Indian Market

For some reason I have been unable to get to Indian Market in Santa Fe, NM, for the 18 years Excy and I have been together. So this August, when it looked like we would finally get the chance to go, we jumped at the opportunity. Before we could head to SFe, however, we had to take the big a-- horse trailer and drive to Austin to deliver a family heirloom to his eldest son, and go meet our new grand daughter. That was a pleasure.

Back on the road, we broke down 30 miles outside of Abilene. Gadzooks -- sounds just like a CW song. It felt worse. Sitting in a HOT truck for 2 hrs waiting for a tow, I had ample time to wonder just why every time we take a vacation (in itself rare, what with all the medical appts and issues we must meet, as well as all the animals we care for) we have such exceptionally bad luck.

The week before we leave on any vacation we have ever managed to take is always fraught with last minute emergencies and car mishaps, often to the point we consider not going, and the finale entails hurting myself, like breaking a toe or foot. Oh the joy. Feels like the Universe conspires to keep us from having any fun when a hospital visit isn't tacked onto the beginning or the end of a trip.

Having just pumped close to $2000 into a truck that only has 68,000 miles on it, we were understandably nonplussed to find we had a $460 problem, and that and the unexpected overnight stay flattened our Indian Market budget considerably.

But we got there. And it was amazing. We spent three hours looking around and only saw a fourth of it. We bought a seed pot (with a turtle design on it, which is perfect because I seem to accumulate turtle, lizard and frog fetishes) from an up- and coming potter from a prominent family of potters. More exciting for Excy, though, was running into Wes Studi.

I know 90% of you are now wondering who Wes Studi is. The 'bad' Indian in The Last of the Mohicans. The lead in Geronimo. Leaphorn in all the Tony Hillerman mysteries on PBS. Studi is Excy's favorite movie star, bar none. For a few years he has tried to contact him to be a celebrity spokesperson for the mustang sanctuary we run (see blog 'Introduction'). When I turned around in line for fry bread and saw Studi standing behind us I couldn't believe it. Excy gave him his card, apologized for being intrusive, and told him about the Sanctuary, and Studi was kind enough not to throw the card over his shoulder after Excy walked away. (I looked). Now if he'd just call..........Wes, are you out there? Your #1 fan is waiting.....