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Tuesday, August 30, 2011

It Was So Hot I Even Heard Satan Crying


Sometimes when we don't have a lot going for us we have to accentuate the positive and focus on our best features.  Like Kate Middleton is to the Royal Family, the Outback's bloomin' onion is to the vegetarian, and the Grand Canyon is to Arizona.  There's always a silver lining.  Speaking of Arizona, I just spent the weekend there but I wasn't visiting the Grand Canyon so I had to search for other redeeming qualities in the area.  I've decided to sum up my brief jaunt into three categories:  1) Things I cannot explain, 2) Things I don't need to explain and, 3)  Things that are hard to explain but worth trying.

THINGS I CANNOT EXPLAIN

1.  115 degrees
2.  The 4 women in the airport who wore matching shirts and mini trolls glued onto their shoulder. 
3.  Did you hear me?  I said ONE HUNDRED FIFTEEN DEGREES.
4.  The other woman in the airport who traced through security with me wearing a backless dress that revealed a tattoo covering her entire back.  The tattoo was a picture OF HERSELF.  I was tempted to slip the phone number of a photographer into her bag with a message on the back reading, “There’s an easier way.”
5.  Seriously, we actually said the words “It’s too hot to go swimming.”

THINGS I DON’T NEED TO EXPLAIN

1.  Nielsen’s frozen custard

HARD TO EXPLAIN BUT WORTH TRYING

1.  We went to see The Help.  Having read and fallen in love with the book I had high expectations which were surprisingly met.  I was so happy that it fell in line with everything I had envisioned in my head when I read the book!  The tension and violence of that time and place in history was felt but not overdone.  The blind ignorance of characters such as Hilly Holbrook was blatant and frustrating yet disturbingly believable, while the actors who brought Aibileen and Minny to life felt like my good friends by the time the movie was over.  “You is smart.  You is kind.  You is important.”  I loved, loved, loved this movie.  I want to marry it.
2.  Featured on Food Network's Diners, Drive-Ins & Dives, we headed over to Joe’s Farm Grill for lunch one afternoon.  I had the Fontina Burger, sweet potato fries and a dark chocolate shake, which is to say I forgave Arizona for being so hot that my spleen was asking to borrow my anti perspirant.
3.  I tried to teach my 4-year-old nephew about jaundice in regards to his Grinch stuffed animal with yellow eyes.  I think he gets it now.

I know a lot of you who read my blog here at RITH call the Grand Canyon State your home, and I’m happy for you.  However, in the future I think I’ll restrict my visits to fall between November and February.  It’s better that way.

17 comments:

Kristina P. said...

If you inserted "Mario Lopez" for "Satan" in the title, it would be the same. Arizona is ridiculous.

Buffy said...

Sooo glad you said that about the movie. I am almost done with the book and have been so nervous about the movie cause i love the book soooo much!

Emily said...

The Help! Seriously, I don't think I have EVER liked a movie as well as I liked the book, until now. It was perfectly cast I thought. Just so good. In fact, I read that the actress who plays Minny actually inspired the character for the author, so I'm glad she agreed to do the movie. It was all just perfect. If I hadn't been sitting with new friends I barely knew, I would have been a sobbing mess at the end when she leaves Mae Mobley behind. SO good.

Stefani said...

You never cease to entertain me! Thank you! I too loved The Help (the book AND the movie!) I too would prefer to visit AZ between Nov. and Feb.

laurie said...

Love your blog, but was personally touched by your sentiments of AZ. I have yet to figure out why I live here. However, so glad you got to experience Nielson's, and you may want to shorten your time period to Dec-Jan. Ü

just call me jo said...

Yep! Hotter than HELL here this month! I'm beginning to just lose what little mind I had left. It's melting...it's melting... There ARE some strange people in AZ even without considering me. I'm still not really "in" Arizona. I love Joe's. Haven't tried Nielsen's custard yet. Dang!

anitamombanita said...

I'm so glad you didn't get fried like the proverbial egg on the sidewalk while you were there. And, so glad that you seem to be back in the blogging rhythm again. What did we do with so little of you all summer long?!

Kirsten said...

I do reside in Gilbert, AZ- just down the street from Joe's farm grill. love that place. I do not however love this place (arizona) during this time of year. When I read the title I thought, "it sounds like she's talking about Arizona..." Why on earth would you visit here in August?!?! Come back in January.

ganelle said...

Could NEVER live in Arizona. I can barely stand summer in Colorado.

But the Help? Loved it! I still liked the book better, but I did really love the movie too.

Welcome to the Garden of Egan said...

Hilarious!
Yes, no explanation needed for frozen custard.

Sorry about Satan about crying. OK maybe not.

I loved the book and the movie as well. I loved the realness.

Kristi said...

Sounds like a fun vacation. . . Arizona in August huh?

"Cottage By The Sea" said...

And that is why I live at the beach and never leave home.

I also loved "The Help". It's the first time I can honestly say that the movie is even better than the book. The actors they chose for the characters were absolute perfection.

Lorie said...

Trolls? I mean that is just weird. Oh, and you know you are already married and that you can't actually marry a movie... I do want to watch it now.

Lorie said...

PS- I can't even fathom 115 degrees! 90 degrees here and you got the whole community up in arms!! I am serious!

Jillybean said...

1. If you had actually gone to the Grand Canyon it may not have been 115 degrees.
2................
Yeah, so I had a whole list of things I was going to say here, until I read Nielsons Frozen Custard.

DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW LONG IT'S BEEN SINCE I'VE HAD A CHOCOLATE ALMOND CONCRETE??????

Too long.

Karen said...

Can I please plan your marriage to The Help? It's going to be great.

Also, I'm confused about the trolls and I wasn't even there...

Christy said...

I'm a California native and have lived in the Phoenix area for over six years now. I still hate summer every bit as much as I did the first year I was here. And this particular August has been the month from Satan's home, if you know what I mean! I'm about to lose my sanity and when I look at the 10 day forcast, I just want to cry. I will cry when I see the electric bill. :( On the plus side, we do have Joe's. I love the Farm Grill almost as much as I love Joe's Real BBQ (they are sister restaurants). Did you use the bathroom while you were there? It's a trip! And I hope you didn't sit out back under the big tree with the sign that says "watch for falling scorpions".