Volunteering at the Library

My BFF, Salai, had a project for me to do at the library, where she is the Library Manager.  So every morning during the week I go in from 9 to 12 and go through genealogy files and decide what needs to go and what should be digitized for future viewing.

Then we went to lunch across the street at East-West Grill.  They have curries, noodle or rice bowl, salads and interesting sandwiches. 

Salai had the Caesar Salad with salmon

I had the Caprese (?) Salad

Then it was time for my massage….ah, yes!  It was great.

When I attended the 9 Health Fair earlier this month, my doctor was one of the consulting physicians who answered questions.  After she saw my blood pressure and weight she said I HAD to start walking.  Well, it took a little while to get around to it, but today I took off right after waking up at 6:30.  I figure if I do it first thing I’d get it over with and be set for the day.

This is what I look like at 6:45 a.m. when it is 27 degrees outside. 

I took my kitchen timer and set it for five minutes and off I went.  I walked towards the cemetery and turned around after five minutes and walked back to the rig.  I felt great!!! And I WILL continue. 

Next I fixed up a smoothie with Greek yogurt, carrots, cucumbers and strawberries.  Then I roasted up cauliflower and broccoli for some quick lunches/dinners.  I really need to lose weight so I’m going back to my veggie  emphasized lifestyle, but with fish, eggs and hard cheeses.  No boozed except for a glass of wine once a week…yes, I know….I’m sure glad I’m not at Betty’s RV Park or THAT would never work.

Well, time to go to the library.  See you tomorrow.

Remember, you are loved.

Swanson and Bubar Visits

We got a call from Kathy and Bob Swanson from Ft. Collins, Colorado area last week.  They were one of our area managers last year.  They were going to be down to Pueblo on Wednesday to attend a water certification class.  So Wednesday we drove over to Pueblo and met them at Country Buffet for lunch. 

It sure was good to see them and find out how they fared over the winter where they took care of a couple of campgrounds that are open all year round.  We’ll see them again when we venture up to northern Colorado in August.

Then we heard from Mike and Sandy Bubar who were in New Mexico visiting.  Well, come on up to Camp Chapman and spend the night.  They were on their way from Taos to Colorado Springs to see if they could go to Pikes Peak.  So Sunday they arrived and parked next to us for the night.

Then, of course, we had to have a little happy hour before going to Cavillo’s for dinner.

This morning, Monday, we took The Bubars to breakfast at Campus Café…yes, same place we took The Goans last week.  Look at the cinnamon roll we ordered for them…it’s bigger than Sandy’s hand.

    
We all enjoyed our meals like the Spanish omelet and breakfast burrito

    

We sure enjoyed reconnecting with The Bubar’s….we figured we hadn’t seen each other since January 2012, when we were in Quartzsite, AZ.  But since we will be wintering in Arizona this year we will see them there for sure.

Anyone else traveling north through New Mexico and Colorado?

Remember, you are loved.

Went to a Play

Last night we attended a play at local Adams State University.  It was S. E. Hinton’s “Outsiders”, the coming-of-age story of two socially different gangs and their interaction.

The play was a fundraiser for the local Boys and Girls Club and this was the opening night.  The hors d'oeuvres and wine before the play was very, very nice.  We saw a lot of people we knew but haven’t seen since we arrived this spring.  That was fun.

The play was well done and we certainly enjoyed it.  I especially enjoyed the use of a cellist to create the joy or tension in the scenes. 

Jim was off this morning to Pueblo to pick up a boat trailer for his brothers. He left at 5 a.m. and it sure was strange to wake up without him in the rig.  So I have a Saturday to myself.  I think I’ll go to the Milagros's, the local coffee house, order a latte and read the book club’s next selection (Life Boat by Charlotte Rogan).  I like doing that.

We have some leftover cheese that Dan and Merlene brought over earlier this week.  I think I’ll make some mac and cheese for dinner using that cheese and some of the ham from Easter dinner.  Yum, that sounds good.

Hope you have plans that make you look forward to another day.

Remember, you are loved.
Click HERE to read the story behind this saying

Swapping Phones

Spent some time today talking with Verizon reps discussing their new “Edge” program.  It basically has you “lease” your phone with the ability after a year to upgrade to a newer phone after paying for the other 50% of the phone.  We want to do it because with the “Edge” program you get 10 GB of data.  We’ve out used our 6 GB and are paying an extra $10 for another 2 GB.

I terminated service on the MiFi (Jet-Pack) and saved $20 and will use the hotspot on our smartphones to get on the internet.

When all is said and done we will be paying about the same amount of money, but will get new phones every 2 years and have 10 GB of data to use.  Think we’ll get the Samsung Galaxy 4.

Started doing some “in-depth” spring cleaning today.  Got the bedroom finished using Scott’s Liquid Gold on all the wood….and why is it that RVs have so much wood???  Next I’ll tackle the kitchen area, then living room area.  I get tuckered out so have to do it in stages over several days.

That’s it for today, Folks.

Remember, you are loved.

