After spending Thurs. night at the Super 8 in Lamar, I left there about 9 am Fri. morning and headed for Dodge City. Kerry & Tracey both worked until noon, and we arrived at the La Quinta Inn in Dodge at about the same time - I stopped to eat lunch in one of the little towns along the way, and I had been there only about 10 minutes when they got there! Ate at a pretty good restaurant, gambled some, and had a very good (free) breakfast at the motel Sat. morning - got to Hutch around 1:00 pm, went to Carls for lunch, then back to my house to unload the car. Was really glad to have the help! Big job! John & Syd helped too. It's really good to get home to my own house, bed, yard, cat, etc.!!  Sunday I went to 11 Mass, and shopped awhile with Tracey at Target afterwards.

Monday and Tuesday, started serious packing to go home!!  Monday I went to Walsenburg to talk to George at Birco about storing my camper. He's such a rough looking old guy! And his place is dirty and jumbled and full of stuff! I really hate to have to go there. He really is nice to me, but certainly not a businessman!! When I asked if I could come by Thurs. on the way thru town to pay him, he was almost offended! He said " you can just send me a check". I said "Will you send me a bill so I know how much to pay you?", and he said "Naww", "You have the receipt from last year, don't your? Well, just make it the same amount"!!  He did promise to come and get the camper Thursday, although he wouldn't say what time. During the conversation, I mentioned that I may want to sell my camper, and he jumped right on that, and it ended up that he is going to put a for sale sign on it. When he asked how much I want, I said $14,000. He pretty much told me I won't get that much, and would probably end up selling it for less - Oh Well - it's worth a try! He also said he will do whatever I don't get done - like putting the sewer hose away, etc., so I guess I'll see what I get done, and then maybe call him and ask him to do the rest - or maybe call him tomorrow? Got the awning rolled up and the carpet dried out, folded and stored, and most of the stuff packed in the car.

Got a motel reservation made at Super 8 in Lamar for Thurs. night - one more night after tonight and I'll be on my way!! I'm so excited to be going home!!

After Walmart, I went to the "Wonderful House", picked up some chinese food to go, and took it to our favorite rest stop - 2 miles north of Trinidad - to eat at a picnic table.  It was such a nice day to be out, temperature probably in the low 70's!  Got home about 4, and took a nap.

To church in Walsenburg, then on to Trinidad to do a little shopping at Walmart.

I'm not keeping up with this blog very well! Today is Saturday. After some discussion, it was decided, I will leave here sometime (late morning or early afternoon) on Thursday, Aug. 15 and drive part way home - probably to Lamar. I will spend the night there and drive on to Dodge City where Kerry & Tracey will meet me.  I'm having a bad case of the "Wanta Go Home Blues"!! Don't know exactly why, but I just want to go home!  I called George at Birco today and he assured me that he is still in business and will come & get my camper whenever I want him to, so that's what I'm going to do - Go Home!! I have been doing some packing and getting ready to leave, but really having a hard time - trying to keep busy so time will go faster, but counting the days/hours till I can go. Really feeling lonesome these days, too.  :(

Email sent to K & T on Tues., Aug. 6 - "Hi to both of you! Right now I'm thinking I really want to go home the weekend of the 17th.  Don't know why I'm so ready to go home - maybe partly because of all the stuff going on with my house and I feel like I really should be there to see about things, and partly because I just want to be home in my house!  I called George at Birco today and he assured me that he is still in business and will come & get my camper whenever I want him to. So - you two talk it over and tell me if you want to meet in Dodge again, or what.  (If it doesn't work for you, I know I could make it by myself - if I can't get gone from here early enough to drive to Dodge - because of packing & preparing the camper to be left for good, I could spend the night in La Junta)  Maybe we can do something else Labor Day weekend. Unless my feelings change completely in the next couple of days, I will be ready to head home the 16th or 17th"

I drove to Taos today - to Walmart and the casino! :) Kinda tired tonight - think I'll go to bed!

