A Good Resolution

We came into this position as we always do, with a positive, fun attitude. Usually, people do not bother us to the point of possibly leaving a position but this night cook drove us to just about ending our commitment. Staying someplace where we are not happy has always been something we had discussed that we would never ever again do, especially after that first year from hell.

We also are not the type of people to give an ultimatum, “either him or us”, so we proceeded to resolve the issues with him but instead he began to “sabotage” everything we did. At first, I thought Jerry was being a bit dramatic to use that term for what he was doing but once he quit, the owners used that term about how they could see what he was doing to us.

His personality was so strong and he had to be in charge of everything and everyone, including us. From the beginning this did not sit well with us since the owners were our boss and he was telling us things totally the opposite from what they were asking from us. It was such a big turmoil and as said earlier, we are not in this lifestyle to live under those stressful conditions.

This job is suppose to be fun, yes there was a learning curve but we surpassed that curve very quickly. The fun never began, the stress became higher and we made other arrangements to move on. Even though the other arrangements were working the way we absolutely love with so much travel, we were not financially ready to make that move but were ready to do it since we could not live with this stress any longer. Then fate stepped in. Just a few days prior to us giving our notice, he did instead. He has left and all is well.

Life doesn’t always go as planned but what it does give you is exactly what you need at that moment. Now, we can get that needed work on our rig and put away some extra cash for our future endeavors and my knee will have plenty of time to heal to it‘s fullest.

My Knee Is Better

Not yet at 100%, but pretty darn close. At least I can walk on it without my walking stick or any sort of real pain. It still aches, mostly after a day on my feet baking, but for the most part the knee is back to normal…yea!

Got through another work week and things just are not getting any better but we know it will all work out, it always does. Life is too short for things to stay in the muck for too long, we will find a way to make it fun or we will…

We did get away this weekend, but unfortunately we can never go too far since we really only get Sunday’s off, it’s a short day on Saturday but this week there were thunderstorms all around us and forecasted for more most of the next two days.

We did make a Wal-Mart stop and then to the Casino and had a play day…no big jackpot wins but we played for awhile and as usual had some fun and it’s always good to get away and just be us!

What a First Week

Working within the very structured regimen has been…well…challenging to say the least…but the worst is the constant changes. At one time we are told to be creative and then are told to do a certain thing and do not waiver. Those sentences are as confusing as our work here has been. The owners have a certain criteria they want to follow, but they are not sure exactly what that is, which is fine because after all they are the bosses and we can adjust. Unfortunately, they asked the night cook to “ASSIST” us so we can learn how to do things their way, but he doesn’t do it their way and the confusion goes on and on. Finally, they seen that he had taken control and things were going downhill fast and they asked him to back off, which did not sit well with him and things continue to be a bit tense but we made it through our first week with guests.

There were not many guests at the Ranch this week but it was nice to be able to see how things were going to be for the season with just the guest list and amount of guests to change, otherwise the menu will remain the same. I am doing most of the baking, Jerry does most of the cooking of breakfast and lunch but we help each other out all the time. We are doing a great job, we now, just have to work on our portion control. This too has been challenging because we have been told two very different sides of the spectrum, one we are not to run out of food and then another that if we do run out, oh well it’s their loss, actually another term was used but I cleaned it up.

Some of the other challenges have been improving, baking in the altitude is getting better, learning to adjust the recipes has not been that hard to do, but the equipment is still a tough one to deal with. The mixers are older than we are and not doing a good enough job blending the ingredients which makes it hard for recipes to turn out right. Don’t even talk to me about the ancient ovens, they all have a mind of their own and at times, one half of the oven doesn’t agree with the other half. This in some instances has been great, such as making cookies. Half of the tray is overly done and crunchy and the other half is still soft and gooey which satisfies many different types of cookie lovers. I kid you not, there were two guests eating from the same batch of cookies that complimented me on my cookies, one said, “These cookies are fabulous, nice and crunchy, just like I like them.“ And, the other guest stated, “These taste marvelous, and they are so chewy, just like I love them.“

