What Just Happened Here? New Life and New Terminology

It was only 4 days ago that we were merrily enjoying life and gathering in places like Port A Market Day, hitting the sands before the Spring Breakers get there, checking out all the candy options, in a VERY crowded Island Candy, even trying on bathing suits in our favorite beachwear store.  And dining out in one of our favorite quirky island restaurants.  And then we got news from China; people were being rounded up from their homes and off the streets, kicking and screaming, sometimes, and being placed in isolation, due to Novel Corona 19 Virus symptoms.  OK, so maybe I'm not saying that quite right, and maybe I'm calling it something different than what you've been hearing about.  But, you and I both know, it's all the same stuff we're talking about.  Only 4 days have past since we first heard rumors of this insidious disease ravaging Wuhan, China.  And as a result, our store shelves have been emptied of all products related to cleaning and personal hygiene.  This is where we expected to find Clorox Wipes and other cleaning products.

This is where we expected to find a few rolls of TP.  And that's exactly what we found - a few rolls.  Truly unprecedented times.  We have been through countless hurricanes (countless, because there have been too many to count!!) and have never seen anything like this.

Thankfully, we got a bottle of cleaner, a pack of paper, some pickles, crackers, applesauce, and of course, brownies.  All the essentials for a two-week quarantine, right?  At this point, we are still planning to head to Pennsylvania at the end of April, to clear up Dad's estate, so we aren't really stocking up our pantry or freezer.  No need to keep that stuff on board - what if we were to lose power and it got really hot while we were gone?  Everything would be spoiled and the camper would stink something awful.

Just two days later, the panic sets in closer to home.  We have decided to postpone our trip to Pennsylvania (who wants to rely on restaurants and hotels all over the country for a month!  And gas stations, don't even get me started on how dirty service stations are!!), and all our reservations (and doctor appointments & friends' visitations we had planned in Florida!!!) have been cancelled.  We were fortunate in getting full refunds for all deposits, and all the doctors (4!!) and friends were totally understanding.  But now, since we're staying put, maybe we had better venture out and see if we can get some food back in our freezer and pantry.  Well, looks like we weren't the only ones with that idea!  This is the checkout area of our local HEB.  I'm pretty sure most everyone in town is either here, or has just been here.

Thankfully, we were able to gather a few packages of meat, some veggies and a bag of potatoes, and now we're good to go for who knows how long.  After we unloaded the groceries, and washed our hands, we thought we'd stroll around the campground a bit.  Sharon, down at the end of our street, was given a couple of caterpillars, and they apparently laid some eggs.  She's planted butterfly milkweed (lpoks a whole lot like Lantana to me, but it's not), in an attempt to create some healthy habitat for our local and migratory Monarchs.  See that leaf up in the tree there?  No, that doesn't normally grow like that - she has placed the leaf there for the 'pillars to snack on while they're looking for a suitable place to form their chrysalises.  Chrysali?  

Four 'pillars and only one poop?  How is that even possible?

Here is one, starting to "J" up on itself.

This one almost got squished when John, the chair's owner, picked it up to move it.

And just like that, in a matter of a couple of hours, a chrysalis is fully formed.  Now we wait.

15 days....

And on Day 14, you get this.  A BLACK chrysalis.  It's blurry, because, well, wind.  We're on the Coast.  It's always a breeze.  Some days it's a hurricane, so we'll call it good with just a breeze.

And just like that, after a couple hours of black (maybe as much as 24), poof!  We emerge a beautiful Monarch butterfly.  Fully grown, ready to fly, as soon as its wings dry.  Maybe Kerry can weigh in here, but the spots at the bottom of the wings tell whether it's a male or female.  Me?  No clue.

