Maybe New Mexico?

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Santa Fe, New Mexico

I haven’t ignored my vacation planning completely while I’ve been being domestic. I’ve been considering New Mexico. My time share has a resort in Santa Fe called, what else, Villa de Santa Fe. The Web site says “ Take a colorful journey to the base of the breathtaking Sangre de Cristo Mountains at Villas de Santa Fe. Discover Indian pueblos, historic sites, Spanish colonial art or stunning adobe churches and architecture”.
More searching indicates that the best time of year to visit is September to November.  That fits with the Big Balloon Festival in Albuquerque.

Villas de Santa Fe

Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

In 2023 the Balloon Fiesta is scheduled for Oct 7 -15. so it falls right in the sweet spot for visiting Santa Fe. According to google maps the drive is 62 miles and should take about an hour of actual drive time. There are a lot of stops you can make along the way so I would need to try not to get side tracked or distracted.  The balloons fly in the early morning or the late afternoon/evening so lots of time during the day for exploring.

Photographers — Albuquerque Balloon Fest Insider Tours

Loretto Chapel

Located in Santa Fe, Loretto Chapel was built around 1873 by the Sisters of Loretto. I remember visiting the Spanish Missions when I visited San Antonio, TX and really enjoyed them.  Loretto Chapel has a so called miraculous staircase. Its a 20-foot-high circular stairway to the choir loft built by a wandering carpenter after the chapel itself was completed in 1878. The carpenter used wooden pegs (not nails) and the staircase itself has no visible means of support. They say it is hard to get pictures of the staircase as there are always so many tourists admiring it but I’d love to try.

Bandelier National Monument

I’m not sure if I am up to the physical part of this but I sure want to try. At the base of Frijoles Canyon are a collection of ancient cave dwellings and other stone structures belonging to ancestors of the Pueblo tribe. Explore the settlement by following the paved trail through the village and climbing the wooden ladders into the caves themselves.

Visit Bandelier National Monument for History and Hummingbirds - Birds and Blooms

Roswell

It seems like a trip to New Mexico wouldn’t be complete without a stop in Roswell where the modern UFO era began. Unfortunately Roswell isn’t just around the corner. It’s almost 200 miles and a 3 hour drive and that’s without stops along the way. I guess that is one that would have to be “played by ear”. 

One More Thing

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One more Thing

I forgot one other noteworthy accomplishment from that memorable week. Banner and Balboa had their annual check ups. No surprises. Both are healthy and happy. Banner was his normal inquisitive and friendly self. Balboa hid and refused to come out. Of course being black he was really hard to find because he blended in the shadows behind the furniture and under the bed.

The Vet

Our Vet is Dr. Ross from Ross Veterinary House Calls. She is wonderful and I am so happy to have found her. I love that she comes to the house so the cats don’t get stressed out. Of course Balboa stresses out over everything and anything out of the ordinary. But we try. She was so calm and quiet when we were all trying to get him out from behind the computers. When he finally did come out I had taken myself out of the search to limit the number of people chasing him so he went to her.

Banner

Banner is my big guy and not surprising he was overweigh but not by much. Dr. Ross said to make sure he maintained and didn’t gain any more. Easier said than done with Banner. His idea of a strenuous play session is to lie on his side and bat at any toy that manages to roll his way. Chase it? What’s that? Hunt it? I don’t think so! And he certainly won’t jump and grab. Banner weighted in at a whopping 15.1  lbs! Carrying him around is like lifting weights.

My little helper

 

Balboa

Balboa, once we caught him, was the surprise. I always think of him as my shiny, sleek house panther. I knew he wasn’t anywhere near as heavy as Banner.  Where Banner is a lump on the floor, Balboa  is always up high on the back of a chair or the top of the wardrobe. When we play Balboa is like a Flying Wallenda! You can imagine my surprise when my high flying super cat turned out to be overweight too! For his slender body type Dr. Ross said he should weigh no more than 10 lbs. OOPS! Balboa weighed 11.2 lbs.

Balboa reaches new Heights

 

TOYS, TOYS and MORE TOYS

When we pulled the old stove out I found out where all of the missing toys had gone. Before the new stove was delivered I filled a box with all of the balls and toys from under the old stove. No need to buy any more for awhile!

