A Week to Remember

February 26, 2011

Phoenix, AZ

This past week has been a delightful one.  At my age, many of us are not able to spend quality time with our elderly parents.  Many parents of my generation are confined to nursing homes, mentally and or physically disabled, or have long passed the surely bounds of Earth.  I am a lucky man indeed…as my Dad, at 88 years young, is taking in life almost as fast as it can dish it out. 

Although a bit slower in his step, he is still able to carry on an intelligent conversation about almost anything.  Politics, business, the world around him, good food and drink are all fair game as topics of discussion.  Best if done with a drink in hand; and his favorite drink is a Manhattan made with Canadian Mist, Southern Comfort, triple sec, sweet vermouth on ice with a dash of bitters.  No cherry needed!  He even still has all his natural teeth to eat a nice grilled steak.  Nothing puréed for my Dad to digest! 

Our week included a trip on the Phoenix Light Rail to Tempe, the home of Arizona State University.  The light rail allowed Dad to see how Phoenix has expanded from the days in the 1960’s when he would travel here to visit customers who were making swamp coolers.  Back then, he ran the Redmond Electric Motor Company, and this was “swamp cooler heaven”!  Several manufacturers for a growing hot dry climate.  Back then, Phoenix was nothing more than a cow town of about 40,000 residents.  A far cry from our current status as the 5^th largest market in the country! 

The Arizona Biltmore, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and the Wrigley Mansion were two points of interest to Dad.  Both are filled with history of the past and hope for the future.  With spectacular views and lush surroundings it was the perfect place to reflect and dream. 

We also had the chance to see the Del Webb museum.  Del Webb is the man who built it, and they came!  In the early 1960’s he bought some cotton fields 30 miles northwest of downtown Phoenix.  Back then, with only a 2 lane highway to get out there (US-60 the highway between Phoenix and Las Vegas), Del Webb built the original Sun City.  He convinced older citizens to leave their families behind to live an affordable and active life in the “Valley of the Sun”.  Never shovel snow again and drive your own golf cart to your country club, play as much golf as you can stand, and provide a club for nearly any hobby or activitiy you can think of.  Wow, what a life…and we are living it!

Dad and I even went on a day trip to Sedona.  Found the lot he almost purchased for a retirement home on the first country club in Sedona.  My parents were going to spend their later years with their good friends Don & Mary McCarthy.  Don retired as the Marketing Manager of Stroh’s Beer in Detroit and sadly both have passed, as has my Mom.  But for my Dad it was good for him to see what the neighborhood has become.  He remembered Sedona as the tiny villiage nestled in the magnificent towering red rock cliffs and mountains of Arizona where every turn is breath taking. 

 A great week…one filled with great moments and a lifetime of memories.  My only wish is that my Dad will return soon.  How about next month Dad?  I still have some Manhattan fixin’s left over we need to finish!