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Isabell went for a sleep over at Niamh's hous...
December 21, 2008 by Robbie in Cortez
Isabell went for a sleep over at Niamh's house today so I could go to a co-workers birthday party. I'm just realizing that half of Santa Fe smokes dope. No one at the party did this of course, but mention of previous parties obvious had this element. It was fun to talk to my other teaching partners and learning the gossip of the directors. Obviously no one is fond of Nancy nor Stephanie. All of the teachers are frustrated and are eventually leaving in the next few years.
I left around 11:00 drove back to Penasco where they had their version of a Rave. I stopped by to check it out and stayed for over an hour dancing and having fun. It's amazing to see all of the different people who show up for this. Not the hippie type but the funky type who listen to techno rave music. I saw one of my parents from Dragonfly School there, it's kind of strange seeing a parent going wild on the dance floor. Know when I see her at school, I'll have a different vision of her.
I'm going to pay for this tomorrow morning that's for sure.
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When I arrive in Oregon next week, please
December 19, 2008 by Robbie in Cortez
When I arrive in Oregon next week, please...please...I don't want any family drama. I just want a quiet week, where I can get up in the morning, enjoy a cup of coffee, with rum, watch a bunch of sappy Christmas movies and enjoy being with family.
Thursday was so mind boggling at work, I have no idea how I survived. I got to work, and I realized I needed to sign up for an early childhood class for January and the registration date was yesterday. There's scholorship forms to fill out, and expensive classes to take, and the whole enchilada. The kids were on speed, it started to rain, and it ruined all of the beautiful snow. The whole school prepared food for all of the animals in our school yard, so we had kids all over the place make projects, but half of them were bored and were running all over the place. We had an inside recess with all of the kids running wild. I really wanted to go and hide.
I finally managed to leave around 2:30 so I could drive to Taos to finally pick up my Subaru. This has been a hastle for over a month trying to get my car out. I did get 10% off my deductable. My rental car was quite expensive, and I then rushed home to watch Isabell in school winter performance. When I got there, they canceled it do to the weather.
However, things went a little better. We Had pizza at Sugar Nymphs, a bistro in Penasco. While there, a family came in and they have game night every Thursday. They invited Isabell and I to play Scrabble, and it was really fun to play with them.
Today has a half day of school, and I'm off for the holidays, so I will go in and help Isabell with her party. Her friend Niamh will be coming over for a sleep over, and then on Saturday, Isabell will go over there and have a sleep over, so I can go to Sagitarius birthday party at one of my co-worker's house. Should be fun.
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Do you know that feeling of trying to please ...
December 17, 2008 by Robbie in Cortez
Do you know that feeling of trying to please everybody and you seem to fail miserably every time. Arlene is a lot like that. I try so hard to keep the house clean, I shovel the parking area, and I break my back doing everything to be polite, however Arlene always finds a way to be disappointed. I shoveled for an hour and half, trying not to put snow in her parking area. (We all share a parking area.) I thought I did a pretty good job...then Arlene and Anne are shoveling later on, and she tells me I shouldn't be blocking her area. Wow...watch the air come rushing out of a balloon. I was so proud at what I did and then this. I know I shouldn't worry about what she thinks, but it's hard since I like to please people.
I ventured out today and made it to the post office and sent off all of my Christmas cards and presents. I actually did Christmas cards this year. Amazing! I can hear the angels singing "HALLELUAH!" Anyway, I drove 10 miles an hour and eventually made to and from the Post Office in under six hours. Just kidding. All I want for Christmas is a sleigh and eight minature reindeer. Horses will work fine too. If your still wondering what to get me, I'd like the Planet Earth DVD set, and all of the Charlie Brown DVD holiday set. If that is too hard, I'll settle for Peace on Earth and Goodwill to all men.
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No School Today! No School Today! We are snow...
