Shakesthegrounds Rumblings

[Shakesthecoffecan]

Thank you all, you have no idea, really you have no idea how your words are like food to a starving person right now.  Breath in, breath out....

Well, to continue on a positive note, since the first of August I have lost 11 lbs. Only 21 more to go, maybe I will be there by Xmess.

[CellarDweller]

Thank you all, you have no idea, really you have no idea how your words are like food to a starving person right now.  Breath in, breath out....

(((((BIg Hug)))))

Well, to continue on a positive note, since the first of August I have lost 11 lbs. Only 21 more to go, maybe I will be there by Xmess.

Oh, congrats!  Good job!   I also had a success on that.  After blowing out my knee, and not being able to use the gym in the hotel in SF, I was afraid I'd be up past the 200lb mark again.  I got on the scale and it read 198, so I lost 2lbs on vactaion.  lmao

Not sure how that happened, but I'll take it!

[Rayn]

I miss you Truman... But I'm thankful I got this cool photo of you from Bob.  He took it the day we climbed Jack Ascending.  Thanks for the long and lovely description of the last part of the Pilgrimage!   I have a lot that I want to say about it Pilgrimage, but am waiting for the right time this weekend to write about it.  I miss all my Brokie Buddies... Guys and Gals, but my life will fuller and richer since we met.

Peace,
Rayn

[Shakesthecoffecan]

And the drama continues:

Sascha, aka Melinda, aka Our Lady of the Cinema, was right on time to pick us up at the Cathedral Hill Hotel. Of course we were on brokie time, that time measured by watches with cat arms on them, worn by cats who refuse to be headed. Soon however we were on our way to her Mustang, with its new engine, me and her and FrontRanger and Theresa rocketing down 10th St. When I proposed texting someone to obtain RouxB's phone number Theresa had it in her phone. Imagine that.

We took the interstate south, past the National Cemetery where Billy Sipple is buried. If you don;t know about Billy Sipple here is a link worth reading: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oliver_Sipple but only if you have not had your fill of more depressing crap for the week. One day when there is time I would like to stop by there.

Turning off onto 92 I think it was we passed into small valleys filled with pumpkins and metal sculpture, dinosaurs and the like. So strange i thought to be here, in this place I'd never seen with lives going on all around. Half Moon Bay and the shore of the Specific Ocean, I had stopped there once on my first trip put there, 9 years ago this month. It was the closest I got to the water this time, my regret.

The Rodeo itself was in a deep holler in the hills, out where there was no cell service which both frightened and relieved me. I regretted immediately not bringing my hat, it was a brig sunny day, with shade abounding. I was tickled to see the tent set up to sell the Beyond Brokeback book, where I was tickled once again to meet Michael Flanagan, whose story I admire. I met so many people and there names and identities just roled on off my brain with the sight of the next muscled cowboy who strode by. It was all I expected it to be, eyecandy, and more.

I watched very little of the rodeo itself, instead I visited with friends. Judy and Karen and Janice and Michelle and later Gail. Bought me some cowskin boots and broke them in dancing with Chuck to the strains of RedNex's Cotton Eyed Joe, Lite Beer in hand. Had revelations that Vatican II was all about keeping women from having Super Powers, Heard life stories, confired with Jack over the state of stuck-upness in America today, it was fun. The shadow filled the holler and it was time to go, and I took a look around. I always feel like these places I will never see again, I mean why would I there are so many other places to see......

I fell asleep on the way back, but awoke in time to remind Melinda to take me by Joe's apartment, which she did with expert skill, you need skill to navigate San Fran. She dropped me off at the steps and I, had to ask the neighbors which apartment was his........

Dressed and refreshed I headed out again for Cathedral Hill in my hat, my Jack Nasty T shirt and my new booths. Going down those steep sidewalks on Eureka I learned what it must be like for women in high heels. The phone rang, it was Lynne, so I had some company for the trip.

What I liked about the dance the most was the "Shadow Dancing" Two cowboys spooning together lake Jack and Ennis in the Dozy Embrace, two steeping around the floor, it was quite beautiful, I enjoyed dancing with Chuck and FrontRange, who is as light as a feather, enjoyed my pschedelic experence with Paul (see photo) but I was wilting, I didn;t stay late.

That night as I drifted in and out of sleep I wondered who the hell this Cotton Eyed Joe was, and how could a guy with white eyes cause someone to give up on finding a wife.

[Shakesthecoffecan]

I miss you Truman... But I'm thankful I got this cool photo of you from Bob.  He took it the day we climbed Jack Ascending.  Thanks for the long and lovely description of the last part of the Pilgrimage!   I have a lot that I want to say about it Pilgrimage, but am waiting for the right time this weekend to write about it.  I miss all my Brokie Buddies... Guys and Gals, but my life will fuller and richer since we met.

Peace,
Rayn

Your a good soul Rayn, I miss you too. If it wern;t for you and them lungs of yours we'd still be sitting in that parking lot waiting for them guys to come back.