There was one incident that I could have lived without. A plank in the walk-in cooler floor fell through and when I walked on it, my right knee twisted a bit but it was just a little pain and then I just made sure to be careful for the next few days. Then on Saturday we had some “Honey Do’s” to take care of around the rig and as I hoisted myself into the drivers seat to move the rig so we could cut the jungle we were surrounded by, my knee totally gave out, the pain was excruciating. I cried and I couldn’t put any weight on it at all. What a sight that has been bouncing around the rig, not pretty. Anyway, I am NOT a doctor person but it may come to that if it does not improve before work on Monday. Until then, I continue to put Icy Hot on it, wrapping it, taking plenty of Advil and am resting it. Which meant Jerry had to finish the “Honey Do” list and I have been stuck inside the rig for the weekend, but it’s now NASCAR Sunday and it is feeling a tiny bit better. It still hurts but I am no longer screaming in agony each time I put any weight on it, now there is just a cringe of pain. It is what it is!

Our First Outdoor Cookout

Every Tuesday for lunch, we will pack up our burgers, beans, salad and all other necessary equipment and head down to serve lunch down by the creek. We take one of the company trucks at around 10:30 in the morning, along with one of the dining crew and all our stuff and we drive the rough terrain down to the spot. What a gorgeous drive.

We fire up the barbeque; set up the food line and all the necessary stuff, we even start a campfire to boil up some cowboy coffee…ugh…really strong stuff!

My Famous Brownies - They are a big hit!

At around noon, the guests and wranglers show up from either the horse ride they were on or the few guests who did not go on the ride, they ride down in the vehicle made like a hayride, it‘s actually just a flatbed truck with seats. What a great time!

Lunch was served and off I went to take photos, we had a fabulous time, this is the best time we look forward to all week long, it’s a break in the routine of working in the kitchen day after day. There is another time when we set up for breakfast by the Teepee area, more about that later once we have done it.
We are having a great time and are learning so many great new things. What a big difference working on the ranch from working at campgrounds and cooking and baking instead of maintenance and office work. We are really finding new areas in our lives that we are learning more about daily, life always gives us what we need when we need it and growing from each one of those moments is outstanding for us.

Added more photos of the Ranch of today's adventure at our Picasa Web Albums…check them out!

Updating Our Current Adventure

This work has been challenging to say the least, baking at this altitude (8,000 ft) is hard enough to handle but adding to that is the age of some of the equipment we have to use is making it very difficult for things to turn out well. Mixers that do not have the speed left in them or ovens that are so unpredictable just makes it a bit more arduous. I have baked and cooked for many years, both professionally and personally. I have managed big and small restaurants and have worked in every position in these establishments for many years, so I am no stranger to the kitchen.



Life always gives you what you need, and we are taking each challenge as a stepping stone to learn more from every new situation. We were hoping to be able to be creative in our positions but that is not going to be the case, they have an exact way of doing things and we have learned that we can’t deviate from that plan, which is sad because there is so much that we can offer but are being stifled. In any case, we will adapt to doing things exactly as they want us to do since they are in charge, we only wish that they would all get on the same page. It makes it difficult to do what we are told, when what we are being told sometimes is two entirely different things, dependant on who is giving the instructions.



Last week, we baked cookies, lots and lots of cookies. They have a bottomless cookie jar for the guests, so baking them in advance and then freezing them so not to ever run out as they did last year is the goal. This week, we made sure there were almost 700 cookies in the freezer, now that is on top of all the other baking that is too be done. Cakes, pies, breads and so much more and all from scratch, we are definitely underpaid but as I said, we are meeting every challenge with an open heart and mind.



All of this baking and cooking has only been for the staff, the ranch will not even open until next week which will then add 20 or more guests for the first few weeks before having up to 60 guests on some of the weeks. Whew…tired just thinking about it, but as I said, we are meeting every challenge and as usual, learning from each and every one of them.