December 16, 2008 by Robbie in Cortez
 No School Today! No School Today! We are snowed in, with more than seven inches of snow on the ground. Sipapu Ski area eight miles down the road reported 18" of new snow in twelve hours. Taos Ski Valley reported 20" of snow. It seems that all of Taos is closed today, with people calling in and saying they are closed.
Seraph leaves for Portland today, and I hear that Portland is also covered in snow today! I hope she will fare well in this winter wonderland.
Yesterday the roads were in poor condition, and Seraph and I left the house at 7:30, and when we were close to Las Trampas, our car started to slide and we were lucky enough to slide into a snowbank. We tried to dig ourselves out for a half an hour without any luck. Several nice people stopped by to say that they would drive down the road and call a tow truck. Finally a snowplow drove by and the man was nice enough to pull us out. I was very grateful for the help and we were on our way driving 20-25 miles an hour.
Two hours later we finally arrived in Santa Fe, where I dropped off Seraph at the bus station, where she took the bus down to Albuquerque. I went to work, and all of the child were so happy to see me that they all rushed over and hugged me. I think it was such a relief to get to work that tears almost rolled down my cheeks when the children came rushing up to me. Love those kids! The snow didn't let up, and by 12:30, Santa Fe Public Schools finally dismissed school early. I left school around 1:30pm and headed home. When I approached Espanola, the roads cleared up, and the hills and land around it were only snow dust covered. It still amazes me at how many micro climates this area has. At around four I picked up Isabell at school and came home and relaxed.
Today I will be wrapping presents, writing cards and walking to the post office and sending off presents.
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Tonight was Las Posadas on a cold and chilly ...
December 15, 2008 by Robbie in Cortez
 Tonight was Las Posadas on a cold and chilly night in Vadito. It was the first Posadas here in a long time, and the community got together and did a fantastic job of putting it together. Poor Mary, was cold, but put on a brave face as she and a much older Joseph went door to door to see if there was any room for them. Finally at the community center the weary travelers were let in and a fiesta celebrated their arrival. It was really nice to be able to attend the first Las Posadas, and it felt very personal, as there was a small but brave band of followers on this first Christmas miracle.
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Winter has descended upon us in a cold and sn...
December 14, 2008 by Robbie in Cortez
Winter has descended upon us in a cold and snowy hurry. Seraph now has a job up at Sipapu Ski area, where she works in the rental office. When she left for work on Saturday there was another couple of inches of snow on the ground. Isabell and I went to town had breakfast at Michaels, went to the library and went Christmas shopping. We spent the whole day going in and out of shops until I was satisfied that I bought all of my presents. We all so took our time and finished all of our laundary that needed to be done.
Seraph was suppose to call us around three and meet us in Taos to go and see Twilight once again. At 4:25 when she didn't call, I was getting concerned about her, and horrible images sprang to my mind of Seraph stuck in a snow bank. Isabell and I raced up the mountain, and a huge sigh of relief escaped from me, as I saw her small gold Kia pass me. I turned around and we raced back to Taos. We find out that Arlene had kept Seraph later than she was suppose to work, and Seraph was not to happy about this. We missed the first fifteen minutes of the movie, and I would have been happy missing it, however Isabell really wanted to see it again, and we really didn't miss much at all.
We woke this morning with wind whistling down the stove pipes and snow drifting over the house. Seraph had to work this today, but she will take a break and come to church, so we can read the advent scripture today. I hope this job works out, Arlene is a sweet woman, but tends to be all over the place, and forgets that Seraph needs to be somewhere on time. Seraph really only wants to work part time during the week. Arlene has other ideas, and wants Seraph to replace Arlene as the assisant manager of the shop. I told Seraph if this becomes to much, that she could always find another job. Some how, it will all work out.
The nights have been beautiful here with the full moon illuminating the snow and leaving long dark shadows transversing the land. When you walk out around nine o'clock, it feels as if night has become day and the moon has become the sun. It's so beautiful seeing all of this snow and I'm still amazed at all of the wonderful cloud formations. Yesterday, as we headed back to Taos after finding Seraph, the mountains were shrouded in an orange mist from the setting sun and it all felt so surreal!
