SOMEBODY WROTE...... 'AND THEN IT IS WINTER'

WHITE SANDS, NEW MEXICO....Didn't take any pics today so all of tonight's photos are from our travel files back in October of 08.

With each passing day now our temperatures are slowly but steadily dropping as Autumn begins to slide into it’s latter phase.  Our night time lows are creeping ever closer to the freezing point.  High gusting winds today have been shredding more leaves off the trees but the Autumn countryside is still hanging on & standing pretty in the sunlight.

Kelly spent a lot of time on the phone today taking care of things like travel insurance.  My insurance dropped by $400 because I am over the penalty period for having a kidney stone problem 2 years ago.   The Insurance Company had to of course financially penalize me like a 2 year old because of a kidney stone!!!!  Called Verizon to activate our account for November 6th.  Local telephone & cable television companies were called to suspend services for the winter but I’m sure when we get back in the spring everything will be messed up as usual & Kelly will have to spend more time getting everything straightened out again.  Coach Net had to be called to renew our road assistance program.  What would us guys do without our gals eh.  I’m sure glad Kelly does all that stuff because it requires a huge amount of patience.  But, on a positive note, Kelly said she noticed that everyone she talked with today sounded like they were from North America & all the people were exceptionally helpful & friendly.  Do you suppose those companies are finally seeing the writing on the wall about people having to deal with Eastern foreign countries.  I sure hope so & isn't it about time we took back control of everything else over here on this side of the big pond.

 

OLIVER LEE STATE PARK, ALAMOGORDO NM

I sure hope we can make it down south & back this year again with the whole Bayfield Bunch intact.  Max is really beginning to show his age.  He’s still able to do our morning walks but his one front leg bothers him more now.  His hearing is pretty much gone so we have to keep a close eye on him because he can’t hear us when we call.  Checkers has some hip problems & it’s no easy feat for the guys climbing up the steep steps of the Motor Home.  Even last year we had to sometimes help them up.  The little Motor Mouse is still a ball of energy & shows no apparent signs of aging at all.....just like Kelly.  Me, well I’m another whole story but I won’t admit it of course!!

RICK & PAULETTE  are off for a few days on a shakedown cruise with their new fifth wheel so you might want to stop by & see how they are doing.  Rick can always use a little extra help understanding all that technical stuff you know.  And to Anonymous who left a question about the Workhorse brake recall....check my post for Monday Oct. 18th & click the Workhorse Recall link about half way down.  It will tell you how to check if you are in that recall.

MAX & THE MOTOR MOUSE (Ok, here real name is Cora)

A few weeks ago I had myself a little bluster about bloggers making up their posts with just sayings & slogans & I’ve felt kinda bad about that one ever since, so for the first time since I started this blog I have something to add here that is much of the same thing I blustered about.  It came across my desktop awhile back & in light of our recent saddened week-end I felt it speaks to & for all of us at this age & stage in our lives.   I don't know who wrote it, probably just someone like you or I who sat down at their keyboard & typed out their thoughts.  Just an ordinary person like the rest of us who do this most every day here in Blog Land.  Probably just another family member we haven't met yet. 

RELAXING AFTER A HARD DAYS DRIVE.....HASKELL, TEXAS              

'AND THEN IT IS WINTER'

You know, time has a way of moving quickly and catching you unaware of the passing years.  It seems just yesterday that I was young, just married and embarking on my new life with my mate. And yet in a way, it seems like eons ago, and I wonder where all the years went.  I know that I lived them all... And I have glimpses of how it was back then and of all my hopes and dreams... But, here it is..the winter of my life and it catches me by surprise... How did I get here so fast? Where did the years go and where did my youth go?

I remember well...seeing older people through the years and thinking that those older people were years away from me and that winter was so far off that I could not fathom it or imagine fully what it would be like...  But, here it is...my friends are retired and getting gray...they move slower and I see an older person now. Lots are in better shape than me... but, I see the great change...  Not like the ones that I remember who were young and vibrant... but, like me, their age is beginning to show and we are now those older folks that we used to see and never thought we'd be. 

Each day now, I find that just getting a shower is a real target for the day!  And taking a nap is not a treat anymore...it's mandatory!  Cause if I don't do it on my own free will..I just fall asleep where I sit! 

And so, now I enter into this new season of my life unprepared for all the aches and pains and the loss of strength and ability to go and do things that I wish I had done but never did!!  But, at least I know, that though the winter has come, and I'm not sure how long it will last...this I know, that when it's over...its over....

Yes , I have regrets. There are things I wish I hadn't done, things I should have done, but indeed, there are many things I'm happy to have done.  It's all in a lifetime....

So, if you're not in your winter yet...let me remind you, that it will be here faster than you think. So, whatever you would like to accomplish in your life please do it quickly!  Don't put things off too long!!  Life goes by quickly.  So, do what you can today, as you can never be sure whether this is your winter or not!  You have no promise that you will see all the seasons of your life...so, live for good today and say all the things that you want your loved ones to remember... and hope that they appreciate and love you for all the things that you have done for them in all the years past!!  Live your life well.....(author unknown)

THE GANG IS SACKED OUT IN LAS CRUCES NEW MEXICO FOR THE NIGHT

GROANER’S CORNER:((  One day, shortly after the birth of their new baby, the mother had to go out to do some errands, so the proud father stayed home to watch his wonderful new son.
Soon after the mother left, the baby started to cry. The father did everything he could think of, but the baby just wouldn't stop crying. Finally, the dad got so worried he decided to take the infant to the doctor.
After the doctor listened to all the father had done to get the baby to stop crying, the doctor began to examine the baby's ears, chest and then down to the diaper area. When he opened the diaper, he found was indeed full.
"Here's the problem," the doctor explained. "He just needs to be changed."
The perplexed father remarked, "But the diaper package specifically says it's good for up to 10 pounds!"

