Cometsgirl

I’m headed home today, after having three joy-filled days.

My son always picks me up when I arrive. Our first stop is Feedstore BBQ. A wonderful array of meats and sides awaits as we make up our minds.

Of course I join the kid’s line for soft serve. I’m a kid at heart, right?

The next morning Georgia and Jack picked me up. We had breakfast plans.

We had a feast of food and conversation. Time with them, listening about their life, is the most special time I can imagine.

Note the size of our meals. 😳. No way could we consume it all.

Note the to-go boxes.

Sitting in my son and daughter-in-law’s backyard is always a quiet pleasure.

The next day we feasted once again. Georgia’s partner joined us for BBQ for all!

This day I’m on my way home, filled with days of joy and shared meals. Gathering around a table, sharing a meal, telling stories, stuffed with laughs and sustenance. It is enough.

Traveling mercies.

I’m headed to Texas this day, going to visit my grandkids, Jack and Georgia. I’m SO looking forward to being with them. And their parents, too.

Given the TSA issue at airports, we left six hours before my flight took-off. The concern was crowds at the airport. We’ve all seen the images on the news.

The crowds were there as I stepped through the doors of Hartsfield-Jackson. I dropped my bag off and started walking. And walking. Employees kept us in line. Literally.

There was so much switchbacking! The “high-end” screening services I have were closed due to the TSA situation. They have my sympathy

Half-way through my walk, Clear opened! More switchbacks. All in all, after about ninety minutes, and…

… I was on the other side. I might have jumped for joy, but I no longer jump.

Six hours later and I’m soon to take off, boosted by snacks passed out because they were on the flight before this one. Making room for this flight’s snacks, we jumped at the offer!

The grandkids and I are having breakfast together tomorrow. They are worth every step I’ve taken, and will take, to dine together! Let’s see what else we plan.

Traveling mercies.

The lodging for the last two nights of my Miami trip was in the area of Miami known as Little Havana.

“Little Havana is the best known Cuban exile neighborhood in the world. It is characterized by its street life, restaurants, music and other cultural activities, small business enterprises, political passion, and great warmth among its residents.”

Since our lodging was just a couple of blocks away from Little Havana’s SW 8th Street where dining options are plentiful, we were able to take a walk to have a late lunch.

First stop – smashburgers, fries, and canned water. Fabulous! The view just outside was constant color in motion.

Two doors down and it was time for ice cream!

Just across the street and past a few establishments, it was time for coffee!

A lovely return walk after enjoying delicious tastes and glimpses of Little Havana.

Buen provecho!

In my previous blog post, I did not mention…

…that after enjoying some ice cream on Key West, we drove 17 miles back to the north for our lodging.

It was dark as we checked in and then found our room. A quick jump in bed after a long day.

Pulling the curtain back after the early alarm sounded, a view of paradise appeared.

Nothing in the description of the lodging,

nor noted by the young man who checked us in,

offered a clue as to what dawn would reveal.

Sabbath morn on Sugarloaf Key.

Yesterday we headed south.

First stop, Panther Coffee.

The drive from Miami to Key West, along the scenic Overseas Highway, is widely considered absolutely worth it for its stunning ocean views.

Miami to Key West. 160 miles; 42 bridges; 4 hours to drive, depending upon day of the week and/or events along the way.

Finally we arrived in Key West.

It took us 8 hours!

Stunning end to the drive.

Flying above the Florida gulf coast, I landed in Ft. Lauderdale this morning. Upon waking at 4am, I received a text that my flight had been cancelled and I was re- booked on an evening flight. Yikes!

In the midst of a number of standby flights, there was a flight leaving earlier than my canceled flight. I grabbed it. Thirty minutes later I was packed, dressed, and on my way to Atlanta – chauffeured by my private chauffeur.

A new record in drive time.

My best friend landed in Ft. Lauderdale just ahead of me. We picked up a rental car and drove off to….

…Calusa Coffee Roasters. Known for its in-house roasted, high-quality, small-batch specialty coffee, the cappuccinos I enjoyed were just what I needed.

We are in Miami for basketball. Unrivaled is a 3v3 league, built in collaboration with the biggest stars in women’s professional basketball,

It’s great fun to be at the games. The play is fast! The venue is small and the players are literally a few feet away much of the game.

Two games are played back-to-back.

We’ll have two additional games to attend in a couple of days. In the meantime, tomorrow we’ll drive down the Florida keys all the way to the end.

Come along.

Traveling mercies.

there was one more Arizona Harvey family gathering.

A brief rest after the drive home from Tucson, and my sister and I were on the road again. This time we drove to my nephew, Chris and his wife, Helen’s home for dinner.

Sadly, I failed to take any photos this night. I can, however, tell what we had for dinner.

Pig Boy Willy “is a specialized brand based in Chimayó, New Mexico. Known for producing authentic southwestern spices and seasoning mixes, the company is famous for its Carne Adovada spice mix, which highlights traditional New Mexico red chile.”

Helen had asked me to bring some Pig Boy Willy packets for her from my January Taos trip. In return, she slow-cooked up a batch of Carne Adovada. We dined on carne adovada tacos with all the fixins and sides. It was delicious!

The next morning, Helen gave me a ride to the airport for my flight home. All told, I dined with thirteen Harvey family members. Counting me, makes fourteen. Abundance.

Traveling mercies.

My sister-in-law made arrangements for the four us to grab a ride on The Sabino Canyon Crawler.

For an hour we rode up and back, gaining about 1,000 feet of elevation. Birds and critters made their appearances as we navigated the road.

Private vehicles have not been allowed in the main recreation area of Sabino Canyon since 1978. Before this closure, the road was open to public car traffic, but it was restricted to protect the area’s natural resources. The shuttle service was introduced to manage visitor access. 

It was a beautiful ride up and back down. Just stunning! The dessert climate feels so good in the winter.

Then it was time to dress up a bit, for dinner and a movie premier. Dinner choices were fabulous.

Following dinner we attended a…

Proscenium Theatre, Pima Community Campus

A neighborhood friend of my brother wrote the screenplay, was the star actor, and the producer.

What a hoot! It was a treat to attend.

A couple of days ago my sister and I drove south to Tucson. My brother and his family live there.

We began with a sunrise viewing, and soon enough we had packed up and headed south.

In an hour plus we arrived at my brother and sister-in-law’s home.

Kris provided an awesome lunch. She had my favorite sparking water, local chicken salad, and slaw. There are some who know me well, that wouldn’t expect me to add slaw to this list.

Before long it was time to gather for Family Dinner. Ten members of the Harvey family gathered around a table at Casa Molina restaurant for dinner. Ages 10 through 84!

For years this AZ group of ten has been gathering for a meal when I come to visit. It’s a very special reunion.

After dinner, we always gather in the parking lot for more conversation. It’s hard to say goodbye.

A lovely evening, with MY lovely people.

Having departed home with chains on the tires, I was met with delightful desert weather. Warm/coolish.

A stop at the Flagship – second Starbucks in the country to carry the description, Flagship. The first is in Seattle, of course. Sadly, it may have closed.

Dining outside felt so cool. Literally.

How could I be in the Southwest without having my first meal be cheese enchiladas and guacamole?

The next morning…

A nice drive north to gather at my cousin Marty’s home for lunch. It was quite a wonderful feast – both in colors and tastes. Bon Appétit!

Her granddaughter, Brooke, joined us. I had not met her, and was so delighted to begin a relationship with her.

Driving home…

In the evening we went to a women’s basketball game! Arizona State University vs Oklahoma State University. It was a close game until the very end when the Sun Devils took over. We had a happy final!

It was so much fun!