Sunday, October 21
For us, this was a much needed day of rest. After the long drive from Marianna, Florida, to Mineola, Texas, yesterday, we just kicked back and relaxed.
The morning (which started later than usual for us because we were able to sleep in) began with a wonderful breakfast that Aunt T.J. fixed for us. After that, we sat around and talked, trying to get caught up on the family news of the past couple of weeks and make plans for the coming trip.
During the afternoon Barbara and I went down to a little internet café we had discovered on an earlier trip to Mineola. The Legal Grounds Coffee Shop was closed, but they left their modem and router on, so we were able to sit out at the sidewalk tables and catch up on our email.
After a trip to Wal-Mart to try to find a lighting system for T.J.’s backyard, we returned to the house, had a light snack for an evening meal, and began packing for the trip to Artesia. Once the packing was done (except for the last-minute items), we settled in for the evening. I watched the Red Sox finish off the Indians to win the ALCS and advance to the World Series while Barbara did some reading and Glennis and T.J. watched the Republican candidates debate each other.
Monday, October 22
Everyone was up early this morning to get ready to leave. The lighting items we bought last night didn’t work the way we thought they should, so Barbara and I made a trip back to Wal-Mart to return them. Actually, we made two trips, since the customer service desk wasn’t open at 6:15. We returned at 7:00 to conclude that bit of business.
T.J. had to take Patty (one of her dogs) to the “doggie hotel” to spend the week while we were gone. Fortunately, she got Patty checked in at 8:00 am and was back at the house in time for us to stow the last few items in her car and get on the road by 8:30.
The rest of the day was spent in travel, travel, and more travel. We had four adults, Copper (T.J.’s dachshund), and as much luggage and miscellaneous items as could be legally fitted in the car, leaving not much wiggle room.
We finally got to Artesia about 5:45 (MDT), a 10 hour and 15 minute drive. After unloading T.J. and Glennis at Mother’s house, Barbara and I elected to take the car out to our place since it was cool and windy. We had left the cycle and cargo trailer at Mother’s house and had planned to use it to take our things out to Big V, but decided that discretion was the better part of valor in this case.
After getting everything of ours out of the car and into Big V, we went across the lot to check in with Jean and pick up our mail. We also found that Lydia, the lady who cleans Jean’s and Mother’s houses, had left an order of homemade tamales while we were gone. Jean graciously offered to fix a batch of them for us, and we readily agreed.
After a good meal and getting caught up on the local news of the past couple of weeks, we headed back to Big V, crawled into our own bed, and called it a day – a v-e-r-y long day!
Tuesday, October 23
Today was a day for catching up with some of the normal necessaries around the place. We made a couple of trips over to the house to check in with Mother and the aunts. I went down to Wal-Mart to get a very much-needed haircut. I don’t remember when my last one was, but I was certainly overdue for another one. Other than that, it was just a normal day (whatever that is).
Wednesday, October 24
It got busy in a hurry around Big V this morning. We invited Mother and the aunts out for breakfast…pancakes, bacon, sausage, scrambled eggs, and lots of fresh-ground coffee. They got to the place around 9:45. After a couple of cups of coffee to get everyone started,
we set up the “buffet table” and served everyone from there. We spent about an hour and a half eating, talking, and laughing. T.J. and Glennis had been in Big V before, but had never seen her all decorated, so that was a new experience for them. It was fun for us to show off the place and serve a home-cooked meal to everyone. After they all left, we washed the dishes and got Big V cleaned up again.Wednesday is our regular day to meet the Terpening-Francis clan for lunch at Chaos, so we scrambled around to get ready to see them at 12:30. Having had such a late breakfast, we opted to just order something to drink while Jean, Jerry, Nancy, and Susan had their meal. It had been a while since we joined the group for lunch, so we had a lot of catching up to do.
Naps were in order for the afternoon. After that, we made another trip to Mother’s house to check in with everyone and let them know that we would be “on the road” tomorrow. That worked out fine with them, because they had planned a trip up to Cloudcroft to see the sights there.
Tonight…hang around Big V. Barbara worked at her computer while I watched the first game of the World Series between Boston and the Colorado Rockies.
