First Week Back in Benson

So, what did we find and what did we do in our first week back?
All the way across south- eastern Arizona we marveled at the green we saw in the desert. Summer’s monsoon season really hit the area hard, lots of water lots of times. So the desert got a new lease on life.

We’ve not seen this much green out here in the six years we’ve been visiting this area.

At the SKP Park we received a fond “welcome home” by the office staff. The casita still stands, in exactly the same unfinished condition it was in when we left seven months ago. But the site itself certainly benefited from the summer rains.

Our few desert plantings have grown nicely, and we are in the process of resetting the stone borders around them to reflect their growth.

We’ve found new cactus plants growing that we didn’t even know about before, along rock borders and under bushes. They will have to be protected and nourished also.

\
Bushes? The Texas Rangers are in full bloom, the first time we’ve seen that.

Pretty pink blossoms, ¾ inch in diameter, but with no discernible aroma. The bees love them!

During the past week we’ve both had a reunion with our local doctor, who promptly sent us out to get routine lab tests. We’ve driven to Sierra Vista, about 30 miles away, twice. The first time was because the local Knights of Columbus were holding a “Patriotic Dinner,” featuring flatiron steak with all the accompaniments. I’m a Fourth Degree Knight, and we always try to support what other councils and assemblies are doing.

In this case, we were somewhat disappointed, as the dinner was not as advertised. The advance flyers promised coffee and tea as well as dessert. None of those were available. They also promised their bar would be open for liquid refreshment the entire evening. Not so.

The biggest disappointments were that, at this patriotic dinner there wasn’t even a US Flag anywhere to be seen. The Fourth Degree is described as the patriotic degree, but there wasn’t much follow-through. In addition, there was no recognition of visiting Knights (like me) even though I wore my KofC name badge, belt buckle and a bolo tie. We are accustomed to the practices we followed when I was in the San Lorenzo, CA council and assembly: the Grand Knight made a point of greeting everyone in the hall, first by a general greeting and then by individual contact as much as possible. No, I don’t intend to become an officer here to remedy the situation.

We will say that the steak was delicious, done just right, tender and flavorful. Maybe that’s the most important thing.

The other trip to Sierra Vista was administrative. We upgraded our Verizon system for Internet access, and went to Sears to check out why my hearing aid doesn’t work anymore. It looks like it’s dead and will have to be sent back to the factory for service.

It’s been a good week off the highway in … Our Life on Wheels.