The little money I have---that is my wealth, but the things I have for which I would not take money, that is my treasure.
~~~~~~~~~~~~ Robert Brault
Good morning my friends. TG today will be a little rough (ok, even more than usual). The fires in Ruidoso have taken over our thoughts and prayers at the NT household. We lived in nearby Roswell for 40 years before being blessed by returning to Texas. We never owned property in Ruidoso, but we have many dear friends whose permanent homes are there. Or were anyway. Living there isn't cheap, and it's tempting to say "Well, they have money; they'll be ok." Indeed some of them will, eventually, but the small business owners will have trouble making a comeback. On the nature side, those mountains are forested with tress that are older than I am, and those woods are full of bear, deer, antelope, cats & coons. Many will not survive.
One quick story. When we got to Roswell, I became good friends with a physician. We're the same age. He was a Roswell boy, married a Roswell girl, had kids, put down roots. He made a ton of money, and when he retired a few years ago, they built a house a few miles outside of Ruidoso. A year or so later, he built a second one nearby for his daughter and her family. Then he developed two forms of cancer, and when he got word a couple of days ago that they needed to evacuate, he was actually sitting at Mayo-Scottsdale, awaiting his next round of chemo, the poison that will kick death's can down the road a while longer. His daughter gathered up as many personal things as she could haul, and left the mountain. When the fire plays out, they'll return, probably to piles of rubble, marking the spots where memories were once made.
He is of good spirits, but these events will test him and his clan. I love them very much. For those of you who pray, please include my buddy Fred and those to whom he remains so very dedicated.
Blessings,
NT
~~~~~~~~~~~~ Robert Brault
Good morning my friends. TG today will be a little rough (ok, even more than usual). The fires in Ruidoso have taken over our thoughts and prayers at the NT household. We lived in nearby Roswell for 40 years before being blessed by returning to Texas. We never owned property in Ruidoso, but we have many dear friends whose permanent homes are there. Or were anyway. Living there isn't cheap, and it's tempting to say "Well, they have money; they'll be ok." Indeed some of them will, eventually, but the small business owners will have trouble making a comeback. On the nature side, those mountains are forested with tress that are older than I am, and those woods are full of bear, deer, antelope, cats & coons. Many will not survive.
One quick story. When we got to Roswell, I became good friends with a physician. We're the same age. He was a Roswell boy, married a Roswell girl, had kids, put down roots. He made a ton of money, and when he retired a few years ago, they built a house a few miles outside of Ruidoso. A year or so later, he built a second one nearby for his daughter and her family. Then he developed two forms of cancer, and when he got word a couple of days ago that they needed to evacuate, he was actually sitting at Mayo-Scottsdale, awaiting his next round of chemo, the poison that will kick death's can down the road a while longer. His daughter gathered up as many personal things as she could haul, and left the mountain. When the fire plays out, they'll return, probably to piles of rubble, marking the spots where memories were once made.
He is of good spirits, but these events will test him and his clan. I love them very much. For those of you who pray, please include my buddy Fred and those to whom he remains so very dedicated.
Blessings,
NT
