Friday night was spent with friends in west TN, saturday night with friends outside Dallas.
Day one was actually Monday, as we'd gotten in so late Sunday night. After spending the early part of the day in the Ruidoso area (walked town, visited the Hubbard Museum- lunch at the Burger Trolley) we drove back going through the Hondo Valley. Beautiful area, stopped and bought fruit and ciders from a shop owner who is 5th generation New Mexican. He was full of information. Met Jane and Kent for sledding and the kids (including Kent, lol!) had a blast! Jane and I sat on top of the hills and talked as the sun went down. Tuesday we met their friends (our first encounter with horse owners in the state) and looked over their place. Jane, feel free to tell them that I LOVED their barnless barn (as Greg dubbed it) so much that I want to duplicate that for my horses.
If any of y'all ever get a chance to meet Jane and Kent, do it. They're just awesome people who seem to wring every last drop of living out of their lives, no matter where they land. I wanna be like Jane when I grow up, lol!
Headed up a lonely highway towards Alb, stopping in White Oaks for some pics. Was planning on stopping in Mountainair on the way, but we've discovered- If New Mexico doesn't want you to find it, you won't. Listen to the land, it knows better than you do.
Ended up in Moriarty- that was okay, it was to be Wednesday's stop but it worked out. Had a late lunch at El Comedor and I had some amazing stuffed sopapillas with green chile. Bought some bischochitos (sp?) and jalepeno bread for the road. Stopped by my boss's daughter's place she has for sale there and met her friend who lives across the road as well as the realtor.
Took 66 to Albuquerque through the Tijeras area.
Wednesday we spent at the zoo and the Rio Grande Nature center before heading off to Vequita (sp) to look at another house. Lunch was Lotaburger.
Thursday was spent piddling around town after breakfast at the Range cafe.... great breakfast, even better dessert! What? You don't have dessert after breakfast? I had to, especially after reading the reviews on the Life by Chocolate. Walked around the Old Town section and shopped a bit, hoped the whipping wind and lightning meant rain for y'all. It didn't. At least not there. Dinner that night was at the Frontier. Greg and I both had the enchilada meal with the green chile stew. The kids had typical kid fare.
Friday we went to Tres Piedras- why didn't y'all warn me about that big ol' bridge?!?!?! I HATE heights like that. Tied into my childhood spent as a passenger in cars and trucks being driven over wood and rope bridges, i'm sure. Not a big fan of this area. Taos reminded me too much of Gatlinburg here. Got a bugged out feeling in TP. Never ignore my spidey-sense, so we left. Drove back through Santa Fe and stopped at the Flying (star? I forget) for take out dessert. I got chocolate mousse something or other. Very good. Don't know that I read the menu- just pointed at the display case, lol!
Saturday we left early and drove straight through to Russellville, Ar. Remind me to tell you of out experiences at the Ho(t)HELL sometime. After a brief stop in Hernando, MS for lunch with friends we headed east. Got home about midnight, unpacked and then did critter check. Even though we had three good groups of friends taking care of everyone, I *had* to touch noses and pat heads, just to reassure myself.
And we're both at work bright and early today- I predict a crash when we return home.
Now... the asthma report.
We stopped in Van Horn, TX for fuel. 95 degrees and it felt like somewhere in the low 80s with the breeze. From there on out, it was smooth sailing. I continued to use my advair, as I think it's probably not a good thing to take yourself off of a maintance med for even a short trip.
I used my rescue inhaler only once, and that was at the indoor pool/sauna/hot tub area at the hotel.
The following isn't so ya'll can feel sorry for me, it's to illustrate the difference.
My day begins at six thirty a.m. I start the coffee and breakfast and throw hay to the horses. Get Greg off to work (take the kids to school if it's in session) and off to work myself. I have an office job, 9-5. At noon, i'm so whipped from just breathing, I have to take a nap at lunch. Back up at one and then a nap again when I get home. I use the rescue inhaler four to six times a day. The only thing physical I do is feed the horses twice a day. Other than that, i sit at a desk.
Sedentary lifestyle but still 4-6 uses.
In NM we were constantly on the move, if not on foot then by car. No naps, no feelings of exhaustion and most importantly, no inhaler use. My oldest, when asked to walk a bit faster, commented that normally i'm so far behind she doesn't have to walk fast! I did feel it when visiting the zoo exhibits with a lot of water, but as soon as I moved away from the water, I was fine. I was only tired when we finished out the day at dark.
This continued until we got east of Amarillo. Then the humidity hit and it was awful. Six whole days of being a NORMAL person and feeling gulity for the handicapped tag hanging from the rearview.... all gone in the time it took to leave the area. A cruel reminder of how life used to be, I guess.
I also found that hot didn't feel so HOT there. Very nice.
One thing that amazed us (no offense intended) was that people were just people. Here the different ethnic groups have their own cliques and seldom venture outside them for anything. Very segregated. Not in NM. I rather liked it.
So all in all, it was a very positive visit. It looks like a move to NM might be in the future......
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The New Mexico Asthma Report or How I Spent My Summer Vacation
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