Arizona

Practicing Living A Normal Life

fabgrandma at the north rim lodge — Here I am!

Well, now I have to confess my dirty little secret. Ever since my surgery, I have only showered once a week because I was afraid that my ostomy pouch would come off from getting wet, and I would have an awful leak. So, last night, I went on the Ostomy Support Group forum at Inspire.com and asked how people manage to shower with their pouch on. I love that support group, because whenever I post, I get so many responses, so fast! I got ten responses in about three hours, all with very helpful information on how to get this done.

Today was my “Practice Living A Normal Life” day–I decided that I would get up and follow my pre-surgery routine. I’m glad I did, because where it used to only take me about twenty minutes to shower, wash my hair and dry it, and get dressed, it took me about forty-five minutes this time. That is very good information to know for when I go back to work on August 15th.

bloggers at breakfast — Bloggers at breakfast

After getting all cleaned up and dressed up, I went outside, and got myself into my truck all by myself, and drove over to pick up Gaelyn from GeogypsyTraveler. We had made a date to go out to the Grand Canyon Lodge for breakfast. I was about to cry because it was my first social activity since coming home (except for walking over to a potluck a couple of weeks ago). I can not tell you how important this date was to me!

gluten free pancakes at the lodge — Gluten free pancakes, fried eggs, bacon, and cottage cheese. Yummy breakfast!

And yes, when bloggers go out to eat, they take pictures of their food. I had a great breakfast of gluten free pancakes, fried eggs, crispy bacon, and cottage cheese. I am soooo glad that the Grand Canyon Lodge at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon offers gluten free choices on their menu.

geogypsy at breakfast — Gaelyn of GeogypsyTraveler

And yes, I took pics of my friend and breakfast companion, too. She is one of my best friends in the world. We had a lovely visit, with good food. What more could a girl ask?

t-shirt I want — A very nice soft T-Shirt

After breakfast we went window shopping at the Gift Shop. I loved this T-shirt, it was 100% cotton and was soooo soft! Thinking about getting one when I start working again.

beautiful ceramic ware — Platter and pitcher

I loved this ceramic platter and pitcher too! I can just imaging that pitcher full of good ol Georgia sweet tea, and a platter full of fried catfish and hushpuppies! I think they would look fabulous sitting on my dining table as a centerpiece, too, with a bouquet of flowers in the pitcher. But, alas, I left them both in the store.

metal art at the gift shop — This was beautiful metal work

I really loved this metal work “rug”! But yikes! $950 for it. If I had been working all season, I would be buying it for my house. Yes, it is still available in the store because I left it there.

metal art rug at the north rim gift shop — Oh,my! this one is beautiful too!

And really, if I had that much money to toss out on one of these beautiful pieces of art, I wouldn’t be able to choose. This one is so beautiful, too!

After perusing the gift shop for about half an hour, we left without either of us making a purchase. But, it was fun to get out of the house and live a normal life for a couple of hours.

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Yet Another Trip To Flagstaff

Karen · 6 Comments

I have another doctor appointment in Flagstaff today. I am hoping they take out the rest of my stitches, and that they allow at least a month until the next appointment. While I love the beautiful scenery along the way from the North Rim of the Grand Canyon to the city of Flagstaff, right now, by the time we get to our destination, I am worn out from the bumpy, roller coaster ride on Hwy 89A and Hwy 89. I’d really love to be going somewhere else to see other beautiful sights.

hwy 67 near the admin office at the north rim — Leaving the North Rim

Our trip was uneventful, just me and Fabgrandpa in the truck, headed towards Flagstaff. Here are some photos from along the drive, Hwy 89A to Hwy 89.

hwy 89a near cliff dwellers — Rain in the desert

Marble Canyon storm — An enormous storm across the desert to the south of us.

hwy 89 south towards flagstaff — I love these unusual formations along Hwy 89. They take on different colors and look different every time I see them.

clouds in arizona — What a great cloud formation!

little colorado river at Cameron, arizona — It is unusual for us to see water in the Little Colorado River at Cameron, Arizona

hwy 89 near Cameron arizona — The San Francisco Peaks off in the distance means we are almost to Flagstaff

sunrise in flagstaff arizona — Sunrise in Flagstaff. This was taken out the window of our hotel. Quite a lovely way to start the day.

