Chili Judging/Old Friends/ Wind Storm

The Chili competition takes place on Saturday.  Many of my friends serve as judges but since I do not like commitments of any type, I passed.  At noon after the winner has been chosen they have booths in the staging area with different kinds of entertainment and if you participate you are given all kinds of trinkets, from beads to hats, bags, key chains, bra tops made of paper seashells, etc.  For a donation you can also sample the different types of chili.

I was looking at the different booths when I heard someone say "lady in purple" several times. It did not dawn on me that I was wearing purple or that they were even speaking to me until someone tapped me in the back.  It was Dave an old Terlingua acquaintance that I had not seen since 1999!!  Wow, I am glad  he remembered me because I don't think I could have recognized him.  Took a picture of him and his new wife.

Later on that afternoon Denese came by to say hi, but did a doctor's visit on me and left just as fast.  A little  later Sandy and her husband Charlie dropped by. I had not seen them since 2008, they used to camp next to me.  It was great to see all these old as well as new acquaintances and honored that they took the time to look me up.  Love you guys :-)

Ever wonder why there are so many MEN at the Chili Cook-Off?  Well you wont find that in the CASI or the Krazy Flats official web page and don't worry guys I don't plan to reveal it in this blog either...the rest of you will have to attend and find out on your own :D

The afternoon brought several dark clouds and you could see some lighting in the distance.  My friend decided to pack up some items in case it rained.  Before we knew it, the wind picked up and a wind storm swept the area.  We barely had time to react and everyone was caught off guard.  People were holding on to their shade structures and gathering their stuff, so no one could really help others out.

Us three girls held on to the screen room for dear life but were not able to save it...kind of a repeat of last year but to a lesser degree.  I am so glad I bought my Kodiak canvas tent, it is Burningman tested and it held up to last year's storm beautifully.

This is what was left of the screen room

The skies were menacing so my camp mates decided to pack up and seek shelter in our friends RV.  The temperature dropped and everyone kind of hunkered down.  We had not gone to the dance Thursday or Friday so were planning on attending tonight but with the storm and helping my friends take down their camp, it pretty much did us in.

I have never seen it so quiet on a Saturday night in the 17 years I have been attending this event.  Saturday night is the wildest, there are parties everywhere...not so this year or at least not from my vantage point.

A friend came by my camp and invited me to her RV but it wasn't the same as being outdoors in the cold wind around a campfire.  Guess mother nature had the last laugh.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.