Merry Xmas
and
a
Happy New Year to everyone.

June 18-30. Elephant Butte State Park

Hello and good Tidings to all. June started off with a bang here in New Mexico. For them of u's who do not know this, it gets windy in Deming. Along with those winds come some sand storms like you see in Movies. Ever seen the Mummy?? That wall of sand coming at them....that was taken from a windy Deming day. NO shit. The stuff is called blow sand. And it blows in every crack and cranny around. One learns how to dust alot, or ignore it and live on. Whatever is ones own personal deal. This year has been highly unusal for the amount of dust storms. Every time we get a big dusting here, we watch the news the next morning and tornados have devistated the mid west.
Chuck decided he needed a break in the dustings, so we (in we I mean Joanne took her motor home and chuck and I took ours) went to elephant Butte State park. It is outside of T"r" C and has a big lake. It was decided that Teresa, Travis, Gary and Keith would follow on the weekend.

Our week out there just us three was fun and relaxing. I got in lots of naps. The dogs loved the water and chased sticks to there little doggie leggs were tired.
Then came Friday and in the early evening Keith and Gary show up. Keith brought his jet skis and Gary brought the tent and his canoe. So, let the story's begin.

This is the arrival of Gary and Keith. Notice that Dozer, Keiths puppy is asleep over the center of the truck.That can only mean one or two things. One, Garys driving scared the crap out of the poor little pooch and it has fainted. OR TWO, the puppy is stoned on JD. I pick the first one.


The first night Keith and Gary show up, Gary comes into the camp ground we are in. Us people with the RV's believe in comfort. We are in a regular park set up with air conditioning and we have tables with shade. A requirement when one likes comfort. Gary decided it is way to "civilized" for him. HE wants to CAMP by the water. So we show him a nice stop and he says NO. HE wants to go somewhere else. Moncelelo campground eight miles up the road. So much to my disappointment, we say goodbye and off they go. After all, this is THEIR time off work and they should be allowed to do what they want. Correct??
Joanne, Chuck and I go home, make dinner and are deciding what game to play when in walks Gary and Keith. They decided it would be more fun for the family to camp together than apart. Yeah, I am so happy now!!!
So we all go back to the original spot we had showed them and proceed to unpack. Gary gives Jo and I the job of pumping up his air mattress. So I start the foot action (easier on Jo's back cause she has back issues). No air is going in. So Jo gets on the ground of her knees and holds the hose in the hole slot so air will not escape. After awhile Jo say's "Dee, this thing is not pumping up." I replay I know cause my leg says so, Then Jo say's to me "Dee, look at this, it has not top for the hole." After careful exam by Jo and I, we have decided that Gary has lost the screw top to the air mattress, thus letting all air not settle inside the said mattress.
Gary could not find the top. (He did find it in the morning in his canoe) So poor Gary has no air mattress to lay on.
In the meantime, Gary, Chuck and Joe put the tent up. Keith is getting out his ice chest of junk food he bought. Seems these two guys forgot to eat. So we sit around eating junk food and getting eaten by some damm little bugs. The smart ones (chuck, jo and I) decide to go home. To many bugs, to much junk food and it is getting time for bed anyhow.
We are all happy, say our goodnights and come up for breakfast in the morning.
In the early, and I mean early morning here shows the guys. Look what happened during the night. Remember those wind and sand storms I told you about in Deming. Well, I guess they get there share of them here also.
During the night a hughe wind came in. It knocked the tent apart and was blowing sand around. Keith and Dozer were sleeping under the little shade canopy and that was the first to go. Gary was inside the tent. Keith decided hell with this, so he picked up his bag, dog, cigarettes and headed for the truck. These are pictures Keith took as he was in the truck.
These pictures are not in order, so I will explain and you can go back and scroll.

This is Gary stuck inside his tent trying to find his way out. The tent has rolled over and he can not find an exit zipper. Keith said he was laughing so hard tears were rolling down his cheeks. Gary was all over inside that damn dark tent, falling over himself and blankets, rolling it to and fro to find a zipper to help him to freedom. Keith said it took about 15 minutes of this fun.



This is the aftermath.
The guys ended up moving to our camp site.


The next morning, Travis and Teresa arrive. Here are the three guys getting stuff ready for something.

And now this scene. I have never been on a jet ski. GAry took it out to see how it handles. Notice how it handles. Gary and I had so so much fun. Did you know that when you go to turn the jet you have to give it gas, NOT let OFF the gas. It was a fun learning experience, even though Jo got a crink in her neck.