One way we ensure our steady focus is that we meditate regularly. Just the other day it was so magnificent to realize that our life is a meditation recording. When we got off of work, the weather was fabulous, it has been cold and snowy since we arrived, so we decided to sit out in our lounge chairs and enjoy the sunshine and 70 degree temperatures. As we both began to breathe in and breathe out the fresh air, we both went into a meditative state of consciousness. The sound of the birds singing, the wind howling around the mountains, the birds flapping their wings, the mules heehawing, the crickets chirping and the peaceful sounds of just being in nature were so inspiring. We have cd’s that we purchased with the same sounds that we listen to all the time during meditation, but it was so marvelous to be able to do it with nature instead. Life certainly has a way of keeping us centered, if and when we allow it to do.

Road Trip to Ignacio through Durango from Mancos

These photos do not begin to describe...

the beautiful...

magnificent...

and serene...


lifestyle we are blessed to be able to live.

For all the photos of our drive, go to our Picasa Photo Albums.

Colorado is such a beatiful state!

Our First Movie

We've had our video camera for quite awhile now but hardly use it due to the difficulty we have encountered when we attempted to upload the finished product. Apparently, it takes patience to upload a video, something that has never been one of my best attributes, but here it is.

Our first movie for publication is from our visit to Mancos State Park, located in Mancos, Colorado. The area is breathtaking, literally since it is 8,000' altitude, but also the scenery is fabulous.

Enjoy, we plan to share many more with you in the future.

Sky Ute Casino Resort

14324 Hwy 172 N.
Ignacio, CO 81137
970-563-7777

We paid $23.18 using our Good Sam discount; they also accepted AAA. We had an electric and water only site because we chose location instead and then used the dump station when leaving.

Other sites have sewer.

They offer no cable but included WiFi and full use of the pool, spa, exercise equipment, laundry facility and a few other freebies. The sites were on flat, concrete pads with picnic tables, barbeques, and an attached space for your tow vehicle.

The area was maintained nicely, the walk to the casino, restaurant, and pool area was just a few steps away.


We took advantage of the promotion by each of us signing up for a player’s card and we received $15 cash and $10 off our meals total.

The restaurant offered a free continental breakfast for staying in the RV Park. We had lunch at the buffet, not a wide variety of food, but what was there, was good. They offered a boneless chicken with a sauce that tasted as if it had barbeque, teriyaki and spicy sauce rolled into one, and it was scrumptious. The price was $10.95, $5.95 each with our discount, not sure if it would have been worth it if we did not have the discount due to the lack of choices.

The casino had a bigger table area then the slots area, might be a bit exaggeration but they were lacking in slot machines. The ceilings were high which helped with the smoking and with the entire environment, made it feel less congested. The machines played with us for awhile, not as long as we usually play and we never did get ahead. We will probably return during our stay in this area but nothing really stood out in this visit.

We have added an album at our Picasa Website from the Ranch. These are the photos we have taken so far, they will be updated as we take more and we will let you know when we add more.

It's Not Voodoo or Magic - It's Your Inner Spirit

When people begin speaking about your Inner Spirit, your Guides, your Connection, your Higher Good and on and on, many people begin to see it as some sort of cult, voodoo or magic, where your mind is brainwashed and you become a follower.

However, what I am speaking about is becoming a leader, a leader of your own life. The type of person who just knows that they are meant to do great things and all that you need to do is to just do them. Make the move daily to become more than you were the day before but at the same time knowing that you are marvelous just the way you are today.

Expand your comfort zone, actually take those dreams you have had since a young child and turn them into your reality. Stop putting them off until; you get a better job, a better car, more money, and all of the other excuses we use to wait for our dreams. Wait no longer and do it today.

