Not Much Happening

Thursday April 30yh

It has been a busy week, not all fun stuff.  Well some of it was fun.

Our neighbors stopped up over the weekend for a visit. Some of the kids and grandkids stopped over.  That was really nice seeing everybody.

I had an eye doctor appointment, wow has the prices of glasses gone up.  I guess the price of everything else has gone up too.  Got my hair cut on Monday, that feels much better.  Yesterday I went into work for a few hours at the compost site.  Sure was nice seeing my boss Richard, what a guy.  I will have to make sure to send him my blog address, maybe I could get a raise if I say really nice things about him.

Mike started right in on the yard Saturday, mowing, raking leaves and fertilizing.  Why would he want it to grow, then you have to cut it more. 

He started on the bathroom Sunday tore the sheet rock off the walls, the toilet and tub are gone and nut much on the floor but the wood.

Wednesday we went to breakfast with my dad and our regular Wed. morning breakfast group.  Lots of stories and laughs.  Everybody always has so much to talk about.  We do a little show and tell, Joanie is making the cutest purse and I had to pass around a tennis bracelet I made this winter.  

Spam Museum and Home

Friday April 24th

We spent Thursday night at the truck stop in Albert Lea MN.  Friday morning we unhooked the truck and drove to Austin MN to visit the Spam museum. 

The Spam Museum opened in 2002, across the street from the meat plant.  Hormel which makes Spam and 3,000 other food products is located in Austin MN. 

Spam is made from pig parts (they didn’t tell which parts) and secret spices then cooked in it’s own can right on the assembly line.  The factories produce 44,000 cans of Spam an hour.  Hawaiian's consumes more Spam then any other state or country. 

A tower of 3390 cans of Spam rises to the ceiling in the lobby of the museum. 

Advertising posters from years past.

Try it you’ll like it.  A have to visit place.

Well we made it home early Friday afternoon, and is it good to be back.  Saturday Mike was already raking and mowing the lawn.  The man just never stops.  Monday is going to start remolding the bathroom in the house. 

 

Bridges Of Madison County and John Wayne

Thursday April 23rd

A small house on Second Street in Winterset Iowa was the home of John Wayne.  He was born here and lived in the house until he was 3, when they moved to another town in Iowa.  We were able to tour the house, and it features the largest public collection of John Wayne memorabilia. 

Winterset Iowa is in Madison County were the movie Bridges of Madison County was filmed.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Cutler-Donahoe Covered Bridge is in Winterset City Park and is one of the most scenic. Built in 1871 and was moved to the park in 1970 and renovated in 1997.  We visited three of the bridges in the area. 

Roseman Covered Bridge built in 1883 and renovated in 1992, sits on it’s original site. 

Winterset has the old hometown feeling you find in the small town rural way of life.  Well worth a visit if your in the area, or make it a destination much to see and do.  

Downtown Winterset top picture and the Court House below.

Winterset City Park also has a unique English Style hedge maze, which we walked thru.  If I had been leading instead of Mike we would still be in the maze, lost forever. 

One of the most unique small towns we have visited.  The City Park offers 76 acres of wooded country side, and a modern RV camping area.

We stopped in another small town, Adel Iowa.  They also have a beautiful out Court House.  Had to stop and get pictures,  glad we did the secondary roads on our way home.  So many towns that we would never have seen.

We will be home Friday.  Sure will be good to see family and friends.

 

 

Matt Dillon and Miss Kitty

Dodge City Kansas
Wednesday April 22nd

As much as I love th desert it is nice to see green grass and trees with leaves. Sure hope MN is as green as KS. We pretty much have been staying off the freeways and driving the secondary roads.  The small towns and farming communities are so scenic.     

Dodge City KS cowboy capital of the world, so says the town.  We went thru the museum and the replica for Front street circa 1870, built in 1958.

Found Miss Kitty’s Salon

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The salon was closed to early in the morning for a drink.

Mike behind bars

He looks so happy in jail, should I let out?  Only if promises to be good.

Next stop boot hill.

 

We left Dodge at high noon and headed to Missouri.  Drove 400 miles and stopped for the night at a rest area just north of Cameron Missouri.

 

Get Outta Dodge

Tuesday April 21

We left Albuquerque this morning at 7am.  Said good by to Nancy and Charles, Sandy and Steve, and Karen and Reynolds.  Sure will miss them, but hope to see them all this summer.  Sandy and Steve may come for a visit this summer and the rest have lake property in northern Minnesota.

