Kitty City New Mexico

Kitty City NM. Don't look for it on a map.

I stumbled upon Classy Cats Thrift Store in downtown Alamogordo (921 New York Avenue, Alamogordo, NM).

It's a cute little shop with good prices and interesting stuff. AND KITTENS!!! They'll take them out of their cages and hand them to you, if you want. FUZZY KITTENS!!! It all benefits Kitty City, a shelter and adoption center just out of town. 

I asked if I could help there if I were just passing through. Yep!

You can show up and Ed will hand you a brush for grooming, or just turn you loose to socialize with cats.

I gave no advance notice at all. I was there when Ed got back from lunch, and he let me into the cattery. The runs are bright, airy, and spacious with lots of climby things and toys. All cats can go out to their safe enclosures, or inside to enjoy air conditioning. The whole  place was very clean.

In his office are FIV+ and FeLeuk cats. Both can live good, long lives.

Over six years, this small shelter has adopted out 1000 cats. This is not a big city.

If you're visiting Alamogordo, do go to Classy Cats Thrift Store. If you need a cat fix (*raises hand*), go pet kitties at Kitty City NM. Cats who get socialized have a better chance to get adopted. You'll lower your blood pressure, and do a good thing for their futures at the same time.

Fuzzy as I was, I went to meet Roy and Marilyn from The Road.  You can also find them on Facebook at The Road - RV Blog. They've been full-timing for 3-1/2 years, and they're still fun.

There are six of them in their rig. I'm featuring Otis, because CUTE.

You can't see from the picture; Otie has cerebellar hypoplasia (also called "wobbly kitty syndrome"). Otis hunts and plays and talks, and makes you giggle while he does it.  His vocabulary includes "Hello!" and "Come out!" It's impossible not to love him on sight. Go on. I dare you. Look for him on movie screens and Facebook near you.

Some fulltime RVers need help.

Andy over at My Old RV survived a Texas hailstorm that delivered softball-sized stones for 10 minutes. His home did not survive. Go read his story. I'll wait.

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Our rig has been swaying for twelve hours; my lunch will not survive. We're parked in an unfortunate place (where the wind is).

We had a lovely and odd weekend with our friend, Su, who traveled a long way JUST to visit us.  We laughed at a lot of inappropriate things that I won't share, but here's a hint: sixth grade.

L to R: Denali, Jake, Whitey, Su, Goldie, Annie

Another foot of clearance and a composting toilet, and this would be the perfect rig.

I said the weekend was "odd" not just because Su was here. While we sat out here, a huge truck came up the road, except it was really a mini-haboob. We grabbed the dogs, not knowing what they would do, and the dogs grabbed us for the same reason. Once that oddity settled down, a swarm of Africanized bees passed directly overhead. Don't mess with us. Unless you really like frogs and gadflies, let our people go.

Denali and Jake. Or, is it Jake and Denali?

Dude, what are you lookin' at? I'LL LOOK WITH YOU!!!

I STILL DON'T SEE IT BUT THIS IS GREAT RIGHT?

DUDE COULD HELP A GUY OUT YOU KNOW.

Jake is socially-awkward

This flower was not urinated on all weekend. It has survivor guilt. I have urinator's guilt.

Sedona, Arizona boondocking. That's how we roll.

Sedona, Arizona. So nice it rhymes.

We found a new spot for boondocking, and we're liking it. Remember the remote spot we found last time? More remote. So remote that when we heard the first hailstone hit our roof last night, we didn't first think Paintballers! We're in a small valley near a canyon. I'll stop being coy later and tell you where we were.

While we were still in Flagstaff, Jeannie and Riley came to see us in their cute-as-a-bug Lazy Daze. Jeannie and Riley are, themselves, cute as bugs, and I don't mean those stinky bugs. I mean really cute bugs, the kind with fancy dots or iridescent hinies. Somehow, they evaded my lens. Really, I just got so interested in their story that my camera hung idly from my pants and I forgot to use it.




Riley is a WOOF! WOOF! Oh hai! dog. He says what he means, but doesn't get carried away with repetition. He also has a good memory, so he barks until he remembers oh, I just met you over there. Good to see you again.