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Just Another Day With Fabgrandma

Karen · 3 Comments

2012-7-13 north rim grand canyon — Out the kitchen window. Transept Canyon

I am not usually superstitious, and that includes being superstitious about Friday the 13th. It’s just another day around my house. I got up, ate a bowl of cereal and drank my Miralax/Tang concoction. I got online and checked my email and Facebook, read some blogs. Just the same old stuff I always do.

stormy sky — The storm is over but the sky is still angry

In the afternoon, I changed the dressing on my incision, and took a long nap. I was awakened by hail hitting the roof of the trailer. It has been a very dry year here at the North Rim, and I have been worried about the possibility of a wildfire. We really needed the rain (and hail) we got here today. About an hour later, thunder shook the trailer and woke me up again! Then the rain poured out of the sky. It was a really good day for the life giving rain here.

ponderosa pines and aspens — This view of the aspens across the street is always interesting to me.

Dinner was warmed over home made chili from last night. I added a bit of colby cheese to mine, just for a different flavor. A snack sized Butterfinger candy bar rounded out the meal.

I took a short walk outside, just to get some fresh air, and discovered it was really chilly out there. I got some nice pics of the stormy sky at sunset, along with this shot of the aspen right outside my door. The aspen bark is white, with black spots here and there. To me, it is an awesome tree.

aspen bark — I love the aspens. This one is right outside my door. So close, in fact, that we have to be sure to park the trailer a few inches past it so we can open the awning.

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A Few Pics From My Recent Travels

Karen · 2 Comments

Fabgrandpa have been traveling between Flagstaff and the North Rim every week for the last three weeks. I have been taking a few photos here and there, but have not posted many of them. That trip wears me out, and I spend the day after we get back in bed all day resting and recuperating.

I finally felt good enough last night to go through the pics on my camera. So, for your viewing pleasure, here are a few:

hwy 89 going north from Flagstaff — On Hwy 89 going home from Flagstaff on the day I was discharged from the hospital. I was just glad to see that road.

little colorado river in Cameron, AZ — No water in the Little Colorado River in June. Near Cameron Trading Post in Arizona

beefalo at the North Rim Grand Canyon — The beefalo were out in the meadow to welcome me home. North Rim Grand Canyon June 13, 2012

Becca and Fabgrandpa at breakfast at Miz Zips in Flagstaff on the day she left to go home

sunset at the north rim June 2012 — Sunset at the North Rim June 2012. This was taken right outside my RV

On Hwy 89A going towards Jacob Lake July 3, 2012

Vermilion Cliffs on Hwy 89A — One of my favorite views going through Marble Canyon on Hwy 89A

Rain in the desert in July monsoons in arizona — Looking through the back window of the truck at the rain to the south of us. The monsoons have started at the Grand Canyon

Hwy 67 north rim grand canyon — On Hwy 67 south toward the North Rim. I love the lighting in this photo

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Another Trip To Flagstaff

Karen · 5 Comments

We had to go to Flagstaff again this week for my follow up appointment with the surgeon. They took out more of the stitches but not all. There is one place that is a skin fold that is not healing as quickly as the rest of the incision. I have lost another 3 pounds since last week, for a total of 39 pounds lost since this ordeal began. My doctor wants me to loose about 46 more pounds. I hope I can. We made another appointment in two weeks for them to look at it again. Other than that one place, everything looks great and I am doing quite well, considering the extent of my surgery.

Because Travel Lodge messed up our room reservation last time and were not very accommodating about it, we decided to try a different hotel. This time we chose Springhill Suites by Marriott. I called the location in Flagstaff directly instead of calling the 800 number or reserving online, because I wanted to be sure that I got a handicap accessible room that would sleep three adults, because Becky is here taking care of me. I even spoke to the general manager, and he assured me that we would have a room with grab bars in the bathroom and a shower large enough to fit my shower chair.

springhill suites flagstaff — The bed was very comfortable

When we arrived, the room did have the handicap accessible amenities that I needed, but it only had one king bed. Fabgrandpa was very upset and told them in no uncertain terms that it was not acceptable. They finally did accommodate us, by giving us the adjoining room for Becky at no additional charge. There was a door between the rooms that made it easy to just walk back and forth between the rooms. However, the A/C unit in our room did not work. It was hot and uncomfortable.

