Thelma & Louise Do Arizona (Maggie)

There we are, my "BFF" Michele and I standing on a big rock with nothing between us and the plummet to the bottom of the Grand Canyon. And while I may look as if I'm smiling, I was actually shaking in my sneakers. It's scary being that close to the edge. But I'm getting ahead of myself, so let me 'splain. No, there's not time, let me summarize. This past weekend, my publisher invited me to be a guest at their sales conference in Scottsdale, Arizona. Naturally I went a couple of days early and convinced Michele to go along. But our time was very limited. My "event" (dinner, cocktail party and speaking engagement) was Monday evening. I had to perform a wedding the previous Friday. So we flew out on Saturday, arriving too late in the evening to do anything.

Sunday morning we rented a car. I wanted a Mustang. All they had was a Corolla. And we began our whirlwind tour of Arizona by driving 4 hours north to the Grand Canyon. Where we proceeded to climb out onto a ledge because other people were doing it. Michele went out way further than I did. She got into a really scary spot. I stayed a bit safer. I was none to comfy out there, but my enthusiasm grew when Michele wouldn't let me back to safety until I gave her a good picture. =) (We later learned that 8 to 12 people fall from there and die each year!)

We also drove and toured as much as we could on Monday, focusing on the Sedona area. This shot is of Montezuma Castle, the remnants of a structure built by Native Americans long ago.


We visited the V-bar-V ranch as well as the Pylatki sites, to see petroglyphs, pictographs, and more ruins. There was a cave like area in the side of a mountain where it was obvious people once lived. I suspect this particular "room" was a special one, where women gave birth. And since we didn't have time to stay for the tour guide's extensive explanations, I have only my gut instinct to base that on. But the formations in the ceiling were very similar to other ancient birthing sites I've seen in documentaries and in books. So I'm betting I'm right.


We had an absolutely fantastic time. The scenery was breathtaking, from the towering red rocks of Sedona, to the sheer, unimaginable enormity of the Grand Canyon. Natural beauty so potent it took our breath away. It's a transformative experience visiting this place. I only wish we'd had more time. But I'm already into planning another trip, a real vacation this time, where everything doesn't have to be crushed into two short days. And in the meantime, I have a whole list of wonderful experiences to add to my gratitude list, tops among them, the fact that I have a friend like Michele in my life.

Meanwhile, let me give you the best news of all. Sally the Great Dane is FINE. Her tummy issues were not caused by any physical problem. Every test came back clean. It was all probably triggered by stress. That is, the stress of going to the kennel while I've been traveling lately. The vet said if it were her dog, she'd give the kennel one more try. It's been three times now, and Sally may just have needed to get used to it. So I may try it once more. And if she gets sick again, I'll have to find in-home care for her. We've switched her to a special prescription diet food, and I'm doing Reiki on her daily, so maybe next time her reaction won't be so severe. Right now, she's feeling great, and my main goal is to keep her calm and soothed, and to try to put some of the weight she lost back onto her. Life is once again, perfect.

I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that MOON FEVER is on sale NOW!

Until next time!
Maggie