Remember, when you were a young child, way before life began turning you sour against trying to go for it. Bring that child back and allow that child to tell you all about those dreams you left behind. Left behind because life and society convinced you that you could not do it. I am here to say, you can do them, all of them, even the ones that seem a bit strange, those are especially the most exciting ones.

As for how, it's really quite simple. Just do it! Stop complicating it all by thinking that you have to do it this way or that way or whatever, it's just not so. Believe that you have all the answers deep inside of you on how to make your dream come alive. Listen to yourself, reach out and do it. If it doesn't work, so what, get back up, listen to yourself again and try it again or try it another way but continue trying. Never, ever give up trying! Eventually, you will reach your goals and dreams and in the process you will most likely have made even higher goals and dreams to once again begin following.

Be sure to bask in the glory of accomplishing the first set of goals and dreams before venturing on to the next of them and have a great life.

Tequila’s Family Mexican Restaurant

Funny, how when the sun shines, we are always at our best. Even though we try to live everyday from a shiny place within ourselves, it ain’t always easy on a cloudy, dreary, rainy or snowy day. We are still learning.

Have you ever been so connected to life that it just feels right, knowing you are exactly where you are suppose to be? That is exactly where we are and continue to go every moment of this journey.

This adventure began a few months ago when we began the interview process for this job, we were not actively looking, nor were we in any hurry to find something, so we allowed life to take it’s course and it did quite nicely. The further into this we go, the more comfortable we feel that this experience was meant for us, it feels right from every element of our beings.

We arrived earlier than the others and even though it has been a slow week, with plenty of cold weather and not much to do around here, we know that is all about to change as we go forward.

We drove into Cortez, Colorado with Larry to meet up with Ernie and Carolyn Noia, the owners of the ranch to have dinner.

Tequila’s Family Mexican Restaurant

Not really sure if this website is associated with this particular location, since it is not listed under the locations, but the atmosphere and menu are quite similar.

1740 E Main Street

Cortez, Colorado

(970) 565-6868

The conversations were so exhilarating, we forgot all about taking photos.

As recommended by Ernie, we had the “Fajitas For Two”, shrimp and chicken was our choice, the portions were huge, the spice blends were fabulous and all the ingredients were done to perfection. The Mexican aroma filtered through and many of the workers spoke the language, which enhanced the authenticity of this place. Dinner prices were reasonable, just as long as you didn’t add margaritas to your bill, they were quite pricey, it has been a long time since we’ve had a margarita so the prices may be reasonable after all. If you are ever in the area and want a good meal at a good price, then we highly recommend this place.

Blue Skies & Deer

The cold, snowy weather is finally over. This morning the skies are blue, still on the cold side but higher temperatures are forecasted.

After posting our photos the past few days, we have received comments about the beauty of our backyard, these photos posted today will surely bring on many more comments about our wonderful backyard.

What a life…

But somebody has to live it…

We are so grateful that we chose to be one of the lucky ones.

Then they were gone!

Have you ever been someplace that was just too quiet? We think we found that place.

We arrived last week and were the first ones here besides the caretaker, Larry, who lives here year round. There are some homes in the area, it’s not like it’s hours away from civilization as many other places we have been were. Maybe it’s because nobody is on the ranch and once personnel begins to arrive this week, things will change. But, for now when we turn off the lights at night and go to sleep, we hear nothing. Not a car, not an animal, not a voice, nothing, just total silence. Then at the same time, it is so quiet, we hear every little noise that the RV makes during the night…funny how a little settling noise can be so loud in the middle of the night when there is no other noise to muffle it.

And, dark, so dark on a moonless and starless night that seeing a few steps in front of ourselves is almost impossible. There are no street lights and in the distance we can see lights of the homes in the area but there are only a few and far between.

For now we will enjoy the peacefulness and look forward to meeting all the workers and guests in the upcoming months. Being on a horse ranch instead of a campground will be different, and we look forward to exploring all the new and exciting adventures that will open up for us. Stay tuned for all the stories we will share and as usual, please continue to leave comments, suggestions and questions, we really do love hearing from you all.

