The wind blew us to the City of Elephant Butte

Woke up early this morning to the wind blowing. We thought about staying another day in Las Vegas; but gave that up as a bad idea. So we started out. It took us 2 more hours than it should have but we made it here and were all set up by 3 pm. It is a great park! We are back in the corner on the outside. Noone is beside or in front of us and it is landscaped very attractively. When we checked in we were told that the owners will be catering turkey for Thanksgiving Dinner and we just need to provide salad/dessert. I need to to work tomorrow; but we can't wait to explore and will make a foray out so we know where to go for the Veteran's Day ceremony in Truth or Consequences (TRC) Saturday. Elephant Butte Lake is 40 miles long and 4 miles wide with wildlife galor. Ken is even enthused about going fishing after he saw some big one at the grocery store. The City of Elephant Butte is only 10 years old; and it appears to be poised for more growth. We checked the 10 day weather forecast and it is going to be in the high 60's. SIL Betty told us it snowed in Wallowa County Oregon last night. Hmmmm! Snow or wearing shorts? Snow or nah! I'll just stay here.

Ken, the starter went out of the MH :(

OM! OM! OM! Well, yesterday, (Sunday) we leisurely got up, had breakfast, watched a movie and decided we'd leave about 11 am. Ken went outside to do "his thing" and I did "my thing" in the house. One of my things is to start the MH, let it idle then drop the jacks in preparation for takeoff. I do this because I "have memory to remember each step". Thus, I sat down, turned the key and nothing. Okay let's start this again. Turn key to the right. Nothing. Ken comes to the door and then goes back, opens the hood and does some wriggling, stomping, banging and each time says "try it now"; "ok, try it now". This went on for about 1/2 hour. He comes to the door and says "Well, the starter has finally gone out. I'll have to drop it out and get it rebuilt. " Then he came into the house, sat down and took a nap. We've been having problems off and on all summer so we were not surprised. We also were not particularly upset at the schedule being thrown off. What better place to be than in the back of an Elk's Lodge, on WARM black pavement and Ken won't kill himself getting this done. Well, it took the rest of the afternoon with him banging on metal; grunting; dropping things on his face so that today he looks like Roddy on the movie Planet of the Apes, much muttering and "hand me that 3/8" kumquat on the hex things with the extension on it". My roll was to sit in the sun, reading my CJ Box book, going hmmm; that's too bad; are you bleeding bad and handing him "stuff". I diligently got on the internet; looked up starter "doctors"; found the addresses; plotted them out on Streets and Trips and got ready to do the laundry tomorrow while we waited for it to be rebuilt. Bright and early today we started out at 7:45. After 35 miles (in town and all around) we found a very nice little alternator/starter shop. We left there and went another 43 miles from place to place looking for these "special" bolts. We found them; went and got the laundry done; picked up the starter at 4 pm and returned to the MH. Ken couldn't lift it up so I found some rope and we jury-rigged it up so that I could pull it up as he guided it. Well at darkthirty we finished. The TIME HAD COME! "OK, try it now." NOTHING! Wriggle, pound. "Try it now". NOTHING! Wriggle, mutter. "Try it now." "NOTHING, NOTHING, NOTHING!" I sit in the driver's seat and say a little prayer. We did the try it now a few more times. I look down at the gear shift. Hmmmmmmmm! I get up and VERY QUIETLY walk out and mutter, "Honey, ahhhhh is this thing ahhhh like a car? Uhhhh, if I left it in R (I now think this means RETARDED.) uhhhhh would that affect it starting? He very quietly says, "Well, go take it out and see." YUP! It spun quicker than a button on an outhouse door! Started right up!" The long and short of this is - I no longer can mutter at Ken when he drives, stops, forgets to take it out of gear, gets up and walks away. Hmmmm! You know, it takes two of us to wander down the road. I drive; he navigates. SO tomorrow we head out to Las Vegas 48 hours late! Who cares; our plans are written in JELL-O anyway. Let the adventures continue!

Movin' On

Nephew Joe, with flag in air is the judge for the roping; brother Ron is expounding eloquent on something and there sure were a sea of horses waiting to run.

We finally got everything nipped up; rearranged; stored; amended and checked out. The 4th Annual Elks Team Roping on Oct 25 & 26 was a great hit. It was held in East Pavillion at CAM-PLEX in Gillette, WY. In the connecting building was the annual charity Chili Cookoff.

SIL Bev and Ken waiting for customers.

We had the same slot last year and knew we would probably sell concessions and beverages to them. The teams for the team roping doubled from last year. The Concessions skyrocketed also. I worked in the concession stand Saturday to give Carla, the secretary, a chance to understand roping bookkeeping. Saturday night we had a calcutta and a steak feed.

We left for Casper Monday at noon to finish up work and celebrate an early birthday with KaCe who turns 3 in early November. He is all about Thomas the train so that is the theme this year of everyting including Halloween. We had the boys stay home with us Tuesday so we could spoil'em up good!KaCe and Kiley who is 3 months younger. Little brother is grinning in the background!

Wednesday we headed out to Cheyenne where I toured the Herschler Tunnel where we are going to have lunch for the Legislators in February and met the head of the Wyoming Cultural Division as well as the ED of the Wyoming Cultural Trust. With the details sewed up; Ken and I headed to Colorado Springs - a nice little 4 hours drive. When we got here I went to get a birthday card and some bottled water and got lost. I sure do know the housing development between Academy Road and I-25! LOL fifty times!

We visited with our daughter Lucky and toured the shop she co-owns with two other ladies. It is in Old Colorado City, in the heart of shopping and is an attractive shop. She is turning 40 this monthe so we had to give her a bad time. We leave for Las Vegas, NM early in the morning (about 10ish :) )