Sunny Welcome, More Old Pictures, A Bit of Shopping

Elephant Butte Lake, New Mexico

There just isn’t anything better than waking up to a clear blue sky. Especially, when we know there are many other scenarios. Clouds, rain, sleet and now snow! It was around 5:30 when we were up to the bathroom and back into bed for another hour and a half. A peek out the blind on Saturday, Nov. 30^th showed us just what we love. Clear sky and the sun was yet to appear.

It's going to be a beautiful day
in the neighbourhood

Today marks the end of this first month on the road. We’ve come along way and seen a lot of countryside and still have further to go. It is time for us to move, two weeks here is just a tad too long. We love it, I love the walking, but with not much in the vicinity to do outside the park we’ll not stay so long the next times. Bob and Bill, especially, like to be more active. We are all looking forward to a change and on Monday we’ll head into Arizona.

Getting ready for it

Pop!

While Bill started brewing his coffee, I was out down the road. It was 37F/2.7C so not warm by any means but with no wind (I think it blew itself out yesterday!) it was another very pleasant 2-mile walk. I just can’t get over how peaceful it is here and it seems no one is out and about at 6:30 or 7. My only critter sightings this morning were a covey of quails and a bunny rabbit huddling over nuggets in the sand. I’m glad they are finding interesting things to eat.

One rock planted

Another glance at the sunrise at the Marina

Back home, my tea was good. Bill found a few ants up in a different cupboard, only a few but they seem to be around the peanut butter. Everyone loves our Kraft p.b.! After a bit of relaxing with blogs, he emptied the shelf and wiped it down with the bug spray. Nothing up there is open so they couldn’t get in anything but still, it is annoying how they get to where we find them. We’ve managed to keep them at bay in the other cupboards and the fridge but have seen them in the bathroom. Odd. There's no food in there!

The clouds over the mountains are gorgeous!

 

This road is the name of the paved section of Dirt Road

Gosh, they are so adorable!
Little at his little cotton ball tail

No mouse in our trap yet, maybe he is planning his escape route before he sneaks in for the p.b. After a second hot drink, Bill called his sister, Carol, and chatted with her for a while. It is nice to hear voices from back home even for a short call. It is great to touch base. After getting washed and cleaned up, Bill had a text from our new friends in Guelph with a few queries. It is easier to call to answer questions rather than text so Bill called Michael.

There is one section with only 3 sites
These would be very private but they aren't compatible
for large units unless you parked on an angle

After we leave, I will miss these views
but I know I'll find other pretty ones

We don’t ever expect everyone or anyone to do things exactly the way we do, we all have different needs and are in different situations, but it is nice when someone asks for ideas and options. They can take the information, check it out and use it or abandon it. We are just happy to help. Jo-Anne texted to see if we wanted to tag along to Las Cruces, about an hour’s drive, with them. We wanted to finish the phone call and we hadn’t had breakfast/lunch yet so declined the invitation. Nice of them to ask though.

A lot of birds sleep up in the bushes like this

We had some toast, jam and/or peanut butter and Bill had a yogourt before hopping in Black Beauty for the drive into Truth or Consequences. A quick stop at the post office and then on to Walmart for the few things on our list. We just picked up cheese and eggs in the food section, then found a 2020 Atlas ‘large style’ (for us older folk, the book is the same size but the print and maps are enlarged), clear Varathane spray for my rocks and finally a new toaster. This last item has been a long time coming.

It wasn't expensive but we still hope it lasts a few years
and that we enjoy the toast it makes

I picked ours up years ago from an Easter or Christmas family gathering. We’d decided to do a raffle of purged items. We needed a toaster and my $4 won and the bonus was that I knew my sister owned it before me and was just redecorating. It has done us well but for a couple of years now, the shade selector hasn’t worked well. We’ve nick-named it the ‘piece of s**t’ toaster. Now, it has gone to where many old appliances go.