Will It Ever Warm Up?

Woke up this morning to more of this white stuff.

The high today is only suppose to be 41, with the low of 29 tonight with more rain/snow coming. The good news is that beginning tomorrow and for the 10 day forecast, it’s going to be sunny with highs in the 60 to 70 range and lows in the upper 30’s to 40’s.

The many of you who know us, know that we do not like cold weather and really dislike snow. For the first few days, we attempted to make the most of it, but now 5 days into it, we are really edgy. We had been watching the weather up here closely before our arrival but this has been unexpected and definitely unwanted by us. But as usual, we will suck it up and make the most of it…after all if the weather channel is correct, the great weather is on it’s way.

Now that my ranting is over with, let me say. Thank you God! Looking at the weather across the country, we are a few of the lucky ones. We are not dealing with mounds of snow, severe thunderstorms, tornadoes, or torrential rains that are causing major flooding. For all you that are right in the middle of that, our prayers are with you.

Thank you…we do not have to go anywhere today…thank you…we can hold up in our warm rig all day…thank you…for our rig…thank you…for allowing us to grow and become more aware of all the really great things we do have and not always dwell on the bad stuff…thank you…the list goes on and on.

Old Man Winter Has Not Left Yet...

Where is spring in Colorado?  When we arrived on Monday, the temperatures were not so bad, highs in the 60’s, lows in the 40’s.

Well after a very windy night on Wednesday, the cold front came and is suppose to stay for the next 3 to 4 days, with highs only in the 40’s and lows in the 20’s. It snowed so hard yesterday there were times it was a total white out, most of it never stuck, we do have a bit of snow around but what is really hard to take is the temperatures that took a outrageous dip. However, by Tuesday it is suppose to have highs in the 70’s, lows in the 40’s, definitely can’t come soon enough for us. The first day with the wind and cold was tolerable, second day…well not so much but now that we are into the 3rd day of really cold temperatures and almost continuous white outs…well this is not at all what we like to see.

Jerry has been helping the maintenance guy get some things ready but I stayed hibernated in our rig for the past few days, catching up on my writing, reading and TV watching and that is the plan for the next few days for both of us.

A New Perspective

It was a rough night with gusty winds howling through the area. It is always a bit nerve-racking being in a new location and not knowing what to expect from the weather and remembering where we are located can at times sooth my apprehensiveness, especially when we are not in a threatening area, which we are not.

View from our back window this morning!

Researching for what to expect with the local weather in this area or any area has been a challenge. The normal conditions, such as how windy does it normally get, how severe are the storms and do they get tornadoes? These are just some of the questions we usually have when we get to a new location. If anyone has a website they go to for this information, please send us the link.

Our site for the next few months!

In my search for finding what I am passionate about, I have discovered that I love photography, writing, music, writing music, traveling, NASCAR and so many other things, but have now discovered that there is a big difference in what I love doing and what I am passionate about.

This morning I came across an article that got my blood boiling,  “When Do You Say Something About How Another Mom Treats Her Kids in Public?”

Due to the extensive abuse I suffered as a child, I have discovered that I am very passionate about ever allowing it to happen to another child. Again, still not sure what it is I need to be doing but I now know that it has to do with children and abuse. It needs to stop.

There should not be one child on this earth that should have to endure this kind of pain. Parents are suppose to protect the children; they are suppose to teach children that this sort of behavior is not normal and children need to know that they should never tolerate it from anyone, even their parents. Yes, children need discipline but clearly that line was crossed in this and many other situations. Ridiculing, kicking, yelling, smacking, punching, shoving, and threatening harm to them are just a few absolute no-no’s when disciplining children.

It makes me ashamed to know that any adult could just stand by and do nothing while an innocent child is being abused. There are no excuses for this sort of behavior, and yes it is a fine line to walk to make sure that we do not become abusive ourselves. We all need to step up and go that extra mile to help prevent this from happening and make everyone aware that this is not normal behavior.

