Las Cruces, N.M. October 17 - 21

 

Jan and Barbara at The Shed

 From Tucson, we drove to Las Cruces, N.M. to stay with Barbara's college roommate, Jan. We stayed for 5 nights. It was a lovely break to be in a home and with a steadfast friend.

   There was a lot of laughter, many good conversations and fabulous food. Jan tried new recipes and baked cookies before our arrival. She made a Greek dish of veggies called Brean, which we will try to replicate when we get home. And, we made fish in parchment for two meals with different fish. (Trying to make our parchment packets caused a lot of giggles. Jan is way better with her hands than we are.) 

Jan's cul de sac

Jan making parchment meals

Jan and Barbara walked about 2.5 miles every morning before coming home to Mark who had coffee ready for them.

   One day Jan drove us to the lovely historic town of Old Mesilla. Two battles were fought there during the Civil War and it was the capital of the Confederate Territory of Arizona in 1861-62. Known for its cantinas and festivals during the period of the Wild West, it attracted people like Billy the Kid, Pat Garrett and Pancho Villa. The central plaza is a National Historic Landmark. 

   We shopped for chilis and other Tex-Mex ingredients to take home with us. Last time we brought home a ristra, but this time we didn't because we have a longer period in the car before we arrive home and weren't sure about the smell the entire way home. So, we got sauces and powders instead.

   One evening we went for hors d'ouevres across Jan's cul de sac at the house of one of her friends. It was nice to put faces to people that we have heard Jan talk about and who have supported each other throughout the pandemic.

Johnny and Mark

    One morning we went to the Shed for lunch, a place we've visited with Jan before. Yummy.

  Meanwhile, back in Concord, there is huge controversy at Middlesex when the Head of the school disinvited Nikole Hannah-Jones, one of the writers of the NYT's 1619 Project. The students have walked out, the faculty wrote a letter of protest. Jecca is in the thick of it.