Most of our conversation fell under the “classified” category but here are a few snippets that made the cut:

• I waited inside Flo for over 10 minutes after telling the bartender and waitress I was meeting two friends.  Turned out Robin and Vickie were on the patio but apparently the description they gave of me as a “sexy beast” didn’t register with anyone.  Wonder why?  They finally wondered why I was late and called my cell phone!
• Hannah is going to Billy’s prom tomorrow night at Chateau on the Lake but Vickie couldn’t show us pictures of the dress – we have to wait until they are posted on Facebook tomorrow.
• Chaz, Vickie and Hannah finally settled on a 2:00 a.m. curfew – the dance ends at 11:30 and then they will stop by a party on the way home.
• Some kids wear dresses with the tags hidden and then return them after dances – although the stores have gotten smart and now put the tags in more prominent places where they can’t be hidden.
• Ralph once borrowed a new dress from a friend and wore it to a fraternity dance – then returned it to the girl in the dorm and that girl flew home the next day and returned it to the store.  Sure glad Ralph didn’t spill anything on it!
• Robin will be working all week-end to get ready for consultants who will be here next week.  Jim went to the lake today so she’s a bachelor this evening.
• The Small Business of the Year event was held at the Tower Club and was packed – turned out to be a sucky location.
• Just wondering – if you are sitting on the upper level of the Tower Club near the edge, can anyone see up your skirt?
• Robin claims all she does is go to work, work out and sleep.
• Def Leppard will be in Branson this summer and that concert is on Robin’s bucket list – but the concert is on a Wednesday night so she may have to pass.
• Vickie posted an article on LinkedIn about 9 things women in business need to know – one of them is you need to know how to play golf as it will advance your career.  Now I know why I was never a CEO!
• A “fishtail” is when the top of your thong undies shows over the top of your pants.
• Chaz loves to watch “Duck Dynasty” on A&E – it’s about some guys in Georgia who make duck calls and look like ZZ Topp.  His favorite line from the show is “there is a fine line between the daddy of a dating daughter and insanity” – guess he should know.
• Robin is reading Vickie’s copy of Tina Fey’s book “Bossypants” and will pass it on to me when she’s done.
• Vickie is getting a tattoo for Mother’s Day and Robin and I are invited to come along for support.  She wants “It is well” put on her shoulder – written in cursive as though it’s been written on lined paper.
• Vickie and I are addicted to Pinterest – but Vickie has more pins than I do.

Sadly, happy hour ended way too soon – but we will be back with perhaps another edition of WoS in May.  If not, we’ll definitely meet to chat and chew in June.

Our show was titled “Anything Goes” and was built around a train trip across the USA.   We danced/pommed to a song called “Mega Jam” and were supposed to be supporting a geezer football team from Sun City West who were competing in the Senior Olympics.  Most of the other groups performed to familiar songs and included tap, jazz, baton and modern dance.  Ours was the liveliest number and with 20 in our group, we were also the largest ensemble.

We’ve been working on our number since January in between practices for our parade routine but rarely did we have 100% attendance at rehearsals.  The attendance rate changed last week when we had mandatory rehearsals – as in, if you’re not there, you don’t get to perform in the show!  We had practice from 6-9 Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday evenings plus our regular  hour during the day on Monday and Wednesday – and then performances on Friday and Saturday evenings with the last one on Sunday afternoon.  Whew!  By time we took our final bow on Sunday I was ready to get out of my costume, take off the makeup and relax!

I had a great time, made some wonderful new friends and learned more than I ever imagined!  For instance:

• I have a new appreciation for the hard work and practice time that goes into performances – learning the routine was good for my brain but certainly not easy for someone who had never had a dance lesson.
• The people behind the scenes are invaluable to the success of any show – and unless you are behind the scenes part of the time, you don’t think about all they do.
• Stage egos are everywhere!  One critic suggested to the narrator after dress rehearsal that she shorten the opening (and I agreed) but no way was she giving up one second in the spotlight!
• Burl likes me better without makeup!  Especially the heavy blush and dark red lipstick I had to wear.  This photo is NOT his favorite because he says I don’t look natural.
• 
• Glitter eye shadow, false eyelashes and shiny body powder are “musts” for most of these ladies – I stayed in the minority!
• If you want to keep your “batwings” from flapping in a short-sleeved costume, just cut the feet and crotch out of dance hose and put them over your head with your arms going through the legs and you’ll look more toned.  Personally I think I’ll just up my upper arm weight workouts for now.
• I could pick Stacey and Burl’s cheers out of the crowd the night they attended the performance.
• Several of the women in the show were pushing 90 and still looked great – very inspiring and good role models for when/if I grow up.
• It’s a lot more fun performing if you don’t take yourself too seriously!  I just relaxed and had fun and said a big “thank you” to my mom who passed on some great genes!

