Betty Ford’s

I met my daughter at Betty Ford’s on Saturday. No, not the rehab, Betty Ford’s Alpine Gardens in Vail. Vail is about half way between us. We found lunch at the Farmer’s Market, walked the gardens, and shared a banana split. My daughter was laughing by the end of it. “None of my friends are still eating at the end of a banana split, mom. You and my brother are the only ones who can keep up!” We walked over six miles and yum, how often do I have a banana split?

The gardens are not huge, but the alpine flowers are beautiful and from all over the world.

We heard music too, since the gardens are right next to the amphitheater. Robert Plant and Alison Kraus were warming up and doing their sound checks. My daughter was underwhelmed.

This looks beautiful and peaceful, but the Farmer’s Market is big and was packed with people. We were pretty much out of the range of Robert Plant at this point, but he accompanied us much of the way.

I heard it on the radio! Well, no, I found it on Youtube.

For the Ragtag Daily Prompt: radio.

wait

I am waiting for approval or refusal from an official body regarding a job. The job was supposed to start on April 15, but the official body did not meet until April 17. (I am picturing a group of body parts getting together, arm, arm, leg, leg, head. Where is the pelvis? Probably out fooling around.) They initially said they would let me know by April 19 and then changed it to by May 1. So, any time between yesterday and May 1. This makes planning a bit difficult.

And weight. I drop ten pounds with pneumonia. I did not gain it back for a year. Then I went past my “normal”, about ten pounds. Now I have come down six pounds. I am not taking one of the weight loss drugs. I am just reducing sweets and also letting my self be just a little hungry and walking. I am not losing weight fast. My goal is about 2 pounds per month.

The last three days my appetite has dropped, which is a stress sign for me. I am taking my friend to get radiation and it took four hours on Thursday and three yesterday. I have to back off if my appetite goes. The combination of waiting and taking care of her is a bit too much. Partly because there are multiple snafus, in both arenas. (Now I am picturing the body parts gathering in a football arena. Wordplay.)

Today I do not have things on the schedule. I may just putter and write and think, feed the cats, do laundry. Nothing much.

How about some music? The first one is a psychedelic band album: new to me. The second is a song sung by Rotarians in the 1960s. Maybe now too, though not by our club.

For the Ragtag Daily Prompt: wait.

Happy mum

Those aren’t mums, you say. No, I am the happy mum! My daughter has a birthday this week. I got the flowers at the Farmer’s Market and what a lovely bouquet. My car was acting up and yesterday I took it to be checked and it was the battery. Today: plumbing, sigh. But I am still a happy mum!

For Cee’s Flower of the Day.

Names

Last night I go to the Cowboy Ball, replete with cupcakes. It is the kick off of our local county fair, which is in two weeks. There is an hour two-step lesson and then a really fun band. The crowd is very mixed. There are some people who can two step, though not very many. There are some people faking it. After a while there are people dancing six count swing or tango or salsa, but everyone waltzes when they play the waltzes. It’s not quite a polka.

One dance partner asks, “Are you the poet doctor?” I blink. “Yes,” I say, pleased. “Which open mike were you at?” “Disco Bay.” I have done four there in the last three months, three at the poetry open mike and one at a music open mike. I was assured that they want poets too at the latter. Ok, then. “And what do you play?” I ask, because it must have been the music open mike. “Drums.” He is with a band that I know. “When do you play again?” He wrinkles his forehead. “I’d have to check my calendar.” “Get back to me!” I say and he says, “Thanks.” All this while dancing. We are doing some two step, falling into swing whenever one of us messes up a step.

I am nicknamed the dancing doctor by the coffee stand at the Farmer’s Market. She writes that on my cup. They are right next to the outdoor “stage”. I try to lure small children out to dance, solo since they don’t know me. They are wonderfully free and fun when they do come out.

I am pretty thrilled to be the poet doctor! We will see if that sticks in this community.

The photograph is Simon Lynge and Janna Marit two weeks ago at the Farmer’s Market. And here is the coffee stand.


And look! The poster for the Cowboy Dance in the lower left!

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For the Ragtag Daily Prompt: community.