Random Stuff

Here are some sights and blurbs from the past few months.

Unexpected pops of color around Tucson.

^ A tree I walk past on my way to work.

This spring, I went on a couple trips in Arizona. In April, I visited relatives in Scottsdale and Phoenix. Above is the charming courtyard at my cousin’s apartment. In May, I visited a friend in Yuma.

During my first trip to Yuma in 2021, I went to Cafecito. The cafe has since moved to a bigger space with this art installation backyard.

Here are some of the businesses in Yuma.

Back in Tucson, I’ve finally seen javelinas - in my apartment complex parking lot. Why the ugly creatures are featured on Tucson tourism promo items is unknown.

I changed up some of the artwork in my apartment. Wrote out my daily mantra, then framed it.

^ A sculpture under a highway overpass.

^ I took a sunset bike ride along The Loop.

^ A common sight around the U of A campus.

^ I finally checked out The Shelter, a bar I used to drive past daily when I lived at the extended stay hotel on Grant Road. It looks like a spaceship on the outside and has a JKF theme inside.

^ Monsoon season. The sky often reminds me of a Michigan summer sky (without the bright grey days): sunny, then cloudy, then sunny, then a sudden downpour, then sunny again.

Sky Islands

Yesterday, I drove to the top of Mt. Lemmon. After driving through Saguaro, I thought that place was cool. But Mt. Lemmon was even more incredible. So now I’m expecting each new-to-me Arizona landscape’s awesomeness will surpass the previous.

It was a one-hour drive from my apartment to the top of the mountain (about 30 miles of winding pavement to reach a 9,100-foot elevation). The temperature dropped 20 degrees from the base of the mountain to the top.

The two photos above were taken from the spot marked below.

I didn’t understand the term “sky islands” until I saw views like this:

The top of the mountain didn’t impress me as much as the middle or base. It kinda looked like the U.P. or Canada. But then I could see the desert between the burnt trees, and that was a strange but cool scene.

Summerhaven was nothing great. Reminded me of Muskegon but with fewer amenities. I made a point of getting a “world-famous” cookie at The Cookie Cabin. The giant oatmeal raisin cookie was good but nothing special. Skip it and save your money.

Except for gasoline and a $7 cookie, the trip up and down Mt. Lemmon was free. Even if I hadn’t stopped and gotten out of the car along the way for photos, the views from the windows were worth it.

sa-WAH-ro

Yesterday morning I went to Saguaro National Park East. Only 19 minutes from my apartment. I didn’t do any hiking but drove through and stopped at several lookout points. Spent two hours there.

My New Apartment - Part Two

My apartment is coming together.

Two new chairs to complement Grandpa Don’s dining chair: faux Navy and faux Eames. I found a pair of the yellow metal chairs next to the dumpster when I got home from work one night. They are mint condition. (The second one is in the living room.) Still looking for the perfect round rug.

B&B Cactus Farm is my go-to for plants. Now I’m into making succulent arrangements.

I hadn’t been to a Tuesday Morning since childhood. Went to one here and found this granny baby blue velvet chair. Was $400, now $250.

[New Stuff: Where I Got It]
Yellow chairs: next to the dumpster
Molded plastic chair: World Market
Wingback chair: Tuesday Morning
Dot face planter: Target
Dot stripe planter: HomeGoods
Geo planter: B&B Cactus Farm
Tribal face “planter” (previously a candle vessel): Target
Plants: B&B Cactus Farm and Mesquite Valley Growers
String lights: At Home
Quilt: anthropologie.com
Mattress: BedInABox.com

A Bike Ride

Yesterday, I went for my first bike ride in over a year. (I’m glad I packed my bike in the UBox. I almost left it by the dumpster in Kentwood, thinking either it wouldn’t fit in the UBox or it would break in transport. My downstairs neighbor Ken, the voice of reason, said, “Just pack it. If it breaks during the move, throw it out in Arizona. If it doesn’t break, then you’ll still have a bike.” Duh. Thanks, Ken!) Initially, I planned to ride through the neighborhood behind my apartment complex. But that led to a park, which had dirt paths that led to a paved route alongside the Tanque Verde Wash.

