Ruidoso, NM (Alamogordo, White Sands, Alamo: appliances, living, groceries)

[catman]

Uh-oh. I hate labels anyway. I live in a split-level head...I'm conservative in some ways and liberal in others. I don't fit either category very well, but on balance I'm more liberal than I am conservative. That's OK, we can still be friends.

The main thing I like about 'dry heat' as opposed to humidity isn't even that it feels better to me, it's that it usually indicates a greater diurnal range, so the nights are cooler. That doesn't go for places like Phoenix, of course. I can take the hot days, but when it's hot at 4 A.M., I don't like that at all.

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by catman

Uh-oh. I hate labels anyway. I live in a split-level head...I'm conservative in some ways and liberal in others. I don't fit either category very well, but on balance I'm more liberal than I am conservative. That's OK, we can still be friends.

The main thing I like about 'dry heat' as opposed to humidity isn't even that it feels better to me, it's that it usually indicates a greater diurnal range, so the nights are cooler. That doesn't go for places like Phoenix, of course. I can take the hot days, but when it's hot at 4 A.M., I don't like that at all.

I prefer the dry heat any day! I grew up in WT before Lake Amistad was created......and it was MUCH less humid in the 1950s-1970s than it is now. The extra water, population growth, lawns, et al...has come together to make it more humid than it would otherwise be.

Having said that, the humidity level in Alamo has been more than what you would expect, so I am glad that I ended up with refrigerated air. I had not been around swamp coolers for so many years...and by comparison, they are not very comfortable, even here.

The nights do cool off considerably more....and the late evenings, nights and early mornings are terrific!!

[catman]

Hmpf. I'm surprised that Alamo is more humid than you expected. I wonder whether it's typical or not. At least you're close by much cooler temperatures, just up into the mountains. I want to find out more about High Rolls!

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by catman

Hmpf. I'm surprised that Alamo is more humid than you expected. I wonder whether it's typical or not. At least you're close by much cooler temperatures, just up into the mountains. I want to find out more about High Rolls!

From what I have been told, no, the humidity is not typical. It has been dry more often than not.....

High Rolls is neat, but there is not much there. I came through Mayhill, High Rolls and Cloudcroft on the short route from Midland.

I think am living in as small a place as I ever want! I am finding out that I am quite spoiled rotten by the level of services and amenities that I had in Midland....and they are harder to come by here--or nonexistent. Groceries, utilities, gasoline and the general cost of living are higher here than they were in Midland....and I can't imagine having to add the cost of driving everywhere on top of that. A drive to LC or EP for Sam's Club and other places isn't bad, but I can't imagine having to drive everywhere any more frequently than maybe once a month or less to get what I need.

As an example, Lowe's in Austin did Sis' new blinds for her windows, and did an excellent job. So.....I had three choices here, and went to Lowe's. It has been like pulling teeth from the beginning, and they were just really terrible to deal with. I tried to be patient, but after 6 weeks, I lost it!! Nobody seems to know what they are doing, and it took an online complaint to the main office and the threat of a note to the BBB before they finally got it all fixed. It's fine now, but it was so much aggravation before I got to this point. I will probably not use them for any services unless my back is to the wall.

But....Alamo is growing, and things are getting better. The fact that they are laying new fiber optic cable out here hopefully means better service that will be more consistent.

[songinthewind7]

Cathy-
I know I will miss a grocery store. Too bad HEB won't go into NM.
South Central NM, We need a place to shop. Anyone hear us and want to start a grocery store??

Catman-
Did you make it to Alamo and surrounding areas over Labor day weekend?

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by songinthewind7

Cathy-
I know I will miss a grocery store. Too bad HEB won't go into NM.
South Central NM, We need a place to shop. Anyone hear us and want to start a grocery store??

Catman-
Did you make it to Alamo and surrounding areas over Labor day weekend?

I can't see HEB in NM at all, other than maybe ABQ or SF. But I really hope they decide to expand to EP. I think LC might be a tad small for them to consider a store there, especially a big Central-Market type store.

Even the one in Midland that is just now remodeling and expanding has been there only about 4-5 years.

[catman]

Cathy: I was thinking that High Rolls would be great because there isn't much there, but it isn't so far to Alamogordo from there that I would be seriously inconvenienced. Maybe I'm wrong (especially when it snows!).

I have often wondered just how much I take for granted here in a big city, and how much I'd miss it if I were out in the sticks. It would be different, that's for sure. I guess there is no Home Depot in Alamo. Can you get decent broadband internet service?

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by catman

Cathy: I was thinking that High Rolls would be great because there isn't much there, but it isn't so far to Alamogordo from there that I would be seriously inconvenienced. Maybe I'm wrong (especially when it snows!).

I have often wondered just how much I take for granted here in a big city, and how much I'd miss it if I were out in the sticks. It would be different, that's for sure. I guess there is no Home Depot in Alamo. Can you get decent broadband internet service?

The road from High Rolls to Alamo is good....and unless it were REALLY icy and snowpacked, I can't see it being that much of a problem to get to Alamo. It is just really tiny and isolated, but it is really neat, as is CC.

I have discovered that I took quite a bit for granted in Midland, but when I get ticked off, all I have to do is either look out either the front or back....or get in the car and drive the scenic loop. It calms me down every time. It really is beautiful here--and having a choice of mountains with desert or mountains and piney woods is just really icing on the cake.

There IS a Home Depot in Alamo, next to Lowe's. So, you have your choice of those two, as well as a Walmart SuperCenter. If we only had a Sam's Club here, I would not have to go to either EP or LC for much of anything. I haven't even been to LC yet since I got here, since I have found everything I need locally so far. There is a good furniture store here (there are several others, too) that has been here for over 30 years, and their service is great. They delivered my dining table in about 3 weeks, so I am getting there!

There are several broadband choices here. I have Baja...and what they neglected to tell me (since I am a new customer, and have not received my first bill yet, as I paid in advance for installation/first month) was that they were laying new fiber optic cable here....and it resulted in outtages. Had I known to expect it, it would not have been NEARLY as aggravating. Every problem I have had here has been to do with a lack of communication. Why they don't say anything is just beyond me!!!!

Baja provides both my cable internet and cable TV.....I have a box on one set, but will turn it in when the package price comes to an end in 6 months. The channel lineup is better than what I had in Midland, and Midland's was really good, so......my other TV is just expanded basic, and I am finding that is all I watch.

You can get Dish and DirectTV...and I think there are other choices here, too, so take your pick. In High Rolls, I would assume that most TV is satellite.

New Mexico is coming into the 21st Century. I hope it retains its character and beauty in the meantime and after....

[Muhnay]

Cathy are you in Alamogordo? You even have a nice little mall there the last time I was out that way.

[Cathy4017]

Originally Posted by Muhnay

Cathy are you in Alamogordo? You even have a nice little mall there the last time I was out that way.

Yes, I am....and I have been out to the mall....I didn't go through the whole thing, since I just stopped by Penney's to see about miniblinds...and ate at Juan's Cactus Cafe () on the way out, since I was in a hurry.