Well, it’s been a while since last post. We have not had much opportunity for sightseeing travel since arriving at the Ranch in Lakewood, NM. We’ve been chillin’ on our newly leased lot (okay, that was really really really facetious since we have had nothing but triple digit temps since we got here). Our time has been consumed with some minor construction touch-ups to the exterior of our leased casita, as well as meeting what co-leaseholders we could, considering the circumstances. It seems the extremely smart ones disappear from the Ranch, and in fact the whole dang state of NM, during the summer heat waves. We chose to stay a while to work on the casita. Painting the exterior was a daunting endeavor with the excessive heat, so paint days usually started between 4-5 a.m. under the illumination assistance of a flashlight and ending before noon. We also had to bolster the framing of the front covered porch in order to screen it in and add a screen door. Replacing the two “wilted” ceiling fans on the porch was a must (or take the risk of getting beheaded by the fan blades, victims of the New Mexico summer heat). Add some cheap Lowe’s peel-n-stick outdoor carpet squares and voilá, the porch was ready for use. With the solar screening Jeanne found on-line and the 2 ceiling fans, the porch became surprisingly tolerable in the peak of the day’s heat. We resolved ourselves to wait on redoing the interior of the casita until we returned sometime next Spring. Here’s a few before and after pix.

Since we have been here, there has been no real shortage of critters. We have not been graced with the presence of rattlesnakes or scorpions yet, nevertheless there have been visits by vinegaroons, centipedes, and a whole host of creepy-crawler-flying things what I have termed my new “porch pets”, as represented by the following pics.

Cummins continues to try really hard to be my least favorite corporation on the planet. The time for Rosie’s yearly service being upon us, I found the closest service center was in Hobbs, NM. I had to make my appointment with them over a month out, so I did. When our time rolled up on us, we packed up and drove the 90 miles to Hobbs on the day before the appointment so we could be on their doorstep bright and early. Well, the Hobbs Cummins shop saw fit to send me an email at the end of our travel day to let me know they were cancelling my appointment and wanted to reschedule a week later. “Hello! Full-time RVer here who drove all this way solely for this appointment made over a month ago!” I had no desire or intention of rescheduling, staying in dumpy-doo Hobbs, NM, or driving any more than necessary. So it was “Thanks for nothing!” Seeing the lemonade at the end of the tunnel, we just happened to be a mere 90 miles or so from Lubbock, TX. We turned the Cummins failure into a successful shopping trip into Lubbock, home to, among many other things, Costco. Loaded up with groceries, we returned to the Ranch. Rosie’s yearly service was going to have to be put off until later, when we go jacks up and head back out on the road, doing the things full-time RVers do. 

I know, this has been boring as all get out, but hey, you’re caught up now! Until next post…