Wednesday, May 21
It was with mixed emotions that we left Leah and Ryan this morning. It was time for them to begin rebuilding their lives, but a part of us wanted to be there to care and comfort them. After saying our goodbyes, we picked a new rose from one of the bushes that has been brightening the front of the house for so many years and took it to place on Jameson’s grave before we left town.
Once on the road, we pointed the Vibe toward Guymon, Oklahoma, Stratford, Texas, and Tucumcari, New Mexico, where we eventually got on I-40 West and drove to Clines Corners, New Mexico. At Clines Corners, we turned north toward Santa Fe where we could begin our own recuperation. Last night was long and the morning came early, so we split the driving duties along the way.
Arriving at the Days Inn on Cerrillos Road in Santa Fe, we got checked in and started moving everything from the car to our assigned room. We usually take the computers in first and check for wireless availability and strength, but we just piled everything in this time. As soon as we fired up the computers, we discovered that we had NO internet access, so we called the front office to see if they could do something about it. Meanwhile, we also called our friends, Bob and Nell, to let them know we had arrived.
Within a few minutes, the motel manager arrived at our room with a set of keys for another room that was just a few feet from one of the wireless connection points; so, we began moving everything out and back downstairs.
When we got set up in our new room, we discovered that the computers didn’t work there either. For some reason, the signal wasn’t reaching from the office to the booster antenna. We decided we’d just ride it out for the time being, since we didn’t want to move again. I went down to the office to inform them that there was no signal at the back of the motel and to see if I could get a connection in the office area.
On the way to the office, I ran into Bob and Nell who had just returned. They had been out sight-seeing and came back to pick us up to go to lunch before heading up I-25 to visit with Rod and Ruth. We hopped in Bob’s rental car and drove off to Schlotzky’s for a quick meal and a time of catching up. Then, we headed out to the Glorieta Conference Center for a reunion with Rod and Ruth.
We met Rod and Ruth and Bob and Nell for the first time when we went to Lady Lake, Florida, in March, 2007 to help build the Crossroads Community Church. Bob and Rod took me under their wings and taught me a lot. Meanwhile, Barbara, Nell, and Ruth bonded into what has become a very close friendship. We saw them in December when we went back to Lady Lake for the dedication service, and we had the opportunity to visit Rod and Ruth last summer when we were in the Richmond area. It seems that whenever or wherever we meet, we can all immediately pick up our conversations and carry on from where we left off in the previous meeting…what great people and wonderful friends they are!After our lunch, we rode out to Glorieta and visited with Rod and Ruth for a bit, and then got the grand tour of the campus. We had visited Rod and Ruth not too long ago, but this was the first visit to the place by Bob and Nell. When we finished there, we all rode back to Santa Fe, found a Denny’s Restaurant close to the motel, and continued our various conversations while enjoying our evening meal.
With our meal at Denny’s completed, we all returned to Bob and Nell’s room at the Days Inn and started new conversations – mostly with the men on one side of the room and the women on the other. After an hour or so, we all decided it was time to call it quits for the night; Rod and Ruth had to return to Glorieta to rest up for another day at work, and Bob and Nell had to get ready to leave for the rest of their “out west” trip early tomorrow.
Barbara and I went to the room, grabbed our laptops, and went to the office area to check email. While we were there, we formally met our genial hosts, Ben and Meena. At some point in the conversation, we asked if they had come to the United States from India. They told us that they had, and one thing led to another until we were soon talking about Indian food and the dishes that the Georges had fixed for us while we were in Liberal this week.
During the course of the next hour, we had a good conversation and got some great tips on food preparation as well as advice on where to go in Albuquerque to purchase authentic ingredients for Indian dishes. In case you are interested and find yourself in Albuquerque, check out the selection at the Thai Market at Louisiana and Central.
Soon it was time for us to call it a day ourselves, so we headed back to our room, read for a bit, and then crashed for the night…we were weary from the long day, but so very glad to have reunited with old friends and to meet new ones.
Thursday, May 22
We got up early enough to join Bob and Nell for breakfast in the motel breakfast room and to see them off on the next leg of their journey. Once they were on their way, we made a quick check of our computers and then went back to the room.
It was a cold, cloudy, rainy, and very windy day in the Santa Fe area, so we decided that today would be just a rest and recuperation day for us…a chance to be away from everyone for a bit and lick our wounds.
We did go out for a bit later in the day to do some sightseeing and then returned to Denny’s for a late afternoon/early evening meal. When we went back to the office to check our email, Ben came out and gave us a box of chicken curry mix to get us underway on our next culinary adventures. He and Meena were such gracious hosts; we really enjoyed visiting with them.
Back in our room, we did some reading and then fell asleep. I guess the pressures of the week finally caught up with us and our bodies demanded some down time.
Friday, May 23
We got up fairly early (but not TOO early), got cleaned up and dressed, packed the car, and went to the office area to have breakfast, check out, and have a last visit with Ben and Meena.