The show is behind me now and today we are packing up and doing all our last-minute chores to close up our winter home for the next 4-5 months.  We’ll see Devin and Peyton and their parents tonight and should be on the road by 7:00 a.m. Tuesday heading east.

Good-by Sun City West, Hello Springfield!

• Vickie finally got an iPhone which is huge for her.   It’s a 4 and it’s white and Hannah is all excited about helping her find a cute case. She’s in the process of trying to activate it right now… taking awhile.
• I’m cleaning out the pantry in our Arizona home and putting stuff into three categories – leave here over the summer, take back to Springfield and give to Mike and Annie.  Make that four categories – a few things got trashed!  We’re also eating the dregs from the freezer and refrigerator before we turn if off for the summer.
• Someone we all know did behave herself at this year’s Rock Ribs and she has a new boyfriend although Vickie and Robin weren’t very helpful with a name.
• Vickie may have found her replacement for Rock n Ribs….not that anyone could actually replace Vickie but still….
• Chaz and Vickie discussed me getting a tattoo and he is finally ok with it.  She would like to do it for Mothers Day and I want to go along and watch.  This will count as one thing on her “never done” list.so who wants to come along?
• It may be a “dry heat” but when it’s 101 degrees in Arizona, it’s still pretty damned HOT!
• Robin and Vickie rocked the night away on Saturday at Rock ‘n Ribs listening to one of their favorite bands, Members Only.
• Vickie found a great alterations person for Hannah’s prom dress and she only charged $100 –  but Vickie think she should have charged more with all she had to do.   The dress was free compliments of the credit card company since Vickie I filed a dispute and they reimbursed her.
• Don’t leave your purse in the car where it can be seen – daughter Cindy had her car window broken and her purse stolen in the middle of the day outside Houlihan’s North.  Before she even got back to her car the thief had put $45 of gas in his/her car with her credit card!
• Tax season is over  and Vickie is quite happy.
• Robin and I can relate to Vickie’s excitement about becoming a Rotary PAST president soon – it’s the best job in the club!
• Vickie bought a great outfit at White House Black Market the other day and got exceptional service.   She called the company to tell them how wonderful they were.
• I found a cure for Facebook addiction – Pinterest!  Seriously – I must check it 2-3 times a day and now have the app on my iPhone.  It’s insane.
• While looking through a rack at a local thrift shop in Arizona I found a pair of pants with the label “Town and County Casuals, Springfield, Missouri” in them.
• I just finished a fabulous book – “Death in the City of Light” – about a serial killer in Nazi-Occupied Paris.  It’s a true story and was a fascinating tale despite having a tough time keeping up with all the French names and places.  Amazing how close the whole city came to being destroyed by the Germans.  Now I have to review it on Goodreads.com – my other new favorite website.
• Robin is embarking on her first CoxHealth budget season – a time of year I do NOT miss.  She has my sympathy.

Well that’s all folks…..the Women of Substance are working very diligently to find a time to meet in May but so far the gods aren’t in our favor – too many obligations on our plates.  But never fear, we shall return with more goodies after I get back in Springfield next week.

So when he told me a few weeks ago that he was going on an overnight motorcycle trip with some of his buddies, I wasted no tears on his leaving.  Instead, I quickly went into high gear thinking of all the fun I could have with a non-agenda block of time at my disposal.

This morning he kissed me good-by, told me he loved me and went out to get on the bike.  Then he came back in the house…..  I hate to admit I was a bit dismayed to think he might not be leaving but turns out he had forgotten something and was soon riding off to meet the guys for their ultimate buddy-bonding adventure.

Thursday is normally my “free day” with no set responsibilities and today was even better!  I met the bike club for one of my favorite riding routes, enjoyed coffee with the gang, stopped at a couple of garage sales, took the dog for a walk, talked to Tammy and Ralph and generally just luxuriated in my open day.  I rarely shop these days but I did drive to a nearby shopping center and got in my fix at Marshalls and Ross and picked up some yarn at Michael’s at their sale – then after lunch I sat on the patio and alternately read and suffered in the heat of the day.

