Arizona Bound

The kids and I kissed Jim goodbye and headed off last Wednesday in the car bound north towards Arizona. We didn't get off as early as I would have liked because first Carolyne had to run back to the boat to fetch shoes. Then Tim. I couldn't be mad at them because it is so comical to me to think that my children are more comfortable either barefoot or in flip flops. Shoes are considered "dress up clothes".

The air in Mazatlan was like a warm armpit at 7 in the morning. I was eager to get the car running and turn on the AC. 9 hours later I had Tim drive for a bit so that I could take a power nap. We pulled into a nice motel in Santa Ana, just north of Hermosillo past dark... not my intention to drive at night but I couldn't coax the sun to stay up any longer.  $35US for 2 queen beds and fresh accommodations.

We crossed the border the next morning painlessly and our first indication of being back in the USA was my wish come true - IHOP. Do you know how long it's been since I stepped into an IHOP?? It was a magical breakfast with oily sausage links and puffy buttermilk pancakes covered in thick blueberry syrup and whipped cream. And I knew that it really must be the International House of Pancakes because everyone in the restaurant was speaking Spanish. Our waitress eventually resorted to Spanish with us, too, when she realized we were not monolinguals.

The IHOP was a warm welcome back home. And the weather in Arizona? Not as hot and sweaty as Mazatlan. Sunny, breezy and very dry. And the kids? A smooth transition back to the land of plenty.