Things are easing back into normalcy...

...Annual fire refresher & pack-test, yoga, playing & officiating tennis, visit with mom & sisters in Arizona, watching baseball, trimming Chamisa www.santafebotanicalgarden.org/subpages/POM%20Oct08%20Chamisa.html), SiteWatch visits, etc. Appears a return/follow-up trip to Petra is being planned for October. Maybe another workshop too (InShaAllah)... Sounds excellent…  Lucy (the Bull Terrier) just indicated that I needed to add her photo along with taking nice walks with her as a much needed activity for both of us...

You might wonder why I’m also planning another dive trip back to Belize for early next year. It would be to participate in Camp Belize: www.jerryjeff.com/campbelize/   One of my favorite memories was writing my one-and-only fan letter: it was to Jerry Jeff Walker long ago and telling him that I’d sing his version of Night Rider’s Lament while on patrol at Mt. McKinley/Denali National Park. Said I’d love to hear him do it at a concert he’d be doing opening for Willie Nelson in AZ. At the concert he stated “This is for all you Rangers out there…” just before starting the song. I turned to Meme and said “I’m a Jerry Jeff fan for life…” We’ve subsequently seen him other times-n-places, but think while making bubbles (diving) will be good and NRL is still a good theme song that has been sung by many over the years (I’m in very good company):

Night Rider’s Lament

Lyrics and Music by Michael Burton

(www.nightriderslament.com/)

Last night as I was out a ridin’
graveyard shift, midnight ‘till dawn
the moon was as bright as a readin’ light
for a letter from an old friend back home

Chorus:
He asked me why do you ride for your money
Why do you rope for short pay
You ain’t getting’ nowhere
And you’re losin’ your share
Boy, you must have gone crazy out there
But he’s never seen the Northern Lights
Never seen a hawk on the wing
He’s never seen Spring hit the Great Divide
And never heard Ol’ Camp Cookie sing

He tells me last night I run onto Jenny
she’s married and has a good life
Ah, you sure missed the track
when you never come back
she’s a perfect professional’s wife

Chorus:
She asked him why does he ride for his money
Why does he rope for short pay
He ain’t getting’ nowhere and he’s losin’ his share
He must have gone crazy out there
But she’s never seen the Northern Lights
Never seen a hawk on the wing
Never seen Spring hit the Great Divide
And never heard Ol’ Camp Cookie sing

Well I read up the last of that letter
and tore off the stamp for Black Jim
When Billy rode up to relieve me
he just looked at the letter and grinned

Chorus:
He sang . . .Now. . .
Why do they ride for their money
Why do they rope for short pay
They ain’t getting nowhere
And they’re losing their share
Son, they all must be crazy out there

A sacrifice at The High Place