And, in keeping with the suggested guidelines of the day, we elected to share our St Patty's Day Dinner with only the people of our table.  Originally, everyone was going to eat in the main hall, but a few of us were kinda grossed out by leary of that idea, so we elected to set up on the empty site next to us.  Ha.  See above comment regarding the breeze.  After about an hour fighting the wind, trying to get the tables set, we moved it over under our neighbor's awning.  He has greater tree coverage, so his site has only a gentle breeze, whereas the empty site had a pretty good gale going. Being the "new" people on the block, the hosting duties fell to us.  And over the course of a week, we had a few cancellations, then when we moved to an outdoor, limited setting, we had a few return to our table, and even another one join us.  On one of our trips to Victoria, we had stopped in at the Dollar Tree (nope, don't have one here, closest one is down in Portland, 30 miles & 45 minutes away) and picked up party hats and decorations for everyone.

Back row, Sharon on the left and Lynn, wearing the crown and shamrock necklace.  Larry, Sharon's dearest sitting down in front, sporting one of our lucky hats.

A toast to good friends and good health!  Nope, I'm not in the photo - I'm TAKING the photo. 

And, once again, our new normal changed, just like that.  The call went out for masks, to help with the shortage.  Well, great.  Here I sit, with nothing but time on my hands, and VERY limited supplies on hand.  Oh, just like any other sewist (sorry, but I draw the line at calling myself a sewer), I have LOTS of supplies and stash.  But, it's all stored nice and neat in a locker in Williston, FL, of all places.  Climate controlled, too, so that if/when we DO recover it, it should still be all nice and neat.  We'll see about that.  But, I was able to muster up a bit of elastic and some tightly woven fabric and fashioned us a couple of masks.  Oh yes, I know they won't prevent the virus from reaching us, but they may remind us not to touch our faces.  Maybe.  Desperate times, desperate measures.

Partly due to the weather (we are between storms in the mid-West and North), partly due to the NC-19 pandemic, partly because states are beginning to close rest stops, service centers, hotels and even borders, and partly just because it's time, our park is beginning to empty.

And now we can see this.  Yes, it's against the written rules.  Yes, the laundry is still open (for now, anyway).  Yes, this is considered unsightly by many.  And yes, that is the site's resident, in the back, working on yet another "project." Yard Art, I guess you could call it.  Out of range of the photo is the front of the 5th wheel.  It has Easter decals and a banner plastered all over the nose cone.  In front of that, is a folding 6 foot table, every inch of which is covered in little figurines and decorations.  Where is that breeze now?  Why doesn't it just rustle up a dust devil and blow it all away?

Just to get out of the park for a bit, we rode our bikes down the Marsh Trail.  Even the ducks and Ibis were practicing social distancing.

Our local HEB is taking precautions, lining us all up prior to opening the doors, and having us sanitize our hands before we enter the store.

And for those of us who find a little extra time on our hands?  Well, let's see if we can find our other spatula.  We thought it might have jumped out of the drawer and landed on top of the dishwasher.  Well, no, it didn't.  We are absolutely no closer to knowing where it is than we were before we removed the drawer and its contents.  But, now the drawer won't slide back in.  Hmmmm, perhaps we should have left well enough alone?  I believe that was MY solution, after all, we've been without an extra spatula for several weeks now, a few more wouldn't hurt, right?

Well, eventually, with the aid of a screw driver, flashlight and a few choice words for good measure, the drawer was successfully replace.  Still no spatula, but that's beside the point.  My kitchen countertop was restored and turned back into my cutting table/sewing room.  And with the invaluable assistance of my Resident Mathematician (yeah, that doesn't look right to me either, but that's what Spellcheck insists on) slash Color Guide slash Driver, these are the quilts I was able to put together.

Each one is a generous lap throw, a bit longer than they are wide, so that our tootsies can be tucked in while we are stretched out in our recliners.  I know, life is hard.  Now that they are fully pieced, they are ready to be sandwiched and quilted.  Even though it's about 90 degrees, yes.  I want to be ready when we need them next.  However.  Remember, life as we know it has ended.  Yes, I have batting, ordered in pre-NC19P days, and delivered right to our site (well, ok, Lora's site) over in Arizona.  Yes, I have suitable backing, purchased along with yardage for the fronts.  Yes, I have suitable time to study them and decide on quilting motifs.  However.  Life as we know it has ended, and I do NOT have access to a table big enough to lay them out and get them sandwiched!  Ah, yes, first world problems.  All around us, people are refugees from war, starving from drought, and dying from Corona Virus 19.  And I can't get my tops sandwiched.  Kind of puts things in perspective and makes me realize just how damned lucky we really are.  

