Casa Grande & Back to Benson

The past 3 weeks have gone fast. We had fun with friends Jerry & Karen Newman on our trip to the Slaughter Ranch. But, time with them was short, they were in the process of getting a different motorhome from Beaudry's, and actually spent over a week in Tucson. Two weeks ago, we helped them move into their "new" home.

In Casa Grande, the weather turned really warm, reaching near 90 degrees. Cousins Jim & LaVon Milano joined us for a couple of nights, and we enjoyed Easter Dinner with them. We also had a chance to drive up to Mesa for a day & visit Bill & Mary Anne Stewart from Long Lake.

We have now made some changes to our itinerary, they are posted on the web site. We will entertain any & all suggestions for additions/changes/etc. for the itinerary.

The Slaughter Ranch - Part 2

An interesting tidbit. A government surveyor, working on the Border, realized he was looking right through the middle of a house. Asking why the house had been built straddling the Border, he was told that John Slaughter had a Morman man working for him who had two wives. The house was built with 2 bedrooms at opposite ends of the house, one wife was a legal citizen of the US, the other of Mexico! What a smart man!

The Slaughter Ranch

An oasis in the desert on the Mexican Border, the Ranch has an interesting history. Originally the San Bernadino Ranch, the area was visited in 1694 by the Jesuit missionary Father Eusebio Kino. The famous Mormon Battalion passed through in 1846, and a flood of pioneers and prospectors traveled this southern route to California in 1849. Natural springs provide water to the oasis.

In 1884, Texas John Slaughter acquired 65,000 acres for his cattle ranch, 2/3 of which lay in Mexico. In 1886, just five years after the OK Corral shoot-out, he was elected Sheriff of Cochise County in Tombstone. He is credited with ridding the county of the bad element more than any other sheriff in history. It has been said that he was "judge, jury and executioner" all rolled up into one. He moved to the ranch after his second term, and built the present house in 1893.

In 1911, the US established a military outpost just east of the pond at the beginning of the Mexican civil unrest, and maintained it until 1923. The Mexican Border is at the end of the pasture behind the barn. A mile beyond is Hwy 2 in Mexico, but we had to drive 13 miles of rough gravel/dirt road to reach the Ranch!

Happier News

We have had the pleasure of spending the last 3 weeks with our friends Rick & Pam Sechrest. They are the ones responsible for our working at Lake Siskiyou 2 years ago, and are fun people to be around. They travel with 5 cats! Rick had bypass surgery 1 1/2 years ago in Washington, and they were at the hospital with Laura when I had my surgery.

Rick does some amazing work with his scroll saw, and before parting company the other day, presented us with a beautiful piece with Loons on it! Words cannot express our delight in this piece which will always occupy a special place in our home.

Rick & Pam are now on their way back to Oregon & Washington for Dr appointments, before heading to Alaska as workkampers near Denali Nat'l Park for the summer. We would be going with them if we hadn't committed to Michigan this summer. We wish them the best of times.

I have included a link to their "new" blog, and Rick is putting a link to their web site. Visit their web site to see some other "beautiful" examples of the work he does.

I'm Mad As H...!! Update

Got new cards yesterday, Thank you Chase. Got access to our account online today, guess what? 5 other charges out there. 3 from 2/14, (Valentine's Day) for dining, (ain't that sweet) each for $125. Boy, am I in trouble! 2 others, one for $457. According to Chase, all were from overseas! My suggestion of the other day still stands! Oh, and today, Laura/Mom/Grandma had 2 phone calls asking for additional info on our mortgage application done on line. We "think" they are unrelated, but.....? Still checking that one out.

Stay tuned. :-)

I'm Mad As H...!

Guess it's my turn. Phone call from credit card fraud dept., "Just verifying a $900 + vacation package internet charge on your account". "I don't know what you are talking about!" "That's why we are calling. We have stopped it, and have put a HOLD on your account." So now, since it was an internet charge, the account is on HOLD, and new cards, new account # have to be issued. Fortunately, they will send the cards to us in AZ, instead of sending to MI, Thank You! And then there are the people to contact. So we don't get paper bills that need forwarding, many monthly charges are automatic, cell phone, internet, insurance, satellite TV, medications.

As far as I am concerned, people who commit credit card fraud are as bad as the scumbags that prey on old people (ok, so maybe I fit that category too). Throw them in jail, throw away the keys, just leave bread & water! Gee, want to hear how I really feel? :-)

Triangle T, Cochise Stronghold

On Tuesday, 2/26, together with friends Rick & Pam, we visited the Triangle T Guest Ranch for lunch. (About 15 miles east) The Triangle T is the 2nd oldest guest ranch in AZ, and was the location for Cochise & his band's summer camp for years. During WWII, the Japanese Consul General, Nagoa Kita, and thirty-six of his staff were held as war criminal detainees for their direct participation in spying and planning the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Other items of note: A fairly well-preserved guest book (c. 1930) found in 1996 lists as references the home addresses of the Rockefellers, the Vanderbilts, and other contemporary socialites. Many diplomats and dignitaries including President John F. Kennedy, General John J. Pershing, and Dr. Leon T. Silver, a director of NASA (who had his Cal Tech geology students complete their thesis at the ranch each summer) were among the ranch's distinguished guests.

The immediate area has served as the location for many motion pictures and television productions including the TV series, "Young Guns," and the movies, "Geronimo" and "Tombstone." Western films featuring John "Duke" Wayne and the film "3:10 to Yuma," which starred Glen Ford and Van Heflin, were filmed on location at the Triangle T.

Since we were so close, we then drove to Cochise Stronghold. There is a GREAT little campground there, but too small for our rig. The picture is on the interpretive walk at the end of the road. No, we didn't do any rock climbing, waiting for Cindy & Joe. :-) Yes, Joe, we know we were close to your Aunt & Uncle's, actually within a mile or so at one point.