Friday, Aug. 2 to Monday, Aug 5 - Didn't get things written down as they were happening, but had a great time with Kelly, Sydney and Sebastain.  Went fishing several times - to the two local lakes, Bear & Blue lakes, near Cuchara, and Lathrop State Park, near Walsenburg. Went to the Sand Dunes and Zapata Falls, got in a lot of visiting time with Kelly, and the kids seemed to have a good time. They all left Monday morning about 9:30, - I went to Walsenburg to meet Pat, Carl, Michelle and Lee for lunch around noon.  Had a great time visiting with them.

Thursday, Aug 1 - We walked downtown this afternoon to get ice cream. On the way back, two girls driving by in a pickup stopped to ask Syd where she got her "YeeYee" shirt - they said they say that all the time!! Made her day!! :)  I don't know why that msg didn't go thru??  Getting ready now to drive to Walsenburg to the store. Kelly & Sebastain will be here by 5 or 6 I think....................... They arrive about 5:30 and we went to Cuchara to the Dog Bar to eat. I had rented the little (16 ft) camper here in the camper for Kelly & S. to sleep in, so after some visiting time, they went there to sleep.

July 19 to 29

Friday, July 19 - finally got around and gone about nine or 930. The drive was uneventful - Met Kerry and Tracy (don't remember the name of the town) and drove to Dodge city. Had fun weekend Thursday night and Friday. Drove on home Friday night

Sunday, July 21 - Nice to be back in my house!

Eye doctor appointment - dog groomer Monday and Tuesday

Wednesday, July 24 big hailstorm! 3 inch hail hit the house, Garage door, patio cover - lots of damage To my house and To this part of town!

Thursday & Friday, July 25 & 26 - Next couple of days spent figuring out what to do about it - contacting the insurance man and contractor. Decided to spend some money on furniture for my patio Need to buy things now while they're on sale, So have been looking. Saturday went to Wichita to Minards &  bought Chiminea, then came home and went to Kmart and bought Furniture.

Sunday, July 28 - John & Sidney came over and help me put it together.

Monday, July 29 - afternoon Sydney and I left Hutchinson and headed to Dodge city. Rained hard all the way! Spent the night there and on to La Veta Tuesday, July 30

Everybody was real glad to see me and welcomed me back!

Wednesday morning, July 31, (Colleen's Birthday) Sydney and I both played Pokeno With the gals, Then drove to Cuchara to have lunch at the Dog Bar. Later walked downtown to have ice cream, Then took a little drive and let Sydney Drive The car. Very nice day!


Sent from my iPhone

Spent most of today getting ready to be gone - emptied the black tank. Jacquie called and invited me to come over and make jewelry. I did go over for awhile, but didn't feel like I had the time to spend doing that, so we picked out the materials I wanted to do it with, and then I came back home and got busy.  A lot of discussion with Kelly and Kerry about when Kelly is coming and whether or not Sydney is going to come back with me, and I'm not sure it's all settled yet!  Anyway, I'm leaving tomorrow morning, and hopefully will get that figured out at some point.

Had to tell everyone here where I'm going, when, how and with who!! Really getting riduculous! I went over to Happy Hour, and explained - even the guys think it's their business!!  Worse than Sweet Adelines!

Just one of the beautiful views of the mountains we saw today during our side trip!

Stonewall - ate lunch here

Ate lunch here today with Harris & Kit. They wanted to take me to lunch to repay me for dog-sitting for them - ended up wandering around all afternoon! After going to Stonewall to eat (on the hwy between Hwy 12 and Aguilar - just a few miles east of Hwy 12), we went to see an abandoned town, then to view the Cordova overlook on that same hwy. After doing that - with a lot of stopping for pictures and slow driving over very rough roads, we headed back towards La Veta, but went out east of La Veta and over more, worse roads, to see "Little Kansas". A unique collection of houses up in the mountains apparently built a number of years ago by a group of people from Kansas.  The road up to where these houses are (deep in the woods), is extremely rough, rocky, steep and narrow! I can't imagine why anyone would want to go stay there for any length of time! If there was a forrest fire, it would be so hard to get out - you would not be able to drive fast to escape, because of the condition of the road. It was a very interesting and fun trip, but I am TIRED!

