2026 Summer Fun

Spring has sprung.

Our backyard Torch Cactus has launched a full-scale celebration.

Brian and Laura Come for a Visit

We made a three-day circle tour to Jemez Mountains, Valles Caldera National Preserve, Los Alamos, Bandelier National Monument and Sante Fe. 

A stop for a hike through Gillman Tunnels.

Jemez Soda Dam formed by an active geothermal spring.

In Bandelier National Monument we took ladders up into the ancient cave homes.

The Loretta Chapel in Sante Fe features the impossible staircase.

Salinas Pueblo Missions National Monument

We visited the three units, Abo, Gran Quivira and Quarai. These are remnants of a Spanish Mission built over 300 years ago. This is located near the small town of Mountainair, just 60 miles south of our home.

The Yucca are blooming along the walking path in our neighborhood.

Rail Runner Train to Sante Fe

Wednesday's is Free Senior Day on the Rail Runner to Sante Fe. The train station in Los Lunas is just two miles from our house, where we pick up the train that terminates in Sante Fe.

Another great thing about Sante Fe on Wednesday, all the museums are free to NM Seniors.

New Mexico History Museum

Red River, New Mexico for a Week

We spent a week at the World Mark Red River Condominium in a one bedroom unit.

Our second-floor unit had a great deck overlooking the river.

A very rough forest road took us by numerous abandoned mines.

The overlook of the confluence of the Red River and the Rio Grande River at Rio Grande del Norte National Monument.

This chapel is where D.H. Lawrence cremated remains are interred.

We visited the ranch of renowned 20th century author D. H. Lawrence. His best-known work is Lady Chatterley's Lover.

D. H. Lawrence spent many mornings writing under this tree.

Georgia O'Keefe visited the ranch and painted this famous picture of the tree.

We took the scenic chair lift above Red River, NM.

On our last evening in town, we had a delicious prime rib dinner at Texas Reds Steakhouse.

Pagosa Springs, Colorado for a Week

We spent a week at a one-bedroom condo at Club Wyndham, Pagosa Springs.

We decided to drive part of the Silver Thread Scenic and Historic Byway over Wolf Creek Pass to Creede. From there we took the 17-mile unpaved Bachelor Historic Loop into the mountains.

This loop took us by numerous abandoned mines and the site of the mining town of Bachelor, which is now rubble.

We hiked to the top of Chimney Rock National Monument.

There are 1,000-year-old ruins from an ancient Puebloan community near the top.

We took an all-day, 64-mile train trip on the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad from Chama, New Mexico to Antonito, Colorado.

This 100-year-old train travels through deep canyons, high trestles and along rivers on this historic narrow-gauge railway. We crossed the Colorado/New Mexico Border 13 times that day.

We had a buffet style lunch at the half-way point, Osier Station. After an hour and 15 minutes we reboarded the train for our final stop in Antonito, Colorado. There were motor coaches waiting to return us to Chama, New Mexico.

Stopped at Williams Reservoir for lunch on the tailgate.

We hiked to Piedra Falls

A New Chapter in Our Life

We left South Texas with a plan to find a place to build a house and settle down. Our first stop was the Texas Hill Country. We spent the month of May looking at property, model homes and evaluating builders in the general area around Boerne.

Lightning Ranch in Pipe Creek Texas was a great place to stay for the month of May while we explored the area.

After Memorial Day we moved our search to the Albuquerque, New Mexico area.

We made Birdie RV Resort our home base for the next six months.

We purchased a lot and picked out a floorplan in the Mil Colores neighborhood in Los Lunas, which is just 20 miles south of Albuquerque.

After signing a construction contract with Abrazos Homes we spent a full day working with Rebecca at the Design Center to choose all the colors, flooring, accessories and options for our new home.  

There were so many items to choose from cabinets, stucco, roofing, flooring, colors, molding, doorknobs, lighting, even toilets and plumbing fixtures.