Thursday, October 25
It was a beautiful morning for a motorcycle ride, which was good, because we had planned to take the cycle and the cargo trailer up to Ruidoso. James and Susan Terpening were going to be up at the Inn of the Mountain Gods for a couple of days while James was participating in a conference, and we thought it would be nice to go up while it was still good weather and visit with Susan while James was working.
The morning was a little cool, but not uncomfortable as we headed out. We stopped at the Kawasaki dealer in Roswell to order some trim pieces for the cycle and then rode on up to the mountains. As we entered the Hondo Valley, we could see that the trees were starting to put on their fall colors…they ought to have their electric reds and yellows in another couple of weeks, and will really be beautiful.
We made our first stop at the Apache Travel Center where we played a couple of our favorite games before saddling up again to ride up to the Inn of the Mountain Gods, a 5-star resort on the Mescalero Indian reservation. The inn is surrounded by beautiful mountains and has a view of a lake and a golf course on the back side…a very peaceful place to get away from the hustle and bustle of the world.
It didn’t take long to meet up with Susan and get caught up on everything since we last saw her (yesterday). Since none of us could check in until 3, we played a couple of games and then headed to the rooms when they were available. Susan had already eaten, but she agreed to meet us down in the sandwich shop when she finished in her room.
I spent the evening watching Boston and the Colorado Rockies square off again in the World Series while Barbara and Susan visited downstairs.
Friday, October 24
Our friends Gary and Joyce Whitaker (moved from Salisbury, Maryland to Houston, Texas, last June) would be coming up to Ruidoso today from El Paso, so we had arranged to meet them at the travel center for lunch.
After sleeping in and taking our time getting ready to leave, we checked out of the hotel and loaded all of our stuff in the cargo trailer so we could go back down the mountain to the Travel Center where we were to meet Susan, James, Joyce and Gary for lunch.
While Barbara and Susan were talking, I decided to walk around the place. Imagine my surprise when I ran into brother-in-law Cal Crenshaw and Barbara’s sister Carol. They had gotten up this morning and decided to make the hour and a half ride up to Ruidoso to spend the morning. Barbara introduced everyone all around, and then I went outside to wait for Gary and Joyce to arrive.
Once everyone was there, we introduced Gary and Joyce and then decided it was time (maybe even past time) for lunch. We invited Cal and Carol to join us, but Cal said he was feeling a little under the weather and that they were heading back to Roswell.
Lunch was a lot of fun. The Smokey B Restaurant at the travel center is one of our favorite places to eat, not just in Ruidoso, but in the whole state. The service is a little on the slow side, but the food is more than worth the wait (and the prices are very reasonable).
After lunch it was time for all of us to go our separate ways. James and Susan were staying in Ruidoso at an uncle’s house, and Gary and Joyce were looking around the area for a couple of days to check on some property. We, on the other hand, had to get back on the cycle and head down to the flatlands.
The ride down from the mountains was generally uneventful. We stopped at our favorite used book store in Roswell and gathered up a few new titles before riding back to Artesia.
Back in town we checked in at Mother’s house and then went back to Big V for the evening to watch TV and listen to the hometown AHS Bulldogs win their football game with Taos by a score of 82 – 0 (not very exciting, but a win is a win is a win).
Saturday, October 25
Busy day today…housecleaning and clothes washing…have to get ready for the trip back to Mineola on Monday. It’s hard to believe, but Mother’s sisters have been here for nearly a week, and it’s almost time to go.
Jerry and Nancy Terpening were very gracious to open their home to all of us for a little get-
together during the evening. We prepared some snacks and desserts, and Mother, Glennis, T.J., Jean, Jerry, Nancy, Becky, and Ernie all joined us for a delightful evening of visiting and eating…what a fun time we had…a great time to end the week!
Jerry and Nancy Terpening were very gracious to open their home to all of us for a little get-
together during the evening. We prepared some snacks and desserts, and Mother, Glennis, T.J., Jean, Jerry, Nancy, Becky, and Ernie all joined us for a delightful evening of visiting and eating…what a fun time we had…a great time to end the week!(Barbara: The photo on the left shows Edith (Jim's mom), her sister Glennis, then sister TJ...next is Ernie, Jim's youngest brother, and last, but certainly not least, Jim...)
In and out of Artesia,
Jim and Barbara
“The constitution only gives people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself.” …Ben Franklin