Played Pokeno this morning, tomorrow will get ready to GO!

River is running! First time this yr!

Just wandered by!

Katy, "business" all done - waiting by the gate for me to take her out of the dog park

Dog-sat today with this little girl - "Josie" - a miniature poodle, so black, you can't hardly take a picture of her! Friends Harris and Kit asked me to keep her while they went someplace today.  Katy would love to play with her, but she's a little skittish, and Katy comes on a little too strong, so Josie jumps up in the chair and Katy sits wagging her tail below! :)

It started raining yesterday while I was in Trinidad and continued the rest of the day, pretty much all night, and until 9:30 or so this morning.  I was told we go almost 3 inches of rain! As it does in Kansas, this brings a smile to everyone's face! La Veta has been on a strict water restriction policy ever since I've been here - no watering of any kind, no washing cars, also no fires anywhere outside, including smoking! The river is running here in the park, maybe the water situation will get better now!

"Our" rest stop - where Katy & I stop on the way to & from Trinidad.
Notice the storm clouds gathering - It rained so hard I could hardly see the hwy all the way back to LaVita!!

I went to church at St Mary's in Walsenburg this morning. I was a little bit late, and the church was pretty full, but there was one pew, about 5 rows from the back that only had one man in it. There was a post kind of blocking the way into it from the center aisle, but I squeezed thru and the man, after looking at me as if he was a little bit surprised to see me, moved over to share his pew. When it came time to kneel for communion, I discovered the reason no one else was sitting there - the kneeler was broken and the end of it was kind of jammed in behind the post/pillar. My "seat mate" - since he now had a female sitting in the faulty pew with him, got down on the floor and got the kneeler unjammed and into a more or less usuable position. I couldn't help smiling and by the time he got it set up, we were both trying to keep from laughing. Mass went on normally, the only distraction being when my knees started to hurt and I sat back in the pew and my new friend leaned over to ask if it was too far back and did I need the neeler moved forward. I assured him it was OK. Then when Mass was over - the priest asked all with anniversaries to stand, then birthdays, then visitors. I looked around and didn't see anyone else standing, so I didn't move (not wanting to attract anymore attention after being late and then causing the kneeler disturbance) - but - N.F. (new friend) leaned over and said (didn't even whisper) "You're a visitor, aren't you?". I nodded, so he said "You need to stand up!", I smiled & said "I thought I'd just sit here quietly", and he said (louder) "No, no - You need to stand up!. So I did and he stood up with me to show his support - his arm around my shoulders! The priest said something - a welcome speech I think - by that time N.F. had sat down, and I, thinking it was over, started to sit. "No, no!" NF said - "They will pray for you!" "You need to stand so they can pray for you!", as he took my arm and helped me to my feet again! And so they did. I'm pretty sure I was the only one standing, and the whole congregation sang a short prayer, their hands extended toward me. N.F. told me again - after I sat down - "You get prayed for!" he said, smiling. I smiled and after Mass was over I thanked him for fixing the kneeler. I thought later, I should have thanked him for making me feel welcome, because he certainly did!

REALLY had a quiet day today! Hardly left the camper, except to walk Katy a couple of times. Having trouble with itchy, burning eyes again, so stayed in and babied them and listened to a book - I think I finally figured out what's causing it - Dry Eyes. I had gotten some Murine, and after I use the drops a couple of times and keep a cool wet cloth on for awhile, it gets better. Tomorrow I'm going to the Walmart in Trinidad after Mass in Walsenburg, and get something to put in them - maybe "artificial tears". I do think I'll see if I can make an appointment with Dr. Ridder for when I go home next week - should have done that before I left anyway, it was time. Talked to Mary V about the program - need to meet with her when I'm home.

