Light Rail Begins Running in Phoenix

Photos: The train arrives at the Old Spaghetti Factory; and David and Paula on the train (sorta looks like Sara Palin, don't you think?)

My daughter, Paula, came up with a great idea for a family outing. Gene and I drove to their house in Tempe. From there we drove a few blocks to a parking garage next to the new light rail and boarded a train for central Phoenix. There were eight of us: Paula and husband David, my grandson Riley, granddaughters Sarah and Shawnda, and Shawnda's partner Janet. Our destination was the Old Spaghetti Factory at Central and McDowell where we'd have dinner and celebrate Shawnda's 26th birthday.

A light rail in Phoenix! What a contrast to the Phoenix I remember when we arrived on a scorching August day in 1956 and checked into the Frontier Village Motel on east Van Buren. Mom, Dad and six sweating, thirsty, tired kids who had just driven 1800 miles from Chicago to Phoenix to begin a new life. Thank goodness they had a swimming pool, or we would have instantly evaporated that summer day.

Phoenix in 1956 had a population of only 250,000. Mom and Dad quickly bought a house on the outskirts of town near 27th Ave. and Bethany Home Road. Phoenix was separated from surrounding cities, with cotton fields to the west and south and orange groves between Phoenix and Scottsdale to the east. The tallest building was the Westward Ho Hotel, just 10 or 12 stores high with a radio tower on top. My grandfather used to drive us to the top of South Mountain to view the city lights. You could easily identify the Westward Ho, as well as lights defining Central Avenue, Van Buren and mile marker streets set out in a tic-tac-toe grid across the Valley. Today, it is a sea of lights all blending Glendale, Phoenix, Scottsdale and suburbs together. In those summers, monsoon dust storms would roll across Phoenix like a a giant tsunami of roiling sand, we had an evaporative cooler (no AC), and we'd spend every summer day at the closest city pool.

Our ride from Tempe to Phoenix reflected a new Phoenix, with Tempe Town Lake in the place of a dry river bed, freeways criss-crossing the city, an airport with three terminals, high rise buildings, sports stadiums for pro teams, and our new central library and art museum. Today, the new rail runs diagonally across the Valley and connects it all. Next trip we plan on stopping at each of the 25 or so stations to view the public art on display.

A New President!

We've been watching all morning as our new president has taken the oath of office. The part of his speech that impressed me the most were his words about opening a hand in friendship to any fist that would become unclenched. Perhaps with new respect in our world, peace truly can prevail. And with peace, perhaps prosperity and the end of poverty for all of the suffering in our world. Now, back to watching the parade!

Front Row Seats

Where did December go? Christmas arrived and was over before we knew it! Carol, Gene and I hosted Christmas Eve at our house for all the Browner clan, then we drove to California for a holiday get together with the Crabbs followed by a trip to the Rose Parade in Pasadena.

We'd been planning the Rose Parade trip for about a month and made reservations through Sharp Seating for a reserved parking spot for the RV right on the parade route. The "spot" turned out to be a Volkswagen dealership where Gene and Janet bought a new 1968 VW Squareback for delivery in London. Small world, huh? We arrived the day before, planted our folding chairs on the median on Sierra Madre just north of Colorado Blvd. and took turns making sure they didn't get picked up or moved. At midnight we were allowed to move the chairs onto the street behind the "blue line" and ended up with front row seats for the parade! We were so close to the parade that we had to move our feet back so the marching bands wouldn't step on our toes.

Gene has been to many of the parades, having grown up in Pasadena, but this was a first for me. Gene even worked on the floats as a teenager pasting on flowers for about 75 cents an hour. The hourly wage always increased the closer it got to parade time, usually ending at about $3 an hour after midnight.

Attached are a few photos of the floats. One of the most colorful was the China Airlines float. If you've never seen the parade in person, it is well worth the effort. And going by RV was really quite simple, traffic was kept moving and the total experience was a great start to the New Year.

Happy New Year to all!!!!

Face Lift Complete!

Well, almost complete. The only thing left to do is stain the front door and hang the house numbers. On Saturday, we finished the painting, planted flowers around the rose bush, and hung the light fixture and the doorbell.

