Las Puertas Amarillas

 

Las Puertas Amarillas

Michelle arrived Sunday afternoon, the 26th. We're at the same Airbnb Kristen and I stayed in a few weeks earlier. It's a few blocks from downtown in a gentrified "barrio."

Parking is by permit and the prevalence of BMWs, Mercedeses and Porsches means Phoebe gets parked in the back of a nearby lot while the 2015 Honda FIT gets pride-of-place on the street.

Since Michelle made the reservation, the lighted poster welcomes her. I prefer to travel incognito, though Chris & Sally, the proprietors, remembered me.

Morning Light

It was melted by the time we emerged.

Sexuality, Sensuality & Spirituality

Description:

Come explore the different intersections of sexuality, sensuality, and spirituality in life through structured, confidential group discussion. This discussion group is for folks who are LGBTQ+, spiritual-but-not-religious, sacred BDSM practitioners, sex magick witches, energy workers, Tantrikas, mystics, seekers, philosophers, neuroscientists, and those that are just curious and open-minded.

There were two couples, and me; all younger than my children might be (my daughter is 52); it was interesting to see how focused and empathic they were.

The main topic was chronic pain. There was disussion of coping techniques including attempts to transform it into masochistic pleasure (no one had had much success).

My notes, edited for anonymity:

I tried to give an example of psychic vertical & horizontal split, but hadn't grasped the concepts sufficiently.

Moderator was familiar and described being spanked -- administered as punishment -- up to the age of 12.

Once she asked her Dom for a beating.... something beyond her "comfort level." As it proceded, the onion (I had mentioned the metaphor of "peeling") CRACKED open...to her core; her psyche collapsed. (This was tough listening to)

The Dom stopped immediately and -- she didn't give details -- but comforted her while she went through it. She said she was so grateful he was an older man (I got a very brief glance -- do I project? -- of interest) and knew what to do.

We were nearing the end and, uncomfortable about probing further, I emphasized how impprtant my relationships, both personal & w therapists, have been and are. I explained I view "caring" as synonymous with spirituality and gestured to indicate to them the importance (sanctity, if you will, though I didn't say it) of their relationships. I choked (brought close to tears) as I spoke and mentioned She-of-the-Capri, her Ph.D. and work as my "personal" clinician.

I don't know if they heard the catch in my throat but I could see from their smiling, youthful faces they were hearing me and appreciating the love they shared with their partners (spouses).

The other couple were also sensitive, articulate and wrangling psychological stuff plus chronic pain.

Moderator's spouse made the point that psychological pain can be chronic.

It, the session, was as much therapy as anything, but WAY better than any group I've prev attended.

Their website.

Michelle & I in Tucson

In an effort to add details, the next few posts are being written three years after the events.

I was still traveling in Phoebe, my 1996 Geo Tracker. Michelle drove to Tucson in Snoball, our 2015 Honds FIT that was, as is our 2008 Honda FIT, a gift from her brother.

We went to see A Man Called Otto.

I was, in those days, still able to fit into overalls, my uniform of choice.

New Hats

On 22, Feb, they each received a "stampede tie" from Arizona Hatters, the string (laces salvaged from the White's boots) that keeps 'em on in a wind. This involved expert installation of metal eyelets (black one can be seen on the port side one of the straw).

The straw was $5.00 and the fabric (from a Tucson, Goodwill) was $14.00.

The "donut" is from Meow Wolf in Fanta Se. Its pink sprinkles are (inquiring minds had to call to find out) stylized letters Q, the logo for the Quantum Interdimensional Depot, their "facility" in Denver.

I found the purple frawg in a gift shop somewhere intending to gift it to someone. They never appeared and after several years I decided that with my gaping maw and expanding girth I look just like it. Purple has been my fav color since I noticed hyacinths as I walked to first grade in Rolla, Missouri.

9.Apr.23 - The straw lasted two months. The stampede string ripped rhrough, cutting a gash along the base of the brim that made the string, and thus the hat, useless. The decal transferred to the other.

Sahuarita - Road To the East

Ragnar & DuPlessey's complete video is below mine. And then, of course, the Great Taj! 

The view from camp. I think those are the Santa Rita Mountains.

The Morander Bros

I want flames on MY accordion!

Retirement of The Whites

Whether it's eating too much without enough exercise, edema or both, there's no room for my feet in them anymore. And there's no room for anything, or nearly anything, that isn't serving its purpose.

Throughout my life I never imagined I'd own a pair of $500.00 boots, but after three years and three pairs, including a pair of Danners, at the end of 2016 I decided to go for it. It was 2, February, 2017 that I posted about getting them.

I never tired of the sensation of slipping into their glove-like fit. The wide soles gave me stability as my balance grew less sure. Capable of striding through Cactus Land with impunity, they were worth every penny.

I did save the laces.