Jeannie has lots of energy, and enjoys moving fairly often. We were glad to be able to meet her and chat a while before she rolled down the road. I won't tell you where she was headed, but I will tell you I was jealous.

Morgan from Facebook told us about a free online streaming radio site called RadioTuna. In some parts of the country, it's hard to find good radio. Okay, maybe you think it's good. Let's stop arguing about it. I quit listening to Pandora back when they were the "sounds like" website. You want to hear Alanis Morissette? Here's some stuff that sounds like her! RadioTuna lets you choose the genre, then plays the artists you know.

I told you about Judy and Hughes, the couple we met at Best Friends. They're finally back home in Colorado, and after so many great adventures, we still made their blog! We're honored, you two. Meeting you guys was a highlight of our visit. Check out their blog, but be prepared to head immediately toward Utah, because the possibilities are irresistible. Or, if you're willpowered-up, bookmark this for your next trip.

Hughes and Judy recommend Fulfilling My Spirit. Is this the Kalani who just joined us here? It looks fun - I'm going to check it out.

Connection here is frustratingly intermittent. Does a girl have to hike to a canyon to be entertained around here?


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Port, Eh?

Thank you for your responses to my question about change.  I am grateful, and awed by your stories.  If you feel inclined to add a reply, I hope you'll give in to the urge.

Meet Toni and Scott:



They're living full-time in their Honda Element with their two substantial dogs, Walter and George. Both are swim coaches (the humans; the dogs swim avocationally). Toni describes her work with young kids as helping them relate to people better, speak more effectively with adults - a set of life skills - and almost incidentally she helps them become better swimmers. Scott works with older kids and young adults, superior swimmers who are headed for watery greatness. His work is more focused on the mechanics of swimming, and helping kids reach their scholarship and Olympic goals.

They have given themselves a year to find their own Utopia. A place that feeds their soul and jobs that feed their food habits. They've been offered jobs, but not in places where they want to live. Toni says she'd settle in a heartbeat if there were only a swimming pool in the Escalante Wilderness.



When we met them, they had snuggled in tightly against the Duck to shelter from the punishing winds we'd been enduring on Bird Island Basin. Which was fine, except that their too-cute rig was also snuggling the exhaust on our generator, so we got a little depleted waiting for them to move. Annie eventually took our rig for a drink and potty break and pulled back in a little further away.

They don't have a toilet or any refrigeration. I asked them about stealthing, but their handy pop-up makes them conspicuous, and without it they're sharing the bed with George and Walter.

They had some solar equipment that I covet:

 The Powerfilm line of solar chargers is especially rugged and remarkably thin, as you'll notice because I'm remarking on it.  The 30 watt charger folded up to be about the size of a spiral notebook (that's an iPad you can rip pages out of).  If a panel should become damaged, it doesn't take the array out of the game.

We rode our bikes to dinner.

  

Bring mine with a chainsaw and an artichoke.

We each enjoyed an adult frozen beverage. Annie asked for the butchest thing they served.

This was a bit too much alcohol for Annie, and she had to walk her bike home.  I mocked her from the sidewalk where I was resting;  I don't remember the details, but the officer was nice.





Where are we going next!  The giant car wash!  Where then!  I don't know!  It's a mystery to all of us!  As soon as I know, I'll tell someone!

Here you go. It's generosity.

I dreamed I started a band and named it Dixieland Stain.

Our friends,  Darlene and Downwind Nicole, have started their new life and their new blog, Where the Wind Goes.   They're finally living in a van down by the river!  Woohoo!

 

One thing, ladies:  you have comments turned off, and THAT WILL NOT DO.  I will just text you my comments in the wee hours.


I read Kahlil Gibran to Annie this afternoon, but it didn't go well.

R: Those who give you a serpent when you ask for a fish, may have nothing but serpents to give. It is then generosity on their part.

A: I get that. It's like when some guy goes, Man, can I have a dollar? and you give him a turd.

R: Because that's all you have. It's generosity. I don't have any money, but my pockets are full of turds. Here you go.

A: Turds were buy-one-get-one so I stocked up.  You're welcome to have some.

R: Okay, I'm going to start reading again. Let him who wipes his soiled hands with your garment take your garment. He may need it again; surely you would not.

A: Because you just gave him a turd.