so, yesterday, i had three gigs in a row…
first, way up north at seton…a fun outdoor festival with a nice stage and sound system…i was getting a wee bit frantic as i couldn’t find the location, when i spotted moonwalks, and my heart stopped racing. i went on after a charming magician who had a real rabbit in a hat.
then, got in my car, and drove south on I-35 to 360 to bee caves and even further south to westlake presbyterian church for a mothers’ day tea party! i rushed inside and changed into the very ball gown i wore last week at the international consul ball…sprayed glitter on my hair and arms, gussied up a little bit, and joined iolana and her aunt cindy and our friend, cat, who were already enjoying the frivolity. the tables were just exquisite, each set with china and flowers and individual arrangements. we were served real tea and crumpets and finger sandwiches and beautiful tea cookies and cakes by the Boy Scouts of America. women and girls dressed to the nines, some with bonnets and hats. there was a fashion show, courtesy of talbots, and then a fine sermon by laura walker in which she talked about being addicted to reality shows but that we should, all of us, love our bodies the way god has made them….and then, it was time for me to entertain!
oh, did i have fun! i was preaching to the choir, i tell you! we started with “it’s alright” and went into “mr. kawasaki” (after i extolled the virtues of three year old anna steinhagen and her mother, kim, who wrote the song and encouraged every single mother and daughter in attendance to find time to write together!), then
stretching exercises (all very lady-like, of course!) and then more silly sing-a-longs, including the heartfelt “look at me” (tears were starting by the mommies here) and then followed up with “my mama’s hands” and we all lost it, many tears flowing as i described how my hands look like my mother’s hands and some day my daughters’ will look down and see my hands…and so on…it was hard to make it through the song…
i loved all the women and girls and grandmothers and aunts in that room so very much at that moment…i had to keep my eyes closed for every time i swept the room, i would choke up as another woman’s eyes overflowed…
i stayed as long as i could, but had to run in my rainbow gown out to the car to get to the next gig…i was supposed to be on stage in TWENTY minutes!!! and it was all the way back across town…so, i got to the intersection of 360 and bee caves and god said, “take bee caves”, which would seem like the nuttiest way to go as it is lights all the way, but guess what…green lights all the way to congress…i made it to congress avenue in 8 1/2 minutes. it was a smooth, sailing glide all the way through the heart of westlake and into austin! i pulled up to the red light at congress (which is funny cuz it is a dead end, anyhoo!) and then turned left and made four more green lights and walked up to big red sun just as i was supposed to be hopping on stage…perfect!
i didn’t have time to change back into my other clothes, so i sang there in my ballgown, as well….what fun! i love big red sun. i love the vibe and the people and the outside stage…great way to end the day…
but, sadly, today, i have lost my voice completely since just at the end of church today. it hurts very much. i think i have a lung infection, so i am on anti-biotics…lance has been great and the girls, too…i got to lay in bed and write thank you notes and read the paper…and now, lance is making his famous homemade “poppy’s enchildas”…ooooh, you just can’t imagine. he has such a way with enchiladas!
happy end of your mothers’ day, dear ones.