“It is not the end of the physical body that should worry us. Rather, our concern must be to live while we are alive – to release our inner selves from the spiritual death that comes with living behind a façade designed to conform to external definitions of who and what we are”
~ Elizabeth Kubler ~

As I sit here on a Sunday afternoon… in this small home I bought in New Mexico, throughout a moment of quietness I cannot help questioning myself of such an act even though I know this step forward is the correct one. Since The Oasis got sold, as time has gone by wanting to plant new roots while the previous ones vanished, it has been a constant search almost incontrollable to duplicate those few acres we resided on in Texas often in winter months. They were the perfect acres for years ago. This past year however proving they are no more so convenient after two surgeries considering the closest hospital was 250 miles away! With that search in mind we headed North, had a great time in Utah, Colorado, but the magnet kept pulling me South even if the weather was going to be scorching hot. I think if I remember well we dropped to New Mexico a couple times looking for some land. I did come across a great offer, a few actually, but just could not clinch a deal when I started thinking about re-starting all over with a structure, septic, power, water, you name it while dealing with so many people, permits and covenants. I had given up and we had one more day to spend at the “Valley of Fires”, a quiet campground near Carrizozo.

One more day, one more night meaning one more evening and for some then unknown reason opened the Internet on homes for sale in the area. Curiosity? Most financially untouchable, some financially doable but pure disasters, fixer uppers. A few photos of a small home jumped up and talked to me. With a wonderful Real Estate Lady we looked at it the following day extending our stay. Lucky me, it had just been inspected thoroughly just a few days ago because of prospective buyers who then found it to be too small and I realized when all would be said and done including some furniture, it would be pretty much an even financial trade with The Oasis. Just as 11 years ago when it only took me minutes to decide on our Texas Base Camp, it also only took me minutes here! Of course I am making a long story short. A gravel fenced yard area within a larger sized also gravel fenced and gated area would keep Spirit very happy. I must say on my end all is still very strange. A brand new bathroom in itself is a long ways away from the days spent in a tent. From such tent to a camper which is now parked in the driveway, to a small home but huge for us, I am taken back while Karma has propelled me forward giving us a space for the years to come. A space only a couple miles from a Hospital, food shopping and jokingly I say “unfortunately” a mile away from a Home Depot and a Lowe’s…

There is much to describe of course, like a couple storage sheds, a pear tree, some agave plants while all is gravel with some sort of carpeting underneath it to halt the weeds from growing. It is an old home yet has been very well taken care off with new electric wiring, new plumbing and water heater, carpeting, all freshly painted inside out and on and on. This will do as we spend a couple of months this summer setting it all up while I await for some furniture. Summer has always been the hardest season for us on the road. The crowds are out as the mosquitoes and bugs galore, it is hot unless as we have so often done stay at high altitude but yet, when one goes up one needs to come down! We should be back on the road by fall. That most pleasant time of the year. In the meantime we are close to National Forests, BLM lands and 15 minutes away from the “White Sand Dunes” National Monument.  Much more…

A week or so has passed. There is still no furniture besides a mattress, my camping table and chair which actually do not together accommodate a sitting  position when typing so it is a stool instead. So how do I really feel in this two bedroom one bath? That is the question I have been asking myself more than once a day. More than a question it is a feeling that at any moment someone is going to show up and kick us out! Of course we could continue living in the camper which is hooked up to its own power on a separate circuit just like in an RV Park [but not!!!]. There is a full usable bathroom here and the same for a kitchen, why not live here? The fridge is just about empty as I realize how immense this thing is. It is not even one of those giant jobs with two doors. What am I going to put in there? Food for six months? We have a washer! I already did one load and hang a line outside for drying. I will not get a dryer or a television for that matter. Music instead. From minimalistic to this and yet I don’t want to hit the road yet.

I am not at a loss! I am just dumfounded at the chain of events. It feels right as I do call here “our last resting place”. It has been a long road these past years, good past years while I look forward to the coming ones onto more… new roads.

Stay well, always.
                          Ara and Spirit