August 11, 2005

• By jingo, we made it home.  And we made it to Dmitry's open house,
  though that was a trifle embarrassing, as it turns out we got there as
  it was over.....turns out it was scheduled from 6 - 7 p.m., while I had
  it noted down as beginning at 7 p.m. However, his teacher was still
  there and willing to talk to us, so Dmitry and Don considered this
  mistake of mine to be fortuitous (they didn't have to interact with a
  passel of strangers - like father, like son!).

  We had a spiffy time.  Went to Carlsbad Caverns on Sunday, which
  Dmitry loved. On Monday we went to Lincoln, where Billy the Kid escaped
  from the courthouse after killing a deputy.  Went back to White
  Sands on Tuesday:

  

  I just love White Sands!  If you've never been, be sure to go if you get the opportunity.

  

  Driving back from it, we saw the Stealth fighter zooming along:

  

  Don and I decided to head up to Cloudcroft, hoping to visit the Solar
  Observatory supposed to be in that vicinity.  Dmitry had been in a
  merry mood until this point, but hoo boy.....for some reason this
  displeased him tremendously.  For whatever reason, the litany of
  complaints and grumblings from the back seat had to be heard to be
  believed.....it was a regular Jeremiad.  "We're doomed," he'd
  groan.  "We're going to die," he'd moan next.  (There were
  thunderstorms in the area.) He'd opine as to exactly how many hours it
  would take us to get back to Ruidoso (his favorite estimate was ten),
  occasionally demanding to be "let out."

  Once we were back in the van, leaving the observatory (which was rather a let down, BTW), he perked up rapidly. 

  He begged to be permitted to simply stay in the cabin until time to go
  home, resolutely refusing to attend the Flying J Ranch Chuckwagon
  Supper and Show on Wedensday night, to which I'd already purchased
  tickets via the internet.  "Can't you just sell
  mine?" he plaintively asked. Far's we could tell, it was the promise of
  "crowds" that caused his reluctance to attend, but it all worked
  out....we simply called and reserved another ticket and Elaine and Hal
  and their girls went with us (well, in separate cars).  Darling
  Marebear took her very first horseback ride!

  

  Wasn't she a precious li'l buckaroo? 

  The show was dandy, BTW.  Elaine and her family went on back to
  the cabin, as it'd be too late for the girls, but Don and I stayed and
  enjoyed the show tremendously.

  

  On our way home today we went through Tatum, NM, which boasts a
  well-known metalworking establishment, which can be readily discerned
  by the remarkable street signs:

   

  There are more photos and tales, but the relevant pictures are on Don's
  computer, and I've yet to access them.  More treats to come! 
  
  

  • 10:56 pm
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