The Big Trip to AZ

David James McDermand... in all his glory!

I got word that David James, Carol, and Sarah Jane would all be coming to Phoenix to see Nana. Without hesitation, I told Ma I would be there. I hadn't seen any of them in almost four years, so there was nooooo way I was going to let this one pass me by.

I bailed from work as soon as I could and got stuck in serious traffic because LA experiencing very strange weather. It was a heat wave, but somehow it was raining with the sun out. I never saw a rainbow and lightning at the same time, but there's a first for everything.

I stopped by my Uncle Dave Carmona's house for a quick dinner, then hit the desert again. I arrived at about 2:00am, some eight hours after I started. I promptly passed out.

Sarah Jane at the Barton House

The next morning, Mom called me and told me to get to Denny's on the double. And there they were. There were hugs all around, and we took a moment to size each other up since we last met. Carol was more mobile, and she looked good on account of that. David James had lost some weight, but none of the attitude. And Sarah Jane was absolutely gorgeous. I was the one who had gotten fatter for once.

We wrapped up breakfast, then gave Carol her surprise. We would NOT be staying at Moms, but in a fat Marriott suite that Randy had hooked up for us. Sarah Jane and my Mom went grocery shopping, and the rest of us basked in the A/C.

Uncle Dave entertains Vera

Later, David James, Sarah, and I headed down to the pool to catch what was left of the sun. We retreated to the hot tub and soaked the aches and pains away. We all retired after that, and I finished the book I was reading (Columbine by Dave Cullen; excellent).

The next morning we decided to see Nana. We're never sure what to expect, especially since there were going to be a lot of us. I'm very grateful that she was in a good mood, though she did sour toward the end and we had to make a mad dash for the exit.

David James and Nana shared a long, emotional hug. I'm pretty sure she thought he was Wampa, and that was both beautiful and tough to watch. I have to admit the resemblance is pretty shocking, which you can see from the pictures.

David James and Nana at the Barton House

We ended up having a ball. Uncle Douvie dragged out the piano and entertained the residents. He took requests within reason, but was not above inserting the odd note or belch when appropriate. We ate it up, all right.

I did get pretty teary-eyed when Mom suggested the Lake Denoon song. Grandfather, I believe, had written it. I hadn't heard it since I was a little kid, back when Wampa and The Champions were still alive.

Mom and David James play Heart and Soul.

Well... David did.

After that, my Mom jumped in for Heart and Soul. Mom was more than a bit rusty, which was punctuated every instance with a "wrong" by David James. As the song went on, it became, "Wrong," then "WRONG," then, "WRONG!!!!"

"Wrong!"

After our escape, we were all ready for more Marriott. This time it was Mom, Sarah, and Me. We got some really good sun, but it still did little to eliminate my seemingly permanent jaundice complexion. A weekend of sun is no match for months in the office.

Randy once again was our savior, when he brought Chizzona's Pizza over for dinner. Up until that point, David James was doing pretty well with diet and exercising. But that got him off the wagon.

Mom and Sarah Jane

After dinner, Paul, Brenda, Matthew, and Daniel all stopped by. The volume got exponentially louder from that point on, as did the laughs. Around 11:00pm, we called it quits.

The next morning, I had to go. The weekend had ended far too quickly, and I had to get back to Los Angeles. I left about three hours late, since I misplaced everything I brought with me, including a pair of sunglasses I had purchased not even 24 hours earlier.

Sarah Jane McDermand

The drive back was even more unmerciful when it came to heat. Even with the A/C on I was pretty warm. I pushed fluids hard, but I had no illusions that if my crappy Ford broke down I would probably die.

I stopped in Quartzsite for lunch and fill up, then straight through back home. Even though I was exhausted, I did go to a party at my friend Veronica's house w/ Jen, and I feasted on BBQ. The next morning, I dragged myself in to Columbia, and my life has been pretty dull by comparison.

It's tough being so far apart. I can count the times I see Ma in a year on one hand, and it's even more so with extended family. They're good people, we all get along, and we all love each other. A lot of families aren't like that, so it's truly a blessing. Hopefully it won't be so long next time. We'll see...

David James & Carol