Hi All,
It's been a crazy week as we prepare for our vacation/furlough - three weeks in Glacier!!! Being apart during the week makes things more difficult. Then on Tuesday AM I got a call about a job I had interviewed for months ago. I was offered and accepted a job in COLORADO!!! Of course, they wanted me to start mid-September, but that wasn't going to happen. After negotiating things, I will be starting my new job in Dillon CO in October.
I will be leaving the National Park Service and switching over to the Forest Service. Naturally, there is lots of paperwork involved so I'm swimming in emails and faxes - ugh! But in the long run we will be exiting the desert to head to the mountains where both John and I love (Shadow cat should like it too, Sassy... not so much, Scooter and Spot ???)
We will be living in government housing, which given the resort area is expensive is very nice. I will be working in Visitor's Services, basically at the information desk and doing some public relations stuff. All good things to add to my government resume.
Tomorrow we will leave for Glacier, MT. We will head back south late in the month where John, the RV, and the cats will stay until I finish my last two weeks at Carlsbad. Then I will drive back to Colorado and out to Dillon.
For those of you who don't know, Dillon is near several major ski resorts including our favorite: Copper Mountain. If you like to ski, snowboard or spend time playing in the white stuff, keep in touch!
Love to all,
Val & John & the kitties!
Friday, August 31, 2012
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Last weekend in Alto
Hi All,
It's hard to believe that our summer in Alto is almost over. It has been a good retreat from the heat of Carlsbad, and John has enjoyed being up here. I'll be glad when we are all back together full time and I don't have to drive three hours to get to and from work!
Next Saturday morning (Sept 1st), we will be leaving Little Creek RV Park in Alto and heading north to Montana. We plan to spend about two weeks in Glacier before we return to Carlsbad. We're leaving my car here in Alto, and will pick it up upon our return.
Today we did a couple of short hikes in Ruidoso. The weather is beautiful - low 70's with only a few clouds and a nice breeze. Almost a touch of fall in the air. As we were hiking this morning I heard an elk bugle. If you've ever heard this sound, you won't forget it. A ritual of the fall as bull elk call the females and start their breeding cycle. We hiked another half hour and we heard another elk bugle even closer than the first. Looked around to see if we could spot the elk, but he was well hidden in the thicket.
Hope you all had a wonderful summer. For my family and friends in Florida, stay safe with the storm brewing in the Gulf.
Love to all,
Val & John and the kitties!!!!
It's hard to believe that our summer in Alto is almost over. It has been a good retreat from the heat of Carlsbad, and John has enjoyed being up here. I'll be glad when we are all back together full time and I don't have to drive three hours to get to and from work!
Next Saturday morning (Sept 1st), we will be leaving Little Creek RV Park in Alto and heading north to Montana. We plan to spend about two weeks in Glacier before we return to Carlsbad. We're leaving my car here in Alto, and will pick it up upon our return.
Today we did a couple of short hikes in Ruidoso. The weather is beautiful - low 70's with only a few clouds and a nice breeze. Almost a touch of fall in the air. As we were hiking this morning I heard an elk bugle. If you've ever heard this sound, you won't forget it. A ritual of the fall as bull elk call the females and start their breeding cycle. We hiked another half hour and we heard another elk bugle even closer than the first. Looked around to see if we could spot the elk, but he was well hidden in the thicket.
Hope you all had a wonderful summer. For my family and friends in Florida, stay safe with the storm brewing in the Gulf.
Love to all,
Val & John and the kitties!!!!
Monday, August 20, 2012
Bad week
Hi All,
It was a bad week last week for CAVE personnel. Started last Sunday when the parents of two rangers were in a car accident. Their car was t-boned on the way home from church. Sadly, their father died on Wednesday, and their mother died on Friday as a result of the injuries they sustained in the accident.
On Thursday morning, my good friend and the woman who lets me room with her during the week had a heart attack. Medical care in Carlsbad is substandard. The hospital couldn't handle her case and had to fly her to Lubbock TX. She had open heart surgery on Thursday.
