Casa Blanca

Today was a long day for us here in Ruidoso.  For some reason I woke up around 5:30 a.m. and couldn't fall back asleep.  What a horrible start to the day.  LOL  Rather than rumble around the place and wake up everyone else I got dressed and hit the road.

First stop was at a local convenience/gas station for my morning coffee.  I got to chatting with the two ladies behind the counter and found out they had moved from Nevada & Texas to Ruidoso within the last 9 months.  They had visited Ruidoso during the summer and fell in love with the place and moved their families here.  Now they were regretting the move since the cost of living is so high and the pay scale is so low.  They both had good attitudes so I am sure they will adjust and love it around here.

I drove over to where one of the large forest fires came right to the edge of town to see how bad it was.  It was bad.  I imagine there was a lot of concern on those living here while these fires raged.  I hadn't brought my camera and that was the first time I missed not having it.  Later on during the ride I watched the sunrise over the town. The mountains to the west lit up first and were beautiful with their snow tops glistening in the early morning sunlight.

Later in the day Gerry, Judy, Herb and I met Russell & Karen for lunch at the Casa Blanca restaurant.  Gerry and I first discovered this place in 2001 on one of our visits out west.  

Gerry at Casa Blanca 2001

 We met Russell and Karen in 2006 on another of our trips to the Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta while at the Santa Rosa State Park east of Albuquerque.  They were our neighbors there and had just begun full timing in their 5th wheel camper and we hit it off with them right away.  Over the years we have run into them a number of times and always enjoy visiting with them.

Since they were in the area, I contacted him and we set up the lunch date at the restaurant.  We all had a few drinks and enjoyed the large portions of food served.  Since it was after the busy part of the lunch rush, we were able to sit around and chat for a couple hours and get caught up on what was going on with them.  They recently became grandparents for the second time and there is another one on the way later this summer.  

It was 4:30 by the time we left the restaurant and went our ways.  The 4 of us toured a little around town and then went back to their house for some more chatting and relaxing.  Russell & Karen went back to their campground after the luncheon.