-Life on the Road 2008-2009

January - April '08

Spring has arrived in the desert. And as I write this it is raining for the first time in 6 months!!! Welcome rain for the area.

Where did the winter go? I enjoyed visits from friends. Ken and Audrey made a trip to the southwest in their recently purchased RV and we spent a great week visiting and touring the area. We took several trips into the mountains, a trip to Mexico and spent a lot of time catching up with each other. Audrey got me into a quilt project. I've been looking at my sewing machine and fabric for a long time and it's fun to have another project in the works! I even have figured out another scrap project to keep me busy. Not that I don't have enough things to do in my spare time!

Jan and John came down from Albuquerque to spend a weekend. We went to the annual Pecan Festival in Cuchillo and also went to the Quilt Show in Truth or Consequences. Another friend, Marlene, joined us. It was great inspiration to see all the beautifully made quilts.

My sister and husband, Nancy and Harry, arrived the early part of April and stayed a month. The time went by fast. It was nice to have them as neighbors and we found ourselves running back and forth from RV to RV for various reasons. While here they spent a great deal of time in the desert and totally enjoyed themselves. They have been traveling for a year and when they left here, they started the long trip to Alaska. What fun for them.

I am content, for the moment, to stay put here in the SW. It is a peaceful place and since I had made friends here last year it is good to be reconnected with them. The summer is a little different because most all of them go back 'home' in the summer, but I know people in town and I feel quite integrated here.

I'm back in the hospitality business, working at the Elephant Butte Inn & Spa.

Because my knitting needles are never far from my side, I have been working on several projects and I am adding to my line of patterns. Socks mostly. Eventually I would like to compile a book with all of my tips and tricks on making socks. Something that is completely user friendly, with pattern stitches and various methods of turning a heel. My collection of socks is growing, so some day the family will be showered with them all.

There are a lot more pictures I could post for you, but I thought I had better get something out there to show you all!!! I'll be adding again soon.

Summer '08

The summer weather in New Mexico was 'not normal' according to the locals. We had more wind, rain, humidity, flies and mosquitoes than any years in recent memory. Because I have been working full time, I was able to avoid the worst of the heat of the day in an air conditioned atmosphere, but the general weather affected me anyway. The rain was welcome here though, since they have been in drought conditions for some time.

My job at the Elephant Butte Inn has been good. I work with, and have met, wonderful people in the months I have been there. The summer was very busy and because I work weekends, I saw the busiest of days with many people coming and going.

I've had little time to do any touring around the area. My days off filled up with laundry, marketing and general errands around town.

I have been able to keep up with knitting my socks - such an addiction! And I have added information and text to my forever-ongoing book project. Because I have been experiencing problems with my wrist, I am not, however knitting as much. I have dragged out the sewing machine and have gotten a bit hooked on stitching quilt blocks. I have always sewn, and was trying to avoid falling too hard into another addicting hobby. Too late... I have one project, plus the beginning of another, and will launch into a long ongoing project this winter.

It is nice to have a friend here with me now. We share many interests including cooking and discussing current events... especially the upcoming election!

We had an exciting evening recently. We became aware of a problem outside the RV. It turns out there was a rattle snake within 5 feet of the door. We kept it from moving off and not knowing what the policy of the Park was, we got in touch with the Park Manager. He and his wife came to the rescue and we were glad to have them end the excitement.

Just after Labor Day we all said goodbye to one of the camp host couples. Jan & Larry had been here for several months and it was time for them to hit the road again. They were sent off with a fish fry/pot luck at the club house. Hopefully some of us may see them again.

One couple returned for the winter from Alaska several weeks ago and it looks like they will be making NM their permanent home. There is 'something' about the SW.

As I write this another couple is due in today after spending their summer in Alaska as well. I guess summer is officially over.

A few weeks ago there was a Hot Air Balloon Regatta on the lake. They didn't just launch and fly, but they had contests… picking up batons that were floating in the water, etc. I missed the event because I was at work, but it must have been site to see the balloons get close enough to the water to pick those batons up.  

After a long and very busy trip to Ohio and New England in November, I settled into a routine again back in Elephant Butte.

I spent Thanksgiving and Christmas with my sister and her husband. It had been more than 20 years since Nancy and I had shared the holidays.

It was an uneventful winter. I stayed busy working and visiting a bit with those in the RV park.

Mid-winter I started looking for workamping jobs in the northeast, for summer '09.  More specifically New Hampshire. There were a lot of things that needed my attention in person there and I wanted to combine personal business with work and the opportunity to visit with friends and family. A workamping job came my way and I made plans to head east by the middle of April.

The trip went smoothly. I stopped in Ohio for a few weeks to visit my daughters there and then headed out for New Hampshire.

Summer in New Hampshire '09

May

After spending the night, just across the boarder in Wells River, VT, I arrived in Franconia on May 7. It was raining and continued to rain for the time I was there.

I drove an hour east a few days later, in light showers, and got myself temporarily parked at the campground. Later that week I pulled out of the campground and had the RV serviced and inspected. All was well!!! It was a nice change from all the other times I have had problems.

It was nice to get to NH and to see the kids there. It had been a long difficult winter for them and we are all rejoicing the birth and wonderful progress for Adaline. Elizabeth has grown so much and is a delightful four year old.

I made a trip to Connecticut for a wonderful visit with family there. My granddaughter, Paige, is not so little anymore. She is fun to spend time with and is always interested in new things.

Time goes by too fast.

I spent a good bit of time through June getting things settled at my house in Franconia. There were many repairs that needed to be done and I was getting the house ready to rent it again. After many hours of work and worry, a new renter moved in on July 1.  

June

It was a rainy month [25 out of 30 days]. Some of the storms were downright nasty. The river by the campground held it's own for the month, but the night of July 2 it flooded. I was lucky to not have it effect my site, but I was definitely worried I would have to evacuate!

We all continued to watch the river level.

July

It was cold and rainy month as well. Very unusual weather for this area. I was able to get out and take some pictures.

August

The weather finally turned nice and the month flew by. The weather was actually great. Before I knew it, it was time to start packing up the RV and getting ready for the road.

I left New Hampshire on September 8.