Monday, December 29, 2008

Enjoying the Red Rocks


One of the best vacations I can think of is time by a fire and lots of good books.
I have a chance to do exactly that during this Christmas-tide. Laura and I are at the house in Oak Creek, keeping warm (it was 21 degrees yesterday morning)and doing lots of reading (even though the temptation to use the computer sometimes wins out). I am especially enjoying a new translation of the Canterbury Tales which Jordan gave me fo Christmas.

Sunday, December 28, 2008

Phoenix Light Rail begins!


Both kids (in their twenties) were home for Christmas and both asked why I haven't posted anything on my blog recently. So along the lines of a New Year's resolution, here goes...

Yesterday Laura and I spent a very cold day in Phoenix riding the new Lightrail or "metro" (in homage to Paris?) on its opening day. It took a decade to do and cost well over a billion dollars. It will remain to be seen if anyone uses it or not, since the route does not serve the most important areas of the city. Still it is a step in the right direction, and since we had to put up with 3 years of construction noise, we do feel a bit proprietary.

There were huge crowds, so there is some real interest. I suspect that we will use it to travel out to events a ASU in Tempe and perhaps use the library out there more.

There has not been a rail system in Phoenix for 60 years.

Having marked that historic occasion, we packed up both dogs and headed for Oak Creek where we will be until New Years.