I have a new appreciation for the careers chosen by my brothers Phil and Joe. Remodeling a house is an orchestrated effort from start to finish with a myriad of details in between. And then there is always the unexpected . . . like the roof tiles Joe discovered fused in place when he began extending the roofline. He was not happy about that hot, frustrating job.

Joe and Gene are off on an adventure helping a friend deliver his power boat from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas in Mexico. When they return in eleven days, the Christmas decorations should all be up and ready to greet Terri and the girls when they arrive on Christmas Eve. We hope they don't recognize the place!

The Children from Nicaragua

A group of twenty children from Nuestros Pequenos Hermanos Nicaragua visited Phoenix last week, part of a fundraising tour sponsored by Friends of the Orphans. FOTO held its annual "Faces of Hope" fiesta at a Scottsdale resort, which included a dinner, auction and a performance by the children.

NPH now has children's homes in nine countries: Mexico, Honduras, Nicaragua, Guatelmala, El Salvador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Bolivia and Peru. Next to Haiti, Nicaragua is the poorest nation in the western hemisphere. The children of Nicaragua lived on Ometepe Island until this past week when they moved off the island and onto the mainland to their new home, about an hour's drive from Managua. The volcano on the island has been threatening to erupt and it was necessary to move the children for safety reasons.

My sister Joan and I volunteered in the office prior to the fiesta and helped organize the silent auction items that had been donated. Brother Joe offered his house in Flagstaff where the kids stayed for one night on their way to visit the Grand Canyon, a treat following their final performance at Most Holy Trinity school. Joan and Fritz also hosted Fr. Ron Hicks in their home. Fr. Ron is the Central American Director responsible for the homes in Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala.

Next October, children from El Salvador will be visiting the Valley.

Time for a Face Lift!

There comes a point in your life when you start thinking "face lift". Out with the old. In with the new. Put on a new facade!

Since moving into the house eight years ago, we've made lots of changes. We've converted the carport to a two-car garage, remodeled the kitchen and dining room, turned the "Arizona room" into a tiled patio, resurfaced the pool, added a barbecue and fire pit, created a mosaic on the back fence, remodeled both bathrooms and tore out grass and planted desert loving plants. But one area was a bigger challenge than we were ready to face up until now. The arch in the front of the house was outdated, the planters had to be hand watered, and the iron gate had rusted off its hinges. It was time for a change.

The photos above show the house with the arch, my brother Joe (who is a contractor) beginning the demolition, and the arch partially destroyed. As I look out the window today, the arch is gone and the eave has been rebuilt. We've picked out stone for the front wall, and next week the new front door and side window will be delivered. The final steps will be stucco, paint and new pavers for the entryway. When the face lift is completed, I'll post a new picture of our updated look.

Home Again, Home Again

We are now back home in Phoenix after spending five months on the road. Our last week was spent in the San Diego area. Gene loves it there having lived in San Diego off and on during his Naval career. He zips around town with ease, and I get to go along for the ride.

We visited our friends Ellie and Dennis Knight in Fallbrook for a few days, lounged around their pool, picked avocados and fruit from their trees, and headed back to Fiddler's Cove near Coronado with bags of goodies. The Knights have such a beautiful home and property . . . it's always a treat to visit them.

As we were sitting in the RV gazing out the front window at San Diego Bay, the Coronado Bridge and the city and mountains beyond, we began counting our blessings. Safe travels, good health, five years of marriage, visits with family and friends, and a "room with a view" wherever we go. We love "RV-ing". And the climate in San Diego is the best in the country. We truly believe that.

Which is why we decided to make a donation to Friends of the Orphans. We are enjoying ideal conditions while the children's home in Haiti has been damaged by recent storms. Four storms, some hurricane strength, to be exact. Despite their own problems, they extend a helping hand to their community by delivering water and supplies to areas of their country that have been totally wiped out. Hundreds have died. Thousands are homeless and without food and water. Crops and houses have been destroyed. So, if you, like us, have much for which to be thankful, consider sending a donation (any amount will help) to: Friends of the Orphans, 85 Algonquin Road, Suite 395, Arlington Heights, IL 60005. Mark it "Haiti Flood Relief". I know firsthand that it will be put to good use. Thank you.

For a report on the damage in Haiti and what FOTO is doing to help, go to: www.friendsoftheorphans.org.