the best little table in Mexico

Two or three times a season an enterprising man drives into town, chooses a spot on the sidewalk, and opens his store of hand-made tables and sling chairs. These are relatively crude pieces of furniture, but are the best additions to any beach house that you could find anywhere. And the prices are right; 50 pesos for a table, 120 pesos for the chair ~ frame and fabric sling. This year the gentleman set up shop outside Jack's house, just up the street. I sprang for three tables, all for this house. I have two in the US; they're just as handy around the pool there as they are around the hammock here. They are a kit-lover's dream table (are you paying attention, Allen?); 3 dowels, four legs, 5 slats, 20 nails, two bolts, 4 washers, 2 nuts. That's it. They also fold up flat for storage.

Of course, the minute the furniture truck comes down the hill from Colima and hits the salt air all the hardware starts to rust, and these little tables are only good for maybe 3 years until they will no longer open or fold up. But for $3.50 US, you can afford to be extravagant. They are made of palm wood which is, unfortunately, the termites' favorite snack food. The wood is so soft that it sucks up paint like a sponge. But after 4 or 5 coats of paint, these little gems look quite snappy.

A good turn-out at Dago's tonight for delicious fish and shrimp, great conversation, lots of laughs. What a delightful tradition this is turning into. There were 13 of us in a lovely fellowship. Dago has said that, despite the crowds of Semana Santa next week, he will reserve tables for us for Friday evening. We'll be there.

The news from YNHH is good. Vic is out of the ICU, onto the hospital floor, feeling much better, thanks. I talked to her today and she is pretty upbeat. The docs are going to continue to check all the systems to see why things continue to go awry. I think this is a very good idea. No word on surgeries in the future, although there will probably be some. But for now, things seem to be under control and it is a wait-and-see game.

Tomorrow is the opera, "Elisir d'amour." At least it's not Wagner.