A New Set of Wheels

Relax! It's only a new set of two wheels, not four. My car is still in the shop.

In my new quest for fitness, sports, and most of all, independent local travel, I purchased a "new to me" bicycle! It is frustrating that I have bikes in the USA, but when I drove down over a year ago, the car was packed and I chose to wait to bring one until I returned a few months later for the remaining orchestra gigs I had contracted. But then covid came and the borders closed and the gigs cancelled and I was unable to return to the USA to retrieve it. Now that I "could" return, my car is unable to make the trip and the border has become a haven of bandits looking to rob incoming cars regardless of driver nationality or luxury car model (so I could theoretically leave Mexico safely, but who could say regarding the return). New-to-me bike it is then, after impatiently complaining for over a year that I miss my bike. 

Ironically, the new-to-me bike is the same one I have at home. That wasn't at all intentional, but is kind of funny in after sight. It's a different color with slightly different components, but it's the same brand and the same model and some of the same components. Luckily for me, I paid less than half of what I paid so many years ago, which I see as only befitting since the bike is now that much older. It's still a fantastic beginner bike. 

Technically I'm no beginner. I've logged many many hours on that bike, crashing and burning, nearly dying, and always leaving with exciting stories to tell, or at the very least, extremely muddy, sometimes bloody, and very dirty. There was a period of time I spent 3-4 hours a day on that bike hacking away at various technical difficulties on the Austin Greenbelt. But hey, I still like the bike even if I have outgrown it's capabilities and I'm happy to keep riding another one vs not riding a bike at all or riding a poorly constructed one.

Considering the old bike has withstood the test of time (i.e. it is Ronda proof-thank you Trek!), I'm looking forward to battering this one hard and reselling it in a few years when my visa expires. I'm very happy with the deal I got so hopefully I will recoup much of what I just paid for it.

I'm also very excited to now have the freedom to go much further, must faster and spend less of my day walking. Not that I don't enjoy walking, but I'd like the option to choose whether I spend hours walking to the store or not, or have the ability to be gone for hours and go to many stores vs just one.

The next weekend is the Easter celebration weekend. In Mexico it starts the Thursday before Easter Sunday, so I'm praying that brother Murphy goes on vacation early so I can get my car back in good working order and go mountain biking!

Here's to getting back in the saddle soon!

Meet my new Trek 4500

Sitting pretty in the sunshine.

Of course 😂 Denny Crane got to ride along. I finally used my Timbuk 2 San Fransisco backpack for it's actual bike-riding purpose!
Don't worry, Denny Crane was safely secured inside and as far as I know, he didn't cause any rubbernecking accidents!

Down the Car Repair Rabbit Hole

I've been postponing writing more about my car repair progress until I had more news. It took me this long to get more news. (Mexican time lol)

I missed the phone call from the mechanic yesterday. Tried calling him back twice to no avail and texted saying to call me anytime. 

Didn't hear anything this morning, so I finally tried again at noon. 

Funny thing: I apparently want to get my car back bad because my phone dialed the mechanic after I went to bed! He told me his wife was really mad that I called so late and so I looked on my phone records because I was confused how that could have happened, but indeed, there it was. I had "called" the mechanic after midnight. Oops!

Luckily he wasn't too mad at me today when we chatted and he told me there is a new problem. Down the rabbit hole I'm falling.

The intake manifold from Mexico City arrived, in worse condition than described, but in better condition than mine, so it's hooked up and running.

But now...now there's something wrong with my ac compressor and pulley that is making a terrible racket. 

I was supposed to hear back today as to how much it would cost to fix or if I just want to bypass the whole thing, but, Mexico time....I never heard back. 

So now it's continuing the waiting game for yet another part in my car (You guessed it. The part is hard to find here...). Who knows if I'll ever get my car back. In that thought, I've started aggressively bike shopping HAH!

On a happier note, I've been making great progress with my back pain. There is rarely a time I feel it now so I'm taking more risks lifting heavier items. Also started running again. Boy am I out of shape. Hoping in a month I can get the extra weight from the previous months back off and get my bikini body ready for a covid summer indoors....hip hip hooray...

But I'm very happy that my back is not talking back every other thing I try to do these days so I can get back to being me. And who knows, if I can actually find a decent bike, maybe I'll be able to go out and hit some trails this summer. Boy wouldn't that be grand?!

