Pretty Quiet

New Mexico’s windy March has kept us pretty quiet and inside.  The Abeyta’s laid a new wood floor in their living room yesterday and it came out so nice. Jim keeps trying to figure out if we could put wood flooring in our rig like so many RVers have done recently.  I sure would like that….so unhappy with carpeting anymore.

I worked on my knitting project and almost finished.  It’s a purple and red shawl with fitted cuffs at the wrists.  Need to “work in” the ends and then I’ll put up a photo.

Really, nothing to report as we just watched TV and looked out the windows and watched the dirt fly by in gusts of wind.

But you can all be well assured…..you are loved!

Espanola, New Mexico

We made the hour and a half drive from Cochiti Lake COE to Espanola on Friday….thankfully the winds were finally calm.  The two prior days brought us very windy days with gusts of 50 mph. We so enjoyed our time with The Berganns and hope to camp/RV with them again this summer.  

In Espanola we are staying with our friends, The Abeytas, parking the rig in their yard. (We first met them the first year we camphosted and they were one of our first campers.)  Last night we took The Abeytas out for dinner to OKay Casino for their seafood buffet.  Oh, it was good.  They had mounds of boiled shrimp, raw oysters, mussels with onions and garlic, popcorn shrimp, coconut shrimp, baked salmon and the biggy…snow crabs.  We did damage to it all and were very satisfied.

The Abeytas are redoing their living room and this morning are having the new floor laid.  Jim is “earning our keep” by staining the floor trim and helping out. 

We’ll probably stay here 10 days or so and just relax with friends.  Depending on our Santa Fe family’s work schedule, we may drive down there to see them again before we head on up to Colorado.

Remember, you are loved.

Day with the Berganns

Since we saw all our Santa Fe family earlier this week and they are all back to work now, we took our campground mates (and former boss) out to breakfast at one of our favorite places….Tecolote Cafe. Their motto is “best breakfast – no toast”.   I like the metal sculptures next door as well.

    

Tecolote’s menu is very different, which I really like.  You have all the usual, but also can get eggs and chicken liver, frittatas, eggs benedict and a french toast made with oat and pecan bread.  Here’s what we had (Jim still hates my taking photos of the food we eat..look at that face).

My omelet with green chile and posole on the side	Jim’s huevos rancho…so good
Heinz frittata, bacon and thin,thin sliced potatoes,yum	Angela’s breakfast burrito and those thin potatoes

The best part of breakfast is when you choose the bread basket over a tortilla to go with your meal. We got a blueberry, cranberry,streusel top, blue corn muffins along with two biscuits.  Much better than two tortillas.

After breakfast we stopped at Smith’s and bought steaks, salmon and asparagus (99 cents a pound!) for dinner.

Driving out of town we saw the Railrunner … mass transit.  It’s pretty spiffy.

      

Spent the afternoon worrying about if we were going to be blown over because of all the high, gusty winds.  Some gusts were 50 MPH!!!!  Gad zooks, Batman!

Later on Jim braved the battering winds and grilled outside, with Heinz keeping him company. “Hay, look up”

      

What a nice dinner we had with plenty of leftovers.

We were going to leave this morning and drive up to Espanola to stay with our friends, The Abeytas, but this crazy wind and the high gusts made us rethink our plans.  We’ll stay another night and leave tomorrow.

Remember, you are loved.
Read the story behind this saying HERE

Visit with Family

Finally able to get everyone together to gather for a meal over a two day period here in Santa Fe. Monday we got together at our eldest daughter, Christine’s, house. When we arrived there were both daughters, three grandchildren and both our great-granddaughters…..WOW.

Through coffee and donuts we discussed our lives since we last saw each other last September….fun.  Then through munching pizza we watched the movie “About Time”, where the men in the family can time-travel, go back in time and change events for a better outcome….interesting.

Tuesday the daughters and our son-in-law gather at his parent’s home for a wonderful seafood pasta dinner he cooked.

We always enjoy seeing our family a couple times a year.  Now that we will not be working during summers, we’ll be able to come down from Colorado a couple of times to see them during the summer.

Weather is warm in the 60s with a light breeze, so it has been a lovely visit.

Remember, you are loved.

Barbeque with Friends

We and the Berganns watched the mass exodus of RVs Sunday morning and were able to secure electric sites next to each other after sharing breakfast.  The view of Cochiti Lake is beautiful.

  

With nine of our adult family members living in Santa Fe it is difficult to find a time to get everyone together with everyone’s different work schedules. So this time it works best to see our folks on Monday and Tuesday.

So Sunday we made arrangements to visit friends who also live in town.  You’ve heard us talk about the Abeytas whom we met many years ago when camphosting in Big Meadows in Colorado.  Their son, Tim and roommate, Paulo, live in Santa Fe so we went to visit them. 

Tim is a great cook and does the barbequing, while Paulo greeted us with a Brazilian bread appetizer called Pao de Queijo, this one flavored with cheese. Oh, they were delicate, puffy and marvelous. Paulo gave me two packages to take home.

