Isn't it grand...

I was able to borrow a wide-angle zoom lens (Canon EF 17-35mm 1:2.8 L), so I brought the big camera!

The Grand Canyon was amazing! We were warned that it's usually at least 30 degrees cooler at the canyon, but it was not a usual day... we kept shedding layers and, at most, it was maybe 10-15 degrees cooler. And even 15 degrees "cooler than 85" is... well, just not that bad! Haha! Not bad at all.

The vapor trail is from a jet formation that flew over! They were so incredibly close together, it looks like one but there were at least 5 or 6 in formation, plus one off to the side (slightly) and another a little further back, bringing up the rear.

Joining Carole & friends for Three (Throwback) Things on Thursday...

Pardon me for another fly-by... re-entry is a bitch on so many levels, not the least of which is adjusting to a 60-degree temperature difference. And snow.

As you may recall, one of the things that spurred this trip was Rusty's brother's discovery of more family photos...

1 -- Dave (aka, Wavey Davey) & Rusty (aka, Big Eyes) perusing an old scrapbook and sharing stories & remembrances. That's a large acrylic painting on the wall in front of them that Rusty painted for Dave -- a SoCal surfer back in the day -- several years ago. When Dave wasn't able to surf anymore, he took photos, and it's one of those that inspired this painting.

2 -- "Mother - Jean - '32." That's Rusty's & Dave's grandmother, Florence, and their Aunt Jean -- one of my favorites among the photo discoveries! Happy times!! Life was rocked by social scandal and things got rough a few years later, and Flo was divorced from their grandfather by 1941. She must have recovered, though, and lived until she was 101!

3 -- I don't remember ever seeing this photo before! It's summer 1988 and we're visiting our friends, TJ & January and their son Elliott, on Vashon Island, WA. This photo was taken as we were saying/singing our good-byes, captured both in photos & videos -- it was the video of me walking toward the camera to turn it off that sent me signing up for WW immediately upon our return home! Heh.

I'm "cheating" a little here. We're leaving Laughlin at 7 a.m. and driving up to Vegas to catch our mid-morning flight home, via Phoenix, which doesn't land in Milwaukee until after 6 and we won't likely get home until about 9 tomorrow night. So, I'm posting early.

Happy Birthday to me!!

Free hotel wifi is the worst hotel wifi. I'm cheap and didn't spring for "enhanced" wifi, even for a day, because we weren't here for more than a few hours in the morning or evening, or were fast asleep.

I had a great vacation... and I felt as though I truly vacated... but I am anxious to get home and back into the regular swing of things. If, for no other reason, a real computer (using the tablet sucks as much as hotel wifi). We're winging our way tomorrow!

Today, we visited again with Rusty's brother & sister-in-law, and we drove with them out to Oatman, AZ, which is... a place I won't ever have to visit again. It was a great visit with the relatives, though, and Rusty & Dave put their heads together to nail down some family history details. Rusty brought his laptop along so he could make a record.

I'm also looking forward to my own bed and pillow.  ;)

Rusty emailed me this photo taken this afternoon.

Subject line: WELL, LOOK AT THIS!

Yesterday was quite the day. We drove over to visit with Rusty's brother, Dave, and sister-in-law, stopping for a brunchy breakfast on the way.

I don't even know how many photos of photos I took... lots! And mostly of Rusty & Dave's mom, from scrapbooks, envelopes, folders, and stacks.

On the beach, the slopes, at the pool, the tennis court, on horseback, with cats and dogs... so many photos with dogs! I'm surprised that Rusty's not more of a dog lover.

Today we're headed to Lake Havasu -- to the closest Packers bar we could find (also London Bridge)! Tomorrow, we're up EARLY to head to the Grand Canyon, so I won't likely be posting until evening.

Joining Carole & friends for Three Things on Thursday...

1 -- HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

It's snowing! I don't know what that's going to mean tonight... but I don't have any candy, anyway! That's what happens when Halloween candy is promoted on the heels of "back to school," and I think I have all the time in the world. I don't want to buy too soon because, y'know...

There was a collaborative effort in making the Halloween decorations for the coffee shop this year. I just love that smiley pumpkin. And that's a preschool Kate as Raggedy Ann!

2 -- RE-PURPOSING.

The plants have all been moved inside, including the ones that were on the porch of the apartment. Airbnb guests really seem to enjoy the plants! (See the snow on the porch roof? You can see just a bit of the kids' playhouse, and the lights on the pergola, too.)

Among the amenities we provide are tiny jars of Bonne Maman preserves (to go with the English muffins). When I remember, as I'm cleaning up, I pull them from the recycling bin and... lookie there, they're the perfect size for a couple of tablespoons of the Alabama Chanin Silver Fox beads+sequins mix to go a'travelin'! I forgot that I had that mix and I think I want to use some of those elements (probably not the gold) on my Car Jacket.

3 -- READY, SET...

I can't believe it's only going to be 77F tomorrow when we arrive in Arizona. Hahahahaha!

I may or may not be blogging while we're away... we'll see! If not, I'll be back on track a week from today for another 3 Things on Thursday.

Rusty returned last week from a two-month trip west. He left in June bound for Arizona and a visit to his brother Dave's new place in western Arizona, just over the border from Nevada. One of the purposes of that get together was for them to go through a box of old photos that Dave (a bit of a packrat) finally uncovered in the moving & unpacking.

The photos belonged to their mother, Janet, who took her own life in 1978. When the boys cleaned out her house after her death, it was a job that just needed to get done. Things like photos were relegated to storage, which is where they've been for the past 40+ years.

Rusty was so excited to see these old family photos again! He took a few snaps with his phone and sent them to me while he was there, and brought some more home for scanning. After he departed Arizona for points in California, Dave uncovered more photos and documents! Rusty suggested that before too long we take a trip out there together, and we just confirmed flights, car & hotel for an early November (birthday!) visit, which will also include a visit (my first) to the Grand Canyon.

Anyway, it's been a bit of a nut house over here and we finally sat down over the weekend to look at the photos Rusty brought back.

This one.

I'd hastily edited (her face is in deep shadow in the original photo) and posted on Instagram, but have taken a bit more time here with the dodging & burning... and looking.

I didn't even notice the knitting or Rusty's brother in the playpen, at first; Kate pointed those out the other day! Originally thought the photo was taken at the beach (her favorite place to be), but in considering what those dark blips at the top of the photo might be, I now realize that it's more likely in the backyard -- that's laundry on the line (very likely diapers)!

I didn't meet Rusty until 1983, so obviously I never had a chance to meet Janet. I always like to think that we'd have gotten along -- especially because I know she didn't get along at all with Rusty's first wife -- and he always thought that we would have, too. I've decided that this photo is undeniable proof!

• She was a knitter! I never knew that before, though I did know she had a crafty streak and liked to make things.
• She was a smoker! She was a chain-smoker, in truth, and is the #1 reason why her sons have never smoked. Even though I've been quit for 14+ years, I can still relate to putting down my knitting for a smoke break.
• Laundry on the line!

She had quite a colorful life and there are mysteries to be solved -- investigated further, at the very least! I'm so looking forward to our trip out west in a few months!

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255