Ms. Parry & Mark Lawn

They stopped and graciously accepted an Advocates For the West brochure. On their way out I begged a tour. Mark said he was pleased with the RAM 5500 diesel, but thought the 3500 sufficient for most purposes.

The S280, former military shelter, was designed to fit inside a container -- easily shipped and easily hidden. Mark added the utilities and had lived in it for seven years while still working. He carries 50 gallons of water, 450 watts of solar (plenty, he said) with which he runs two refrigerators, an Isotherm and an Engle. I believe he said the Isotherm has a "swing motor," a motor with only one moving part. He said ARB refrigerators are similar but use a Copeland motor. 

I think he said the rig, sans water, crossed the scale at 17,000 pounds. It appeared to have an air-conditioner & heating system.

The "cubic mini" is made in Canada and efficiently heats the interior.

Indoor plumbing

Whiteboard

Central Control

Galley

There's a double bed forward of the wood stove with compressed gas lifts that enable easy access with one hand. Below, amidships, are the two large water tanks.

West of Gila Bend

We could fit three of her into my white shirt she's wearing.

Curious phenomena

Transitioning

There're many forms of polyamoury and ours involves, for her, moving back and forth. The drastic differences that make it attractive also make transitioning difficult. And it's now time for her to return to her other life. 

Out here she's an intrepid adventurer accompanying me into the wilds to discover nature's beauty. In town we enjoy the symphony, explore museums and attended the orientation and introduction to dungeon etiquette at Desert Dominion.

In her other life she's a petite caperer who frequently cavorts on pickleball courts, swims several times a week and walks and/or bikes some distance every day. She's still inclined to think it a mere trifle to drive across Arizona and halfway across California in one swell foop.

Somehow, in the time between her arrival and next departure she forgets the exhaustion a long drive, at age 73, causes. I'm escorting her partway in order to break it into segments.

At the Buenos Aires National Wildlife trail maintenance event she picked up a tip which gave us a destination a few miles west of Gila Bend. 

Our day began with a bit of a slog as moved from an Airbnb in Tucson back into our vehicles. We DID, however, manage to get out of the Airbnb with ten minutes to spare. 

Though we attained liftoff in good spirits, our spliffoes began to droop as I insisted on stopping at several thrift stores along our exit route. Things wear out and though browsing for replacements can be tedious, the savings are, for me, worth it. This time I got two MUCH-NEEDED gym bags for $3.00 & $2.00 respectively. Unfortunately, it wasn't until 4pm at THE LAST STORE, that we found 'em.

Then came the three-hour drive. The last ten miles were over progressively deteriorating roads until, at 7:00pm, we came to a segment that was, in the dark, intimidating enough to get us to make camp. Though a mere 2.1 miles from our destination, neither of us are so goal-oriented to risk getting stuck in sand and were, at that point, too tired to spend another hour or more navigating unknowns simply to "arrive." Tomorrow, hopefully, is another day. And if not, MASA, the body-retrieval service I've pre-paid for, will come get me.

It was a pleasantly cool evening; we got out the chairs and  enjoyed the stars. Then, after tea, around 9:00 pm., we called it "a day."

Forgotten in the excitement of the evening,

she placed it to be retrieved at my liesure

Last night was my first sleeping flat.

The hip complained and will need cushioning

in the coming days, but the massages

have definitely helped.

Mountains

Do you mountains laugh at us,

We humans who are so temporary?

Our paltry concerns,

Our poignant compassions.

Do you feel the exquisitness of love?

Orgasm?

Do you envy our senescence?

Do you extend your beauty to us

As a gift

That we accept and that augments our Ecstasy?

'Til death takes us beyond.

Tomorrow I'll accompany her West for a day or two as she returns to her other life.

Desert Dominion Orientation

The Vice-President of the Board of Directors of Desert Dominion is an AMAZING woman. From the very beginning she met me -- in all my weirdness -- head-on.

She is a retired military sargeant, a sadist, VERY sensitive, has no compunctions about setting me straight...all the while being very open and kind.

Molly leads the Triple S group: Sexuality, Sensuality & Spirituality. She holds a Masters degree in counseling and though she doesn't identify with a specific denomination, she's an ordained minister.

We were impressed by the attire. One young non-binary wore a tight top (black) over their chest, mid-riff tastefully bare. A short, bright-pink skirt with a cute ruffle accentuated their hipless waist. On their feet were black go-go boots ala the 60s. They had several rings, one of which was a large dragon head with a "tooth" that  when they bent their finger could be used to "bite." As we stood in line waiting to sign in, they showed us, and the others around us, how it felt.

There was a very slender "Mistress" all in black. Her short skirt had a subtle sheen, perhaps linen & silk. She wore some jewelry and a thin black scarf loosely thrown around her neck accentuated her long black hair. And there were others. They were all distinctive in their own way and showed little hesitancy about commenting. I'd have liked to have gotten to know more about each of them.

Their website

Tucson Botanical Gardens