I am not sure what the hell is going on here, but I am unable to upload any pictures....Is this going to be fixed anytime soon!!!!???

OK what a week!... First of all the above picture. I can't remember the name of the plant, Mexican Fire or something like that?? Anyway they are all over here in the desert, used extensively for landscaping as they are heat loving plants which produce these vivid orange flowers with spider like stamen. I took this picture last weekend. The humdiity had disappeared for a few days and with it the clouds, so I thought this plant with the background of a bright blue sky would be nice and I think it is.

School started this week, Tues. So I am back to the grindstone. Its been a good beginning to the year. The colourguard are really pulling things together this year. I have a reputation to fight this year, due to the poor leadership and instruction they have recieved over the course of about 5 years. But I think so far we are going above and beyond anything they are used to in skills and abilities. Their tossing has improved drastically, syncronicity is improving as well and they really seem to care as well as respond to my perfectionism. I have high hopes for them in competition. Of course we have the usual one or two who just arnt living up to expectations, but I am hopeing that the distinct improvement of the squad in totality will help hide those who are lagging behind. I am optimistic at this point but we still have a lot of work ahead of us.

Mike and I are driving to Phx on Friday. We have our AOS interview with immigration. He recieved his right to work permit as well as his provisional SS number so he has been searching for work this week. The interview has us both nervous as well as excited. I hope that whomever is interviewing can see we are truely in love and this is not some sort of hoax. Mike is one amazing man and I am very happy and blessed to have him in my life.

Heat is at the extreme right now so picture taking opportunities are at a minimum. Taking the above picture was hard as it was about 109 outside and I felt like I was melting. I also do not like to use the camera in that sort of heat. So I take a few here and there and hope that cooler weather is not too far away. will be at least 2 months or so ugh. I am going to get some pictures of the guard and their flags when I get a chance. I have a few ideas how I want to set things up, but we need time and better weather. Right now all time is invested in the show.

It has been a bugger of a hot summer this year, either that or I am just getting old and intolerant of anything other then a degree spread range of say 60-90 degrees.

The above picture gives silent sentiment to the fact that the desert heat, and I mean in the dead of summer is harsh and unforgiving if not down-right dangerous.

I was on a trip home to Yuma from Tucson. This stretch of travel is one of the most barren, desolate stretches of road one can imagine. Mike and I were driving back in the mid afternoon sun, of course the worst time to drive and of course we picked one of the hottest days on record to do it. This was the sort of day that mirages appear from the heat. Off in the distance we could see various water mirages, when in reality it was only the incredible heat radiating off the black pavement. The AC was full on and I was still hot. Anyway after counting numerous cacti and desert scrub brush and, incidentally, rarely a car in sight ( smart people) we came across this poor old abused and broken down building. I believe it might have once been a gas station. Out in the middle of nowhere nearly begging for someone to notice it and validate it. I am sure at one time or another it was a brightly coloured stop over for travelers, to cool off, gas up, maybe get a soda or lemonade. I couldn't resist it. So we stopped. The temp on the car thermometer blinked a bright 118 degrees. Opening the car doors and feeling the heat slap you in the face took your breath away. It was so hot my lungs didn't want to breath didn't want to feel the heat soaked air. I snapped picture after picture. There was even a basement in this old structure, but it looked to rickety and fragile to risk going down into it. After a few minutes and a pee near a large bush, Mike gave up and went and sat in the car - AC on , but not before he spooked up a roadrunner, who went dashing off into the desert. I finshed my picture taking and was happy I had done it. I loved what I got out of it. The above is just a taste.