Happy New Year!!!

Here's wishing you all a very safe, and Happy New Year!!

May your year be filled with love, laughter and peace.

Bryan & Raymona

Post Office Box from Richland, NM

OK, I know I've been posting a lot the past two days but I'm just trying to catch up. Sorry.

For Christmas, my Dad made Bryan & I a penny bank out of an old mailbox door. The mailbox was originally in the Richland, NM (Roosevelt County); Richland was an old trading point, located 5 miles east of NM 18 and about 30 miles south of Portales. The post office operated from 1908 to 1936 when the boxes were moved to Pep, NM.

Back in the day, the post masters (or mistresses) had to buy the mailboxes themselves, they were not furnished by the PO. On the mid-eighties that changed, as did the post master of Pep. Gray Wilson took over for Buna Cathey and decided that he didn't want to buy the existing mailboxes from her since the PO would now furnish them free of charge. Buna had them removed and stored at her place until my Grandpa and Dad purchased them from her.

As a side note, Mr Wilson was at the time the oldest post master to be sworn in - there were older post masters than him but none that started out as old as he did. He was in his 90's when he retired.

A word about Pep, NM: Pep is located in Roosevelt county on NM 206, 24 miles south of Portales and has been a post office since 1936. According to the book "The Place Names of New Mexico" there are several explanations for the name of Pep. One popular one is that it was named by Harold Radcliff during the depression for the breakfast cereal of the same name. Antoher popular explanation is that it was named "by Edward Cox in 1925 when he established a store and residence here, choosing the name for a lively and energetic place."

Whatever the origin, Pep will always hold a special place in my heart. My Grandma's parents owned it for a while, then the parents of good friends of my parents owned it, then Mr Wilson. All of whom gave cherished memories to the small place. I remember going into the store as a child (and a teenager and not as often as an adult) and buying a bottled coke. It was "so cool" to punch a couple holes in the cap with an ice pick instead of removing the cap. Great times!!

The new owners, Bruce & Angie, are holding up their end of creating memories. The post office is still there but the store has been converted into the Pep Community Center (complete with indoor plumbing!!) and they host, along with the "Pep Old Timer's Association", lots of community events there. They have started a Pony Express run over the Fourth of July, Halloween parties, craft fairs, Thanksgiving & Christmas dinners among others. They have turned out to be fantastic for the Pep community. If you get to Dora, please drop in the Dora General Store and say hi to Angie!!

Christmas Eve and Day

We opened gifts with my grandparents on Christmas Eve but had dinner at Mom & Dad's on Christmas Day. Grandma planned her Christmas dinner for Sunday when my Aunt, Uncle, Cousin and her family would be there.

We had a great time visiting with Roy Lee, Waverly and their two kids, Justus and Kinzee on Christmas Eve. J & K are hysterical and very fun to talk with, as are their parents. It's weird to see them so 'grown up' as the last time I saw them they were still in grade school - now I think they are in high school & middle school. Anyway, they had some funny stories about their lives on the ranch.

After they went home to wait for Santa, we opened our gifts. It was a nice time, very small and low key; it has been about 16 years since I have been in New Mexico at my grandparents for Christmas. I'm glad we made it down.

Mom (Margie)
Grandpa (JT)
Grandma (Lillie Belle)
Dad (Doug)
Bryan

Pressie did wonderful, she still tried to hide and make herself as small as possible but she loosened up some, allowing the kids to pet her and walking around a bit. Jake (Mom's dog) got two chew bones from Grandpa for Christmas and 'graciously' shared one with Press. We really didn't think she'd take it but she surprised us and did. Guess Jake taught her something afterall.

Jake and her gift


Pressie and her bone

Christmas dinner was good too; ham with all the trimmings. Grandma & Grandpa braved the wind and cold to join us for the feast. Too bad it takes so long to prepare it and such a short time to consume everything. As always, we had too much (Thank God for this blessing) and stuffed ourselves.

(R to L) Mom, Bryan, Grandpa, Dad & Grandma

Christmas Dinner

As this holiday season comes to a close, I thank God for everything he has done for us this past year. The courage he has given us to give up our home & jobs in Washington to move closer to family, our health, our wealth (such as it is) and our friends and family. We place our trust in God this coming year and wish you all of his blessings as well.

Merry Christmas (a little late).

Dec 23 - Grandpa's Famous Peanut Patties

A Christmas tradition had always been Grandpa making his famous peanut patties; a few years ago, he stopped making them due to health reasons. So, I decided this year to take up the torch... at least on my end. With Grandpa's help, I made a couple batches - yummy!!!

Grandpa & Raymona making peanut patties

Grandma helping with the peanut patties.

Dec 22 - Pressie's Great Adventure (aka Running Wild in Pep)

Today will forever be dubbed, “Pressis’s Great Adventure”.

See a black dog out there? Neither could we...

While Mom & I went to the hair salon, Bryan was in charge of Pressie. While playing with my parent's dog, Jake, Press got out of the yard. She and Jake were having a great time exploring and Bryan & Dad thought, well maybe it won’t be so bad, she’ll come back in with Jake. Uh, that would be a big NO! Jake came back to the house and Pressie headed northwest for Bernalillo. She made it almost 3 miles cross-country (my parents live on a ranch, surrounded by ranches) before Bryan and Dad got her headed back toward the house. Since she won’t let any of us close to her unless she is sitting down on her bed… they couldn’t get close enough to her to nab her.

Mom & I came home around 2 PM and saw a truck sitting in the road just past our turn. Thinking it could be illegal hunters we drove up to it, I recognized it as OUR truck and immediately knew that Pressie was taking an unauthorized "walk-about". Bryan was too, as he tried unsuccessfully to herd her to the house.

Pressie circled the house at about a ½ mile radius for 12 hours. We would go walking in the pastures trying to lure her back, sometimes we couldn’t see her at all (perhaps hunkered down against the bitter cold & ferocious wind (wind chill was at 15 degrees) and sometimes we’d see her trotting off in the distance, always about ¼ to ½ mile from us. She looked just like a furitive, black coyote running in the pasture.

Just before dusk, Dad, Bryan and I decided we’d do one more walk-about to try to get her back to the house, we each walked a different way for about 1/2 to ¾ mile out and saw hide nor hair of her. So as we went back to the house, Bryan and I decided we’d drive around to see if we could at least see her somewhere.

And we did, headed away from the house. I called to her and got her headed home but she just ran on past it. We did manage to get her to stop and look at us so I got out of the truck with treats and started walking down the road, hoping she was cold enough & curious enough to follow me in. I did get her within 30 feet of me but no closer; she turned and ran parallel to the corral fence… I cut across and got in front of her where she could see me, holding the treats out on either side, hoping she’d smell them and follow me… something worked, I got her to follow me to the yard, talking to her the whole time. I got her just inside the yard and I almost got the gate closed before she darted around me and out again, heading west. I figured that was it, and went in to get more treats to leave at/in the crate we’d placed out in the pasture for shelter (it was bitterly cold & windy and not getting better).

As I started to the crate I heard the tell-tale tinkle of her tag and tried again. This time I got her further in the yard, scared her (not proud of that) into the far corner (opposite the gate) and then got the gate shut. Boy, was she ready to go in the house! Once she was in the yard, she was all for getting inside, running through the door like a shot and up on the couch like she belonged there. It took me and Dad about 20 minutes to pull the cactus thorns & needle grass out of her nose & feet. She was very thirsty naturally and hungry too. Dad said she was "about boiled dry". Poor baby, we told her what a GREAT dog she was and just dotted on her so that maybe next time she would come on back sooner than 12 hours!!!

