Monday Stuff On the Way to Other Stuff: Arrey

     We've spent the weekend in Arrey, NM, a supposed ghost town that's small -- but very much alive. We've been staying at the Arrey RV Park, and luxuriating in all the water and electricity we can use, after nearly a week of traveling by going from rest area to Walmart to rest area. (This is called "dry camping" or "boondocking" when you do it this way.) The park is full of semi-permanent customers, a rather quirky clubhouse (knotty pine, old DVDs, books -- and a pile of free onions) and a very kind manager. The park has more trees, greenery, blooming flowers and twittering birds (cats, too) than we have seen in a long, long time. It's very peaceful here.

The fifth-wheel can handle "dry" camping. But you always have to be aware how many lights you have on (because they use up the battery life generated by the solar panels) and how much water you have. (We have a 60-gallon tank, so we can go quite a while.) 

     We have more than enough solar panels up top to generate the power we normally need -- but they're not in sync with the batteries and the static inverter. The Brick plans on tinkering with this after we get to The Mama's in Michigan. We'll be there for Mother's Day, but plan to take most of this week for traveling. It's no fun to rush while pulling a fifth-wheel. We've done it before, and it guts you out. So we'll take our time...and probably go from rest area to Walmart to rest area again. 

In case you're wondering about Arrey, it's about halfway between Hatch and Truth or Consequences, off Interstate 25. We've noticed pecan orchards and several large chile packing plants. (And yes, we stopped in Hatch for some ristras and a bag of fresh-roasted green chiles.)

Arrey was a Hispanic farming community named Bonito (Spanish for "pretty") when the Elephant Butte Land and Cattle Co. bought homestead rights. Among the homesteaders: Tomas Baca and Urbano Arrey, who came totown from Las Palomas in 1891 and was the town's first postmaster. The post office opened in 1901 and never closed. Descendants of the homesteaders still ranch and farm in the area.

The local cafe has a killer steak special on Friday nights. The people are hard-working and proud. There's a reason we've been staying here so long -- but you'll have to wait until later to find out!

Not much "stuff" this week -- we've not had a lot of access to the internet. I'll make it up to you soon.

"What was a meal you loved as a kid...but didn't realize you were eating it because you were poor?" This one has LOTS of answers, and they're interesting ones.  (From Quora)

Easy homemade bread.  (From the Cheapskate Cook)

Choosing to be homeless -- some very sad reasons here.

The Italian version of Robinson Crusoe is finally leaving his island -- after 32 years.

Amish sugar cookies.  (From Taste of Home) 

Renovators at the Uffizi Gallery find a hidden fresco -- and bones. 

Olympia Dukakis died Saturday. A wonderful actress I have admired ever since Moonstruck. She was 89.

Have a great week.