Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch...

Not that there hasn't been drama around here--there has--I just don't feel like writing about it today. Fortunately the drama doesn't include me!
Steve's birthday is in October, and I'm planning a big gathering for it. I've got a guest list of about 50 people, and I'm sure they'll all show up. I've been putting together ideas for this since March, because it's his 50th and I want it to be special. Finally, I got the location dialed in, the menu, and the activities--so that gave me some time to work on his presents.

He's out of town a couple of days each week right now, because of work, and that's given me the freedom to work on his presents without him finding out. I wanted to get him one of those fancy pants Segway scooters but I just haven't had the opportunity to save up for it. The one I liked was $5,000. Ouch.
While I was in the auto parts store a couple of weeks ago, they had a 3-wheeled stand up scooter that was much like a Segway, but it was a LOT cheaper. It was their display model so it was marked waaaay down. I snatched it up (with the help of the cashier--that sucker was heavy!) and took it to a friend's house to hide it in their garage. When I got a moment to take a good look at it, I was bummed to find out that it was quite scratched and scuffed up and the stickers were ruined from people bumping into things with it. I got the idea to take it apart and have it painted to match Steve's race car. He has a 1970 Maverick that he takes to the drag strip in the winter. It's bright yellow, and says Yellow Fever on the sides. Since this scooter will go 12 mph, it would actually be a perfect toy to take with us racing. He could use it to go down to the different areas of the track (since he doesn't have a golf cart and he has a bit of a problem getting around on foot) and he could look pretty cool doing it!
While that's being painted, I got on the internet to find a book. "The Last Mile", it's about the last 3 years of Steve McQueen's life. It's written by Barbara McQueen, his widow. I sort of met her once, earlier this year. She was a model in the 70's and OH MY GOD she is still very stunning. I remember when I first saw her I couldn't take my eyes off her because she was so striking. She and her husband spend their winters in Lake Havasu. I found the book, got it in the mail, then started to ask people if they knew how I could find her to get her autograph for it.
Nobody knows where she is because she travels in the summer. So I emailed her publisher, explaining what I wanted.
Holy CATS, the publisher wrote me back immediately, says she forwarded my email to the writer who helped Barbara write the book! She says, "Marshall is in direct contact with Barbara quite often, so he'll track her down for you."
I'll have to keep you posted on that little project....

Oh yes, and Wyatt Earp called yesterday. He wants to know if we're coming to his next performance. It's actually Wyatt Earp's great-grand nephew, and he does a "Play" where he narrates the story about the original Wyatt Earp. Steve found this guy through the internet a month or two ago, and they talk periodically. What's really funny about it is how much Steve grew up emulating Wyatt Earp. His family lived just a few minutes from Tombstone, where the gunfight at the O.K. Corral happened, and he knows the details of that whole story inside and out. We visited Earp's home in Tombstone earlier this summer, and a few weeks ago we drove down to one of his homes he lived in after he retired. Too funny.

Did I Mention It's HOT???

I (being a brainiac) didn't trim our palm trees until this week. It should've been done back in May, but I told myself it wasn't necessary. It's only about 116 degrees right now, down from July's average of 120, and there's quite a bit of humidity because we're in what's called the monsoon season. We get like 60 percent humidity (yes, I know, you think that's a joke) but 60% added to 116 degrees equals AFRICA HOT. There were a couple of times when I stood up and almost passed right out, from the heat. But, the trees HAD to be done. I've got a busy few months ahead of me and putting it off anymore would've been a big mistake.
There's 7 palms, and 4 of them are big. So I had to use a Saws-All to trim them and each tree yielded a 5 foot tall stack of frawns. (that's the branches with the wonderful fan at the end)
None of you have lived in the desert, so I'll explain palm trees:
Anything that flourishes in the desert (with the exception of Oleander Bushes) have big, huge thorns. The citrus trees, the bouganvilia bushes, agave plants, the bird of paradise bushes, and the wonderful mesquite trees all have thorns. They're 1" long and they stab you to the bone if they have the chance.
I know in pictures palm trees look so "aaaaaaah," like paradise, but up close they are bad mofos. The branches have gnarly, pointy spikes, all along the sides, and the green part is stiff and sharp on the edges. Each time I had to cut a branch I had to hold the saw above my head, because the trees are taller than 5 feet. Sometimes, I had to stand on the only thing I could find which was a bar stool from the garage, so I could reach the branches. I soon figured out it was a swivel stool and as I balanced myself up near the tree, the darn thing started turning!
Once I mastered the art of sawing while turning, things moved a little quicker.
I was thinking to myself, "Hey, I'm doing pretty good! I haven't gotten hurt yet!"
Then a palm frawn fell from the tree and stabbed my hand. One nice puncture, right into the meat. Hurt so bad my hand shook!
I got over it, began cutting again and soon another palm frawn fell into me. This time the spikes went into my right boob. I just stood there and waited for the blood to start. I didn't bleed too bad.
I bandaged everything and finished the job.
Later, as I told Steve about my boob puncture, I expected sympathy. Instead I got, "Oh, it didn't deflate, did it??"

