Howling at the MOON
Howling at the Moon
I can howl with the best of them and I wanted to catch a glimpse of Elvis. It was a full moon and we were in the desert in the foothills of Yuma Az. A Monday afternoon actually and it started at 3:00 pm. We arrived a half hour early to secure a great spot for our fold-out chairs. This was not necessary because there were many great spots and lots of elbow room. We brought snacks and beverages although that wasn’t completely necessary because there were food trucks available around the periphery of the site. The moonrise was scheduled for 6:18 pm and we were entertained by Elvis for the first hour and then a country band after him.
Lord knows I divorced Country music many years ago, it was a staple in my forty-year marriage. The thing is, I don’t hate all country music, I love Loretta and Patsy, Kenny and Dolly ‘Islands in the Stream’ is one of my all-time favorites. Bonnie Raitt another gal I love, is scheduled to do a concert in Saskatoon Saskatchewan in September of this year and I made a mental note to tell my kids in case they wanted to get me something special for my birthday. This was before she won a Grammy for song of the year. Imagine my surprise as well when it was dubbed here as ‘little known blues singer Bonnie Raitt’ won song of the year against Taylor Swift, Beyonce and all the other big names. Little known.. really?
I actually like all kinds of music but there was no accommodating Celine Dion or anything ‘not country’, in my marriage, so Celine and I took our leave. My car media will not play country music.. please don’t even ask if you are traveling with me. Leaving country music behind was like opening an ornate door to the yoyful possibilities of life and fresh air and, and.. I could breathe again. I like not knowing if my dog is going to get run over by a tractor or if my cat is going to die from a broken heart or even if my best friend is going to run away with my lover.. if I ever get lucky enough to find one. Listening to a steady diet of country music is not good for you. Please mix it up a bit and take chance, keep your options open and above all at least let your kids have a break from all that crying and cheating and heartbreak.
Having said all that, there I sat.. listening to a country singer that was so good he made my heart melt with some of the songs he sang. Of course, I knew all the words to most of the songs, I spent forty years learning them. I wish I could remember his name but it doesn’t matter, well it probably does matter to him. The person I was with knew I dismissed country music, so was surprised when I knew all the words to the songs and was singing along. I surprised myself as well as I sat there and enjoyed what was being served up to us. Who knew? Certainly not me. Having said all that doesn’t mean country music is back in my life, my car’s media will remain intact. A country music concert with ‘Kansas’ could be in my future, never heard of them but wth (what the heck) I’ll keep my options open.
The afternoon wore on, it was windy and chilly but we brought warm cover-ups, old people do that, we don’t need to look cool and baby it was cool! The landscape was dotted with groups of mostly older people and they had their own fire pits blazing warmth. We were fairly new to this so no fire for us. This actually reminded me of back home when ‘Craven’ a big country event in Saskatchewan, started up in a farmer’s field, it turned into a mega event as the years passed. I was there in the early years when Garth Brooks performed, they got him cheap because he signed on early, before he became famous. I was waiting patiently for the full moon to come out. I was going to get the ‘money shot’ of it rising up over the mountain-like foothills directly in front of us.
Alas.. the sky was clouded over and the moon was not to be seen, it was dark and we were old, I mean cold.. so we left early. I did get a great sunset shot though. Here in Yuma, the party is over by 8:00 pm and everyone leaves, trust me I know. My kids don’t even leave the house until 9:00 pm to go party, but I see them slowing down as well. Age creeps up on us and when did that happen I wonder? The urge to party competes with a warm comfy bed and a book, hmmm. If I had a man I wouldn’t have to get new reading glasses or I would learn to read with my fingers .. sorry/not sorry : )
February 11th 2023
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