Back to the world and a new decade

I'm back from 5 days of carefree camping out in the sticks. Great times and good memories.
I'm loading the pics now on shutterfly and will post out the pics soon. Meantime, I've got about 45 minutes left of my 20's left and after a long 5 days, I'm tired and am gonna crash out. After all, I have to work manana morning (yes, I am working on my birthday).
It's all good though, cuz after I'm off, the official party is gonna pop off Halloween B-day style!
I'm sure ther'll be pics of that too. Boy...
Welcome to middle age Marc.

Day long fly-by

(Me in front of the Navy WWII corsair)

Man, what a day on Sunday. No football or drinking though this time.

I get off at work on Saturday at 4am only to come home and take a 45 minute nap. I get up at 6am, meet up with Chris and we head out to Goodyear for the airshow spectacular!! I pound down 2 rockstars and get some energy flowing. We watched the news the night before and saw that the organizers this year made a mess of the event. We took our chances anyways.

We get there, park the jeep in the dirt lot and are amazed of how dusty the parking lot was. We didn't know we'd be sitting in the same stuff. The organizers decided in their infinite wisdom, to move the airshow from the site in Glendale (which was large, completely paved and had a good parking area) to the old Naval base in Goodyear ( a Naval base in AZ?? yes...). The airport was significantly larger, but unpaved. You walked on dirt the whole time. To add to it, the parking area was a mile away and they tried to use shuttles to bring the people in. 10 school busses and 4 private vehicles to shuttle 30,000 people. Um, yeah...

So, we get to the main concourse, find a spot on the flight line fence and then go wandering off to explore. There was a larger number of planes at this years show. A lot of really, really cool WWII planes. Most of which you could actually come up, touch, stick your head under the bomb bays, etc. We explored from 8-10am, then pulled up in our seats for the show. The show starts and we turn around to see that the crowd has grown from the 1000 when we arrived to about the 20,000+ that surrounded us now.

That's when some problems arose. 20,000+ peeps on a hot dirt lot = a permanent dust cloud for 8 hours. I must have ingested 5 lbs of dust. It covered everything. Well, my sunblock, allergies, bright sunshine and dust mixed in my right eye, which then proceeded to swell shut for he rest of the day. But, the show I saw through my one eye was phenominal. I took some awesome pics and vids on my camera, which I'll post shortly on shutterfly and my sites soon.

We ended the show with watching the Blue Angels perform. These guys are adrenaline crazed crackheads with a death wish. The pucker-factor of some of the stunts they pulled made my shorts get sucked up in my ass. Strictly awesome.

We left, or at least tried to. 20,000+ leaving through one exit on limited shuttles. Niiice. We wait in line for our shuttle for 25 minutes and moved 20 ft. The past two days at the show, they refused to let people walk off due to being at a secure area, but this time they said fuck it. So we hoofed it the mile and a half to the jeep. Looking back to see that throng of people it reminded me of a herd of freggin buffalo (which there was some heffers there that day) or of Moses leading his people out of Egypt.

We get to the jeep, drive home, hit Native for wings and a beer, then I head home to wash off the dust and pass out by 1030. All in all, a great day, from the one eye I could see out of. I'd do it all again though in a heartbeat.

Maverick, call the ball

Yay! The Glendale airshow is manana! Papi and I are gonna be up at the butt-crack of dawn to drive out to Litchfield Park at 6am to check out the airshow. We'll be out there til 5pm watching some of America's finest machines streak through the sky. After that we'll spend a little time planning out this week's camp trip.

Peace out Maverick!

My dad's dumb luck.

Sadly, my folks departed today to head back to Cali. They'll spend a day or two at my aunt's beach house in Oceanside before heading back to the cold, frigid tundra of SF that they hate to return to.

