Day 5: Last Leg

Steve wanted me to admit I was wrong. I've been saying for years that you don't see pronghorns in the same field with cattle. It's been my experience, 'till now, and I've been wondering why. Well, yesterday he pointed out to me that we were passing a field where they were clustered separately but adjacent to each other in the same field. Now mind you, he'd been sound asleep until then and popped his eyelids up just in time to spot this and point it out to me. I'm not sure he believed me that I would have commented on it but didn't want to wake him. I'd have thought of it later.

Really.

 I also was too tired to mention yesterday that I stopped with Steve in Milan, NM, at a place called "Kachina Country". He oohed and ahhhed over the kachinas, pottery, and their bank vault door, among other things, and wound up buying a carved bear pipe. I picked up a couple tiny dishes with Mimbres designs, one fish, one turtle, and a small black pottery bear with carvings on its back.

The room in this motel was hot. We turned on the AC a bit last night until we got chilled, and again a bit this morning. The extra heat has proven enervating, and it's taken a bit to get ourselves going. Good it's a short drive, relatively.

It took a detour on the way. Not a long one. Just over to the local Del Taco.  Steve's been dreaming and drooling about this chain, noticeably absent in Minnesota. So after hitting them for lunch, we pulled into our driveway what turned out to be about ten minutes later then the neighbors from British Columbia did for their winter stay.  We got power and water on upon arrival. Gas waited until after dark the next evening. We turned the dogs loose in the fenced back yard - all of us happy for no more leashes. After a little list making, the first of what became several shopping trips to the grocery store stocked the fridge. A call to Dish got the TV up and working. WiFi would turn out to be days later than promised, so this is being typed from the community center.

Paul showed up via his Super Shuttle ride in time to go out for supper, joining Joan and Bob, Minnesota friends who moved down here permanently years ago. We went to Steve's favorite local sit-down Mexican restaurant in scooter range, where he was welcomed back by the entire staff. I'm just guessing, mind you, that he visited it a bit more often than he told me he did last year. Whether or not that's true, he was still thrilled by all the recognition the next day. We kept this visit short, leaving just enough time to hit the pool/spa at the community center before they closed.

Temperatures are in the 80's, low 90's now. Kids call from home with tales of snow. We sympathize.

And smile.