thank you so much for the mystery. i've also joined you this year for the first time and have already learned a bunch for which i am very grateful. i would love to join the link up but being totally [almost] compputer illiterate, i just can't figure out how to do it! if anohter blog reader see this, and would like to get in touch with me to walk me through it, wonderful. if not, this will have to sufice for saying thank you a million times to Bonnie for making this available for all of us, especially me!!!
shoshana

Susan Delaney said...

Hi Bonnie, met you in Maine last last year..we were the 3 Canadians that were late as we got lost to your Talkin Turkey workshop. At any rate, On Ringo Lake will be my 3rd mystery with you..this one is special as I am doing it on the road...we are leaving winter in New Brunswick for sunny skies in Arizona...Clue 1 completed in Albuequrque, NM on historic Route 66. not sure how to get a photo to you....your quilt friend Susan

Gail S said...

I live in Gilbert!
I love seeing your photos of the trip.

Chopin - A Passionate Quilter said...

What is the matter with people - don't they read the instructions and realize that you are doing this for free - and all they have to do is link back so others can join in the mystery quilt project! Oh Well. Have a great day

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