Because I have confused some readers with my interesting life, I thought I would give a brief synopsis. My dad was a teacher/administrator. We lived in several small towns in North Texas, but always spent our summers in RR where we had built a cabin and later owned a lodge. After finishing high school in Wichita Falls, I went to college at TT where I met my husband. We were married in Red River in 1977. We moved to San Marcos, TX, where my husband finished college and then got a job in Dallas. From Dallas we moved to Vernon (I managed to finish college at MSU during this time) and then across the state to McAllen.
In 1986 we were able to fulfill a dream and move back to RR and open a café called Jalapeno Pete’s. The café was Tex-Mex. I make great enchiladas (red sauce). Having lived in South Texas, we were serving fajitas before anyone in NM knew what they were (and they were good). Eventually, we sold the café, and I went back to teaching in Questa while Toby went to work for the area trash company. We moved to Taos one year since Toby’s office was in Taos – I taught at the jr. high. We hated living in the big city, so we bought a small cabin on a couple of acres north of Questa on the mountain side of the valley called El Rito (This is not the El Rito that is closer to Albuquerque). At this point, we chose to homeschool our kids. I was able to stay home and teach and work on our home. We leased some land (35 acres) and had horses and cattle.
We were able to fulfill another dream – living on and working a large ranch - when we moved to OK, where we bought a section of land. That was good for several years, but eventually, Toby had to get a real job to support our cattle habit leaving Jesse and I to be serious ranch-hands. We sold our big ranch and moved to a smaller one. Still, the work required was more than the three of us wanted. Bo had finished college and married; therefore, he was not around much to help. Last year we gave up the ranching business and bought 75 acres and built a small house on the land (You can go back and read posts from that time). We still have horses, dogs, and cats (five kittens if anyone needs one), but we will not be farming (growing wheat) anymore. Later when the fences are all built up, we will run a few head of cattle. OK is a great place. I think we will be here for a while.
2 comments:
OK, Lou...it's all clear to me now!
:-)
I really did think you grew up in Red River, ya know!
And as far as publishing comments: I've been much less than impressed with Blogger this week; it's been slow, posting has taken forever, and there have been times I flat couldn't get the app to work at all. To be kind: Blogger has issues!
Back in the old days, only a hand full of people lived in RR year around. Summer was the only season. My parents met in RR in 53 - during its gambling days. In the 60's the ski area was built, and in 64 they built Bobcat Pass. Before that, there was only a dirt road - switchbacks that made it difficult to get to RR in the winter. We would go up during Christmas and Easter (ski season) to run our lodge. So in a way, I am considered an "old timer" in RR.
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