We have heard from friends in Florida; they are all well and safe.  We have heard from family in Arizona; they are all well and safe.  We have heard from friends in New Hampshire; they are all well and safe, but still offering childcare services to at least one family, so who knows how safe for how long.  We have heard from friends in California, who were performing in Florida and are now stuck there, but they are all well and safe.  We have heard from family in Virginia and Alabama; they are all well and safe.  Papa, at a couple months shy of 100 years old, is in isolation in a physical rehab facility, where he is getting medical attention and three squares a day, so he is safer there than his own home.  We have heard from friends in London; they too are well, but not so safe. As a nurse, she spent 90 minutes trapped in a room, trying to swab an elderly and aggressive dementia patient, who was showing symptoms of the virus. So, my prayers for you, dear reader, be careful, stay safe, and practice mindful sanitation and isolation. 

These times are unprecedented in our memories and the measures we must take are absolutely required to stop the spread and flatten the curve.  Six weeks ago, I'd never even heard of the curve, much less knew how to flatten it.  Today, we have a new normal.  We are all coping the best we can, with prayers for safety and healing, the whole world over.  Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, to all the health workers, sanitation workers, power people, grocers, farmers, firefighters & peace officers, teachers, and my dearest of husbands, who are all working hard so that we can return to life as we once knew it.

Madrid & Tinkertown

We were pretty well relaxed by the end of Thursday night, lemme tell ya.  All day in and out of a hot soak pool, firepit, cucumber/lemon water for sipping, sage aromatherapy shower soap, stars popping out, bats flying by, soothing music, good conversation with a loving partner, Heaven, I say, Heaven.  We were definitely well rested when 6:30 Friday morning rolled around.  It was our goal to get packed up and on the road by 8:30 am, so it was imperative that we get a good sleep.

Why so early, you're asking?  Well, to answer that, I have to go back a couple of days, and explain that the lady square dance caller we met, Lisa, and her husband, Tom, actually also own and run a campground on the outskirts of Santa Fe, Rancheros de Santa Fe.  We took a drive one day, to go out and see the grounds and see if it would be some place we might want to Workamp in the future, or maybe just return to stay in for a while.  The campground was located just north of Santa Fe, and right off Old Route 66.  It backed up to a mountain and a canyon, and Clint Eastwood's "Every Which Way But Loose" had some parts that were filmed out by site 20.  It's also right by the Santa Fe Trail, so there's plenty of history and things to see and do in the area.  The grounds are rustic, with lots of pinon and juniper trees still on site.  The roads are mostly gravel, and they pride themselves on their natural setting, as well as spectacular sunsets.  The pool was clean, and there was a pretty well stocked store.  Traffic noise was minimal and we were told there was free and fast WiFi.  They have 3 Workamper couples and the manager that all plan to return, so they must be pretty good to work for.  There was only one little problem.....we are still 44 feet long, plus the toad!  And we STILL don't bend in the middle!  We couldn't find a site that would hold us, and the interior roads were a bit too narrow with too many sharp turns for us to easily negotiate.  I guess if we want to work next summer, we're going to have to look for another park to accommodate us.  What's that got to do with why we needed to get going so early??  Get to the point already!!

So, we had reservations to stay in Tijeras, NM, about 20 miles east of Albuquerque, for 4 days, at a campground called Hidden Valley Mountain Park, right off I-40.  We knew it was surrounded by mountains, had no TV reception and no cell phone service.  We also know there wasn't a whole lot to the town of Tijeras, so, Thursday, while we were relaxing in the pool, we began to have reservations....of a different kind.  We were concerned that we would be jumping from the frying pan to the fire, and the sites might be similar to Tom & Lisa's.  Nice, but smaller and more rustic than we bargained for.  Kirtland Air Force Base is right in Albuquerque, the price was comparable, and they offered free WiFi, over the air TV and good cell phone coverage.  Plus, it has the advantage of being on base, and close to all the sights we wanted to see in Albuquerque.  AND, it's big-rig friendly.  There's only one catch - they don't take reservations!  Soooo, if there's a site available when you drive up, you're in.  If not, there's a field in which you can dry camp until you're ready to move on or a site becomes available.  When we arrived at 11 am, there were several sites available and we were in like Flynn.    On the way down, we were treated to some flat land and good roads,with little traffic, yay!!

