You know you've planned a trip of the perfect length when you are sad to leave but happy to be home. At least that's how I know. It was a melancholy feeling when I said goodbye to my friend Sue, the palm trees and warm weather of Phoenix, but the familiar lights of the skyline and the first inhalation of cold, crisp air in Boston felt good. Granted, it IS late February 40-ish air and not the frigid, deep-freeze air of January.... Nonetheless, it felt good to be home, despite the dirty gray piles of snow, drab skies and impending snowstorm of the next day.
While in Arizona I usually like to take a hike in the Sonoran Desert, but unfortunately the tail end of a cold and some shortness of breath prevented it this year. We had to console ourselves with shopping and lunch out at Lon's, a lovely outdoor restaurant surrounded by colorful gardens. We visited the Cave Creek Olive company, where olives are grown and pressed; you can tour the facility and sample the various oils they sell. I selected a chili olive oil and an EVOO for dipping, both were yummy when I sampled them.
It's a huge treat to be able to wake up in the morning
and walk 20 feet out back tothe grapefruit tree, pick one of the dozens of dangling fruit and then eat it-- without sugar! No matter how sweet and juicy a store-bought grapefruit is at home, it can't compare the the freshness of these citrons. Last year I greedily stuffed as many as I could into my suitcase, only to have to pay extra because it was so heavy. Epic fail!
The best part of the trip was spending time with my best friend, something I never tire of, even after 25 years. We never run out of things to say to each other or laugh at. It was fun to be able to bond with Oscar, her dog of 2 1/2 years. He's such a sweetie. Going away is great, but in the words of John Denver (cringe!) "Hey, it's good to be back home again".
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