    

The guys have the cutest pup named Chaps.  He and Poncho had a great time playing with each other in their large, enclosed backyard.

We enjoyed the warm, sunny day outside while the food cooked.  And then look at the end result….skewers of chicken and shrimp with a beautiful mound of sautéed peppers. Add to that flavorful rice and the mac salad I brought…it was all so tasty.
      

We had a wonderful time together and really enjoyed ourselves.  We’ll be driving to Espanola later this week to spend time with Tim’s parents, so may see Tim and Paulo again there. 

Remember, you are loved.
Read the story behind this saying HERE

Deming to Cochiti Lake, NM

We stayed for the breakfast at Dream Catcher RV Park yesterday and had our farewell with the Heberleins.  Getting on the road at 9 a.m. got us to Socorro about lunch time, where we stopped at Roadrunner Travel Center.  It was a convenience store with Crane Café in the rear.  Oh, how is small, unassuming café could put out some large flavored food. 

After eating mostly Cajun food for the last three months, it was time for New Mexico green chili.  Look at Jim’s choice….the Roadrunner Special….burger smothered in green chili, topped with french fries, smothered in green chili and topped with cheese….no calories here, right? 

No, he didn’t eat it all, but he sure put a big dent in it.

If you are traveling on I-25 in New Mexico, Crane Café is on the north end of Socorro, on the west side. It’s a must stop.

We were going to meet my former boss, Heinz, and his wife, Angela, at Cochiti Lake, so we were texting each other back and forth.  They were coming from Alamosa, Colorado, but started around 11 a.m. so it was kind of a race to see who got there first.  We won, but only by 10 minutes since we stopped for lunch. It was good seeing Heinz and Angela again.  It was a long 281 miles today, but an easy drive.

The electric sites were all taken so we parked in a “primitive” site for the night….didn’t even unhook…and will watch the locals leave this morning and snag a couple of stops for the rest of the week.

Remember, you are loved.

Pink Store Again and Pancho Villa State Park

We stayed another day at Dream Catcher in Deming, NM so we could take Lynn and Richard across the border to The Pink Store.  They had a ball browsing through the aisles of pottery, glassware, clothing and jewelry.  We hadn’t walked 25 feet inside the building when a very nice young man came up and asked if we wanted something to drink.  Well, what do you think I replied?????  You betcha I answered “Margaritas all around”. 

Here we are enjoying our drinks as we shop

I know this photo is a little unconventional, but the restroom in The Pink Store is so pretty I had to show you a photo. The decorated sinks are so nice.

On the way out of the area we stopped at the museum at Pancho Villa State Park in Columbus, New Mexico.  It’s name to fame was a March 1916 raid of soldiers of Pancho Villa attacking Columbus.  Eventually there was an eleven month search for Villa by General George Pershing commanding 10,000 troops.  They never did capture him.

The museum is extremely interesting.  Highly recommend a visit.

Armored truck outside

Villa and Pershing in happier times

Replica of a Genie-first aircraft used in warfare in USA

It was a full day, but very nice one.  This morning we are off to Cochiti Lakes COE a little south of Santa Fe.

Remember, you are loved.

Spring Cleaning

Since Jim had already washed the truck and the RV, last Thursday we decided to do our deep spring cleaning of the rig. 

We moved the table and chairs outside. Moved the recliners to the kitchen tile area and did that side of the rig, then moved the recliners back and moved the love seat to the kitchen area.  That really worked well and we got to all the nooks and crannies. 

 

Of course, moving everything was a perfect time to rearrange some of the stuff I hide behind the recliners and also throw out things.  But deep cleaning sure makes for a messy rig until everything is put away.

     

With the furniture moved away from the walls, it was a perfect time to clean the inside windows….so I got that done, too.

It felt so good when we were finished.  Luckily Dream Catcher had a lasagna dinner that night so we didn’t have to cook. 

Remember, you are loved.

Computer Fixed

I love Lynn Heberlein's husband, Richard.  He came over with his two HP power cords to see if they would work on my computer....they didn't...different plug into computer.  Then Richard took his meter and checked if my power cord was getting enough volts....it was.  Now what?  Let's check if you have the same battery as Lynn's maybe we can put her's into your computer....different batteries.  But I noticed the battery area was dusty so I blew into it to remove the "dust bunnies" and replaced the battery.  We were discussing which outlets I had tried to get power to my computer....hadn't tried the outlet behind the stove...try that.....IT LITE UP LIKE CHRISTMAS.  It started charging and it came to life.  Richard said he was leaving while things were working....bless his heart.  I love Richard Heberlein!!!  Thank you, Friend.

Here’s a photo of us all taken today at The Pink Store.  I’ll report more later, but I wanted to put this photo up.

 

Broke my computer

We did our deep spring cleaning yesterday and in moving furniture around, I stepped on the computer's power cord and broke something.  Now I can't charge up the computer.  I installed the Blogger app to my phone,   so that's how I'm getting this post out...typing on a tiny keyboard...ugh! 

