Watching the Neighbors

Bunnies, Bunnies, Bunnies! Sitting at my desk I can see 4, no wait, 5 bunnies. They really enjoy the short native grass that has sprouted under the two Palo Verde trees in front of our bedroom. They nibble a bit, then pause to listen, then nibble some more. Sometimes, they all pause at once, then scatter in different directions. I usually can't tell what has frightened them. Yesterday, I did see the hawk fly down really close to one. In fact, I initially thought he had caught it, but the little bunny had dove under the agave for safety. I know they get eaten, I just don't wish to witness the process.

The entire front wall of the bedroom is glass, with no covering of any sort. There is a sun shade on an electric roller which can be lowered in the summer, but it isn't needed now. I wasn't sure about living in a "glass house" when we first moved in, although now I wouldn't have it any other way. Any time I look out, there is something new to see. We have hung a feeder on the eucalyptus which has attracted two different kinds of hummingbirds already. Late one evening, just at dusk, a pack of coyotes strolled by. If I awaken in the night, I can look at the stars before I roll over to go back to sleep. It is very peaceful.

March 2010 Update

The house sit in Northern Ireland is a GO! We have purchased our plane tickets, leaving Tucson on 9 June and returning on 16 November. We will fly in/out of Dublin, since it was more economical with better connections. Then we factored in all the frequent flyer miles it will add to our accounts, and there was no other option but American.

I don't understand how airlines do their pricing,though. There doesn't seem to be any logic to it. One day, it was best to go on 10 June through 15 November, then it changed to 9 June - 16 November, then it was totally unaffordable to go at all, then back to 9 June - 16 November, for the lowest price ever. It would be easier if everyone priced like Southwest, where there are low prices for the early buyers, then when those seats gone, they go to the next level of pricing. It would certainly help my stress level when buying tickets!

I did our Monday evening walk in downtown Tucson yesterday for the first time in 5 weeks. Hurt my knee while we were moving. Didn't do a big "OUCH", it just got progressively more painful to walk. By the time we finished hauling everything over, I was a real gimp. While I still move slowly and take lots of Advil, I can at least walk 2 miles in 45 minutes. (I was doing 3.4 in 55 minutes.)

Today we will work in the yard and garage, as well as price having the concrete floors stained and polished. Should be a fun day.

A Home of Our Own

What a busy month we have had! The house sale finally closed, amid much nail biting, and we have moved. It is glorious to finally have a home of our own. We have unpacked the boxes to find some surprises that we did not realize had survived, as well as finding a few things that should have been thrown away in New Orleans. I've been painting and hanging pictures. Bill has worked getting the garage and workshop organizied. We will soon start on enclosing the carport area so there is one big garage, where, hopefully, we can keep the critters out.

And there are lots of critters! So far we have seen cottontail rabbits, pack rats, a bobcat, coyotes, including one which was not very healthy, hawks, hundreds of birds, a couple of scorpions, and evidence of javelina, who ate the purple wandering jew, including the roots!

The views from the house are spectacular! The Rincons to the east, the Santa Catalinas to the north and the after the beautiful sunsets, followed by the Tucson city lights, to the west. Who ever built this house did a supurb job of siteing. It is on a rise which gives views over the top of the neighbors houses. Then they made the back, north side, of the house nearly all glass.

This will be a very good place to live. And since, after this move, I've decided I'm never moving again, that is a good thing!