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

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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.