Here is Keith and Gary (two accidents waiting to happen!!) playing pull the toad. Gary is on a boogie board and Keith is towing him around. I think this shot was one of the few we got when Gary was actually being pulled and not drowning himself.
This is Travis and Gary. Notice Travis is standing. Hard to balance that way. Needless to say they fell down lots of time's but they were entertaining us and making the whole beach laugh at there antics.
This is Teresa and Travis at camp. I had made coffee frostie's and they were thinking they were in some tropical island. Clint, their fur child is behind them and that is Jo's mobile behind them.
Well, I guess that is the end for now. Tonight we are all going to the races and watch the cars crash and see more fireworks. Until we post again, take care.

Mothers Day weekend, Pinos Altos New Mexico

Yep, as usually we are late. Yes, I said usually. ha ha
Today it is 97 degrees and it is only 10:30, it is suppose to get up to over 100 today. I get my lay in the sun time in early. Nope, no pictures of that grossness.

Onto mothers day. Chuck and I, Gary, Joann, Keith and Travis went to Pinos Altos on an ATV ride and to Check out Keiths mines he has there. This is just some of the cool stuff we found while we were out.

Lookie, Lookie at the cave. It was really cool. Seriously, at least 30 degrees cooler than outside!! This is the entrance.



Gary went in First, Travis making sure he is in before he decended, than I went.



This is going in the inside. Keep in mind it is pitch black in this thing, so my flash was really working great. (Much to Travis's disappointment as I kept blinding him)




Yep, see the blind. Notice the little flashlight, then all the sudden comes my flash. It looks like poor Travis's eyes were caught off guard. Yeah, you can be sure I got the word to knock it off. Of course as always, Travis was very polite about it. We found no gold in this mine, but will go back at a later date with a better light system to check it out.




Look at that fine looking boy. This is after we left the cave and had been running around for awhile on the ATV's. Pancho found a mud pond and had a blast. Here he is looking to make sure I am still with him. He has to be sure I am behaving myself. (I can never misbehave between my dog and family....)

Now, this is Belle. This is Pancho's girlfriend. They look alike do they not. We are planning a wedding for them in October. No babies cause both have been fixed, but kids are not everything in a relationship.


This is Pancho teaching bell how to dig a proper hole. She seems to be doing a pretty good job. That hole got pretty deep. We looked (and found) gold flakes in the dug up soil.


This is Belle's mom and our friend Joann. She is a fun person and a great friend.


Here is Chuck and Gary finding a vein of gold. I mean, they got a nice haul out of this little pile of rock. Gary and Keith's main job that day was to teach Joann and I how to spot gold and to tell the difference from fools gold to real gold. Keiths mine is full of gold.
Here is a great picture. It shows the learning going on. We were just in a little wash looking at rocks and found a bunch with veins of gold in them. Next stop is Keiths to pulverize the gold and other mineral. That has not happened yet as Chuck got a major head cold, and now everyone else is getting it. Yes, the family who shares is a good thing, but don't you think there should be limits???
Here is Keith and Chuck at the top of the world.
There is so many more pictures, but for now that is all.

The sad news however, is my poor little Pancho got attacked by on of Gary's big dog's. Pancho is in recovery, but has three broken ribs, a bruised spine, holes all over his neck, face, side's and rear end.
It appears Scout picked Pancho up and shook him. I thank god that Pancho's neck and back was not broken. A lesson here is no matter how much the big dogs and little dogs get along and play, NEVER trust them alone like I did. Scout was being a dog, and I can not hate him for that, but from now on, Pancho will NEVER play with a big dog without me there. Especially with my little boys macho bravo. I am sure that Pancho was on Scouts ass when it came to who owns what house as Scout got Pancho right at our steps coming into our trailer. I had seen a display of aggression on Pancho's part to the other dogs about what is his territory (his house). I am sure this is what happened and Pancho got the better of the aggression. Scout is no angel either. He is an intact male that has attacked and torn up Gary's donkey, so I do not put that dog on a parasol. I would of shot him for attacking and tearing up the donkey, but it is not my dog.
I just learned a valuable lesson at my poor dogs expense.
The vet here was great and Thank you to my sis for doing a long distance Reika on Pancho.

Well, for now, I guess this is all I have to say. We have been waiting on the weather to change in the Midwest. I have a great fear of Twisters. I have been in Hurricanes, earthquakes, lighting storms, small floods and a couple of close calls with Twisters. Nothing makes me more afraid than these dam twisters that come out of the sky and suck you dead.