Mike drove 480 miles today to Dodge City Kansas.  A very long day.  I guess we will stay here and check the town out.

Lots of history here.  Wyatt Earp was assistant marshal in 1876 as was Bat Masterson who was also a gambler and journalist in town.  Doc Holiday who was a card playing dentist hung out in Dodge City for some time.  Sure we will find out more about the town tomorrow.

 

Papa Doo Run Run

Monday April 20th

Mike went to his last seminar today, a computer class on how to use Picasa a photo storage application.  I pretty much hung around the MH, just went on a nice long walk.

The Temps got in the high 80s today with nothing but sunshine.  Just a little to warm for me.

The last of the evening entertainment, was Papa Doo Run Run.  They toured with Jan and Dean and The Beach Boys in the 60s.  The Rally really did get some nice entertainers for the week.  Everyone was good and some were great. 

 

Most of the songs they sang were from the Beach Boys.  Two of the band members played with the beach boy for 10 to 12 years.  Love to here the songs from when we were in high school.

This is it we are headed out Tuesday morning, see family and friends in a few day. 

 

Our last sunset from the southwest. 

A Perfect Day and The Osmonds

Sunday April 19th

The sun is shinning and the temps are in the 70s absolutely perfect day.

We spent time at the fair grounds going to seminars and checking out the vendors and going thru more MH that are over $500,000.  A person can dream.  Mike made French Onion soup for dinner, he does make a good soup.

Mike got up early some balloons were taking off here at the grounds, he got a few pictures.

In the evening we had more entertainment the Osmond Brothers, Jimmy, Jay, and Wayne .   Another excellent show.  This is the 50 anniversary in show business for the Osmond's, and are they entertainers.  What a show they put on, the best one this week.    

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Monday is our last full day here, we leave for Minnesota Tuesday morning.

Rita Coolidge and Balloon Blow

Saturday April 18th

The weather has warmed up and the sun is shinning, not real warm, but much better. 

I forgot to mention we are staying at the Balloon Fiesta Grounds and the all the exhibits are at the New Mexico Fair Grounds about 15 miles south or maybe north.  Mikes not here to inform me of the direction, who cares.  You can either drive or take a bus.  The first day we took the bus waited in line in the rain and snow for over an hour.  They had 8 buses running but not nearly enough for all the people.

 

A small portion of the line we waited in for the bus to get to the fair grounds. 

Most of the exhibitors had products for MHs, and there were a couple hundred so you could spend a ton of money.  We did our share to support the economy.  They also had all kinds of new MH to go thru. Spent some time doing that.

 

Not sure what year the Ford pick up is, again Mike is off somewhere else.  At least I know it’s a Ford

Inside the red and white tear drop.

Inside the Airstream Trailer. 

 

 

 

 

  

Our new MH with the patio.  Okay not really.  Nothing wrong with my arm just a little sore and I wanted the attention. In the crowds everybody moves out of the way when they see a cripple coming.  What ever works.

Saturday nights entertainment was Rita Coolidge.  Mike attended but I was just to tired, from walking the fair grounds going thru all the exhibits.

The balloon blow was held after the concert. 

Pretty spectacular. 

At The Rally, Rain, Sleet and Oh Yes Snow

Here we are in Albuquerque the middle of April and we have snow, not just one day but for 2 days.  No accumulation but wet and sloppy.  Most of our activities are outside, BURRRR.

There are 3000 MH and over 7500 people attending The Rally.

 

This is the area we are parked in, you have to enjoy yours neighbors for a few days. 

This is another section of MH which extends all the way to the right of the picture.

 

Takes 3 people to cook a dessert in the propane oven.  It did get a little overdone (burnt is the word)  Maybe we had to many cooks.  I was the one that was making the dish and should have been watching more closely.  We ate it and it was okay.

We have had some nice days.  Not all cold and snow. 

Every night the Rally has entertainment, Friday night it was Neil Sedaka.  He put on a wonderful show, sang Calendar Girl, Oh Carol, Breaking Up Is Hard To Do, and many more songs.  At 70 he is can move around that stage pretty darn good. 

Hooked up with friends at the rally for happy hour.  Nancy and Charles Minnesota, Sandy and Steve (Washington), Bob and Marilyn Evans (Canada), and Paula and Tom.  We have added to our list of friends Karen and Reynold Brix (Minnesota).  