If I ever encounter anything close to the behavior that the author witnessed, I would like to think that I would step up and do all that I could to stop this from happening again. I also know that I do not want to wait around to see if this sort of event ever happens in my presence. There is something more that I can do today, suggestions are truly welcomed because it is time for me to share the pain that I endured as a child. Not because my parents were monsters, but because I was raised by parents who were also abused and it was all they knew.

This sort of pattern needs to stop once and for all. It is not a legacy that any generation should be proud to pass on. Let’s join together to put an end to this and please tell me that you would not be one of those adults that just stood by and watched it happen!

Be You!

What the world tells you is to be like everybody else. What the world needs is for you to be you. -- Ralph Marston -- Creator of “The Daily Motivator”

Every morning we saturate our minds with the best possible scenerios with a little help from some websites that we have been following.

We try to be open to all the possibilities, even though at times they sound so outrageous. This morning took some extra persuasion to open my mind when I read this article, “Kill Your To Do List”.

The writer suggested that we wake up in the morning, and decide what One Thing we were excited about and then focus on doing that, pushing everything else aside, clearing distractions, and allowing ourselves to get caught up in the moment.

Is he serious? There is no way I could do this.

What about all the things I have to do?

What about…?

And, how can I…?

Oh, and let’s not forget…?

All these thoughts began to take over and I thought this would be such a stupid way to live my life. Nothing would ever get done. Exactly…right?

Nothing would get done except what totally needed to get done in this very moment because after all there is only this moment.

On my death bed, would I regret, not fixing the bed those few times?

Or, leaving the dishes for the morning?

Or, would I regret not taking that time to take a long walk in the woods taking photos of the surrounding nature?

Or, would I regret not taking that time to snuggle next to the man I love instead?

Or, would I possibly regret not giving my passions of photography and writing my full attention?

Or, would I regret not achieving the satisfaction from living this moment to my fullest potential?

Living a good life, is living my life from deep inside myself and doing all I can to do it with enthusiasm and excitement. The sooner we all begin living our lives from that core of passion within, the sooner we will all become all that we are meant to be and then our world will be the best it can be.

Entering Colorado

Our first time as a couple going into Colorado, many years ago, Jerry traveled this route but we can now cross it off “our” bucket list. We crossed the state line and stayed overnight in Colorado and will be hanging out for a few months working as Chefs at a Dude Ranch.

From Camp Verde RV Resort we headed north on I-17, through Flagstaff, Arizona where there was still some snow and lots of frost on the ground and roads.

Once through Flagstaff we took US-89 N until...

Taking US-160 E into Colorado. This road at times was so rough, we had things flying around the rig, other times the road was like silk.

The views were spectacular with the mountains in all shapes and sizes, the animals, cows on the road, wild horses running free and of course the sheep and one particular animal we are not sure exactly what it was, we think it might have been some sort of Alpaca. Many of our photos didn’t turn out, not really the best way to take a photo while driving down the highway but we keep trying and some really turn out great.

While we are here, we have added several new items to our “Bucket List”. Horseback riding, white water rafting and visiting Four Corners and Mesa Verde NP, just to name a few.

Our Contribution to the RV Lifestyle

RV Lifestyle Experts, Jaimie Hall Bruzenak and Alice Zyetz just launched their new book, Retire to an RV: The Roadmap to Affordable Retirement Living and we were a part of it. Yes, it all began quite awhile ago, but we knew it would manifest itself eventually and it did.

If you choose to purchase this or any of their books, please, click here to visit Pine Country Publishing.

Thanks Jaimie, you have been a great part of our lifestyle, from your interview with us while we were on our first job at the Kaibab Lodge at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon to today of launching your new book that includes our contributions.

This was my favorite photo of the day, this is a view through a window not a painting or framed photo!

These windows are where the previous photo was taken!