So until I post again, Take care of each other and be happy.
Chuck , Dee and Pancho

Bad month

Hi ya all,
This is a no picture blog update. I thought I better do a fast update even though it has not been a great month so far. The month started out bad in late February.
Keto, Teresa's father passed away. It is and was so very sad. He had been in poor health for quite awhile, but we never expected him to die. But I guess he got tired of fighting, and passed on at five in the morning after everyone had left his room. Snicky.
His funeral was Hugh as he was loved and respected by so many many people. Teresa and her family are doing ok at this point. Martha and Keto were married for 42 years. They held his service in the same church that they have been attending since they were first married. The priest even broke down in his messages to the people. I had to go lay down in the car. I guess I do not do funerals so good. The last one I went to was when my lovely niece Nichole was killed in a horrible car wreck ten years ago.I got sick to my stomach at the funeral and was feeling pretty upset. His death really effected me and Chuck.

Then, on top of this horrible event, Martha, Teresa's mother is now going through radiation for Brest Cancer. She is staying in Las Cruses with one of the daughters. My gosh, when it rains it pours. If you all pray, send one her way. Martha is one of the most sweetest wonderful people you will EVER meet in your life. If anyone is worth a word of goodness to god, it is her.

A day or two after the funeral I got really sick. I got the flu and a horrible headache. Then on top of that I got the stomach flu along with the damn headache. Then on top of the stomach flu I got a chest cold. Thank god the headache went away. So for the last three weeks I have been in bed, on the couch, or praying to the porcelain gods. Today I am feeling like sitting up and writing. I have to say I am sorry to the people who have wrote to me asking for messages, visits, etc. I really have not been on my computer since February 27th.
Oh, yeah, I went to the doctors about this. They thought I had a blockage in my stomach and talked of putting me in the hospital for surgery. Not enough stress as it was so lets add to Dee's misery. Thank god we waited (the doctor admitted they know NOTHING about Gastric Bi-pass patients and suggested I go to Cruses or El Paso for a second option) as that was a non issue. However, I am going to ask my Doctor in Texas who did my surgery for a recommendion of a doctor in this area (las cruses or el paso) in case anything does come up. I am grateful that the doctor was honest with me about what would happen if I ever needed a Specialist. I like honesty.

While all this is going on, My darling Chuck is getting the deeds recorded from the property we have bought. I was getting scared about the " What IF's" of life. Keto's death scared me into thinking what if something were to happen to Chuck. What would I do with a Trailer and a truck? Where would I go, what would I do??? Where could we afford to live if we had to stop traveling for health reasons? Chuck just had another stint put in his body a couple of months ago.
Being that we have so many places we really liked, it came down to what is affordable in todays economy. Well, we decided that Deming is the affordable place. Oregon is out of the question as everything is so expensive there. Property, taxes, cost of living. Sky high. So is Northern California. Texas is expensive and way to hot and humid in the summer for Chuck. He can not take the humidity. Mexico would be nice, but even in Mexico it is expensive to live in the places I would want to be, and besides that, there is humidity that Chuck would be in misery dealing with.
So Deming it is. So we have purchased two acres here on the hillside and plan on building a house very slowly. This year we got the property. Maybe by next year we will put in a well, then a septic, etc. etc. The goal is to do this as cheap as possible and not have to incur a construction loan. Chuck is still not in the mood to stop traveling, nor does he want me to get a job, so this is where we are at for now.
I can deal. Not that "dealing" is hard. I do enjoy our travel time.

Pancho is fine. He is happy. He is killing his rats left and right and keeping down the rodent population. He sleeps with me during the day, goes out in the evening to hunt and is in bed with us at bed time. My being sick has really helped him catch up on his much needed naps. It is so nice to have such a loyal dog like my little boy. Gosh I just love him to death!!!

So until I am up and running around, please accept this typing as our blog. Soon we will get some pictures out. Although I am not sure when we are leaving Deming to continue our travels. I know we are thinking of going to Kansas, Visiting Joe, Becky and Poochie in Missouri and then onto So. Dakota in July. I would like to go see the grand Tetons this summer also, so perhaps this summer we can post some interesting stuff.
Until then, take care of each other and do not forget to let the ones you love KNOW you love them. Again, I am sorry for not staying in better touch, but that is the way the ball bounces when I am sick. I really feel way to sorry for myself during the throws of sickness to care about anything else. I am such a baby!!!

We are still here. Quartsite, that is.......

