Land of Saguaros & Scorpions: Our Trek
Author: Bobby Valentine | Filed under: Bobby's World, Family, Journey, TucsonLand of Saguaros and Scorpions: Our Trek
Greetings from Tucson. Sorry it has been 17 days since my last post. I did not anticipate it being so long between posts.
But on January 2, around 3 pm the Valentines were done loading a big rig and pilled into a Saturn Vue and a Dodge Stratus. We took a final look at our home, took a deep breath and headed down the road. It was sad to leave Milwaukee. On our first night we did not make it quite to Springfield, Ill. The second night was spent in Tulsa, Ok. The third night was in Tucumcari (?), NM and the fourth in Lordsburg, NM.
The picture you see here was taken of my backyard in mid-December. I understand that it looks pretty much like this still.
Our trek was eventless, thankfully. We had sunshine the entire way except for a short period in Oklahoma. We had loads of fun. We listened to Ella Enchanted and Eragon (actually Rachael read it to me) and jammed to Bachman, Turner, Overdrive to roll on down the highway. We taught the girls how to play Spades in the hotel at night. We got lost in Alamagordo, NM some how but not quite sure how that happened. We got to see White Sands and mountains along the way.
We arrived in Tucson on Jan 6. Here our real adventure began. We were welcomed warmly by Palo Verde. But our furniture was supposed to get here on the 8th and did not show up until the 12th. We are just now getting things set up in a reasonable manner. We had no access to TV or the internet (proves I can live without either for a week or so). The rental agency did not have the wash machine (came with the house) hooked up properly … we discovered this after Pamella tried to wash clothes. Jack Frost decided make things a little chilly here in Tucson (got down to 20 or so one night) and our pipes froze … and busted! I would never have dreamed it possible. One adventurous moment took place when Talya found a scorpion in her bedroom and I had to “do battle” with it. I did not know that a scorpion could splatter like that!!
But when I wake up in the morning and walk out my front door this is what I see . . . This picture was taken from my front door step …
Things are starting to become normal. I have my office some kind of order, though I cannot find the book I want in a timely fashion. I preached my first sermon here last Sunday and left a “sick” impression (I was sick with a cold)! We are excited about the future here. I know that our journey is going to be an adventure here in the land of Saguaros and Scorpions.
Shalom,
Bobby Valentine
January 17th, 2007 at 8:50 pm
Welcome back Bobby!
I’ve been through Tucson once (about 18 years ago) on the way from Phoenix to Nogales (Just an obligatory tourist trip to the Mexican border, where I bought a soapstone chess set at the border for $20).
I remember all the saguaro cacti along the way. It’s like another world. I never would have guessed pipes would freeze there! I wonder how the cacti like that…
January 17th, 2007 at 10:05 pm
Welcome back.
A word of caution: The small the scorpion the deadlier. However the big black ones (6-10 inches) will give you a heart attack at first site. However they won’t kill you, believe it or not.
Black widows!!!! watch for them. And rattlers and killer bees. My wife and I heard something moving in the bushes outside our window one time and went to investigate. It was a foot long beetle watling around in there.
God’s creatures! all of them. Have to remind yourself that.
I am thrilled for you. I think you are in a wonderful place.
Many blessings…
January 17th, 2007 at 10:57 pm
Hey, glad the trek was uneventful. My dad got lost once on the way back from a vacation to Massachusets back in the 80s and we drove around the outskirts of Boston for about two hours before my mom finally convinced him to let me and my brother navigate. Otherwise we’d still be driving around the outskirts of Boston.
January 17th, 2007 at 11:01 pm
Hey, glad the trek was uneventful.
My dad got lost once on the way back from a vacation to Massachusets back in the 80s and we drove around the outskirts of Boston for about two hours before my mom finally convinced him to turn over the map and let me and my brother navigate. Otherwise we’d still be driving around the outskirts of Boston! : )
Hey, you should’ve stopped by Area 51 and Roswell on the drive out there. : )
E-mail me a mailing address (assuming you haven’t already).
Lee.
January 18th, 2007 at 12:26 am
So glad you’re back! Tucson will never be the same 🙂
Looking forward to the “warmer” posts.