Denny Crane is always happy when I get back. It's nice to always have a welcoming committee!

La Pasarela (aka The Mexican Catwalk)

Today and yesterday were busy busy busy days.

Why? You ask.

Well, I'm assuming my "brother" Murphy took a much needed vacation and I had a moment of good luck. Amazing luck actually!

Today was my first "job" in over a year. It was only an hour and half with a day and hours of prep beforehand, but I have made the first steps to becoming a model in Mexico.

I woke up this morning at 3:00am, 5:00am, 5:30am, 6:00am, 6:10am, 6:20am, and at 6:30am I finally got up and got ready to leave. Yes, I was slightly paranoid that I wouldn't wake up to my two alarms so I never really slept, but that's what coffee's for right?!

Super crazy lucky for me, the event took place only a 5 minute walk from home, so I didn't need my car and could actually take the job. What amazing luck in such a big city!

I showed up on time at 7:00am and walked around waiting for everyone to arrive and trying to take in the situation that:

• I was at my first job in over year. 
• I was at my first catwalk in Mexico.
• I was at my first modeling gig in Mexico.
• I was at work!

The picture above is the "catwalk". With covid, they had fewer people, spread out with extra space, and only 3 models instead of a standard dozen or more. Usually the department store would have a giant production in a commercial space, but because of covid, they're doing small private productions. This was the first event. I can only pray that I get to do all the rest of them!

At around 7:10am, everyone (but one model) was there so we began hair and makeup. I'm not a very girly girl, but I do enjoy having my hair and makeup done and with covid for the past year, I've not gone to a salon of any kind. It was a real treat to be pampered as such. The girls that did our hair and makeup weren't very professional imo, as I told them my hair doesn't hold a curl, and they tried, and tried, and tried again, and by the end I had a few waves at the bottom. Oh well. 

The girl that did my makeup also mistook my paler skin tone for a pink-based European canvas. I do admit that it's rare when I find a makeup artist that actually figures out my native American roots and does everything in peach shades instead of pink. So my makeup looked more hooker in my opinion than natural classy woman, but hey, whatever they're happy with. I'm there to get painted, primped, and sell clothes off my body (ok, that sounds very hooker, but you know what I mean!).

After hair and makeup were through, one of the directors took the 3 models to show us a triangle formation walk. We practiced it and he gave me directions on what he wanted for the brand (slow, casual, no crossed feet). We left the runway to head back for clothes prep and to meet our dressers. (Dressers are people who help you dress and undress very fast because you have to run between walks.) We got dressed for the first walk and the 2nd director tried to explain a whole new walk to me. I was so confused. He tried to explain several times and still I had to ask the other girls and even after that, I felt like I was winging it. I understood all the words in Spanish, but together, they meant nothing in English. How frustrating!

I did my thing and walked the walk and even had audience members applauding and nodding approval. 

My head was all awhirl with trying to remember the specific walk patterns, the specific walk notes, the specific walk poses and especially, trying to listen to the host talk in Spanish and respond appropriately in my walk. Whew! I need to study Spanish more, that's for sure! But it was all a whirl of live performance and I loved being back in the pressure of the spotlight, to be back on a stage. I wasn't performing music (and I miss that terribly), but I was back in my element; an element of being watched, being the performer, being the part of a whole, being an artist.

This was the first look I modeled. I didn't have time to take more pictures once the show started sadly.

If you've followed my blog for a while, you'll already know I've modeled in the US for years, but this is the first time I was contracted to model in Mexico. 

Posing at home.

I sincerely hope it's not the last!!

After the event, selfie shot :)

Loving me some Denny Crane after the show. He was happy to see me come home!

The Life & Trials of Denny Crane

Today I'm just going to share a little bit of my adversities and fun with the cutest dog in the world, Denny Crane.

He's a smart cookie and I've trained him in many things. No, I've never trained him to sit as it seems ridiculous since he's only 2 inches off the floor anyway.

However, he does know to wait, to stay, to stay with momma, to go outside, to come along, to come here, to hush, to get down/aka leave me alone, to bring, to stop licking, etc.

He's very good at all of them, but he's the proverbial child. If he gets scolded, he's offended.

So he's always looking for ways to have the last word.

