The Tonsil War

2009-06-05T16:43:00.005-05:00

the last of the posts

I began this blog on October 24, 2006, a bit over two and a half years ago. Its purpose was to keep interested readers up on the Patient's progress through illness and treatment, recovery, and finally restoration to health. I called it The Tonsil War because that's what his diagnosis was; tonsil cancer. This is not as rare as you might think. One of its principal causes is smoking and, although the Patient had not smoked for over 35 years, there he was with thoroughly poisoned and compromised tonsils. Treatment began on September 25 and ended on November 14, 2006. How to deal with all the questions friends and family asked? How to be sure I told everyone the same thing, and all of what they wanted to know? How to keep myself sane during this insane time? Thus was born the blog.

As of Monday, June 1, 2009 the Tonsil War was declared won. The Spousal Unit is no longer the Patient. The doctors ~ oncologist and head and neck surgeon ~ have both given him a clean bill of health and have pronounced him "cured." He is now a statistic, a survivor of tonsil cancer. We knew from the outset that this is a highly curable cancer, about 90% survival rate, so the outlook was good from the start. It's the old saw: If the disease doesn't kill you the treatment will. He got through them both, a bit thinner, but that's about all the remnants.

With all that in mind, I have decided to close this site.

BUT

I will continue writing about life in general and, frequently, mine specifically. You will find all that great stuff at: The All of It. The new site will be ready for your visit beginning Monday, June 8, 2009. Y'all come see me, y'heah!

2009-05-21T11:41:00.007-05:00

off again

I am leaving today for San Diego and a round of alumni follies at my old boarding school in La Jolla. This year's honorees, among others, will be the Gold and Purple team captains, of which I was one. Every member of the school belonged to one or the other team (Gold for me) and in my senior year, I led my stalwart classmates to a resounding rout of "That Other Team." In fact, I am staying with the Purple captain who was my adversary that year. If you don't hear from me again you'll know where to start the investigation.

BLOG ALERT: Grandson Andrew leaves tomorrow for a 7-month stay in China. He goes first to Shanghai where he has a summer internship. In September he will travel to Singapore where he will enroll in university for the first semester of his junior year. Back to the US sometime in December. He has started a blog; keep up with him at Andrew Abroad. He made the top of the masthead to your right. I can't believe his mother is letting him go off alone like this. He's only 12, isn't he? Oh, 20 you say? My, my.

More from La Jolla as the weekend passes. I just got a call asking me if I would speak tonight about what it meant to be the Gold Captain and how sports influenced my life. I'm speechless.

2009-05-18T20:29:00.001-05:00

getting back into my other life

First I did several loads of laundry to wash out the Cuyutlán sand and grit. Clothes get a dingy shade of tan, no matter how much bleach I use. The water is just not very clean. Everything looks much better.

Next I got a massage. The cost is more than 10 times what I pay at the beach, but the reason I live at the beach is so I can afford to get massages here.

Then I had a pedicure. First in 6 months. I don't dare to let anyone not familiar with diabetic foot issues wield clippers on my feet. Brightly painted and nicely trimmed.

Then the Patient decided he just had to buy a new car. Vincent (the Van) is no longer with us. He was traded in on an as-yet-to-be-named Toyota van; Sienna again, same color, just a newer model. Good old Vincent had gotten us to Mexico and back 8 times and had 120K miles. But he was beginning to have a few aches and pains so it was decided he should be retired to be adopted by a new driver who, I hope, will love him as much as I did. I will miss him. This new guy (or gal) has waaay too many bells and whistles.

Today brought a trip to my local waxing emporium. I don't look quite so scary. It's much too hot in the valley to even contemplate garden work. It was 100º yesterday, but the weather prognosticators promise cooler weather beginning tonight. Yes, the Delta breezes are already up and it looks like better days ahead.

And tonight, my first movie in 6 months. I vaguely remember these interviews, shown on PBS, I think. I will rent the originals from the Flix®. This movie is a stunning recreation. And Frank Langella is brilliant. Next in my cue is "Milk." I believe in jumping right in to the thick of things.

2009-05-16T15:40:00.001-05:00

girl power

2009-05-14T20:42:00.002-05:00

2,318 miles later . . .

It was a long, 8-days-of-driving trip, and neither of us felt well the whole time. We both had developed jippy tummies before we left, the Patient more so that I. So the whole safari was a chore and not much fun. We made it home yesterday at noon after a mad dash up I-99 from Bakersfield. Despite all, there were some interesting things along the way.

D-day minus 1, Tuesday, May 5

We had a final dinner at Dago's so none of us departing the next day was forced to cook! He was as usual, a welcoming host with a fine hand at the grill. Fish tacos. So long until December.

