Our Week of Vacation before Christmas and Christmas Day

Our two days in Ruidoso were great - enjoyed the beauty of the small mountain community and enjoyed going to fellow SHS 67 graduate, Jerry and wife Donnes' Christmas party up in Alto.  I felt for sure we had entered an official member's home of the Griswold Family Christmas Decorations Vacation as we came through Jerry's gate. A lovely house awaited us with friendly folks.  Donnes and Jerry were a most awesome hosts.  The next day after the festivities, we got to meet them for a nice dinner at KBobs on the Ruidoso highway (hwy70?). 

We then drove down to Las Cruces and spent several days with our friends, Claire and her sister, Jean. Claire's husband, Bill had not arrived as yet from Clovis.  We spent good times around the kiva fireplace (beautiful, lovely, pictures later) which heated the entire livingroom.  Spent comfortable nights in the wonderful guest bedroom with feather bed.  Went out shopping with the girls (fun, fun) while Greg kept the dogs company.  Got to enjoy Claire and Jean's fantastic cooking (all home cooking - their expense of knowledge in cooking knows no bounds.  And in the mornings, fresh cranberry walnut muffins (from scratch) with coffee.  Both girls are so very talented with any endeavor, be it cooking or entertainment.  Claire is a retired librarian that has lived on both coasts of the U.S but originally hails from New England.  I was fortunate to meet Claire through a City - Data forum.  I was very sad when they moved from Clovis. Everyone in our knitting (and jewelry making) group misses her.

I almost forgot to mention that when we were first coming in the door at Claire's, we let out our black labrador retriever (9 yo) to meet up with Claire and Jean's dogs.  Leny, their labrador xbreed showed a little guardianship but as just a little time went on; the dogs got on famously.  Our last day in Las Cruces we spent taking a look at the city in terms of future retirement.  Since we got lost multitudious times, I can't comment much on it except for knowing that I'm clear on where I-25 and I-10 and the university is.  We spent our 4th night in Mesilla so that Greg could get some photography of the old town square (which I will share at a later date). 

Christmas day we were on the road back home and north of Roswell, we discovered ice on the road and snow on the ground.  Having a background in driving in Alaska, it was no real problem for us though we did not have the requisite snowtires.  Got home and the next day were invited to spend a wonderful Christmas dinner with our friend, Marie Massey and her husband, son and family.  We had a great time with them and we all went to the movies together afterward. 

It was the most wonderful Christmas week.