A topless bar, Dr Gary Schwartz and Gila monsters

For husbands in particular: One of “Life’s Great Lessons” is to always listen carefully, analyze what you heard, and think very hard before you open your mouth. Especially when your wife is speaking to you. I know I have learned this lesson on several occasions over the years, but the latest incident just underscored that I still have some learning to do. One of Suzanne’s friends in Scottsdale called to schedule a get-together. I was driving at the time, and Suzanne said to me casually, “Hey, that’s great... we’re going to meet her at a topless bar.” My first reaction was, “Gosh, she must be pretty cool... or maybe even pretty hot.” Imagine my surprise when I told Suzanne that, and her rather frosty reply was, “Not a topless bar; a tapas bar...”.   Sigh...... I didn’t earn any points on that one.... guess I’d better head for the florist shop...

On the serious side, we met Dr Gary Schwartz, PhD, and his wife Rhonda at the Enchantment Resort in Sedona. Gary is a Harvard grad, was a professor at Harvard and Yale, and is now Professor of Psychology, Medicine, Neurology, Psychiatry and Surgery at the University of Arizona in Tucson. and Director of the Laboratory for Advances in Consciousness and Health. He has written 450 academic papers and six books, including The Afterlife Experiments, which had a profound impact on Suzanne in the aftermath of our daughter Susan’s death in 2006. Suzanne has been corresponding with Gary about mediumship and the afterlife for several months, bringing through evidence from his mentor, Susy Smith, on the other side that has astounded both of them.  Rhonda is a gifted intuitive herself, and a delightful person. Gary and Rhonda attended the Messages of Hope viewing at The Logos Center in Scottsdale, and we will see them again at their home in Tucson on Sunday. Suzanne and Gary are planning experiments on mediumship at his laboratory at the University of Arizona on Monday.Gary and Rhonda both have Corvettes; I haven’t driven a really powerful, fast sports car since Suzanne sold hers back in 2000, so it was with vicarious pleasure when I watched them drive off after dinner.

The documentary viewing last night went very well; The Logos Center, a beautiful facility in Scottsdale with great energy, was founded by Dr. Herb and Rev. Ann Puryear in 1983.  At left are Suzanne, Gary Schwartz, Ann Puryear, Herb Pulyear, and Rhonda Schwartz (right to left) in The Logos Center Sanctuary following The Messages of Hope viewing. Herb and Ann are also delightful; we will be having dinner with them Friday night.

 We are camping at Usery Mountain Regional Park in Mesa, east of Scottsdale and Phoenix. Temperatures here average around 110F. Residents here say, “That’s not too bad, and it’s a dry heat.”  My solemn reply is, “Yeah, well, ovens are dry heat as well, and look what it does to turkeys.” So, we’re now scheduling our daily workouts for early morning, before the sun gets too high and the temperature breaks the thermometers. Here's the thermometer on our car at 3:00 PM today. Who planned this trip, anyway????  (Oh, that’s right, I guess I did. But it will be much cooler when we get to San Diego.) 

Here is a shot of our bus in the campground. It looks like a beautiful moonscape with tall saguaro cactus. There are only about 5 other campers in the campground with about 65 sites. "Whassamatta, youse can't stand the heat?" 











We went for an hour and a half mountain bike ride on desert trails this morning and lost a couple of pounds due to the heat, even though we were drinking water and Gatorade frequently. Here is Suzanne (and a rather large sign on the mountainside) pointing the way for wayward, navigationally-challenged aviators who haven't been able to find PHX airport. Jim and Bob, we're talking to you here!  ;-)

Rudy and Gretchen have been like little dust mops here in the desert. There's no grass, only dirt, and their long hair picks up the dust and burrs constantly. So, today they got a bath. Just like when we take our indoor showers, we didn't need to even use hot water; the cold alone comes out at 100-110F. Now they are clean and fluffy.

The welcome package here at the campground was interesting. It had photos and descriptions of the local residents, and warns visitors about inadvertent interaction with them: coyotes, diamondback rattlesnakes, Gila monsters, centipedes, scorpions and tarantulas. The pamphlet is shown on the ground next to the bus by two holes of unknown inhabitants.  Sheesh! Who planned this trip, anyway?