Lynn and Richard from Betty's RV Park arrived here in Deming so we are going to delay our departure one day and take them across the border to The Pink Store.  Then we will go to the great Deming Luna Mimbres Museum.

Thumbes hurt so that's it for now.

Remember you are loved.

Washing Everything

I guess our time here in Deming, NM is destined to be our spring cleaning time.  Tuesday afternoon Jim spent a couple of hours washing and cleaning the truck from the grit and grime from our haul here from Louisiana.

Early yesterday I brought two bags of books to the used book store in town, mailed a couple of postcards at the post office, stopped at Dec Your Casa, a craft mall, and bought a couple of crocheted critters a lady in the park sells there.  As we drove down the street I spied a store named Retired and Yarning It.  Well, of course, I had to have Jim drive around the block to take a look.  Found some black and white yarn to make a scarf I’ve been want to make….alright, I also bought some denim and white yarn to make me a scarf too…..man, I can’t put anything over on you can I?

Later on Jim got antsy and started washing the rig.  Now that was a job – we haven’t washed the rig since we left Colorado back in September.  Then after driving from Louisiana in the rain and slush, the front end was streaked in dirt.  It sure was nice to have “our house” clean again!!!

Today we have slated spring cleaning inside….shampoo the carpets, clean the windows and wash the floors.  Once we get back to Colorado, Jim will wax the rig and then all will be done.

We will leave Deming tomorrow, Friday, drive to San Felipe’s Hollywood Casino and will stay in their RV park for a while as we visit our family members in Santa Fe.  There just isn’t any affordable RV parks in Santa Fe proper, so we usually stay half way between Albuquerque and Santa Fe at Hollywood Casino.  At $10 a night it is a bargain.

That’s it for now….see you tomorrow.

Remember, you are loved.
Read the story behind this saying HERE

Back to Palomas

Yesterday, Wednesday, we drove back down to Palomas so I could have my lower denture relined.  We’d originally had our dentures relined 4 years ago in Algodones, Mexico for $60 which was a far cry from the $700 our dentist in Colorado wanted.

I’d picked up an ad for the Family Dentistry in Palomsa while at Alotta Gelato yesterday in Silver City and since I didn’t have any other recommendation, I gave it a shot.  No appointment necessary, just walked in.  “Yes, ma’am I can do that for you for $40.”  Well, mix up that impression gunk and let’s go then.

About an hour later out we went to The Pink Store for lunch….well, I had to try out the new choppers didn’t I?  Lunch was great, as always, and after a few more purchases I went back to Dr. Felipe Salazar for a couple of filing adjustments.

By 1:50 p.m. we were back to the park and I joined the Craft and Chat group for a little female interaction and companionship.  There were five of us doing all sorts of crafts…crochet, me knitting, embroidery and one lady was weaving a pine needle basket.  Except for me the other four ladies live here fulltime, so they were a good source of local stores that I’m going to check out.  One being a craft mall where one of the ladies displays her creations…crocheted critters. There’s a crocheted frog I have my eye on for our great-granddaughter.  I’ll let you know.

I had a little spot on my denture creating a sore stop on my tongue, so I filed it down with a nail file.  Hopefully that will solve the problem.

Remember, you are loved.

Silver City

Last Monday, St. Patrick’s Day, I put a corned beef in the slow cooker because I couldn’t find anywhere in town that was serving it.  I have to eat it all by myself since it isn’t a favorite of Jim’s. 

While it was cooking we drove up to Silver City.  We’d been there before on a previous trip to this area…now Jim, he’d also been to Silver City some 45 years ago when he worked there as a salesman and D.J. for an AM radio station KSIL….that was BB (before Bobbie).

So we drove around to see what changes Silver City held for us.  We found the old radio station, although now it is an FM station KSCG.

 

Next we found the hotel Jim spent three weeks living in before his then wife joined him.  Jim was happy to find that the Murray Hotel had been renovated and has been open two years after being empty for 20 years.

 

Unfortunately we found many empty store fronts in historic downtown.  Many more than we saw the last time here about 4-5 years ago.  And what wasn’t empty was closed….Monday is not the day to visit historic downtown.  I was rather disappointed one of my favorite yarn stores, Ya-Ya Yarns, wasn’t open.  So we had a scoop of gelato next door and heard a little of the town’s news from the proprietor of Alotta Gelato. 

Since most of the shops were closed we strolled a couple of blocks but then drove around the city to sightsee.  There’s a lot of beautiful architecture in Silver City.

There is also an active Youth Project painting murals on the sides of the buildings in historic downtown.

         

After a few hours we made our way back down from the mountain towards Deming.  From this perspective the landscape was eye-catching.

The corned beef turned out tender and flavorful.  I deviated from my “no wheat” diet, and ate a couple of slices of good Jewish rye bread….a must with corned beef IMHO.

And then on Tuesday morning we had this stunning sunrise.

It’s been windy here in Deming….like that is something new…but Tuesday a little more so….we stayed inside and watched TV.

Remember, you are loved.