IT'S TIME TO SAY.......

GOODBYE TO AUGUST

August was an Ordinary Month; our activities were home-based. Lots and lots of activities!

August 2nd we went to the Theatrikos production of "The 39 Steps".

 

Though well acted, it was one of a very short list of plays we did not enjoy.  The plot was murky throughout, the humor wasn't funny to either of us, and we walked out shaking our heads, wondering what it was all about.  It happens rarely, so we weren't put out.

The next day I attended the memorial service of the man who was the supervisor of the hardware part of our radio system at work, Dennis McLouth.

  I'd worked with Dennis for most of my career at DPS and knew his wife Joan from her visits at work.  It was nice to see the other ways Dennis was active and appreciated.

The following Saturday our neighbor Megan and I ran the Dave McKay Memorial Big Brothers Big Sisters Half Marathon.  

It's a tough little bugger, with a really steep hill at the beginning.  We ran at my pace, which meant my usual back of the pack finish. 

 

The Saturday after that, I participated in the Climb To Conquer Cancer walk up Snowbowl Road as a  member of the Tai Chi club. 

 

 Catherine and I walked to the top together, chatting & enjoying getting to know each other.

 

 That same Saturday, Ron left for a whirlwind trip to Colorado.  He had in mind some particular old mining towns where he wanted to take pictures.  He returned the following Tuesday, pleased with these results.

One day in the middle of the month driving to town on my usual route through Kachina Village, I did a triple take at a group of people taking photos or filming along Pump House Wash.   Was that REALLY Pete Nelson, the Treehouse Master himself?  Yep!

Pete and his Treehouse Master Company have partnered with Make-A-Wish Arizona to build this Kachina Village boy, AJ Johnson, his own treehouse.  With help from Kachina Village Fire Department personnel, that included a wheelchair accessible ramp.  September 19 is when the episode airs showing this build.  We'll be watching!

Also in the middle of the month, Ron got wind that there is a proposal to build a Dollar General store on a piece of property at the front of Kachina Village.  Though the property is zoned commercial and Dollar General is certainly commerce, it makes no sense at at many levels.  It also riled up a LOT of Kachina Village residents.  A petition drive to disallow it was quickly organized, and Ron decided to join in the effort.  He attended a public meeting at the local park, during which he made himself available to a local newspaper reporter.  This followed in the paper the next day:

Kachina Village opposes Dollar General

........"Ron Baumen lives in Kachina Village with his wife and said they’re happy with the way it is now. 
“We chose Kachina because it’s nice,” he said. “It’s rural, it borders the woods, you can hike, you can bike, there’s elk, there’s deer, there’s hawks, I can take my dog out ... It has nothing to do with shopping.” "........  We're forgiving the last name misspelling for the 15 minutes of fame! 

Next up was the annual Open Studios event.  Each year artists in Flagstaff open their homes/studios to the public to enjoy both their art and their process.  62 artists participate, some sharing the same home or studio.  We visited with and saw the work of about 10 artists, and enjoyed them all.

This past Saturday we took advantage of a Labor Day Weekend sale at Home Depot to replace our worn out BBQ grill.  Ron's the grill chef at our home, and he's planning to break it in on Labor Day with chicken and corn on the cob.  YUMMY!

I read a lot of books this month.

This many books makes me think maybe I was reading to put off some things that needed done but I didn't want to do....betcha it was house chores!!!  

“Even as I hold you, I am letting you go.” 

                                                                                      ----Alice Walker