From Fall to Winter

Most of the year Las Cruces is hot.  But we do have some change of season.

Our back yard in fall (December)

And in winter (January)

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When we moved to Las Cruces in 2007 we bought a house on Geronimo trail

Dinah at our new Geronimo Trail home in 2007

In 2008 we moved to our current home on Ralls Road and rented the Geronimo Trail house.  Orlando and Dolores moved in about five years ago and have become our friends as well as our tenants. And on 21 January they became homeowners, purchasing the Geronimo Trail house.

Orlando, Dolores, Escrow agent Billy, and Dinah at closing.

Out with Herb - In with Lulu

Herb - our 1998 National Tradewinds 37' diesel pusher motor home

This past summer Dinah and I decided to downsize our RV. We have owned Herb since just after we were married in 2005.  We felt we were ready for something smaller.  I wanted much smaller, Dinah not so small. It turned out that our friend Jeanette Fisher had a 30' class C motor home for sale which we eventually decided was just right for us.

Lulu - our new 1998 Lazy Daze 30' class C motor home

 

Inside Lulu

Shortly after we got home from the Panama Canal cruise, we drove to Las Vegas to meet with Jeanette and bring Lulu home.  So now we had two motor homes.
We advertised Herb for sale and in early December we got a call from Marcia from Albuquerque who asked a million questions, came down to see Herb and spend the night in him, decided to buy, and drove him back to Albuquerque in January.  She plans to rent out her condo then drive Herb to Mexico where she will spend a year or so with Herb as her new home.
So now we are back to one motor home with plans to head east for our summer travels this year.

Cupcakes for Firemen

Dinah with the fire crew leader

While shopping at Walmart, Dinah felt weak and slipped to the floor. Someone called 911 and the Las Cruces fire department responded. She was taken to Mt View Hospital where she spent 3 days being checked out. The problem was diagnosed as probable BradyCardia (an episode of slow heart rate). Since everything seemed fine, she was released and we hope it doesn't happen again.

Dinah checks out the fancy cupcakes she brought to thank the firemen

Dinah was impressed with the professionalism of the four firemen who helped her and with the thoughtful care they delivered, so she recently visited the fire house to thank them and deliver some cupcakes.

Cat Scratch Trouble

Our cat Buttercup enjoys climbing our window blinds, and on 24 December she got a rear claw caught. Dinah found her hanging upside down with one rear paw entangled in the blinds.

In the process of rescuing Buttercup, Dinah got a few puncture wounds from Buttercup's claws. So we spent Christmas Eve in the emergency room where Dinah was treated and released, but told to come back the next day.
By the time we returned to the hospital on Christmas day redness was expanding up her arm and she was admitted to the hospital where she spent four days on an antibiotic drip.
She was released on 29 December and both she and Buttercup are fine.

A New Knee

Dinah continued her quest to become fully bionic by adding a new left knee to her two hips and two lenses.After a couple of days at the Specialty Hospital in El Paso, she moved to the Rehab Hospital in Las Cruces until 2 December when she "graduated" and was released to come home.

Dinah graduates from rehab

She continues with outpatient therapy and has a way to go before she will be able to walk normally.

Panama Canal Cruise

The Norwegian Jewel

Dinah had never seen the Panama Canal while I had been through it twice, courtesy of the US Navy, but that was almost 50 years ago. So on 24 September we headed for Los Angeles and the Norwegian Jewel.

A beach in Mazatlan, Mexico

 Our first stop was in Mazatlan where we hiked around the town and looked at places to stay during a possible future land based vacation. Then on to Puerto Vallarta, Huatulco, Puerto Chiapas, and Puntarenas, Costa Rica, before arriving at the canal.

A pirate ship in Puerto Vallarta

Puerto Chiapas

A Marimba in Puerto Chiapas

A beach-side market in Puntarenas, Costa Rica

The canal transit was an all day affair; three locks up, cross the Isthmus of Panama, then three locks down. When I had transited with the Navy, the talk was about the brand new Japanese locomotives that had just replaced the original  GE ones. Now, those replacement locomotives have grown old and they have also been replaced by a third generation.  Makes me feel pretty old.

The locks are in sets of two. Here we are locking along side a cargo ship.