New Mexico Porcupines

Today instead of well-drilling we went hiking. We drove down to Tent Rocks but, at the gate, there was this new sign: No Dogs Allowed. I was very offended! I have hiked Tent Rocks three times -- more than that guy at the gate has hiked it, I bet!

Anyway, we went looking for another hike and Mom came up with the idea of hiking out from our land, without any plan, so we went up there and just kind of headed out without a trail or anything. Let me tell you, the ground in New Mexico is covered with porcupine plants called prickly pears, but I walked right through them without slowing down.

My favorite part of the hike was toward the end, when (to tell the truth), after two miles, I was ready for a little break, and we found this patch of snow, and I had a big, long, roll-in-the-snow sauna.

Then we drove down to Albuquerque, and there was this artist Mom had read about, and things by him were sold by this store, so we drove way to the far end of Albuquerque to this address where there was no store, just a big farm and very fancy Inn, but Mom talked to the people and we went down into the basement and here was this artist's stuff. Dad bought Mom a computer case for her birthday. The Inn is beautiful but -- guess what? -- No Dogs Allowed. New Mexico is not usually like that, and twice in one day is two times too many.

p.s. They caught the mountain lion here in Santa Fe -- I'm relieved!

p.p.s. The mountain lion is fine -- they're letting him go up in the mountains somewhere.