Remains of a town

Today, a big group from the park (about 17 of us I think) went to Fort Garland to eat at the Al Gon
Cafe. I went with Harris and Kit and bought their lunch in payment for all the work he has done for
me - putting up my awning. On the way back here we took a couple of little side trips - went to look
at a "hidden" lake near Ft Garland, and another detour took us past these remains of buildings -
probably a mining town - no wood left, just stones and pieces of foundations.

About the Dikes - FYI

The Sangre de Cristos were formed by glaciers. When the Peaks were formed, magma also surged upward into cracks in the ground and hardened. Over time, the softer sediments surrounding the hardened magma wore away, leaving giant walls called dikes. These dikes radiate from the Peaks like spokes in a wheel, and vary in length from a few hundred feet to over 14 miles. Many are seen along Highway 12, the most prominent being Devil's Stairsteps and Profile Rock

Lunch at the Dog Bar

Went to the Dog Bar for lunch today with Viola and Doyle Winters. Nice little "outing"! After we ate, we drove on past Cuchara and up to the failed "Cuchara Mountain Ski Resort" which, I guess, someone is still trying to bring back to life. There are a number of buildings - big condo-type places that look like they were really nice places at one time. Some cars around, like maybe a few people still live there. Other buildings that were the office and maybe a store at one time.  Doyle said it was in business for several years, don't know why it failed - maybe not enough snow? Wish I would have taken some pictures - again! I don't know how many times I have wished that - when will I learn I need to take pics EVERY time I do something different or go sightseeing!  Quiet evening, got my paints out and did a little painting - left them all out so maybe incentive to do more!

Quiet Tuesday

Short night - woke up too early, about 4:45! I hate it when that happens! Stayed in bed for another hour or so, trying to go back to sleep, but no luck, so drug myself out and made coffee! My big job for today is to drain the black tank. Had to wait a little while - not to wake my neighbors -  then got that nasty job done.  Its really not that hard or unpleasant, but one of the "camper things" I don't like to do. Showered and got ready to meet the day after that - then - took a nap! Later a trip to Walsenburg to the Dollar Store. Got pretty warm today - about 85 deg. It was 107 deg. in Hutchinson though, so shouldn't complain!  Went to Happy Hour at 4:00, later visited with Doyle and Viola for awhile and took Katy for a walk around the campground and stopped to visit with Darlice & Maury , then Mary Ann and Joe.  Both are nice couples, so enjoyed that.  I have promised myself I would get out and socialize some each day - so far, so good.

Sunday morning, after E. worked on my awning and got it secured (which I appreciated very much!) , Tracey and Everette left, heading back home. I got ready and went to 10:30 Mass in Walsenburg. After Mass, I picked up a few groceries and Dollar Store supplies, and stopped in the park for a little while - ate my "grocery store" sandwich there before going back home. Got out of playing Pokeno by not getting back till after 2:00, so unloaded and took a nap! :) I did go over to happy hour at 4:00 and when I got back from there around 5, Viola and Doyle had come back from La Junta, and I went over to talk to them for awhile. We were joined by another couple - Ken & Marge ______ from Cedarvale, KS. Nice couple - he plays the guitar, so looking forward to having some music! A storm blew up later and we all had to go in, but the visiting was enjoyable! Missing my kids already, but I'm going to try very hard to keep busy and enjoy the time here. It may be my last summer in Colorado, so I need to make it a good one!

T & E in Santa Fe

IMG_0679.jpeg

headed for Santa Fe

Up early, looked at the awning situation to figure out what was needed, and headed for Santa Fe.  First stop - the casino at Taos (of course!), ate at the same restaurant we (Tracey, Kerry & I) had eaten at a couple of weeks ago (before or after?) then on to Santa Fe.  Checked into the Super 8  there.  Next morning (Sat.) we went exploring the "Historic Santa Fe" area till about 11, then checked out of the motel and went looking for an IPhone 5 for me - had to go to the Verizon store to get it - then to Walmart (didn't have everything we needed for the awning, and somewhere in here we ate at a really good restaurant)  - on out to the "Cities of Gold" casino and spent 2 - 3 hours there. Drove on to Taos, stopped at the Walmart there and got the rest of the awning stuff, stopped at the casino again, and headed toward La Veta. By this time, it was about 7 pm, and we didn't get home till around 10:30 - missed the La Veta turn off on Hwy 160, almost hit a bear, and missed the turn for the park! Not easy to see those corners in the dark! Enjoyed the weekend!

