Aloha -- Cathi
The total solar eclipse was visible 65-miles-wide from Oregon to South Carolina. (Photo from internet, courtesy of Cameron de Silva, for ABC News)
J.J. and I decided watch in Honu in Bunny and James' comfortable and spacious driveway. With excitement and anticipation we waited and waited. It never got dark at 68 percent in Show Low.
I am sure animals and birds are much more sensitive to such occurrences. Almost precisely at 10:38 am, the birds flew as if possessed and dogs barked incessantly at invisible intruders.
For the two of us, it was a nonevent but our friends witnessed this incredible happening in Bend, OR, Rocky Mountain National Park, CO, Peachtree, GA and even in Schenectady, NY.
Holbrook is located in Navajo County about half way between Show Low and Flagstaff. For our lunch stop, J.J. spotted a cafe near the West entrance to I-40. Dusty parking lot with the signage being held up by wire. It did not look very promising.
A Navajo man looking rather shy seated us at one of 6 tables. His hard leather-like skin the color of dark chocolate looked as if he has lived under the blazing Arizona sun all his life. He apologized that he was filling in for a waitress and carefully copied the items J.J. and I pointed in the menu.
Our simple Mexican dishes with no adornment were far better than their presentation. But what made our lunch stop memorable was the owner/chef, Robert. He came out to greet us. With a booming, commanding voice suitable for an operatic tenor, he transformed the place into fine-dining! J.J. left a very generous 30% tip for our quiet and nameless server.
Back at KOA Flagstaff, we met an interesting father and son. Mark now works for a construction firm. He was a builder, contractor and real estate broker who sold his own custom built homes. Bob, Mark's son is a middle school teacher in Madison, WI. He recently earned his Master's and will be working as an Assistant Vice Principal. His wife is studying veterinary medicine at the University of Wisconsin. The twosome were on their way to Vegas for Bob to return to Madison and for Mark to pick up his wife at the airport.
So you can see how the four of us found mutually interesting topics. Over the camp fire we also talked of retirement and travels until it was nearly 10:00 pm, way pass my bedtime.
Aloha -- Cathi
