Making Potica, Airport Runs, And Our Kids Arrive in Scottsdale

Evie's sister Jean, with her Endearing Grandson, Henry

Dinner at Jean's Condo

Up at 6:30, a bit lighter than yesterday and the mountain ridges are now visible as I write at 7:00.  It's a chilly 48 degrees outside, high of eighty later in the day.  A tinge of pink highlights the outline of the Mc Dowell Mountains, off to the north of our condo.

Yesterday was another busy day in Scottsdale, starting off with a great hike at the Mc Dowell Sonoran Preserve, about a fifteen minute drive from us.  It's made up of various trails, one a two hour loop around the mountains, the others mostly around the scrub that surround the mountain, including an interesting desert garden, with plants marked and explained for the hikers.  We met lots of people on our hike, half way up the Loop, many jogging with water packs, some walking dogs, even a tour led by a desert botanist,  I assume.  We walked for little over an hour because we wanted to get back to help my mother in law, Dot, put together her potica, a Slovenia nut roll.  When we returned from our hike, the dough from last night had risen, Dot had cooked the ground nuts up with sugar, milk, honey, and vanilla, so we were ready to shape the rolls and bake them.  We split the dough into ten rounds, rolled each one out into a 12 X14 rectangle, spread the nut mixture on the the pizza looking dough, rolled it up, placed three at a time on a baking sheet, put them in the oven till they were light brown, about 35 minutes and 350 degrees, and then took them out.  Lots of preparation, the dough and nuts, but the putting together was easy.

Dividing the Potica Dough

Spreading the Nut mixture on Dough

Rolling up the Nut Rolls 

The Finished Poticas

For lunch, I had cabbage rolls, saved from yesterday's efforts, and then mid afternoon, Evie went off with Jean, her sister, to the airport to pick up Jean's daughter and her family.  Dot and I hung out in the condo till about 5:00, when we drove to the airport, though heavy traffic, to pick up Kathy, Dot's sister.  We went back to Jean's for dinner, with her family, played with her son Henry and James his brother.  Henry was born with some disabilities but is one of the most endearing children I have been around.  He is always smiling and all you want to do is hug him. Around 8:00, Evie and I drove to the airport again, to pick up Jill, our daughter, who flew in from Washington at 8:30 and Claire, Evie's other sister, from Long Island, at 8:45.  Miraculously. I was able to pick both up easily, despite the complexity and confusion of four different terminals, north and south sides, cell phone parking lots, and so forth.  I hope I am as fortunate today when I make two more runs to pick up Beth and Tom and his daughter Marlena.

Mc Dowell  Sonoran Preserve Hiking Trail

Mc Dowell Sonoran Preserve at 9:30

We move out of Dot's condo this afternoon to a time share, The Diamond Resorts, for three days.  All of my family will be staying there, the rest of the Petkovsek family will be divided among Evie's sisters two places, and Dot's condo.  I also will pick up a rent a car today, take all our things as well as the kids bags and settle in the two time shares  A busy day.  By 9:00 tonight, just about all the family should be in town, ready for tomorrow, when we celebrate Evie's Dad's life, with a Memorial Service and luncheon. I am glad my three children were able to make it.  I know it's difficult with family and kids but they wanted to come.  We have made Claire's house party central, so most days the family will be gathering there for dinners and celebrating Ed's life.

Foraging Javelinas on Condo Grounds