 

What a Week!

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What a Week It’s Been!

I wish every week was as productive  as it’s been this week Not that it wasn’t without aggravation but lets go over the week one thing at a time.

Kitchen Faucet

Remember that nasty, rusted kitchen faucet? Well my contractor, finally,

was able to squeeze me in between big jobs. After all replacing a faucet is a little job and I feel lucky that I found someone to do it. Most of the plumbers I called didn’t even bother to call me back and if they did they said they’d “Let me know”. Never heard from them again. Well here’s my before and after photos. Love my new Faucet. It solved the water pressure issue that I thought was in the building and finally I have a spray that works! I even like to way the new faucet blends with the décor. The bronze matches the drawer fixtures. 

Stove

I may have mentioned that when I went to Home Depot to pick up the faucet that I also ordered a a new gas stove. It has a grill on top and air fryer setting and convection oven. It’s gorgeous but it scares me. I have a lot to learn about this.  I guess it was sort of like going to the grocery store when you’re hungry. You buy things! Anyway Home Depot delivers but they don’t install. Now imagine how hard it is to get a gas certified plumber to come out not once, but twice. They need to disconnect the old stove, leave it and come back once the new stove is delivered and hook that one up.


I found the plumber through my HOA as they are doing a lot of Gas work in the other building in my condo complex. I was surprised when he said he could do it without any push back! More than surprised, I was thrilled. The only  fly in the ointment was that Home Depot wouldn’t give me the delivery window, just the day that they were coming out. I was promised an email and a phone call. I got neither so I made a nuisance of myself calling their delivery hot line. 

Home Depot Scheduling

Finally at 3 pm on Friday they gave me a delivery window of 7-11 am on Saturday!  Sent a quick text to the plumber who said nope- all booked. can’t do it. Push it out a week!

I reminded him that I had our texts with the date of delivery. I just didn’t have the times until Home Depot got around to scheduling the delivery. He must have found the text or felt guilty because he came through with one of his employees.

The plumber’s assistant ( I can’t call him a Plumbers Helper    Plunger - Wikipedia   ) was removing the old stove when I got a call from the delivery team. They were 30 minutes out, Perfect Timing. They brought the new stove in with an ingenious system of belts and took the old stove out the same way. PA (Plumbers Assistant) had just come back from a supply run and walked in as the HD team was leaving.  He hooked up the new stove and was out the door. All done by 9:30 am!

 

Table

The last home improvement was my dining room table. Its over 25 years old so I guess it’s an antique. It’s part of a set with a big hutch and dry sink so I really didn’t want to replace it but it was getting very wobbly. I’d tried tightening the legs from under the table but that didn’t work so before the PA left he helped me flip the table over. I grabbed a pair of pliers and went to work on the bolts holding the legs in place.  My neighbor helped me flip it back onto its feet. One thing about living in a condo, there’s always someone around. 

 

Finally

 I’m pretty pleased with my week. A new faucet, a new stove and my table as good as new.  And I even had time to explore another vacation option. I’ll tell you all about that in another post. Get ready for Santa Fe.

TOURISM Santa Fe Santa Fe Re-Opening

Missouri Gateway to the West

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Missouri Gateway to the West

St Louis, Missouri is the first location I have to choose from. Known for the Gateway Arch I have to admit that Google’s description has caught my attention. “St. Louis is a major city in Missouri along the Mississippi River. Its iconic, 630-ft. Gateway Arch, built in the 1960s, honors the early 19th-century explorations of Lewis and Clark and America’s westward expansion in general. Replica paddle wheelers ply the river, offering views of the arch. The Soulard district is home to barbecue restaurants and clubs playing blues music.”

10 Best Things to Do in St. Louis - What is St. Louis Most Famous ...

Blues Music, Bar-B-que, even a trolley, what more can you ask? Accommodations are a hotel, The Red Lion Hotel- Downtown.

