Exercise... What's That?

Grandpa, tell me about the good ole days.

Once upon a time, there were simpler times, no complications, just routines that marked the days and set the tone for others. This is my grandpa in the picture, notice he is carrying a handbag which was used to go get groceries. For them the nearest store was miles away and there were no cars available so they walked for hours sometimes in their "huaraches".

We put on our tennis shoes to walk to the car, and then drive to the store a block away. Putting things into perspective makes me go ummm!

For many this was a daily walk as they had to get the groceries for the day, no refrigerators or even electricity back then. Going to the "mercado" meant getting every thing fresh. We on the other hand have everything at our fingertips but as refrigerated as our groceries may be, nothing is fresh and in many cases the food inside the fridge gets rotten before it's eaten.

Look at how slender my grandpa was, he lived to be 92 years old or so. In my recent visit to Mexico (about a year ago) I noticed how many old people are out going to the stores and buying their own groceries and carrying in their little handbags. Here, you go to the store and many people still have the bag boys take their groceries to the car. And then we wonder why so many of us are so out of shape and overweight.

I think technology is wonderful but not when it does everything for us. I know we'll be doomed when we can program a machine to exercise for us while we sit on the couch eating potato chips and watching action movies.

I am just glad I grew up in an era where we used to play outside on the streets, and when having fun meant walking to the park some ten miles away with all your friends, staying active was part of our daily lives.

I've been asked by my doctor to exercise more so I don't have to be put on high blood pressure medication and I can't even get started. I've kindda forgotten how to exercise. Well, I guess I best get up from this chair, walk away from the darn computer and walk around a bit.

Yep, that's just what I'll do. Perhaps if I start now I can live to be 90 and look as slender as my granpa was. See ya later.

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Everybody Is a Musician

So everybody is a musician now. While the cats away the mouse will play. That was the case of my grand kids. While mom and dad went to Las Vegas they left the play station hooked up to my big TV and the kids were given total access.

So Diego took it upon himself to teach grandpa how to play. Being the smart kid that he is he lured the grandpa with a microphone. "Here grandpa, I'll play the drum set if you sing". He must know I like to sing. lol -- Of course 98% of the songs they have there I don't know them but I found "Dead or Alive" by Bon Jovi and decided to give it a whirl. The song played, Diego banged (can I say bang baby) the drums and I sang my little heart out.

"I'm wanted dead or alive, I'm a cowboy on a steel horse I ride, I'm wanted dead or alive" I sounded like quite the accomplished rocker. Not bad since a rocker I'm not. Everybody knows I am a crooner, mediocre of sorts, but a crooner in my own mind. It's score time, Diego a 58 on drums, grandpa a 97 on vocals, wow I am good. Let's try another one.

He, he, he, I'm hooked. "Go up, up, up, up, stop, let's hear, naw, not that one, I don't know it, go up, up,up, there, that one I know that one press play or or bang the green drum or say open sesame, whatever it is you do but I want that one". Duran Duran, and I'm hungry like a wolf. The song plays, Diego becomes and accomplished drummer right in front of my eyes, and I sing "And I'm hungry like a wolf, Do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do, do doooooo, hungry like a wolf". Yey, sounded good, high five mijo. Even mi chica came out as she heard the noise of a drummer and a singer in perfect harmony. Score time, so what that we kept things simple in the "Easy" level. We didn't claim to be pros. What a 75 for Diego on drums and a 100 for grandpa on vocals. Heck I think my do, do, do, dooooos must have sounded really, really good.

So, Diego has the bright idea to switch. How is it that grandpa is getting those high scores with the mic. So, he decides we will do Dead or Alive again first me on drums and then we will do it again, but we will switch. OK, I think my drumming sucked, I only got like a 58 while he was 91 on his vocals. Yeah, he bit me fair and square, he doesn't know how to read so he has to learn most of the song by ear. That my friends is talent.

Needless to say I had a great time. I am sure I'll be drafted soon by the parents to do a little singing in their grownup Rock Hero sessions.

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A Morning With Diego

Heartbroken as all Cardinal fans are but let me make something real clear I am disappointed at the outcome but not disappointed with my team. I had not seen our state so fired up and so together rooting for them, as as far as sports in our state we hadn't had this high since the Diamond Backs won the world series. Know that in my book they are still #1 and just can't wait for next season.

Everybody knows that I have seven grand kids and I love them all to death, they are all the product of a love that started with mi chica and I some 28 years ago but it's also no secret that Mr. Diego Ray is very attached to grandma and grandpa and spends lots of time with them. It is not uncommon for mi chica and I to go to sleep and wake up because we are getting kicked in the ribs. Yep, mysteriously Diego will slide inside our bed and continues his sleep in between the two of us.

So this past Saturday mi chica left the van and so Diego and I went on a photo hunt outing because I was in desperate need of new images for my Arizona... But It's a Dry Heat! blog. First stop was, no we did not take pictures there but did get fed with the many finger foods they have on Saturday. lol After purchasing a few items we needed we left for Garden Lakes, an adjacent subdivision of Avondale and captured the following images.



Thanks to my daughter, Diego has grown in front of the lens of a camera and now instantly comes up with his own brand of posing. This kid is an original.


Striking another pose.


Then he captured this image of me with the lake in the background, unfortunately the sun was right behind me and I came out dark. At least the background was crystal clear.

From there it was off to another location, we drove west and soon found another interesting place I have never been before. Estrella Mountain Community College is only about 10 minutes away from our house but I had never stopped, well we parked the car and went into campus. Right away I saw some photo ops that I will be posting on my Arizona... But It's a Dry Heat! blog, but here are a couple more for your enjoyment.






We then went to a mini mart to load on much needed drinks. The weather was beautiful for the last day of January but inside the car it was a little hot and AC the AC had to be turned on. We got our drinks, hit a couple more locations but didn't find good places to take some shots, so we decided to go back home and called it a morning.

We were out for a total of three wonderful hours that we spent together, it's nice to be out with a kid that needs little to no supervision, this kid is very mature for his age and I am sure everyone that is around him learns to love him.


Thank you Diego for a great grandpa/grandson outing. Next time we need to take the "Ducky" with us.