T & E

T & E arrived about 4:00 - Went to the Dog Bar to eat.

T & E coming tomorrow!

Washed some clothes, played Pokeno, and got ready for company!  T & E coming tomorrow!

Quiet day

Quiet day so far - emptied the black tank and had coffee with Max and Jacquie. Feeling a little homesick and lonesome for my family and friends - good thing Tracey and Everette are coming in a couple of days!

Ladies day out

Monday, July 1 - Today the gals had decided to have Ladies Day Out and go to Pueblo to a movie, lunch, and shopping, so I went along.  It was fun! The movie was "Heat" with Melissa McCarthy and Sandra Bullock. Terrible language - the F word was every other word - but otherwise a very good movie. 

Sunday

To Walsenburg to 10:30 am Mass - Loved the music! I went up and talked to the choir members after mass to tell them how much I enjoyed it.  Fun talking to them, and they told me there are 3 choirs, so even though I couldn't sing with this one because they sing in spanish, maybe one of the others.  Maybe I'll check it out. There were several instruments playing also, not sure just what they were.  After I got home, I went & played Pokeno with the gals.  Rained later.

Went to Trinidad this morning to get some things at Walmart. Nice day - took Katie with me, stopped at the Rest Stop just north of Trinidad, went on to Walmart, then to the Wonderful House to pick up some chinese food for lunch.  Instead of eating it there, I drove back up to the same rest stop - which, by the way is very nice and most of the people that stop there are families, with a few truckers thrown in.  While eating at one of the shaded picnic tables, a young mother brought her little (2 - 3 yr old) girl to ask if she could pet Katy, which of course was fine with me! A few minutes later the same little girl was back with her grandma - evidently all 3 traveling together. I had an interesting conversation with the grandma - she had lost her husband 10 years ago and we exchanged "stories".  She gave me lots of encouragement for my travels - seemed like someone I could be friends with if that were possible, which, of course, its not!  Anyway - it was fun talking with her!  When I got back "home" - neighbor  Max Geary came over to say "Hi, I see you're back" - and talk a couple of minutes (he knew I was going to Trinidad) then Harris from across the "street" came over to see if I got the awning anchor parts he had told me to get. I had, so he got busy and reinforced the anchoring setup for my awning.  I'm friends with these guys wives too. It's just that they are all really nice to me.  Rained a little bit!

Dinner with Todd and Linda

Did some laundry & messed around. Went to Cuchara to eat dinner with Linda, Todd and Family - very nice evening. Went and looked at the cabin they rent for $500 a week. Big and nice!

.

Wednesday, June 26 - Quiet day, played Pokeno with the gals.

Tuesday, June 25 - Went to bed early last night and didn't get up till 8:00, worked awhile on the camper and ate lunch. Took a nap in the afternoon, when I woke up, I had a message from Kit, asking me to take Josi (their dog) out because they were in Alamosa and not going to get back for awhile, so I did, then went over to Happy Hour for a little while. Still tired from all the activity of the last couple of weeks - getting packed and ready to come out here, then traveling, having company and running around! 

Monday, June 24 - Quiet day with no company - wind is blowing really hard these days, and the fire is still burning. I spent most of the day working on putting things away and getting organized - went to Happy Hour at 4:00 - Several more regular campers have arrived.