January 18th, 2007 at 2:26 am
Ah, the joy of moving across country and starting anew!! I hope I NEVER have to do it again. But I’m glad you’re there, settling in, and blogging again. Good to have you back online.
January 18th, 2007 at 3:10 am
Glad you’ve landed. May God bless your new ministry and your dear family.
Grace and peace,
Tim
January 18th, 2007 at 3:28 am
Great front door scene. Glad you are settling and getting on track. I guess Tucson is like Florida without the humidity.
Peace.
January 18th, 2007 at 2:44 pm
Good job, enjoy cool weather while you can 🙂
January 18th, 2007 at 3:18 pm
looking forward to your regular blogs.
beautiful scenery, God bless
January 18th, 2007 at 3:21 pm
Glad you are back….
Small world story for you. My brother is in the Air Force and attends your new church! His name is Bruce Tucker. Look him up!! I think you will love Arizona.
Donna G.
January 18th, 2007 at 4:17 pm
Praying for your ministry.
January 18th, 2007 at 7:02 pm
We don’t have scorpions here, but they do about three hours away at the church camp where I’ve taught.
Here we have a lot of brown recluse spiders. The hospital says there is a case at least once a week.
Welcome to the neighborhood. According to Mapquest you are now only 13 hours away from me instead of 16. Maybe we should meet for lunch in Albuquerque.
January 18th, 2007 at 7:52 pm
Glad to having you typing again. I am thankful the trip went well and well wished prayers are upon you for an excellent work.
Welcome back!
January 18th, 2007 at 8:19 pm
Welcome back, Bobby!
I grew up in the Tulsa area… beautiful there. You’ll probably never get that much snow in Tucson, although L.A. is strangely getting snow now.
January 18th, 2007 at 8:48 pm
messianic gentile,
thanks to you I will be constantly in prayer that God DOES NOT call me to ministery in the southwest.
January 18th, 2007 at 10:45 pm
Welcome back online!!!!
January 19th, 2007 at 4:05 am
What an adventure! And what a beautiful view! How near are you to Al Maxey? Well…glad you’re getting things back together. Enjoy getting to know your new church family!
January 19th, 2007 at 2:18 pm
Great to have you back in the blogging world – looking forward to great southwest insights into the world and God’s kingdom (although, I can do without the creepy crawlies!)
January 19th, 2007 at 4:45 pm
What a view. Your scorpion encounter reminded me of the time Steve Puckett and I came across the biggest scorpion I’ve ever seen in our Director’s Cabin at the Central Florida Bible Camp. I seem to remember Steve throwing a shoe at it, hitting it, and then we couldn’t find it. It made for a sleepless night in Eustis.
Glad you, your family, and your furniture made it to Tucson safely. I know you’ll be a blessing to the good folks there as you were in Milwaukee.
January 19th, 2007 at 5:59 pm
Welcome back Bro — Glad to here you made it OK. We were through Tucson 2 years agoon our way to Phoenix in our RV. We really enjoyed the desert and the warmth — it wasFebruary and you know what that’s like here in the North.
Looking forward to your future thoughtful and challenging posts about our Abba father and how to live in the “shadow of the kingdom.”
God Bless
Charlie
p.s. I hope you get sunburned for abandoning the North!!!
January 19th, 2007 at 11:21 pm
Welcome back Bobby! Glad the moving part of this chapter is over. Look forward to reading you again.
January 20th, 2007 at 5:27 am
Glad you made it safely to your new home! So many exciting things await you and your family. May God richly bless you during this time of transition.
-bill
Spiritual Oasis Blog
January 20th, 2007 at 12:41 pm
Bobby,
I’m thankful you and your family made the journey without too much pain. I pray you settle quickly and that God uses you to His glory.
January 22nd, 2007 at 3:57 am
We’re both working on parallel journeys – mine just is educational versus residential 😉
Welcome back. I hope God is blessing your journey – He recently did mine with His peace.
January 28th, 2007 at 6:35 am
Welcome to Palo Verde, Bobby!
I don’t know if I am getting older or the preachers are just getting younger. In any case, it’s great to finally have someone from my own generation at PV. I look forward to meeting you.
Sean McClue
Mexico City, Mexico