I stumbled/pedaled upon the most random rest spot in the middle of nowhere: a bench centered between two depressing, wiry trees. Multiple wind chimes hung from branches and kindness rocks were carefully placed around the trees and bench. I got off my bike, sat on the bench and closed my eyes. It was then I experienced the surround-sound of the wind chimes. Peaceful chimes, howling wind, burning sun. It was so weird and cheesy and awesome, all at once.

Sights from the neighborhood behind my apartment complex:

I found my desert dream home:

My New Apartment - Part One

I unloaded my UHaul UBox in record time: two hours. Then, I spent a week and a half unboxing my belongings. Nothing was damaged!

While living in my Kentwood apartment, I honed my design aesthetic. (I loved that apartment unit. I loved the layout, the light, the balcony, how and where I set up my furniture and artwork. But it took years of editing.) So setting up my stuff in my new apartment in Tucson was pretty easy. That said, these photos are only showcasing Phase 1. It’s a work in progress! I still need living room seating and a rug under the dining table. As luck and timing would have it, I purchased another dining chair, new bedding and outdoor string lights - not featured in these images. That’ll be the Phase 2 gallery. And so far, I love THIS apartment.

The entrance:

For now, my shoes are on display. The shoe rack is a make-shift entrance table catch-all.

The living room is the most unfinished space. I’ll come back to this in a moment.

The dining room. I've never had an apartment with a designated space for a table. I bought a knock-off Eames Molded Plastic Side Chair to complement the wooden Eames. Once a rug is added, I’ll snap a new photo.

The nicest apartment kitchen I’ve ever had:

But there’s only ONE usable outlet.

Out to the balcony…

Back into the living room…

My vision for the seating area is this table centered in between two chairs with the artwork staggered above the lamp. And I’d move the white chair outside to the balcony.

Gallery wall in the hallway between the bathroom (not featured - I was too lazy to clean it) and the bedroom:

This apartment features my first ever walk-in closet, so I don’t need a dresser.

My mattress-in-a-box is great. New bedding coming soon. For now, my yoga space is in the corner:

And here’s the neighborhood. Kinda charming with staircases and pathways.

And the view while walking back from doing laundry or taking out the trash:

Behind Schedule

The past few weeks have been a blur. Lots of job applications, several interviews, too much apartment-searching online, some discouragement and a few delays. (There is a happy ending though.)

Initially, I planned (hoped?) to be out of my extended stay hotel January 3. Soon after arriving in Tucson in December, I found a condo for rent online. The poster expected someone could move in December 13. She had just purchased the unit as an income property and needed to close on it before I could see it in person. “In a day or two.” The photos looked good: tile and vinyl “wood” flooring, an updated kitchen, a balcony with mountain views, in-unit laundry, vaulted ceilings, a pool. I was confident I had found the perfect place. Christmastime created delays in the real estate world, but I was willing to wait. “Sometime this week” and “in a few days” turned into weeks. Finally on December 31, I toured the condo. The aroma of cat urine filled my nostrils as soon as I walked in the door. Deal breaker!

So I had wasted time waiting around for what I thought was the perfect home. I extended my hotel reservation for two weeks (now checking out January 17) and returned to the internet for apartment searching. Back in Grand Rapids, I made a short list of apartments in my price range with in-unit laundry. I called those complexes: no units available until spring. I kept searching with no luck. Begrudgingly, I removed in-unit laundry from my list of must-haves. Then I began finding complexes with availability.

A friend taught me that Arizona is “on a different time zone,” meaning there’s no time sensitivity here. Nothing is urgent, appointment times don’t matter, people won’t call back. I experienced that strange time zone during my apartment hunt and job search. I had an appointment to tour a complex. When I arrived on time, the leasing office was empty and locked. I never got the tour. A week later, I had a round-two phone interview for a job. The guy forgot to call me. 

