We spent Thursday over at Linda & Rick's, where (joined by their neighbors Bill and Laurie) we turned out to be six.  The food was yummy (and plentiful!) and a good time was had by all.  Linda had taken care of all the prep (she likes to cook!) and I was more than happy to be the dishwasher.  (Just like with Terry, Linda put down a 'working' spoon and when she went to pick it up again a few minutes later I had already washed it.) Though we dined inside, afterward we migrated to the back patio to play Trivial Pursuit.  The cards from the 'regular' set were MIA, so we used ones from the 90s edition.  Of course I was a little busy that decade, and "may have" missed out on TV shows, music, and some of less-important news.  In any event, though the women did reasonably well (despite way too many hockey and baseball questions!) we "let" the men win.  Our game lasted until well after dark (when we needed to hook up some lights) though it was still mild out.  (The forecast was a high of 89, though we may not have actually reached it.)  Don't think too many folks around the country were spending Thanksgiving evening outside!  Linda sent us home with leftovers, which I expect we'll get into tonight.

Friday morning was irrigation, and it looked like the Back 40 would easily hold an hour of water.  What I didn't count on was that the berm along the main ditch had become eroded, so at some point water started pouring into that ditch and thus <sigh> into the backyard.  I was able to staunch that flow by covering up the pipe at the end, so most of the water was contained around the edges.  Thus we had a muddy perimeter (and a big puddle where it enters the yard) but of course could have been much worse!

My phone rang just as I was pulling into the cell lot at the airport, but Lisa's phone was not at all happy and I could not understand her. I tried calling her (got her voice mail) but the second time she called we connected.  Phew!  

It was hard to tell who enjoyed the morning with Latina and the chicks more, Lisa or Logan!  After lunch we took a hike in the desert, where Logan was attacked on the leg by some of the jumping cholla.  Of course none of us had a comb with us, but all's well that ends well.  And he did say he wanted to experience the desert....

For dinner we went to Valle Luna, though not the one near us; they were not taking any more reservations.  However Alex had been able to get us a 6:00 reservation (for six - Chas was meeting us there) at the one on Cave Creek. Alex has been trying to sell his over-size couch (too big for that room) so he can get a one that fits.  Murphy's law that the guy who was buying it connected yesterday, and was on his way over to pick it up around the time we were headed to dinner.  So Alex was going to have to meet us there.  We pulled into the parking lot just as Chas did; good timing! Alex had me order for him (he always gets the same thing) and just as they were putting our meals on the table he arrived.  Talk about timing!  There were issues with a couple of the meals (maybe they were understaffed in the kitchen?) Lisa's came without the steak inside (which cracked her up), and Logan's was entirely wrong (he was less thrilled.)  Happily both were easily (and speedily!) remedied.  

I remember Tom asking yesterday if there would be mail delivery (pretty sure) but don't know if he ever went out and got it.  Hope so, because around 6:30 this morning, as I was sitting in my chair drinking my "coffee", I saw a dark car pull up at our mailboxes.  Immediately went outside, though by then the car was almost to 35th Ave.  I did see it swing to our side of the street to check the mailboxes down there before it turned right onto 35th.  Both mailboxes out front of our house had their doors hanging open, so whatever was in there is long gone.  :-(

This morning I'm picking up the selection at Myra's for December's book club meeting.  Usually I get the book right away, so two months later I've forgotten much about it.  This time it should be easier to remember and discuss!

Then later today we're going furniture shopping with Alex.  He, of course, is looking for a couch, and we're hunting for a new kitchen table.