Expanding my vocabulary

Today we enjoyed a late lunch in downtown Phoenix. Based on a referral (for once, not Tripadvisor), we went to The VIG on Fillmore. So, I wanted to know more about the name. Given that it's on Fillmore, that part was easy, but I wondered about the "VIG" part. I tried a few variations in my head, but eventually asked the bartender.

Pixabay (Geralt) - Creative Commons License

His answer was that, "of course", vig was the short form for vigorish. Well there was no "of course" about it for me. Not knowing the word it had sounded like vigorous to me, so that didn't enlighten me. Here's the Apple dictionary definition:

vigorish |ˈvigəriSH| nounUS informal 1 [ in sing. ] an excessive rate of interest on a loan, typically one from an illegal moneylender.2 the percentage deducted from a gambler's winnings by the organizers of a game.ORIGIN early 20th cent.: probably from Yiddish, from Russian vyigrysh ‘gain, winnings.’
He did go on to explain its meaning to us. When I asked if one of the properties had been linked to any such activities, he said no. I checked the website to see if there was an explanation of how the name came about, but no luck there. So, did they perhaps borrow their start-up money from a loan shark, or were they involved in gambling perhaps? I guess I'll never know!

More pretty spring blossoms

We loved our meals, and our server was just the best. We were between usual mealtimes, so the place was quiet. So, as often happens, we got into the story of our travels and, being a dog lover, she thought it was the greatest thing. Out came her phone with photos of her dog (named Bob), and her sister's dog; she was so much fun. I was about to ask how she chose her dog's name when she was called away to serve others. Yet another mystery.

The bonus at the end of our great meal was that it was happy hour, so the drink prices were really low, and Greg's meal was half price. Now that was fortuitous!

Our "one-in, one-out" rule

Many who know us can vouch for the fact that Greg and I are the opposite of hoarders; we are moving towards being minimalists. One rule we have always tried to live by is "one-in, one-out". For example, when I recently bought three new tops at my beloved TJ Maxx, I then had to donate three (in fact I sent four) to charity. As an aside, I don't think Greg's followed our rule for the many t-shirts he's bought along the way!

Now for a confession. Many people hug a pillow to help them sleep, but my pillow equivalent is a cuddly sheep. So, on this journey, it's been Kitty (bought at a cat rescue shop in Wales).

Kitty, in her prime

Take a second look!

A section of the Central Arizona Project National Recreation Canal Trail runs directly behind our neighbouring dog park. After this morning's park visit, we walked a portion of the trail.

We're two somewhat weird Canadians

Greg and I have been more successful in this adventure than we ever imagined. So, was it luck? Not really. Armed with posters to pin up everywhere, we left home ready to drum-up business. We soon set the posters aside, as we were sabotaged by those who do this for a living. So, what next?

We registered on two more house sitting websites, and I monitored all three obsessively. We subscribed to a daily email of new postings, but many were often taken within hours, so I soon began obsessively (yep, that's my personality) monitoring the site with the most traffic.

Openclips - Creative Commons License

Opulent Scottsdale

We're currently living in North Scottsdale, part of the Greater Phoenix area. Scottsdale has the reputation of being a wealthy area of Phoenix, with some of the most expensive real estate in Arizona. Today, we took a drive towards central Scottsdale, to Chaparral Park, which includes the largest dog park in Scottsdale. If you click on the map you'll see a wide range of facilities at this centre.

Looking at the map, I'm curious about the "designated free speech" area ... are there different rules outside of that small space? Hmmm, maybe I should go back to check it out, perhaps on a busy weekend day.

I was impressed by the demonstration garden, where there were examples of the use of native plants in landscaping to reduce water use.

aloe plant in bloom

What do you mean, in and out?

When you're not a local, sometimes you don't understand the local jargon. When asking for directions in California, we were told to come off the freeway and turn right at the "in and out". We thought this was some type of ramp configuration, until we saw In-N-Out Burger. Ah, from confusion comes clarity!

Happy Birthday Greg!

So, it's my husband's birthday today. I won't share his age (because that wouldn't be polite!), but I will tell you mine; I just turned 61. Greg takes great delight, from February 14th to March 7th, in telling everyone we're the same age. I'll say no more!

Happy Birthday, Dog Whisperer!

Three new cuddly housemates

Greg and I settled in today with our latest housemate, Harley. He is a Black Mouth Cur, a muscular dog originally bred in the southern USA as a hunting and cattle dog. Although he's a large dog, he's very gentle. As you can see from this photo, where Greg is fussing over him, he'll have no problems training Greg while we're here. 

An oasis in the middle of the city

Today we visited the Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix. The Visit Phoenix website claims it is "the world's finest collection of arid plants from deserts of the world", with "over 50,000 plants".  I can't vouch for that, but I will say that it took us a few hours to cover most of the trails, and we really enjoyed it. There were some great displays explaining not only the plants, but also the animal and bird life of the area. There were also interesting exhibits detailing the way plants and animals survive in the desert.

We stopped for lunch at the cafe. As you might guess by the photos below, Greg shared his lunch with some of the residents.

Harris's antelope squirrel

Superstition Mountains and the Apache Trail

Yeah! Today, with the help of Google, we solved my post office dilemma. We visited Apache Junction, a relatively small city in the eastern part of the Greater Phoenix area. The sub post office shared space with a gift store and bicycle shop, and was a little difficult to find, but we did it!

Not an easy sign to notice!

Are the washes awash?

I generally don't have much faith in weather forecasts, but for the past few days I've been following the Flood Watch. We've heard so much about the dry gulches (also called washes) that are essential in times of heavy rain. Greg says we should be grateful when it rains in Arizona as water becomes more scarce, but I'm not so sure Arizonans would agree with him today.

Our soggy back yard this morning

No more blind dates for me!

I decided that my photos today will be a recap of the four-legged friends we've made so far along this journey. My writing will be a personal story.

Fanci, our first and current new friend

Many years ago, when I was newly divorced, I answered a personal ad in the newspaper. We then talked on the phone for more than an hour and had a great conversation. During our conversation we figured out that we belonged to the same labour union, and had been at the same union dinner the week before. He then said "Oh, are you that redhead?". When I told him I was the blonde sitting next to her, he didn't remember me at all. No surprise there, as she was very outgoing, and I am not.

Sierra and Lilly, the Californian sisters

The reason for this story? Times have changed, and thanks to Google we no longer have to rely on blind dates. After emails back and forth with a prospective house sit, we exchanged our blog information. I am already aware that my blog has evolved into something more than my travel account, and that I've shared things about myself that surprises me. This homeowner has been blogging far longer, which allowed me to read so much about her that I felt like I was snooping around in her personal life. But hey, she wrote it for others to read, right?

Tagine, our Tucson feline

When we met yesterday, I immediately told her I felt like I already knew her ... intimately (that's what I said!). I quickly explained why, but it did feel weird to know so many personal details about someone I hadn't met. It reminded me a little of last year in Costa Rica, where our neighbour would write her blog early in the morning. I'd then read it at breakfast and then when I'd see her later in the day, and she tried to catch up on what's new, I'd say "yep, I know, I read it this morning!". I had to stop reading it early, so that she could tell me her stories herself. I miss those chats, Sharon!

Shiloh, Jake, and Zena - we'll see you again soon!

Oh, and the outcome of meeting the homeowner? Yes, we agreed on a house sit with her basset hound, Rosie. The outcome of the blind date all those years ago wasn't so good. It was the most boring date I've ever been on, mainly because in person we couldn't find anything to talk about. I couldn't wait for it to end ... and then he asked me for another date. Go figure!