I swear, my Dad has the Midas touch. Or at least its uncanny dumb luck. On the way here to AZ, they had a free room in a casino in Palm Springs. They crashed there and played for 2 days. Dad leaves there with $5800 that he won off a nickel slot machine. That's a lot of fucking nickels. Not that I'd mind. It I'd won that much, I'd happily sit on my ass for 2 days straight rolling rolls of nickels. He should be happy that they don't actually give out the coins any longer. All he had to do was cash in a slip of paper.

Anyways, last Thursday we decide to head out to Gila River casino here in AZ. I invite my ex to join the fray since she's not doing anything. At the very least it was good company to have since I don't gamble. I'll just sit at the bar and enjoy cocktails. We were there about 2 hours. I lose $50 playing nickels and I'm done and pissed. Dad is playing away on a machine when I mention that we should all go soon. Mom is losing and is getting tired. Dad says to wait 5 minutes. He has 250 credits on his machine after starting with 100. We hang tight for a few and then come back to see what he's up to. He's up to 750 credits. That's cool. He either wants to get to 800 or down to 700. He gets to 704 before calling it quits. Hey, 700 quarters isn't bad. But wait! He and I are fooled! We think that he's playing a quarter machine, but when he gets his slip printed, turns out her was playing on a dollar machine. Jackass!!!! Dumb ignorant luck I tell you. He just gets $700 bucks. We laugh all the way home.

It was very pleasant to have them here for a bit. I would have liked them to stay longer, but Dad is Dad and when he wants to leave, its time to go.

We got a lot accomplished while he was here outside of spending quality time with the rents. We fixed the drip system, renovated the front yard a little, patched some walls up in the garage, looked at some income properties, met up with Rita our realtor, and even put a conditional bid on a property (which fell apart when the owners wouldn't negotiate).

Had dinner every night with each other, enjoyed the beautiful weather and each other. Seeing what they both went through in the past 2 months, they looked really good. Mom had moments of weakness, but it was just her being tired. I could tell she was happy. Jenny got spoiled rotten by them, and I have to admit, so did I. I was in a better mood all week, eager to get home and hang with them, and saddened to see them leave this morning.

The rents and a 3 day update

So I get a call from the rents on Thursday telling me that they are going to attempt a drive out to Palm Springs to pay a casino a visit. Ah yes..some people respond well to medicine, some to love and family, some on the sheer refusal to feel sickly. My folks on the other hand rebound easily when there is mention of a possible trip to a casino. Less than 2 weeks out of surgery with a potential life threatening situation, my Mom says screw the morphine, get me in front of a freggin slot machine!!!
They made it to Palm Springs on Friday and stayed for their two free nights there. My Dad's ricockulous dumb luck strikes again, this time for $5800 in jackpots on nickel slots. That's a lot of fucking nickels. Pure profit on this one, started winning off the bat.
With their gambling account fat and happy again, they made it out here to the desert on Sunday afternoon.
I had invited a few select friends over for Sunday football that morning, but the only person not busy was Crystal. Ironically, she meets the parents as a current ex. Strange, yes, uncomfortable, no. We've been getting over the uncomfortable awkwardness of the post-break up and have been able to talk again, and even hung out briefly once or twice.
Anyways, Crystal splits, leaving me and the folks to chew the fat for the rest of the night. I make them Choppino for dinner. A tasty seafood stew with plenty of fish, crab, calimari, mussels and potatoes. They are spent and crash early. I stay up for a bit and decide to head out to Scottsdale for a few minutes to at the very least grab my paycheck and check my schedule. I head up to work, do the said tasks, and hang out having a beer talking with Ben who's working door that night. He needed some extra cash, so he asks to take my Tuesday morning shift. I oblige, knowing that I probably won't miss the $30 bucks. It's lame and I'm tired, so I head home and crash out.
Now then...let me explain something about my pop. Dad is a stubborn workhorse. His ideas of vacation don't include sunny beaches, mountain retreats, sitting on cruise ships sucking down a mai tai. If he isn't doing chores, fixer-uppers, or something productive, he's not very happy. That said, he and I have taken on various projects around the house. Past 2 days we have dug up, overhauled and repaired the ailing drip system in the front yard. By the middle of the day today, I wanted to stuff a bunch of C4 in the pipes and blow the fucker up, along with half the plants in the front. 3 trips to the hardware stores trying to fix various parts ranging from $7 to $40. What turned out to work to fix one of the major problems? Taking one of the existing parts-a three cent pump spring, and stretching out the tension a little. Let the celebrations and cursing commence. Drip system done.
While we were working on the system, I was trying out some new recipes for dinner tonight. Slow cooked, Hawaiian style Imu pulled pork. If it works well, its a possible future candidate for a Holiday party menu item. I'm basically waiting on the outcome of tonight's meal to generate a party menu and theme. Speaking of, I gotta go pull some pork out of the oven and mash up some sweet potatoes.

