New Year’s Adventure

Happy New Year to all! We be taking our time in Carlsbad, New Mexico, watching openmouthed at all the bad weather on TV, while we sit in relative warmth, under blue skies in a little corner of the state which is untouched by storms. The Governor of NMÂ has declared a state of emergency, even Southwest Airlines is grounded, and interstate highways have been closed for a couple of days. Albuquerque was just plain shut down with record snowfall. Amazing.

We had “Christmas on the Pecos,” a unique one-hour float down the Pecos River, on a comfortable barge, to see the lights on the homes along the waterway. It’s a big thing regionally, and we really enjoyed it. Festive lights today have gone beyond stringing, and the moving scenes like a shark which traveled along the dock, or Santa in a front loader, were fun.

Carlsbad is another New Mexico town with a main thoroughfare which must be 15 miles long, has three names, and a lot of empty buildings. They are really promoting it as a retirement area, and it is probably a good bet for mild weather all year and low real estate prices. The Waste Isolation Pilot Plant would put me off, but that’s just me. They advertise it as “the nation’s defense-related transuranic nuclear waste stored inside a 2,000 foot thick salt bed.” We have heard people (employees?) refer to the WIPP as “protecting our nation.”

We have wanted to spend a day in the Carlsbad Caverns but probably won’t get to this trip. I gave myself asthma for Christmas and after a week can barely get through the Wal*Mart parking lot, let alone the caves. We both got hay fever about three weeks ago, and I just didn’t pay attention to getting the rest my body said it needed. So, my body said I’ll give you a rest, I’ll slow you down good, old girl. Thanks to Dr. Harless in Bend, I didn’t have to go to the ER, and hopefully the drugs will get me over the hump. It’s been nearly three years since I’ve had asthma and I’m real cranky about it. I thought it was gone. I guess I just have to look at it as a physical warning system – rest up, or else!

We have really taken the week off, here at the Carlsbad RV Park. I have been sewing and quilting blankets for my youngest nephew and his wife who are expecting their first baby in April. I was crushed to find that the world’s best fabric store in Roswell has relocated to Ruidoso, and we couldn’t get there because of the weather. Davey has been able to ride his bike nearly every day. This park has a busy activities schedule: We attended the Christmas potluck and met some nice people, including a family who works next door to the park we are going to do next in Shreveport! Last night we joined the ice cream social and a showing of Talladega Nights in the Rec. Room. Couldn’t stick around for the hats and tooters at midnight, but I did step outside in my nightie to yee-haw a couple of times when the owners set off the fireworks display. These desert folk do love their fireworks!

We have a minor car problem so we are going to get that looked at tomorrow and gear up to leave for Louisiana on Wednesday. I’m hoping to feel stronger by then. I find traveling very tiring, I don’t know why. Dave says it’s because I am hanging on ….

We’re looking forward to our journey into the south. We’ve never been to Louisiana. Of course it will take us nearly a week just to get across Texas, assuming the tornados are gone by then. Adventure awaits!

We wish you all the best in this coming year. We’re grateful for your friendship and promise to stay connected.

Love,

Sam and Dave