Ah, Yes. Tech Camp.

Tech Camp. Tucson, Arizona. It's held here: So nice.

Fifth trip for me.


Highlights:

Zin Burger, which was featured on the Food Network. I, of course, did not eat a burger. No red meat. But I had a pretty good chicken sandwich. With a sampling of zucchini fries. And a sampling of sweet potato fries (I told Jeremiah about those and I swear, I could hear him gag over the phone). And some triple truffle fries, too. I sampled, I promise. I didn't eat all those myself.

Learning about Google. It's not just a search engine, my friends. I like that my learning easily translates to a non-teaching job if I ever were a non-teaching person.

Seeing bunnies and birds. Awe, they make me happy. Hopping and flying. It's like paradise. I had to specifically ask for a room that wasn't in the "nature". Nature here is a lot of bugs and javelinas squealing in the middle of the night. The bugs freak me out. So my room isn't quite so far away this year. The scariest things I've seen this year are lizards, which aren't scary so much unless they skitter scatter across the path in front of me. And the lizards? They do push-ups. Showing off for a mate, I think. So the birds, bunnies, and lizards are enough for me.

I've had two Igloo Sues. They are a delicious beverage that is...deliciously deceptive. Allow me to share this quote from the Gilmore Girls to explain: "Honey, someday when you're a little older you will be introduced to something that is extremely seductive but fickle. A fair-weather friend who seems benign but packs a wallop like a donkey kick."

She was talking about a Long Island Iced Tea, but that would be my description of Igloo Sue. Except the kick wasn't so bad. I had a full belly both evenings and it just helped me sleep soundly. Probably didn't hurt that I nursed it and took it sloooooow.

Low lights:

I was designated driver (Not the low part, I don't mind being the designated driver, especially because when I am designated driver you get me alcohol free all the way.) and I might have scared everyone else in the huge bus-like SUV that I was driving when I cut across three lanes to make a left turn. I had been checking my mirrors and KNEW that all was clear. Plus, it was evening. So much less traffic. But still? Drunk scared? I'm guessing not fun.

I might have killed a mouse that ran across my path while I was driving the big SUV. I was getting some reassurances about wide wheel bases and fast little mice feet from the owner of the SUV and remarks coming from the backseat hinted toward the fact that the mouse was probably a parent mouse searching for food for the (now orphaned) babies. It made me sad. Poor mousie. As a friend pointed out, those mouse babes probably are eating at a mouse soup kitchen.

I wiped out in the bathroom Monday morning before leaving and sitting has become not fun. I was chasing after the dogs and the floor was wet and I did the splits in my towel. I flailed an arm and that is sore, too. Plus my left leg stretched too much and my right knee is swollen. And because there was no tub, there was nothing to stop my sliding. It's okay. You can laugh. If I saw someone doing towel splits I probably would, too. Especially since then the dogs were running around me. I think they were laughing. It was chaos.

Lastly, let me share the few pictures that I managed to snap at camp:

 Building Four, where my room was.

 My evening walk on the path.

 View from my balcony.

I know the pictures aren't spectacular, but refer back to the Igloo Sue section if you need a reminder as to why.

p.s. I got back from Tucson on Friday and two days later left for Oakland, CA. I promise to show pictures from this week-long adventure, too. Things have been hectic. In a month I'll have seen Jeremiah for a total of two and one half days. That's it.