X'plorin

In a dazed mindset Wednesday night at work hopped up on rockstars and irate customers, I decided that I should get the hell out of Phoenix for at least half a day and do some exploring up north past Payson and maybe a little south in the high desert. So, I leave work at 3:15 in the morning and head home.
I grab a backpack with basic emergency supplies, my rifle, some warmer clothes, a small cooler with water and drinks, my dog and I leave home at 6 am. Pull up into the Mesa QT and fuel up the truck and I. A vitamin B pill, jalepeno bagel dog, double strength mocha and a rockstar later and I'm plenty awake.
The drive is actually fast and pleasant. Jenny is passed out behind me, occasionally shoving her nose in the jumpseat window leaving snot trails on the glass to try and smell the air. The sun is starting to burst over four peaks as I stream up north, passing up a roadkill smorgasboard of coyotes, rabbits, skunks and I think one porcupine. As soon as I pass four peaks, the temperature drops ten degrees. It's chilly and I actually drive with the window mostly up.
An hour later I get up to Payson. The sleepy town is just starting to wake up. People out walking in heavy coats, and its rush hour on the road- which means there is like 30 cars driving around. I see that they are having their Western Heritage Day and festival this Saturday. Interesting. Sucks I'm stuck working that night. Would have been fun.
I head north still, exiting Payson and get immersed in the Ponderosa. It's a quick 13 mile drive to my turnoff at Pine for the control road. I make it there quick and head down the 6 miles of dirt to the camp area we want to use. My fear is that the past year's Bryn fire had destroyed much of that area as they had it closed for quite some time. Half the road is smooth, and then as soon as I passed a man working on a grader, it got a rough. I make it to Webber Creek though. I pass a few sites we thought about using for larger groups, one of which is residing 3 large tow trailer homes. Guessing hunters, lazy ones at that. Ones that live close by, but park their trailers for use on the weekends so they guarantee they have a spot. I roll past them and park at our Camp Jethroe- home of the 3rd annual drunken squirrel call championships. Its cold. Well, 50 degrees cold. I'm used to 90. Its nice and I quickly adapt. Jenny goes nuts and explores. The site is smaller than I remember. Definitely greener. It has rained recently up here. The creek is flowing and the water is dirty, the usual for the morning hours, it'll be clear again in the afternoon. Why it does that? I dunno. Amazingly, the site is clean. A random- and I mean random bottle cap or cig butt is around and some busted glass, but all localized in one area. I take in the atmosphere for a few. The only sounds I hear are the morning birds waking up and the constant soothing flow of the creek. It's like one of those relaxation CD's you hear at the Discovery store. Only this is live and free.
I split and head back along the way I came. Halfway down the road I stumble across a herd of elk across the road. One tough one stops and stares and gives me a photo op. Snap. See above.
Back on the highway I head back south. A mile away the Tonto Natural Bridge state park is to the right. I turn in to investigate, and realize that there is a fee to be paid and they may not allow firearms, so I chose not to go this time.
Back through Payson, I head to Mt. Ord and Bushnell Tanks before heading home. I explored the backcountry road of Mt Ord for about 6 miles in. It went from desert to ponderosa pines in 1/6th that distance. You are ascending with a quickness. The road is rough, really rough, but navigable. No campsites though, just a road. Several occasions offer breathtaking views of the Tonto Basin and north to the Rim. I head back and want to once again try Bushnell Tanks. Bushnell has been closed for almost 2 years now due to really bad fires. This past summer brought the Edge fire close to there and kept it closed again. The park service took down the flimsy barbed wire and shotty metal gate keeping it closed and installed heavy duty steel barricades and locked swing gates.
All my energy is sapping quickly, and I need to head home. The drive is quick. The fall asleep is much quicker.