Becky went down and talked to the people at the desk, and they offered to move us to another handicap accessible room one floor up. So, Becky kept the room she was given to start with, and Fabgrandpa and I moved up one floor.And we found out that when making a reservation for a specific type of room, you have to ask the clerk you are talking with to “block” the room. If a room is blocked, they can not change you to another room. Personally, I do not understand how a hotel or motel can change your room from a handicap accessible room to a different kind of room. Who is going to specifically ask for a handicap room if they don’t need it? I certainly wouldn’t and never have.

grab bar and telephone by the toilet — The handicap accessible bathroom had grab bars and a telephone by the toilet

After all that was done, and we were situated, I have to say that it was a very nice room. The bathroom was large, with grab bars by the toilet and in the shower stall.

springhill suites handicap accessible room flagstaff — lots of grab bars in the tub/shower

Their was also a built in shower chair, which was very nice to have. There was a telephone next to the toilet, too. The sleeping room was huge! And what a comfortable bed!

Even with all the hassle at check in and with the non working A/C in the first room, I would stay there again. The regular rate for this hotel is $129 a night, but with a medical discount it came to $84 plus tax, making it $92.

While we were in Flagstaff, we went to New Frontiers for some groceries and supplies. I love that store! They always arrange their produce to be so pretty! I got some chard, which I love, and some basil and fresh mozzarella cheese. I took advantage of their electric cart to get around the store:

new frontiers grocery store flagstaff — That cart made it so much easier to get around.

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Our First Trip To Kanab

Karen · 7 Comments

Our first trip of the season to Kanab, Utah came a little earlier than planned.Both Fabgrandpa and our friend, Geogypsy, were sick and needed to go to the doctor at the clinic in town. I drove the ambulance, I mean, truck. As we left the North Rim, it was a gorgeous day. Because the road is not open yet, there was very little traffic out there. The only people we passed were people who work up here, and Arizona DOT employees where were spraying oil on the road. Everyone is getting ready for opening day.

When we got to the scenic view on Hwy 89A, we saw clouds that were raining, but the rain was not touching the ground. I learned from Geogypsy that this is called virga. I have never known that it had a name.

virga in northern arizona — Virga--rain that doesn't touch the ground.

We got into town and went straight to the Kane County Medical Clinic, where the two of them had appointments. They were seen promptly, diagnosed, and sent on their way with prescriptions in hand. Fabgrandpa has bronchitis. We went over to the pharmacy and dropped off the prescriptions, and went to lunch at Houston’s Trails End. It was too late for breakfast, so we ordered hamburgers (mine with no bun as usual). After lunch we picked up the meds, did a bit of grocery shopping, and headed back up the plateau.

headed back to Fredonia Arizona — Near the Utah/Arizona border

The sky was looking a little more fierce but the rain was still evaporating before it got to the ground. We saw several lightening strikes in that storm.

south of Fredonia arizona — Dark skies in northern Arizona

The farther we went down the road, the darker the sky got, but the rain was still not falling all the way to the ground. We probably only had twenty drops of rain hit the windshield the whole day.

We got back home around 4:30, with no rain to speak of. I am happy to report that both patients are recovering nicely from their respective ailments.

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Roadtrip: Georgia to Arizona 12th Day

Karen · 4 Comments

This was the last day of our roadtrip to Arizona. We left Flagstaff, headed to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, to our seasonal jobs there. Though the North Rim doesn’t open until May 15th, Fabgrandpa has to start working on Sunday, so he wanted to get there a couple of days before that. The drive from Flagstaff to the North Rim has such diverse landscape. It is unbelievable how it changes so in just 195 miles.

We passed by snow covered mountains near Flagstaff.

01 san fran peaks — San Francisco Peaks near Flagstaff

Ponderosa Pines along the roadside north of Flagstaff on Hwy 89.

Just a few miles later you are driving through painted desert land.

You see some really different types of land formations along this road.

Then the landscape changes again to red cliffs.

05 hwy 89 — Hwy 89 north between Flagstaff and Page

The look of the cliffs changes again when you turn west on Hwy 89A into Marble Canyon.

The cliffs are near the road when you head into Marble Canyon at Navajo Bridge

07 hwy 89 — Rounding the bend into Marble Canyon

Even though I have seen this place many times in the last five years, I still am amazed by it.

