Sunday, March 05, 2006

She runs hot and cold

Last night myself, my "sister" Linda, and her co-worker participated in an event where we raced down a hill on an inflatable mattress to raise money for an organization that helps people in transition with furniture, especially beds.

We wore our pyjamas with several layers underneath. Over the pyjamas we wore bathrobes with wing-shaped wire hangers covered in white pantyhose pinned to the back, and black pantyhose stuffed with crumpled newspaper as legs pinned to the front. On our heads we wore wire with foam balls on the ends, with our hats holding them in place. We were dressed as bed-bugs. Yes, you were supposed to dress up.

There were four of us, but one came down with a 102 degree fever on race day. We went to the event without a 4th team member, and solicited a replacement when we arrived. Many people acted as if we were trying to sell them something when we asked them, but in only minutes we met up with Alexandra, an outgoing 22 year old who was with another team participating in the race.

The first time down the hill was very fun, we spun in circles, and got last, or second to last place. We were to get a second turn down the hill, but we had to wait for all 148 teams to finish their first heat. I stayed relatively comfortable until the last half hour, but Linda and her colleague were really suffering. At one point we decided if they didnt call our number (58) in the next 10 minutes we would leave. Only a minute later they called up teams 50-100 and we immediately trudged up the hill for our anticipated second trip down.

When we got to the top they were calling teams 68-72 for a heat. We had just reached the top of the hill, and they had skipped us already! Teams 59 and 60 were in the same boat. We let the people in charge know what happened, and they said "We'll get you a heat." We watched two more heats go down and we reminded them we were there. They said they would let everyone go, and then let us go. We said to each other "thats only two more heats before they reach 100, when they call a new group up." All of a sudden they were calling 102, they were intending to make us wait for all 148 teams go before we got a chance! My teammates were close to frostbite so we headed back down the hill, on foot, not on a matress.

Staying as long as we did was not without entertainment. Apparentely our adorable Alexandra acted shocked to find out that none of the three of us, approaching 30, had children, and found out (seperately) that she had been proposed to 4 different times. I also got to enjoy a man yelling down at her saying "I'm going to find you yellow" and her dancing down the hill saying, "you can't, I'm leaving now" and sharing it loudly with the group when we got to the bottom that a man was flirting with her. FYI she wasn't a babe. Hee hee.

Could my day today be any more different? I deadheaded in the afternoon from my snowy home to El Paso. I enjoyed a 3 hour conversation with a man who owns a lighting firm. When I arrived at the hotel, I gave Angel, a very nice employee, a keychain from my state, (he collects them.) I put on a long sleeve shirt and pants, and ran/walked outside for 20 minutes, then walked for another 45 minutes. I walked through a residential area which was quite nice, despite the bars on all of the windows, and a stove in one front lawn. I got so hot that I decided for safety to get a large water, it was a good thing becuase I was feeling minorly hazy.

As I was walking back to the hotel I took a short cut through a parking lot. It turned out to be a dead end, blocked off by a high wall. I considered walking back but said "I'm still young Damn it!" I climbed a grate to the top of the wall, and jumped a short 6 feet to a concrete block. I walked through the high grass, and down a steep edge. I felt satisfaction that I was not yet an old white lady.

For dinner we went to the very popular "Carlos and Mickeys" and I am proud to say I ordered the cheeseless "Flacos Enchiladas" and drank water, no margarita. After we ate we watched mariachis play, and enjoyed an impromptu rendition of "Have you ever seen the rain" by the bartender. As we left the bar the pilots talked to the Mariachi performers about their guitars, and I topped the night off with a soak in the Hot tub.

My days are very full, I cant believe I fit so much living into one day. It is time to go to bed, so I am ready for a full tomorrow.

mood: good

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