Pattycake and the Three Bears in "Bearadise"

We had a wonderful and leisurely drive from Crested Butte to Raton, New Mexico. We took the back roads to avoid the traffic and were able to enjoy some really beautiful mountain scenery. It was lunchtime when we arrived in Raton, so we stopped at the El Portal Hotel and had a light lunch.

When we made the move from Raton to Arlington, I went ahead of Frank with Franklin, who was 2 years old and Courtney who was then 9, and Frank and Jim, our eldest son moved into the El Portal Hotel for 2 months while Frank closed out his practice and Jim completed elementary school. He graduated from the 6th grade and we then started a new life with Frank back in school at Baylor Dental School in Dallas specializing in Orthodontics and our little family was back together again in Arlington.

We drove around Raton looking at his original office here where he practiced so MANY years ago and our wonderful little church where Jim was confirmed and Franklin was baptised. We them passed by Goat Hill where they have an annual Christmas Pageant every year. This landmark overlooks Raton from one of the highest peaks in town and at night the sign lights up and the star is red, white and blue during the year. At Christmastime it has white twinkle lights on it.

We arrived at Bearadise which is a wonderful house that our friends bought for us to stay in, and they furnished it the way they knew would like it. I have my own computer, central air, a 60' plasma TV, 3 bedrooms 2 baths and an office/study. It's wonderful and everything in here is brand new. They named it "Bearadise" since we are in the mountains and the black bears come down to the house. Our little house is right down the hill from the main house which sits on top of a mountain. Larry is a scientist and just returned from 3 weeks in Europe lecturing. He works closely with the U.S. Government on secret projects. He and Frank leave tomorrow for the San Juan and 5 days of fly fishing. They do this 2-3 times every year.

Speaking of Larry, today is his birthday, so after we got settled in Bearadise, we went to Trinidad, Colorado to have a birthday celebration. We went to a place called Black Jack's and had wonderful steaks and good, iced cold beer. Bev and Larry's son, Jerry and his fiance joined us and we had a wonderful evening.

Frank and Larry head for the San Juan for 4 days of fly fishing early in the morning, so we were in bed before 11:00 so they can get an early start. Since it's nearly 400 miles away, they want to leave early so Frank can have one more enchilada fix in Santa Fe as they pass through before we leave the Land of Enchantment next week. I hope he has double enchiladas and thinks of me ;-)

I plan on spending a lot of time painting while he's gone. I have the perfect spot out on the patio overlooking a beautiful grove of pine trees. Keep your fingers crossed for me that no bears come to visit me here while I'm here in Bearadise.

Pcasso