The Hootons, a New York City family, impulsively move to New Mexico to run a guest ranch. In this first episode Bill Hooton arrives to find guests leaving in fear of a mountain lion and he can not afford to pay the staff.
Guests are expecting a meal of Mexican food and Babs is clueless where to begin. She buys a cookbook from Hawkeye but is no better off as it's in Spanish. Babe decides to forge ahead.
Babs is not used to the quiet rural life and wants a taste of the big city. Husband Bill tells her it's too expensive but she finds a way to escape temporarily.
Babs and Bill decide they need a peaceful weekend with no guests. But when the Curtis couple show up with confirmed reservations everything is turned upside down.
Bill desperate for a man-sized barbecue to cook his steaks, passes on Hawkeye's do-if-yourself assembly kit for $50 and begins construction of his own.
Babs is put in charge of entertainment by the P.T.A. and she's at a loss for ideas. Hawkeye persuades her to put on a wrestling match between her husband Bill and "War Eagle" .