April in Tucson

At Fred Enke Golf Course on Monday April 1st (and I'm not joking) I spotted these two good sized rattlesnakes mating near the forward tee on the 8th hole. John didn't seem too impressed, but his friend Shane, who I showed this picture to a few days later, said it was very rare to see this happening. I wonder if I will see many smaller snakes when I return next winter?

Wednesday April 3rd was the next game in the U of A Women's Basketball Teams playoff schedule. This was the third game of the tournament. The crowds continued to grow, setting new records for attendance. I was happy to be there. The basketball is pure, as the hoop it too high for the gals to be able to slam dunk it. Most of the field goals are from three point range. The majority of the tickets are for open seating. I enjoyed this vantage point. 

The following Wednesday I met up with John's daughters for another of our series of Sushi Dinners. We all love it and John doesn't so it's a great opportunity for just the girls to go out. My hair is catching up to their's in length!

Saturday April 13th was my last visit to McGuire's Jewelry, where John works, I couldn't resits taking a picture of the stores mascots/security team. 

They weren't very co-operative with getting their picture taken. I likely would have been more successful if I had a treat for them. The black one is Buddy, the older of the two. Sammy is the beige one. He's still almost a puppy, I've been able to watch him grow and learn. The owners of the store and all of John's co-workers wished me well on my journey back and said they looked forward to seeing me again in the winter.

The same afternoon was the Championship game of the U of A's Women's basketball playoffs. It was a sell out. I wasn't going to attend because the start conflicted with my last day at synagogue and the novelty had worn off with my attendance at the three prior games. They won! I'm hoping for them that they will draw bigger crowds for all their home games next season. They deserve it, after all they are National Champions in their tier.  

Monday April 15th was my last golf game in Arizona. I had stayed specifically to play in the Golf Tracks Tucson City Women's Golf Association Fun Day and season ending awards day being held at The Views Golf Club in Oro Valley. I car pooled with Julie Walters again because the course is about 45 minutes north from my place. We were concerned about being late, because we ended up in a road rage incident, which we started out in as just observers (tail gating, slamming on breaks, arm waving, etc), but then one of the cars in the situation hit the back corner panel on the drivers side of Julie's car while trying to get away from one of the other vehicles involved and miscalculated how much space there was between the curb of the median and left turn lane and her car in the through lane. We decided to peruse the hit and run driver (at a safe distance, for several blocks and a number of turns), while calling the police. The police responded, pulled over the suspect vehicle and directed him and the other parties involved to a nearby gas station where we parked and they took statements. 

The suspect vehicle license plate in case he got away.

Three of Oro Valley's finest that responded and
were comparing how the three stories jived, or didn't.

Damage to Julie's car.

We made it to the course with enough time to warm up before playing, but we were both a little shaken by all that had transpired on our way to there. You see this stuff in movies or on TV, but thankfully seldom if ever are involved in real life. It turned out the driver of the car that hit us felt threatened by the driver of the other car, who he had previously been behind. He may have been high on marijuana (which was impairing his judgement of speed and distance) and although was middle aged lives with his mother, who had to come to the scene to help him out. In the end he was apologetic and assured Julie his insurance would pay to have her car fixed. The police charged him with a few things. We didn't stick around to find out everything. They were able to print off an incident report right there, which Julie will use in dealing with her insurance company. Julie was happy I was with her and able to help with calling the police, offering an extra set of eyes while we were following the suspect and generally keeping her sane throughout the incident. I was listed in the report. 

Back to the golf, the fun day was a scramble with teams selected in an effort to balance the teams. I think my team came in 3rd. Overall for the season the Randolph Team won the Gross Championship. Individually, I was second in the A flight, so third overall. (My goal for next season is to win the overall championship, which Beth Wrigley won this year.) Everyone in the league gets gift cards for points based on their participation and results, which I will spend next winter. 

On the way home after golf, John and I had a brief visit at his place and I headed back to the trailer to finish packing up. 

I pulled out of Tucson the following morning heading north.