When we left there, we drove around to the laundromat in T or C and I went in to check it out. We had first decided to wait until we got to Quail Ridge but we have a full bag now and we’ll be so busy there with touristy stuff…..I will sort clothes tonight and we’ll do it up in the morning. Then we don't have to think about it for another couple of weeks.

Lastly, we stopped so I could check out a restaurant just around the corner from the main road. Big Foot advertises good food and cheap beer so Bill and I plan to treat ourselves our last night here. Maybe our friends will join us, we’ll see. 

There's that kid in me coming out again!

Back home, I put the food away and sat in my chair with my book. Darn eyes! I know I closed them for a few minutes but around 3, I got dressed and went out for my second walk. The winds had picked up so the 50F felt more like 40 as I walked.

Yup, she's hard to contain sometimes

The sun was gorgeous and the fresh air was still very good for me. I had remembered to take two more rocks with me. High 5! These are the rocks I either painted last winter/fall/spring or this past summer. I have a lot to hide now. Back at the Suite, I made a cup of tea for each of us and we had cheese strings and pork rinds. Just a snack as I felt that I needed a nibble.

My afternoon walk took me down to the beach in a roundabout way
Interesting how the wind was bringing waves in to shore

My sister sent me a picture of her and Gerry’s outfits for their Remax Christmas party tonight. I didn’t get permission to share it so I won’t but they look very stylish! Usually, it is a fancy affair (in my mind, as it should be) but this year the powers that be chose a theme of 70’s attire. Donna wasn’t too thrilled, enjoying the ‘dressup’ like I do, but they came up with some pretty funky outfits suitable for the era. I don’t think any Cannabis was involved in choosing the attire though. Good for you guys!

The rock I hid yesterday is hard to see in the picture
Maybe I need to swap it out tomorrow for a different coloured one

I love those parties but mostly the opportunity to dress up and go dancing! We used to have some great Union galas back in the early 90’s when Bill and I worked at the school board. For a few years, Bill and I played a big part in their success, not meaning to brag about my sweetie but he was a great MC. Back to home, Bill wanted to put up some Christmas lights and that is his department when it comes to decorating. This is something that we can put up now to enjoy even before we move.

This one is more visible so should be found easily

Around 4:30, Bill’s step Mom, Marilynne, called after watching and hearing weather reports about the flooding and rains in Arizona. She was concerned enough to touch base with us and double check where we were. Marilynne doesn’t ‘do’ blogs or texts so a phone call is the avenue of communication between us. It was very nice of her to take the time and we were able to fill her in on our news from here and from the home front.

One window done for now
We forgot to pick up more clips
so he can get them in the morning while I'm doing laundry

I started warming up the last of our turkey, gravy and my turnip. Well, Jo-Anne’s turnip that I’m going to finish. I cooked some mixed veggies for Bill as well. He made a hot turkey sandwich and I just enjoyed it without the bread. It was a good meal. This was the perfect size turkey breast, filling 8 tummies over a course of 3 days. We have had enough bird for a while. For dessert, I dished us up each some Creamy lime Jell-o. Yum.

I enjoyed our last turkey meal
The turnip was delicious too!

We did dishes and Bill moved upstairs to finish watching a movie. I sat here to finish my post while listening to Classic Rock on the television. I keep forgetting that the channels up in the 900’s on the satellite are different genres of music. No repeats. So, that is what I turned on and it was background noise after when I was finishing my book. It is getting hard to put down!

Dessert
Good night from Elephant Butte State Park!

This was a good day. Kind of quiet, but with some shopping also. I got my rocks lacquered and put them away. This will protect them from the elements outside when I hide them. I hope you’ve enjoyed your day too.

I helped my cousin, Rita, again today with names on a few more old pictures
I'm sure she knew us in the picture but she shared this Christmas card
Mom sent to their family
I'm the baby in this one, sitting on Mom's lap
Gosh, Mom is beautiful!

And one last one from the backyard of our Lucan, Ontario home
We are all spread out here at the family reunion in 1967
In case you can't pick me out, I'm in the front row, 2nd on the left
in pony tails
Don't you love the old Brownies on the old arborite kitchen table?

Thank you for stopping in!