A little of this, a bit of that

/ Tracy Abell

Saturday night Zippy and I went to Red Rocks for the concert. 
Mavis Staples – WOW!
John Butler Trio – very good.
Michael Franti and Spearhead – TRANSCENDENT.  One of the most moving experiences of my life.  MF is angered by the daily dose of bullshit and criminal behavior we’ve been subjected to for the past six and a half years BUT he’s also filled with hope for the planet.  He’s a minstrel bringing messages of awareness and hope to the masses, and the people respond.  I absolutely recommend seeing Spearhead’s live show, especially if you’re feeling so worn down you just can’t go on.  Did I mention you’ll dance?!

Wildebeest and Zebu are back from camp.  I picked them up Tuesday morning.  Monday afternoon I received my one and only letter from camp.  It was from Zebu.  Dated Friday, June 29, the letter began:  “Dear Mom, For me, the past two days sucked.”  He went on to document how the powdered Gatorade container he volunteered to carry on their hike up a mountain opened in his pack, covered all his stuff, and coated his arms which made him “a feast for the mosquitoes.”  He listed other travails which I read through my tears.   I got there early on Tuesday morning, expecting a sad little camper eager to leave the mountains.  HA.  We were the last family to leave.  My two guys kept laughing and talking with the counselors, doing card tricks and taking photos.  It’s nice having them home again.

I haven’t written a whole lot in the past few days but I did manage to get over that bad spot and find my way back into the story.  I’ve gone back to keeping the book secret as I write this second draft, and it feels better.  William Faulkner is doing a good job guarding the circle.

I have a new addiction.  I learned about Betty Hoop when there was an article in the paper about her Bolder Boulder run.  She hooped the entire 6.2 miles without the hoop hitting the ground!  Anyway, I just love my hoop because it’s made for adults (heavier) and stays up when I twirl.  I always thought I couldn’t hoop but now I can go nonstop and am feeling all sorts of stomach muscles I haven’t used in years.  Hooping mellows me out but also energizes me at the same time.  Plus, it makes me smile!   (If anyone is interested in getting one, the GAIAM hoop/DVD  was on sale for $24.50 when I ordered by phone.  I haven’t used the DVD yet, am having fun just twirling and staring into space).

Tomorrow morning we take off for a week in Yellowstone and Montana.  It turns out

[info]idaho_laurie

 will be in the same Yellowstone lodge at the same time!  We’re going to meet!  I’m so excited!  Can you tell?!

I’m taking my travel hoop on the trip.  Hooping next to the geysers!  (Right.  As if Wildebeest and Zebu would allow that).

Wishing you all a wonderful week.
     

38 thoughts on “A little of this, a bit of that”

  1. TTFN, Tracy!
    Have fun hoopin’ and hollerin’ around Yellowstone and Montana! I know you’ll have a fabulous time, but I’ll still send good thoughts out to you for a restful — and playful — vacation.

    Like

  2. TTFN, Tracy!
    Have fun hoopin’ and hollerin’ around Yellowstone and Montana! I know you’ll have a fabulous time, but I’ll still send good thoughts out to you for a restful — and playful — vacation.

    Like

  3. TTFN, Tracy!

    Have fun hoopin’ and hollerin’ around Yellowstone and Montana! I know you’ll have a fabulous time, but I’ll still send good thoughts out to you for a restful — and playful — vacation.

    Like

  4. What fun that you get to meet Idaho Laurie. Is it just me, big city girl, who thinks it strange that you people in Idaho and Colorado call visiting more mountains a vacation?
    Well, last week my daughter said her dream vacation would be hiking in the Rockies. So maybe mountains are a dream destination for all good people.
    Have a great vacation. Enjoy.
    P.S. Oh Dear. The hooping looks very fun and very addicting. I …might….just…have..to…

    Like

    • The last vacation we took before my health crashed was a road trip back east visiting family and friends along the way. Wildebeest fell in love with NYC (his former fave city was San Francisco) and he lobbied to drive back again this year but we told him we couldn’t do that long trip right now.
      That’s cool about your daughter wanting to hike in the Rockies. Make sure her Gatorade canister is closed!
      And yes, the hoop is VERY fun. Give it a try, Linda!

      Like

  5. What fun that you get to meet Idaho Laurie. Is it just me, big city girl, who thinks it strange that you people in Idaho and Colorado call visiting more mountains a vacation?
    Well, last week my daughter said her dream vacation would be hiking in the Rockies. So maybe mountains are a dream destination for all good people.
    Have a great vacation. Enjoy.
    P.S. Oh Dear. The hooping looks very fun and very addicting. I …might….just…have..to…

    Like

  6. What fun that you get to meet Idaho Laurie. Is it just me, big city girl, who thinks it strange that you people in Idaho and Colorado call visiting more mountains a vacation?

