Back among the palm trees

Another Midwest winter storm hit the day I flew back to Tucson from Ohio, and I took some interesting photos of the plane being de-iced. At least I think I did.  But I might not ever know, because my camera is either in Southwest Airlines lost and found department or a later passenger has a new camera. 

Bummer.  Anyway ... the weatherman predicted morning heavy rain/turning to sleet/turning to heavy snow for the day of my flight. The part of Ohio that skirts Lake Erie was supposed to get it the worst, with Akron just moderately bad.

That all came to pass. My brother Bob drove me the 56 miles from my Mom’s house to the Akron/Canton Airport; we left at noon for my 4 p.m. flight so we could beat some of the storm. Then Bob hung out at the airport with me for over an hour. Per my Mom, he had a long, slow drive due north (and toward the worst of the snow) back to his home in Brecksville.  Thanks Bob. You are my favorite older brother. (If you are reading this, Don, you are my favorite younger brother.)

And now I’m sitting here in our rig at Davis Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, with a view of palm trees and air planes.  We're back to our routine of going to the gym, reading, grabbing lunch at our favorite local brew pub, Barrio Brewing, reading and making plans for a trip where we actually drive the motor home.  

Speaking of Barrio Brewing, Jim said he had a quiet stay in Tucson while I was in Ohio.  But he did get to meet up at Barrio with two folks who we'd never met in person before, but whose blog (The BooneDocks) we follow.  Our blogger friends, Gary and Leeanne, wrote a nice post about meeting Jim at Barrio. To read it, click here.  Thanks, Gary and Leeanne.  Hope our paths cross again and that this time I'm along.

While I did not get to see nearly as many Ohio folks as I would have liked, I did get in a visit and lunch with my high school friend, Sally. 

And my brother Bob and SIL Suzie (first two folks on the left in the back row) took Mom, me and two other friends, Nancy and Ron (the other couple in the back row) out to dinner at Lockkeepers, a great restaurant in Valley View, Ohio. The restaurant is near the Ohio and Erie Canal; I read afterwards that it's rumored to be haunted by the ghost of a former employee, but we had no supernatural experiences -- only a fun time. Both Bob and Ron are veterinarians.  Suzie is a retired professor and Nancy is a lawyer by training who works with Ron in his clinic.

And, the state bird of Ohio visited Mom's lilac bush. Miss you, Mom.