This'll Crack You Up

The uh, future stepmom, whatever she is called (Shay's dad's girlfriend) actually asked me for $200 to help pay for the trip they're taking to Hawaii in October. They're taking her son and Shay with them, and are soliciting donations from both me and her kid's father.
I can't believe she'd ask this, when Shay told her that I was aware of the way she was yelling at him and bad-mouthing me.....
I politely told her that I've got some really big expenses these next two months and paying for their vacation isn't in my budget.

Almost Famous

We almost had dinner with Martina McBride this week. ALMOST. Her tour buses stopped in town on Wednesday and my boss said we were apparently invited to have a dinner with her and these friends of ours who know her.
I wasn't completely sold on the idea because I had a great dinner planned at home with my son and my sweetheart--and I didn't really know who Martina McBride was. Still don't. I know her name and that's about it. I only listen to country when someone makes me!
So, when it came down to dinner time, I opted to stay home and so did my boss. I made a fabulous supper with Omaha Steaks, asparagus bombs (email me and I'll give you the recipe it's DELIGHTFUL) and some other wonderful things. And we watched Premonition--Brandy--look at my comments on your Premonition blog entry.
We haven't had much time at home lately and home just seemed way better than getting dressed up to impress a country singer who I don't know.

This weekend is another Regatta, not as glamorous as some of the others because it's entirely on the beach and there's no fancy banquet. FINE! I will tie my hair back, put on the cowboy hat, and spool it up.

Man, It's Hot

And I'm getting sick of it. Oh well.

This week I got to be an adult for a little while. Steve and I took a rental car down to Phoenix, and the plan was for us to fly home the next morning in a helicopter that was in a shop getting some repairs. Well then we were told once we got down there that it would be a whole nother day before it was ready. Okay, we'll wait.
Then we ended up waiting three days. I toodled around Phoenix, going to the mall, having drinks with friends, having sushi, YAY!
Finally I had to come home on my own because we have a regatta this weekend. Gotta do some preparations for it ahead of time, so we look like professionals.
Steve's still stuck down there, waiting for the helicopter to get completed.
And I'm here, dealing with this 119 degree weather.....

Back from the Dead

I've spent the last five days horizontal, and today I believe I might be getting well again. I only get sick occasionally, like once a year, and I guess this was my time. Of course there was no one to take care of me. OH SURE! The world has to stop spinning when someone else in this house is feeling under the weather, but when I'm sick I'm on my own.
I had several problems: my neck and back were knotted up and I needed my friend the massage therapist to work on me, my sinuses had some irritation and the normal over the counter stuff wasn't working (so I developed a fever and awful headache from it) and then there were some FEMALE problems that only Monistat could help. Yes, I know, T.M.I. And because the FEMALE problem wouldn't clear up, it of course caused a U.T.I. Wonderful times.
I had some time in between headaches to read my latest paperback, a story about this biker guy who worked for the FBI in getting evidence on the Hells Angels. Pretty good, very eye-opening. Remind me not to get involved with a biker any time soon. Well, a real biker anyway. Steve and I hang out with the Yuppy Bikers here in Havasu--otherwise known as the "Rolex Riders." If you ever see the movie "Wild Hogs," you'll know exactly what I'm talking about.

Oh yes, and how could I forget--we went to see Transformers on Sunday!!! Woohoo! Awesome movie. It was one of those good ones where you talk about it all the way home. "Remember that part where the robot smashed up all those cars? That was awesome!" I know you know what I'm talkin' about.

Time to go get dinner started. It's a seafood night.

Yay, another record

Today it's supposed to reach 125 degrees, which surprisingly isn't a record. The record was back in the 1990's, when it got to 128. We used to be able to say that the rediculous hot weather kept all the wierdos out of town, but that's not true anymore. They've figured out that alcohol consumption helps with tolerating the heat. Yesterday it was 123, I think, but thankfully I was indoors a lot. Today I have some doggies to go check on (their owners are out of town) but I'm going to accomplish that before it gets too stupid outside.
This weekend we went on a double date with some friends since we were without children. They were all with either their friends or their other parents. My son got to go see a KISS tribute band, called KISS ARMY on Saturday. He went with his dad, and dad says it was awesome.
It's 10:30, and I better saddle up and get things done before the day heats up!!!