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Where I’ve been and what I’ve been up to

It’s been a couple of weeks since my last post, so I’m hoping you’re wondering where I’ve been and what I’ve been up to. To tell you the truth, most of it’s been fun though some of it… wasn’t so fun.

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Myself, Tom, and Yvonne at Madrid’s Hollar having a stellar lunch.

First off, we welcomed my sister-in-law Yvonne and some of her family to New Mexico on September 29. Yvonne stayed with us for about a week and a half. During that time we made all kinds of excursions. Of course, we headed up to Santa Fe one day. We drove the fun way, via the Turquoise Trail which goes right through Madrid, an artsy, little, one-time mining town. We poked through galleries and shops then had lunch at the fabulous Hollar Restaurant (If you ever get there, I recommend the ahi tuna sandwich. A bonus: they carry gluten-free buns!)

Brother and sister on top of the world. Or at least on top of the Sandias.
Brother and sister on top of the world. Or at least on top of the Sandias at almost 11,000 feet.

Other days we perused Albuquerque’s Old Town for gifts for Yvonne to carry home to Boston. We headed to the tramway that goes up Sandia peak but it was mobbed given all the tourists here for Balloon Fiesta. Instead we opted to drive up the east side of the mountain. On the way back down I convinced Tom to take an alternative route, one not on most maps mostly because it quickly becomes a rocky, dirt road type of adventure. Especially if you’re in a Honda Accord. But what views! And now I know where Sandia Man Cave is; not that I’ll see it any time soon. Unless we trick out my Honda Fit with big-ass wheels as Tom’s Accord is done with that route.

 

A "glowing" balloon at Albuquerque's Balloon Fiesta.
A globe “glows” at Albuquerque’s Balloon Fiesta.

 

 

 

 

About Balloon Fiesta, Albuquerque’s annual, international party. Last year we attended mass ascension. That takes place in the early morning when all the participating hot air balloons pretty much take off at the same time. It’s an incredible sight, something to put on your bucket list. Because many of balloons tend to fly close to, if not right over our house and Yvonne got to see that, we chose to visit fiesta during the special shapes “Glowdeo.” Special shape balloons aren’t round like most,but are made to be a character or animal or an item like Wells Fargos’s trademark stage coach.

Uncle Sam comes alive as the sun goes down.
Uncle Sam gets all fired up as the sun goes down in Albuquerque. Wish I could’ve gotten a good shot of Darth Vader and Yoda.

 

On certain evenings the fiesta holds a “glow” during which pilots fire-up their balloons in the dark. They stay tethered to the ground, as you can imagine it’s probably not a good idea to fly at night.Turns out, you should put this event on your bucket list too. It’s that special.

 

On Yvonne’s last day, the three of us and Marcelle, one of her daughters, enjoyed a tasting at Acequia Winery in Corrales, a neighboring village in which I think almost every resident owns a horse or three. It was a fitting send-off after a good visit. We hope she comes back next year.

 

The view from the back patio at Acequia Winery. There's no place better to sit and sip.
The view from the back patio at Acequia Winery. There’s no place better to sit and sip.

 

 

Now for the less-than-fun I mentioned above.

 

My dentist had started prepping me for a crown not long before Yvonne arrived. Shit happens and my crown became the root canal from hell. Ostensibly, it was finished the day Yvonne arrived and that was to be that. Except, except – and some of those who know me will find this funny – I developed lockjaw. Which continues to this very day. I understand it could be a few weeks or even two months (!!!) until it clears. In the meantime I have to cut up all my food into itsy-bitsy bites till it all resembles a nursing home meal. My only saving grace? I can still drink. Let the margaritas flow! And Acequia’s wine while we’re at it. Oh, and Tom Brady’s back winning with the Patriots, so I guess life’s not bad at all.

What have you been up to these past few weeks while I’ve been on social media-light?

NOw that you know where I've been and what I've been doing, you can also appreciate all the hooking I've done too the last few weeks. My guild held a 3-day retreat last week. What fun!
Now that you know where I’ve been and what I’ve been doing, you can also appreciate all the hooking I’ve done the last few weeks. My guild held a 3-day retreat last Monday – Wednesday. I managed to get a lot of my tree done. Here’s to a big reveal soon!
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2 comments

  1. Debbie Moyes says:

    Glad you had a good visit. That was a long one…
    Lock jaw! That sounds awful, though the food thing might be a good way for me to shed some pounds. Was that a reaction to meds or something to do with the root canal. (I had one ages ago and I remember feeling so good once the thing was done! Such pain!)
    We have 6 guests coming tomorrow and so I/we have been cleaning for the last two weeks. I am such a messy person and we need to use all the rooms… I am so tired of cleaning and planning meals. It will be fun when they are here. Friday my friend and I are going to the Southern Highlands Craft Show in Asheville and I am really looking forward to that. The caliber of work should be good and it is a guild I could be juried into if I can decide what to do!
    We’re having a heat wave of course – 90 somehitng today and I am sweating to death!

    • Laura S says:

      I’m always sweating, Deb. Except when I’m too cold. Hot flashes. Poo! The lockjaw is a result of so many days/hours of my mouth being held WIDE open, plus I have a small mouth which made it worse. Then there was the trauma of so many needle jabs into the same place. And possibly Novocain (or whatever it is these days) in the muscle. Unfortunately, only a few pounds lost. Boo! Clearly, I’m quite adaptable. Craft show sounds fun. We have a couple of good ones coming up here in November. What kind of guild? Hooking, weaving? (Love those dish towels!) We’ll actually be in the 60s tomorrow. Very fallish. Enjoy your company!

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