A sort-of crazy day

Yesterday, I had a very interesting day at the state park.  I had notified the boss that I was going to be off duty for a couple of days to take care of Power ( and because I had been working for 7 days straight).  He said that that was fine.  He had asked me to print some papers for him on my home printer, since the office printer was non functional ( no ink).  So the night before I dug out my printer from the closet and printed his papers.  When I delivered the papers to him, he informed me that he was leaving for Albuqurque to take the park boat to repairs.  

I told him I was headed to the vet a bit later, and started into my RV for a bit of housework and changing clothes for town.

I drove to town, stopped at a grocery store for tortillas, a gas station for fuel, and a dollar store for parmesan cheese, then to the vet.  At the vet, I waited in line to get Power, and read a Cat Fancy magazine while waiting.  The vet came out and spoke to me about Power, told me that he had three cuts...one too deep to suture, one too small and of course one large one which he did suture.  He explained about the antibiotics ( twice a day for a week), the plastic collar to help prevent stitch chewing, and a return visit for suture removal in 14 days.  I thought I was all set to leave when my phone rang...it was the park ranger.  He was calling from his truck (on the way to Albuqurque).

 He asked my location and explained that a camper was at the visitor center needing assistance, and that he had gone to the ranger's home knocking on the door looking for help.  I was surprised, but said I would be back in about 45 minutes.

This gentleman, last year in my campsite, visiting Fluer.  He was the same fellow needing help now.

When I got back to the visitor center, I parked in the front of the office and waited for the camper to arrive.  Turned out that all he wanted was to get a yearly camping pass!  So I took him inside and we transacted the business.  I remember meeting him and his wife last year...nice folks.  

While I was working with him, the other ranger came inside and hung around.  After the visitor left, the second ranger explained to me that he had been a bit upset with the visitor, because the visitor had been to both ranger's residences looking for assistance, and had scared the wives and children.  He had instructed the gentleman not to go to their homes again.

Then the other camp volunteer arrived and told me his side of the story, and it was different again... the visitor/camper had also gone to his home(RV) looking for help, and the volunteer was not able to help him with this request.  He was also on his day off, was headed to the grocery store and did not know the process for selling the annual passes.

So it was kind of freaky how all these crazy ideas/plans/needs meshed into a bit of frustration and confusion for us all.   

However, I had a lovely visit with my friend Andrea whom I told you about yesterday and then went for a brief walk before dark to exercise both me and the hounds.

Last night, I got Power settled for the night with the collar on, and Hera was again so freaked out by the collar that she decided to sleep in the floor!  I left a light on in the living room so that I could occasionally look and see what they were up to.  Eventually, Hera decided the sofa was a better choice than the floor and moved!

Home again!

Power's vet told me that he found one deep cut that he did not stitch (due to depth), one small cut that did not need stitching, and the large cut that he did stitch.

The large cut is on his knee.

Power had a hard time with the collar and could not figure out how to drink, get on the sofa, eat, or get in the motorhome doorway.  The collar was definitely a new item for him.

I put him on the sofa, installed the collar, and then he napped.

Hera was freaked out by the collar also!

My Mother's Day gifts

Today, I had two gifts...one was a visit from a friend, Andrea Eagles, who I met last year here at Bluewater State Park.  She lives in a Lazedays motorhome full-time and is towing a Honda Fit behind it.  We had a nice visit.

My next gift was a big surprise...I went home from work at 4 pm and found that Power's right hind leg had two big lacerations on it!  I could hardy believe it!  I called my vet's emergency phone number and he said to bring him in and he would operate immediately.  It's about 40 minutes to his office and he was ready for us.  I wanted to wait, but he told be to pick him up tomorrow.  I meant to take a photo of the injuries for the blog, but was nervous and forgot.

As you remember, I took my dogs to work last year but this year they aren't allowing it, so now I am a bit worried about Power's safety and care while healing, and afterwards.  I really am not sure how this happened while he was resting in the motorhome  and I was at work.  I guess I will figure it out as I go.