Early reports on Friday came back that she had no brain activity. I was heartsick, not wanting to believe it. Later that day, reports from her daughter (instead of her sister) that she was responding slightly. A call on Saturday AM from our Chief Ranger says she is still improving, slowly.
Sunday, the CAVE opening was delayed due to flooding. Since the fire in June of 2011 at the park, there is little plant life to hold the silt and water from washing over the road. Not sure how much rain they got, but it doesn't take much to flood. Luckily, I was up in Alto with John and missed this flood.
We've spent most of the weekend hiking. It's been a great stress reliever. Seen lots of deer, some interesting tracks and scat (bear, bobcat, cougar etc). Up here in Alto we do carry Bear Spray when hiking.
We leave for Glacier on September 1st. CAN'T WAIT!
Miss you all,
Love,
VAL & JOHN & the kitties!
It was a bad week last week for CAVE personnel. Started last Sunday when the parents of two rangers were in a car accident. Their car was t-boned on the way home from church. Sadly, their father died on Wednesday, and their mother died on Friday as a result of the injuries they sustained in the accident.
On Thursday morning, my good friend and the woman who lets me room with her during the week had a heart attack. Medical care in Carlsbad is substandard. The hospital couldn't handle her case and had to fly her to Lubbock TX. She had open heart surgery on Thursday.
Early reports on Friday came back that she had no brain activity. I was heartsick, not wanting to believe it. Later that day, reports from her daughter (instead of her sister) that she was responding slightly. A call on Saturday AM from our Chief Ranger says she is still improving, slowly.
Sunday, the CAVE opening was delayed due to flooding. Since the fire in June of 2011 at the park, there is little plant life to hold the silt and water from washing over the road. Not sure how much rain they got, but it doesn't take much to flood. Luckily, I was up in Alto with John and missed this flood.
We've spent most of the weekend hiking. It's been a great stress reliever. Seen lots of deer, some interesting tracks and scat (bear, bobcat, cougar etc). Up here in Alto we do carry Bear Spray when hiking.
We leave for Glacier on September 1st. CAN'T WAIT!
Miss you all,
Love,
VAL & JOHN & the kitties!
Monday, August 13, 2012
Perseid Meteor Showers
Hi Friends,
This past weekend was the peak of the Perseid Meteor Showers. A favorite of mine since I was a kid growing up in NJ. Being up in the mountains, John and I went up towards the Capitan area - very secluded and dark.
It was a beaituful clean night on Saturday and the temperature was perfect. John set up his tripod and we watched for about two hours. Of course, trying to observe meteors is hard enough. Trying to catch them on a camera lens even more difficult!
He caught two of them, with several near misses. Thought I'd share this one with you all...
This past weekend was the peak of the Perseid Meteor Showers. A favorite of mine since I was a kid growing up in NJ. Being up in the mountains, John and I went up towards the Capitan area - very secluded and dark.
It was a beaituful clean night on Saturday and the temperature was perfect. John set up his tripod and we watched for about two hours. Of course, trying to observe meteors is hard enough. Trying to catch them on a camera lens even more difficult!
He caught two of them, with several near misses. Thought I'd share this one with you all...
Hope you have a great week. We're going out for a hike before it gets hot!
Love to all, Val and John and the kitties!!!!
Saturday, August 11, 2012
Wild Horses
Hi All,
New Mexico is one of the western states that have wild horses roaming around. We often see them in and around Carlsbad. However, John and I were hiking up in Ruidoso and we came across a beautiful white horse. It was rather skiddish, but I managed to get a couple of pictures of it.
VAL & JOHN & the kitties!!!!
New Mexico is one of the western states that have wild horses roaming around. We often see them in and around Carlsbad. However, John and I were hiking up in Ruidoso and we came across a beautiful white horse. It was rather skiddish, but I managed to get a couple of pictures of it.
Weather has been hot in Carlsbad, triple digits. Warm in the mountains, but only in the 80's! Only a few more weeks in Alto before our vacation. We are going to Glacier National Park in Montana for a few weeks. Can't wait!
Love to you all,
VAL & JOHN & the kitties!!!!
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