 

Easter Sunday

Sunday April 12th

Happy Easter 

This is our last day here at Elephant Butte State Park and the T or C area.  We had a great time and would defiantly come back.  Now if they could control the wind that sure would be nice.  We did get our walk on the beach this morning.  Brought a bag along to pick up some of the trash the campers left behind.  We should of had a couple of bags with, lots of garbage, you would think people would want to keep this area as nice as possible.  It’s such a treasure. 

Mike did a pork roast on the grill for our dinner.  I made mashed potatoes, gravy and corn.  For happy hour we had deviled eggs, shrimp and a little wine.  It was a wonderful afternoon. 

Easter Saturday

Saturday April 11th

It was just to windy to go for our walk this morning, but we did drive down to the beach to watch the Easter Egg Hunt.

The Easter Bunny was in attendance.  Not the best rabbit I ever saw but kids sure did like her.

Kids started lining up at 10 for the 11 start.  More then 2600 real colored eggs were used for the hunt, not the colored plastic eggs.  Hope none of the kids ate the eggs. 

They were off hunting and gathering.  The kids seemed to have a really good time.  The fire department was giving rides and tours on the fire trucks for the kids.

The wind is really kicking up today gusts up to 45mph, so we are hibernating in the MH, reading and playing on the computer.  About 2 o’clock Mike had enough sitting around, and took a road trip to Hatch NM, the Chili Capital of the World.  Hatch is 35 miles south of T or C, just a nice Saturday drive by himself.  Mike loves his salsa and Hatch makes some of the best in the world.  He came home with 5 jars of salsa, a batch dried  red chills and a package fire roasted green peppers.

One of my sunset pictures.  This is taken facing east and is the reflection from the sunset. 

We wish are family and friends a Happy Easter. Love to all.

A Soak In The Hot Springs

Friday April 10th

Truth Or Consequences claims the title of Hot Springs Capital of the World because of the large number of spa establishments, and the volume of water available.  We took advantage of one the outdoor spas today.  Mike and I have never been to a hot springs so it was really a treat for us.  We rented a private pool at Riverbend Hot Springs Resort and Spa.   The pool we were in is called Cielo and over looks the Rio Grande River.  The temps in the pools are between 105 and 107, pretty warm.  You don’t want to stay in them for  more then 15 minutes at a time.  Then out for 5 minutes.  We spent an hour soaking and relaxing, what a wonderful afternoon. 

Mike not quite relaxed yet, but he did get there. 

We stopped at a few other spa resorts and they were pretty decrepit, would not want to relax in their pools.  

After our soak we went back to the MH and fixed some nice steaks on the grill for dinner, along with a couple glasses of wine, to finish off a perfect day. 

Mike is now joining me for my walks on the beach in the morning.  The winds have calmed down for most of the day, maybe an hour or so they get a little blustery.   The temps have been just right in the 70s. 

Vietnam Memorial And Chloride NM

Thursday April 9th

Okay nobody told me I was putting the wrong month on my posts.  You guys have to catch things like that for me.

Truth Or Consequences has a beautiful Veterans Memorial Park.  It has memorial to all veterans, but the most amazing site is the Vietnam wall.

The half-scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington DC  was a traveling exhibit that ended in TorC New Mexico.  The Wall Traveled to over 300 US cities and Ireland.  Mike being a vet of the Vietnam conflict wanted to visit the site.  I have to say it was pretty inspiring, brought tears to my eyes.    

We traveled about an hour to the town of Chloride New Mexico, a classic, old west ghost town.  Chloride started as a silver mining town in 1880.  It boomed in 1886.  It is now considered a ghost town although 10 people live there fulltime.  There are about 30 original building left out of 300.  Some of the building are being restored by the Edmund family. 

 

Don and Dona first visited Chloride in 1976 and fell in love with the town and the people living there at the time.  They bought a home in town, remolded it.  When Don retired from IBM in 1985, they lived fulltime in Chloride, and started buying and refurbishing the old buildings. Their daughter now lives in town, and she was our tour guide.   What wonderful stories she had to tell us about the old timers and the history of the town.  I have to say it was one of the most enjoyable tours we have been on.

The hanging tree, no one was actually hung from the tree, but that is what the towns people call it.

 

If you want to learn and see more of the town here is web site. Chloride New Mexico . 

We arrived back in TorC about 4PM and stopped to eat at Barbeque on Broadway.  Be really hungry or ready to take some food home, because your plate is piled high with the best ribs and sliced brisket. 

Now Mikes sunset from last night.  We really get some of the prettiest sunset here at Elephant Butte Park.

  

The flowers are beginning to bloom in the desert.