28 Comments

Ahhh, living in the desert gives us so many surprises! Bees, trees, packrats (we had a doozie of a giant one yesterday that appeared after trees were trimmed), and heat! Good luck with the new AC and the new novel. Happy Birthday to Ellen too!

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It's wonderful when an idea carries you away.

I'm also sick of the news. Even the Trump news that ridicules him is more than I can handle.

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David,

Happy to see that you and your better half are having some fun!

I eagerly await your predictions about living in the SW after climate change has desiccated everything. Perhaps life will look like Prime's "Fallout" series -- people housed in vaults underground while sand dunes cover the Earth above. Or, maybe everyone in AZ migrates to SummerHaven, Payson & Show Low, which by then will be only as hot as PHX is now. Since the Colorado River dried up, ten dollars per gallon water will, of course, be flowing in vast quantities from the Ducey's Folly Desalination Plant in Mexico through Ducey the Dud's multi-hundred mile pipeline to irrigate any surviving crops and relieve the thirst of the multitudes.

Whatever you come up with will no doubt be original and witty. Thanks for all that you do to keep us thinking and laughing!

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Thanks for taking care of the bees! Glad your AC is back on. Keep on writing! And happy birthday, Ellen! 💖

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Am planning on looking up ellison falls but gotta say hatred of trump news and horror of gaza are about the most reasonable things to immobilize one…

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Jun 8·edited Jun 8

No apology necessary, David. This is retirement life. You get to set the terms, e.g, schedule, and you get to change them when you are so inclined. We are all delighted for the bees, the new AC, and, especially, the time up at Payson. You don't owe us anything. You gift us with each entry.

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Fitz, one reason to write poetry is to make lemonade out of lemons:

HERE COMES THE SUN

The sun rose

at four, blistering

the succulents

in what was once

our garden. When


an apex predator

confronts you,

don’t run. Assume

the submissive posture:


bow your head

to protect your throat

& avoid direct eye contact.


Head bowed, eyes

lowered, I slowly

backed away into

some shade.

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Great excuses!!

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Forget all of those projects! Just plotz! You've earned these chances to mooch, munch, and nap like a bear. BTW: Now, I wanna hug that beautiful "dog on the rocks!" Happy Big Day to Ellen! 'Abrazos' beck to you, FITZ!

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Yo Fitz! You are living the definition of retirement! Totally with you on #3. Can’t wait to read #2!

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Happy Birthday Ellen!

Happy three-act novel to you!

And I suspect we all empathize with you about the news. Thank you for expressing it.

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Happy belated Birthday Ellen!

Can’t wait to read the novel and see the play! You will write the script for the play and Star ⭐️ in it I hope 😉

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Glad you and Ellen got to enjoy some R&R. BTW, the July edition of the Friends of the Festival INSIDER newletter will feature the book "The Art of the Wasted Day" by Patricia Hampl. You might enjoy it! Looking forward to the novel, one chapter at a time!

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Work on that book, Skippy.

Joseph Wambaugh once told me there are three steps to writing a book.

1. I'm going to write a book.

2. I'm writing a book.

3. I wrote a book.

The last step is the big one. And we support ya.

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I’m very curious about reading your novel. I am concerned about the future in Arizona for my children and my grandchildren… I would love to know that there is a positive solution.

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Wishing you lots of eating, drinking and being merry! Always amuse yourself first, us second!

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