 

OYO Hotel St. Louis Downtown City Center MO, St Louis MO, St. Louis MO

 

Branson Missouri

My other choices are both in Branson. Branson is an Ozark town in southwest Missouri known as a family vacation destination. Its 76 Country Boulevard is famously lined with theaters, which once hosted mostly country music performers but today present diverse entertainment. Also along the strip are the Marvel Cave, the Wild West-style Dolly Parton’s Dixie Stampede Dinner Attraction and Silver Dollar City, an 1800s-themed amusement park with live music. ― Google

I’m sure I could have fun and enjoy the shows. In fact I originally had Branson on the top of my list but the more I think about  paddle wheelers on the Mississippi the more my camera and I want to head west.

Greensview, Branson

The first Branson accommodation is Greensview

This description isn’t too enticing, do you think?

Located in Branson Theater District, Greensview Branson by Exploria Resorts is within 1 miles of Mount Pleasant Winery, Hollywood Wax Museum, and Titanic Museum. Free WiFi is available in public areas.

Cable TV and a DVD player are included in every apartment at Greensview Branson. They each have a full kitchen equipped with a refrigerator, microwave and dishwasher.

Branson drone 005cc RESIZE

The Suites at Falls Creek

The Suites at Falls Creek is the 2nd resort option in Branson. I like what it has to say on Diamond Resorts web site

The Suites at Fall Creek, 1 Fall Creek Drive, Branson, Missouri, 65616, United States

Explore the “Live Entertainment Capital of the World” while enjoying the comforts of home at The Suites at Fall Creek. Surrounded by the rugged beauty of the Ozark Mountains, The Suites at Fall Creek offers a lakeside haven overlooking the White River Basin. The resort is conveniently located near downtown Branson’s entertainment district and dozens of dining options. Explore the outdoors or enjoy a show, and then return to the spacious accommodations that feature well-appointed amenities.

 

The Suites at Fall Creek By Diamond Resorts - Holiday residences in Branson (Missouri, United States)

Seems I have some thinking to do on this one!

Indiana Wants Me

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Indiana Wants Me

I couldn’t help it. When I hear “Indiana” I always think of that R Dean Taylor Song. I think it came out around 1970. 

Of course I haven’t killed anyone so Indiana doesn’t want me like the man in the song.

Mishawaka, Indiana

Mishawaka Indiana, have you ever hear of it? It must be known for something because my Timeshare has a resort there. The only resort in the state, Varsity Clubs of America. Mishawaka is a city on the St. Joseph River, in Penn Township, St. Joseph County, in the U.S. state of Indiana. Mishawaka is a principal city of the South Bend–Mishawaka, IN-MI. The area became known as the “Peppermint Capital of the World“, since the area’s rich black loam produced great quantities of mint.

Varsity Club-South Bend

My Time share web site describes the Varsity Club:
Varsity Clubs of America – South Bend is an all-suite hotel offering unique and inviting accommodations. Conveniently located for easy access to the University of Notre Dame and all its excitement, the hotel features stylish, sports-themed décor and well-appointed kitchen amenities. Fire up the outdoor grill for a game-day barbeque, or entertain the family at the indoor swimming pool and billiards parlor.

 

VARSITY CLUBS OF AMERICA - SOUTH BEND $83 ($̶1̶2̶3̶) - Updated 2022 Prices & Hotel Reviews - Mishawaka, IN

 

In poking around for things to do the most interesting suggestion was the “River Walk“. The Riverwalk – officially named the “River St. Joseph of the Miamis Trail” is a circular system of pedestrian/bicycle trails on both banks of the St. Joseph River. Pedestrian bridges connect the Riverwalk at strategic points such as Central Park, Kamm Island, and the new Robert C. Beutter Riverfront Park. A footbridge connects Beutter Park on the south shore to Battell Park on the north.  All told it’s about 2.5 miles long.

Mishawaka River Walk In Indiana Has The Best Scenic Views Of The St. Joseph River

Things to do

Trip advisor had some suggestions but they didn’t really excite me. Mostly sports stadiums, The Studebaker Car Museum, galleries and so on. There is a zoo. That might be fun.

Maybe Indiana would be more interesting if I don’t use the timeshare option. Find some things that interest me and then find a location.  Moving this to the 2nd tier of vacations.