Scenes From a Weekend

Joshua Tree, Ca

I honestly can't remember the last time Mike and I had what could be counted as a real "date night." Let alone a whole 24 hours to ourselves without at least one kid in tow, seeing that in the 14 months since Hayes was born I've yet to leave him overnight. Not because I'm at all worried about being away from him, but more because he still outright refuses a bottle and if you've had a baby like that you know just how hard it can be on whomever is in charge of soothing them around bedtime.  

Saturday we finally found good time and reason to try it out though with our friend's, The Frieghtshakers playing Pappy and Harriet's in Joshua Tree for the first time. A place I haven't visited since that God awful day in the desert way back when I was newly pregnant and in more pain than I dare try and remember. A dark memory I was more than willing now to try and replace with something positive in way of old friends and good music in a space I really, desperately wanted to love again.

Jess and her girlfriend snagged us an airb&b place last minute when we realized that our initial plans - to set up camp on our friend's property might be a terrible idea during the peak of Monsoon season. We stayed in Yucca Valley just a couple miles from the bar so after we stopped by to visit Whitney and Eric, to snack on Whit's infamous home made humus and check in on how the progress of their own desert abode - a real labor of love renovation we've watched from the start (and shared here a couple times too) since they bought the land a few years ago, is coming along. 

Afterwards we settled back at the house and relaxed on the patio before the show with drinks, dogs, a cold breeze and a few of our favorite records pulled from the small but impressive collection provided.  

Early Sunday we all met up to browse the local flea market. A quirky mix of hip out of town mid morning stragglers wandering around booths nestled in a matrix landscape of cacti and stained glass manned by seasoned desert folk with stories attached to every gem you touch.  Where I scored a green woven camera strap, a beautiful embroidered Mexican dress, a set of bowls and a killer 60's quilt, all for under 18$. And left with the peace of mind that comes with one full day away deep in the flatlands with an unusually meek summer sun on your back, in the company of those you love, helping me power through what feels like an especially stacked Monday agenda weighing on me now.

We are headed back out that way this weekend as a family which means I've got so much to finish up before then. Signing off for now to swim my way out of a sea of laundry and emails in a new pretty dress and sweetly gifted record as my new week, "must get it all done," Monday morning soundtrack.