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Tourists see the world, travelers experience it.

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THE BAYFIELD BUNCH BRIEFLY RETURNS TO COLUMBUS, NEW MEXICO…….’SI SENOR’

 

BOOT HILL RV PARK WITH MOUNT SIERRA BLANCA IN BACKGROUND

(Click any photo to enlarge)

Kelly's Ontario body clock told her last night it was 10 o’clock so she headed for bed at 8.  Or, was it nine.  She was back up at 3 thinking it was 5.  I went to bed at 11 thinking it was 7 & was back up at 2 to shut the computer off because I had fallen asleep waiting for the blog to upload.  I was back up at 3:30 because Kelly was up at 3.....or was it 5 Ontario time.    We have passed through 2 time zones & one Texas time warp so far & our internal clocks are in turmoil.  To-night, or was it last night the clocks are turned back but to-morrow we'll be in Arizona where time never changes anyway so we haven't a clue if we’ll be on time, in time, or overtime for anything.  By the time we get up it might be time to go to bed again.   Right now I think it's 5 p.m. New Mexico time, or was it really 7 o’clock Arkansas time.  Well, whatever it is I’m sure it will be subject to change of course!!  About time I moved on to something else I’d say…………………………….

I TOT I TAW A PUDDY TAT!!

Neither one of us had enough energy to climb out our pajamas this morning until nearly 9 a.m.  And even then it was struggle as we puttered around in slow motion.  Finally got things organized enough to get the big wheels rolling again about 11:20.  Stopped at the office & signed up for a Passport America membership.  Geeeeez, could it be I'm coming down with a bad case of RV Parkitus!!  The nice Boot Hill folks gave us the Passport rate for our stay & less than 6 hours later we would use it again for additional mega savings....more about that later.

 

DON’T HAVE A DINETTE SO WE EAT ANYWHERE WE CAN

Should mention that we had a great Verizon connection at Boot Hill & were able to get 4 channels with the rigs TV antennae.  Directly across from Boot Hill is McGinn's Pistachio Tree Ranch so when your cruising along number 70 just look for the huge Pistachio out front on the west side of the road.  Your Boot Hill turn off is across from the big Pistachio:))

THE BIG PISTACHIO ACROSS FROM THE BOOT HILL RV PARK

(HOVER YOUR MOUSE OVER ABOVE PHOTOS FOR CAPTIONS & CLICK TO ENLARGE)

We slipped around busy Alamogordo on the by-pass & headed southwest past White Sands National Monument.  We were there last year so have a look at our photos at  WHITE SANDS.  Between Alamogordo & Las Cruces just south west of White Sands lies the jagged peaked San Adreas mountain range.  Highway 70 runs up & over the mountains through the San Augustin pass & it's a long haul of a grade to reach the peak.  Luckily it's two & 3 lanes.  By the time we crested the peak we were down to 35 mph with Kelly out behind pushing.  The descent on the west side is steep so we had to deploy the drag shute to slow our descent into Las Cruces:))

DESCENDING INTO LAS CRUCES NEW MEXICO

It's pretty straight forward rolling through Las Cruces, just pay attention to the road signs, swear at the appropriate times, & keep your foot on the gas.  By 2:30 we were.....or was it 3:30 we were rolling into Deming New Mexico for a fuel stop ($2.89 a gallon) & Wal-Mart groceries.   Parking lot was really jammed up with big 18 wheeler rigs so had to park next door at K-Mart.  Parking lot there was so empty you could have landed a Jumbo Jet sideways..........twice!!

THESE ARE SOME OF THE GREAT BOOKS WE USE IN OUR TRAVELS

Decided at this point to head down to Columbus New Mexico near the Mexican border.  We have fond memories of our previous 2 times there 3 years ago.  That is where we both got to sit on Santa's knee on Christmas Day 2006.  We also had some dental work done & eye glasses made over the border in Palomas.  And, of course we totally loved the Pink Store.  I blogged & included photos of our time at the PINK STORE just this past April 26th & for the day we got to sit on Santa’s knee just click HERE:))

FULL HOOK-UPS FOR $7 AT ‘BEST RV PARK’ IN COLUMBUS NEW MEXICO

Had originally planned to boondock near the train station museum but Kelly noticed in our new Passport America book that there was an RV Park affiliate right here in Columbus.  So, because we now have joined PM the site would be half price.  And half price it was at $7 with full hook-ups.  I remember driving through this park 3 years ago & I wasn’t too impressed but there has been a big change.  I seem to recall old trailers before but they are gone now.  It was a tired old park but the tired has been replaced with new energy & this park has really been cleaned up.  Young pine trees have been planted with attention paid to watering.   They have 55 RV sites & the park is large enough to accomodate any rig.  Big turn around area.  14 full hook-up pull through sites, 41 water/sewer sites ,& 30 amp electric.  Excellent Verizon coverage here though & we can get  about 14 clear television channels with the rigs antennae & about half of them are in English.   Free Wifi as well plus showers & laundry.  Something tells me we are going to have a rooster getting us up early to-morrow morning or maybe, just maybe, it will be us getting up that rooster.  Now, let me see..........what time is it anyway!!

“BOO!!”        “TRICK OR TREAT:))”

GROANER'S CORNER:((  Old people shouldn't eat health foods. They need all the preservatives they can get!!

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