The foundation was ready to be poured by late July.

By late August the house was framed.

In early October we flew to Dallas to empty our storage unit and move the contents to a storage unit near our new home in Los Lunas, New Mexico.

Our house was completed and we closed on November 11.

London Day 11 through 13

 DAY 11 - EASTER SUNDAY

ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL

After breakfast, we walked to St. Paul's Cathedral for the 11:15 am Easter morning service. We had no idea that we would have to wait in line for over 30 minutes to enter the church. At least we got a seat. By the time everyone got in, it was standing room only for the more than 4,000 worshipers.

Another delicious Sunday Roast this time at the Founder's Arms. Virginia had roast chicken and Kurt had roast beef. The Yorkshire Pudding dominated the plate.

TATE MODERN 

Tate Modern, housed in an old power plant, is an art gallery in London, housing the United Kingdom's national collection of international modern and contemporary art.

This art exhibit was a room full of large rocks with a piece of fruit on top of each.

Millennium Bridge as seen from the Tate Modern.

Large spider sculpture.

ST. PAUL'S CATHEDRAL ORGAN CONCERT

Tate Modern didn't take us that long, since we lack appreciation for modern art. After just an hour at the museum, we walked back across the Thames Millennium Bridge to listen to an organ recital and the evening Eucharist at St. Paul's.

DAY 12

CHURCHILL WAR ROOMS

The next morning, we took the bus across town to Parliament Square for a tour of the Churchill War Rooms, a historic underground complex that housed a British government command center throughout the Second World War. 

Built underneath the British Treasury Building, we began the tour by descending two flights of stairs.

The Cabinet War Room where British leaders strategized.

This is the closet phone booth where Churchill had a direct line to Washington.

Living quarters provided for the staff members who worked below ground.

This is the original door of 10 Downing Street since 1735. In 1991 it was replaced with a blast proof door during the uprising of the IRA.

KENSINGTON PALACE

Leaving the War Rooms, we boarded a city bus to Kensington Palace, home of the Royals in waiting, currently Prince and Princess of Whales and their children. Within the Palace are three separate tour routes, The King's Quarters, The Queen's Quarters and Victoria's childhood quarters.

Statue of Princess Diana, dedicated by William and Harry.

 The Presence Chamber - King's Quarters

 Visitors would be ushered into this room to be in the presence 

of the King, or Queen who acted as regent in his absence. 

He would sit on a throne as people bowed and curtseyed.

Wearing a Court Gown, required passing through a doorway sideways.

The Jewel Room has a magnificent diamond and emerald tiara, emerald necklace, earrings and brooch given to Queen Victoria by her husband Prince Albert.

This clock in the Cupola Room was created by 

Charles Clay in 1730.The clock originally played music 

by George Handel, Arcangelo Corelli and 

Francesco Geminiani.

The King's Gallery

The Queen's Breakfast Room

The Queen's Bedchamber

The Queen's Gallery

Princess Victoria was born in this room and grew up in Kensington Palace. She moved into Buckingham Palace after her coronation.

DAY 13

On our final day in London, we took a city bus to the British Natural History Musuem which is near the Victoria and Albert Museum. We did resist the sweets in the shop window by the bus stop.

BRITISH NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM

The Natural History Museum exhibits a vast range of life and earth science specimens from around the world.

The Museum was built and opened in 1881.

The Dodo Bird, weighing up to 50 pounds, was last sighted in 1681.

Giant Sloth Skeleton

Compete Blue Whale Skeleton hangs from the ceiling in the main lobby.

American Mastodon

A life-sized mechanical model of a Tyrannosaurus Rex.

CHANGO EMPANADAS

This empanada shop was just down the street from our flat. Great place to get a carry-out dinner.

Ham and cheese and a four-cheese empanada.

TRAVEL DAY

We arrived back at Dallas Fort Worth on Wednesday afternoon, April 23, after 13 days of visiting the sites of London.