Livin' and lovin' the trailer park life!

" Mexico in February isn't at all like the Pacific Northwest in February," Captain Obvious.

The beautiful CASONA is where we stayed for 4 days.  This is the latest project our brother Steve was responsible for at the Patron Tequila factory in Atoetonilco, Jalisco, Mexico

Every night Mariachi Moya came and blew the lights out! They were the best singers and entertainers.

People come here as guests of Patron.  This company prides itself in taking care of it's employees and the environment.  Everything is done by hand.  It could be completely automated,  but they want to employ and support as many workers as they can.  

It was wonderful to come together as siblings, otherwise known as "PEEPS".  After our terrible January, losing two family members, we got to be together and help cheer each other up.  Like only family can do.  From left to right, Annie, Mary, Ruthie and Steve. We all put our names, along with other visitors,  on a special tree of life.  

A special drink, costing around $7,500.00.  It's mostly from the bottle which is Lalique from France.

Bryan, Gwen, Mark and Doug- our best halves.

Steve gave us a tour of the factory.  These are the hand cut and stacked agave 'pinas' after steam cooking.

Barrels and barrels of tequila are stacked and aged for special blends.

A sweet chapel on the grounds of the factory.

The town of Atotonilco, high in  the state of Jalisco.  There are only 5 places which can legally grow agave for tequila. 

Steve arranged for all to have a Razor to ride to the Morales Ranch. He even had a doctor and security ride with us.  Just in case any of us 'young kids' had any problems.  

The razor ride went through little towns and back roads.  We got to see real Mexico, which is so beautiful.  

Ruthie and Steve at the Morales Ranch.  They fed us the most wonderful food and gave us our own private rodeo.  Is it any wonder we all got a little depressed when we got home.  Steve really spoiled us!

It was hard to believe it was snowing, flooding and storming back in the U.S.

One of the adorable comancheros!

On the way to the ranch.

Once we got to Puerto Vallarta a COSTCO trip is a must.  

Once we got to the house it was all about swimming!

Playing games! 

Swimming! Eating! Relaxing!  

Family is THE B E S T !!!!!!

Thank you Steve and Gwen!  You two are the BEST! 

Life lands on you, even when you are a moving target.

     Almost as soon as we got to Arizona bad things started happening.  Bryan is fine now, but he got sick and was hospitalized in Scottsdale, OVER Thanksgiving!  We had a memorable  2am drive to a hospital in a town we didn't know.  It was very fortunate that we weren't out in the desert when he became ill.   No delicious home cooked meal with his kids that day!  

     He was home about a week when more bad news came.  My  mom fell, at her memory care residence in Reno. Her hip was broken and she had surgery the next day.  Bryan still recovering drove me to the airport. 

       Initially mom looked so good.  She was in a wheelchair two days after surgery.  She was feeding herself and doing OK.  Slowly though she started declining.  I needed to call the paramedics one day to take her back to the hospital.  But she was in good enough form to tell the young guys how good looking they were! After the hospital she was situated in a skilled nursing facility.   

     I got back to Arizona and a few days later was diagnosed with pneumonia.  We were a pathetic pair for the next while.  Just after Christmas day the news came that mom was worse.  So we both went back to Nevada.

     Mom did look bad.  She wasn't talking much and was sleeping a lot.   But then she started to improve a little  every day.  So it was a shock when she suddenly passed away in her sleep early in the morning of Jan 4th.  Ruthie and Doug couldn't get over Donner pass that day as there was a big snow storm.   But they made it the next day. 

     Steve had come from Mexico so all of the Mathis kids were together.  With our spouses, kids, grandkids and great grandkids we all made it through a difficult time.  Most of us know what this is like.  

     So, the blog will return- it may just take time for the new normal to arrive. Love to all and appreciate every moment with loved ones!

Mary, Ruthie, Steve and Annie 

     

     

A tiny town, Chugwater Wyoming means a mini blog.

The longest running old fashioned soda fountain in Wyoming is located in Chugwater, (population 214). 

It was cool to see the working fountain.

Bryan checking out the merchandise , it was part museum, part gift shop.

We loved Laura the solo employee.  She told us she lived "out in the middle of nowhere".  She enjoyed coming into the 'city' to work.

Built in 1914 the space was once a pharmacy.

The chili that won the annual contest.  It was good! 

A marker where the stage coach used to stop.

