Ordinary Days . . . Extraordinary Moments

Shag Dancing

A friend asked me tonight, after reading something I wrote on Facebook, what shag dancing was.  I started trying to write an explanation and then did a Google Search. 

I found some amazing videos. They are all short, only two to three minutes, but delightful.  Watch those feet!  You'll be amazed.  A picture is indeed worth a thousand words

YouTube - Shag Dancing with Charlie Womble & Jackie McGee

YouTube - Carolina shag dance Ducks Competition

YouTube - Strictly Shag - 2007 US Open Swing Dance Championships

YouTube - Carolina Shag with Doug Silton & Ginger Pickeral

YouTube - My first carolina shag comp

Bob and I started taking ballroom dance lessons in 2001 and have continued to take weekly lessons since then.  A couple of years ago, we also started taking Shag lessons.  It is such a fun and happy dance and is one of the few things in life that always makes me feel young. 

The Carolina Shag site gives a better description than I could write:

The Character of Shag:

In proper character, shag is a smooth, graceful dance with an emphasis on footwork rather than on turns. Unlike the jitterbug, shag does not have bounce. Instead, it’s smooth and grounded. The old saying is that shag is danced from the waist down. Shag emphasizes footwork patterns and in particular, patterns that are matched between the two partners. These matched steps are called mirror steps. The partners are typically connected with one hand only, rarely with two hands as is common in jitterbug. Historically, shag tended to spotlight the male dancer, but this is starting to change.

Shag music:

The Carolina shag may be danced to classic “beach music” tunes such as “Carolina Girls,” “Under the Boardwalk,” and “I Love Beach Music,” or the Carolina shag may be danced to Motown and blues. Most shag music is interchangeable with west coast swing music. The music is normally blues style, written in 4/4 time.

"Princess"

We spent the night with friends in South Carolina last night. We usually spend our time together out on their large screened porch overlooking Lake Murray, but even with plastic enclosing the porch,  it was too cold last night.  We did go out on the porch briefly when we heard a noise.

Our friends have two outdoor cats that access the porch though a cat door. Recently, a possum they have named, "Princess," has learned how to use the cat door.  If you look closely, in the picture above, you can see Princess near the gargoyles in the far left corner of the bar. She allowed me to get close enough to take the picture below and then went and hid behind the gargoyle.

Our friends say the cats don't seem to mind Princess and they haven't quite figured out what to do about her other than to try to remember to put the cat food up at night.

Dinner with Friends

We had a lovely evening last night, having dinner with friends at the Black Forest Restaurant in Asheville.  Actually, it is in Arden, NC, near Asheville. We met Peg and Roger through ballroom dancing and enjoy dancing together monthly.

Tomorrow night we will have dinner with friends in Chapin, SC and spend the night at their home.  We have been friends with Kathy and Bob for over 20 years and it will be good to have an evening to catch up with them.  

Wednesday night we will host dinner for friends at our home.  We met Delores and George through duplicate bridge.  We will play some bridge after dinner

I hold friendship as one of my highest values in life.  We do not often have this many social engagements so close together, but one of the joys of retirement is to have time to spend leisurely evenings with friends any day of the week. 

Walking

I started a walking program last spring, hoping to build my stamina and help with bone density issues.  I've started many walking programs before that haven't stuck. This time, I feel like I'm establishing a life-long habit. 

When weather allows, my favorite place to walk is on Pearson's Falls Road about a mile below our property.  We drive down and walk along on the dirt road above the Pacolet River.  Pearson's Falls Road had some rise and fall, but nothing as extreme as the steep road up Fork Creek.  It is a dirt road that meanders along with steep or sloping mountain banks on one side and the banks of the river on the other side.  The scenery seems to change daily from spring through summer.  I'm never bored when I walk surrounded by the beauty and wonder of nature.

Last fall Bob wisely decided that we needed to find an indoor walking track if we were going to keep up walking during the winter months.  So, we joined the Lila Patterson Fitness Center. It is about a 30 minute drive each way, but it has enabled me to keep up with my walking commitment.

 

I'm grateful for the indoor walking track, but I'm bored.  I miss my walks outside in nature.  I miss my route along Pearson's Falls Road.

Facebook

I entered a new world last night, Facebook.

My daughter, Jennifer,  has been trying to convince me to sign on to Facebook for a while.  Late last night when I could not sleep, I decided I would try it.  I'm not interested in many of the aspects of Facebook, but already in 24 hours I have been in touch with several family members that I have not communicated with in a good while.

I love the photo aspect of Facebook, the ability to share unlimited photos and to keep up with friends and family through photos.  It was fun today looking at pictures on different pages, especially the photos of my grandsons in Atlanta.

The Internet really is an amazing tool.  Sometimes even the basic technology seems challenging, but I'm usually glad when I make the effort.

This was Jennifer's status statement on Facebook tonight: 

9:39pm

Jennifer Lea is happy her momma is on Facebook!

I'm happy, too.  Thanks, Jennifer and Jane for encouraging me!

Ballroom Dancing

Last night we went ballroom dancing at Asheville Ballroom.  Dancing makes me very happy.  Any time we can go dancing, it is an extraordinary day. 

My husband and I started ballroom dancing this month eight years ago in 2001.  I had always wanted to dance.  I took tap and ballet lessons when I was three or four years old. The lessons ended when the neighbor who took me with her child to classes moved out of our neighborhood because my mother did not drive.

By the time I was in elementary school, my grandparents paid for me to take piano lessons.  My great-grandmothers piano had been restored and refinished and given to my family.  I was the child designated to take piano lessons.  I enjoyed piano, but I never had a passion for it like I have for dancing.

It took 50 years, but I finally got to take dance lessons again.  My husband and I signed up for an eight-week class.  We were both almost instantly hooked.  The Fall after we started taking lessons, the Asheville Ballroom opened.  It is a wonderful place to dance with a 5000 square foot "floating" floor which means that there is cushioning under the hardwood that takes the stress off of joints which makes a difference. 

We used to go to Ashevile ballroom weekly. In the past several years, we have not gone as often. We belong to several dance clubs that meet monthly and we have continued to dance regularly, but not as often as we did a few years ago even though we have continued to take weekly dancing lessons. 

We are both agreed that one of our intentions for 2009 is to dance weekly.  We hope to dance as long as we live.