That hike/climb was a life changer for sure. But I still cannot accept the fact I look like that. In my mind I look like Bruce Jenner at age 26. 

[ohiomyown]

President TA darlin' :  That IS what you look like !   Was that really Bruce Jenner?  I used to have such a crush on him.   Thought for sure that that was a pic of you!  What was your question again?  jk

[loneleeb3]

"Shadow Dancing" Two cowboys spooning together lake Jack and Ennis in the Dozy Embrace, two steeping around the floor, it was quite beautiful

That was quite the sight! I too loved that.
It was so tender a dance yet hot all at the same time.
One of the many sights I will never forget and miss terribly now!

[Shakesthecoffecan]

Judy I am so tickled to see you over here, overcoming your fear of the place, hell anyone with Vista on their laptop should be able to get around here fine.

Lee, I tend to compare these withdrawls to a hangover, how 'bout you?

[loneleeb3]

Judy I am so tickled to see you over here, overcoming your fear of the place, hell anyone with Vista on their laptop should be able to get around here fine.

Lee, I tend to compare these withdrawls to a hangover, how 'bout you?

If hangovers felt like this I'd never drink again!
I can eat a greasy ole steak and egg biscuit and drink a big glass of sweet tea and feel a lot better.
That ain't gonna fix this. But I guess hangover is as close as you can come.
Maybe withdrawl is the better of the two terms!
I don't know. It just sucks! I wanna go back and have everyone there again.

[CellarDweller]

As someone who has been to about 6 of these gatherings, I can tell you, it gets easier as time goes on.

When it came time to say good bye at the first one in Texas last year, I bawled like a baby, and was depressed for a few days.

Soon, you'll start remembering the funny things, and laugh and smile.    Maybe you should try this, it can help.

On DCF we have a thread called "How the Forum Get Togethers Affected Me", and each time I go to one, I give a listing of everything that made me smile or touched me.  Truman, your list was much more descriptive, more in depth.  I keep mine more .....light hearted, for lack of a better term.  Here's mine, copied from DCF........





Geez....so much to talk about while it's fresh in my mind!  As usual, I'm still smiling, and the sense of excitement and happiness is here, as well as the sadness that comes with the "until the next time" that always end it.


Arriving on Friday to be greeted at the airport by Auntie, Peanut, BcatJr, Gnash, and Ingy, and then waiting around for DontWantToSayGB to show up.

Pulling up to the hotel to see LoneLeeB3 come running out to meet me.

Heading out to the Sundance to two step, and getting asked to dance by a cowboy! 

Singing karaoke for a few Brokies!

Getting on the dancefloor when the retro disco started, and doing a turn, and blowing out my knee, after only one song.

The sweet IfYouCantFixIt who went to get me ice to put on my knee, and a sweet cowboy employee who sat and talked with me for about 15 minutes to make sure I was ok.

Rodeo fun on Saturday, not getting lost despite not using a TomTom, there was no signal for it to work! 

Good talks with ShakesTheGround as he was buying his cowboy boots.

The great Brokie booth at the rodeo.

Everyone caring enough to ask how my knee was as I hobbled around.     

Meeting Jim.Grrr for the first time, what a great guy! 

Reconnecting with Sid401K and TwistedDude, and LoveEmBoys and her hubby, Dave.

The dance afterwards, with TellYouWhat, who tried so hard to teach me to two step.      And then dancing with Ingy, DejaVu, Auntie, and Peanut.

ShakesTheGround grabbing me and pulling me on the dancefloor to dance disco style to country music!  The man can move!

Watching OceansBetween do the Barn Dance.  She had such a good time.

Many "just because hugs" with DontWantToSayGB.

Meeting Meli and Andy on Sunday, two great people, shared many laughs.

Being tapped on my shoulder, and turning around to meet Xqsmwa.  What a delightful woman.  She was my angel during the viewing of Brokeback, and held me and let me lean on her when I cried.  First time anyone did that for me.  Thank you, honey!

Picking up RobInPuyallup at the airport, he was sooooo excited, and the perfect roommate.

Bar stop at Zietgiest, and Gracie almost knifing me when I attempted to touch her burger!

Breakfast with ShakesTheGround, OceansBetween, JStephens9, & LoneLeeB3....and the whole "Bless his heart" conversation!

Dropping both LoneLeeB3 and ShakesTheGround off at the airport.  Good byes are usually sad, but these guys give such good, hard hugs....they made me smile.  And when STG told me how much he respected me, I was blown away.  Quite the compliment.  I can't wait to see them both again.

MichaelFlanagan's comments that just had me laughing out loud all weekend!

Ferry ride with JStephens9 to Saulsalito, and some walk ing around with Jim.Grr, Meli, Andy, Ingy, RobInPuyallup, BayCityJohn, Auntie, MichaelFlanagan, JStephens9, and DejaVu.

Dinner and Brokie discussion afterwards at Auntie's house.  Great pizza! 


So when's the next one?