ON THE ROAD...

Roswell, NM -- ... to recovery, that is. Mom is making great strides now that she's home. She is still on oxygen but is getting up and dressed on her own.

We gave her a silly marine whistle that sounds like a goose to call us when she needs help in the night. She rarely needs it now and instead uses it to scare the bejeezus out of us when we least expect it. That's progress.

tamale |təˈmälē|
noun
a Mexican dish of seasoned meat wrapped in cornmeal dough and steamed or baked in corn husks.

Chip has discovered the tamale. He now orders at least one everywhere we go.

sopaipilla |ˌsōpīˈpēyə| (also sopapilla |ˌsōpə-|)
noun
(esp. in New Mexico) a deep-fried pastry, typically square, eaten with honey or sugar or as a bread.

I have rediscovered the sopaipilla. They are what makes New Mexico the Land of Enchantment.

enchilada |ˌen ch əˈlädə|
noun
a rolled tortilla with a filling typically of meat and served with a chili sauce.

WRONG. In New Mexico we don't roll enchiladas. We make them flat and put a fried egg on top.

Chip and I are making the most of our time here, the most weight gain.

Long live the green chile.

FEELING GROOVY

"I feel like we're motoring through deep water," I told Chip today. Not like flying at full speed, but a strong, steady pace. After months of feeling totally aground, this is a new and suspect feeling. Watch for shoals.

We met with Ted and Nancy and their contractor to help work out a little snag in the contract. The meeting went great.

Our pace is steady.

The four of us spent the afternoon shopping with Uncle George and Aunt Peggy, and like good, "active adults," zipped into the Texas Roadhouse in time to get the $7.99 early-bird dinners. ;-) And speaking of active adults, as we were leaving the restaurant, I noticed we had lost Nancy, Ted and Peggy.

"Chip, you better come see this!" I yelled.

Nancy, at 4'11" and 80 years old, had climbed up on the saddle by the hostess stand. Fueled by a strawberry margarita, she was laughing so hard she was having trouble with the dismount. Yee haw.

Our active elders then took us to the casino.

Chip put in one quarter, spun five gold bells and won $129.

No shoals in sight!

NORTH BY NORTHWEST

Starting point: Kill Devil Hills, NC
Ending point: Bridgeville, DE

After a week of trepidation about the very thought of buying a boat, today we drove north by northwest in utter peace.

All week I had been suffering from a breakout on my neck that was getting worse and worse, due in part to the anxiety about buying a boat. We were both wondering -- without telling each other -- if the breakout was telling us to postpone our trip.

I went to the emergency clinic Saturday and was diagnosed with contact dermatitis. They gave me steroids and said I'd be better in 48 hours. They were wrong. I was better in 12 hours. Let's go!

Leaving the Outer Banks was like turning a corner into smooth, clear waters. We both feel complete peace about where we are headed and whatever we might find there.