Tucson, Arizona

We left Deming, NM and drove to Tucson on Monday. 

We decided to stay at Tra-Tel RV Park (a Passport America park) because this is where Nick and Terri Russell stay often when in Tucson.

First on the docket was a late lunch with Marcie and Jim Cumberland at Choice Greens Restaurant.

We first met Marcie and Jim at the Gypsy Journal Rally in Tucson in 2008 when both the Jims took part in the Cactus Rose Beauty Contest…..it wasn’t pretty, let me tell you.  We met the Cumberlands again while working the holiday season for amazon.com in Coffeyville, Kansas, back in 2008. Since then Marcie and I have kept in touch and shared knitting and crocheting projects. We always stop and see them when we are in Tucson. It sure was nice to see them again.

Later we turned on the a/c and kicked back not being use to the 88* heat.  At six we drove to the In-n-Out we had spied on our way into town.  We l-o-o-v-e  In-n-Outs and since they are not in Colorado or New Mexico it has been a good while since we’ve eaten one of their delightful burgers.  Thank you, Bob and Molly Pinner for introducing us to In-n-Outs in Laughlin, NV back in 2008.

After dinner it was a rush back to the rig to enjoy CBS’s night of TV….Big Bang Theory, Scorpion and NCIS: Los Angeles.

Remember, you are loved. 

Deming, NM & Palomas, Mexico

We took off from Espanola on Saturday and had a rendezvous with Cool Judy and Luke in Albuquerque.  I gave her a few knitted scarves for the C.A.R.E. auction being held by the Boomers group attending the Balloon Fiesta.

We continued on to Deming and pulled into the Dream Catcher RV Park. It had been a long 327 mile trip so we pretty much just lazed around all night.

Sunday we took the trip  across the border to Palomas, Mexico, to one of my fav places…The Pink Store, named that for obvious reasons.

I really like this place

from the bar where they make THE BEST margaritas	to enjoying the unique decor
to the wonderful, wonderful food from the tostadoes	to their Huevos Rancheros
to the racks of glassware	to racks of colorful pottery

I even like their “banos”.  Each cubicle has a very decorative wood door and then the sinks are all highly colorful porcelain…..makes you smile just to wash your hands!

It definitely was a GOOD day.  Remember, you are loved.

Visit with Friends

After visiting with daughters on Tuesday and Wednesday, we took Thursday to just “chill”.  We made a pork chop dinner for The Abeytas and watched TV together.

Friday was Roberta’s day off so we had a grand time together.  First we went to the Santuario de Chimayo, where we had first visited last Spring.  I had given my container of Holy Dirt to my sister to take back to Costa Rica with her, so I wanted to get some more of the healing properties of this Holy Dirt. The place is so serene and peaceful.

This is the only part of the property we saw last Spring.  This time we found a whole other area back by the back parking area. 

This shrine of rosaries that were purchased and left here after prayers	This beautiful door was at the end of the path to the parking lot
This was the inside of a Prayer Portal with photos of people requesting prayers	Beautiful stained-glass on both sides of the Prayer Portal
Not sure, but this looked like an outside alter for outside Mass services	These stone crosses were erected by a small stream

Before returning to the truck, I saw this picturesque scene a little further down the stream.  The cows were taking a little break from the heat of the day.

From the Santuario we went to lunch just down the street at Rancho de Chimayo. 

Workmen were hanging up ristras of chiles all around the roof line.

This is a lovely restaurant with tiers of outside patios that provide a beautiful back drop for a meal.

Look at this try of beautiful food	Here’s Jim and Teddy’s Huevos Ranchero
Here’s my nachos with beans and jalapenos	Yummy taquitos with beans and guacamole

After lunch we drove north of Espanola to the Fruit Basket to buy some apples.  New Mexico have the best tasting apples, IMHO.  I wanted some to take with us for the winter.  They had their hand-tied ristras and pumpkins out front.

Along with the bushel of apples Roberta and I shared, I bought some home-grown tomatoes and peaches.  It was a nice time with friends.  Later that night we went to Ohkay Casino for their seafood buffet and endless crab legs, fresh oysters and shrimp.  Yummoooo…..wonderful!

Remember, you are loved.

Visit with Family

We left Alamosa, Colorado, last Tuesday and drove to Espanola to stay with The Abeytas while we visited our daughters in Santa Fe.

Tuesday afternoon we had a great visit with Beth while we ate a late lunch together.

Wednesday we visited with daughter Christine and two of her kids, Alyssa and Max. Unfortunately we didn’t connect with her other son, Kenneth, and his wife and daughter, but we’ll make sure we have a good visit with them next Spring. Christine and the kids got together in the kitchen and made a batch of delicious tostados.

Continuing tradition, we watched a movie together and visited and talked throughout the film. That day we watched Crazy, Stupid Love.  I really enjoyed it!!!

Then we had to go outside so I could take a final photo.

Unfortunately the only photo I got of Beth

was in a wheelchair at an urgent care after she suffered a massive muscle in her hip and couldn’t walk on her own.  We thought she had dislocated her hip she was in so much pain.  After three hours we cancelled a dinner with her parents-in-law, got her pain medications and took her home.

It was a good visit with everyone.  It is just so hard to get seven adults together with everyone on different schedules some working nights and some days.  But we try and do the best we can in seeing them two or three times a year.

Remember, you are loved.

Wave Good-bye Alamosa

We are leaving our hometown this morning and heading out till next Spring.  We’ve been meeting with folks this last week saying “good-bye”.

Had a last lunch with Nora	Saw Salai one last time
Saw Heinz and Angela last Saturday in South Fork while they camped	Bye-bye to Terri and Rich till next year

Sorry we didn’t see Nina, Greg and Judy before we left.  Time just gets away from us.

BTW, Jim picked-up the “Landmark” graphic and had time to put them up.  Only took about 15 minutes each to measure, position and smooth them on the back and on the side.

I’m so proud of Jim!!!!!  He has worked so hard to fix the peeling decals on our rig.  The two-week job brought about a beautiful result.  Loved the way the pin-stripping matches up when the rig was closed up and the slides came in.  Good job, Sweetie Pie!!!

Remember, you are loved.