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Her perspective
Time to leave the magnificent Grand Canyon. Much cooler and cloudier today with cold wind and snow in the forecast. Probably a good time to be heading out. We made our way back to Valle, Arizona where we again contemplated for the second time (and then purchased) a gorgeous piece of pottery. It will be on display on our mantel upon our return home. The colors and design of the pottery we have seen on this trip has really spoken to us. Such beautiful designs and colors!
I keep picturing a trip home from Germany years ago. My carryon bags were filled to the top. We were in bulk head in First Class. No room for carryon and sticking out of my bag (& totally embarrassing Bob) was a large pitcher that to this day resides in our living room. It is a piece I love. The Toaster is happily accommodating our purchases. And as Bob pointed out, I’m still sitting in First Class.
Back to Flagstaff and to the Hilton Garden Inn for a few days. Upon check in, we were greeted by Ben at the front desk. He said, ‘You’re from Keller’. Ben, it turns out is from Denton. He was very happy to visit with people from home. He gave us some ideas for our visit to Flagstaff and told us he was on duty in the morning. We will be sure to check in with him.
As there is snow predicted for tomorrow and we got here early enough, we headed out immediately for Sedona. The road to Sedona is breathtakingly beautiful. The red rocks, the snow, the pine trees, the temporary river running alongside and down from the road. The houses nestled back into the trees and the roadside shops and motels all made this a charming trip.
Ben’s aunt has a shop in Sedona. We wandered around the downtown shopping area. Again, the pottery (this time in Aunt Becky’s shop) called to us and another piece ended up in the Toaster. This one will be in the kitchen, in case you’re wondering! A guitarist and a flautist were playing outside. We stopped to listen for a few minutes before deciding we needed their CD.
Back in Flagstaff, my Route 66 book directed us to a ‘must stop’ diner called Miz Zip’s. Opened in 1954 this diner looks like little has changed since then. On display above us, a Bob’s Big Boy doll and a Bob’s Big Boy bobble head (who knew). The wait staff seemed to know all the people as they walked in. By the time we left, Miz Zip’s was jumping with people.
Back to the hotel in time to watch the Olympics.
Tomorrow we will head out to Walnut Canyon National Park…….or, build a snowman in the Hilton’s parking lot. Depends on the weather!

His perspective
Another “short program” day. “Short program” being an ardent hope that the Olympics are through with figure skating. I did a triple axle, double lutz, quadruple sow cow coming out of the Grand Canyon this morning.
The real short program was driving the less than 100 miles from the Grand Canyon to Flagstaff. A brief stop at a store where we had seen a piece of Navajo pottery on the way up to the Canyon. Of course, since we stopped, we bought it. The Toaster is becoming a mobile Pottery Barn this trip.
We checked into our hotel early. You’re from Keller, exclaimed Ben the front desk clerk from Denton! Ben was more than helpful, mapping out suggested sights and sending us to his aunt’s gift shop in Sedona.
We drove the 20 miles to Sedona, through forests and red rock canyons. A stroll through the foo foo village, until I heard a flute. For some reason I am enamored with the flute, I think it stems from Celtic music and the Irish whistle. A couple of local musicians were playing guitar and flute on the sidewalk. We now know that the Toaster CD player works.
From Sedona it was off to Ms. Zips, a vintage 1954 Route 66 diner. Not that I needed it, but the burger, fries and malt were pretty tasty.

An early evening to catch up on modern necessities, i.e. updating this blog, editing pix, paying bills on line. My, how times have changed. And I’ve got 3 days of newspapers to read. Although they are USA Today, aka News McNuggets, so all 3 papers should be in the trash in 10 minutes at the outside.
But times have not changed enough….Nancy has the TV on, and God help me, it’s figure skating again!!!!!
We’re up to “K” on the IPOD. Time for y’all to start placing your bets as to whether we get back to “A” by the time we get home. I’ve got $20 on “no”.