Arizona, Thursday, March 23, 2017

A cool but cloudy morning in Anthem today. After our morning coffee and breakfast, Dell and I go for one last walk about their neighborhood in Anthem, admiring all the flowering in this desert community.  The Desert is truly painted with color this morning.

We showered and packed all of our dirty clothes and new found treasures in preparation for return to the northern climes today.  We then took a drive to the Cave Creek Regional Park in Cave Creek AZ.  We explored the visitors center and scored a tee shirt featuring a squirrel complaining that the bird feeder was empty.  We studied pictures of Javelina, Coyotes, Road Runners and assorted other fauna of the area.  We stared at specimens of scorpions, beetles and tarantula.  There were even live scorpions in a display (although separate cages as they are cannibalistic.)  Fascinating creatures.

We walked around the grounds and noted the flowering of everything in the area.  The desert is putting on quite a show with the moisture and cool temperatures.  The colors and blooms are astonishing.

Onward to a lunch at the Horny Toad Restaurant.  I have never seen so many old people gathered in one place since the stampede to Medicare.

We were dropped at the airport and said our goodbyes to our loving hosts; they seemed to be in a hurry to dump us and get back to some semblance of retirement living, not being tour guides.  They have been wonderful hosts and are well deserved of the break.  We will see them again when they travel to Nebraskaland this summer.

The plane trips home were uneventful, although the planes kept having to dodge turbulent weather on both legs of the journey.  No delays and we were back home via Abby-mobile by 11:30.  Great to be home and great to look back on this fine journey.  Now on to England and Wales in just a few months.