So much done. So much to do!!! And Arizona Recap

107 days to go.  WHAT?!?!  O.K. I'm done freaking for the moment.  The menu is chosen.  Catering contract signed.  The venue contract is so confusing, but I think that's done as well, including the rehearsal the night before.  Still looking for a restaurant for the rehearsal dinner.  The bridesmaids dresses are bought.  Two of them fit perfectly, Christa is mailing the other to the third to try on.  I still have no idea what I'm going to wear!  Wedding invitations ordered.  Save the Dates sent out.  Trying to decide on plates, since we can't use china or anything glass. I am thinking of  these.  Or maybe these?

I have been trolling weddingbee.com for their classified and have found the napkins and overlays there.  YAY!!!  Still looking for other stuff including a DOC wedding planner.  If anyone's use someone good, let me know!

My sister and I made it back with a TON of stuff from Tucson.  My hubby is particularly happy with a leather recliner.  Still trying to coordinate stuff to make it fit and decide what to keep and toss of my things.

Ginger in front of a cactus in Gila Bend on the way to Tucson

I left my house at 5:15 AM on Saturday morning and made it to Ginger's house around 6:30.  I got used to the huge cargo van driving to her and was pretty comfortable controlling it.  It was LOUD.  Basically a tin can, but comfortable enough.  Ginger, however, has control and anxiety issues I wasn't really aware of before this trip.  She really didn't take too kindly to me taking an exit by changing across 3 lanes of the highway and hitting the exit at a speed she was not comfortable with.  She say I hit the exit doing 80.  I didn't.  I was going about 45 when I hit the exit. She said the posted speed was 35.  I pointed out that it was in yellow and was only a suggested speed.  She claims she never heard of a "suggested speed". I pointed out it's in the California Driver's Handbook so it's a good think I'm driving since I'm apparently the only one in the car that had read it.

Why is there a bull in your neighbor's yard, Carole?

To add insult to injury, she insisted on paying for breakfast at the McDonald's I had spotted, hence the lane change and exit.  Only to have her card turned down.  She had transferred money the night before, but it hadn't gone through.  Needless to say, it was not great for about the next 25 miles.  But we got over it fairly quickly. 

The next few hours were quite wonderful.  We truly enjoyed ourselves.  Talking, catching up, making jokes.  Planning which casinos we were going to stop at.  Close to the summit on I-8, we passed a bunch of beautifully restored classic cars.  I don't know what was wrong with me on this trip, but I barely took any photos.  I'm really sad now that I don't have much to post.

We hung out for about a half hour with my Aussie buddy, Johnny.  There was some issues with actually meeting him so our time was short.  But it was so good to catch up with him.  He has such an exciting life.  And he's single, girls!!  He is in Yuma getting flight training for the defense contractor he works for.  It's a Canadian company that hires Canadians and Australians to work in Afghanistan.

Gas really is cheaper in AZ

Back on the road and we got to Carole's around 3ish.  Waited for her guy to get there and help us load, got everything in and got to catch up with her and Phil. 

We had a nice time hanging out at dinner, but Tim had plans with his co-workers.  He got home just as Ginger and I were going to bed.  I got up and after much prodding from his mom, Tim decided to go see if he left his credit card at a bar he was at the night before. It's called, "Mr. Heads".  Apparently because they serve beer, not because it's a gay bar.  I'm just saying.

The only pic I got of Tim this time, his feet, LOL

Tim and I really had a nice chat about his life, graduating with his Master's, his new job, his new girl, the long summer without her, his new roommates.  Two of them are archeologists.  The kind that dig, lol.  He's really looking forward to having quirky roommates.

We were out the door by 6:30 the next morning.  The I-8 is a a lot scarier going back into California then coming out of it. Especially when you have a screamer sitting next to you.  But we made it back.  Well, we did stop at a casino for 2 and a half hours, but we were doing so well.  We even left $10 richer than when we arrived.  So not too shabby!

Fully loaded van, side view.

Pepper the Wonder Dog

Fully loaded (we could have taken more) van

I'm afraid I was not too social when we got to Ginger's.  I would have liked to visit more with my nephew and grand-nephews, but I just didn't have it in me.  I left after they unloaded her stuff and came to my house.  Luckily, Randy had help for us here as well.  We unloaded the sofa sleeper and leather chair and cedar chest with their help.  They were on their way to church so we had some well-dressed movers.  Then Randy and I finished.  We then went to Christa's to take advantage of the van and got her futon and dining table and chairs she wants to sell at the next garage sale.

This Memorial Day Weekend, we will be getting ready for our garage sale on the 11th of June.  Gotta pay for this wedding somehow!