We'll be on the Road Again Next Week

This is our last full week here in Arrey.  I am looking forward to seeing friends and family when we get back to California, but my heart is heavy over leaving here.  If not for several issues to be taken care of back in California, we would stay here now.  Since we have known that we will come back to stay next year, this has seemed more like home than even before.  We have selected the site we will have as our permanent site, and begun planning what we will do with it when we come back.  Janice is now selling storage sheds, and small barns and other structures.  Some are even big enough that they could become a tiny house, with the right modifications.  We do NOT want to make one into a tiny house, but we felt certain that we would want at least her mini-shed for storage on our site.  But when we went inside it, we discovered it wasn't tall enough for Jim to stand up except on the "high side".  Instead of the 6' by 12' mini-shed, we decided to get the 8' by 12' storage barn.  That will give us a little more space AND will give Jim more hear room.  I took pictures, but now I can't figure out what became of them.  Oh well.  Our barn will have driftwood gray outside walls, a dark blue roof and one window.  We opted for the radiant heat barrier that will keep it about 30 degrees cooler inside.  We needed that because we are going to get a bigger refrigerator/freezer that will be kept inside the barn.  Well, I guess that's enough about all of that.  Back to this year now.

Last weekend Mary and I went to the TorC Fiesta and we really enjoyed the parade.  We watched it from the parking lot of my favorite place in TorC, the AB Drive-in.  Pastor Ric and Mary were across the street at the First Baptist Church.  The parade began with all the local fire trucks.

There were trucks from all the local departments, including our own truck.

Smokey the Bear rode by on a Forest Service truck too.   Then came the Fiesta Queen and her court.

After these lovely young ladies came the Hatch, New Mexico Red Chili Queen.  
Everybody was having a wonderful time despite the heat that day, except maybe this poor dog.  Besides the heat, many of the fire trucks sounded sirens and honked horns.  This poor little guy tried to hide under his owner's truck.  
But he did come out when it was less noisy to visit with Mary and me.

There were several equestrian teams too.  

 

There were floats with musicians
and dancers on
 them too.

 The Republican Party was present, but I didn't see the Democrats represented.

This truck lifted open, 
and then lifted out a wheel chair.  It was pretty amazing!




Many interesting people walked by, or rode horses, near the end of the parade.

After the parade was over, Mary and I had lunch in the AB Drive-in.  I, of course had the Philly Cheese Steak sandwich, since there is no place else that makes  it as good as they do.  Then we went over to the Ralph Edwards Park for the arts and crafts sales, plus much more.  We both bought beautiful straw hats.  No pictures of them yet, but later maybe.  We were over-heated and tired by the time we got home.  Jim looked after our furry kids so we could have a girl's day out.  It was a lot of fun, but we both needed to rest after we got back home.  

On Monday we got a new neighbor named Burt and his furry child named Sammy.  They travel extensively in a pop-up trailer.

On the left is his trailer when it is down.  Being low profile means it is easier to tow.  On the right is his trailer raised up to camp inside.

And here is his sweet dog Sammy.  Millie has enjoyed having a friendly dog next door.
We are going to play Mexican Train with Mary this afternoon.  Tomorrow we are going to a dinner in town put on by our church to benefit the Open Arms Pregnancy center.  Sunday, after church, Ric and Mary are coming over for dinner.  We will be busy packing up to travel on Monday and Tuesday.  Wednesday we will stop at the Garfield Garage to have Ron Garay check our fluids and tire pressure before we head out for Lordsburg.  Ron, pictured on the right, is a great mechanic and did a lot of work for us this year. He is honest, hard-working and reasonable for prices.  If you need service and are in the area, we fully recommend calling him.

I need to close now.  We will be praying for safe travels in the week ahead.  We expect to get to Silent Valley by May 22nd.  Bye for now.  More pictures next time.