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!

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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.
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(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.