No new words yet. I gave myself the weekend off, even though I had my laptop.

Arizona was wonderful. Seeing family, stuffing our faces, sleeping in. The fabulous Arizona sky in a January morning. So, so beautiful.

Even seeing hubby's Mom, which was stressful (she's in a nursing home) was good. The memories were good, even though I cried when we left. She's my second Mom, and she's not going to be around much longer. It hurts.

On the way home, we hit up Quartzsite - full of campers and people. All the booths behind the storefronts were up and open - one of my characters is going to make his home base Quartzsite, so I wanted to know what drew people there. So we asked.

The lack of stress, most said. The peace. The desert, so beautiful. But most of these people moved on. Texas next, beginning or the end of March, depending on the heat. Then their homeland - Arkansas, or South Carolina, or Florida. Some then retreated to Oregon/Washington area, until it was time (November) to hit up Quartzsite again.

I had the most marvelous time, and spending it with hubby made it even better. And I got such DEALS! A gorgeous oil lamp - amethyst base, hand painted globe with pansies - no more than seven inches high. $40. Hubby bought hats, I got a sage bundle ($1!), we got fried cheese curds and a polish dog (yum and double yum!), listened to a country western singer named Rocky who had to be in his sixties, and just people watched for all we were worth. We must have spent two hours there, easy, and could have spent all day. Of course, we were the youngest people there by at least a decade. Or two.

So. Tomorrow (EARLY!) I'm off to Snowmass, Colorado. I hate leaving my boys, but I yearn to go. I am so blessed that hubby understands the need, and encourages it.

As soon as we find a week-long banjo camp, I'm sending him there. Cross my heart.

It will be good to spend time with someone who knew me when I was barely twenty (besides hubby, I mean). And now I'm almost fifty. My, how time flies...