Papertracks

Saturday, May 2, 2020

Sisters!

My sister and I are extremely close. I’m 12 years older than her, so I feel like her sister, 2nd mother, aunt, and best friend. We live 1,200 miles apart but our hearts live next to each other. We have a tradition of talking to each other several times a week, we pretend to have coffee and lunch together several times a month, there are little gifts back and forth a few times a year, and we try for a in person visit at least once a year! 

Today she was on a trip to the vet with the new puppy, Copper and she sent me this pic. Of course I had almost the same pic that I took a couple days ago!

Her response was Sisters!






Friday, May 1, 2020

Work Horse

We bought a 2000 Ford F-250 in 2008 when we retired. We call our truck Big Blue. He is a great truck. We just hit a milestone, literally. Most of those miles were accumulated pulling our 5th wheel back and forth across the USA. 




Tuesday, April 28, 2020

A New Adventure

I haven’t talked about COVID-19 much. Laton and I have sheltered in place since 3-18-20. After 47 days, we are on the road again. We accepted a camp host position at Highline Lake near Grand Junction, CO. click here

We start working 5-1-20 for a two month stint. It is so nice to be out of the house, away from the news and house chores. The different scenery is great! We drove southeast and plan on going up through NM to CO and take a few days to get there. Something different from traveling through the AZ-UT reservation as there are few places to stop and there is a high COVID-19 infection rate in that area. 

With masks in hand, we have set out on our adventure. NM has state park closures until 5-1-20 so our favorite landing spot, City of Rocks State Park is not available for camping. 

We ended up spending the night at Elephant Butte Lake RV Resort near the town of Truth or Consequences, NM. It was a very nice resort and we ended up getting one of the last spots. Because of COVID-19 mandates they are required to stay at 25% occupancy. Most traveler services like rest areas, truck stops and restaurant drive throughs are mostly open. 

Our dogs are really happy to be out and about again. Temperature are in the 90’s so far. Using the AC requires electricity so we will be doing very little dry camping at this point. Stay with us on our new adventure! 








Thursday, April 16, 2020

Anniversary

Laton and I were married the day before my paternal grandparent’s anniversary. They married on Easter Sunday, during the depression. The year we were married was the first time their anniversary fell on Easter Sunday again. It was a special day. I spent my last night as a single woman with my grandparents. Mostly because my bedroom had been passed down to my little sister when I left for college, and the parents bought a dishwasher the week I left for college, but that is another story. 

I remember my marital advice from Nana! “Never let the sun go down on your anger!” And “Never say no to your husband regarding sex”, then she adds the information, “After all, Grandpa and I still DO IT!” EWWWW-LA LA LA LA! Nana shared the details of her wedding outfit. It was pants, peach colored with a salmon cummerbund. So avant- guard for the times.  

When were married, gas lines had just started, I remember thinking what are we doing, how will survive, adulting is soooooo hard! Then I think about Nana during the depression and a World War, raising kids, having dreams,  and now I think of my children, raising kids, dealing with a pandemic, and having dreams. A cycle of life! 

Happy Anniversary Nana & Gramps. I’m glad you are together in heaven. 









Sunday, April 12, 2020

Happy Easter



As we shelter at home on this Easter holiday, there will be no family dinner, no Easter egg hunt, no church service, no new Easter outfit and especially no gathering of friends and family. 

In this time of electronic communication, I still get to hear little Ethan yell “love you Grammy” on our FaceTime calls, my sister and I still have cyber coffee and lunch together, we get calls and texts from our family on a daily basis with the added admonition “wash your hands”!

So, no family dinner means no dishes, no Easter egg hunt means no chocolate to resist, no church service still means God knows what’s in our heart, no new Easter outfit means money saved,  no physical gathering of friends and family means no one will drink too much, eat too much or get their feelings hurt. 

We will have this day to truly ponder the fact:
  • John 11:25-26: "Jesus said to her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?'"




Friday, April 10, 2020

Covid-19

I keep saying I’m going to keep this blog updated and I continue to fail to do that. Will try again! 

We began self isolating in March, 2020.  Laton and I didn’t really notice in difference in our life style. We spend a lot of time at home, because our big treat is traveling, not going to the movies, concerts, and eating out. Of course, now that I’m told to stay home, I’m mentally desperate to cruise the grocery store, the hobby store, the thrift store, the office supply store and even the big box store. I guess it’s the rebel in me! I could care less (except the hobby store) about these places normally. 

Trust me, I have enough crafting to last me through self isolation until the year 2525. We have been making face masks. Laton and I have a little production line going. He cuts, I sew, he threads cords and I press. Time well spent. 

On this Good Friday, we pray you and yours will have your needs met for safety, health, food and money. 

Here is the link for the masks. https://youtu.be/zm_NmpdgWWA






Saturday, February 22, 2020

Red Neck Tea Party

We had our 5th annual Redneck aka Hillbilly Tea. It was loads of fun. We had a spa theme going with table favors of razors, teeth flosser pics, sparkly headbands, packs of Kleenex, moon pies and honey buns. Anni brought corn dog muffins and porcupine meatballs (hamburger and rice meatballs in bbq sauce). The BFF gals brought Vienna sausages, corn bread and crackers with spray cheese. We also had boiled egg farts (deviled eggs), ‘nanner pudding pie, and bologna cakes. We played a fun game knocking over Coronas with a tennis ball in a pair of pantyhose and tied to our waist. That was harder than it sounds!