Too hot! Nice Sunsets

We have been experience way above normal temps - was 108 yesterday, and only down to 72 at night.  This is about 15 degrees above the normal.  Has been to 113 last week, no relief in sight.  Still no rain, but high winds in the afternoon are the norm.  The winds are so strong that dust storms (looks like a dust tornado) kick up and swirl around.  Good thing we have a/c - yesterday I was only outside for a whopping 1/2 hour.  Just too darn hot.  Have had the pleasure of driving in a habood - that's the term for a sandstorm - saw only about 500 yards in front of me due to lousy visibility.  And of course, there is increase activity as to rattlesnakes (two more killed in the park) and lots of scorpions are around.  Have to be very very careful - no flip-flops and definitely you look down at where you are going.  No surprises.  Can't wait to get out of this heat!

We are beginning our countdown to travel north, watching and updating every day about the 4 wild fires raging in Arizona.  One of them, the Sunflower, is about 35 miles from where we want to make our first stop when we head out.  As of this morning, the reports is that this fire is 95% contained.  Good thing. The really cool thing about the fires is it is creating the prettiest sunsets - the smoke just lingers in the air and what you are really looking at - not clouds - but smoke. They say that in Phoenix proper you can smell the smoke too.  Glad we are this far south!  These sunsets with the colors reminds us of Santa Fe's skies at night.

We think we will leave the 1st of June, we have made many lists of things to get done - like dentist appointments, doctor visits to refill prescriptions, purchasing non-perishable stuff like TP, paper towels, soaps, etc.  Still have lots to do.  We have been sitting tight for 5 months and will be really weird to be in the truck pulling the 5ver again.  And even more weird and sad - we won't have Chip to sing to us.  We think Grace might take over where Chip left off - we had her to the vet for her checkup and she sang to us for the first ten minutes.  Speaking of Grace - she is beginning to do some things that Chip did, like sit at the door and be there waiting when we get back, follows me everywhere - if I get up to go potty during the night - she is sitting on the edge of the bed watching to see where I go.  We do miss Chip.  Our baby.