Get Out Of The Way; It's Mimi

A new accessory for the Storytelling Festival

     Getting around at festivals has become a real problem for me. For the past 16 months I've had to use a cane because of lumbar pain due to my spinal curvature

that I've had since age 8 and which is worsening at the rate of one degree each year. The neuro-surgeon who I saw recently described me as "the leaning tower of Pisa being supported by a cane."

     In addition, the upper part of my curve is restricting my lungs resulting in shortness of breath when I walk or exert myself in any way.  

     In August when I flew to Indianapolis, I found myself in the Atlanta airport sitting in the boarding area in a wheelchair. I had been pushed and parked there by a porter and chose to remain seated in the wheelchair because most of the available seats had been taken.

     I wanted a snack, but not the pretzels in my pocket. I was thirsty, too. If I had been sitting in one of the seats, I would have had to get up, strap my shoulder purse across my chest, grasp the handle of my wheeled carry-on, and grab my cane with my other hand. Then it would be clunking and pulling breathlessly to the magazine stand 100 yards away, and gasping and feeling my heart fluttering and my lungs trying desperately to get some more oxygen as I chose a candy bar and a bottle of water.

     Instead, the light bulb went off over my head. I stood up, placed my purse and carry-on bag, and Kindle in the seat of the wheel chair, got behind it and pushed all my things across to the magazine stand. It was so easy, like pushing a super-market cart.

Then I realized I push a cart all around the market leisurely every week, and don't feel breathless until I have to lift the groceries into the car.

     That's when I decided the rolling walkers I've seen would be the way I could traverse the unlevel ground of the storytelling tents. I would need a seat in case I had to stand awhile so I could sit down, and I would need a basket to hold the snacks I like to take, my water bottle, the Program, and a cushion for the uncomfortable metal chairs Festival attendees have to sit it.

     On the Internet I discovered these rolling walkers are called "rollaters." I located one in a medical equipment store in Bristol, bright red it is, and I picked it up yesterday. Now I'm looking for a bicycle bell and I'll be all set for Jonesborough next week. See you at the Festival--ching, ching.

Mimi

My New Mexico Vacation

This blog has been neglected since late August because I was preparing for a trip to Taos, New Mexico. My friend, Jean Gay-Asher, and I were gone for only six days, but regaining my energy upon return has wiped out the last two weeks. I've slept and slept and slept. Probably at fault was the higher elevation of 7000 feet. Our Appalachian "Castle Yonder" is only 3000 feet. Jean and I were active every day, exploring the town of Taos and surroundings. Fortunately, I had ordered alternative oxygen for nighttime use, so I kept going until I got home.

I want to thank Jean for the help she gave me in friendship. She drove her car to Raleigh, NC so we would get a really good deal on Southwestern Airlines. We flew in to Albuequerque where we rented a car, and she drove the two hours to Taos. She helped me with my luggage and when we started exploring or going out to dinner, she figured out ways to keep me from having to walk so far. Plus, she was a great traveling companion, cooperative, good conversationalist, and reading the Travel Guide religiously and suggesting where we might want to go. She also went out every morning to buy good coffee while I was getting up and ready for the day. We never ran out of things to talk about.

Me and Jean in front of the Pueblo Taos church.

Jean and I have a lot in common. First off, we are both mental health professionals. Jean is still working as a private therapist (she's about 15 years younger than I am) whereas I retired a decade ago. She was one of the first people I met when Rocky and I moved to Bristol in 1982. Storytelling is my "thing" while Jean loves art, modern art especially which is one of my secondary interests. She befriended both Rocky and me through the years, inviting us to gourmet dinners because she loves to cook. Hooray for us, because I have grown VERY tired of cooking. She stayed close to us with her support when Rocky was dying and afterwards helping to plan his Memorial and right up to the present. We have history together.

We also have books in common, and movies, and television. We both read a biography of Georgia O'Keeffe in August and were really looking forward to seeing her homes near Taos. However, we found both of them closed so we settled for touring the Georgia O'Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe on our way back to Albuquerque.  One of the things we really wanted to do in Taos was to tour the Taos Pueblo.

Taos Pueblo

I quote from the brochure given us at the Admissions Center, "Taos Pueblo is considered to be the oldest continuously inhabited community in the USA. The Native legends and detailed oral history trace our existence back to the beginning of evolution of man and all of creation." 

The original church named San Geronimo Church was built around 1619 by Spanish priests with Indian labor, but the natives were forced into Catholicism and slavery. Taos Pueblo was headquarters for a revolt which was successful, and into the 1700's the Pueblo people of New Mexico lived freely until they were reconquered by the Spanish.  The church was reconstructed in 1706 while the US War with Mexico was underway.  However, it was  burned in 1847 by the government of the United States who left only the bell tower standing and because many lives were lost, the land on which it stood became the cemetery.  The present church was built in 1850, now a National Historic Landmark.

Jean standing in the archway of the San Geronimo Church

Me and friend

I couldn't resist including this picture. Here I sit, short of breath, while Jean explores some more and shops. Tourists were asked not to feed the Pueblo dogs, so I did not. But this one waited patiently with me in the shade quite a while before he/she gave up and moved on. I attracted several dogs, and Jean remarked that I must have good energy! 

Both of us succumbed to urges to buy drums made in the traditional way by a full blooded member of Taos Pueblo, Frank Mirabal.  Jean bought two smaller drums that she plans to play with her grandchildren. She found a large totebag and carried them home on the plane. There were five drums hanging from a beam overhead in the shop, and one of them really attracted me. I asked to see it and I swear I could feel it speaking to me. It fit perfectly on my lap and has a most pleasing sound. The sides are made of aspen and cottonwood and the drumheads are made of elk hide. I decided to have it shipped to Virginia by UPS, but I haven't received it yet. I plan to sit on my deck or in front of my fireplace and play it for my own pleasure. Or maybe Jean will bring hers over and we'll drum together.

Another great place we spent some time in was Earthships which is a bio-tech ecological housing development. The houses are built into the earth and use recycled materials, discarded rubber tires covered by adobe, recycled cans and glass bottles. There is an inside cistern used to catch rainwater, and three processes to reuse water. Electricity is provided by solar panels. Here's a picture of the model home:

Crazy me, but I'd love to live here for awhile. There are growing plants inside which is a part of the interior ecological system.

And here are three more pictures to close this posting, Roasting green chilis, the Troubadours, Sunset: