Truth? or Consequences! New Mexico

After the storm shredded my tent, I camped for a couple more nights with the help of duct tape. It was fine, but my nerves were shredded, too, and so I quacked my way back to the cabin in Datil. 

Reports said the winds reached 100 mph. I'm not "The Good Luck Duck" fer nuthin'.

My friends there are terrific, but after saying good-bye to the company I had enjoyed all summer, I just wanted to hide away for awhile.

I always thought I would make a great hermit; it's time to put that notion to rest. Two weeks alone, and I was naming the lizards and  shadow-writing their memoirs. So, I headed where I often do when I get this lonely-but-restless feeling: Truth or Consequences.

I have a backup tent! So, I camped for a couple of days at Caballo Lake State Park and caught up with Annie, et al. Then it was time to pamper myself with a stay at La Paloma Hot Springs and Spa (please notice their cover photo, taken two years ago by a certain blogger). 

I wanted to stay longer in T or C, and because things are always working out for me, I was offered the use of a house for several weeks. I joyously accepted.

Now I enjoy T or C at my leisure: at a cafe, at a book store, at a thrift shop or two. I'm lucky to have friends who call Truth or Consequences home lots of the time, and they join me for some leisure (I have extra).

Things are good! I like T or C - you will, too.

Parked in Truth or Consequences, New Mexico

I haven't traveled in the last week; I've been enjoying the comforts of sticks 'n' bricks in a tiny town. I'll be here another month, maybe.

I took a friend down to Caballo Lake State Park with me, where Annie had a carload of stuff for me that I can use very well in the cabin. Stuff, in fact, that I was just about to buy from Amazon, so double-yay! Next to (one of) Annie's campsites was the winner in the Pets I Take Camping event.

"Llama! Over here!"
"I shall ignore you."
"Llama!"
"I spit at your attention!"

My duties here are very light. Turn on the automatic watering system. Spritz a few other plants. Give grape jelly and oranges to the orioles. Provide the kolibri syrup.  Cater to the cat's every whim. Last night I woke up because she had captured my foot; I caught her in the delicate "pin - lick - nibble" stage.

We saw "Godzilla" last night. Whatevs.

This is my report from an actual house. For more house stories as they break, tune to KEEW: Everybody Else in the World, up and down your dial.

Only one thing?

Someone once said "Do one thing every day that scars you," but that was too gruesome; now we only scare ourselves.

I don't do that daily. Do you? Today it was time for a your-mother-told-you-never-to scare: I swam alone in the Rio Grande. Now that damkeepers (dam engineers?) are releasing water from the lakes, there is a gentle, but insistent, current on the river that will keep you aerobically fit just by staying in your own waterfront property.

This weekend was a painful combo of heat, crowds, noise, and other people's drifting garbage. Today ... ahhh. Goodbye, weekend screamers. Take dat noise home with you. Full-timers can be magnanimous and indulgent on weekends - enjoy your tiny respite, workers - but even we can get exhausted when things get really wild. Or, am I just speaking for myself again?

Teenagers (boys and girls) camping alone. Does that seem smart to you, or am I ... GET OFF MY LAWN!! THAT BALL IS MINE NOW!!! ... oversensitive? I was a pretty permissive parent myself.

I have a nice shot of Annie and her new digs, but I'll let her show you herself.