(UPDATE at 8:25 a.m. MDT June 24, 2013)
Under overcast skies on Sunday there was not much change in the East Peak Fire. It was most active on the west and southeast sides and grew by a few hundred acres, bringing its total to about 12,800 acres.
****
(UPDATE at 8:55 p.m. MDT, June 23, 2013)

East Peak Fire, unknown date. Photo by Don Degman

Allie & Rachael came to visit

Sunday, June 23 - Ally and Rachael went to the lake for awhile - I stayed home, put some more stuff away, and made a trip to Walsenburg for groceries. When they came back, we went downtown and looked around in some of the shops - AFTER getting an ice cream cone at Charlies - then came home and cooked chicken and potatoes on the grill.  I forgot to take a picture of them!!!

Ally and Rachael on the way to Colorado!

Saturday, June 22 - Ally and friend Rachael arrived about 5:00. Took them to the Dog Bar to eat and while we were there, a bear wandered by!  The forrest fire is still out of control and has everyone very concerned. When we went back to La Veta we could see the flames.

Wed., Thurs. Fri., June 19-20-21  - Got up early Wed. morning and headed out for New Mexico. Taos was our first destination - stopped at the Casino there for a couple of hours, then on to the Cities of Gold casino and hotel, north of Santa Fe, where I had made reservations.  We stayed there Wed. and Thurs. nights - visited several other casinos, went in to Santa Fe where we went to the Plaza, the Georgia O'Keefe gallery, and the Loretto Chapel.  Spent some time just looking in the shops, in and near the Plaze.  On the way back to La Veta, Fri. morning, we stopped at a very interesting place on the south side of Taos, where we looked at the +++++ church which Georgia O'Keefe had painted a number of times, and ate lunch at the +++++++++ cafe. Arrived back in La Veta around 4:00 - in time to go to Cuchara and eat at the Dog Bar one more time before they leave Sat. morning.

Heard from someone that there is a big forrest fire near La Veta at the foot of the East Peak. Started Thurs., grew rapidly, and a Boy Scout camp had to be evacuated. 

This evening I went to the Musical Play, "Respect" at the local theatre with a group of the gals.  Very enjoyable!

Left Mon., June 17, 2013, for Dodge City to spend the night, then on to La Veta Colorado! Got out of town around 4:00, stayed at the Super 8 in Dodge and of course, spent a few hours at the casino.

Tues., June 18 - Left there around 7:30-8 and arrived in Walsenburg about 2:30.  I didn't get everything written down when it was frest in my mind, so now guessing at the times :)  Our first stop was Birco to pay my bill for storing, dewinterizing, washing, and deliverring Arvy. The total for all that was $275 - $30 per mo for 7 mo (not enough) and $65 for towing it to La Veta.  He didn't charge anything for washing it, or dewinterizing or setting it up.  The young guy that I dealt with said his wife - who had taken care of the books and accounting - had left him, and he had quit and would be leaving soon.  That means George will be there all by himself again and who knows what the situation will be in Sept. when I want to move it again. After that was taken care of, we went on to La Veta.  The camper was parked and leveled, but sewer, water, or TV not hooked up, so I was very glad to have Tracey and Kerry along to help finish hooking it up, not to mention carring everything in! 

WOOWOO!!!!!  Gathering up things and packing - plan is to leave next monday (5 days) after Tracey gets off work.  I think I have all the arrangements made - campground, RV delivery, etc.  I asked them at Birco to wash the camper before delivering it. Last year it was dirty and had bird do all over and I had to get up on a ladder and wash it off. I think I will call them again before I leave to remind them - also want it hooked up when I get there. 

Gertrude Bidwell (Don) from Topeka called last week to tell me that I needed to call Circle the Wagons and tell Tom Taylor's wife, Darlene, about any arrangements I had made with Tom, because he is gone for awhile, and she doesn't have his information (??) - So I did and asked for the same spot I had last year  - #18.  Getting excited to think about going and starting to get stuff together!! Only 2 months!!

2013 Summer in Colorado!

It's March 2, 2013 - A little early to start planning the summer, but I'm sure starting to think about it!  Sweet Adelines Competition in Kansas City, then a trip to Texas after Sara has her baby, then I can really start to plan for another Summer In Colorado!

-------------------SUMMER IN COLORADO - 2012----------------

(BELOW)