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We woke to six inches of snow this morning, a...
December 09, 2008 by Robbie in Cortez
 We woke to six inches of snow this morning, and it was a winter wonderland. Trees, roof tops, and cars buried in powdery snow, I haven't seen snow like this in a long time. Of course all schools were canceled or two hour delay in the Taos vicinity. So, I expected Santa Fe to be on the same schedule, but there was no such luck. They only got a few snow flurries, and school was on schedule. I tried my darnest to get out of the drive way, however my rental car started slipping and slidding, and there was no way I could get out. I called several subs, and finally found one who could come in and cover for me for the day.
Isabell had a two hour delay,and took the bus in, and poor Seraph and I are snowed in with no place to go. We'll have to figure something out to do. Maybe a nice winter walk, read books by a cozy warm fire, play a rousing game of chess, or snuggle and drink hot chocolate. Wow, what a way to spend a snowy day. Sorry, Oregonians, I wish I could send snow your way.
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This has been an exciting week with Seraph su...
December 06, 2008 by Robbie in Cortez
This has been an exciting week with Seraph surprising us on my birthday on Monday. It's a strange feeling having the full family back together, when it was only Isabell and I for three months. The great things is that I can leave for work earlier and come home earlier. When I first started working, I was contracted to work from 8:30am to 4:00pm, however I get to work at 7:45 and finish the day at 3:15. It's nice coming home to have my family back and enjoy the evening with Seraph.
I forgot to mention a very memorable disasterous birthday dinner I had with my mom, dad, Carolyn, Teresa, John, and Isabell last Friday evening. We had a wonderful day shopping around Taos Plaza, and eventually wondered back to the hotel where my dad and Carolyn were staying at. We had a few drinks while we waited for our reservations. At 6:00pm, we all sat down to enjoy a fine dinner. My dad let me order anything on the menu, so I ordered a $72 kobe steak meal. While the rest had ordered bison, ribs, and lamb shops. When the meal arrived, all of us wore stunned looks as we eyed the small portions of meat, vegetables, and french fries. The meal took up only 20% of the plate, and then when we tried cutting the meat it was tough and dry. We were so upset over the meal that we complained to the manager and we refused to pay for the meal. Luckily we had had a few drinks before hand, and saw the humor in all of this. In the process, we warned a few arriving customers, and they fled into the night. We left, and went to Ogalvies Restuarant on the plaza and had great deserts. One birthday meal I will not forget in a long time.
Today, we got our first half cord of wood, and stacked it up against our outside walls. I felt like country boy out there with our warm clothes, hiking boots, and gloves as we stacked the wood. We had a mix of cedar and pinon wood, and the heart of the cedar was colored egg plant. It is so beautiful that one doesn't want to burn it. We have another load coming in next week. Since Seraph has been here, we burned more wood that I have in the last month. It will take Seraph a little longer to adapt to the cold crisp weather here.
Tonight, Isabell had her Winter Trapezee Recital at the Penasco theater. I was amazed at how much they have learned in such a short time. Isabell did really well, and I was impressed by the artistry of all of the kids. I love living here, and seeing all of the fun activities that they have for all of the kids. They try so hard to make this a family friendly town, and I am very grateful for this.
We will be taking care of Eric and Shaun's chickens while they travel to California. In exchange, we will get fresh eggs. There are so many advantages of living out here!
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I awoke to my first NM snow this morning
December 03, 2008 by Seraph in Cortez
 I awoke to my first NM snow this morning. I managed to remember all of my safe snow driving tips while taking Isa to school. Hopefully folks were not too ticked at the newbie while I crawled along at 25mph! I did tell Isa that here you get a white Chirstmas, but at least the snow disapears with winter!
I head back to PDX on 12/16, and Isa & Robbie will be coming back on 12/22. Much love & wamth to all until then.
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