Date Set

I've set on a physical date for this years holiday party. The 9th annual Holiday social will be held on Sunday, Dec. 10th at appx. 6 pm til whenever.

I'm debating on the theme still. I may stick with the traditional semi-casual setting or I may stray this year and go with a Hawaiian motif.

I will set up a menu shortly and generate invitations to you guests. Due to security reasons I obviously won't post any information here. If you are invited, you will physically receive an invitation from me in person or by mail.

So go ahead and get that day off! Prepare yourself for good times, good food and assorted debauchery! Stay tuned!

Passing of a soldier

Sunday morning, as I was on the road driving to north Scottsdale for a planned fun day of friends and football, I talk to my parents on the phone and learned that my Uncle Gus had passed away that Saturday night. He had been suffering from a variety of ailments and had been put in a hospice a few weeks ago. After a series of seizures, he passed.
Gus was a hearty and typical male from my mom's side of the family, the LaFrance's. They all grew up and lived around the Providence, Rhode Island area for most of their lives. After Dec. 7th 1941, the men of the LaFrance family joined the war as a call of duty devoted to their country. Gaston was an Army radar operator stationed on Normandy during WWII, and was more than likely one of the few who knew how to operate the fledgling technology during the second great war. Opon his return to the U.S. after the war, he joined his wife Doris and had a handful of children who fell in line with family tradition and joined the armed services. He was a man that held qualities that many do not possess or understand in these modern times- strong family values, a hard work ethic, undying love for his country, honor, honesty, respect. We was one of the most well traveled souls that I have met. From Europe to the Pacific, to the frigid Alaskan north, to the sunny shores of Mexico, the man traveled and embraced the journeys he had, even after losing his first wife and then re-marrying our current aunt Annette.
Heartbreaking news to my Mom, who never got to say goodbye to her brother, and who also, after just getting out of the hospital, will not be able to attend his services in a week. If the opportunity shows itself, I may be able to go back east to represent the family.
He will be missed greatly.



The soldier stood and faced God, Which must always come to pass.
He hoped his shoes were shining, Just as brightly as his brass.
"Step forward now, you soldier, How shall I deal with you?
Have you always turned the other cheek? To My Church have you been true?"
The soldier squared his shoulders and said, "No, Lord, I guess I ain't.
Because those of us who carry guns, Can't always be a saint.
I've had to work most Sundays, And at times my talk was tough.
And sometimes I've been violent, Because the world is awfully rough.
But, I never took a penny, That wasn't mine to keep...
Though I worked a lot of overtime, When the bills got just too steep.
And I never passed a cry for help, Though at times I shook with fear
And sometimes, God, forgive me, I've wept unmanly tears.
I know I don't deserve a place, Among the people here.
They never wanted me around, Except to calm their fears.
If you've a place for me here, Lord, It needn't be so grand.
I never expected or had too much, But if you don't, I'll understand."
There was a silence all around the throne, Where the saints had often trod.
As the soldier waited quietly, For the judgment of his God.
"Step forward now, you soldier, You've borne your burdens well.
Walk peacefully on Heaven's streets, You've done your time in Hell."