Getting out and about in nature or just taking a little day trip is really great for the spirit, mind, and body! Every single time that I've made the effort to get myself out of the house, I've really enjoyed myself, and my mind has been distracted from the sometimes boring open heart surgery recovery process.
I've found that if I don't take advantage of opportunities to play, I will tend to focus on the negative aspects of my recovery. Like I've said before, it would be easy to just lounge around in my favorite chair and watch TV or read, but there is so much more to be gained by getting out in the air and laughing and having fun with friends.
And, fun we certainly did have this weekend. Kathy, Judy, Connie, Lynn and I all trooped to Santa Fe on Saturday in the rain. Kathy and Judy are from South Carolina where it really rains, I mean for days on end, so they didn't think that our rain was much to speak of. However, our native New Mexican shop clerks were apologizing to our tourist friends for the "bad" weather we were having.
Five women in the car! And, as you can imagine, we laughed all the way to Santa Fe from Albuquerque. Everything was hilariously funny for some reason. I'm thinking that it was probably due to the sheer joy of dear friends spending time together.
We visited the marvelous Georgia O'keeffe museum first. It was, of course, fantastic. There were benches there, so I could rest whenever I needed to.
Then, for lunch, we went on to Tomasitas, said to be the best Mexican Restaurant in New Mexico by some (Connie disagrees). There was more than an hour wait, so we had to settle for the La Fonda (Connie's favorite restaurant). The La Fonda doesn't hold a candle to Tomasita's as far as good authentic Mexican food goes, but the La Fonda is steeped in New Mexico history and you can use the restroom there (a bonus).
Unbeknownst to any of us, the city of Santa Fe was hosting a top quality Native American arts and crafts fair in the Town Plaza. Extremely finely crafted inlaid silver jewelry, excellent pottery, beautiful bead work, and expertly woven Navajo rugs were all on display and for sale. We felt kissed by the Gods to have happened upon this unexpected and delightful event.
From the Plaza, we walked a short distance to the recently restored Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. I am simply awe struck every time I visit this wonderful old Cathedral. No matter what their religious affiliation, most people find it calming and peaceful in and around this ancient spectacular old church. Kathy, Judy, and I took the opportunity to rest and absorb the sacred and serene atmosphere.
Sunday, Lynn had a wild trip planned for the Jemez area of New Mexico. Again, we had the same five insanely crazy women in the car. Judy and Lynn alternated driving, I rode shotgun, and Kathy and Connie took seats in the back.
Connie and Lynn have been promising me for YEARS that we could take the tour at the Ponderosa winery; however, once again, they blew right past it with the usual excuse that we had to find a restroom.
They did, however, promise to backtrack, and since I'd survived open heart surgery, we would actually get to take the tour today. Just lovely that it takes an open heart surgery to get those two teetotalers to stop and tour the winery?
Our first stop was the Jemez (pronounced HAY-mes) Pueblo Indian roadside food stands. They are located on Hwy. #4 in the Jemez Mountains and right across the street from the Walatowa Visitors Center and in front of the breathtakingly beautiful Jemez Red Rocks. You will see nothing like it anywhere.
The stands feature traditional fresh horno (outdoor igloo shaped oven) baked bread, fresh Indian fried bread (they fry it on the spot), Indian fruit pies, Indian tacos and tons of other authentic Jemez Pueblo "taste-treat-delights". Kathy was like a kid in a candy store (can you tell from the picture?), and the rest of us were in hog heaven. Talk about melt-in-your-mouth, unique food; it was beyond wonderful.
Connie purchased some butter to go with the fresh baked horno baked bread and the three in the back ended up with laps and seats full of bread crumbs. I don't know what the other two did to poor Judy, but she had butter smeared from one end to the other. The laughter was loud and almost constant as we did a flip turn to head back to the Pondersa Winery.
We followed the Ponderosa Winery sign into what looked like ordinary, dry, barren desert land, and right there in the middle of nowhere was the quaint little Ponderosa Winery.
Everyone except Lynn (a true teetotaler) tasted some of the wine. I purchased a glass and Connie sprung for a whole bottle. We sat on the porch sipping our wine and enjoying the breeze and our own company. As you can imagine, I was happy to finally get to take the tour (they probably won't ever stop again).
We stopped at Soda Dam, but none of us felt like trekking down to the water and falls. We found a quiet spot off the road and down in a New Mexico campground area for our picnic.
We had hoped to visit Bandelier National Monument, but just flat ran out of time and energy. We did walk along the lovely clear stream at Los Conchas. Los Conchas is lush meadow land, rock climbing cliffs, cold mountain streams and huge pine trees, and is a far cry from what you might expect to see in New Mexico. The rock climbers were friendly, and seemed to enjoy our blatant gawking.
After our leisurely walk at Los Conscious, we drove just a short distance to Valles Caldera National Preserve (an enormous lush meadow spanning some 14 miles across and growing on top of rich ash left behind by a collapsed volcano). Driving around a bit on the Caldera was all we could manage this late in the day.
Too pooped to pop and worn slap out from hiking, and laughing, we headed back to Albuquerque and home.
The entire weekend was probably the most fun we've all had in a very long time. I know that it was a very special outing for me. What could be better than spending time with dear friends and experiencing some of the unique New Mexico scenery.
Mostly I went at my own pace and rested when I needed to. Usually, no matter where you go there are places to sit and rest. Again, if you will make the effort to get yourself out of the house, your spirits will be lifted and you will most likely heal faster.
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