On January 11, I turned 35. That morning, I received a phone call from a hotel to which I applied. The call turned out to be an impromptu interview, which led to an in-person interview that afternoon. That same day, I was scheduled to move into an apartment, but I ran into delays from the leasing office. On January 12, the hotel offered me the job — and I accepted. And I got the keys to my new apartment. So after weeks of delays and discouragement, my new life in Tucson fell into place within 24 hours. My first day of work was January 13.

I had a new home but I couldn’t live there right away; I didn’t have my stuff. I went to my apartment after work a few evenings to clean and unpack the items I had in my car. My UHaul UBox would need to be delivered and unloaded. Plus, I needed a new mattress. I scheduled the delivery of the full box and pickup of the empty box. Then it was delayed. I added another week to my hotel reservation (now checking out January 24) and bought a new mattress. The price was great, the mattress was guaranteed in stock and guaranteed for delivery days later. The day before the scheduled delivery, the mattress store called. “Due to COVID and the supply chain, your mattress is not in stock and therefore can’t be delivered tomorrow.” I channeled Angela and her Bath and Body Works rant, then canceled my order, drove to Target and bought an air mattress. I was not willing to live at the extended stay hotel any longer.

On January 23, I checked out of the extended stay — one day earlier than expected. Including arrival and departure days, I lived there for 48 days. I’ve only been in my apartment for one night, but I like it. Eventually, I’ll post some photos of my new home and my new job.

Kindness Stones... Kinda

In a neighborhood near the Extended Stay, there are lots of painted stones. They’re placed on bricks, retaining walls, mailboxes and tree stumps at the borderline of someone’s yard and the street. On Google, “kindness stones” usually feature illustrations or words. But the stones I see in Tucson are painted solid, metallic colors.

The other day, I decided to photograph some of these stones. A few side notes:

1. There aren’t many sidewalks in Tucson — you either walk in the street or the dirt/gravel “pathway” next to the street.
2. The only people who go for walks in Tucson are either walking a dog or homeless. Then there’s me.
3. There are many piles of dog poop on the dirt/gravel “pathways.” So I usually walk in the street.

I was standing in the street, photographing stones in front of one home, when the owner hollered at me from his front door. “What do you think you’re doing?!?!” I blankly stared back at him and moved on. In front of a different house, the owner came outside while on her phone and asked, “Can I HELP you with something?” (Are all of you perched at your front door doing surveillance?) I responded, “I’m just photographing these painted stones. What’s the story behind these?” She looked at me like I was crazy and answered, “I dunno! They just show up in my front yard!” I was surprised and said, “Oh. I figured the homeowners or their kids painted these.” She shrugged and returned to her phone call.

So these metallic painted stones are not as special as I imagined. But I am considering making my own and adding them to my potted plants. Just need to settle into an apartment first…

Sentinel Peak

Here are views from the top of “A” Mountain.

Random Sights

I’ve been exploring — mostly on foot but occasionally in the car.

Mountain views are everywhere. Here are the Santa Catalina Mountains, from various points looking north:

I’ve been visiting Tucson’s cactus nurseries. It wasn’t until I stopped by Old Pueblo that I learned you can buy full-grown saguaro cacti for your yard. Priced per vertical foot! No mature saguaro for me, but I bought this Peruvian Apple Cactus — partly for the height, but mostly for the color:

The plants here are wild. This prickly pear cactus is growing in/on/with the tree.

Tucson Colors & Textures

Today marks two weeks of living in Tucson. After fourteen days of walking and driving around, I’m embracing the area’s color palette. It’s much softer and quieter than Michigan. It could be the lack of green lawns though. (There are exceptions to color — Barrio Viejo homes are featured elsewhere on my website and that neighborhood has tons of vibrant house colors.)

Tucson’s typical street view is an underwhelming blur of beige. And everything looks parched. But if you stop and look a little closer, you see all the colors: browns, reds, pinks and greens (and the bright blue sky). Lots of earth tones, ranging from the pastel green of an agave plant to the dark rust of industrial fencing.

A few homes and businesses have thrown a random bright (unnatural) hue of an earth tone into the mix. I suppose this house’s painter could argue that green is found in nature as jade.

And the plants! They are so cool and sculptural and beautiful.

