picture errors

Dang it! I uploaded some wrong photos, then cancelled them (so I thought), but they still showed up in my Magdalena post. Annoying. So the non-Hwy 60 ones are the cat, the adobe house and my Day of the Dead altar! Oh well.

Magdalena

On the way back I went west out of Socorro onto Hwy 60, what a beautiful ride. Vast grasslands, craggy hills, wide open skies. I was on a mission to find Pie Town, a real place where some man had started a cafe back in the 1930's I think for east/west travellers. It was a long drive only to find the cafe closed. Bummer. I was craving pie! But as luck would have it, I was passing through a sweet village called Magdalena and found an open cafe called the Bear Mountain. The nice women who run it served me a delicious lunch capped off by a rich piece of chocolate pecan pie. I was in foodie heaven. And they also had a gallery next door full of beautiful arts and crafts. I definitely want to come back here and explore some more. There is a ghost town called Kelly I'd like to see, just 3 miles from here.

I also drove past the VLA (Very Large Array). It was way in the distance but so eerie. Are they trying to commune with outer space?! And I drove through Datil (don't blink or you'll miss it), the former home of Frances Nunnery a rancher and all-around adventurous woman who moved to New Mexico all by herself when she was 21 in the 1920's.

Truth or Consequences

Well, I did a little road trip last month, headed down south to Truth or Consequences (formerly known as Hot Springs) just cause I loved the name and wanted to check it out. I love being on the road, pooch at my side, wind in my hair, my time is all mine. Took 5 hours to get there. T or C is south of Albuquerque. Got its name from Ralph Edwards of the tv show who said he'd promote a town which would change its name to T or C. Then he lived up to his promise and went back there every year for 50 years! Very cool. The town itself isn't much to look at, except it has the Rio Grande flow right through it, the Raph Edwards Park is right on its banks, very nice. It's kind of a small desert town, quite a few shops closed, boarded up. But I hear the folks there are hopeful because that Space Port thing is supposed to be built nearby.

I found a great little place to stay, Blackstone Hot Springs. Perfect. They have a room that allows dogs, and you have your very own tiled tub that you can fill up with the hot springs mineral waters. Wonderful to soak in after a long drive. The room itself was pretty and colorful, very folksy. I had a full kitchen, a nice round table with a bright oilcloth tablecloth, tv, music, and it was right in town so I could walk to restaurants (some very nice ones too) and shops. I think I must have some gypsy in me, could easily spend my life on the road.

And its funny, I just picked up a book someone left at work and what's it about? Gypsies in France.

Big Sur March 2010

Well I've been home for 2 weeks but can't get those ocean scenes from Big Sur out of my mind-which is a good thing, very calming. We stayed at Deetjen's Big Sur Inn which is very much like Mabel's here where I work. Rustic, charming, old and magical. And there is a great place on a hill above the inn where you can sit on a bench and look at the ocean as long as you want. My only disappointment was that many of the hiking trails were closed due to heavy rains the month before. But we took short walks on the beaches, seeing sea lions, otters, pelicans and gulls.

And of course spent much time sipping wine on the porches of Nepenthe's overlooking the ocean. Also splurged on a dinner at the fancy Post Ranch Inn, which has been deemed the best hotel in California. The hotel is out of my budget, but it was great to be at the restaurant with huge picture window views of, yes again, the Ocean!! And the meal was wonderful. For my birthday we had dinner at Deetjen's own restaurant, totally different from the Post Ranch but equally nice. It's like an Old World inn, cozy and romantic.

stay tuned

Got back last week from a wonderful vacation in California, first seeing family and friends, then driving up the coast to Big Sur with my sister and brother-in-law. What a special place! The ocean, the mountains, the calm atmosphere, Deetjen's where we stayed, all good. I will write more later, have to meet my friend Anna today for lunch.

An 8-dog night and the Olympics

Well, it's still cold here. Had a blizzard of sorts all day Monday. I only did one hour of work then went back to the place I'm house/pet-sitting (the 7-dog one, plus mine makes 8). Settled in and spent the whole day and evening watching the Olympics, two dogs on either side of me, a couple more at my feet. There's a cat in the household now too, a brave and funny one. Seems to get along with all the dogs (to whom she was introduced one at a time, smart). She has a habit of jumping up on your shoulders as you pass by a counter, but keeps her claws in luckily.

I am a dog nut, obviously, and also an Olympic nut. I especially like the Winter ones. Love watching the figure skating but even more the ice dancing. I am rooting for the girl from Arcadia, CA, a town right next to my hometown Pasadena. The couples skating were all fabulous, but I wish the American couple had won, Charlie and Meryl. They were exquisite! I marvel at all of them though, and can hardly believe that people can jump up in the air and land again on those blades. I have ice skated a few times and it's impossible, for me anyway! I can stay up, that's about it, have to run into the edge of the rink to stop. Oh well. An athlete I never was. And I am glad the American guy won the gold, not cause he's from the states (I really don't care) but because he was wonderful, strong and exciting. I've always liked Plushenko, what a cutie, but he looked so sour when he "only" got the silver. Actually the Russians always seem to be a bit sour-looking, esp. if they don't win. Who knows, maybe they get back home with their silver or bronze medals and get demoted at work! Altogether, it makes me so angry, this emphasis on getting the gold medal. I mean, even the ones who don't win are Olympians. They are giants in my eyes. All the time, work and passion they have put into it should be applauded. So there.

One more word, I hope the parents of the luge guy who was killed get a lot of support and compensation from the O. Committee. I feel terrible for them. How come no one noticed the possibility of that pole that was not padded?! I know it's a dangerous sport, like a lot of them, but come on! And what a sad joy for the girl whose mom died.

snow wimp

Winter is here, it's been snowing off and on for days. I'm so happy for the ski people. I am driving like an old lady, one fender bender is enough! Maybe I should have a bumper sticker on my car that says "Little Old Lady from Pasadena". But everything is so beautiful, white and soft and very very cold. I met some nice women from Nebraska at one of the inns and one of then offered to drive me home last night, I was so embarrassed. I made it though. Saw one car spin out this morning, scary stuff. What a wimp I am. And here I am going to venture out again into the frosty night. The daughter of someone I know is showing a film she directed, one about a flamenco dancer. Love flamenco dancing, so here I go, not too far.