wedding road trip

Day 9: Show Me the Way to Santa Fe

I’m writing this post from the relative safety of Texas, after surviving New Mexico. Well, that’s what some people are expecting to read after my visit to see my “rogue” Uncle Jim. Who totally rocks.

The background: Jim is the fourth of six kids (my mom was the oldest). Jim’s analogy for their lives is that they all received a different piece of a torn-up road map. His map took him from suburban Detroit to Santa Fe and included the “no kids, no marriage” card. That makes him a bit different from the rest of the family, along with his occupation - a building craftsman who does woodwork, plumbing, tile, electrical…the works. Even better, he’s also done this on his own house, which he’s designed and built over the past twenty years.

Jim gave us a tour that included a non-stop commentary of every detail and nuance of the house. Jaime was clearly fascinated with everything he had to say about the house. She was also blown away that a man had the foresight to design a huge closet including cedar panels, a built-in safe, and a special area for shoes.

After the VIP tour, Jim and his girlfriend Mary took us out to Maria’s, a local restaurant with New Mexican specialties. Jim didn’t have a lot of advice on marriage, but we loved his attitude: do whatever you want, it’s your wedding and your life. Who knows- maybe we’ll to Thailand for six months, which is what Jim is doing this fall. You never know.

p.s. Another plus about New Mexico - empty roads and minimal highway patrols. I easily pushed Roxy to 110 MPH and she drove like she was going 65.

Tags: day 9 santa fe, santa fe road trip