[A/S] Santa Fe, NM - October 6, 2000

[hhamp5246@xxxxxxx]

Hi Gang,

We came to Santa Fe for 3 days... We arrived last Monday, it's Friday night. 

After the trauma of sideswiping the tree, and getting the window covered with 
plexiglass.....

It's been a wonderful visit.  The first afternoon and evening and next day 
were spent mostly with Conrad and Tricia and her elderly, but spry, aunt.  
Don and I did manage to get down to the town square for some shopping and a 
wonderful lunch.

Wednesday my friend Lynn came and picked me up and we spent the day at her 
house, her just purchased new house and the Imus ranch.  The house she and 
her husband Fred are selling is fabulous.... I ws almost tempted to make an 
offer.  The new house is smaller, but is a horse farm with views to die for.  
The ranch is 3,000 acres of heaven, built as a camp for children with cancer. 
There are tipis to play in, horses to ride, a western "town" .... it's quite 
an operation. 

My favorite parts were the horses, donkeys and longhorns.  We spent most of 
the day out there.  I checked out all the houses and the "town" getting ideas 
for my own future cabin..  It's always fun being with Lynn... we had such fun 
reliving old times.  She lived in a log cabin behind mine in South 
Carolina.... 

After dinner some neighbors in a motorhome invited Don and me over and we 
shared experiences on the road.  She was flashed in Santa Fe that afternoon 
and was still a bit scandalized... it was her "first."  oc:=

Yesterday, Thursday, was meant to be relaxing because I was so tired from 
Wednesday.  HA!  No rest for the weary.   We begged and were able to stay 
another night... this campground, Los Campos, has been packed because of the 
balloon festival in Albuquerque.

Don and I went to Jackalope, a local shop..... a huge shop with everything 
from t-shirts to antiques to pottery to home hardware... you name it, they 
sell it. They also have a little Prarie Dog village with fat funny little 
Prarie Dogs.  The best thing was a pen with a goat, a mama donkey and a long 
haired baby donkey. Then after lunch we drove out to look at the Santa Fe 
Opera building, as he's an architect I knew Don would enjoy seeing it.  From 
the opera house, when you look over to the Sangre de Cristo mountains you see 
a fire orange color.  The Aspens are turning yellow and the scrub oaks are 
this incredible day glo orange..... I had seen some paintings downtown that 
showed these colors, and thought to myself the artist has a vivid 
imagination....

Then we drove down to Tesuque, a little town just north of Santa Fe.  It's 
the priciest area around and I see why.... trees and green grass. Small 
ranches with horses turned out in lush green pastures with sprinklers running 
constantly.

When we were at lunch I picked up one of those little real estate books, and 
saw a terrific house.... what the heck?  We went to a realtor and got more 
info.  I would love it except for the train running through the back yard (c: 
I don't really think I would like living here, I know many people do... but 
my horses want green grass and my dogs hate getting sticker paws and miss 
being able to play Frisbee. 

Back here where I met another neighbor and we ended up having drinks with he 
and his wife.  In the small world department he used to live in Westport 
Connecticut. and hung at the same places that I did...only after I had left 
and moved to Cincinnati.

This morning Lynn and I hung out here and then she and Don and I went out for 
lunch and back to Jackalope so she could see the donkey and the Prarie Dogs.  
Lynn has lived in New Mexico for two years and had never been to this huge 
"everything under the sun" place.  Then we spent the rest of the afternoon on 
the town square. 

I have decided to take the trailer to the Airstream place in Lubbock, Texas.  
I am hoping they will have an opening and be able to repair it without too 
long a wait.  I don't want to spend weeks in Lubbock.... but will see what 
they have to say.

So, tomorrow morning we are finally on the way......

This is sort of funny... the office here closes at 6:00 pm... but as I stayed 
across the street last year I know their internet access is 24 hours so I 
sneak over there at night to do my last email (c:

Hunter, who is finally relaxing tonight