Finally decided to head inside and indulge in my guilty pleasure of reading since I just started an incredible new book.  It’s called “Death In the City of Light” by David King and is the true story of a serial killer in Nazi-occupied Paris during World War II.  I started it last night and am already 1/3 of the way through it and having to pace myself so I can savor every word.  I’ll admit I’m having a rather tough time keeping track of all the French names and places but the main suspect is already at the forefront of my mind.  I knew Tammy would love the book and she’s already downloaded it to Steve’s Kindle and I bet I know how she spend her day tomorrow!

This evening I had a wonderful dinner and drinks with my Shanghai Rummy friends at Betty’s Nosh in Glendale.  I’d been there several times but none of them had so we decided to make a girl’s night out before I leave for the summer.  Betty’s features a mushroom bar and some of us got the happy hour mushroom specials and shared our selections.  Fortunately I didn’t have to drive because that second glass of wine  sure went down smoothly and left me very mellow!

Now I’ve walked the dog and am ready to get back to the delightful pastime of reading a great book.

Tomorrow beckons with more “free” time – another bike ride, perhaps a trip to a consignment shop, more reading….whatever my heart desires until my sweetie returns safely from his tour of Arizona.

He may think he got a great trip but I think I got the better end of the deal!

All that has changed since I became a Jazzy Pom!

One of the best things about being retired is having the time to explore all those things I’ve never done before.  Sure I spend plenty of time riding my bike, which is my first passion, but the unlimited offerings of our winter home were just too good to miss.  The only dilemma was, what to do!

Last year we were only here for a few months so I used that time to talk to friends and look at all the options and one thing looked the most enticing – Jazzy Poms.

The Jazzy Poms are a group of geezer grannies who love to participate in parades and shows with our dance routines, all while waving our poms and dancing about in our glitzy costumes.

Now anyone who knows me, knows I’m NOT about glitzy clothes.  Just not my thing!  But I now have a whole array of costumes complete with hats, spats, poms and earrings so my alter ego can march down the street to a great Sousa march all while waving my poms!

Our first event was the Gold Rush parade in Wickenburg, AZ a few weeks ago and since I hadn’t yet learned the whole parade routine, I carried the banner with another newbie and marched at the head of the group.   A few days later we participated in the Sun City West Arizona Centennial parade and at the last minute, I got added to the group when another member couldn’t perform.  Turns out I knew the routine better than I thought I did and as another Pom told me, “I lost my Pom Parade virginity” that day!

I had no idea how competitive a group this was until we learned we had taken first place in each parade for our category and the others acted like it was a given – who else could have won but us!!!

A few weeks ago we drove to Chandler AZ on Saturday morning to participate in their Ostrich Parade and for once we didn’t win.  I guess my Type A personality didn’t kick in because I didn’t think anything of it but some of the ladies were incensed that the judges picked another group over us!  Imagine!

Then on St. Pat’s Day we were in the Phoenix St. Pat’s Day Parade, which was a hoot!  No competition (much to the chagrin of about half the ladies) but in typical St. Pat’s fashion, many of the parade participants had started on the green beer along with their oatmeal and they were in high gear by 9:00 a.m.  The parade route took less than an hour but again we were clearly crowd favorites and I’ve even gotten used to the wolf whistles and shouts of “you go, girls” from every age of male persuasion.

We have one more parade while we’re here plus a show at a residential nursing facility and then our BIG spring show the last weekend in April when we perform along with others in the dance club – jazz, tap, baton and modern dance.

Some of these ladies are in several different classes but right now I’m a happy camper learning the poms routines and high-stepping around Arizona streets waving my poms and smiling for the adoring crowd!

Those words were etched in my memory several decades ago and even though the wording has changed through the years, this is the pledge I still recite.

100 years ago today, Juliette Gordon Low founded the premier organization for young women, the Girl Scouts of the USA.  Low started the Girl Scouts in Savannah, GA and imagined they could be “the magic thread” that would connect girls everywhere – and 50 million women later, those ties are still strong.

