THE "NEW" AMERICAN WAY--AN OCCASIONAL SAGA

Perhaps it's because I'm "of a certain age", but going to the grocery store for a Shingles shot (or injection, as BC would so precisely intone) just seems sick and wrong.  "Got your list?"  "Yeah, I just need to grab bread, lunchmeat, lettuce and a Shingles shot."  No!!! One should make an appointment with her family doctor, check in, sit in the waiting room for hours, become frustrated and, finally, get her Shingles shot.  It's the American Way!  One should not be able to simply stroll past the frozen foods tossing an occasional item in her cart, then steer it right into the Shingles shot area and begin pricing vaccinations.  I'll tell you what it is:  it's all part of the coarsening of our culture.  Actually, I'm not really sure that's right but I'm going to leave it in for now.

Since I'm past the requisite age, had a bad case of Chicken Pox as a first-grader, and have spent the last couple of years watching friends, family and neighbors keel over with nasty cases of Shingles, I felt strongly that I'd probably pushed my luck about as far as I should.  So, in addition to my shopping list, I grabbed my Shingles vaccine prescription and BC, and we were off to the store.

Are we here yet?  Are we, are we, are we?

Can I have a balloon if I don't cry?  Puleeeeeease?

Whoa...this is beginning to feel just a bit more official and real now!  I think I'll just skip down to the signature line. 

This very nice Pharmacist who has just had a camera stuck in his face and wonders what expose' this photo will highlight, did hold himself together quite nicely and was an extremely  good shot giver (injectionizer?)

Bottom line:  No, I didn't get a balloon even though I didn't cry.  But, and I swear by all that is holy  this is the truth, I got a certificate that said:  "You're immunized!  Here is your reward...10% OFF Your next grocery purchase.  Thank you."

Oh no, no.  Thank You. 

HABOOBS AND OTHER MONSOON PHENOMENON

A few evenings ago, our second Haboob of the current Monsoon Season blew through the Phoenix area.  Rolling across the valley, this curtain of gritty desert dust and fine-grained sand erases visability and stops traffic as effectively as any midwest blizzard or Florida coast hurricane.  Whereas, we weren't in the thick of it at our end of the valley, the wind did whip through and our brilliant blue sky became a brownish blanket.

We kept close watch, hoping against hope that it would rain at least enough to "prime the pump"--an old Kansas expression meaning that a little rain may create a damp atmosphere that might bring more behind it.

Here it comes!  Rain can be such a wonderful phenomenon and this has escalated from a drop here and there to some serious dampening of our world.

Golden Barrels are most often round and plump little cacti filled, as most cacti are, by water gathered from moisture in the air, as well as damp soil.  This little fellow is showing mid-summer stress...badly.  He's thin, misshapen and until this rain, life was looking a bit grim..  Although you can't see it, he's smiling widely as he takes in all he can of our Monsoon moisture.

I love the beautiful light the combination of Arizona dust, clouds and rain create.  It has a subtle gold shade that, if you ignore the cactus, feels very Tuscan-ish.

Our little Gambel Quail are nearly as thrilled as the Golden Barrel cactus with the welcome rain.  The dinners they've been able to scratch from the gravel have been mighty sparse lately as even the bugs are hunkered down as far from the sun as possible.  This pair is hoping the promise of moisture will pop a few little creepy-crawlies into their open beaks and hungry bellies. 

The temp has dropped to a most comfortable 91. Our world is damp and drippy and the light breeze carries the unique moist desert odors our direction.  Slowly the rain clouds begin to break apart and move on to the west.  It was a perfect first Monsoon rain for us.  Not a "gully washer" as we used to say.  Just a soft, non-threatening watering of our land and creatures, promising regeneration...if we'll just continue to be patient.