Weekend Work and Back to Weeding

June 24 – I got up at 7:20 but didn’t sleep well so migrated to the couch where I dozed for a few minutes then got and made breakfast. The blueberries were on their last leg so I made blueberry pancakes, bacon and a fruit bowl and of course, eggs for Bill. I was leisurely enjoying my cup of tea and realized I needed to get a move on. I did remember my watch, earrings and my key today and Bill drove me to work. It was a really slow morning and very smoky and hazy from the 7 fires going on. There is a new fire on the border of NM and CO and one in Cortez, so we’re pretty much surrounded by fired. Not a good feeling. We had talked about the situation and think we could be packed and ready to leave within an hour in our RV.

As usual the first hour was slow for me at the pass window but then it was busy and I closed out my drawer starting at 12:30 and was done in 20 minutes. I have some notes and I think I did everything I was supposed to for the first time. Well, it’s only been 4 days and there are 2 reports on the computer to do and copies to make and envelopes for this and that, so will see if Susan has anything I forgot next week.

Bill had my salad ready and I was pretty hungry. Then we both sat and read the paper that Marion got for us when he went for theirs. By the time I was close to finished I was ready for a nap so I put my footrest up and chair back and slept about an hour. When I woke up Bill had been out and raked the last of the sites for today.

I got industrious and worked on my journal for yesterday and some email until it was time to get dinner going. I decided to bake some potatoes for tomorrow night while I baked a large bone in chicken breast for tonight and some scalloped potatoes. If I’m going to use the oven and heat up the RV I need to get my money’s worth. We got a burst of wind and had to go out and secure some things so I put some water on my garden. Bill said I need to make more nectar as those hummingbirds are pigs. Last night I counted 9, new record!

We had left over broccoli slaw with our chicken and scalloped potatoes. Bill commented that we haven’t had the potatoes in a long time and that it was a good meal. We took Xena for a walk and checked what sites needed raked tomorrow. 4 -5 units left before dinner that were supposed to stay tonight. They were from the same group and Bill was concerned that they knew something we didn’t, perhaps about the fires. We had a couple stop after dinner to ask about staying the night so Bill said to pick a spot and pay at the office in the morning. Then another couple stopped to ask how to get their car out of the boat storage. They left their car when they picked up their boat and for the first time it was locked. I guess now that it is getting busier they won’t leave it open all the time. Bill had to make some calls to find someone to help him.

We watched some TV and read!

June 25 – Before breakfast we went for a loop walk. Bill wants to walk and ride our bikes every day and if we don’t do it early it gets pretty hot out. So after a quick breakfast we rode our bikes to the office and I picked up our reservations. When we got back it was time to head out to work. Bill took the Mule and went to rake out 10 sites and I went to weed. I took my new dandelion tool and a big garbage bag and headed around the loop. How these weeds can sprout up so fast and get so big when there isn’t any water is beyond me.

We are site 51 to the right of the Irrigation Pond.  We see
everyone coming and going.  The two prime sites are 72
and 74.  We live on the un-crowded site.

It got hot out really fast and not much breeze this morning. I stopped to chat with a man here from Columbus, OH who was headed to Durango to pick his wife up at the airport for their son’s “Destination” wedding. He has a friend who drove out with him and after the wedding and a couple of days at Mesa Verde they are going to Alaska. It will be the third time he’s driven it. Then I talked to a lady who lives about 30 miles from here and said it’s 20 degrees cooler there. After a while I started getting nauseous from the heat, no water and bending over and back up. I called Bill to come get me but he didn’t hear or have his phone on him so I left my full garbage bag and walked to the first shelter and just sat and took my hat off. When Bill finished his last site he came back for me.

I just sat in the AC for a while and had a couple glasses of cold drink. When I felt better I got my shower and got the laundry all sorted for Bill to do two loads. We had lunch and then Bill headed to do the wash and I left for Ignacio. I was half way out of the park and remembered to go back for the postcards to mail. I stopped at the post office and we received a mail packet from Kam and Snapple coupons from Cindy. Nothing from Direct TV.

First stop in Ignacio was Paco’s to check on the door window. He was out. Just down the street was the hardware store so I got a tube of caulk for the bedroom window and a couple of other things and stopped back by Paco’s and he still wasn’t in. Next was the library to return 2 books for Bill, renew one for me and order 7 books for Bill. I crossed to the grocery and had everything in my cart when I received a call from Polly. It was so good to hear from her. I just stood at my cart and we talked for a really long time. Just catching up on her and telling her about here. She gave my day a big lift just hearing her voice. I send her notes and cards but it’s nice to really talk for a change.

After I checked out I tried Paco one last time and hoorah, he was there and I got our window glass and headed home. Bill wondered where I was as I was almost an hour longer than I expected. I only had a few things to put away and he settled into his chair to read the mail. I started my dinner as I was making pickle steaks and these looked like they would need extra time simmering. I heated up the potatoes I baked last night and put in peppers to roast for Bill and I had some steamed zucchini. No mashed potatoes this time but the gravy worked just as well over the baked ones.

We walked Xena right after dinner and turned reservations and picked up some trash along the way. Bill washed the front of the truck while I went in to get my cookies baking. I made the dough up while dinner was cooking. Oatmeal with raisins and nuts is how they started. Then after I’d put a batch in I added chocolate chips and in the last batches I added butterscotch chips. I’ll take some to the other hosts tomorrow and/or up to the office.

Nothing much new on TV so we both read. Bill is going through books like crazy.