Hopefully We'll Ditch This Bug Soon!!

This has been the strangest trip ever this year. First, after racing to get there--well, actually we left early enough that we didn't have to race--I fell victim to food poisoning and missed the Courir de Mardi Gras that I've wanted to see for years. We had to stay in Eunice forever, it seemed, waiting for me to recuperate. Shook the disappointment off and moved on across Louisiana and into Texas, where we wandered over Farm Roads new to us and visited the American Quarter Horse Museum in Amarillo. Bill started sniffling and coughing but we didn't think much of it, until we'd spent a night in Santa Rosa and he was very congested and tired. So, off we went to get meds and he retired to bed for pretty much two days of sleep. He never ran a fever nor did he have chills but the congested got progressively worse. The lady in the breakfast room with her eagle eye kept watching me gathering tea bags and honey to take back to our room. It seemed to help his throat and he ate soup and chili from Joseph's. After three days in which he just didn't seem to be getting any better we went to the ER and he had a shot of some antibiotic I never heard of, had one and a half nebulizer treatments and a prednisone pill and a doxycycline pill. Also given meds to carry him through yesterday and today with prescriptions to be filled tomorrow since there is only the hospital pharmacy in Santa Rosa and it is not opened on the week-end. At last, though coughing all night with some expectoration, he is feeling stronger, not achy or light headed and says he is gaining energy. So, after coughing all night myself and getting progressively more congested, we packed up and left the latest sick room and headed to Alamogordo. If I'm still as congested tomorrow we are heading to the Clinic here--I don't want to get as bad as he was. The drive was pleasant---the day starting at 57 degrees and sunny at 10 am and finishing at 76 degrees when we arrived at the hotel at 2. The railroad used to run through Vaughn and the depot was one of the Harvey Houses. It doesn't look open at all or used for anything much but in my Harvey Girls book, the dining room was one of the largest and loveliest. Although not on Rte 66 Vaughn was a main crossroads of trains and so there were many travelers who need food and lodging. As you can see the selection of cafes and motels was great and they all sit empty and sad now. Then we turned true south across wide expanses of range --horses, steer and antelope. When we finally saw the mountains on the horizon we said--they may be several days journey away, but there they are. Of course, for us it was several hours but imagine riding a horse or in a wagon across these incredible distances. It is so wide open here that it is impossible to determine how faar things are. The steer look like toys they are so far from the road. For years we've seen the sign for White Oaks and Bill read a book last year about the Tularosa Valley--I haven't gotten to it yet--in which the mining town is named. So we decided to head out--some nice old buildings but it is a repopulated Ghost Town with those who want to live far out where they can pretty much do whatever they want--this is sure it. Many are " artists"--I suppose some more talented than others--but certainly they are the 60's bohemian artsy. But it was a nice drive and it was fun to play with the camera to get shots of the yellow hill with the bands of brownish-black darkness caused by the shadows of the clouds above. On we went through Carrizozo, Tularosa and into Alamogordo, where we stopped at the Heart of the Desert Pistachio Ranch. We will go back early in the day--but picked up a few things that I knew I wanted. There was some really pretty bracelets and earrings made of enameled copper in the form of feathers but, when I saw they were made in China, I passed on them. The cards attached even had Christian homilies on them. Oh, deliver me! We did not linger, since I was getting tired--it is getting harder to breathe. Now, I'm trying to decide if I want to go out to eat. There is a Johnny Carino's here and a Buffalo Wild Wings--oh my goodness. Well, for now, going to go blow my nose, if possible and have a good cough. Will keep you posted with our doings while here. We have a lovely suite with kitchen and living room. I want to go to the Sands, back to Heart of the Desert and to McGinns. Tomorrow Bill says is hospital and pharmacy first thing--then who knows how much of the day will be left. Whatever we do, I have to take it easy but I don't want to go to bed for a full day. Until next time, The Valley Vagabonds KandB