NOT MUCH GOING ON HERE TODAY BUT CLIMB ABOARD ANYWAY FOR A TRIP TO OLD FORT RUCKER IN ARIZONA'S CHIRICAHUA MOUNTANS

Had I not had a blast of energy by mid morning the day would have been a bust.  Short Jeep ride around Bayfield earlier today and we were home again almost before we knew we had even left.  Only took myself four photos and two of them were bridge construction shots.  Temps were up a couple degrees from Tuesday and I found myself with our leaf blower blowing out the carport plus front porch and deck.  Ran an outside extension cord for more Christmas lights in the front yard then headed inside where I kept the pace going .  Had a lot of camera and computer stuff piled up in drawers in the sunroom so I spent a fair bit time organizing going through everything, tossing this and keeping that.  I think some of the stuff dated back to the 1800's.  Amazing how things accumulate over the years.  Tore through my clothes closet like a hurricane on fire and hauled shirts out I hadn't worn for the last five years.  A lot of those shirts I've been hanging on to in case I lose weight.  Geeezzzz, who am I trying to kid.  This ain't high school no more.

MORE STEEL GOING IN FOR THE TEMPORARY BRIDGE

Thursday we are off to London's University Hospital where Kelly has a 2 p.m. consultation appointment with her Hepatology Gastroenterology Doctor.  While she's there I will zip over to Henry's Camera Store and pick myself up a protective lens hood and filter for my Nikon CP900.

::Memory Lane:: In tonight's Memory Lane post we go back to March 14th 2009 when Kelly and I went back into the Chiricahua Mountains for the second time in search of Old Fort Rucker and this time we found it.  No easy feat.  Not only did we find old Fort Rucker but we were to find out the old house on the property once belonged to Mary Kidder Rak and her husband Charlie.  It is the house you will see in my Photo Album as well as Old Fort Rucker.  She wrote a book called The Cowman's Wife which chronicles her and her husband Charlie's lives in the very house I have in my photo album.  I really recommend this book.  The hard struggles they endured, the good times, and the in between times.  This was the true west many years ago when endurance was a common factor.  Kelly and I visited Old Fort Rucker and Mary Kidder Rak's homestead a number of times during our ranch sitting days and what I think I will do is keep the whole Fort Rucker and Mary Kidder Rak story together and feature some of those trips over the next few posts.  

OFFICER'S QUARTERS AT FORT RUCKER IN ARIZONA'S CHIRICAHUA MOUNTAINS

MARY KIDDER RAK'S HOMESTEAD

CHARLIE'S BARN

<<< Fort Rucker's bakery door
GROANER'S CORNER:(( 

Office Holiday Memo

To: All Employees
From: Management
Subject: Office conduct during the Christmas season

Effective immediately, employees should keep in mind the following guidelines in compliance with FROLIC (the Federal Revelry Office and Leisure Industry Council).

• - Running aluminum foil through the paper shredder to make tinsel is discouraged.
• - Playing Jingle Bells on the push-button phone is forbidden (it runs up an incredible long distance bill)
• - Work requests are not to be filed under “Bah humbug.”
• - Company cars are not to be used to go over the river and through the woods to Grandma’s house.
• - All fruitcake is to be eaten BEFORE July 25.
• Egg nog will NOT be dispensed in vending machines.
• 
  
• In spite of all this, the staff is encouraged to have a Happy Holiday.
• ---------------------------------
• Q: Why was Santa’s little helper depressed?
  A: Because he had low elf esteem.
• ====================