Greetings from Arizona!

After months of applying for what felt like thousands of jobs, Mr. was offered and accepted a position as a Warehouse Supervisor at Safeway in Tempe, AZ.  Needless to say, he vetoed my request for a 6 hour work commute, so we'll be making the move to Arizona.

I'm pretty sad to be leaving my beautiful California.  (Little did you know it is MY California, huh?  I also take claim to many parts of Italy as well.)  I have to say I'm actually pretty excited about the move though...much more so than I thought I would be.  I know it'll be ridiculously hot in the summer, and the beach is quite a drive away...but there are lakes and it's a lot greener here than it used to be! 

It probably helps that Mr. is promising me a house with a pool and my dream kitchen...we've already started looking at NEW model homes and I think I'm a little high on the idea of getting a home built custom, just how I want it!

It'll be a process, and I'll be spending some time in California getting things situated and soaking up all the time I can with friends and family before we move.  Hopefully the home buying will be faster than I'm expecting and we'll have a guest room all set up...because you will all be visiting regularly, right? 

At least I'm closer than Spain, and in the same timezone!  Arizona living is going to be quite the experience for me...so stay tuned on what I'm sure will be some interesting adventures.

Anyone from the Phoenix metro area have any ideas on things to do, places to see, or restaurants to try?  Leave a comment and let me know!

New Shoes

I hate change.  Whether it’s the moving-across-the-ocean kind of change or the my-bronzer-is-discontinued-so-I-need-to-find-a-new-one kind of change, I just don’t like it.  I’m the person that goes to a restaurant and orders the same thing every time; because I know it’s good so why change?  I’ve tried to change this (ha!), and I’ve attempted to be more go-with-the-flow, but just like having patience, change isn’t one of my many amazing talents.

This is why buying new running shoes yesterday was a momentous occasion for me.  I’ve talked about replacing my good ole running shoes for years now.  Yes, years.  I bought these in high school, and since my 10 year reunion is coming up you can see I’ve had quite a long relationship with these shoes.  They are comfortable, they work fine, and they've stuck with me as I slowly but surely became a runner…but Mr. insisted that I get new ones since they are starting to break down a bit… 

Clearly used...but I love them!

After years of trying on many pairs of shoes, (Mr. has obviously mastered patience), I finally settled on a new pair yesterday.  They are pretty…but they are new so I’m skeptical. 

Pretty awesome running-shoe-glamour-shot if you ask me...

I went on my first run with them today and my feet didn’t hurt, so I guess this new relationship is getting off to a good start.  I’m still keeping my old ones though…just in case.

Global Warming, Snow, and Peacocks

So we drove out to Arizona yesterday.  I know, you’re probably thinking I’m losing my mind since my last post was about how Arizona can’t figure out how toproperly use roundabouts.  I swear I have been back in California since then and we just drove out to Arizona, yet again, yesterday.

This drive is getting old, let me tell you.  Six hour road trips on the same stretch of boring freeway every two weeks are getting a bit redundant.  Sometimes we get off and go to a “new” gas station though…like the one we went to this time where I found an amazing metal peacock that rocked back and forth in the wind.    

But this time it wasn’t my remarkable gas station find that made the trip more eventful than usual.  SNOW!  Can you believe it!?  Between Southern California and Arizona there was snow, and lots of it!  From Viejas Casino outside of El Cajon to the little town of Jacumba there was snow…all over the roads and as far as the eye could see.

Although I didn’t get a picture of my precious metal peacock, I DID get 65 pictures of this snow.  Firstly, because it was pretty exciting to see that amount of snow in a generally snow-free area…secondly, because what else am I suppose to do while we drive 45 mph for an hour on a stretch that usually takes us about 20 minutes. 

A view from the Prius!  Not exactly an all weather vehicle...

Look how thick the snow is!

A picture of a road sign...in case someone was thinking of questioning the truth of this post...

I suppose I owe a shout-out to global warming for making this post possible...?

Proper Roundabout Etiquette

This last weekend Mr. and I went to lunch with Mr.’s brother Mark.  We ate at Pei Wei; it was amazing.

But that isn’t why I’m writing.  We encountered a roundabout!  It is VERY exciting for me because whenever we drive through one in the States I remember the good ole days when we lived in Europe and were employed and had a home and drove through them daily.

This roundabout broke all roundabout etiquette however and I was both amused and a little miffed.

In the MIDDLE of the roundabout as we’re driving through it there was a stop sign.  WHAT!?  Isn’t the whole point of a roundabout to have NO stop signs?

Needless to say I ran right through it.  I didn’t even notice it until I had cruised past it…because there shouldn’t have been one there in the first place.

Of course I didn’t think to break out my camera…but if you’re interested in seeing it and you’re in the Gilbert, Arizona area…it’s on E. Civic Center Drive and S. Gilbert Road.

And if you're not planning your next vacation to Gilbert and would like to check out how a roundabout SHOULD work...check out this link*:

*Thank you Wisonsin for showing us how a proper roundabout works.  (Please note, no stop signs!)

Oh Arizona…I have so much to teach you.