It is time to speak up. During my 60 years of living in Texas, you hear and observe hospitality in many different ways. When we lived in California for about 5 yrs off and on, we discovered that hospitality certainly was alive and well in the neighborhoods where we lived, even though we lived in what was called, “LALA land”. Now that we have moved to Arizona, I just had to write to brag a little bit on the people here. Maybe Randy and I walk around with a sign on our backs which we cannot see that says, “we are old, please help us” because out of the many trips which we have made to Home Depot and Lowes due to the redo of the house we bought, I cannot tell you how many times, we have been approached by men who spot us loading things from the cart to our car, or returning unused boxes of tiles, or boards or cans of paint. Each time, different men have come over to ask if we need help loading or unloading. With a smile on their face. Today, Randy (yes still with the sling on his arm) rode with me to the store. We were getting in our car with a little bag of groceries, which I carried and a very nice man who had parked in front of us, came walking over to ask Randy if he could help him close his car door. Randy graciously thanked him and said, thanks, but he could close it. The gentleman wanted to be sure, so he waited in 103 weather to be sure Randy could indeed close his door before he walked off. He then smiled and waved and left. Seriously, what is wrong with these people? Do they not realize that they do not live in the South and they are not suppose to be this friendly? I called Jodi when we got home to ask her if she ever noticed how friendly everyone is here. She said, “isn’t it amazing, Mom? Everywhere you go, even cashiers at the store start up conversations with you.”
I acknowledged that yes, I had noticed that no matter where we are, people just start talking to me. One of the first questions that they ask me is where I am from. I don’t know if it is my Dallas big hair that gives me away as not being a Arizona native or if I do possess just a tad of a southern accent. But we have just been so pleasantly surprised at the genuine conversation which we have seen.
It seems like forever since I have posted a recipe. But that is about to change. Tomorrow, our “stuff” comes. I will have my baking dishes, our silverware, dishes, linens, measuring cups, mixer,canisters, and all my wonderful Paula Deen cookbooks, which I hid underneath some sheets, since Randy had told me that I had to throw out most of my magazines, as he didn’t want to rent a pod just for my recipe books and magazines. So tomorrow, is the day I have waited for for almost 4 months. Wonder what recipe will catch my eye to post? Whatever it is, I bet it will be something cool, as it is suppose to be 115 tomorrow while we are unloading boxes.
Confession time: today we bought a can of whipped cream and prepared chocolate pudding from the gorcery store. Randy could not believe he saw me reach in the case and retrieve store bought, canned whipped cream. I told him that if he ever told anyone, his other arm might somehow become dislocated also. What is a girl to do, when it is so hot outside and she has no mixer or bowls to make her own?
So here is to Arizona, the most friendly southern-western state west of the Mississippi River. We have already fallen in love with the beauty and the hospitality. Randy thinks I just like it here because every day is a good hair day, since no humidity. It would be so nice if I could see my good no humid hair, but it is so dry my contacts are so stuck on my eyeball, I don’t see very well. We have no toll roads here, but the extra cash is being spent on moisturizers and breathable underwear. I have given up worrying about my upper arms showing. The state uniform here is sleeveless everything. Guess self-tanning lotion will be my next purchase. You know what they say, if the cellulite is fat, it doesn’t look as bad. Maybe I will get a tattoo of a giant Hershey Kiss on my upper arm. That should hide the wrinkles pretty well. Folks will just think the chocolate kiss is beginning to melt in this awful heat.
Chocolate Castles as wel 