I had decided that I won’t come back to NM next summer.  With the cost of gas and my weak wrists it didn’t seem to make sense.  I stayed with Kabe on my way down in Cheyenne.  It was a great if very short stay.  Then on to Ft Collins.  I did two shows there.  It was supposed to be 91 and of course the shows were outdoors.  But when I arrived at the library it was cloudy and treating to rain.  One of the librarians told me not to worry.  Her husband had said that it would not rain.  So with that assurance, I set up my stage and did a morning show, went in search of lunch and shingle medicine and then did an afternoon show.  It did not rain but was cool because of the clouds.  Then on to Raton for the night.  As soon as I hit southern Colorado, my resolve that is was my last year in NM began to crumble.  Just before Trinidad to the west the mountains and meadows always shimmer if you are driving by them at sunset.  It takes my breath away.  I made it to Raton before dark and found the motel didn’t have airconditioning.  If it were to happen in NM it is best it happened in Raton.  By 10:00 it was fairly comfortable in the room. Although since the windows had to be opened my neighbor’s smoking outside the window was a second hand smoke fest.  By morning I was off to Bosque Farms.  I love that area.  And Sophita(the librarian)  and I are  friends.  Her  heart had almost killed her the year before.  She went to the hospital short of breath.  The doctor told her to go home and rest.  On the way out of the hospital she passed another doctor who stopped her and asked her where she was going.  She said her doctor had told her to go home.  This doctor said “You are not going anywhere but to bed”  It turned out that she had an very enlarged heart.  If she had gone home she would have died.  But this year she has not only received a clean bill of heath but she doesn’t have to go back for a full year.  Hooray.  She and her dog, Noel are the heart and soul of the Bosque Farms Library.    After my 1:30 show I drove to Alamogordo–stopping at the Owl Cafe in San Antonio for a chilli cheese burger.  When I got to Alamogordo it was 105.  Considering that we had hardly been above 80 in Spearfish, it was really HOT!

The next morning it was really hazy.  I found out later that there was a large fire in the White Sands area.  The show was in the Rec Center gym.  No air, 102.  I will acclimate sooner or later.  Ami is another amazing librarian down here.  She is single but always has foster kids.  This year she has five foster kids, three just went home.  One of the ones that went home had just recovered from MCSA (probably the wrong initials but that awful infection that can actually kill its victims).  She said that one evening after a bath she noticed a pimple near his knee.  by morning his knee was badly swollen and he could not stand on it.  Ami knew immediately what it was and raced him to the hospital.  She insisted that they take a blood test.  They didn’t think it was serious.  But it was.  He was put on really tough antibacterial medicine and drained the wound.  Any one who touch the wound or got near it has to scrub with soap.   After the show, I found gas for $3.79 and off to Las Cruses.  Sandy was really glad to see me.  She had heard the road was closed between  Alamogordo and Las Curces because of the fire.  But all was well.  The show is going well.   Las Cruces has one library for their large city.  And with the gas prices, they are considering suspending the book mobiles and reverting to mail.

The Wyoming Branch is the first of the Albuquerque showson Saturday.  It was a perfect day.  In the eighties, nice breeze.  I came out to Bob and Cindy’s after my show.  What a spectacular place they have.  We spent the late afternoon and evening outside around their outdoor table.  Couldn’t have been nicer.

I have two shows a day on Monday, Wednesday and Friday in Albuquerque with a show in Silver City on Tuesday and Tucumcari and Clovis on Thursday.  If I decide to come back next summer, I must discuss the price of gas with my booking manager–me.