My personalized plates have arrived!

I ordered these plates the same day I had my van registered for Arizona. They arrived in today's mail. I am now the proud owner of a silly plate, a variant of "Dog House" since all three dogs travel with me when we go long distances.

I checked the Arizona Department of Transportation website for other personalized plate choices. There are currently 20689 personalized license plates using Arizona's standard background of a desert mountain ridge with several saguaro silhouetted against a setting sun. Our state has perhaps the prettiest license plates in the country, (with New Jersey still holding top slot for most boring plates).

I was surprised that there are so many personalized plates for dog lovers and "dog houses." But other plates such as DOBIE, DOBRMN, DOBERMN, DOGDRVN, DOGDUDE, DOGGON, DOGHAUS, DOGILVR, DOGVAN, DOGJEEP, DOGMAN, DOGMBL, DOGNME, DOGPAL, DOGPEN, DOGWGN, DOGWUVR were on our roads. My favorite? DOGMA.

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Winds that were predicted for today came this morning, with increasing gusts that now seem almost frightening in light of the news of several brush fires in Oklahoma and northern Texas in which two people were killed. The towns of Sunset and Stoneburg north of Dallas were destroyed. It's been dry here as well, and it wouldn't take much for a pyromaniac to set my beautiful mountains on fire. Wildfires are something I wouldn't want to wish on anyone. Texas last year had a burning season along its Oklahoma border; I'm sure residents there are reliving a nightmare.

I had planned on driving through the Texas Panhandle on my way to Indiana next month.

http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/dws/dn/latestnews/stories/041009dntexwildfires.558dc1.html http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/11/us/11storms.html?hpw

County seeing windy conditions, rain and snow forecast
Published: Friday, April 10, 2009 4:01 PM MST

SIERRA VISTA — Cochise County and Southern Arizona are under a red flag warning and could be seeing rain or snow on Friday night, according to the National Weather Service.

The weather service issued a red flag warning and wind advisory for the county and much of Southeastern Arizona. Both warnings are in effect until 8 p.m. on Friday.

A red flag warning is when high winds and low relative humidity levels are forecast, causing a high fire danger.

At 2:55 p.m., a wind speed of 31 mph and a gust of 43 mph were measured at Libby Army Airfield on Fort Huachuca, according to the weather service.

For areas above 6,000 feet, a winter weather advisory is in effect between midnight on Friday and 8 p.m. on Saturday.

The weather service is forecasting a storm moving into the area on Friday night and being in the area on Saturday. Rain is possible, as is snow for the Bisbee and Sierra Vista areas.The weather service says snow levels could drop to 4,500 feet on Saturday morning, with 1 to 4 inches possible above 6,000 feet.

Winds on Saturday are expected to be between 18 and 21 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. The storm is expected to move out of the area on Sunday, and warmer temperatures are forecast, the weather service said.
http://www.svherald.com/articles/2009/04/10/news/breaking_news/doc49dfcf9eb8ae0934641902.txt