A Request

As you know I have been quilting for over a year, and am now on the actual quilting part of the restored quilt.  I have sewn the corners areas onto the quilt and am ready to quilt them.  I am hereby requesting suggestions on what style or pattern of quilting stitches to put in these 4 large corner areas.

If you look at the photo below, you will be able to see that the 3 inch binding all around the straight sides of the quilt are quilted in a straight line pattern with two lines 1/2 inch apart and at a 45 Degree angle, then skip one inch and repeat.

The same pattern is then repeated at the same but opposite 45 Degree angle.

Some part of my brain is thinking that I need a better idea for the large corner areas.  So I am needing your suggestions, everyone!

This final photo is of my German family and the RV they rented!

A different kind of day!

Yesterday I was having so much pain in my back that I was miserable, so I didn't walk my dogs, didn't clean house, didn't do anything but doctor's visit and work in the visitor center.  I survived the night, and this morning, I was surprised by the following!

Snow!

Notice it's 20 degrees!

My car

When I let the dogs outside, they acted a bit freaked out by the snow!  but the need to potty was bigger than their nerves, so they did their "business" and came inside.  I gave them each a half of a meatball, which they loved, and then they bedded down on the sofa for morning naps!

As for me, I took a heating pad and wrapped it around my back, took Ibuprophen 800 mg, and a Tramadol, and have been reading my favorite blogs.  I've had several "What's app" messages from my Niece etc, so I know that they went to Alcatraz and the golden gate bridge.

The above photo is of Keno, my niece's son at Alcatraz!

The above photo is Jost, my niece's husband, and his cousin, Inga, who is traveling with the family.

They went to the Golden gate bridge, but got lost finding their way back "home".

Back in the Saddle

This week, since arriving at Bluewater lake state park, I've been getting settled into the campsite and the routine, and the work.  I am very glad to be here. 

I've been very glad to see the horses and their babies!

I've been enjoying the weather, which has been about 24 degrees at night and 60 in the daytime.  We have some wind every day, but also some rain most days.  All this rain has been really making things bloom.

I've done some laundry, and some grocery shopping, and I also went to the doctor for my bad back, which really messed me up for a few days.  She checked me over well, and said that it is muscle spasms.

While working in the visitor center, I've answered the phone, answered questions, swept up the dirty floors ( dried mud), restocked the supplies for the fee station, the office, etc.  We have lots of birds all over and it's so nice to see them.

The picture below is of my niece, her husband and their children.  they are on a plane over the Atlantic ocean.  After landing in San francisco, they will be traveling through California, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, and finally New Mexico.

We use "What's APP", which is a nearly free phone app which allows us to communicate without cost through our phones.  So, I am following along with them on their trip.

Left Santa Fe, arrived in Bluewater Lake State Park

This morning I finished packing up and pulled out of Santa Fe in route to Bluewater Lake State Park. 

Hera could not relax!

It wasn't a terribly long drive, but both my greyhounds were nervous travelers and panted the whole way!  Power wouldn't lie on the sofa, but wanted to stand beside me the entire way, and since I wanted him to lie down, we had a bit of a battle of the wills.  He would reluctantly lie on the floor just behind me, but would not stay there for long.  Hera did lie on the sofa, but she panted continuously.

Chica sat in my La-Z-Boy relined the whole way.  She was fine, no panting or anything.

All in all we had a successful trip, and were glad to see the park again.

Finished in the Santa Fe Office

As you know, I've been working on the filing at the State park headquarters.  I have been hoping to finish the sorting, purging, and filing before I leave.  Yesteray and today I stayed a longer time in order to accomplish that goal. 

Today, I finally finished the sorting of the volunteer's files of active from inactive.  The inactive files have been prepared for archiving, and the active files have been stored in a format that is uniform.  Each file had to be inside a manila folder, with a label telling the name and dates of service.  Then the manila folder is placed inside a hanging file folder, and a label made with the volunteer's name on it.  All have to be alphabetized and hung in a file cabinet.

