Culture Shock

We are back in the States and already it is proving to be quite the adventure.

After a week of hard work getting "Faith" clean, stripped down and put to bed (having Patty's help really cut down on the time it took) we made the drive back to Tucson on Sunday. Saturday evening at dinner we realized we had forgotten to close the thru hulls so "someone" would have to make a trip back to the yard on Sunday morning. My first-in-seven-months manicure/pedicure had taken place that afternoon so the obvious returnee was Chris. Enough said. At any rate, even with the unexpected trip to the yard we managed to have everything loaded up and were on our way by 10 am.

The drive to Nogales was uneventful and it was nice to see that the construction from last fall was all completed. Then we got to the border. Ahem. The line was actually quite short...there probably weren't 20 cars ahead of us...but for some reason the border patrol guys were really taking their time so it took 30 or so minutes to get to the front of the line. For those who don't already know, Chris has already been "busted" twice for having an undeclared apple in a cooler so now we are searched every time we re-enter the U.S. This time was no exception and having the trailer just opened the options for the Homeland Security guys. Really, though. "Our" guy was very laid back and nice and had a great sense of humor. We'd been careful to get rid of all fresh fruit & produce but I had no idea eggs would be a problem so the last 4 we had were surrendered to the border guy. We dropped Patty off in Green Valley where she was planning to visit a friend and by 6:30 Chris & I were settled into the Prince of Tucson RV Park where we'd stayed last fall. A long day but, thankfully, without emergencies.

We'll be in Tucson for about a week visiting Chris' friends and family and it is nice to be kind of settled for a little bit. Now begins the process of getting used to life in the fast lane again. Yesterday we started off by going to AT&T and getting cell service. Chris has had Verizon for quite a while but it is useless in Mexico and we'd heard about a new AT&T plan that has cell coverage for both the U.S. and Mexico with no additional charges. It sounded great and, as it turns out, is exactly as we'd heard. It is so nice to have a phone again (we each have one) and now I will be able to call home anytime...even when we're in Mexico.

After the trip to AT&T we spent some time catching up on emails, etc. and then went to the grocery store on the way back to the trailer. Holy guacamole! We bought meat for 3 meals, a few veggies, 1/2 gallon of ice cream, 3 bottles of (cheap) red wine, 2 loaves of bread, teeny packages of sugar & flour, a dozen eggs, tub of margarine, bottle of shampoo, bottle of shower gel and 2 toothbrushes. The bill came to $95 and I about dropped my teeth!!!! We can eat for two weeks (sometimes longer) for that much money in Mexico! Even if we go out to dinner every night! How in the world do people in the States afford to eat???

The other shock was the heat. I can not believe how hot it is here! Yesterday it was 107 and today (I haven't looked yet...I'm afraid) & tomorrow are predicted to be 109! It is so hot that I don't think I could walk all the way from the trailer to the pool without expiring! It is so hot that it will be a relief to go to the laundromat where it is air conditioned! It is so hot that the locals are fish belly white because they can't stay outside long enough to get tan! OK...maybe a little exaggeration but it is hot nevertheless. Believe it or not the weather guys are very excited that "any day now" the "monsoons" will start and there will be rain and flash flooding!

So that is the latest episode. We will be here for about a week and then start working our way north. Lots of people to visit on the way but we have decided that this time we will be taking our time and doing some sightseeing.

Stay tuned!