family vacation

For the first time in several years I am on a family vacation.  As an only child, the whole "family vacation" model functions a little differently.

Here's are some +'s and -'s so far...

+ Dad/CEMC foots the bill.

-Mom constantly reminding of girls I have dated, how wonderful they were, and how she can't believe I didn't marry them.

+Spending 9 days with my family.

-Spending 9 days with my family.

+I'm back in California for the first time in over a year.

-I'm back in California, and it makes me wonder why I really love Memphis so much...

+ Double-Doubles.

-Everyone is so damn beautiful out here.

+ You can buy wine and liquor in grocery stores!

- I'm on a vacation with my mom, and every-time I drink I'm reminded of the "long-history of alcoholism" in my family. Yes mom, our family was primarily poor-scott-irish-sharecroppers- I hope for their sakes they were alcoholics. 

New Mexico

west on 40 from Tucumcari 

this is the open road

this is the best road 

nothing but the sky and the broken back mesa landscape 

the occasional navajo gift shop offers fry bread and green chili cheeseburgers

the sky is wide

the sky is blue

the sky is wide and blue in the way it only is west of the big river

in the high desert

where there are few trees

and still fewer people

in Farmington there is a fine little Mexican restaurant in the airport

nearby

Shiprock stands like a sentinel 

overlooking trailers hogans and kachina stands

in the valley of the gods the sun bounces off dry red rocks

a cool wind blows through the blood of Christ mountains

here, 

in the land of enchantment