I picked up my sister-in-law, Cindy, and my nephew, Murray, at the Phoenix airport on March 23, and we moved into a double queen suite at the Arizona Grand Hotel and Spa. For the second year in a row I had successfully wheedled an invitation to join in the fun while Murray and his select baseball team played in a tournament in the Phoenix metro area. My role is driver and supporter, and occasionally scrambled egg-maker. In return, I get the pleasure of seeing family, watching youth baseball and hanging out at a beautiful hotel.
So far in my South by Southwest car camping swing I had been mostly staying at state parks and RV parks, sleeping in my car. Needless to say, this was quite the step up. Each day I tried to fit in a run on the path along the golf course or yoga in the athletic club, just to make the most of my surroundings. We watched a lot of baseball and sat by the waterpark chatting while the kids went down the waterslides or goofed off in the lazy river. (Oh yeah, did I mention the Arizona Grand has an on-site waterpark?!)
I have to admit that Phoenix is still one of my least favorite cities in America. It seems to me to be pretty much unchecked urban sprawl ruining a perfectly lovely desert. It is strip mall after strip mall, crowded highways and constant construction, and I have no use for it save one: Family. My sister-in-law Dona and brother-in-law Joe both live in the Phoenix suburbs, so I enjoy having the opportunity to visit with them. And March is a good time to be there to avoid the insane temperatures of a Phoenix summer. (At the end of July 2023 Phoenix experienced a 31-day streak of highs at or above 110 degree temperatures.)
So back to family and baseball - a great excuse to go anywhere! Murray is immensely talented - and he and his teammates were really fun to watch. Dona came to a couple of the games, and I loved catching up with both her and Cindy in the stands.
By the time the fun was over, we had watched the boys play 4 games, went to a Mariners Spring Training game, and logged a lot of hours chatting while hanging out at the base of the waterslides at the hotel. I drove Murray and Cindy back to the airport on March 27, then drove myself right back to the Arizona Grand - not quite ready to leave yet. I used the hotel spa once more, then hit the road for California.
Many thanks to Murray and Cindy for letting Aunt Jenny tag along. Keep playing ball and I'll keep tagging along and calling out "Way to go, Brightbill!" I can't wait to see you again soon. I'll bring the donuts!
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