The name Chugwater came from running buffalo off the nearby cliffs back in the olden days.  Sad to report that evidently  the buffalo made a chugging sound when they hit bottom.  YIKES!!!  Interstate 25 is the major north/south route on the eastern side of the rocky mountains.  There is still PLENTY of room in the United States!  We have seen so much open country in the last five months.  It is a good feeling.  America is truly a beautiful country.  Thanks for following us!  M & B

Battle of Little Big Horn Montana

Actual belongings of Gen. George Custer, a part of the Little Big Horn Battleground Museum, in Montana.

Three of Custer's personal outfits.  He was what could be called today a metrosexual.  He was more decked out than the average military man in 1870's.  On the right is his buckskin outfit. He styled his long curly hair with cinnamon oil. 

View of Last Stand Hill from the museum. The hilltop is where Custer and his men were killed.

From the hilltop.  The markers are where members of the 7th Calvary fell.

220 men are buried under the monument.

Sioux, Lakota, Cheyenne and Crow Warriors are buried here with beautiful brown marble headstones. Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse fought and prevailed here.  Native losses were minimal.

Well organized information is found everywhere in the area.  The trees in the background are along the Big Horn River.

The marker with the black is where Gen. Custer was killed.  The green area in the background is a national cemetery.

 Two of Custer's brothers died here. Boston Custer, civilian, marker is the one in front.

Many tribes fought in the battle.  Their cause was just.  A huge land grant treaty was given to them in South Dakota.  When gold was found there the U.S. government took the land back.  This is the monument the tribes erected.

Native warriors gave their stories of what happened in the battle.  One said that just before Gen. Custer was killed his face went whiter than they thought possible.  Many of the soldiers shot each other rather than suffering from a live scalping and the like.  

Native American replica teepee's.

These beautiful moccasins are for sale at the nearby gift shop.  The adult ones sell for around 500 dollars.

The Crow nation owns most of the land around the battleground and run the gift shop.

We had a picnic and enjoyed a spring like day, amazing weather for November 5th in Montana.  Happy Birthday Angelique!

DEATH VALLEY CALIFORNIA International HOT SPOT

We stayed 5 days in Death Valley.  It was grand and beautiful.  One surprise was that 80-90% of tourists there were from foreign countries. We heard Spanish, French, Japanese, German, Chinese, Italian and more.  A lot of tour buses were coming out from Las Vegas.

One million people visit Death Valley every year.  This is Artists Palette.  A three mile side trip of multi colored hills.

The Devil owns property here.  This is the Devil's Cornfield. There is Dante's view and the Devil's golf course too.

The beautiful Panamint Valley, west of Death Valley.

Mesquite Sand Dunes near Stovepipe Wells.

Dante's View.  Elevation 5,475 feet above sea level. Looking into the salt flats in Bad Water Basin, -282 feet below sea level.

The Devil's Golf course.

Tons of Borax was mined in Death Valley.  Who remembers washing their hands in Boraxo? I do.

Our rig at Stovepipe Wells. Very happy to have electricity. The air conditioner worked overtime.   The hottest day we had was 104 degrees.  Humidity was practically non existent.

D.V. R.R. locomotive on display at the Borax Museum, Panamint Springs.

If you can spot the  tiny white slash two thirds up the mountainside and above the white/gray rv?  That is sea level.

Many old relics of the west are kept out back of the free Borax Museum.

Two guys beating the heat while walking the Bad Water salt flats.  The water there isn't bad it is just very salty.

Being  below sea level, plus the high mountains surrounding the valley, equals extreme heat.  Death Valley is officially the hottest place on Earth.  The record high temperature is 134 degrees.

6 people had heart attacks so far this year while visiting D.V. This is not a place for foolish types.   Landmarks   look  much closer than they actually are.  They stress always carrying water and finishing a hike before 10 am. 

Bryan at the Furnace Creek visitors center.  Still pretty hot for early October and it wasn't lunch time yet.  190 feet below sea level.

Dante's View looking north.  It was 30 degrees cooler up here.

Cannot imagine working hard in a mine or even crossing the valley on foot.  Water is king here.   We were bummed when moon was too bright to see the stars.  Lesson learned - visit when there is no moon.   

Between Death Valley and Las Vegas.  The Area 51 Alien Center.

Thanks for viewing the blog.  The pictures don't really capture how awe inspiring and beautiful it is.  We met a young couple from Rome that were here on their honeymoon.  It made me feel good that so many fly thousands of miles to see our country.   It was a nice thing to be able to take the time to really explore the area.  After 4 months on the road,  I have to agree with what they say.....The West is the Best!  Love, Mary & Bryan