Goan Visit

We were surprised by a call from Dan and Merlene saying they were in Albuquerque and wanting to come our way…..yippee!!! 

We met the Goans at Betty’s RV Park last March and renewed our friendship this last fall and during Mardi Gras again at Betty’s.

 

 

 

 

 

If you’ve been reading this blog for a while you will remember all the fun I had knitting a shrug for Merlene.

 

 

 

 

After there arrival in Alamosa and setting up in “Camp Chapman” by us, we took them to dinner at one of our favorite Mexican restaurants, El Charro.  This place has been around for a long time…Jim remembers coming here when he was a young child.  We all enjoyed our choices especially the green chili.

   

Afterwards we went for an after-dinner-drink to San Luis Valley Brewing Company, since Dan and Merlene like microbreweries. The beers are brewed on the premise with the wife of the young couple as brew master, while the husband is in charge of the kitchen. This place was built in a former bank and they have the old safe door on display behind the bar.  Dan got a lot of heat on Facebook for having his eyes closed in the last photo. He said he was just drunk and we propped him up in the chair just for the photo ha-ha.

             

We went back to our rig and chatted and made plans for the rest of their stay. 

 

Sunday morning we went to Campus Café for breakfast…their homemade bread toast is amazing.  Again their green chili is outstanding.

 

 

Then is was off to Great Sand Dunes National Park nearby.  This is the newest addition to the national park service and features the highest dunes in the United States at 750 feet.  Being early in spring the Medano Creek appeared in its ebbing flow like a tide.  It disappears in the summer and reappears in the spring.

On returning back to the rigs I prepared an Easter dinner with ham, scalloped potatoes, asparagus and green bean casserole with strawberry and angel food cake for dessert.

    

As our food settled we enjoyed a single malt liquor from Washington that Dan brought over….it was so smooth I don’t remember much after that.

Monday was another breakfast out, to Jim’s favorite for breakfast, Ef’s on Sixth Street….he likes their skillets.  Forgot to take an photos, sorry.

Next we took a trip up towards South Fork to show them a little of where we spend our summers.  Most of the campgrounds are still closed but a part of Upper Beaver Campground was opened and we got out and investigated.

    

 

We stopped by Rich and Terri Deacon’s at South Fork Campground which they manage, and invited them to lunch. They are in the midst of cleaning up the campground from the winter to be ready to open May 1st.

 

We wanted to go to Three Barrel Brewing in Del Norte for lunch and get their wood-fired pizza, but alas, they were closed for lunch on Mondays.  Pooooh

So we decided to go to Boogie’s for lunch and enjoy each other’s company.

    

After lunch we went across the street to Haefeli’s Honey to check it out.  We bought whipped honey because it doesn’t crystalize.

	This is their Christmas room
Here’s a cabinet with candles made from bees wax in many decorative motifs	Shelves and shelves of honey products.

Driving home we saw a herd of buffalo on the side of the road.

      

Soon we saw a sign for elk meat and, of course, stopped.  Driving in we found Grammy Jan’s Meatery, where Merlene bought some elk and bison meat. Look at that pile of elk horns.

     

That afternoon it was nice outside without much wind (unusual) so we decided to have our happy hour outside.  Finally figured out how to take a time-delayed photo.

 

All too soon, in our opinion, it was time for Dan and Merlene to leave and move on over to Colorado Springs and eventually Denver.  So on Tuesday morning we took one last photo and said “goodbye”.

 

Thank you so much, Dan and Merlene, for stopping by and seeing us.  We really enjoyed sharing the sights of the San Luis Valley and Alamosa, in particular, with you.  There are so many things to do here in “The Valley” so come back again, please, so we can show you more.

And for all those of you reading this blog….remember, you are loved!

Grill @ Cattails Dinner with Friends

Once again we joined Nina and Greg Gillespie to have dinner at the opening of the newest restaurant at the golf course in Alamosa.  This was a “soft opening” without any advertising, so there was only three parties during the time we were there.

This is a pretty setting for a restaurant with the windows overlooking the beauty of the golf course and the herd of some 80 deer that share the greens with golfers.

    

Here we are with Nina and Greg, our “go out to restaurant openings” buddies.  They are such neat peoples.

The menu for the soft opening was minimal with an offering of appetizers (like humus plate and nachos smothered with pork green chili and cheese) and a variety of sandwiches like BLT, burger, club, chicken salad, etc.  The burger looked hand-formed and Jim said it was pretty good.  I had the spinach walnut salad and it tasted like a spinach walnut salad.  We’ll go back in a few weeks after they’ve been opened for a while and hopefully added some dinner items.

After dinner we went back to Nina and Greg’s house for dessert and it was my favorite dessert to boot…..chocolate pudding over a cookie crust with whipped cream topping…yummmm

Their house overlooks a pond with Mt. Blanco in the background

The pond is home to a bunch of ducks

This time there was a beaver in the pond as well…can you see it in the foreground to the left?  Here’s a closer look.

         

We had a nice evening with friends.

Remember, you are loved.