Low was a quirky and strong-willed society woman known as “Crazy Daisy” but her craziest idea was her best!  Starting with a group of 18 girls she hoped would spread her fledgling organization across Georgia and the rest of the USA.  And it did – all around the world where there are Girl Scouts and Girl Guides.

Personally, I can’t remember Girl Scouts not being part of my life.  I grew up with a big sister who was always a few steps ahead of me in scouting and a mother who drug me along to local GS board meetings where I sat under the table and colored while the ladies mapped out plans for day camp and cookie sales.  When I was a pre-schooler my mom was the day camp director so I tagged along and remember feeling so grown up with my sack lunch that was pinned on a line with a clothespin to keep the ants away until lunchtime.

By time I was in second grade at West School I couldn’t wait for Tuesdays so I could wear my Brownie uniform to school.  I remember “flying up” to be an Intermediate Scout at the end of fourth grade and the summer after fifth grade I finally got to go to Camp Pin Oak at the Lake of the Ozarks.

Pin Oak became my summer escape for several years and it was there when I was out of sixth grade that I met my dearest and bestest friend Sally.  Part of the fun of going off to camp was going with a buddy but sadly, that summer Sally and I were both buddy-less!  Hers had an emergency appendectomy and mine moved out of state so Sally and I were thrown together in Unit 2, Cabin 3 of Pin Oak on July 28^th.

I had packed my shorts, camp uniform, swim suit and “hope, hope, hope I’m going to need it Kotex” in an old duffel bag along with a diary revealing what poor young man was the current subject of my affection.  Sally showed up with a matched set of Skyway luggage – a small cosmetic bag filled with her clothes for 2 weeks and a huge Pullman full of contraband food!  She was my instant best friend.

For two weeks I dealt with her hiding my Kotex and reading my diary in exchange for cookies and Kool-Air.  Yes, I could be bought and my price was pretty low.

We left camp thinking we’d never have to see each other again but thankfully our mothers had other plans.  First of all, they thought we should write to each other (that means writing letters, not email!) and then (horrors!) my mom suggested I invite Sally to visit over a long weekend in November when school was out for a few days.  Since it was also my birthday I guess I was supposed to consider this a treat – and eventually I did!

By the next spring when it was time to choose camp buddies, we signed up together.  I’m not sure if we were both sadistic or no one else liked us but we were committed.  We bunked with her friend Jane from Columbia and my friend Barbara from Fulton and Sally was officially in charge of our cabin.  She had the food, the comic books and the ideas!  Instead of rotating chores among the cabins she decided we should volunteer to be PLO (Permanent Latrine Orderlies).  She quickly sold us on the idea and in no time flat, the other scouts in our unit signed on thinking we were nuts.  In a typical Sally move, she figured out the most efficient way for us to clean the latrines, showers and sinks and while the others were toiling away around the unit doing their daily chores we were laying on our bunks reading, snacking and listening to her battery-powered radio.

That was our last Girl Scout experience together but the ensuing years included being college roommates, sorority sisters, standing up for each other at our weddings, being godmother to each others’ first-borns and always, always, the best of friends.

I stayed in scouting through high school and achieved what was then the highest honor in Girl Scouts, the Curved Bar Award which is the equivalent of an Eagle Scount.   The summer I was 16 I had my ultimate GS experience when I was chosen to attend the GS National Roundup in Button Bay, VT.  Our troop from the Heart of MO Council in mid-Missouri journeyed by train from Jefferson City, MO to Essex Junction, VT over 46 hours.  We camped for two weeks on the shores of Lake Champlain  and I met scouts from all around the world at my first foray into an international cultural experience.  My dear friend, Barbara, was the other scout from my hometown who went to Roundup and when we’re together there’s no shortage of Girl Scout stories that we relate to each other.

College, marriage and family took me away from scouting for many years.  My girls went to Greenwood which only had Campfire Girls so I had to learn all about Bluebirds and Campfire Candy which of course didn’t hold a candle to GS cookies!  Tammy spent one year as a scout in a neighborhood troop and I quickly learned it had changed a lot since I was a member.

In the meantime my mom remained a loyal board member and set a beautiful example for me to follow when about 15 years ago I was asked to serve on my local board.  I’m no longer on the board but I’ve had the honor of attending a national convention and served on the realignment committee for my council when we merged five local councils together in 2008 and I’m still a member of the council Finance Committee.

