November 1st at The Tropical Paradise

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It's November 1st, the day after Halloween. And even though I've lived in the southwest and California all of my adult life, I am still amazed by how beautiful the weather is here now in the Phoenix, Arizona area.

I grew up in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and believe me, you don't see this on November 1st. Many people who did grow up here in the Phoenix area talk about how terrible the weather is, and it must have been pretty awful for kids who try to play outside during the 100-degree-plus temperatures in the summer.

But I didn't move away from Minneapolis until I was 20. And I have been fortunate to have worked in air-conditioned buildings and owned air-conditioned cars during my career here in Arizona. I can't imagine how people can work outside in Phoenix in the summer. But I also can't image how people can work outside in Minneapolis in the winter.

In my mid to late twenties I lived in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara, California. I wanted to live somewhere that didn't snow, and that had palm trees. Unfortunately California turned out to be too crowded, too dirty, and too expensive, for my tastes. Phoenix was a good compromise for me. The weather is not perfect year-round, like it is in southern California. But for October, November, December, January, February, March and April, here in the Sonoran Desert is some of the finest weather this planet has to offer. Blue skies, mild temperatures, and lots of palm trees and flowers!

I like it here.

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