Yesterday Chuck and I decided to go on an ATV ride. It was suppose to be sunny and in the high 60's, but because the weather does not always respond to the predications it was sunny and COLD. However, we went in the morning thinking it would warm up. It did for about an hour. Here is some neat places we went. This place is called Dripping Springs. It was a two hour ATV ride into the canyons. My gosh but it was so beautiful. We were slowly riding through canyons made of rock that had cactus of all sorts gowning out of the cracks and crevices on our way to this spring.
This is the outside view of the cave and some of the water that feeds the area.


This is not a moon shot. It is looking out from the cave. Yeah, I know it looks weird in this picture, but trust me, we are inside looking out.

this is me inside the cave. Notice how wide and roomy it is. It was fairly dim inside (not dark as it does not go back real far) with lots of moisture. Notice the black beenie. Somehow it fell off of my head and I lost it. Dang. Just walking around and these things happen!!! Hope some cute little rodent finds it and makes a nice warm bed out of it.


This is my Chuckie in the cave. His head is just about resting on the top of the cave. We are still inside of it.


This is a tree outside of the cave. Your probabley thinking what is the big deal about a tree. Well, this tree has been there for over a hundred years. Imagine the changes this tree has seen. Indians, generations of coyotes, soldiers, now people with motor driven vehicles to it.




This is part of what we were seeing in the countryside. It was all very pretty.

We found some art work. Chuck and I are not sure if this is from Indians or not. Lots of people have defaced the rocks out there and now one can not tell real from fake.


This is me inside a canyon. We were looking and talking in how pretty it is.

After these canyons we went for a drive. Chucks GPS said there way an arch about four miles from where we were. Well, that four miles took us about three hours to get to it going the way we went. But what a neat ride. Over hill and dell and washes. Up and down and everywhere their are nice rocks I would LOVE to pick up. We got to the arch, took our picture, took a break and onward towards home.


So that was it for our big day. We came home, I made us a hot drink and Chuck bought us some more property in Deming. Great day. We will write more later. Take care of each other!!!

Still in Quartsite.

Sunday Jan 20th 2008
Quartsite, AZ


Yeah, I know it is really not Sunday, but this is what we did on Sunday. It was a fine day. Chuck, Pancho and I went on an ATV ride to look for Geo Caches in the desert hills. It was a nice sunny day with no wind. I was actually able to take my two jackets off for about an hour, although I did have long sleeve on. It is still cold to me, around 50 during the day. I think on this Sunday the temp got up to the mid 60's.

A Crested Saguaro Cactus, Apparently fairly rare that is is growing like this.

I liked the texture of this cactus as it grew. These cactus look in a lot better shape from a distance. Bird and mice seem to tear them up pretty good to the point that some of them die.

The way this is shaped and the angel this picture was taken is quite cool.

These two Cactus we called the twins. They looked almost like twins. We did not see any cactus like these two the whole day, so I guess they must be pretty special growing close to each other like that and looking so much the same.


This sign gave us a good laugh. It was an "oh shit" road to going up. I had to get off and walk at one point. Going down I got to stay on the ATV, but it was fun.


This is uphill and is the good part. It is to bad that the camera never show's how steep a road or trail really is. This thing, although it is the good part was pretty steep.


This is from the top. At the top there is a mine. It is not an old mine either as the post holding the entrance have round nails in them. Also there is tin at the entrance, something the old miners did not have and probley would not of been able to carry anyway.


All those white dots are RV's, and this is only 1 small section of them.

I really would like to take one of these red barrel cactus back to Deming. There are so many here that I told Chuck from a distance they all look like red headed Indians peaking for attack over the rocks. I can not take any back however cause it is illegal to take anything out of an Arizona desert. Even dead branches of cactus. Besides, it might not live until we get back to Deming, so I guess these cactus are safe from me relocating them.

While we were at the mine, some other ATVers came up the road. There are so many people here that while riding you will run into people. Not only on ATV's, but in Jeeps, dune buggies and motorcycles. They all drive Pancho crazy. He wants to bit them all.

This is me looking that the entrance of the mine. Pancho is following.

This is the entrance. A big section of the entrance fell down, or it was blasted off to seal off the entrance. There was rail tracks going into it also, you can see them at the bottom of this picture. It would of been a neat place to explore if it was safer. Or if you wanted to lay on your belly and crawl in. I am not that into going into an unsafe area that I would get on my belly and crawl through beams, rat poop and owl poop hoping NOT to run into a rattler that I would do that. Pancho did not even want to go in very far and that say's a lot when your dog says no.