The landscape changes yet again as you begin the climb up the Kaibab Plateau. There begin to be trees again, this time scrub pines and desert plants.

09 hwy 89 — Climbing up the Kaibab Plateau

Once you turn south on Hwy 67 towards the North Rim, you begin to see Ponderosa Pines, fir trees, and aspens. There are lots of meadows, too.

11 hwy 67 — On Hwy 67 south towards the North Rim

About ten miles south of Jacob Lake, you’ll drive through eleven miles of burned forest. This was the Warm Fire that was caused by a lightening strike in 2006 and burned about 60,000 acres.

10 hwy 67 — The Warm Fire burned in 2006

As the elevation gets higher, the temperature gets colder. This frozen pond created by snow melt is about five miles from the entrance to the North Rim Grand Canyon.

12 hwy 67 — Frozen pond created by snow melt

The entrance station to the North Rim. The park doesn’t open until May 15th so the gate is locked until then. There was not as much snow this year as there have been in recent years.

13 hwy 67 entrance — The entrance gate is locked

You can see the difference in the amount of snow in this picture, that was taken in 2010 on about the same date as the one above.

16 entrance station 2010 — Entrance station in April of 2010

This is about a mile south of the entrance station inside the park on Hwy 67. It looks like a lake right now but it’s just snow melt in the meadow.

14 hwy 67 — The first bend in the road inside the park

We finally made it our campsite, within view of the canyon. I love my summer home!

15 home — View from my campsite at the North Rim

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Roadtrip: Georgia to Arizona, 10th & 11th Days

Karen · 2 Comments

Our plan was to spend three nights and two full days in Flagstaff. It is the last town before we reach our destination of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, where we work for the season, from late April through mid October. We always stock up on supplies we’ll need before taking that last two hundred mile drive. This year was a little bit different from other years, because we decided to actually see a little bit of Flagstaff. But first, we had to get the chores out of the way. Laundry, grocery shopping, etc.

A trip to Flagstaff always includes a shopping trip to New Frontiers, a health food store. They have so much good stuff! Lots of gluten free items, even gluten free options in the pastry case in the bakery. Another must go place for us is Picazzo’s Pizza. Fabgrandpa can get regular crust and I can get any item on the menu prepared gluten free. We usually wind up getting two pizzas and taking home most of it. It is delicious reheated.

Yesterday, after breakfast, and the trip to New Frontiers, we had to do laundry. It didn’t take very long though with us working together to get it done. Then while Fabgrandpa took a nap, I went out to Oodegarde’s Sewing Center to find some flannel fabric to make myself a new pair of jammie pants. My old ones have a massive hole in them that I have already repaired twice. It’s about time for a new pair. I also made a trip to Purl in the Pines yarn shop and picked up some nice cotton and bamboo blend yarn to make some washcloths. I want something lush and soft and 100% organic to wash my face with.

yarn purl in the pines — My haul from the fabric and yarn shops

That little ball on the left is cotton and bamboo, and the greens and browns are 100% cotton. That pink hank is one I found in a thrift store and is cotton and viscose. I’m loving these colors. And they are displayed on the green flannel I got for my jammies.

Today we went to Wal-Mart to finish up our grocery shopping. After everything was put away, we decided to go to downtown Flagstaff for dinner and a walkabout. Dinner was at Pata Thai. I had the Pineapple Shrimp and Chicken Fried Rice and Fabgrandpa got the Spicy Scallops. Both were yum, but I couldn’t take more than one taste of his because he got his hot!

pineapple shrimp and chicken fried rice — Pineapple Fried Rice

After dinner we walked around downtown “old” Flagstaff, going in and out of stores and window shopping. We loved one shop, The Artist’s Gallery. There was so much in there that I want that I could spend my whole salary in there. We bought one piece, a kiln fired glass wall hanging. I love it! It will hang in our hallway someday at the house.

kiln fired glass by sondra francis — Kiln fired glass "face"

On the way home, we saw this unusual cloud formation:

cloud in flagstaff — What a weird looking cloud!

In the morning, we’ll hook up the trailer and be on our way again. The last two hundred miles from Flagstaff to the North Rim will slip by really quickly, and then we’ll be “home” for the season.

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