Day 8 of The Great Cross Country Adventure: Exploring Tucson

 Today began with a death march in the heat lovely tour of the University of Arizona campus at which time pregnancy hormones did one of those ugly morning flare ups where you’re suddenly exhausted from spending a week on the road and nothing sounds good to eat or drink, even though your hungry and thirsty and the last thing you feel like doing is braving the oppressive temperatures to look at historic brick buildings and you feel like you’d like to have a Mae Bae worthy temper tantrum right there at the idea of taking another step.  It took about 10 seconds inside an air conditioned building, with a bottle of water, to totally change my perspective.  Suddenly things were rosy and wonderful again, although Paul probably thinks I’m insane now and would probably sooner hitch hike across the country than suggest another road trip any time soon.  

After the walking tour failed we piled into the car and took an air conditioned driving tour (and blessedly the air conditioner worked all day today). 

Then Paul made the best suggestion I have ever heard.  He asked if I wanted to go to the fabric store we kept driving by.  I excitedly said yes and we headed over to it.

Inside a plain, cement building were stacks of fabric.  They were in cardboard boxes and piled on tables.  Some were on rolls and some were flung in giant piles with signs hanging over them that said things like: Apparel Fabrics $2.99 a yard.  Others were $1.99 a yard. 

Mae giggled as we walked down a colorful wall covered in spools of lace trim with a sign that said the lace trim started at 25 cents a yard.  As I examined the spools I found that most were actually 25 cents and that they were actually pretty fantastic.  I just about started jumping up and down when I found three huge boxes of brightly colored lace at 1/3 of the price of the stores I normally go to, that was comparable quality. 

After Paul carried about a dozen armloads of fabric to the cutting table I told myself I couldn’t go over to see the second half of the store where the beautiful chiffons and beaded lace were beckoning me (gorgeous beaded lace for $7.99 a yard!!! I had to tear myself from the store!) and finally made my way to the cash register to collect my two gigantic bags of fabric. 

He’s a pretty awesome husband.  Especially after my rather sulky start to the day…

He took us to lunch at a restaurant he worked at during college, where Sadie insisted on tasting my hot chicken wings, made a face and said she didn’t like them, and then asked for more and Mae sat at the table giggling as she ate yet another cheese quesadilla. 

Then it was back to the hotel for resting and swimming. 

The wind picked up while we were in the pool and Mae clung to me as strips of palm tree bark and a lawn chair were blown into the pool (she seemed to think it was all quite wonderful as long as she had a firm grip on Mommy’s neck).  Sadie, on the other hand, discovered a passion for going under water and kept insisting on Paul and I going under water with her.

Now our restful day is at an end and it’s time to get back on the road and head north.  I’m starting to get impatient to arrive at home.  This week has been fun, but it’s exhausting!  Eight days down, three to go!