All the drawers in these cabinets are full of volunteers files.

In the course of the weeks, I also had to sort out, computerize and store the permits used by the Friend Groups.  Also all the legal paperwork from each Friend's group had to be organized into a certain format, and filed away.

So, now, I can say "Yippee" because I am finished!  I'm glad to have done it, and also glad that it's over.

Now, I can get ready to leave Santa Fe, and go to Bluewater Lake State Park. I'll get my campsite set up and  start work in a few days.  I'm looking forward to seeing my coworkers, and the wild horses!

Sorting and shredding!

The volunteer position this week involved several different assignments.  One of those was involving sorting the multitudinous permits by their numbers, then by the parks they were issued in, and entering this info into the computer spreadsheet, and storing the sorted permits into the filing cabinets.  All the left over extraneous paperwork was then shredded.

Each folder had to have a label made and inserted into the folder.

The labels were center left of the photo, and I used three containers full of them!

Drawers and drawers of files needing to be sorted.

Part of the equation was that during the process of sending the permits to the parks, the dates they were sent out  had to be entered, and the ranger who received them had to sign for them.

The various papers needed to legalize the non profit status of a group was collected in folders, and there were many copies in each file, as the paperwork was revised and signed, then revised again, etc.  So, going through the papers, and sorting out the final signed papers from all the rest was paramount. After all that sorting was done, the remaining papers were filed in a certain order and placed in special folders, then refiled in the cabinets.

This is a partial stack of the volunteers who are no longer active.

Hope this description wan't too boring for you.  It was very interesting for me on this end of the story.

The shredder got a workout too!

A difference

I got up at 6:30 am as usual, took the dogs outside, and after going back inside, took a comfy nap in my recliner.  W Today hen I awoke, I saw that it was snowing...big flakes and lots of them.

The thermometer said 24 degrees!

I was so glad that I had heat and shelter!

The snow fell only for a couple of hours but was pretty while it lasted.

While waiting out the snowstorm, I was working on my quilt and of course chic, my cat wanted to help.

Chica is always a great help, one way or the other!

Dogs having fun!

During this past week, while I've been volunteering at the headquarters of the New Mexico State parks, I've been camping at the rodeo grounds.  Being a rodeo arena and grounds, I decided to see if the arena area could be made safe for the dogs to run.

I walked the perimeter and closed all the gates, then turned the dogs loose to run! It was great, because there were no goat's head stickers.

I wondered if they would try to get out of the arena between the cables and pipes.

They checked every inch of the barriers!

They never tried to get through the wires and pipes.

At some point, I noticed Hera pick up something and eat it!  I looked closer, and then decided it was fresh horse poop!  I wondered about the "fresh" part of the equation, since I had not noticed anyone using the arena.

Quilt news

I don't know if it is visible, but I wanted to show you the damage to my fingers from quilting on this antique quilt.

My skin go so sore, that I tried wrapping the fingers with scotch tape when sewing!

The below area is only partially quilted, and is difficult shapes for quilting, but will soon be done!

Since the "quilting Bee" held at Pancho Villa State Park, I've been able to get several of these areas done.

All the basting that the ladies helped me with made all the difference!

Thanks, everyone!

State Park headquarters

Today I went into the State Park headquarters  to begin my volunteering post.  The office area has a spare desk area which I am using for a time.

I had to get signed into the computer in order to do my work, and I couldn't remember my sign in information from lat Nov.  I had written it down, but of course I couldn't find the note!  I called the IT help desk, and of course they weren't in the office!

However, they did call back and tell me what to do!

The desk and computer above is the one assigned to me for this week!

This filing cabinet is the place that I used to file the multitudinous papers about the volunteers.

Each persons papers had to be organized by the alphabet and stored in a folder which then also listed the year that they worked and where.

