Again it's been a week since I posted.  

So here goes...

Last Wednesday, around dinnertime, we had "HERDS of birds" out front, wondering why the water dish (it's actually a fisherman sundial) was only damp.  I need to fill it twice daily, and hadn't yet done the second fill.  There were several flocks of quail on the wall and porch; some of them with little babies, and others with teenagers.  I'm sure enjoying the view from my chair!

That morning I heard from the pool people - but unfortunately it was not good news.  They are going to credit me for the second repair, which has been seriously leaking... but what our equipment apparently needs is some new plumbing.

Thursday we got off to the airport right on schedule (to arrive two hours before my flight, as recommended) despite a suitcase snafu in the garage.  When Tom went to put it in the car the handle wouldn't go down.  I made a call to Alex to see if there was any trick - and he brought over a new RockStar one.  Quick transfer and we were off.  

There was NO one in line at Security (at first I thought that maybe I in the wrong place, and they were closed?!) so I had plenty of time to 'relax' at the gate.  Turns out the overhead bins on that smaller plane aren't as large as on a 'regular' plane, so my suitcase had to go in the hold after all.  

The plane to Santa Fe was not full (can't remember the last time THAT happened) and the seat next to me remained empty.  Nosiy plane, even while waiting to take off.  Wasn't sure the rattletrap would make it, but despite some fairly serious turbulence (which the pilot had warned us about) we made it to Santa Fe safely.

Cute LITTLE airport!  

After a short wait (which was spent enjoyably visiting with a dog and his 'parents', also waiting for their ride) Dan and Tim picked me up for the drive to Taos.  We did have some difficulty finding a place to eat dinner: Their first choice (next door to the Georgia O'Keefe church) had closed, as well at the second place we tried.  Happily the third time was the charm.

Dan's place is amazing!  I took lots of pictures of his gardens - and with the ones on the return trip (just kept walking around and finding more amazing shots) ended up with over 100.  Good thing I had brought 'plenty of film'... <g>  

Thursday, after we'd left for the airport, Tim had come by to address the latest issue with the pool.  But on Friday morning I got a message from Tom that when the pump had turned on that morning some valve had been opened and drained the pool several feet.  Of course the pump was still running (without water!!!) and Tom turned it off before he got busy refilling the pool.  But had running without water damaged our pricey new equipment?1  His call to the Tim was not answered, and the pool people could not reach him either, and there was nothing to do until Monday.  Just another headache in the months-long on-going pool saga.

My weekend at Valley View was special, though I didn't take more than a few pix.  Got to visit with all four of Neil's siblings, whom I'd met over the years during previous visits, and their spouses.  I'd also met many of their kids (and spouses), though there were some new additions.  And while I'd seen 2yo August via FB, I did finally get to meet that cutie.  (Here he is with dad Jake last July.)

Terry fed everyone Friday and Saturday nights (she is truly amazing), and Lily came up from the ranch to join us on Saturday.  That morning I'd gone for a soak (my first of the visit) and bumped into Katie and Warren, and son Ijgi, who is now 11. (sp?)  We spent about 15 minutes 'catching up', and "newcomers" that they are (only about ten years) she told me that she learned a lot about the history of Valley View talking with a "delightful young woman" who had been coming there for years.  It was only when she mentioned that said young woman "had purple hair, was currently volunteering at the ranch, and grew up with Neil and Terry's kids" that I realized who she was talking about.  

Before everything officially started on Sunday I walked up to see Neil's rock.

The Celebration of Life at the Pavillion started with a brunch at 11, after which there was was wonderful slide show Scott had created from an amazing array of "her favorite photos" Terry had provided.  Unfortunately he never got to see the finished product; he had Cynthia were quarantining after coming down with Covid.  Luckily Mark was able to finish it, adding a tuba concertco Terry had found and knew Neil would have approved of heartily.  

Some of the photos were absolutely "classic" Neil, and elicited laughs from the crowd.

Afterward Terry talked about her life journey with Neil.  I absolutely loved the hammer story, which I'd never heard, about his gift to her on their first anniversary of being together.

