Lori Condon:  

I am currently living in and loving Scottsdale,Arizona. What a different place than Northern California. I never thought that I would truly enjoy the desert, but I have learned to appreciate and notice the change of season, yes there are seasonal changes here. Wonderful out of this world lightning & rain storms in August, and breathtaking sunsets consisting of colors I have never even dreamed of, and hotter than heck heat four to five months out of the year. People always say it's a dry heat..well that's true, but so is a 350 degree oven, you don't stick your head in it. I still consider the Bay my home, and miss it everyday. We do have wild desert animals here. There have been wild coyotes sitting at my front door (they want my toy poodle), very large owls (they want my poodle) bobcats, mountain lions, javelina's (wild pigs) which I recently had between eight and eleven on my front yard, and lots of rabbits. On the Indian Reservation a few miles away, there is a herd of wild horses, all amazing. Haven't come head on with a diamondback yet, the snake variety at least;I have had recently two baby snakes in my house, one in the laundry room and one in the main hall. Gardening I did come in close contact with a six foot, about three inch round snake in my backyard. I tried to beat him to death, my daughter saw me and thought that was an interesting way to garden. She had no idea I was trying to kill a snake...he won...he's still out there...and I don't garden in that section that much anymore. Update, gardener found him. The snake is gone, I won, and now I can garden wherever I want.......it was as long as I am tall. I have renewed my interest in golf here and play best when the temperature rises above 110 degrees in the shade. At the end of August my handicap is the lowest. I have also renewed my interest in Tennis and play regularly as the community I live in is resort like, with a lot of "winter residents", and tennis courts on every corner. I have been married for 18 years and have two girls 13 and 15, that remind me I am payin' for my raisin'. I must have really been hell on wheels. These girls keep me on my toes. I was an Oakland Raider cheerleader shortly after High School, joined the working world mostly focusing on sales and marketing in the Electronic Industry in the Silicon Valley. After my oldest daughter was born, I stopped working for pay and often miss my "life"...however, "l...Expand for more