We haven’t spent much time on the road, because we are spending family time in Sedona, Arizona. 

Family

We have had gatherings where five generations gather together to celebrate special birthdays, or just to enjoy time together. This time around, there are only two generations of family present.

We have always been a close family. When I was a kid, everyone lived in basically the same town and we all gathered at Grandma and Grandpa’s house for holidays, birthdays, or just because. 

I was friends with all my cousins while we were up. We had a great time together. Many times we all went camping together in the Mojave desert and the kids were all there to look after one another. We ran and played and had fun. I have many good memories of those years. 

Generations

Before my Grandma Marcy passed away last year, she was Generation One. She was the only one of that generation so she was simply “Grandma” - well she was also known as Mom, great-Grandma, and white-hair Grandma. She was so loved by us all. She passed just 10 days before she turned 101, and we gathered to celebrate our chance to have her as our inspiration for so many years. 

The next generation, naturally, is my mom’s. She and her sisters Marge and Kathy, and their brother Russ, along with their spouses, make up what we call “The Elders.” On these time-share vacations the Elders would stay together in one “condo” - I don’t know if that’s the right term but it’s what I think of these facilities. So there. They get a condo with enough bedrooms for everyone to have their privacy, then a big gathering space where we eat dinner, play games, and (some of them) watch sports on television. 

As “The Seniors” (my generation) became more able to travel, the gatherings grew and grew. Elder parents would book rooms or condos for Seniors, who would then be in charge of which of their kids, called “The Kids” would join them. As the years passed, more space was needed for The Kids and "The Babies.” Some of those Babies are teenagers now, but more are still coming. One thing my family seems to know, is how to grow a family. 

It makes me wonder how I managed to be part of this brood, with no children of my own!

Short List

This trip only includes the Elders (my mom’s generation) and some Seniors (my generation). Sometimes we also have the Kids and the Babies. I don’t think even Seniors were part of the original plan, but we managed to talk our way into the trip anyway. Not all of us though. On this trip I have two cousins and one sister with whom to run and play and have fun. Except running is out of the question and playing means card games. We sure do have fun, though!

Tlaquepaque

Yesterday we wanted to explore Tlaquepaque. This is a sort of an artisan village in Sedona. There are shops and most of them sell local artwork. There are some terrific artists in Sedona.

Tony thought about calling an Uber, because we figured parking would be bad on a summer Saturday. Instead, cousin Jim offered to be the Uber. He took three of us, then went back and picked up three more. 

Also at Tlaquepaque, there is a new (well, new to us) tavern called Oak Creek Brewery and Grill. After we checked out all the artisan shops, and naturally the toy store, we were hungry and headed up to the second floor to have some lunch, Oh, and some beer, too you ask? Well, if you insist. 

Tony ordered the flight of their seven regular beers. They call the flight “the seven dwarves.” He liked most of the beers he tasted. We ate a quesadilla, some chicken wings, and soft pretzels. We should have skipped one of those, we got really full.

Jim made a couple trips shuttling us all back to the timeshare, where we rested up for the afternoon. 

Dinner Duty

During these gatherings, each couple or a few singles, or whatever grouping makes sense, is in charge of one night of dinner for the group. The first night, Uncle Russ and Aunt Letia bought pizza. That’s our typical first-night dinner because everyone traveled and nobody wants to cook. 

The next night, Aunt Marie and Aunt Kathy made breakfast for dinner. They made a yummy biscuit and gravy casserole, and tater tots. We had mimosas, which eventually turned into Fireball and orange juice. We still haven’t settled on a name for our concoction. About half of us love it and the other half turned away.

For our turn, we baked chicken thighs with lemon pepper. We also made cheesy cornbread that Tony saw on TikTok. I mixed up a broccoli salad and made Micki’s Fruit Fluff for dessert. We did a good job of portions. The only food left was chicken thighs, which we will eat for our lunches for the next few days!

Sedona Sunset

This is the first time my cousin Jim has been able to come to Sedona, so he is excited to see all the sites. Someone told him not to miss the sunset from the overview at the airport. We had a bit of time after dinner, so some of the Seniors played a couple games of pool in the activity center, then we climbed back into our personal Uber and headed to the airport scenic overlook to watch the sunset. 

It was not as crowded as I had feared it might be, but there were a lot of people there taking pictures and waiting for the sky to put on its show. The view from that vista is really nice. It overlooks all of downtown Sedona, and one of the many red rock formations that make Sedona so beautiful. 

No Dice? Wait; Yes Dice

I had also wondered how much traffic we would be stuck in getting back from the airport, but it really was not terribly getting away. We got back to The Elders’ room and played a couple games of Left, Right, Center. First Uncle Russ won, then Jim won. It’s always a lot of fun because the version of the game we play has a wild face, and the person who rolls a Wild gets to steal a dollar from anyone else at the table. It can get rowdy!

Quiet Time

Kathy, and I headed back to our condo and noted there was just enough time for a soak in the hot tub. We changed and picked up Tony and went to the pool area. It was completely empty! It seemed so strange for a summer Saturday night. Maybe people thought it was still too hot. And they thought right. I couldn’t even get in the water! I did step into the regular pool, and thought maybe I could get in but decided against it. It was a little too cool for my taste. 

Sunday

Sunday morning Kathy, Tony and I went to the Coffee Pot restaurant for breakfast. It boasts a menu including 101 omelettes. Their combinations can be pretty wild! While I love peanut butter, jelly, and banana I just can’t seem to imagine them eating good folded into eggs. 

We drove around and did some site-seeing, then rested and worked through the afternoon. 

My cousins were in charge of dinner. They made enchilada casserole, chili relleno casserole, and a taco bar. They also made margaritas. As dishes were being washed, a dance party broke out and we all danced until we were too tired to stand. Which, sad to say, took about an hour. And the Elders danced just as much as the Seniors!

There was cake to celebrate my 60th birthday, and Uncle Russ and Aunt Letia’s 60th wedding anniversary. We played a couple games of Hand & Foot and suddenly the day was at its end.