The City Different

I have returned from Santa Fe...and the trip was longer, more fruitful, a tad bit stressful and a whole lot of fun.

There is something about the atmosphere in Santa Fe, both literally and figuratively, that stuns your senses, hits you between the eyes and leaves you wide eyed, slack jawed, and immensely stimulated. I know, I have heard all the negatives about the city; the commercialism; the hoards of turistas; the expense; the traffic; how it is 'not' like the Santa Fe of old. Yes, all of this may be true but that is a half empty cup attitude and I am a half full cup kinda gal. Santa Fe will always remain in my mind and heart, a place of creativity, beauty, art and soul. Every visit inspires a welling of creativity, ideas spinning in my head - I get totally stimulated by the place and the art that comes from there and return to Phar Lepht with a whole new set of ideas waiting to be released.

Now that you know from whence I've come...here is the tale to be told:

Janice (if you don't know her by now...my beading pard and friend from childhood and a stanch member of our 'Posse') and I knew from the start of our trip that it was going to be an unusual foray. It may have been the trees in the median of the interstate, far from civilization, that were decorated with geegaws and such. Or maybe it was the boat abandoned in a ravine looking for a good flood or perhaps the clouds in that turquoise blue sky that resembled dragons blowing smoke. There were many signs along the road from Phar Lepht to Santa Fe that portended an adventure of sights to behold.

We arrived on Thursday evening and drove straight to friend Jodi's home, a little adobe not far from the Plaza of the city different. Jodi is a childhood friend of Karen (who was visiting too and another of the Posse that we hang with) and is a concierge at a hotel in town so she knows how to make you feel welcome and all the spots in town to hit. Besides, she is a Sagittarius sun with an Aquarius moon so fun loving is her modi operandi. (If I lost you here...don't give up, it is just my way of thinking about people.) We had the evening to play and play we did. It was good to see my friends, reconnect, rehash and replay where we had been since our last physical meeting. Karen and Jodi are older, wiser than most people I know and always there to help with tibits of this wisdom they share. Jan and I soak it up.

On Friday, set up day, Jan and I get into my little Chevy truck and head over to the Plaza to find our space and get unloaded. We were a tad bit early (also the way I operate...I am never late, never on time, always early) so we parked the truck at a meter and took a short walk to a bench to pass the time. When our time arrived, the truck wouldn't start...nothing....no dice, no electricity, the battery was dead as roadkill. Fortunately, Jan had roadside service on her cell phone and Cactus Mary the soapmaker, another friend from Phar Lepht, was doing the show. Mary helped unload the truck into her truck and drove us a couple of blocks to our booth space. Bless her!!! (I am making her a nice pair of cactus earrings as a surprise and a thank you for this.) A tow from there to Pep Boys ended up with an expensive new battery but praises be that it was no worse. Needless to say, I was a bit stressed by this turn of events but Karen and Jodi, who also arrived to help, kept me calm and directed. Bless them too! Stuff happens and my little truck at least got me to where I needed to go and all ends well in this little episode.

Saturday was beautiful, the cloud-laden sky, the breeze that cooled...a nice respite from the heat we had lepht in Phar town. (An aside...one of the lessons in life that I am still learning is to 'trust'. Trust that all will work out as it should, trust that the world is a perfect place and that all is connected. Trust how I approach life measures how life will treat me. This may be the story of this fable I am telling.) I was disappointed with the take of the day, a pleasant day but the turistas weren't buying, they looked, they raved and walked on...
Phooey! That is what I was thinking, phooey! All that money and preparation for this??? That evening I had to pick up my truck and we had reservations at my favorite restaurant for later. After finding that no more than the battery was wrong and a big-ass margarita at Gabriels and the laughter of friends...I was thinking, "what the heck, I am still having a great time! Tomorrow will be better...TRUST!"

Sunday I was much more relaxed, in myself, into the city different. It was a great day, exceeded my take of the year before by a bit and I gave into the ambience of this great city and the people from far parts who wandered into our space. My fears were needless and only caused unnecessary stress. I switched into positive mode and the rest of the trip was wonder full.

Janice and I were supposed to leave on Monday, back to Phar Lepht and another week of catching up for the next show but I was 'talked' into staying another day by the girls to play and relax. It didn't take much talkin'...I was red eye and willing.
Monday Jodi had to work so Karen, Jan and I headed out of town and up to Taos, another favorite place. The snakey road which follows the ribbon of the Rio Grande is a thrill and incredibly beautiful. The cliff above the river are built up by years of lava flow eons ago and the black basalt rocks glisten in the sun. Rafters and kayakers bob on the river like corks, just watching them from the road above is a thrill.

Taos is a city different too, a enclave of drop-ins, hipsters, artists and politicos, all mostly liberals and their place reflects this. Peace and love is the order of the day and we are drinking it in. Our first stop is an incredible gallery of fiber, furniture, glass, jewelry (wow stuff!) and arts of all kinds. Since I still am smoking, I take a break on the lawn under a nice tree and have a puff or two. When I finally wander into the place, Jan and Karen are all a'twitter over the contents. Slowly, I look at everything, the handcrafted cabinets, the baskets that look as if a village had a hand in the creation...the handblown glass, all the intricate and beautiful things that creativity can inspire and craftsmanship is worked hard at. (my participle is danglin')

We had a great, good time in Taos, hit all the favorite places, the fabric store where I stocked up on unusual buttons, the yarn shop, the kitchen store, and lunch at the Apple Cafe on the patio for green chile chicken sandwich and salad, the bead store (OF COURSE!). It was a lovely interlude and tired but happy, Jan and I were ready to head home the next day.

I packed up early as we wanted to hit Whole Foods in Santa Fe before we hit the road to carry home some good bread, wine and other essentials. I loaded my bags and left the keys on the seat (can you see where this is going?) Janice loaded her stuff next as the truck has to be packed just so or stuff won't fit. My bags first and then hers...then she dutifully locked the doors...remember where the keys were? The first think she said after walking in the door was, "I hope you didn't leave the keys in the truck, cuz I locked the door." Yep, how did she know? Hah!

We had to use her cell phone service again to have someone come and open the door. I wonder what they must think, twice in one week. The same tow truck company arrives an hour or so later and quickly unlocks the door and we are off. The City Different tried to hold on to us and a bit sadly, we escaped.

Home again, to Cecil, Nathan, (my men) Yogi and Annie (our dog friends)and my own bed. It is all good. I loved the trip but I always love coming home the best.

A very Happy Birthday to my lovely mother Alma and my dear son Noah. Both of those Leo's make me happy.