Habari Gani? (What's the news?): Carefree

Carefree

Just returned from Carefree, Arizona, where I was presenting a poster at the American Association for Cancer Research's Science of Health Disparities conference. Yes, that's a mouthful.

We stayed in Carefree, about 30 miles outside of Phoenix. Ophelia came along, as well as Sam's mom, and we got to visit lots with my sis-in-law Erin who lives in Tempe.

I totally sucked at picture taking this trip. I forgot my camera often, but took a few photos with my phone, which I just figured out how to email to myself. We'll see how much that cost me...

Ophelia was great to travel with. We are so lucky to have such a ridiculously happy baby. But what was even better was her reaction when we got home. She was screaming with excitement when she saw the dogs, and we walked around the house as she cooed and talked to everything she had missed, including the shower curtain and her clothes. What can I say? She's easily amused, just like her mother. When Sam got home from work she was squealing and squeaking for an hour. Totally cool.

This was someone's sweet car at the place we ate breakfast.

Uh, this was O's sweet breakfast -- a menu. She's really into paper right now.

Aunt Erin and O -- so kindly letting me eat while I drooled over Erin's chocolate chip pancakes. Stupid gluten.

Grandma Cathy and O outside Erin's house.

"Yes, I'm stuck on the corner of Bloody Basin Road and Tranquil Trail. Which way would you suggest I go?" OR "My address? Sure, it's 134 Bloody Basin Road...yes..bloody...B-L-O-O..."
OR in the words of Liz Lemon, "I want to go to there!"

For some reason Erin's neighbor collects these Mark VIIIs, or whatever they are. No, not old Lincoln Mark Vs, which would be pretty cool and pimpin', but 90s Lincolns. This is ridiculous. This is a picture of four of the six that were sitting there.

Oh yeah! Best part of the trip (outside of seeing Erin, of course...) was that the rental car guy sweet talked me into a great deal: If I was a second driver on the car (for an extra $9/day), he'd upgrade us to a Dodge Charger for the same price as a Chevy Aveo. Please, who wouldn't? I've been wanting a Charger so bad (I really want an original Challenger, but I can keep dreamin') so I was STOKED to drive it. Super quiet, super fast. I only got it up to 80 since everyone in Arizona drives like an asshole. Sorry, it's true. But my favorite was when I punched the gas at one point and startled Ophelia...Her little arms went up above her head and her eyes got real big. I wasn't going fast, I swear. Oh, it was awesome. Ask my mother-in-law. I meant to take a picture of me and O with the car but forgot. Oh well. The sweet gunmetal gray baby will have to live in my memory...