Once we got set up, the real work started.  First thing, we cancelled our other reservation so we weren't double booked.  After we split a PBJ, we got our stuff together and puppy got a much-needed bath.  Oh my gosh, you should have seen the dirt roll off of her!  When we were done, she had white feet again and was soft, soft, soft. And frisky!  I know she felt better; she sure smelled better!!  Then we started in on the coach.  It had been a couple of months since it was last washed, and it was every bit as dirty as the dog!  Just bigger.  MUUUUCH bigger!  When we got done with it, the tow dolly looked shabby, so it got washed too.  Well, now the CAR looked shabby, so we started on it!  Got half of one side done, and our neighbor came home.  We assume, from work.  We also assumed he was taking a shower, as we lost all our water pressure.  Whaaa???  I got the bright idea of testing the vacant site's water, and it was almost a trickle, too, and just about then, the hosts came flying by on a golf cart and let us know they had turned off the water for a short time.  Well, now wasn't THAT a fine kettle of fish.  By now, it was quarter to 5, and we were getting pretty darned tired, as well as sore.  We thought some limeade would be good, especially if we put some tequila in it, but....we don't have a pitcher on board.  Ahhh, but you know what?  The Base Exchange probably had one for sale....so we hopped in our half-clean car and boogied on down to the BX and bought one!  By the time we got back to the camper, the water had been turned back on and we could finish washing the car.  Then, Driver hopped up on the stepladder and started the prep for repairing the windshield chip we picked up in transit from Colorado to New Mexico.  What a day!  Nothing like the day before!!  Too bad we don't have a hot spring down here, 'cuz we both could sure use a good soak!

When were were in Madrid, on Wednesday, you know we tried to get into the Mining Museum, but it was closed.  We vowed then to try to come back on Saturday, when they were open and see what we could learn about the town history.  So, puppy all suited up, and off we went!  Back towards Santa Fe, but this time, on the scenic route.

Check out the cattle crossing sign!

As we got closer to town, we got higher, too. NO, not on weed.  Altitude!

 So, I gave you a little history of the town yesterday, right?  Remember the mine?  Here's a shot of the 6 story mine entrance.

I *think* this was Mr. Huber's car....no longer running, obviously.

 This is a battery bank - one of Thomas Edison's inventions.  This is what recharged the miners' headlamps.  Pretty important, as some of the mine's tunnels went 5 miles into the mountain.

Outside, was Engine 769, a Santa Fe Consolidated 2-8-0 short haul freighter, built in 1900 by the Richmond Locomotive Works, of Richmond, VA.  It is one of only a thousand Richmonds built.  It hauled coal 3 miles north to Waldo, and returned with potable water for the town's citizens.  It was purchased by the Coal Company in 1940 and faithfully served until 1960, when it was officially retired.  It is currently one of the most complete non-operable locomotives in the country.

We were permitted to step into the engine compartment and even pull the chain that rang the bell.  IT pealed loud and clear!  And it took some muscle to make it ring!

The engine house was originally used only for shelter while making repairs, but now it is used as a little theatre.

On the return trip home, we got to watch a storm crawl over the mountain.  While we were chatting with Claire, up at the museum, she mentioned that we would probably enjoy Tinkertown.  Neither of us knew what was so special about the place, but, heck, we had nothing but time on our hands, so off we went.  There was no cell phone reception up in Madrid, so that meant no GPS either, but we knew the location of the town was south.  Good enough!