Because of all the earth tones, I’m more aware of texture. Gravel, rock, clay, cement, brick, cactus spine, tree bark, etc.

Christmastime in Arizona

Some Christmas decor here in Tucson is similar to Michigan. Some is quintessentially southwestern.

Temporary Home

Before moving, I compared the costs and amenities of extended stay hotels against Airbnbs. In the end, I chose Extended Stay America. On-site laundry, a full-size fridge and freezer, a stovetop, my own space and shockingly cheaper.

A vignette to make it feel like home:

And some Christmas decor:

I lucked out with my room. Top floor, end unit and this view from my window:

Four Days of Driving

Prior to the four-day journey, I packed my belongings into my car and a U-Haul U-Box. U-Haul handled the pickup and move of that box from Michigan to Arizona.

After moving out of my apartment in Kentwood, I drove to my parents’ home in Livonia and stayed in the guest room for a couple days. My dad was driving to Arizona with me.

Day 1: Livonia, MI to Indianapolis, IN to St. Louis, MO. My car was stuffed and I still needed room for my dad and his luggage. I had to leave a few things behind, including my snake plant. We departed around 8:15 a.m.

Day 2: St. Louis, MO to Tulsa, OK to Oklahoma City, OK. Missouri was dreary, grey and hilly. Oklahoma had sun and cats.

Day 3: Oklahoma City, OK to Amarillo, TX to Roswell, NM. Texas was sunny, cloudless and flat. Rural New Mexico had charming towns, but Google said it well: “Not many entertainment options. Very select restaurants of average quality.”

Day 4: Roswell, NM to Las Cruces, NM to Tucson, AZ. Roswell was better than I expected. Las Cruces was nice. We arrived in Tucson around 7:00 p.m.

Signs from the Universe

Beyond weather and scenery, these instances/connections/more-than-coincidences sold me on Tucson.

1. American Eat Co. played hipster music, half of which I already had on Apple Music and Spotify playlists.

2. “Chemicals” by SG Lewis, one of my favorite songs, played at Hotel McCoy’s pool.

3. I dined and drank at Locale and Wildflower. Bartenders at both restaurants were my doppelgängers.

4. Flight delays and cancellations kept me in Tucson for two extra days. The city didn't want me to leave.

5. A few days before my trip, HSN mentioned Tucson’s annual Gem, Mineral and Fossil Showcase.

6. The blue bird on the cactus pot I bought at B&B Cactus Farm matched my Grandma Rita’s blue bird ornament. I didn’t make the connection until I placed them side by side.

7. After my trip, a regular customer at D&W wore multiple retro Arizona graphic tees on multiple occasions.

8. After my trip, I discovered “Dark Side” by Wake the Wild feat. Naiim — and the album art featured saguaro cacti.

9. After my trip, I realized that the illustrations on a hand towel at my parents’ house were of prickly pear cacti. (Previously, I thought they were coral and flowers.)

Where to Begin?

I’d been wanting to move for a while. Grand Rapids bored me and I was sick of snow, ice and being cold. After Winter 2020, I vowed to be out of Michigan before the next winter. My plans were to travel to new-to-me cities in Spring and Summer 2020, pick a place to call home and relocate in Autumn 2020. In March 2020, the world shut down and my plans were thwarted.

In January 2021, a customer at D&W encouraged me to travel. Take a break, get out of Michigan, see someplace new. After that encouragement, I decided to visit my friend Devin in Yuma, Arizona in late March/early April 2021. Yuma was a strange city, but the weather was awesome. I began entertaining the idea of living in Arizona. Hetus had lived in the Phoenix area since I was a little kid. But if I moved to Arizona, I wanted someplace that I could claim as my own.

Everyone in Michigan warned me how hot Arizona got in the summer. If I was going to live there, I realized it’d be wise to experience the heat beforehand. So I returned to Devin and Yuma in late June/early July 2021, this time adding on a side trip to Tucson (my dad’s suggestion). The 113° was bearable, although I knew it’d get hotter as the summer progressed.

My 2020 plan was unfolding, just one year later.