Keeping the circles

Oh my, what an evening!!! Sunday afternoons around here means food...front porch grinning and always, Bluegrass from 6:00 to 8:00 pm via the local public radio station 91.9. Folks come from near usually, sometimes far (Nicolas from Paris, France...)to participate in one of our Sunday evening suppers. The prerequisite, though- is we must listen to Bluegrass. Because it's my front porch. And I do the cooking. So...they smile and bear my over-bearingness when it comes to musical standards, hey! I'm just trying to inject some culture here...the young people are filled with food and fun and fabulous music. Otherwise they'd be stuck listening to that crap they listen too...OK, not all of it is crap- but some of it is pure, well...you know what I mean. I have a sticker on the back door, "It's not that I'm old...your music really does suck." Now I know that is a crude, rude word- but I think it is used quite well in that statement.

Anyway- back to the porch shenanigans. Always, my favorite, most well loved people come... And last evening, Miss Aud showed up- see we have her hooked on hoopin', and then everybody, even the boys- try it. NO, I did not say hookin'- so get your head out of the gutter buddy...besides, hookin' here would just mean crocheting. We hoop and holler, following Lils lead...she got us hooked on hula hoops. You cannot frown or be miserable when hoopin'...the smile just naturally fixes itself upon your face, and never leaves the whole time the hoop travels around your waist. Lils is a first class hooper, she is just so natural at it. All summer long, she'd park her "Granny mobile" out by the hedge, just out of view from the front porch perch where I generally convene every evening-to the swing. I read and write and reminisce mostly, processing my deep thoughts...OK, my simple mind compositions. One day I found myself a little irate with her new satellite radio blasting just a bit too loud, disturbing my meditative state of oblivion...I slammed my pen down hard on the page I was trying to make come alive, darn kids! Suck-y to high heaven music....but what was that?!! I thought to myself- (as I had fully intended to throw my mama weight around)-what the heck is my neo-hippy child doing? She was hooping. Melodiously, meditatively, beautifully she was jiving under the great Maple out in the front yard. Wow. The sun was setting, the golden glow on that peaceful looking face...melted my heart, many months ago-that was when I first realized that Lils was seriously serendipitous about this hula hooping thing. She probably didn't realize, for many weeks- I'd slip out under the Cedar, tea in hand- and watch her. Her peace brought me peace. Her sunshine smile...made me smile too. And so- there you have it. Hooked on hoopin'. Lils has created a following...we now have weighted hoops. Trying to trim the old waist a bit. Keeping the circles fluid, flowing...until the hoops hits the ground- and then, you just simply laugh at yourself.

I don't suppose this could be done in town...in your front yard. What would people say?! "Look at those fools, how uncivilized- ridiculous!!!" Oh yes...we are ridiculous, really...and it feels so good! Especially the whittle-ing away of my waist...a byproduct of hooping. Who knew- something so fun, bringing forth smiles, meditating, concentrating, focusing- making even crappy music sublimely tolerable- could produce a kind of nirvana...and weight loss! Yep, it's true. Hula hooping is not just for hippies...it's for the hip, hilarious, and hysterical! What fun. Want to try?! Go on, just do it...if you think you can- you can! If you think you can't- you won't.

Work it...work it!

(Should you decide, that yes- you too want to be riduculous! Here is an address for weighted hoops in the USA- canyonhoops.com.)

Take care-