Tracey & Erin got here about 4:30 or 5 and we went to Cuchara to the Dog Bar to eat.

Colorado fires

Red dots are fires - blue dot is where I am

Colleen's Visit

Thursday, June 28 - To Cuchara for lunch at the dog bar, where Colleen found a cute T-shirt, back to La Veta to pick up her stuff and then to Walsenburg where we had plenty of time to look in a couple of shops there.  One was the consignment shop where we found the lady from Kansas that we (T,K,&I) had talked to before. On down to Trinidad in plenty of time for the train which was supposed to arrive at 5:55. After the usual driving around to find the depot - which is not really a depot at all only an area alongside the track where you board, and which is Well Hidden under I-25 - finally located it, parked with about an hour to spare and then found out the train would be an hour and a half late!  Due now at 7:30!! OMG - So - killed 2 1/2 hours, train finally arrived, Colleen got on, and I got back to LV just before dark! I guess you could say everything turned out all right after all - with a few hiccups!!

Wednesday, June 27 - Up early and after eating some delicious waffles prepared by Marilyn, we (drove to San Luis - only an hour or so away - with the intention of walking the Stations of the Cross there.  Only went part way though - sun too hot, no water, no hats - generally not prepared, so decided to save that for another day and found a nice little restaurant for lunch. Colleen & I then headed on toward La Veta, but decided to detour back down to Taos to see the Pueblo, which we had missed.  Got there around 2, found the Taos Pueblo about 2:30 and guess what - CLOSED!  So headed back up to Hwy 160, ate at the ALL GON cafe in Ft. Garland, and came "home" to La Veta.

Tuesday, June 26 - On to Chimayo, spent 3+ hours there, then to Taos, and after calling to make sure our "reservations" were still secured, drove on to D&M's place west of Antonito.  Spent the night there with D&M, and Karen - nice visit with them, and we really appreciated their hospitality.

Monday, June 25 - Very good breakfast at the hotel, spent the day walking around, looking at the famous places in Santa Fe - The Plaza, Loretta Chapel,  Cathedral Basilica of Saint Francis of Assisi, Monks Corner, and others. Later drove on out (15 miles) to the Cities of Gold Casino/Hotel where we had reservations, checked in and then drove back into Santa Fe to attend Mass at the Cathedral and look around a little more.

Sunday, June 24 -  Colleen is coming on the train, and sick dog or not, I have to pick her up, so headed for Trinidad, met the train, then we started toward Santa Fe, NM.  By this time, I was very worried about Katy, and had decided to try to find a Vet to look at her in Santa Fe.  On the way (with the help of Google) I found an Emergency Veterinary Clinic in Santa Fe pretty close to the Highway we'd be coming in on.  It took us awhile to find it, but we finally did, and were really happy with the place.  We were there for about 2 1/2 hours, and it cost me $114, but worth every penny! They gave her an anti-nausea injection, fluid IV under  the skin, and a prescription for antibiotic.

I had made reservations at the Old Santa Fe Inn - a couple of blocks from the Loretta Chapel. Got checked in there around 4:30, and went to look around, but everything was closed, so found a place to eat, then back to the hotel and to bed early.

Friday, June 22 - Pretty busy today getting ready to be gone a few days.  Will pick Colleen up in Trinidad at the Amtrak "Depot" about 10:00 a.m. About bedtime this eve., Katy suddenly started throwing up and kept it up. I had to clean up several messes - finally just went to bed. When I got up Sat. morning, there were several more places where she had thrown up - mostly on the linoleum, thank goodness, but she was one very sick puppy! I didn't know what to do about it, and by the time I decided it would be a good idea to call our Vet., it was too late. No Vets available Sat. afternoon.  Called a couple of places here in this area, but no luck. Maybe she'll get over it by herself, but she just lays not eating, not drinking much - not herself at all - obviously sick!

I have forgotten to mention how the weather has been since I've been here. Last week several days were pretty warm - up to high 80's mid-afternoon, but this week it's been very comfortable, even cool in the shade. Do have to run the AC some because the sun warms up the camper.  Cooked pork sirloin in the crockpot with potatoes, onions and carrots. Made plans with Colleen for her to come out on the train on June 24th for a few days - maybe go to Santa Fe.  In the afternoon I drove over to Walsenburg. Went to the library to check on a Friends of the Library book sale and to the dollar store. 
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TV Fixed!