One of his least favorite commands is to hush. He's a very hard of hearing dog these days so all the commands have hand gestures that he follows. I'm actually not sure how really hard of hearing he is or how much he is just really good at pretending. Anyway, if he's barking excessively and I've offered to let him out, checked his water and his food bowl and he's fine, I'll tell him to hush. If he thinks that's going to happen he will purposely avert his head or go behind me so as to avoid "seeing" the command. Because, after all, if he can't see it he doesn't have to follow it. Obviously.

Well, today, among other days, he didn't act fast enough and he saw the finger rise to my lips. His ears drooped and his head dropped and he glanced away for a second before looking back again with hopes my finger would be removed. It was still there so he begrudgingly turned to leave. I turned around to continue what I was doing. That little devil walked as far as the bathroom door, turned around, barked once, and dashed into the bathroom to avoid seeing the command again and to let me know that he indeed got in the last word.

Another one of his least favorite commands is to stop licking. Denny Crane is a licker as they say. That tongue never stops. He really enjoys giving kisses so if he gets anywhere near skin, watch out because a kiss is coming your way!

Usually when I tell him to stop licking, he looks at me as if to say, "Really?". I stare him down and for maybe ten seconds he stops. Then he decides I didn't really mean it and continues. At this point he gets the soft bop on the nose that indicates I really did mean it. Now he's offended. How could I possibly not want kisses in excessive abundance? So while he was happily perched on my lap trying to give kisses, the command to stop licking is so horrible, he can't stand to be near me. If he has the option he will stalk off to the other end of the couch and purposefully curl up with his head facing away from me (which is really rare since he always tries to keep an eye on me). If he can't move away, he physically huffs to show his discontent with the command and then waits about 15 seconds or so before doing a 'gotcha' lick. It's not a kiss. It's not a full lick. It's just the tip of his tongue fast enough so he doesn't get caught in the act and he gets the last word. Then he turns around to sulk in the least cozy position possible.

One of his other not so favorite commands is to get down. He doesn't actually jump. But when I'm eating at the table he'll prop his legs up on the chair or couch to let me know he wants up there too. Sometimes I pick him up. Sometimes I want my space. He knows the hand cue for down and the poor boy looks like he's been grounded for a month when he sees it. His ears droop and his eyes get that big "puss in boots" size, and he slowly drags his feet down the chair or couch to emphasize his disapproval and utter misery of the situation. Then he waits for just a bit to make sure I don't change my mind before turning around and stalking off to his furthest bed possible. "Fine", he says. "If you don't want me around. I don't want to be around you either!"

What a character he is. Denny Crane is smart and fun to play with and show off to all the people. They are always impressed at how well he walks on a leash, how well behaved he is in public, and how he walks right into his doggy purse. They ooo and aaa over his adorable little face and his one-of-a-kind white mohawk. He prances around like a little horse and tilts his head, staring straight into cameras, and melting hearts far and wide.

He's a truly special dog for sure and he's got the personality to match!

Denny being the baby that he is: completely relaxed, feet curled in his 'cute' position.

Run Denny Run! This is probably my favorite toy. I do believe it's a squeaky hedgehog, but whatever it is, the squeaky is adorable lol!!

You can see the back of his little head as he's curled up sleeping in his purse.

What a tongue!!

There he is, charming the camera and showing off his white tuft mohawk.

Lustfully Wandering Seeming Aimlessly

Life has turned totally tipsy and not in that happy feeling after a couple of tequila shots way, but in that rather unnerving uh-oh, what is going to happen next kind of way.

A couple of years ago I decided to give landlubbering a try again and truth be told, I should have probably not been so foolish since I've learned my lesson before, but I plunged ahead regardless to prior knowledge. Accordingly, it didn't go so swimmingly well and I've been floundering around ever since.

About a year ago, in the midst of swimming headlong upstream, a most unique occurrence happened ~ I acquired a dog. I only acquired a dog in the sense that I now take care of it, but not in the traditional sense of choosing a dog, wanting a dog, nor looking for a dog and dog ownership. This dog decided it was in his best interest that I be the one and only human on planet earth worth his constant attention. Now this little guy is great, fantastic, a joy to play with, and very well trained. However, he's also extremely, highly, completely, utterly, and totally dependent on my existence. What does one do on land with a dog such as this: a dog that could care less about food, toys, treats, the rest of the human population unless I am visibly in the room and obviously staying there?

That's an honest question, as I have yet to find the answer.

