Apriicty West 4

March 1, 2024 - Friday  Happy Birthday to baby sister, Terri

Jim has always been a great birthday planner and this one is no different. He is keeping her to himself today, but has a fun-filled weekend planned for all of us. 

 

Marilyn returned today from her Texas trip and is here for the month. She came over for a visit to share the details of her trip. 

 

March 2, 2024 - Saturday

Jim’s mom treated all of us to a delicious Italian birthday lunch at Locale Restaurant in midtown Tucson…

…beginning with a toast. The house white wine was a very interesting blend which Terri and I enjoyed.

We sat outside on this gorgeous Arizona day...

They made 2 of Rich’s drink (Grande Amico) which they offered him. He took them...

Rich’s Spaghetti with Clams and my Sfoglia - handmade pasta ribbon, braised pork, dandelion greens, parmesan, saba (a syrup made from boiling down grape smush left over after making wine). Never had anything like it before! 💖

This building was a farmhouse built in the 1930’s and the walls surrounding it were made with bales of hay then covered with stucco. There are several glass panels revealing the hay inside. 

Two compadres entering the Bar through a separate entrance. 

My Italian friends will enjoy these pictures of the interior of the Cafe. 

Back at the Parsons’ Oasis, Terri opened her colorful tops which had matching sweaters. 

Rich and I played Happy Birthday…

…and we enjoyed a chocolate on chocolate cake with raspberry filling cake. 

Back inside, Terri and I played a few songs...

March 3, 2024 - Sunday

I felt the need to go for a walk before we were off and running today. As if we didn’t have enough to eat yesterday, here we go again - very willingly I might add. Frank’s is a diner reminiscent of Rich’s family diner of old. This joint has a very small footprint and a lot of seasoned servers (most there for decades) gliding between the tables and other servers. The cook stood in one spot in clear view behind the counter like an orchestra conductor flipping eggs in saute pans, scraping the grill filled with home fried potatoes, turning sizzling bacon within reach, as the old rotating toaster delivers the goods to be brushed with melted butter. The bubble in the logo says, “Eat and GET OUT!”

Jim drove us into the foothills to see a private gated community of diverse homes strategically placed on the mountain amidst hundreds of saguaros. 

 

Back at the Oasis, Jim had placed vases of flowers around for an extra splash of color.

Then he prepared special cocktails and a salmon and salad dinner. This guy is a keeper (which Terri knows full well). 

March 4, 2024 - Monday

Went for a walk before we went shopping at Fry’s. We picked up a chuck roast for ME to cook on Sunday - the pressure. Then back to the park to sit outside where Marilyn came to join us for a visit. 

 

March 5, 2024 - Tuesday

Slept until 8am this morning! Stayed at camp and enjoyed this glorious weather most of the day. I did go for a walk and pick up mail. Marilyn stopped over and we invited her to dinner and great conversation. Both she and Rich have degrees in hotel management. She decided to go to North Ranch from here next month - we will be leaving on the same day, but in opposite directions. 

 

March 6, 2024 - Wednesday

Discovered a new-to-me food today - just what I need. We went to a Thai restaurant with the plan to get hot and sour soup only. Once there, we ordered egg rolls to share and then I asked what this dish was that was pictured on the screen. It looked like a rich dark meat with a white gravy over it.

Turns out it is purple rice topped with a sugar glaze with a side of mango. So we got one order out of curiosity and it was delicious - sweet like a dessert. Google tells me that black rice (aka, purple rice or forbidden rice) is highly nutritious, rich in antioxidants and a good source of protein and iron. It was called forbidden rice as it was reserved for a Chinese emperor to ensure his health and longevity. 

 

March 7, 2024 - Thursday

Got a walk in before the rain started. Working on a card for Mom’s birthday in a couple of weeks, practicing ukulele songs, and reading a book on Kindle! The book is Between the Reins by Steve and Carol Huffman, folks we met at North Ranch. The story is about Steve’s evolving life as a roper, horse breaker, herder, reiner and trainer. Carol, his wife, helped him put the stories on paper for all to enjoy. I like their style of storytelling and also learned a lot.

Rich is working hard to get ready for the Farmers’ Markets and Craft Shows this summer…