Cortez to Durango July 27, 2026

 

Tai in his backyard overlooking the little canyon.

I drove car behind the truck full of stuff…between Cortez and Durango.

Filled out forms, and brought first furniture in from U-Haul

My super son, he did most of the lifting, carrying and stacking…what a guy!

He did have 2 friends chip in to help. I gave them some lunch money.

Feeling very grateful. I found the two boxes out of twenty which had the espresso machine and the coffee.  

My hand is on the handle of the little cart which I’ve had for 20 years, and it’s taken pottery and now breathing equipment from place to place. We’re in our new home!

Thankful Thursday again!

 

If I don't comment for a while, I'm pushing things into boxes. Taking boxes to thrift stores or the garbage! Or piling up the ones to keep and take to Colorado in a bit more than a week. My brain is fried.

Sharing with Thankful Thursday!

And near where my son lives in Cortez CO...

Lightning sparked the Long Canyon fire in Mesa Verde National Park on Monday, shutting down some of the park's popular attractions, the National Park Service said.

The Ferris Fire has moved south from Delores County into Montezuma County as of July 8 - the county where my son's home is.

“Be a nuisance where it counts. Do your part to inform and stimulate the public to join your action. Be depressed, discouraged, and disappointed at failure and the disheartening effects of ignorance, greed, corruption and bad politics—but never give up.”

~ Marjory Stoneman Douglas

Did you know that?

 

The historic Clearwater sloop was not allowed to participate in the ships parade in NY harbor on July 4, 2026. It took part in the bicentennial sail parade in 1976!  The banners on its sail say "Indigenous Rights, Racial Justice, and Climate Solutions."

 

"In 1966, folk singer Pete Seeger and a group of activists decided to “build a boat to save the river,” envisioning that a sloop would bring people to the shoreline and inspire a movement to protect the Hudson River. Three years later, Clearwater set sail with a mission to save the Hudson through education, advocacy, and sailing. Today, Hudson River Sloop Clearwater remains resolute in this mission, and to date, more than half a million people have had the life-changing experience of sailing aboard the Clearwater. Learn more: https://www.clearwater.org/ "

Clearwater sailing in the 1976 Bicentennial. Credit: Nick DeWolf

The Hudson River Sloop Clearwater posted this:

"We’ve been moved by the outpouring of support, solidarity, and messages we’ve received over the past several days from across the Hudson Valley and beyond.

After being invited to participate by event organizers of Sail4th 250, Clearwater sailed in the July 3rd Class B Parade, and commenced sailing in the July 4 Parade of Sail. About an hour after the parade began, Clearwater was directed by the U.S. Coast Guard to leave the parade route. When asked why, they cited the presence of banners reading "Save the Clean Water Act" and "Indigenous Rights, Racial Justice, Climate Solutions.” Neither the participation agreement nor the Captain's Handbook prohibited these banners, and we were never given the option to remove them and continue participating.

To learn more about what happened and how the day unfolded aboard the sloop, read our open letter from Executive Director David Toman and Captain Rory Kane.

Read the letter: https://www.clearwater.org/.../sail4th-250-parade-of.../

For more than 55 years, Clearwater has sailed the Hudson River carrying people, music, and a message of clean water, environmental stewardship, and hope. That work continues every time we set sail. Thank you for being part of this community and for standing with us."

Over 400 members of the Patriot Front neo-Nazi group march through Washington D.C. on the 4th of July. They're from Texas.

A bit of North Carolina lore and there's Black Mountain!

Helen, Linda and Judy take part in a conversation at Ole's Guacamole for lunch on Tuesday. Of course I'd only known Teresa and Helen would be there! Nice surprise to see others too, as a kind of going-away gathering.

Teresa and myself!

My lunch, chicken with spinach and mushrooms in a creamy sauce with rice...Pechugua Fundida

Teresa's salad, Rosita. I got a couple of the shrimp. That's what friends do!

Relief and working

 It's like the drain which has been stuck has finally been released.

The manager emailed that I can move in on the date we wanted to (last week of July) and she said that I can sign the lease on that day and pay the rent starting that day! So Durango it is!

Whoo hoo!

I notified all my family and friends (and now you!) that I'm moving to Durango!

I'm so relieved that they figured things out so well! (Finally!)

And now I've got a zillion boxes half full, trying to figure out how books and silverware and dishes and clothes and pottery will all go together to be stacked in a little U-Haul truck in a bit over a month.

And having a real address to forward mail and so forth, I can actually give my notice here at the present apartment...a bit more than 30 days. But I know someone will move into this place quickly. The present management also won't charge me for the remaining month on my lease, because of the demand. I waited a year to get this apartment, and just the same for the one in Durango. Having some housing for low-income seniors is a premium need everywhere.

Hey real-estate people who've been building MacMansions teetering on the highest slopes of the mountains...there are a zillion people turning 70 and 80 who need a place to live. We survived lots and saved and paid our social security, and now there's not much money left to match the life left (with or without medical needs!)

