Greetings from the Phoenix Botanical Gardens. It is amazing! They had a blown glass exhibit with glass artwork throughout the exhibits too. We loved it!

I haven't been taking pictures of our trip and don't know why.

So here are a few pictures as well as one of the inside of the house.
We spent Saturday night with Brody's family and headed south after church Sunday. Helen took pictures but we didn't.
Tony has always wanted to stay at the Luxor, so we did! And were upgraded when we checked in (no charge) to a suite (700 sq feet) with a huge cloverleaf soaker tub. This morning we went and had breakfast with dr Sloan and Lila. He's not doing real well--his Parkinson's is getting worse and so is his short-term memory.
Then across the bridge at lake mead. And south. And south. We wanted to see Quartzsite AZ (google that place--it's a bit bizarre!) Then east to Phoenix where we are going to spend 2nights. We will see what's here. And after that who knows. We will at some point be "standing on the corner in Winslow Arizona". That's an old Eagles sing--Winslow is on Route 66. And I want to go to Canyon de Chelly. Then 4 corners. Then Sarah's for a visit.
We are hoping to move into the house on the 17th. And we are looking for any help we can get!

Ahhh--winter in Wyoming!!

Home sweet home. At least for the next month!

The end--and the beginning!!

I am sitting here trying to get tired enough to go to sleep.  Liz and Em and Helen and Sarah and I have been texting back and forth, so I am not quite ready.  (Hey Wisconsin d-i-l--if you were in our time zone you could have been texting too!!)
It's been one heck of a day!!  Tony tweaked his back a week and a half ago moving things into and out of our U-haul.  He finally had enough pain and went to the doctor, was put on steroids, which worked like a miracle.  UNTIL--he developed a known but very rare side effect.  Hiccups.  As in 12-14 hours per day or more.  He had it, so quit taking his pills.  It still took 2 days for the medication to clear his system and for the hiccups to stop, but he woke this morning with NO HICCUPS!!  Hooray!
Then--we got a text from our Utah realtor, saying he had a solid offer on the condo.  At a higher price than currently listed.  It had been listed for a while, but we took it off the market while we tried to get the renters out (NOT a fun experience), and then to repair the damages.  When we put it back on the market last week, the prices in the area had dropped.  About $5000.  But--it's now under contract at the pre- price, and the earnest money has been paid!!  Close January 6th.
Then--Tony got a call from our Wyoming title company, asking about the mortgage on our GR house.  What mortgage??  There isn't one.  Turns out we took out a home equity loan 8 years ago but never closed the account.  $0 balance, but still shows as a lien on the place.  What???  So, I went to the bank and gave them $12 to file with the county.  In return I got a letter saying it was being closed and there was no balance.
And--talked to a friend at work who knows our buyer.  Apparently her realtor told her we were closing THIS Friday.  What??  No, we are closing Dec. 2.  No, it's this Friday.  It had been scheduled with the title company.  But neither our realtor nor us knew anything about it.  And we aren't moved out yet.  And we are working and can't get moved out til Thanksgiving time.  And no place to go until Dec. 1.  So, our realtor called the other realtor and said basically "what the heck??".  So we are closing Dec.2.  Maybe.  Our buyer came over pretty upset, thinking she made us mad.  I reassured her.  Hope all is smoothed over!
So, to round out our day, Tony came home quite ill.  As in puking on the side of the freeway cause he couldn't get home soon enough ill.  As in puking his guts out.  (Hey, I think he caught it from Branch--even though we haven't seen him for over a week!!  Not sure you can catch it from 200 miles away.)  So poor Tony has had a heck of a week--back pain, hiccups, and  now puking.
On the bright side--we did a power decision day yesterday.  Picked out all the flooring, cabinets, counter tops, and paint colors, and appliances.  It was overload.  But it's DONE!!
And happy birthday to our little Murray princess!  The first of the four five-year-old granddaughters to turn 6!  Our birthday season starts in October--picks up speed in November--and roars through December!

It's amazing what you can find when you are packing up your house.  The top is when Seth returned home from his mission.  The bottom?  Not sure if it's in the MTC or New York, but those are his companions.  HeHeHeHe!!