Back in bed, safe & mostly sound

Dec 21 - On the Way to Pep, NM

I just had to share these photos of the sunset we saw on our way to Pep, NM on Sunday. I had to hang out of the truck window to get them but I thought they were outstanding. Here in Bernalillo we are in a bit of a hole and don't get to see sunsets (sunrises, yes if we are up early enough).




Pressie made the trip OK. She is a very good traveler.

More on Christmas in another post.

Adoption Counselor

Today I made it out to Watermelon Mountain Ranch and had my introduction (& did my first adoption) to animal adoption counseling. I'll need some practice & more exposure but I think it will be neat & fun to do. I also walk some of the dogs at the Ranch. I should be losing lots of weight but for some reason (& I'm sure its not the New Mexican cuisine that is hampering the effort) its not coming off.

Now that I am getting more familiar with the Ranch, the staff and the animals there (they have a lovely cattery but I'm a dog person) it is kinda fun to go and play with the inmates. There are usually some puppies there to play with and always someone that needs to be walked & exercised. It's sad to some extent too - some are troubled animals that were "rescued' for horrible situations, one dog had been left in foreclosed house after his family moved out for something like 18 days... I mean, really... set him free or something, don't lock them up where they are most likely going to starve to death.

The people at the Ranch are super too - very much for the animals and their welfare above all else. It is just amazing to me that there are so many discarded animals (and just as many that are finding homes). Watermelon Mountain Ranch: http://www.wmranch.org/

Anyway, here's another picture of our foster 'pup', Espresso. She is starting to sit up more now instead of staying curled into a ball. Such a sweet-heart. We are taking her with us to Mom & Dad's, hopefully we won't traumatize her to much.

Winning Over Espresso

Peeking over the wall... seeing if we are

looking at her - sneaky, sneaky

OK, we may not have her won over yet but she is loosening up a little. Today Pressie actually ran around the house while we were fixing breakfast and (this is big) she went outside BY HERSELF!! Usually we have to drag or carry her out, she is just too petrified to move. But today, she has started going out alone (we still prod her a bit) and coming in by herself. She likes it if we are outside with her, she follows us around unless she thinks we are looking, then she quickly darts off in another direction. She still won't come up to us and won't allow us to approach her if she is off her "safety bed" but she seems to be weakening to our charms.

She wants to be with us, but she doesn't. Today, if we weren't sitting in the living room with her she would run around the house looking for us. Never approaching or staying near us but definitely trying to get us to the LR.

She is such a sweet heart; I just wish she was more dog-like and less scared. She is so scared all the time.

Pressie running around the yard... furitively

Yea Towanda! We Have Snow in Bernalillo!!

Back Patio/Yard

Finally! Snow here in Bernalillo. It started snowing early yesterday morning and didn't stop until after we went to bed. Looks like we got about 4"-5" this morning. Very beautiful (more so because we aren't having to commute in it yet). Still really overcast but it has stopped snowing & they are predicting more snow on Thursday - snow and wind, joy.

I was hoping that Espresso would like the snow and come out of her shell a little bit but not happening. I had to find an evergreen tree that had less snow under it as she would squat to pee and then jump up like she was goosed - guess it was a bit chilly. hee hee Poor girl. She is still so frightened all the time.

Here's some pics of the start of our snow storm and a few from this morning.

Starting to snow - Front Yard (12/15)

Same view this morning (12/16)

Side patio

New Foster Pup... Espresso

Introducing our new foster-dog, Espresso - Pressie to us. She's a 1.5 year old chow mix they say, but we don't see a lot of chow in her, more shepherd we think. She actually reminds us of a black coyote to tell the truth - very lean and tall and just the way she moves. Bryan thinks she looks like one of those black police dogs, except she is kinda small.