My other connection now is through my granddaughter Julia who is a Brownie and in 2^nd grade just like I was when I started in scouting.  She’s the 4^th generation of scouting in our family and I loved hearing her sales pitch and buying cookies from her this year.

Girl Scouts taught me honor, principles, trustworthiness, leadership, salesmanship (wanna buy some cookies?), portion control (seriously, one serving of Thin Mints really is half a package), friendship, loyalty and self-confidence.

I’m proud to say I’m a card-carrying Lifetime Member of GSUSA and as we say in Girl Scouts, “I have green blood.”

Today I talked with my friend Barbara who, like me, had been singing camp songs all morning.  Our friendship goes back to Sunday School, church choir, junior and senior high school, square dance lessons – but most of all, Girl Scouts.  It’s the tie that binds the strongest.  And of course I called Sally to also let her know how much I love her and how indebted I am to the Girl Scouts who brought us together in the first place.

Thanks Juliette Gordon Low for your vision and for the organization you created 100 years ago.

I love the Girl Scouts and I especially love the Thin Mints!

We didn’t have an “in” for tickets but I got online the first day they went on sale and got decent tickets for one night last week.  Burl had no idea what we were going to see and I offered him an out since I had several friends who definitely wanted to go but he was game so off we went!

“Wicked” was at the ASU Gammage Theatre that is in Tempe – certainly not in close proximity to where we live!  So we decided if we were going to drive that far for the play we might as well eat at Organ Stop Pizza in Mesa that was highly recommended to us by friends.

We left early to give ourselves plenty of time to make any other interesting stops we found but when we got to Organ Stop Pizza at 4:00 when it opened, there was already a full parking lot and a line out the door.  Who knew?  It didn’t take us long to decide we may as well go ahead and eat an early dinner and we’re glad we did.

Apparently the first Organ Stop Pizza opened in downtown Phoenix followed by the one in Mesa and they regularly win awards for Best Pizza and Best Family Entertainment in the Valley and now we know why.  First of all, the pizza was superb – a thin crust with tons of toppings for a great price and I supplemented mine with a trip to the salad bar which offered fresh portions of a limited number of items but was still quite tasty.

We found seats on the upper level near the stage and shortly after we got our pizza (only about a 30 minute wait), the organ music started and the organist and his magnificent instrument rose out of the floor and flooded the entire place with wonderful music.  The guy was quite talented and provided a 45-minute program that ended with the national anthems of Canada and the USA followed by clips from several state songs (“On Wisconsin”, “Oklahoma”, “Missouri Waltz”, “Deep In The Heart of Texas”, “Tennessee Waltz’, etc.) and ending with sing-alongs of old favorites.

From there we headed to ASU to see “Wicked”.  We arrived early and scored rock star parking and got a good glimpse of the auditorium which the last public commission of Frank Lloyd Wright and is in his Usonian architectural style.  He had originally planned to place this auditorium in the Baghdad, Iraq (which means it probably wouldn’t be standing today!)  but a conversation with the president of ASU in 1957 convinced him to build it here.  He spent the last two years of his life working on sketches for the building and even though he died before it was finished in 1964 he is credited as the architect and the building’s bold design is definitely his.  Since we have seen several of his other designs, this one was definitely different from his usual Prairie style.

Neither of us had seen “Wicked” although I was familiar with “The Wizard of Oz” which meant I picked up on many of the lines that referred to that movie.  The music, sets and costumes were absolutely fantastic but were overshadowed by the vocal talent expressed by the stars of the show.  Both of the leads had starred on Broadway and their voices were unbelievable – and even though we were in the balcony, we could still hear very well and our binoculars helped us define the costumes even better.

We left the play humming along to the music but also realizing the reason we don’t do this often is because by time we drove home and took the dog for a walk, we didn’t get to bed until midnight!

But giving up some sleep was a small price to pay for a great date night out.

If you know this pair you probably think they are a fun-loving and very compatible couple and you are correct!  What you see is what you get with these two!  Steve learned very quickly how to say “Yes, Dear” at the appropriate time and with the correct voice inflection.  He also knows how to wow Tammy with the perfect gift which is usually a pair of boots she has mentioned on Facebook.  Did I mention “subtlety” is NOT her middle name!?!

Lest you think Tammy rules the roost (okay, she probably does!), she knows just when she has pushed too far and needs to back off.  And truly their home is ultimately run but a pair of furry 4-legged critters – unless their two nieces arrive from Des Moines and then they are definitely in charge!

