Success

Mark & I drove over 1,200 miles through the heart of Mexico and did not see one killing or kidnapping. We did meet a lot of incredible people and see a beautiful part of the country.

I picked him up in St. David, AZ where he was working. It was raining cats & dogs. We drove through Tombstone. You know they have billboards there with actual photos of Wyatt Earp, who looks remarkably like Kurt Russell. Bisbee is really pretty with a lot of tall, old buildings. Douglas still has the Gadsen Hotel downtown. We ate at a quaint little place in Aqua Prieta served by a young man who graduated from North High in Phoenix. He said to give our regards to Sheriff Joe.

We followed some double trailer semis through the mountains in the dark through Janos where we turned South. We reached Nuevo Casas Grandes late at night and stayed in the luxurious Paquime Hotel. Next morning we drove out to Colonia Juarez, one of the mormon colonies. As we drove into town, there was a banner hung over the highway which announced, "Welcome Home Elder Ordaz". The scene might remind some people of driving up from South End into Afton, WY. Col. Juarez is a beautiful farming community nestled between hills. There are apple and peach orchards all around and a beautiful Temple on the hill. The architecture would remind you more of Northern Arizona than most of Mexico.

We attended the wedding of one of Elder Brimley's companion's converts, who married a local girl from Nvo. C G. Elder Martinez is a handsome and funny man with a really interesting church history. Mark says he is one of the best missionaries he knows. That night we drove on down to Chihuahua, Chihuahua via Lebaron, the "other" mormon colony. We spent quite a bit of time finding a motel for under $400 pesos a night, but finally found one that did not rent by the hour.

Sat. AM we drove to Saucillo where we met Nora and her family. They showed off the new pig pen they were working on and served us homemade salsa and candy coated cacahuates (peanuts). The countryside there reminded me of Central California. It was a lush agricultural area growing chiles, chiles, chiles, corn, and peanuts. We had a lot of fun with their family and saw the two houses that the dad is building by himself. We then headed back north through Delicias were we visited with several families from the Delicias branch. We just missed the famous Elder Hawkins, aka, John Sena. One of the girls, Hna. Valverde, admitted to us that when Elder Brimley left he had driven all the girls in the branch loco. He gave her the abarozo and told her to hold it over their heads that she was the only one to get a hug.

We drove back up through Chihuahua to Nvo. Casas Grande where we had a Mex Burger. It wasn't as good as he remembered it. Back in Col. Juarez we ran into John Whetton in whose house the missionaries had stayed. He invited us to spend the night (inside in the guest bedroom this time). We had a wonderful evening with John and his 4 boys. John told us that Little Johnny takes after him. John must have had a lot of energy. He also told us about his romance with Jen. That is quite a story.

Sunday morning we went to church at both of the Colonia Juarez wards. What a great tradition of service comes from there. We met a lot of wonderful people in both wards. A few of them even knew that Elder Brimley had gone home from his mission a few months ago, although some wondered why he had a grey-haired companion.

We finished off our trip with a terrific home-cooked meal in the home of Familia Ordaz who were kind enough to include us in their homecoming celebration for Elder Roberto Ordaz. Mark & I drove on home that night.

I cant' begin to tell all the people that we saw and visited with and all the places we saw, but we had a great trip. I've posted pictures on facebook.

Nothing to worry About Now

I just read the good news. The murder rate in Mexico is down. So me and Mark have nothing to worry about (just don't read the article too closely). We'll tell you all about it when we get back.

Me and Mark to Mexico

Mark & I are going to Mexico this weekend. He will be working in St. David, AZ, so I will pick him up there and head through Tombstone to Douglas & Agua Prieta. We will travel to Colonia Juarez, through Lebaron to Chihuahua, Chihuahua and down to Delicias & Saucillo. Then back to Colonia Juarez for peaches and church.

Arizona's Recovery Plan--Lower demand & raise taxes

I recently saw a blog with the title, "Summer of Recovery?". I didn't read it so I'm just reacting to the title. For Arizona, I don't think so. We must have the most treacherous real estate market. Repos are still available really cheap, and those fixing them up are facing low and uncertain appraisals.. This makes selling tough and profitability uncertain. Those investors in the market are having to bring lots of cash and facing uncertain liquidity. Homes may remain on the market or go into the rental pool. Cash investors tend to have their capital tied up and leveraged investors are stuck paying hard-money rates. Either way, a demand checked by poor credit, tightened rules, and under-employment keeps prices and activity down.

There are some qualified buyers, but the prices of fixed-up repos are still low enough to discourage new building. I still don't see much of that happening. There is a little bit in areas buyers have found incredible lot deals where they want to live.

Arizona politicians have found a way to help squash the recovery. SB 1070 is working. Illegal aliens and their families are moving out of Arizona taking their spending with them. These people buy homes, rent apartments, and spend money on all kinds of things. Many pay taxes through payroll deductions, sales taxes, and property taxes, just like the rest of us.

I'm all for just laws, but I'm for actually allowing legal immigration. It doesn't make sense just to say, "Let them follow the rules and come legally." There is virtually no legal immigration allowed from Mexico, Guatemala, etc.

To those who say we just want to follow the law, as if being legal were the same as being right, I remind them that until a few years ago there was a law in Missouri which made it illegal for my people to live in that state. It said that "'my people' were an abomination and should be "exterminated, or driven from the state." Should every other state have "mirrored" the extermination order? After all, it was the law of the land. That law worked too. And there was no "amnesty plan", no loopholes to let "those people" stay in Missouri while they got their legal papers. Just like today, there is no alternative to moving out.

South High Drag

I don't think I have many followers, and rightfully so, I hardly write at all and then not aimed at a broad audience. But I hope there may be some response to this.

I went with a friend and visited another friend in hospice tonight. One never knows what to expect, but he was alert and shared a lot about his life. He had a couple of questions that he had been saving up for me. One was personal. He said that when he was younger he had gone out with a nice girl named Donna Brimley (not my mom). I had heard her name recently and I think she is one of my dad's cousins, a daughter of Uncle Verne. I asked him if he had attended South High in Salt Lake, which he had. Of course then the obvious question (to one of Jay Brimley's children) was, 'Do you know the South High Drag'. His answer, the perfectly reasonable, 'Why yes, that's the only steps I could do. One, two, three, step.' It all made perfect sense. We always thought that was something our dad made up. I don't think so.

If anyone reads this and knows anyone from SLC, I would sure like to hear anything they know about the South High Drag.

Emily in Wonderland: Island Park, ID

Emily in Wonderland: Island Park, ID

Thanks for sharing your vacation.

Door & Trim Store

I haven't mentioned any commercial activities, but me, Chris McConaghie, and Armando Orona have had a door shop going for about 3 years. It is "Aztec Door & Trim, LLC", but since we moved into our new store at 821 W. Broadway in Mesa, AZ, we have called it "The Door & Trim Store".

We sell all kinds of doors and mouldings way cheaper than the big box stores and we specialize in Knotty Alder doors. Armando's wife, Sonia started a fan page over on facebook, so if any readers are on facebook, go and become a fan. If any of you are in Arizona, come on down to the store and see us, and save some money on your remodeling or building. (That building comment was for anyone who remembers what is like to build a new home, you younger readers ask a parent or older relative)