Tucson time to end.........

Hi everyone,

This will be our last message from Tucson and it is written on a breezy afternoon with temps in the high 70's after a lot of bright clear days of mid 80's.

Took advantage of this by making an early trip to Madera Canyon today. Saw a lot of humming birds at a place where a resort has a big bird feeding area before I began a hike in the canyon along a rushing stream (thanks to snow that fell on Santa Rita peaks as late as two weeks ago). Mom drove the car down the road to the next parking lot where I ended my 45/50 minute hike. Saw a few warblers. Back at our RV park about 12:30 PM after some final shopping. A very worthwhile 70 mile trek.

Will conclude our packing and load up this evening and plan to start in the morning about 6AM after breakfast and putting what is left in the refrigerator in our ice chests. Have already reserved a room at the Air Force Inn at Kirkland AFB in Albuquerque.

Ann and Ed headed for East Dubuque this AM. We went to mass with them at the San Xavier de Bac mission yesterday at 8 AM and then had breakfast at a Mexican Steakhouse which had "million" item Mexican menu which we enjoyed.

We made a whirlwind trip to Phoenix on Saturday to visit with Cooper and David. We had planned to connect about 4 PM. Just as we found their hotel at 3 PM, David reached us on the cell phone to say they had just checked in. In a few minutes we were off together to have our meal together at Sweet Tomatoes salad, soup, pasta and dessert buffet. We were there more than an hour visiting and making return trips for additional tempting food items!! We headed south again about 6PM having learned on the the way north that there was a construction detour for I-10. We managed that and got back "home" about 9PM enjoyed the desert sunset without having to look into the setting sun--as we have frequently on many of the day trips we have taken. We really enjoyed the visit and think Cooper and David got full benefit from the buffet choices! Hope they are having a productive day today as they visit the school.

Domino. Thanks for sharing all you excitement and adventures. You surely will love Siena! We spent much of a day there on our last visit to Italy and had lunch in the big central city piazza where they have the great summer horse races. We think Rick Steves highlights this community competition in one of his Public Television shows. Perhaps you could find it at the Vassar Library. Rome and Venice will be great as well and we hope you get to Florence--your grandpa's favorite city of all the world he has seen! Maybe you will see the NJ O'Connells somewhere there as the last we heard, Italy was in their sights, too.

Have checked the week's weather forecast for Albuquerque, Arvada, North Platte and Omaha and see little precip expected and few temps below 50. Looks good for David and Cooper tomorrow as they fly home via Denver on Frontier. Assuming that the other traveling familes are now safely home.

Hope that we will be bringing spring home with us for all of you in WI and the east and that Casey, Matt and Freya will have found it in Idaho.

Love and prayers, Gma and Gpa