So a year after acquiring said dog, I'm doing what all lost children do that have a new child and need help; I've moved in with the best built in baby sitter, Mamaw. How long will I stay? I don't know. Life is limbo.

What I do know is this:

• The last job I had on cruise ships no longer exists (again).
• My long time job (15 yrs) in the Arkansas symphony is teetering on non existent.
• I've got a dog with severe separation anxiety that hasn't improved with any method tried.
• I don't have a giant nest egg of funds to support myself indefinitely.

So, after pursuing a temporary job, a long term flexible job, and other random wandering ideas that have slammed shut rather effectively in my face, I've finally accepted my pre-term midlife crisis.

Since I was a child I have wanted nothing more than to play music for a living. I've done that successfully and unsuccessfully ever sense. The scene has changed and I've barely kept up with it until now. Fewer and fewer cruise ships want classical groups and the major one I worked for years ago, now tells the musicians what to play, when to play, and how to play the music. The following of supporters I amassed was from getting to know my audience each cruise, playing what they liked and how they liked it. Performing as a robot doesn't win the audience on cruises (as the reviews for the new groups have shown) nor is it a desirable way to work for me.

Symphony orchestra on land have been my bread and butter between cruise ship gigs. These orchestras are financially suffering like all the others, and the remedy for that is to hire more people locally even if they're not professional. It saves thousands of dollars to not pay mileage and hotel costs for so many musicians to travel in for the concert and rehearsal week. Unfortunately, I don't want to live in any of the cities that would require me to stay. Nor would the income generated by performing there support me in any way living locally instead of traveling from hotel room to hotel room (no rent to pay). So the job I've loved and had for so long is no longer really able to hire me except on occasion.

What in the world am I going to do?

With the support of friends and family, I've chosen to make a drastic change. I have no idea what the outcome will be and if I'll be successful, but I'm going to give it the best shot I can. 

From full time musician to travel writer and tour guide.

At the Beach!

Dali Museum Tour

Hard at work in a local coffee shop.

Pillow Partners

The last few days have been so lovely, for many reasons, but one of my favorite is who gets to share the bed with me :)

He did eventually fall off my lap as he fell deeper asleep lol 

Fast asleep on my lap. This is Heisman, a mini collie puppy.

Getting enthusiastic kisses from Denny Crane!

Worn out after a long day of fetching the ball outside.

These dogs are so fun and as you can see, Denny Crane shares my bed. He's such a snuggle bug. You wouldn't believe it, but this dog will nearly push me out of a king size bed. I can wake up on the very edge of the bed and that little dog is snuggled up close to me, the rest of the huge bed empty :-)

When I left for the last time Denny Crane followed me out to my car and his owner called to him to come back inside the yard, but Denny Crane just stood there looking between me and his owner, conflicted. I finally reached down to pick him up, gave him one last loving pet and carried him to his owner so I could leave.

Parting is such sweet sorrow..........

failed again

Last night I loaded most of my car by myself. This morning I loaded the rest I could with the help of my friend and headed off to my dog walking interview and then on to Irvine. I'm not sitting on the couch in Irvine typing away, wondering what happened to the interview.

Showed up on time, the dog and owner were there but so was another girl, the interviewee before me I assume. So I sat down just inside where I could see her and waited for her to leave but instead of her leaving, they both left...in the same car. Weird. I wasn't aware the girlfriend was also coming to the interview. doh. So now I'm out of yet another possible job that would have been fun.

Gonna spend some time replying to more possible cl ads now. See if I can get any leads today.

Still can hardly move my right shoulder. Driving was painful but possible. Don't wish to do it much again soon. Tried sleeping in a bed instead of a couch last night. That did not work. Can't sleep laying down yet. Hopefully all job interviews will be held end of next week when I will be able to shake hands without cursing. lol

moving to Irvine

After a day of getting off the couch once for a pee break and some grapes to curb the hunger craving I've finally gotten "up", bit my lip for the pain, took a pill (which I'm convinced is a placebo for it's lack of pain killing capabilities) and loaded up my car to head to Irvine tomorrow morning. But first I have a job interview to be a ... dog walker!!! That will pull in less than a hundred bucks a week, but it's something at least.

Back to sitting on the couch now that the car is full and enjoying dinner, then it's bedtime so I can wake up refreshed for tomorrow. I'm ready to move on. New places, new faces, new chances.