Tangled Up in Blue-with apologies to Bob

Sunday, Hailey and I spent another day at the ‘Alluvials.’ At this local spa we have the opportunity to soak in (from the spa’s brochure) “Crystal clear water…rich in minerals….drawn from the earth at a steaming 140F then streamed into eight hot mineral pools ranging in temperature from 70F to 140F.”

The ‘Alluvials' have a significant history in our family. We’ve been visiting them since we first came out to the desert. They were the scene of one of our biggest fights (the beginning of the Ben Franklin House battles), there we learned of our favorite BBQ place, and throughout we’ve always encountered all types of interesting folks. Sunday’s adventure did not disappoint.

Unfortunately, the main thing that we learned on Sunday was that there are a lot of good reasons for folks to wear clothes. A lot of folks should just stay covered up. Period. Or wear one-pieces; or T-Shirts, or something large that doesn’t reveal secrets that should remain hidden.

Then there’s the crowd that doesn’t cover up because they want to show off their body art. Yes, I’m talkin tattoos. This time around we saw a co-ed with what Hailey and I originally thought was a design on her stomach done by Etch-A-Sketch. Hailey did a walk-by while the girl was dozing and discovered that it was a butterfly surrounded by a bunch of flowers. Then there was a young man with his name printed in flowing script; Antonio, above a full-back-sized picture of the Virgin Mary; and below that, his Mexican Surname. In case someone somehow missed that, on his front side, above his nipples, again in flowing script, read, “Tony.”

The last time we visited, we were treated to a spectacular show of tats also. Some local guys were having a party, and the pool was full of muscular young men sporting tattoos that read, “The City Named After A Desert Tree” or that bore the initials of same. Some of the guys had seriously gorgeous art on them; for example, full-colored portraits of family: wife, daughter and sons- on each forearm.

No restaurant tips from locals this time, no birthday parties from the locals, no fights, no major excitement. Just a good time swimming, relaxing and hanging out-which takes on quite a different meaning at the ‘Alluvials’.

Some are mathematicians
Some are carpenter's wives.
Don't know how it all got started,I don't know what they're doin' with their lives.
But me, I'm still on the road
Headin' for another joint,
We always did feel the same,
We just saw it from a different point of view,
Tangled up in blue.