Tammy and Steve bring out the best in each other which is the hallmark of a good relationship.  Our family benefits because we have access to Steve’s IT skills and Tammy’s artistic talent.  Together they are  the perfect party-throwers and have the ideal home to do so.  They both have a great sense of humor and readily share it  - they are dedicated friends to each other as well as those who are fortunate to know them.

Best of all, they love each other, accept each other and inspire each other.

Here’s to many more anniversaries and years together!

• Someone we know has a new boyfriend who was seen pushing her cart through the grocery store early on a Sunday morning.  Were they out late the night before…or just had an early morning shopping date?
• Vickie and Chaz share a birthday (not the same year) and like to celebrate with a family trip to a cabin in Arkansas.   They haven’t been there for the last few years and were excited to have great weather and time to relax, hike, eat, read and sleep.  Hannah went with them sans boyfriend (reluctantly) but she eagerly did everything she was asked to do -  that was her birthday present to her parents.
• Robin is learning so much on the City Utilities board – including the impact that weather (good or bad) can have on their budget.
• Vickie is in the home stretch of her year as Rotary president and is already excited to have the best job in Rotary – Past President!
• Thanks to all her connections, Vickie scored great tickets for the three of us and our hubbies for the James Taylor Concert in July at the Q.  This will be a first – a Women of Substance triple date!
• The big thing now in high school is for the guys to ask their dates to prom in a romantic way.  So Billy left little messages all around the house for Hannah and they lead to the word “PROM” spelled out in Hershey’s Kisses.  He topped that off with a dozen roses.  Good thing she said “yes”.
• Hannah ordered her prom dress from a website in China.  Hannah knew it was the dress for her when Chaz told her it was beautiful and he thought it was made for her – the power of a dad’s endorsement!  Since it’s coming from China it will probably need to be altered but they got a great price and it’s the one Hannah wants.
• I just finished knitting what is my favorite sweater ever.  And it fits perfectly!!
• Now I have a short window of time to wear it before it gets too warm here – good thing it’s 100% cotton. I’m in a quandary for my next project – several options but haven’t yet decided what to knit.
• Vickie thinks she is officially old because she was invited to the 417 List Party held at Rick’s Automotive and she got excited that one of the door prizes was a new set of Michelin Tires.  Never mind the prize of a hot air balloon ride – Vickie was salivating over new tires!  Sorry I missed the party – we could have done a Women of Substance night out.
• Robin got tulips and a gift certificate for a couples massage for Valentine’s Day – and Jim took her to Flo for dinner.  Burl and I took each other out for dinner at Haus Murphy’s where we shared the German sampler dinner for two.  For once he didn’t get me flowers but I took care of that myself with a trip to Trader Joe’s!
• Vickie recently bought a new perfume after trying out several samples.  She decided on Burberry Sheer which she says is very spring-y.  She didn’t wait for Chaz to buy it for her because she wanted to get exactly what she wanted!  Happy Birthday to Vickie from Vickie!
• Robin passed on watching the Super Bowl and worked on taxes instead.  She did watch the halftime show and thinks Madonna still has it – and she downloaded her new song to her workout playlist.
• Jim thinks Madonna has had some “work” done and Robin agrees.
• Vickie loved the David Beckham H&M commercial the best from the Super Boal and Robin agreed.  I’m not really a big tattoo or Beckham fan so didn’t get excited about it.  Not sure I had a clear-cut favorite.
• Vickie stayed home recently with a head cold and touch of stomach flu – when she felt beter later in the day she cleaned out her kitchen pantry and drawers full of paper and then topped off the day with warm chocolate chip cookies.
• As a Pinterest fan, Vickie has been getting lots of new recipe ideas – the most recent one was cupcakes made with ½ brownie mix, ½ strawberry cake mix and topped with white frosting.  She made then for ther 10^th grade Sunday school class and they were a big hit.
• Being a woman in your 40′s is tougher than it is for men.
• Robin is sad about Whitney Houston.  She loved her in the 80′s when she was in college and think it’s such a shame.  Too bad she didn’t just gracefully and not get nto all the drugs.   Demi Moore may be next but hopefully it’s not too late for her to get help and be saved.
• I hated that the governor of New Jersey flew the flag at half-mast for Whitney Houston when it’s not always done for our service men and women who deserve it a lot more.
• As for the Oscars, our only comments had to do with the fashion!  Robin liked Tina Fey’s dress and Vickie liked Penelope Cruz. Even though she thought it was a tad too long but otherwise soft and feminine.  But Robin put it best when she said it was kind of a disappointing night from a fashion standpoint.
•  What’s up with trying to repeal the smoking ban in Springfield?  I thought the voters had spoken last summer.  If it gets rescinded I’ll do my darnedest not to patronize any restaurant that allows smoking.  I think having a smoking section in a restaurant is like having a peeing section in a swimming pool.

