Mahogany Monday

Published July 22, 2019

Costume changes, vibrant COLOR and… that voice!

Mahogany (1975)

Diana Ross @ Red Rocks – not Denver’s Pepsi Center, where techs can modulate tone, smooth-over pitch problems. Outdoor exposed, FULL voice, the Diana Ross.

Hundred years ago, The Supremes were one of my RCA Music Club entry-choices – 12 cassettes for a single penny. Remember mail-order music clubs? One penny, then a headache of correspondence to get outta the pyramid scheme. pre-Internet.

VOICE. Distinct/unique – ya know it’s Diana Ross – but it was never ‘bout the lyrics.

GLAMOUR. Lashes, big eyes, perfect skin – and Mahogany. Movie now crazy dated but the ending? WOW, still movie magic! And that SONG. Heart strings every time.

“Madam, would you love & cherish him for the rest of your life – YES! Madam…YES!”

Funnel cake, Ain’t No Mountain & Diana Ross – on a Monday nite. Anytime a friend asks, are you interested…YES! Life well lived. Red Rocks forever memory ❤️

: crab taco TAILGATE

: Mahogany Monday

: S’mores FUNNEL CAKE

: “I’m Coming Out”

: M-A-G-I-C

: “The Look of Love”

: *SOLD OUT*

: “Ain’t No Mountain”

the Diana Ross

Diana Ross *FINALE*

Diana Ross solidified her diva status at Red Rocks

By Barbara Ellis Jul 23, 2019, 10:46 am

…after a quick set change at about 8:45, the first notes of “I’m Coming Out” were heard from off-stage, and Ross herself (covered in yards and yards of red satin and tulle) swept onto stage.

And all was forgiven.

Accompanied by a powerful band and four stellar backup singers, Ross kept the hits coming with “Stop! In the Name of Love,” “Baby Love,” “Come See About Me,” “You Can’t Hurry Love,” “Touch Me In the Morning” and “Love Child.”

…an intoxicating mixture of Motown, disco, fashion, funk and wafts of pot smoke in the magical venue.

Ross made sure she looked good for this diamond anniversary tour, indulging in at least four costume changes — all with fluttering, matching fans. But those disruptions were easily forgiven because the lead singer of the Supremes in the 1960s and longtime solo artist proved she still has the pipes.

summer grillin’ & Shakespeare

Published July 21, 2019

Outdoor grillin’, Pups playing, card games welcomed.

Colorado SUMMER @ Ash & Tom’s digs. Dessert, my contribution. Lemon meringue pie, chocolate-caramel brownies, Stephen’s homemade Boston Crème PILE (first attempt; tasted better than it looked — LOL>) Colorado SUMMER! FINALLY!

Took a while to get here (lotta rain this year) but the short season between Spring & Fall hath arrived. Time to unplug, text less, stop logging miles, attend outdoor concerts/plays & soak up some vitamin D.

AND of course…the annual honey-do list 😊

— new kitchen lights (one hadn’t worked in 5 years)

— garbage disposal gone (8 years dysfunctional, why replace? compost & enjoy TWO sinks)

— haircuts, both me and Pup (it was time)

— plates for the new truck (all legal now, first payment made)

— new reading specs (Ash shamed me outta my Ben Franklin frames)

— another try at keeping greens alive on the front porch (green thumb struggle – not my Michaela, gal’s found her niche. EVERYTHING grows for M. Sharing an Icelandic vacation next month. Yay!)

Summer Shakespeare at CU’s Mary Rippon Theatre. Poisonings, stabbings, noble warfare – ’til this year, a comedy, my first. Viola disguised as Cesario, is shipwrecked – and finds love. Twelfth Night, a new fave.

Summertime, summertime. Summ, summ, summertime ♪♫♬

Red Rocks next week, Frontier Days week after. LOVE LOVE my Colorado life ❤️

honey do list (US, idiomatic) a collection of requests, usually by a spouse for a partner to perform a series of tasks, assignments, or jobs dealing with the maintenance of a household.

: outdoor GRILLIN’

: SUMMER plenty

: lemon meringue, chocolate brownie & Boston Crème PILE

: game on! COMPETITIVE

: LIFE memories ❤️

: Volunteer of the YEAR

: new LIGHTS

: disposal DISPOSED

: green thumb STRUGGLE

: summer COIF

Shakespeare Festival 2019

: CU’s Mary Rippon Theatre

: my first comedy

: annual tradition

: shipwrecked, mistaken twins, unexpected romance

Posted in Boulder County | Tagged #givingback, home-hearth, theatre | Leave a comment

King Salmon Marathon

Published July 13, 2019

Alaska. Anchorage, Juneau…Cordova? By far the smallest/most remote of my three Alaskan treks – but also, the most scenic. Small fishing community on Prince William Sound. Just over 2000 residents, accessible only by boat or by plane. Day’s marathon route, the Copper River Highway, ends as the mountains get high. Cut off from the lower 48; British Columbia borders east.

Early Saturday wakes, but well after Arctic sunrise. Skies overcast; temps comfortable. Run gods continue to smile. 5 July marathons, 5 unseasonably cool days. Mile walk to Cordova’s Community Medical Center, 45-minute school bus ride to our Start. Orange cone, line drawn on an empty dirt road. Pre-race check-in, last minute announcements. Been wetter & warmer this summer – no BEARS in town, more forest feeding vs dumpster diving. [2018, one crossed the marathon course.]

13 miles of dirt, 13 miles of pavement. Race Director assured no getting lost. Literally ONE road across the peninsula, terminates in Cordova. Inlet ocean both ends. True point-to-point race.

Group photo. Popped on tunes, but only one earbud – not gonna be bear FOOD.

[They say as long as you’re faster than the guy behind you. Reality: I’m a back-of-the-pack runner. Not super comforting. Stand tall. Yell? Biggest thing I’d see all day were MOSQUITOS.]

Scenic postcard Alaska. Massive snow-capped mountains. Meadows full of summer – and swampy. Glacier melt flooding creek beds with silt & grey-coloured water. Not super eye-stunning but it’s part of the process. Cooking the planet. Arctic channels expected year-round by decade end.

Legs tight, left hamstring taped, hadn’t run in 6 days. Sunday’s Quadzilla finish outside Portland.

Went out fast. Pushed first 12 miles, coasted most of the second Half. Hamstrings tight, both legs. Body, feet banged up. Too much running too short of time. 13 marathons past 3 months, FIVE different time zones. Today, my last long run ‘til late August.

Dropped pace, talked to Halfers met on the back-end. Continued my July streak of berry feasting. Wild raspberries!

Lake Eyak last 3 miles. Sun HIGH overhead. Exposed road & warm. BUGS, ‘tis the Alaska season: Gnat swarms & MOSQUITOS. Inside my mouth/ears, ’round the eyes, welting backs of my legs/arms. If nothing less, kept ya moving. Run or be eaten alive. Yikes!

FLAT FINISH & a new Alaska PR. Shower, Salmon JAM & FOOD. Happy, laid-back HOMETOWN VIBE 😊

Canadian Arctic next summer. So long big wild beautiful Alaska, see ya 2021. Fairbanks?