Sent this email to Kerry this afternoon:  "I fixed the TV!  Just had to tell someone! There was an error message that kept coming up and I googled it and found a discussion about how to change the settings on the receiver for this dish and did it and it worked!  I was so surprised I couldn't believe it actually worked ".  Went to Happy Hour after I got the TV going.  So many that were here last year and had been coming for years have not returned - for various reasons - health problems being the main reason.  These "regulars" are all retirement age, some older, some younger than me, so I guess it's to be expected, but several of my favorites are missing. I happened to sit by one of my "non-favorites, Linda, and after listening to her prattle on and on for about 30 minutes I said I had to go walk my dog, and left. It's still early in the season and people are arriving everyday (some leaving too!), so hopefully some new people will join in and the group will get larger!

The "TV-fixer-guy" finally showed up again. LSS (long story short) - there's a problem - the receiver can't communicate with the dish.  He suggested I need to purchase a newer dish, but when I called DirecTV, they said if I did, it would be just like the one I have now.  SO - I guess I'll give up on being able to watch TV - I have Netflix and Hulu and there is other TV programming available online, also a number of radio stations.  I'm not that much of a TV watcher anyway - I'll survive just fine without it. Went to Walsenburg to the grocery store later, and got my carwashed, so accomplished something!

Well my Satelite TV guy never did show up today!  I'm disappointed! He seemed like the kind of a guy you can depend on, but - just goes to show, I guess.  I tried to call him later in the day and got no answer, so left a message, trying not to sound too cranky, but probably did (sound cranky). Oh well. I can live without TV, I just hate it when someone tells me they'll do something and they don't do it! Got the holding tank (sewer) emptied and flushed out. A camper upkeep job that has to be done every 7-10 days or so.  Not hard to do, but don't like to do it!  Three more of the "Regulars" from last year arrived today, so the social life is picking up - at least there are enough people now to have our happy hour every afternoon.

Yesterday I called a guy that had been recommended to my by Tom (park owner) to try to get my satellite hooked up so I can watch TV.  He came and got it all set up, but not working yet.  He seemed very knowledgeable - had worked for Dish Network before retiring. When he left he said he had to get some information about the DirecTV satelites, as he wasn't able to establish communication. Still seemed to think he could get it going though, and coming back this morning to try again........later had a nice visit with a couple from Clovis, N.M. who had just arrived in a tiny little camper pulled by a car similiar to mine. They will only be here a couple of days.....Windy, windy day! The wind blew all day - midafternoon dark clouds built up in the S.E. and the wind changed direction. It never did rain, but I woke up several times during the night and the wind was still blowing! This is just like Kansas! This morning it's calm, sunny and beautiful.

Sunday was very quiet - a little too quiet! I have to remind myself that if I was at home, it would have been just as quiet there. I tried to go to Mass, but the time was wrong on the Pueblo Diocese Website - said 10:30am at Christ the King in La Veta, so I got all ready and went, but the parking lot was empty, and the sign in front said Sun. Mass was at 6:00 Sat. pm.  St. Mary's in Walsenburg had 10:00 Mass, but too late for that.  Stopped at "Sammies" and ate sausage & eggs - later had upset stomach - I think it was the sausage! Altogether kind of a downer day. On the bright side - had a phone call from sr.in law Pat and enjoyed a nice visit with her. 

Saturday morning - Got most of my cleaning done and pretty well organized. Darlice (from last year) was just here to give me some lemons off their lemon tree in ????? - forgot where they live, have to ask again!  She also wanted to tell me about another couple from last year that has arrived, and to come over to the "gathering place" by the river about 4:00.  There is Sat. night Mass at the little church here in La Veta at 6:00 pm - planning to go.  Otherwise - have been trying to catch up with Tom (Park Owner) for a couple of days. I need help getting the Satellite TV to work, and he said he knows someone that may be able to help - so will go over to the office (again) and see if he's there.  A large group of campers moved in yesterday - was told it's a camper club gathering - don't know where from.

Fw: Re: How was your first day?

This was my email to Kerry after she wrote asking about my first day:  Hi! The first day by myself has been a little bit "what the heck am I doing here?!!"   -  It will be better when the park fills up more and there's more going on.  (and kansas gets hotter)  I haven't sat around much though - got 2 buckets of water (one w/suds and one to rinse), my "sturdy" stool (that the Satellite dish was sitting on), and the long handled brush I bought yesterday at the hardware store - and washed the whole outside!  Had to improvise a little with a cloth wrapped around the brush and soaked in clear water to rinse with - skipped a few of the highest places that didn't look dirty, but it looks so much cleaner! Not allowed to use the hose for this - probably because it would cause a big mess, especially if several did it at once - also cost.  Then came in and worked on sorting and organizing makeup, medicine, cleaning supplies, etc. - THEN - showered in my own bathroom. Will probably use the "real" shower in the bath house most of the time, but it's kind of nice to be able to use mine when I feel like it.  Tomorrow I'm going to clean inside - still a lot of dead moths laying around - and maybe go to Walsenburg to the Dollar Gen.