flower drop

what we celebrate today too often becomes the holiday that starts summer. but this year it was different for me.

for the first time in 20 years I went to the Palm Springs Air Museum. they had a ceremony marking Memorial Day. & at the end they rolld out a B-25. it took off to join some other smaller vintage planes for the missing man formation. then it returnd to drop flowers on the field in memory of those lost in combat.

Giorgio Albertazzi (1923-2016)

many consider him to be the Olivier of Italy. I was lucky to have seen him perform Richard lll in his native country. & even tho my Italian is minimal it was quite an experience.

bizarre dream

fretting over zika while waiting to board an illegal
skiff to Guatemala for an arranged marriage

tea dance

really? in 2016? I presumed this moment of gay history was just that -- history. judging by the crowd at Oscar's it's alive & well.

gentlemen of my vintage will remember those historic tea dances in Provincetown & Fire Island. & the majority of those still dancing today are at least my age. it all felt like a time wharp.

since I no longer drink & only dance naked in my living room I doubt I'll make this a habit. but it was amusing to observe.
.

acclimation

emotionally I'm a citizen of Palm Springs. my body however is another matter.

the change from that cold spring of Santa Fe to the intense heat of here is major. I've never been much of a water drinker but here it's essential. I seem to sweat constantly.

altho I'm learning the bus routes it's hard to break my walking habit. here it wears me out. so much walking each day that I have blisters.

but change is good as one ages. this is a report not a complaint.

one week

each day I see & do more

dreams

my first 2 nites in Palm Springs were marrd by nitemares. probably the stress of such a major move. but last nite was dreams. & the sweetest: I was at a political fundraiser. at a table sitting next to Judy Garland. at one point she was askd to sing. she remaind in her seat & in perfect voice sang while looking straight into my eyes.

easing in

much to do as I transition into yet another life

the nites dwindle down

this blog

tonite my computer will be unpluggd. tomorrow it begins its journey to Palm Springs where it will be in storage for who knows how long. we'll see how successful I can be updating this on my remaining (much smaller) devices.

with such a major life change I've decided it's time for a new look here. but of course there's a problem.  the title.

Arroyo Chamisa indicates the site of this blog for all its years. that site is changing.  but this space has a long history. so I've decided to keep the title. I hope that isn't confusing -- or even whacko -- to future readers. obviously I believe in change. but right now I feel fine with keeping the old title in a new place.

goodbye again

I've been making so many farewell appearances I feel like Cher.

today a group of actors took me to brunch. the talk was even more delicious than the food.

here I am with a pair of exiles from Hollywood -- John Ericson & David Frankham.

& here's the whole group. the others are Karen Leigh   Karen Huston   Jonathan David Dixon   & Robert Nott.

farewells new & old

just back from a farewell lunch at The Shed with my dear friend Pooka.  she gave me a photo she uncoverd of me sitting beside her mother Bernique Longley.  it was taken in 1997 at the Legal Tender in Lamy.  another farewell lunch: this one for Sally Kemp who was taking the train on her way back to NYC.  Sally is the redhead on the left. we think the photo was taken by R.B. Sprague.

an interesting footnote:  Bernique designd the original menu & signage which The Shed still uses.  & one of her paintings hangs on its walls.

off the grid

a week from today I fly to Palm Springs. since I don't have a place of my own my "stuff" goes into storage. that includes my computer.

to keep in touch I got an iPhone. however Apple isn't easy & I've been unable to sync that device to my others. right now things are such a mess that I no longer get e-mail on my iPad.

so if I drop off the map for a while -- remember me kindly. & wait.

now..... back to packing.

changes

with only 9 more days till the move I just arranged to have my landline disconnectd after 22 years with this number. I don't get many calls (except nuisance ones from charities & people in India trying to sell me things). but if you have my number you can cross it out in yr address book. whoops. I'm showing my age. you can delete it from yr online directory.