Although I was suffering from a cold, I drove north to Flagstaff Friday afternoon to see Evan. I hope he doesn't catch it. That night we had Thai food and I tossed and turned, blowing my nose over and over again.

The next morning Evan made me pancakes. Then we drove to Montezuma's Well. It is a deep hole in the limestone, filled with water. Ducks were enjoying themselves.

Cactus on the edge.

We saw historic graffiti.

1878.

And prehistoric dwellings.

From the 1300s or so.

Saturday night we watched Cannibal: The Musical. I was entertained.

This morning Evan took me to a mystery spot. The Grand Falls of the Little Colorado River.

Frozen.

A nearby volcano erupted 20,000 years ago and the lava flow filled part of the Little Colorado River, causing the river to shift and form these falls. They were very dramatic and you cannot tell, but it is about 200 feet down.

I made Evan stay away from the edges of the cliff, I am scared of heights.

San Francisco peaks in the distance.

We had a remarkably nice morning.

I got him the t-shirt in Austin.

On the way out we saw sheep guarded by dogs.

Navajo sheep.

And a lonely tree.

Tree.

I suggested we have Indian food for lunch. We went to the Himalayan Grill. The food was excellent.

YUMMMM.

They brought us champagne.

Bubbles.

It was an awesome weekend with Evan.

At home, better living through chemistry, trying to defeat a stupid cold.

Joey, look at the camera.

I think it is nap time.

My great-grandfather Philip was born in 1874 in Pennsylvania, somewhere in or near Pittsburgh. Someday I will go to Pittsburgh and find his baptismal record, his parents were members of a German Lutheran church there.

Philip, seated at right.

His father was a Civil War veteran and his mother came to the United States from Germany as a child. They moved to Traverse City and had a farm, both died in the 1890s and Philip had to help raise his younger brother Frederick and sister Elizabeth.

Philip and his brother Walter, circa 1895.

In August 1899, Philip was married to Grace.

Philip, circa 1900.

Grace.

A daughter Amy was born in January 1900, four months after the marriage. Many people would like to pretend that 19th century folks were not engaging in premarital sex. You would be surprised to find out how many were. As my mother says, "The first baby can be born at any time after you marry"

Philip and Grace's daughter Amy died from convulsions and diarrhea in May 1900.

Amy's tombstone in Oakwood Cemetery.

A few weeks later the census taker listed Philip and Grace living at 723 Webster Street in Traverse City. Philip was working as a laborer in a basket factory.

Grace's father was elected Sheriff of Grand Traverse County in November 1900.

He was later a State Representative.

He hired Philip to be his Deputy Sheriff. Philip and Grace moved into the County Jail and lived upstairs. Newspaper articles describe Philip as being sent to various towns to transport criminals to and from the jail or to the prison in Jackson.

Sheriff David and Deputy Sheriff Philip in front of the jail, circa 1901.

Their son Byron was born upstairs in the jail in 1901. There were three more children- Harold (1904) (my grandfather), Frederick (1905), and Bessie (1907).

Byron, Frederick, and Harold in 1906.

Bessie was born in January 1907 and the day after her birth little Frederick died.

Later that year Philip felt a pain in his abdomen. His appendix had burst and after three days of suffering he died from septic peritonitis. He was 37-years-old.

Philip's death certificate.

The family was too poor to buy him a tombstone. One of the things I plan on doing eventually is to purchase one for him and his son Frederick.

On November 17th I attended a museum exhibit opening. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords was there, her parents had lent many items for the exhibit. I stood nearby as she chatted with my friend Barney and cooed over Barney's elfish baby. I wanted to congratulate her on her re-election. She has been an advocate for LGBT people and is a no-nonsense sort of legislator. But I decided not to interrupt and went on my way.

It is really disheartening to live in Arizona right now. Racism, guns allowed everywhere, transplant patients denied organs, healthcare cancelled for children, state parks closed, Mexican ethnic studies banned, teachers with accents to be fired. Honestly, nothing surprises me anymore.

This is our new, sexy Attorney General for the State of Arizona. Tom Horne. Lol, his name is almost spelled like Horny!

Nice comb-over dude, you fooled everyone!

Tom used to be our Superintendent of Public Education (insert lauh-track chuckle here). In the last four years or so, Arizona has dropped to about 48th or 49th place in terms of public funding of education. Even during the booming development years, Horny and his Republican allies made sure education was under-funded.

And Tom hates Mexicans. I mean, he REALLY HATES THEM. He sent people out to videotape children walking across the border to attend schools in the U.S. of Arizona. He announced that Mexicans were illegally attending Arizona skools. Of course, no one bothered to check the citizenship papers of those tykes, many of whom were probably legal residents.

Now he will be taking his vendetta against the Tucson Unified School District to new levels. He is threatening to sue the district to stop it from having Mexican Studies classes, since Tom wrote a law banning ethnic studies classes. No Native American studies or languages, no African-American studies either. But Western Civilization is alright, because white people stuff is alright.

I'm pretty sure he hates the homosexuals too, but right now the best way to get your ass into a highly paid public office is to hate Mexicans the most.

We drove south to Bisbee and went to an antique store, where I bought an old print for my dining room. It was Evan's first time in that part of the state.

Evan and Homer.

It was a lovely way to start 2011.

2010 was the worst year and the best year.

bad things:

- Forrest had to move to North Carolina and lost his father.

- Sam died

- Mama Cat died

- shingles and that rock in my eye

- the Saturn was totaled

good things:

- still gainfully employed

- had a wonderful visit in Portland with Mark and Rodger

- had a nice visit to Las Vegas to see Erich, James, and George

best things:

- canned watermelon rind pickles, carmelized onions, jams, and chutneys. I told my mother I could do anything I wanted to

- my boyfriend Evan