Vacation Time

The decision is in. I think. As of this moment, we are planning on going west for our vacation. That is the only part that I am really sure of. The rest of the vacation we will just wing. Whatever happens happens. I would like to say, "we will be here on this day" but who knows for sure. I can give you our basic plan, but it could change. We will head to Lubbock in the morning and spend Saturday and Sunday with Toby’s mom and hopefully see Mrs. Bear and Mr. Bear during that time. We will head further west on Monday, and maybe meet up with Buck somewhere around Portales. I have tried not to make too many stipulations planning this trip since it is Toby’s vacation, but he knows how much I want to meet my long-time blog buddy. He said, "Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know you want to stop and see Buck" without me even mentioning it." Next, we will head on up to the mountains and enjoy some cool air and scenery. We would like to drive up through the back roads of NM as we used to do so often. I don’t know how long we will stay in RR, but long enough to see old friends and maybe play some golf at Escondido. We hope to get some bike riding in along the way. We would also like to drive home via Albuquerque and stop at the State Fair, and the horse races. When the kids were little, we all loved going to the fair in September, eating sausage on a stick, smelling the green chilies roasting, and attending the horse races. At some point on our return trip, we would like to stop in Amarillo to see my sister and her family. I plan on taking my laptop and trying to post a few blogs along the way.

Quick story: When I was the sophomore class sponsor at Questa High School, the sophomores won a trip to the State Fair. The other sponsor and I loaded about 40 kids on an old yellow school bus and drove to Albuquerque for the day. When we let the students off the bus at the fair grounds, they scattered with instructions to meet back at a certain time later in the day. I did walk around the exhibits with the other sponsor (a new teacher from back East) for a little while, but then that got old. Amos Martinez (pronounced ah-mose), the bus driver, and I headed to the horse races. There seemed to be quite a few other men from Questa at the horse races that day, and I just joined in and was "one of the guys." You have to realize how funny it looked for me, a blondie gringa schoolteacher, to be at the horse races with Amos and the guys. We were having a great time. The other sponsor found me there and was amazed at my ability to "fit in" with the locals. But it was really just all about having fun and loving the people and their culture.

I am looking forward to seeing NM, my blog buddies, fresh mountain air, and wearing my new sweater.

I have not posted a photo in a few days. Here is one of my favorites taken while we were shopping for Lindz a wedding dress. The dress in the photo is not the one she chose, but isn't she beautiful! I love Jesse sitting there watching Lindz. Their relationship has always been exciting and fun to watch, but lately there have been some bittersweet moments. They seem to be grasping for time together, yet so busy with their individual lives. They want to hold on to their special friendship and not let things change, yet they are moving in different directions. Some day when Jesse finds a husband, things will change again, but for now, it is what it is.