This is at another place away from the mine. If you look closer or make the picture bigger by clicking on it you can see Old Indian writings. Very cool.



Do you Know what this is??? Yes, it is a hole, but from what???

This is what it looks like when you walk up to them. They are holes that the women would put corn and nuts in to grind. I can just see these women talking while they watch the water in the river (This is on a river bar and I expect at one time there was quite a bit of water here) and the children while they worked. So this is some of what we saw on Sunday. It was a fine day and we had a blast. Pretty country in the hills with lots to see. We also came upon some rocks that people over the years have carved into. Some as old as 1903. One I was real impressed with was from a Mexican man in 1925. The time he took to carve the way they used to write was real impressive. Sorry we did not get a picture of that. We will continue to post as we go.

More of Quartsite

Thursday January 17th

Today we went to the "Main Event" area.

Dee picked up some feathers for her art stuff and I managed to pick up 10 air chucks. 10, Why 10? Well because they were 10 for $1.00 or you could get a steal deal and pay $.50 each. So 10 works for me.

Here are a few shots of vendor spots.

Dee here. Look at all the twirlers. These were a big seller five years ago the first time we saw them. We have a brown one with a adobe house on it. Now they have anything you can imagine on them. Very pretty.
















If you click on this picture you can see these neat little birdhouses. This could be a good do it yourself project if you get your own wood. I thought they were pretty cool. Pancho wanted to mark them, but we have a rule. No marking around the vendors things. This includes tents. Needless to say, I carry the little boy allot when we are in the vendors area.

















Chuck liked these wooden things. I agree they took a lot of work, but we did not need any. I think if they had motors chuck might of thought a little harder about one.















This is the vendor I get my stuff at. Yeah, lots of killed animals, but we people seem to like things like that. Personally, I do not mind killed animals as long as their ate. I wonder how many people ate them coyotes and foxes. Wonder if they tasted like chicken?















After doing the vendor thing, we came home and ate lunch, then I settled in to keep warm under my blanket and read a book. About a half hour later, Chuck thought going to get a Geo Cache would be good. I was not going to go cause it is pretty cold, but Pancho was having such a fit at the door I decided he needed to go out for an outing. Man was that dog ready!!! He was so happy to be on the ATV he jumped up on Chucks shoulders and smiled the whole way. We ended up getting three Geo Caches. It was a lot of fun. We went over rocky hills and into washes and had a grand time.
When we got back it was about five in the evening. That is the time the coyotes come out and start to scout around the trailers to smell the cooking smells. Pancho was in my arms and I still had his ATV harness on him. I was glad about that as he decided he was going to defend us against the coyote. The coyote just stood there watching. I guess the coyote was about 30 feet away. Anyway, after a bit the coyote got tired of waiting for me to put down its snack (that would be Pancho) so it turned around and slowly walked away. Poor Pancho, another coyote got away. Pancho sure is brave when he is in my arms or in the truck. Very mean one he is.

Tomorrow if Chuck does not forget the camera, maybe we can get some pictures while we are out on the ATV. Personally, I know I have spent more money than Chuck here, but I am about ready to break down and get another jacker. One with a windbreaker built in. I am in three layers of long sleeved jackets and still the cold wind is bitting into me. Lets all give Dee a big "AAAHHH poor Dee." There, thank you.

Running around in Quartsite.

Tuesday, January 15th 2008

This area is called Tyson Wells, which is at the junction of I-10 and Arizona Hwy 95. SW and is where the "Big tent" is located. The tent will open on Jan 19th.

This Saguaro Cactus must be older than dirt as they do not get their first arm until they are 75 years old. So I am told.






















This is a good example of some of the vendors all around. However, here at Tyson Wells the walking area is covered with outdoor rugs to keep out the dust some.
















One of the many kinds of Rocks/Gems available here.





















Chuck was thinking these big ones would make a great bathtub. I told him it would probley scrape up our butts to much, so he decided not to buy one. (Thank god!!!)
















Noticed the price on this sucker. What the heck is this person thinking????




















Wednesday January 16th 2008

This area is one near what is called the "Main Event"

















Pancho loved this spot. He growled and growled and amused people all around us with his challenging these dang Coyotes. I do not think the owner was so impressed however. Oh Well, it DID bring attention to his vendoring spot so I think he should of given Pancho a bone.
















This is the "Hi Jolly" memorial. Check out the history here.
It was also a Virtual Geocache.