6.30.04

The continuation of how our Guests spent their time:

The best part about M. Blair and puppy visiting was the opportunity to take puppy to Food City. Food City is a chain of grocery stores we have here in the Southwest. They carry really great produce, fresh made cheeses, and most of them have in-house tortilla factories. I had already fed them the fresh tortillas, and puppy was in heaven. i didn't expect that there would be someone on duty making tortillas.

We arrived at the store at 12 p.m. Friday afternoon. and i took puppy over to just look at the tortilla maker, and to my surprise there was a lady there feeding the dough into the machine. She drops the ball of dough in place where the big round stamper flattens out the dough. The tortilla then travels through a conveyor belt, cooking the tortilla on each side, and then drops it into a tray. The tortillas are then ready to be bagged, and sold to the consumer.

Imagine this...Charlie, from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. He's just found the money and walks in to purchase a Willy Wonka Chocolate bar. Not having had the experience before, he spies all the choices on the shelf. His eyes are as big as saucers, his tongue hanging out, he can't make up his mind.

That was puppy, eyes big as saucers, and the look of total and utter surprise as he watched the lady drop the dough, and the machine process the tortillas. I informed her that my over-eager friend had never seen tortillas being made. She went about her business as puppy stared and stared and stared. And he would look at me, pointing at the cooking tortillas, yes, those are very-fresh-made-today tortillas.

The lady then asked if he would like to try a tortilla. When i thought his eyes couldn't get any bigger, they did, and almost popped out of his head. The lady took a paper towel, placed a tortilla on it, and handed it to puppy. I thought he was going to go to his knees to thank her. He restrained himself. I received one as well. We thanked her, and continued our tour of the store.

I showed him the fresh cheeses, the line of chili sauces, and the cans and cans of all kinds of beans. The bulk rice and beans, and the wall of spices and herbs.

To hear him tell this story is precious. "And she gave them to us for like zero pennies, Master. Zero!" he said when relaying his adventure both to my Master and his.

I then requested that he tell his story at the party we had. And with the same enthusiasm and zeal as he had earlier that day, he told of the tortilla lady, who gave him a free sample, and the piles and piles of tortillas in the store, and the huge amounts of chili’s and spices that you could buy.

I wouldn't want to trade the experience for all the fresh tortillas in the world!

Again, i love my state. And i love living in the Southwest, and helping people discover those things that i almost take for granted. When i can see my environment through someone else's eyes, i have a greater level of appreciation for my environment and what i am blessed to have, fresh tortillas.

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06.29.04
10:45 a.m.

I’m sitting in my jammies, and starting to decompress from the very busy last five days. Having company is a lot of fun, but work also.

I had a surprise over the weekend. Apex Academy with Butchmann's Experience called and asked if i could cook for them over the weekend. So, as well as getting ready for a party in Master's home on Friday night, i had to plan and cook for approximately 40 people with a 24 hour notice (with Master's permission of course).

I fed them herb marinated grilled chicken and Beef short ribs, cooked in fajita spices. I spent Sat. cooking, and then Sunday i was baking potatoes for Sun. Evening dinner.

I am a tired boy!

Then yesterday, i was responsible for taking M. Blair and puppy out and about in Arizona. The forests near Payson are on fire, and that was where we were going to go originally. We ended up going to Sedona. It's a pretty ride, and the traffic was amazingly cooperative. As soon as we came down into Red Rock Country, puppy was estactic. The look on his face made the trip. When he saw the rock formations, he had the camera out and started taking pictures.

I love my state. I love showing new people all that Arizona has to offer. And even though we were on a time constraint, and couldn't get to a couple of the places i wanted to take them, we still had a great time.

We started our trip before 9 a.m. I was able to take them through the 7th st. Pass that cuts between central Phoenix, and Moon Valley/North Phoenix. We got up to the freeway, and just tripped out I-17 to the 179, which cuts west into Sedona.

On the way, i panicked, because i didn't see a sign that said "Sedona, this way." We pulled off the highway, and found a quaint little diner called "Fats Diner." The people were super nice, and the decor was a jazz theme. The ceiling had aluminum siding, and was painted white and black.

There was a motorcycle rider in the diner that we talked to, and the owner let me go look at his little tiny kitchen. There was a woman chef, and the waitress made sure i got some yummies for my french toast. I can't have anything sweetened with corn syrup. So they made me a heavy cream, sugar and vanilla treat to put on my french toast.

puppy had eggs, a big bowl of grits, and two very huge pancakes. M. Blair had some kind of country fried something, and was supposed to share the grits with puppy. Billy Holiday was playing on the stereo. The diner serves two purposes: breakfast in the morning, and at night, it is a Cajun House. Great stuff, and a good find!

We found out we were just a few miles from the Sedona turn-off, so off we went to find the red rocks.

As you come into the Canyons there are the typical tourist trap shopping places, we kept driving, and went to what is called "Uptown". It's the little shopping district nestled on highway 89A (which continues up into Oak Creek Canyon).

They spent time looking and shopping, while i watched clouds in the skies, blowing a little storm into town. (someone said it hadn't rained in Sedona since March-hard to believe). I took them into the Crystal shop that Master and i fell in love with on our trip, and they spent a whole bunch of time in there. I found a hematite ball, and made the mistake of picking it up before sitting down. When i released it, i was pretty much pushed to the ground. Hematite is very, very good for me, but it was an overpowering piece of rock that i was not prepared for.

Then M. Blair fed puppy ice cream. I would have had some too, but they use corn syrup as a sweetner, and that is something i cannot have. We walked back to the car, and drove over to Airport Rd. to find the vortex. We climbed the side of a very pretty rock, and stood out looking and absorbing. I did the whole "Titanic" thing; arms out, letting the wind pass through me. puppy took an awesome panoramic picture, it includes almost all of the view we had.

I drove them down 89A, to the 260, which goes through Cottonwood, then cuts back to I-17. So we made like a little circle through that part of Arizona.

I managed to get us home by the time Master got off work at 5 p.m. It was a mad dash, but again, the traffic Gods were on our side.

When Master got home, i told Her that i was jealous because puppy got to wear a needle in his arm all day. And i wanted that experience. She told me to go ask for a needle while we were at the Dungeon. I went and asked and M. Blair was like "Sure." After we ate some yummy food, She stuck a needle in my arm.

At Apex, i had to tell people to be careful, they didn't see the needle when they hugged on me. And then they asked me all sorts of questions: like what gauge, what was the cap end, stuff like that. i referred them to the Expert, and enjoyed having a piece of metal embedded in my flesh.

M. Blair was giving a Punching and kicking demo, and since puppy can't take blows to his chest yet, i got used as the second demoee. i wasn't quite prepared to be used, but was able to take the blows. It felt really good. I like getting punched. There is only a little bit of bruising, and the muscles are a little sore, but i like that feeling.

Our guests were due to leave this morning. After taking Master to work, i drove them to the Airport. It made me very sad. They've been here for five days, and i was getting used to having people in the house. However, it's nice to get back to the routine i am used to, with Master and the cats and the iguana. And puter time.

I am a very, very tired boy. Today my orders are to put laundry away, and get rest. We have more laundry to do, but Master said it could wait until tonight. I pick Her up for lunch at 12:30, and after that i will rest.

The trip to Sedona was very good for me. i feel very grounded, and relaxed. Being around another slave boy helped me see that i am not so odd or unique in the world. There is more to write about this adventure, but it will have to wait...

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