    Well, last week my daughter said her dream vacation would be hiking in the Rockies. So maybe mountains are a dream destination for all good people.

    Have a great vacation. Enjoy.

    P.S. Oh Dear. The hooping looks very fun and very addicting. I …might….just…have..to…

    Like

  7. So glad you loved the concert and that the kiddos loved camp ;D
    I’m envious (in a good way) about your trip to Yellowstone and meeting an LJ friend — but I know you’ll share 🙂 Enjoy yourself (don’t hoop too much), Tracy!!

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  8. So glad you loved the concert and that the kiddos loved camp ;D
    I’m envious (in a good way) about your trip to Yellowstone and meeting an LJ friend — but I know you’ll share 🙂 Enjoy yourself (don’t hoop too much), Tracy!!

    Like

  9. So glad you loved the concert and that the kiddos loved camp ;D

    I’m envious (in a good way) about your trip to Yellowstone and meeting an LJ friend — but I know you’ll share 🙂 Enjoy yourself (don’t hoop too much), Tracy!!

    Like

    • See? Hoops make people smile. Last evening I was hooping away my distress over the ill Zebu and my neighbor caught sight of me. She just burst out laughing.
      I will definitely have a good time and will say hello to Laurie!

      Like

  12. have a wonderful family vacation w/ your boys and the hoop!! i love the yellowstone lodge–what a beauty–enjoy enjoy. =9 ps. loved the camp ‘letter home’ bit about the gateraide. how awful!

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  13. have a wonderful family vacation w/ your boys and the hoop!! i love the yellowstone lodge–what a beauty–enjoy enjoy. =9 ps. loved the camp ‘letter home’ bit about the gateraide. how awful!

    Like

  14. I might have to get one of those hoops. Catgirl recently learned to “hoop” at day camp. We got her a cheesy hula hoop at the dollar store but it is too light to work properly.
    See you in a few days! In my imagination Zebu and Wildebeest look like Maurice Sendak’s wild things….

    Like

    • Those cheapo hoops don’t work at all. Well, not for me. This heavier one is so much easier and much more fun. Get one, you’ll see!
      Zebu and Wildebeest are definitely wild ones. I can’t wait to meet Catgirl and Tornado Boy, too.

      Like

  15. I might have to get one of those hoops. Catgirl recently learned to “hoop” at day camp. We got her a cheesy hula hoop at the dollar store but it is too light to work properly.
    See you in a few days! In my imagination Zebu and Wildebeest look like Maurice Sendak’s wild things….

    Like

  16. I might have to get one of those hoops. Catgirl recently learned to “hoop” at day camp. We got her a cheesy hula hoop at the dollar store but it is too light to work properly.

    See you in a few days! In my imagination Zebu and Wildebeest look like Maurice Sendak’s wild things….

    Like

  19. The last vacation we took before my health crashed was a road trip back east visiting family and friends along the way. Wildebeest fell in love with NYC (his former fave city was San Francisco) and he lobbied to drive back again this year but we told him we couldn’t do that long trip right now.
    That’s cool about your daughter wanting to hike in the Rockies. Make sure her Gatorade canister is closed!
    And yes, the hoop is VERY fun. Give it a try, Linda!

    Like

  20. The last vacation we took before my health crashed was a road trip back east visiting family and friends along the way. Wildebeest fell in love with NYC (his former fave city was San Francisco) and he lobbied to drive back again this year but we told him we couldn’t do that long trip right now.

    That’s cool about your daughter wanting to hike in the Rockies. Make sure her Gatorade canister is closed!

    And yes, the hoop is VERY fun. Give it a try, Linda!

    Like

  23. See? Hoops make people smile. Last evening I was hooping away my distress over the ill Zebu and my neighbor caught sight of me. She just burst out laughing.
    I will definitely have a good time and will say hello to Laurie!

    Like

  24. See? Hoops make people smile. Last evening I was hooping away my distress over the ill Zebu and my neighbor caught sight of me. She just burst out laughing.

    I will definitely have a good time and will say hello to Laurie!

    Like

  25. Thanks, Heidi, for the good wishes. And wasn’t that a sad little letter?! It was a growing experience for all of us, I think.
    You have a good week, too.

    Like

  26. Thanks, Heidi, for the good wishes. And wasn’t that a sad little letter?! It was a growing experience for all of us, I think.

    You have a good week, too.

    Like

  28. Those cheapo hoops don’t work at all. Well, not for me. This heavier one is so much easier and much more fun. Get one, you’ll see!
    Zebu and Wildebeest are definitely wild ones. I can’t wait to meet Catgirl and Tornado Boy, too.

    Like

  29. Those cheapo hoops don’t work at all. Well, not for me. This heavier one is so much easier and much more fun. Get one, you’ll see!

    Zebu and Wildebeest are definitely wild ones. I can’t wait to meet Catgirl and Tornado Boy, too.

    Like

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