By 8:30 a.m. we were on the outskirts of Santa Fe and headed back to Artesia. It was cloudy and a little rainy until we got to Clines Corners. From there on home, it was the usual sunny and windy until we got to Artesia.
We first went by the funeral home to see Jean and Jerry and to leave the baby casket that Jerry had given us to take to Liberal “just in case.” As we were leaving, Jerry came out and invited us to join the family for a hamburger cookout during the evening.
When we got over to Mother’s house, Billee and Ernie were fixing lunch, so we joined them for some vegetarian pizzas and pinto beans before going back to Jean’s place to open up Big V, unload the car, and start putting our house and lives back in order.
By time for the cookout Barbara was feeling a little under the weather, so I went on over to Jerry and Nancy’s house and joined them, Becky, and Jean for some of Jerry’s home-grilled hamburgers and the trimmings that Nancy had put together. After the meal we all joined in a rousing game of Chickenfoot dominoes…a sure way to test the strength of friendships.
When I got back to Big V, Barbara was up and around, but we decided we’d had a long enough day and both went in to read a bit before falling fast asleep in our own comfortable bed.
Saturday, May 24
Today was just a “work around the place” day. While Barbara worked in Big V, I went outside and cleaned tumbleweeds and trash out of the fences surrounding Jean’s land. We made a trip into town to see Mother, Ernie, and Billee, and then came back and lounged around Big V for the afternoon.
Jean called to say that James and Susie would be passing through town on their way back to Hobbs and were offering to take us all out for supper. Around 6:00 p.m. we all loaded up in Jean’s car and went to the Pecos Diamond where we got caught up on the latest news and had a great meal.
Since James and Susan had to get on to Hobbs tonight, we all said our goodbyes when we got back to Jean’s house and went our separate ways for the night.
Sunday, May 25
We got up and went to church this morning…It was good to be back in our “other” home church for a great message from Pastor Rick.
After church we went by Mother’s house to check on everyone and then headed back to Big V for a much needed afternoon nap.
Later in the evening we went back to Mother’s house and offered to fix a Memorial Day dinner if she would spring for the food. She thought that was a great deal; so on the way home we stopped at Wal-Mart to pick up some supplies.
Monday, May 26
It’s Memorial Day, a special day to remember all those who have passed before us.
Quote for the day: “ If you can’t stand behind our troops, please feel free to stand in front of them.”
I guess it was also a day to wake up early, since, after a restless night, we both woke up at 4:00 a.m. Just as well, since we needed to get the food started for our noon meal. I got out the bread maker and the crock pot and got them set up in the kitchen. While Barbara started on the roast and trimmings, I gathered all the ingredients and started a loaf of white bread. It wasn’t long before the house started “stinking really good.”
About 5:30 or so I decided to take advantage of the cool weather and no wind to wash the dirt and grime off the motorcycle. That job didn’t take too long and I had plenty of wash water left, so I then tackled the Vibe, getting it clean and shiny on the outside.
At 9:00 I rode the cycle over to Mother’s house and joined her, Ernie, and Billee on a short trip out to the cemetery where Daddy, Mother’s parents, and Billee’s parents are buried. We did a little cleaning and straightening around the gravesites and put out some flowers for the special day. Barbara didn’t feel that she could go back to a cemetery this soon, so she stayed in Big V to work on the meal.
After we got back to the house, I left for Big V, stopping at Wal-Mart for a couple of necessities to finish off the meal, and then went back to the place to help Barbara get everything ready. By the time I got there, the dessert, Apple Betty, was almost ready and everything else was coming together quite nicely.
Right around noon we loaded everything into the Vibe and hauled it over to Mother’s house where we enjoyed a great dinner and a good time together. Billee offered to do all the dishes since we had prepared the meal, and she didn’t get much argument from us this time. We usually try to split the responsibilities after a meal over there, but she insisted, so after a little more visiting, we hopped in the car and came back to Big V with our stomachs full and our bodies crying out for a nap after an already long day.
After a short nap we again started to work in Big V’s kitchen. Jerry and Nancy had invited us over to their house for a family dinner tonight. Jerry was cooking one of his delicious briskets for the bunch. We volunteered to fix scalloped potatoes and glazed carrots, both new recipes for us. Between us, we managed to get everything done, and went over to their house around 6:30 to join the Jerry, Nancy, Becky, and Jean for conversation, a wonderful meal, and another rousing game of Chickenfoot to close out the evening.
Tuesday, May 27
Not a whole lot to write about today…We got up early and closed Big V up to prepare her for a short trip. Ernie came out at 7:00 a.m. and he and I took Big V to Seminole, Texas, for her annual state safety inspection and to be serviced. Since it was a two-hour trip each way and a lot of down time for us while we were waiting at the shop, we had most of the day to just get caught up on “guy-talk.”
We got back to Artesia around 4:00 p.m., got Big V parked, opened up, and reconnected to the water and electric lines, and generally ready for habitation.
Barbara: After Jim and Ernie left with our home, I went over and sat on Jean’s front porch a while with her. Since she needed to get ready for work, I continued sitting out there working on the computer before heading into town to complete my list of errands. Once the errands were done, I wandered over to Edith’s where we spent the afternoon having some girls’ time.
Once Jim called to say they were in town again, I headed out to the place to help with the settling in of our home.
Wednesday, May 28
It was another “not very exciting day” for the Artesia bunch. With high winds and high temperatures, there wasn’t much we could get done outside, and we just didn’t feel like doing much inside.
We did run some chores in town and joined the Terpening/Francis clan for our usual Wednesday lunch at Chaos. After that, we returned to Big V to just “veg out” for the afternoon.
While we were vegging out, the UPS truck arrived with a new toy for Barbara. She had placed an order earlier for a DVD burner, and when it arrived, we found it was incompatible with our Dell laptops. So, she arranged to return the burner and get something that would work. Well, today the new burner arrived and she quickly began getting it set up and installed, excited to begin learning about a new program and starting a new project.
Since Mother’s house was being shown at 6:30, they all came out here to visit and have leftovers with us. After the meal, Ernie and I took Spike and Bonita for a walk (actually, more than one since they got restless in the motor home) while Barbara, Mother, and Billee visited. This was the f irst time we had tried keeping the dogs here, too; but it turned out that this was a great deal for everyone.
After everyone left, I went over to Jean’s house to help her cheer the Boston Celtics to a close victory over the Detroit Pistons in a NBA Eastern Conference playoff game. Meanwhile, Barbara stayed at home to play with her new computer program.
Thursday, May 29
Mark this down as a red-letter day of sorts for us. For the first time in two years, we didn’t make a trip into town! Except for a walk down to the highway to get the mail, we didn’t even leave Jean’s property.
It was a hot, windy, and generally miserable day outside, so we just stayed inside and worked on our various projects. Barbara stayed busy with her new DVD program and I tackled the journal, trying to get caught up so we could be back on schedule with it and the blog by the end of the week.
Mother had another house showing this afternoon, so they all came out for an hour or so. Barbara got to show them what she was working on, and Ernie and I made a couple of rounds of the place with Spike and Bonita. And, while they were here Barbara quickly baked up some oatmeal/butterscotch cookies to serve.
This evening Barbara made up a macaroni/cheese/hamburger casserole that we shared with Jean while Jean and I watched the final game of the Spurs/Lakers NBA series.
It wasn’t a particularly exciting day, but it certainly was unusual for us.
Friday, May 30
Another slow day around the place for us…With more high temperatures (100 degrees) and high winds (30+ mph) in the forecast, we elected to crank up the air-conditioning early and try to keep Big V as comfortable as possible.
While Barbara finished up a practice DVD project to mail out to Mike and Kelly and Kelly’s parents, I walked to the highway to check the mail, came back and installed our new registration stickers on the motorcycle and two of the trailers, and reconnected Big V to the big propane tank.
After a quick trip to town to see Mother, Ernie, and Billee, we stopped at the bank and post office and then returned to Big V to fix lunch, watch another episode of M*A*S*H, and ride out the heat wave.
Nancy had offered to help me straighten out and reconcile some medical bills and Blue Cross statements, so I walked over to their house for a few minutes around 3:00 to show her all the paperwork. Since dealing with insurance and billing is her regular job in Dr. Moreno’s office, she was quickly able to help with some of the issues and knew who to call when she didn’t have an answer…Thanks Nancy…you are a lifesaver!
Barbara baked another batch of cookies she made yesterday and, while I rode the cycle into town to take some paperwork back to Mother, made preparations for our evening meal. We called Jean to see if she wanted to share in one of our favorite dinners – baked potatoes with broccoli and cheese soup topping. She said that sounded good to her, so while Barbara stayed in Big V to bake the potatoes, I took the soup over to Jean’s house and heated it while she and I watched the first half of the Celtics/Pistons NBA game.
Just before halftime, Barbara brought the potatoes over and we all sat down to enjoy a delicious hot meal together.
Barbara then went back to Big V to work at her computer while Jean and I finished watching the game…a very gutsy performance by both teams, with Boston putting together a great late-fourth quarter run to win the game and the Eastern Division championship.
Back at Big V we watched a little TV before opening the place up to let in the cool night air and going to bed to read a bit before calling it a night.
Saturday, May 31
It was a pretty quiet morning…we worked at our computers, had a little breakfast, and then drove over to Mother’s house to deliver a casserole that Barbara put together…some for them and some for us.
The wind got up this afternoon and gave us fits with the awning. It had been perfectly still outside all day, but around 2:30 the strong winds came out of nowhere, and we weren’t able to get the awning all the way in. Our biggest concern, of course, was that the wind gusts would rip the awning off the outside wall…just another concern for full-time RV’ers.
A generally quiet evening with no particular plans…just sit back and relax and hope the wind dies down soon.
“What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” – Unknown
Watching and waiting for someone to buy Mother’s house in Artesia,
Jim & Barbara
