Desert Messenger

12 www.DesertMessenger.com March 2, 2016 Traveling with Gypsy Jane by Jane Finley writer * artist * teacher (stretching, exercise, relaxation, meditation) Dancing with the Dirt Divas Quartzsite, AZ 2/22/16 My dancing friend Marla just left for her houseboat home on a lake in Canada, but we had a blast yesterday. We drove up to Parker, then fi ve miles on the worst dirt road in America to the middle of nowhere and The Desert Bar. (The bar has a fascinating history; "Google it" when you have time.) Although it's about my favorite place to dance, I haven't been there for a few years because my RV simply refuses to drive that narrow, rough, dirt road, which claims to be fi ve miles but feels like ten. Add heat, dust, and no air conditioning in Marla's car, and you've got the picture. And boy has The Desert Bar changed: tripled in size and gone from funky to tour- isty, but it's still a fantastic, one- of-a-kind location and experience. Always GREAT bands. Yesterday's band was Sidewynder. It was liter- ally one of the best days of my life. There was a large group of women there from Orange County who were on their 5th annual out- ing. They all wore identical red tank tops which said "STRAIGHT OUTTA THE OC." (Someone had to tell me OC stood for Orange County.) Cal-i-forn-ia Girls. They were probably half my age. I said to Marla, "I'm going out and show these young gals how to dance." Within minutes, they were high-fi ving me and later beckoning me to come out to the dance fl oor to dance with them. After several dances, one of the women asked if I'd wear one of their red shirts. "SURE!" I said, and they all gathered around me clapping and cheering while the woman put the shirt on over my head and pronounced me an hon- orary Dirt Diva. Then the audience joined in the impromptu celebra- T��� ����� ������� �� D����� M�������� tion. They also gave me a cap with a bill that said, "Dirt Diva." SO me -- ha ha! It was great being the center of attention. I got enough ego strokes to last me for quite a while. It made my day; maybe my week. Such fun! Actually this happens to me often (tho without the Dirt Diva shirt and cap). I'm not sure why, but I think people love to see a person my age dancing like they do, for as long as they do....or often longer! Gives them hope for the future, I reckon. Age and treachery will overcome youth and skill." ~unknown Jane's book is WANDERINGS: Liv- ing the Ordinary Extraordinarily (Stories from the Road). For an update on Jane's travels and writ- ing, visit her website (janefi nley. com) and/or read "Traveling with Gypsy Jane" and "Poems from the Road" in The Desert Messenger (desertmessenger.com) begin- ning March 5, 2014. (contact: janefi nley@yahoo,com) The Smoke Shop Summer Residents & Visitors Thanks for Your Continued Support! WELCOME BACK WINTER RESIDENTS & VISITORS! HOURS Monday - Saturday 9:00 am - 6:00 pm Closed Sunday DON'T MAKE DINNER! COME EAT WITH US! Thursday March 10 3pm-6pm at the Friends of the Quartzsite Food Bank FUNDRAISER DINNER • $ 5/person The Philly Cheese Steak Roast Beef Extravaganza Thin sliced, piled high, scrumptious, Roast Beef and more on a Hoagie roll. Salad. Desserts. Coffee, Tea, or Water Good Company and a Fun Time! Tyson Wells Showground 2nd metal building west of Hwy 95 on the north side of Kuehn Look for "PUFF" the Dragon ALL Proceeds to go to the Food Bank TO GO BOXES AVAILABLE! Parker- The La Paz County Sher- iff's Offi ce would like to remind everyone that you can have up to date emergency information sent to your cell phone via text message by texting your zip code to 888777. This is a website called "NIXLE". We send the following type of information to your cell phone: 'road closures, severe weather alerts, serious crime informa- tion, Amber alerts, etc. By signing up with NIXLE, we are able to communicate important information to everyone quickly and effi ciently via text message. Please sign up today, the service is free. Get Texts from La Paz Co. Sheriff's office

• Cover