Here's a big honkin' hint

More when I'm back in NM (in Flagstaff for the moment) but I won't make you all wait any longer for a bit of reveal. You've all been very patient but I can feel your hackles starting to rise. I didn't expect to hold this secret so long but I've been super busy; apologies for making you wait. Now we can all relax, or at least you can, I've got a ton of driving to do. :)

1990 Aero Cruiser, all of 23' long!

Happy now? I am! :) And I made new friends in the process!

Kyle, Julia, and Ender

Luckily for me, these terrific folks who live and work on the road decided that 23' was too big for them.   They're off in search of the perfect truck camper and I have every confidence they'll find it. It was really great meeting them and I hope our paths cross again someday. I may be old enough to be their mom (*gasp choke*) but they feel like kindred spirits.

More later!

Big news!

Coming soon! Don't you just love a good tease? :)

In Memoriam

Yesterday, our most senior kitty, Lily, ended her journey in this life. Last month, Bob left us. The month before, Max. It's been a rough few months but I am so, so grateful that they all left on their own terms, in their own time.

Lily, April 1997 - May 22, 2014

Bob, Spring 2000 - April 30, 2014

Max, Oct. 2001 - March 18, 2014

Scenes from a lakeside camp

Sunsets and a birthday

A very Happy Birthday today for Roxanne over at The Good Luck Duck. A lady doesn't tell another lady's age so I'll just say, whew, that age makes me a little sweaty. But in a good way!

Every time there's a spectacular sunset I say WOW, BEST EVER! And then the next one comes along and slaps me upside my bliss. Here are some slaps for your bliss, too, courtesy of last night.

Some hot ones

It's been over 90º these last few days so Jake and I take extra long walks in the morning and evening to make up for the slothitude that is our afternoon.

Tucker spent yesterday afternoon napping with his chin alternately on and in the water bowl. He rehydrated between naps.

T'was a beauty of a sunset again last night

I'm starting to think about elsewhere, the feet are getting a little itchy. Don't know when or where yet, though I plan to stay in NM for now. Feel free to make suggestions if you know of good boondocking spots at higher elevations that are large enough to accommodate a big rig.

Moved camp

I had already been feeling like I'd spent enough time at the lake side campsite so I took it as a sign that it was time to mosey when the rangers stopped by this morning and very nicely asked if I'd keep Jake on a leash. I know it's the rule in all the state parks but when I'm camped where there's no one else around then I let him run while I keep an eye on him. So now I'm back at the stellar and secluded boondocking site in Elephant Butte SP. It's amazing how quiet it is here, like anti-noise.

Doesn't it look like fun to be off leash? (taken this morning before the bust)

Ellen likes it, too

Another birthday has come and gone, thank goodness. It was not a great day but I did score a free breakfast at Denny's. 

On Jake's last outs last night, just before full dark, I noticed there were about a dozen bats flying around the rig. Then when I walked around to the other side of the rig and looked out over the grassy areas opposite the lake, I saw what had to be hundreds of them flying this way and that. It was epic. I've never seen so many at one time.

Another windy day

The rig is a rockin' and a rollin' today with the return of 50+ mph wind gusts. Lots of whitecaps out on the lake so I was surprised to see a boat of hardy (or would that be foolish?) souls out on the water. Hope none of them are prone to motion sickness and they make it back to shore without incident.

The critters and I got our morning walk in before the winds picked up too much to make it fun. Jake is one of those 'garbage gut' dogs, always scrounging around for tasty bits. This sometimes gets him into trouble when something he has scrounged makes him sick. You can imagine my relief when I spied him nosing around this bit of nastiness and got to it before he could try to make it a meal.

I choose to believe that someone's line broke and the lure eventually washed up on shore rather than someone callously left such a hazardous attractant for my sweet dog to find. I admit I said a couple of words my mother would not approve of when I saw it.

And speaking of mothers, Happy Mother's Day, if you're into such a thing.

Sunsets

Not much going on today. Jake and the cats and I walked down to the lake this morning and they snuffled around while I did some rock skipping. There are tons of good skipping stones near the water; nice, smooth, flat, round, perfect. My best skip was 7 hops before sinking.

Jake found half a fish down by the water's edge so I skipped it right back into the water so he wouldn't eat it.

Thought you might enjoy some of the amazing sunsets I've captured in my time in the southwest. This place is magical.

This last one was taken when I was camped next door to Gaelyn in Yarnell.

TGIF!

I know it's Friday because it says so right at the top of my laptop screen. Whew! Made it through another week of total sloth. I'm exhausted.

I amused myself this morning while lying in bed listening to the birds singing. We've all been taught that they say pretty things; for instance, I was taught that cardinal song is purdy purdy purdy cheerio! How lovely is that. You were probably taught something else but I bet it's pretty, too (or purdy, as it was pronounced in my [red]neck of the Indiana woods). While I was lying there half asleep, my brain interpreted one bird call as hey man hey man hey man, spare a dime? which made me picture a bird down on his luck, maybe 1/2 a seed and a spider leg left in his pocket, trying to get home to his brood. Then I pictured the cop bird showing up, move along move along move along.

Sunrise this morning

And another

The sun is ris

Tucker is, too

Morning scritches

Anyone leave their husband at a campsite? Anyone?

Is this some kind of joke?