It was very nice to be there again and be doing something helpful!

New plans

For months I've been saving the month of May for a visit from my Niece and her family, who are coming from Germany.  They originally had said that they wanted to come to a camping area which had a playground and a lake or river so that her young children would be entertained.  She said that she would like to stay in one place rather than be on the move (also due to the children).  So I was thinking that this would be the format of our visit! ( They said that they would be  bringing a big tent for their family and would have a rental car.

Superintendent Ranger Andrew Armendariz

I told my state park ranger that I was not available to volunteer till June 1 due to my niece's visit.  He was very understanding and agreeable.

NOW, I have received a copy of their itinerary and it is all totally different from what they had said.  They are renting a motorhome and driving all over from San Francisco, Utah, Nevada, Arizona, and Northern New Mexico, on their way to Denver (they will fly back to Germany from Denver).

Itinerary from my niece!

The itinerary looks to me that it will be a breathless time on the road, and in order to spend a bit of time with them, I will try to catch up with them in Gallup NM or at Meteor Crater , AZ, and travel around with them for about 5 days while they are in the general area.  They want to go the Meteor crater, petrified forest, Mesa Verde, Aztec ruins, Santa Fe, Orilla Verde and Taos, and then on to Denver!  I believe it's going to be exhausting for us all, but of course they are going to be a lot younger and more energy filled than I am.

I am feeling a bit unsettled by the change in plans, so I contacted the ranger at Bluewater state park, and he said that I was welcome to come the first part of may and then leave when my niece comes and return after they leave.  I liked that and so I will go to Bluewater lake state park in early May.

After thinking about it for another few hours, I decided to contact my "boss" in Santa Fe to see if she needed some volunteer help in her office for a couple of weeks before May.  She said"Yes, Yes, Yes!"  So I am going to Santa Fe this weekend and will volunteer at the office in Santa Fe till early May.

Visitors!

This lovely Pyrruloxia was coming to my bird seed yesterday.

He/she had a wonderful voice to listen to!

Below is a house vince which was liking the bird seed also.

I was outside for hours and the birds did their thing while I was sawing, painting, hammering, screwing on the projects!

Second project!

After finishing with the fire extinguisher holders, I decided to make a small shelf with the leftovers from the first project.

I had two "L" brackets, and scraps of wood, and spray paint.  I looked in my scrap pile and found some screen door molding.  I got out my electric brad nailer to fasten the screen door molding to the edge of the shelf. That brad nailer outwitted me several times, making it hard for me to put the nails where I wanted them!

When all was done, the result is a handy small shelf just next to my recliner.

I placed these vitamin bottles on it to photograph for the blog.  They won't be there permanently.
I'm quite relieved to have the project finished and usable.  Now I can put away all my tools!

Elephant Butte

A couple of days ago I moved upriver to Elephant Butte State Park in New Mexico.  I hope that they will be having flowers blooming here also!  Upon arrival I found that the empty sites were few.  I was able to take a site that had just enough room for my motorhome and car to park.  It was level and paved!  I removed the dog's fencing from storage and placed it all across the front of the site, so now the dogs and I have a lovely yard to enjoy while we are here.

Note the fence in this photo, and see Hera sunbathing.

This shows a project I am working on, using an old jig saw that my dad gave me many years ago.  It was old when he gave it to me!  Works well, regardless.  I am cutting wood to make several items for my motorhome.

I had my two usual supervisors helping me with all this work!

This can is painted and will be installed to hold my fire extinguisher in the motorhome.

See how the fire extinguisher fits into the can.

See the L bracket screwed to the piece of wood?  That bracket will support the weight of the extinguisher.  I made two of them, one for the living room, and one for the hallway.

This is the extinguisher for the hallway.  Karen and Steve gave me these ideas of the wood plate and the L bracket.  I would not have thought of this on my own.  Thanks, Karen and Steve!