She has been at Watermelon Mountain Ranch (WMR) for quite a while now, & she is so horrifically shy and timid - I think she has been "adopted" a couple times but is always returned because of her timidness. So far we haven't seen ANY aggressive behavior in her, but you must move very slowly and talk softly to her or she bolts, its better to just sit, then she'll come up to you. This will certainly be a challenge... She paces a lot if we are up and about but when we go in to watch TV she settles down nicely. Not sure if she is house broke yet or not... guess we'll find out tonight. I do know not to let her outside off-leash as she is too scared to come close to you again and it took me FOREVER to get her back into the house. :-(

Right now, she is trying hard to stay awake. She starts to fall asleep and fall over and that jerks her awake. Se just isn't comfortable enough yet (we just picked her up at 3:30 today) to trust falling asleep here. She keeps nodding off and leaning over then jerking back awake. Poor baby.

Still No Snow for Us

Ding-dang it, I was hoping we'd get some snow here in the valley but nope, none. Ok, so looks like there was some dusting (or a heavy frost) on the grass but I wouldn't consider it SNOW. We do have a lovely view of Sandia Peak and it is covered, almost reminds me of our view in WA... almost... Especially since its now covered in a cloud layer. I'll have to get a photo later.

Looks like Santa Fe and surrounds have gotten quite a dumping last night. I'm sure the skiers/snowboarders are dancing in the streets.

The wind is blowing like a son-of-gun however. I think I'm beginning to hate the wind... really. Thunderstorms, lightening, rain, etc, etc I can handle but the wind will drive you insane, I'm sure of it. We are even a bit protected here in the bosque but it still gets windy but out of the valley its horrific & where my parents live its even worse!!!

Getting Ready for Christmas

I've been fighting a cold since returning from Texas, however, we did manage to get some Christmas decorations up. We got rid of our tree when we moved and opted to go for something 'different' this year. We decorated a kiva ladder instead... Bryan was able to get the outside lights up as well so we are slowly getting in the Christmas spirit.

We also were able to have a brief visit last night with my brother-in-law, Ken, as he was in town for an interview. We wish him luck!!

Saying Good-Bye to Richard

As some of you may know, my brother, Richard, was diagnosed with colon cancer last August. He had other complications (pancreatitis, heart disease) that really hindered his cancer treatments... we received news last Sunday, 11/30, that he had deteriorated and was in fading fast. Bryan drove me to Mom & Dad's Monday evening and I drove out to Ft Worth with them Tuesday morning.

We made it to Richard's house around 5 PM and sat with him throughout the night. By the time we got there, he was sliding into a coma and not able to communicate with us, although he tried and I believe he knew we were there. We told him funny stories and just tried to give him comfort as he moved to join the Lord. I have to give thanks to his Vitas Hospice nurse, Jessie H for the care & compassion he showed to Richard in these final hours. Jessie was also a pillar of strength for the family as we watched our son, brother, father, friend and papa slip away from all of us.

Richard passed away at 5:50 AM, Wednesday morning (12/3) - he fought long & hard the whole time, wanting to stay with his family. Richard was preceeded in death by our brother, James in 2006. Now there are just us five sisters left.

Richard's daughters, Elisha & Bianca, read the beautiful poem below at his "Celebration of Life" this past Sunday. I'm not sure of the author but the poem is wonderful and exactly expressed how we feel. Richard will be missed by all that knew him, but we know he isn't really gone - we'll see him again someday.

I am thankful that he found his Faith in God again and was baptized with his family before his departure.

God saw you getting tired and a cure was not to be.
So He put His arms around you and whispered "come to me."
With tearful eyes we watched you, and saw you pass away.
Although we loved you dearly, we could not make you stay.
A golden heart stopped beating, hardworking hands at rest.
God broke our hearts to prove to us, He only takes the best.

Richard E Ball
October 1, 1950 - December 3, 2008

Take a Minute to Say Thanks

Please click on the link to send a Thank You to our troops for the freedoms we are enjoying this holiday season. It's easy to do, so please take a minute to say thanks..

www.LetsSayThanks.com