And then the tributes from family and friends started.  All were truly inspiring (because he had been!) and were such a gift to Terry. 

Of course many of the stories from his childhood were a hoot, like Keta's retelling of the classic family one: "You're doing it wrong," from 5yo Neil to workers jack-hammering the road outside his home.  Of course <g> the workers had rolled their eyes at that kid - only to come to the house later and sheepishly let him know that he had been right!

 I learned things from friends who had known him longer than I had (which was "only" 40 years.)  The 'best' one told of Neil's first visit looking for the hot springs, when Roy Everson had joked "no hot springs here."  Neil had actually started to leave - but luckily figured it out and turned around.  

But what if he hadn't?!?!?!

I did lose count of how many of the tributes included kudos to Terry for all she'd done over the years, along with the mention that she is the best cook in the world!  Sure hope that someone (!) was recording all of them (wish I recorded Cheryl's song) but at least I thought to video this one...

Tribute to Neil

Naturally I enjoyed spending more time with Lily on Sunday, and even got a tutorial on making friendship bracelet patterns while she was busy doing that for some of the little ones.  It was an added  bonus on Monday morning when she invited me down to the ranch to see the gardens.  I certainly  enjoyed my first taste of the sweet goosefoot berries, and also got to see my first walking onions - which I'd never even heard of before Dan had mentioned he had some in his garden. 

It was fun to "help" her with the 67 chickens.  Unfortunately the goats and llama were camping out in the shade somewhere (it was a rather warm day) so I didn't get to meet them.

It was "easy" to leave on Monday afternoon because of the weather.  Dan had to drive back to Taos  through quite a heavy rainstorm, when the lightning was brighter/"thicker"/longer-lasting than any I had ever ever experienced - but at least I didn't have a (third!) personal run-in with it.

My flight home on Tuesday was uneventual, and again the seat next to me was empty.  Happily that plane didn't sound like it was ready to fall apart.  It was toasty here, so irrigation that evening was much appreciated - as was the fact that it went well!  Of course Brownie was glad to see me, but seemed to have done well in my absence.  He definitely sniffed my clothes/luggage a long time, trying to figure out where (and with whom) I'd been.

Wednesday I got in a couple of hours of weeding before showering and heading to quilting.  I was actually a little late and the meeting had started, so I had to laugh when I got a very warm welcome when I came in (probably because I am the offical photo-taker.)  There was a cactus from Dee waiting at my seat (as a thank-you for the aloes I had brought last time?)  It came in a nice pot (which she does not want back), and is perfect for that empty spot on the front porch that gets too much sun for most plants.  Susan called it a penis cactus, because of how it will look once it takes off.

Ellen gave a little 'tutorial' on making the blocks for the Opportunity Quilt quilt since the 24 packets were ready for us to take home.  I hope to work on mine today!

When I got home Tim was just leaving, after coming by to give Tom a tutorial on the new system.  We really hoped it would come on this morning as scheduled, and that was the first thing I checked when I woke at 4:45.  Happily it had, though Creepy had gotten flipped by the step and needed my help.

Tami called yesterday afternoon while I was doing yet more weeding out front.  (That only lasted about 15 minutes in the heat, but I still made noticeable headway in a lantana patch out front.)  I called back while I was "cooling off" in the pool (the water temp was 93, so it really wasn't terribly refreshing...) and we made arrangements for me to rendezvous with them in Flagstaff next week.  At least on that trip Brownie will get to tag along (and hang out with Piper) though it'll mean I'll miss Busy Bees on Wednesday.  I called Patty, who has agreed to take the photos and write the blurb for the AQG Chatter.  

Even though I had made a tent of my towel to shade the phone, it did get too hot and shut itself off.  I came inside to cool it (and me) off, and we finished our call about 30 minutes later. 

I was almost ready to head to bed last night when a message came in from Antoine, who was cancelling today's gym session "because something had come up."  Sigh...  He did send today's exercise plan, but the Big Question is whether I'll make it to the gym and actually do it.

Likely there are some typos - 

but I'm just going to post this before I get started on my day.