And I'm working again...moving throughout the apartment with different tasks about half completed. There's a packed tupperware tub on the bed, ready to be put on the floor in the dining area. But first I need to vacuum that carpet. I just moved the table out to the middle of the floor so I can start stacking boxes and tubs over at the wall in the dining area. And the passthrough needs to be cleared off, with all that stuff to pack, then clean the passthrough well. It's not been touched for quite a while. So it should be the first thing to do.

But I've also only packed some books that remain...there are pottery books to give to the studio where I used to work. And some for the library, and perhaps some for a "little library." So it's time to get going back to work!

So what has gone down the drain (which was plugged up?) My anxiety while waiting for this manager and all her "rules." There's about a handful of anxiety still left, since I haven't signed a lease yet...and we do have over 1700 miles to drive pulling the car behind the truck and stay overnight in motels. Tai will fly here and has a couple of friends who will help load the truck. 

Also I feel the relief across my shoulders and neck...things are going to work out. Right now the google mail app keeps telling me its "update failed." So I will copy and paste this again if need be...hope that works!

Signing off for today. Will post some words and images probably from the internet every day if I don't do my usual coffee and blog reading! Who am I kidding. Coffee and blogs get my blood going in the morning!

Sharing with Thankful Thursday

Celebrating new life

 Another month begins today. May you have all your wishes come true, rabbit rabbit!

By Charlie Tefft

by Christiana Biaggge

Beginnings by Sally Strand

By Jade Beale photography

'Hope, II' (1907-08, oil, gold and platinum on canvas) Gustav Klimt

by Colleen Barry (American, born 1981)

Gustav Klimt

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Good news! I have been approved for an apartment in Colorado! Now I need to follow each step to move there. It may be the biggest challenge of my life. It sure feels like that at this place, standing at the bottom of the steps that need to be accomplished to attain my goal. Here's how I feel right now. The artist uses small pieces of paper for each stripe of color. I thought I'd saved it...

From FaceBook

Spur of the moment

 What fun, its a Tuesday with differences.

First it rained, and is due to all morning! Even a smattering of lightning!

Second, I don't have a blog ready to go in the middle of the night, so I woke up, fixed breakfast, and sat down at the computer to write y'all. Immediacy. Take a bite, slurp a sip of coffee. Mmm. Write a sentence while chewing/swallowing.

OK, that's pretty dull.

Look out the window at wet wet wet happy leaves, branches, grasses, walks. Oops, best change to shoes that are more waterproof when I go out. Yes, I can't stay inside and dry. Have an appointment in a couple of hours in Asheville. A big doctor. Literally. I will meet one of his associates today, not the big doc. I met him while hospitalized 3 weeks ago. But I have faith (isn't that a strange word for medical care) that he knows (or she today) what infectious diseases do to one.

So I'll carefully drive my toadstool self (having grown mold in my lungs yet again) down the interstate to his office, which is behind the building. I had an address and went looking for it the other day, because I had an extra 15 minutes before an appointment. Located behind a strip mall of shops. Interesting pseudo tudor architecture. I can't help but wonder... What does this say about a medical practice?

At pulmonologist's check out I made my next appointment, and found it decorated for some island fun.

I did request someone to put on the faux grass skirt and do a Hulu. No takers. I left humming Don Ho.

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Yesterday I spent the whole afternoon readying an updated application for an apartment near my son in Colorado. Copying the documents, then scanning the pages after they were filled out...and following the commands for each document to be saved for who knows what. Just so I have a copy. I felt cross-eyed and confused by the time I was finished.

Then I searched for a pulmonologist near where I'm hoping to move. There are a few within one office, and one other affiliated with a different practice. But they listed 25, and had to go 200 miles to fill in that many pulmonologists. No thanks! I'm happy to see the specialists who are taking new patients. I'll call to see how long a wait it is to get in for a first visit.

Then I had a good visit with my son and daughter-in-law via facetime on the phone. I caught them up with the pulmonologist visit that had started my day yesterday. She had not only answered all my questions post-hospitalization for pneumonia, she gave me a few new things that will be helpful. 

She's the one that started me searching for my Colorado specialists. And she told me my oxygen that I currently have can travel with me because the home health agency is nation-wide. That's in case I need it. Moving to a higher altitude may pose a greater need for oxygen, at least until I adjust to thinner air. I'm simply happy the air won't be humid every night...since dry air provides most comfort for my breathing with bronchiectasis. I will always cough to clear mucus from my lungs, but I do hope to get rid of the mold I'm currently infected with (unless the antibiotic finally killed it!)

Pam (pulmonologist) also suggested that I try doing some of the rehab exercises at home which I formerly did at the gym. Of course I have a video or two, and smiled, yes, I can do that! But will I?

Environmental change is my middle name. I have lived in this apartment 10 years, and am not too happy with the dampness when it rains or each night living in mountains.  Oh and it's going to get down to freezing again this weekend! Whew, they always have said last frost here is Mother's Day. My plants are all outside on balcony or front porch, so I'll either cover them or leave things to chance. I don't plan to move them to CO anyway. 

Last evening I was able to still see the ridge across the valley. It has disappeared completely today, and with the lovely maple leaves, will not come back into view until October probably.

Hope your Tuesday is simply wonderful, whether wet or dry weather, and with maybe some of your intentions met for you!

Rhododendrons at the pulmonologist's office.