On the Rocks

I have let too much time pass since I last posted a blog. Please forgive me. My head has been in the wrong place for a very long time, making things more difficult than they need to be. I’ve lost my drive, determination, and passion for most anything. I was stuck and did not see a way out. Tom was always there offering suggestion, support and encouragement, but I was failing to reciprocate. It all became too much for him, and as some of you know, we broke up. I went to Wisconsin, staying with friends and family for a few weeks while Tom stayed with Betty and the motorhome. We continued to talk to each other regularly, eventually agreeing for me to come back to work on us as well as each other respectively. On May 2, I took a flight back to New Mexico. He picked me up at the airport, and we headed to Truth or Consequences, where he had been camped, to resume our relationship.

We are very sad that we’re starting this new chapter without our special girls: Suki and Cassie. After 15 years of unconditional love from them, their quality of life was rapidly declining. We did the compassionate thing and helped them cross over the rainbow bridge. They’re resting peacefully in a beautiful clearing on my brother’s land. Betty continues her travels with us and is now the queen of the motorhome. She’s become much more demanding. She gets everything she wants, and expects it to stay that way.

Now... back to our last location: Truth or Consequences, NM. They adopted this name in 1950, when the popular radio quiz show offered to broadcast from the first town that changed their name to the title of the show. The residents decided to change it within the month and the show was broadcast here the very next night. Before the change, the town was known as Hot Springs due to the many thermal springs in town. These hot springs were as much of a draw as the gold and silver ore found in towns nearby, but luckily for this town, the springs are still luring tourists, while the mines have long closed up.

The first big thing that happened for the area was the construction of the Elephant Butte Dam between 1911 and 1916. It was the first dam on the Rio Grande. At the time of its construction it was the second largest dam in the world measuring 301 feet tall. A straight line of lamp posts adorning the 18 foot wide rim makes it looks elegantly slender in contrast to that height. The waters behind the dam are a gorgeous blue-green color, which contrasts beautifully with the dark, rocky slopes around it. This reservoir is the premiere recreation area in New Mexico, as evidenced by the many campgrounds and the two marinas located near the south end of the lake. Also upstream of the dam is the actual Elephant Butte, appearing as a tall floating island in which you can make out the eyes, trunk, and ears of it’s extraordinary mass. It didn’t come to me very quick either, but now that I have made it out, I can definitely see it.

The second big thing was the old Civilian Conservation Corp (CCC) project nearby. Among them are a dozen quaint stone and stucco cabins, a large lodge, kitchen, dining hall, and dressing room buildings. The lodge and cabins are available to rent. Those craftsmen-in-training also built stone walls, stairways, and paths up & down the slopes surrounding the water. While standing in the middle of it all, these terraces resemble an amphitheater. Among them, the desert flora abounds, with their springtime blooms too colorful for me to resist. I wanted to take pictures of each bloom, but I will spare you... only showing a few of my favorites.

Everyday life was difficult and disheartening for many people during the Great Depression. The CCC provided a chance for young men to gain some work experience, learn and practice skills, all while having food and shelter provided. It was also an opportunity to take the burden off their families who were struggling to feed themselves. Their craftsmanship and improving skills are prominently on display in my favorite feature here: the pergola. Facing the lake, stone columns form two straight lines that seemingly stretch on forever, but in reality it is only a couple hundred feet. The stonework is more detailed, and lines match from column to column. It is not perfect, but it doesn’t have to be for me to appreciate its beauty and their hard work, drive, and commitment. I see their improving skills in each cut stone and column. I can respect each defect, knowing it was all done by hand, unlike today where most things are machined or mass produced. Their work is still standing 85 years later.

While it is not the same, I am working through my own depression where I struggle to have focus and determination. Like the stonework, I am not perfect, and I have to be okay with that. Like the CCC workers, I have to be all in, giving my best effort every day. Their work had quality and has stood the test of time. I can have the same determination they did, and be proud of what I accomplish. In order to have success, I have to give it my all, which I have not been doing. Through their inspiration, I am looking forward to a new me.

Today was moving day, the first where we have ridden together in the motorhome. I appreciate that since it was windy, Tom did the driving so I wouldn’t be overwhelmed. I am looking forward to gaining confidence when it’s my turn. It was good to be together in the same vehicle where we could talk easier, and the time seemed to go faster.

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