We got almost all the way back to Albuquerque before I noticed we had a cell signal again.  I real quick Googled Tinkertown, and surprise!  We needed to make a right turn in only .5 miles!  That was close!  We made the turn, and traveled only a mile before we saw the sign for Tinkertown on the left.  Apparently, Tinkertown is not a whole, real town.   That was not our only surprise!  We stepped out of the car, and boy, was it COLD!  And there were funny white patches on the ground.  Dick thought maybe it was caliche, or maybe lichen.  I didn't think so, as the patches appeared to be made up of little round white pebbles.  Neither caliche nor lichen is structured like that.  

I picked up a little, and not only was it COLD, it was WET!  It was HAIL!!  We hadn't seen hail, or anything like it in YEARS!  Sure makes me glad I carry a warm shawl in the car!  When we set out in the morning, it was WARM!

So, here we are arriving at Tinkertown.  Its walls are made of cement and bottles.  Thousands and thousands of bottles (over 50 thousand!)! Telephone insulators line the rooftop edges.  Did you check out that link I gave you above?  Go ahead & pop over there, you won't be sorry!  Here, I'll make it real easy for you...click HERE.

All the doors were different, but they all looked suitable for Hobbits and elves.

When we paid our admission, which was only $3 each, for geezers (!), they returned our change in quarters.  We wondered why, but as we wandered through the museum, we found several old machines that would accept a quarter and perform for us.  The animations were all hand carved by Ross, as a hobby, over the course of 40 years, up till the time his dementia got too bad.  Check out a couple of the displays below.  Just, make sure your sound is turned on.  

This is Grandmother Fortune Teller, made in New York in 1940.  Many years later, she was auctioned off and became an attraction with Cliff Wilson's Traveling Arcades, in Tulsa, OK.  She was  brought to Tinkertown in 1981 by the Ward family, restored and renamed Esmerelda. She took my quarter and presented me a fortune card that was surprisingly accurate!  It read, "A trip around the world is in store for you.  With it a great deal of happiness too.  You will have unlimited money (OK, that part, maybe not so accurate) And life for you will be very sunny."  Three out of four is good enough for me!

 In a barn outside, was his brother-in-law's sailboat that he took around the world.  Took him and his wife 10 years, but they did it.  They started on the east coast of Florida, went across the Atlantic to Europe, then down to Australia, then to Africa, South America, and back up to Florida.  Along the walls were showcases containing lots of souvenirs and artifacts he collected during his travels.

Back inside, we found this beautiful stained glass.  There were several scattered throughout the home, but this was the largest, and I think, the prettiest.

 There was also a hand-carved one man band calliope.  He took TWO quarters, 'cuz that new phone, ya know...it didn't record the first time I played it. As I write this, my video is still in the process of uploading, and it tells me I have another 2 hours to go.  Maybe more, maybe less.  Soooo, if you want to check it out (and it's worth the wait!), go hit up my YouTube Channel (kcallander989) later, and view the One Man Band Calliope clip that will be there.  Eventually.  

Here's a peep into his studio.

Remember, I mentioned his dementia?  He was diagnosed at age 57, and this car was his wife's bright idea.  As Mr. Ward's Alzheimer's symptoms made it unsafe for him to drive, Carla suggested that he start a new project, using the car as a base.  Before long, he couldn't bear to think of driving the car because it was so artful.  It was completed during 1997 to 1999.  Ross used to say, "I'm trying to turn this Jeep into a Lincoln."  Can you see why?  May have to click to make that photo larger, but it's got hundreds of pennies affixed to it.  So different, yet so similar to the Cadillac Ranch cars, right?

This is a Medicine Show Wagon he built on a Studebaker wagon frame in 1954.  (that makes it older than me!!)  It was built for the same company that had Esmerelda, Cliff's Amusement Park, in Albequerque.  It was originally used as a puppet theater.  It seemed such a shame that it was out in the weather, losing its shine year by year.

And flanking the gate to the private residence, were two coal buckets.  This one was from the Victor, CO mine, and the notation says it weighs 500 pounds empty!  As we learned from the Museum of Mining & Industry, in Colorado Springs, the miners (4 of 'em!) were lowered down into the mine by standing on the rim of the buckets, and the coal was hauled back up and out, IN the bucket.  Sadly, Ross passed away at age 62, in November 2002.

Not sure what's gonna happen next, but buckle up, the ride promises to be exciting!