On that note, I’m outta here!  Tomorrow is Leap Day so any single females are allowed to pop the question if they so choose.

President Taft was all set to sign the state proclamation on February 12th but that day was already being celebrated at Lincoln’s birthday.  The 13th was an unlucky number so he waited until the 14th to make it official.

I was born in the Show-Me State and before last year had only lived in either Fulton or Springfield.  That all changed when we bought our retirement home here.  Officially we’re still Missouri residents but I’m guessing that will change in the next few years as we spend more than 50% of our time here.

While Arizona is a popular winter – or permanent home – for my age set, it’s not just about the warm, sunny days (“It’s A Dry Heat!”), the Phoenix valley ringed with beautiful mountains and the glorious sunsets.  It’s also about the spirit that thrives here and where Democrats were once referred to as “Renegades”.  Probably still are by some folks!

We’re a conservative state but one that has progressively embraced female leaders – think Sandra Day O’Connor who became the first female Supreme Court Justice.  Our current governor is Jan Brewer who first came into office to replace TSA Big Sister Janet Napalitano and then was elected to her own full term.  Prior to that we had Rose Mofford and her well-known beehive hairdo who ascended to the governor’s office when the previous governor was impeached.

Even though not everyone was born here, we proudly lay claim to rocker Alice Cooper, Steven Speilberg, Brett Michaels, Barry Goldwater (“The Conscience of a Conservative” and the 1960 vice-presidential candidate), John McCain, Linda Ronstadt, Marty Robbins, Stevie Nicks, Duane Eddy, Wayne Newton, Emma Stone, David Spade, Ted Danson, Barbara Eden and Craig T. Nelson.

One of our most famous – or infamous – residents is Sheriff Joe Arpaio.  The guy who cheerfully puts inmates in pink underwear, offers them the required two TV channels (Weather Channel and Disney Channel), feeds them for about $3 a week each and offers them tents for sleeping quarters (“if it’s good enough for our soldiers, it’s good enough for these inmates”) is a well-known icon in Maricopa County where we reside part-time.  You either love him or you hate him but there’s no middle ground!  We fall into the former category and applaud him for verifying immigration status when he stops offenders and taking them back to the border when necessary.  Naturally, those liberals in Washington don’t care for him at all so most of the time he’s dodging federal lawsuits.  Go Joe!

We’re the home to the most fabulous hole in the ground ever – The Grand Canyon.  And few sites can compare to the beautiful red rocks you’ll see in Sedona, especially if you hike one of the many trails that lead into spectacular canyons that you’ve probably seen often in the movies but didn’t realize where the scenes were shot – like Monument Valley.  We have palm trees – although I doubt they are native to us – and we have some of the most beautiful cactus ever, especially in the spring when they burst into bloom.   I never tire of seeing the stately saguaro cactus!  Travel into the mountains and majestic pines dot the horizon.  The Roosevelt Dam was here prior to statehood and we’ve since added the Hoover Dam – two engineering marvels.  Venture to Havasu City and there stands London Bridge.

Arizona gave birth to the Navajo Code Talkers who were an important part of our victory in WWII.  Think Bola tie and Pima cotton – they both originated here along with Make A Wish Foundation and The March of Dimes.  Other inventions and innovations that got their start here include artificial hearts, tasters, rubberized asphalt, Apache helicopters, charter schools and automotive air bags.

And lest you think we’re all desert and stucco structures, let me remind you that when Frank Lloyd Wright wanted to escape the brutal winters of Wisconsin, he founded Taliesin West in northeast Phoenix and it became his second home.

So Happy 100th Birthday Arizona – along with a Happy 99th Birthday to my wonderful dad who was my favorite Valentine for many, many years.  I miss you, Daddy.