Day 1, Wednesday, May 6

The house was completely packed up, fridge empty, garden got its last drink, and he headed out at 10 AM. We went only a far as Tapalpa this day so didn't have to leave at the crack of dawn. We first went to Sayula to look at/for knives. But we felt so awful, it was so hot, crowded and dusty that we decided we could do without any new cutlery and went on to Tapalpa. It is a 20-mile drive on a very windy road up into the mountains. We found our hotel, unpacked, and immediately went to sleep. About 7 o'clock we wandered out looking for a place for a light supper and ended up at some rather dingy hole-in-the-wall place where we ate what we thought wouldn't make us (too) sick. It didn't. Then back to the hotel and back to bed. I will say this about these two little towns: I definitely want to go back to both of them when I am feeling better. Sayula has a bustling downtown with two or three plazas, lots of interesting shops, two big indoor markets and a very pretty church. Likewise Tapalpa. Our hotel was down in the lower part of the town; the cathedral and central square are on the upper level. We didn't go up there at all but saw it as we were driving out of town the next morning. Both of these places are well worth a second visit, and they are only about 2 hours away from the beach.

Day 2, Thursday, May 7

We had a very short conversation early this morning about just how far we thought we could drive. We decided we couldn't make it all the way to Mazatlán, despite the new road, so opted to stop at our favorite hotel in Tepic, Las Palomas. We got there early, slept most of the afternoon, had an early dinner and went to bed. (Not very exciting reading, is it?) We have stayed in this particular hotel several times; it has large, comfortable rooms, a nice pool area, and two good restaurants, which were wasted on us as all we could think of eating wa soup.

Day 3, Friday, May 8

We left Tepic early and got into Mazatlán by 10 AM. What a great change from the slow, truck-clogged 2-lane old road. We saved almost 2 hours of driving time. If we had felt better on Thursday we could have made it to Mazatlán easily. It's a long drive but it stays light late and there isn't much traffic on the autopista. These Mexican toll roads are really terrific; they are well-maintained, not heavily traveled ~ there is a parallel 2-lane free road for drivers who don't want to pay the tolls ~ with frequent gas stations and rest stops. After coming from the interior, you come around a wide bend in the road and there's the sparkling blue Pacific that we left just 2 days ago. We blew on through Mazatlán and headed for Topolobampo, a bit west of Los Moches. Topolobampo is probably the most down-at-heel Mexican town I've ever been in. It makes Cuyutlán look like Montecito! But it does have a beautiful bay that flows into the Gulf of California.

If you want to take the ferry to La Paz on the Baja, this is your embarcation point. We hoved into the only hotel in town, La Marina, every bit as seedy as the town itself. Again, after a nap, we headed downtown to the only restaurant, Chicho's. We sat upstairs (where the red life rings are hanging) with a view out to the bay. It was a full moon but we were too tired to stick around to watch the moonrise.

I was feeling a bit better and ordered a big bowl of fish soup.

And it was absolutely delicious. Since I hadn't eaten much for three days, I dug right in and worked my way through the various sea creatures the chef had tossed in. White fish, shrimp, squid and lots of pulpo - octopus.

The broth was rich and warming and very flavorful. The little octopus tentacles were sweet and chewy. Or at least I thought so! The Patient thought it was like trying to eat rubber bands.

One thing this little town has done is to clean up its waterfront. The last time I was there, in 2007, the west end of the bay was a total mess, with falling down houses, a road so rutted and pot-holed it was impossible to drive it. Lo and behold! They have tarted up the place beautifully, built a waterfront malecon with lovely lights, a new street, nice benches. Now all they need is another restaurant and a new hotel. Nothing fancy, but a view of the bay would be terrific. One thing at a time . . .

One other thing about the name of the town. This is Yaqui Indian territory, and for some reason they were enamored of the "suffix" of "bampo." There must be 50 towns around this area whose names all end in "bampo."

Day 4, Saturday, May 9

We left Topo early and headed east to Alamos. We wanted to get to the cafe at Solipaso for breakfast. This was the first real meal the Patient had eaten since dinner at Dago's. We decided to stay at the hotel. Ther are only 3 rooms but one was available, a big, cool high-ceiling'd hide-away with a big, comfortable bed. Right outside the room wa this lovely patio, cool and inviting in the midst of really searing heat.

After breakfast we made the mistake of going out for a walk. As they say, only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the mid-day sun. It was a real wilter of a day and I finally had to beg for mercy and go back to the hotel and take a nap. But I did manage to see the indoor market ~ bustling with Saturday shoppers ~ and the beautiful church on the main plaza.

While I napped, the Patient did his internet reading. The late afternoon heat beat down in the patio but the walls of the room were so thick that it stayed cool and pleasant inside. Finally we decided to go out for a light supper (again) of soup and salad. Hit the spot.

Day 5, Sunday, May 10

Sunday morning the hotel put on a wonderful Mother's Day Brunch for hotel guests and locals. The hotel's cafe is a popular meeting spot for breakfast or lunch, and it's easy to see why. Cool, comfortable dining areas, really good coffee, and a menu offering both Mexican and gringo dishes. (By the way, there is a very big gringo ex-pat community here who are busy buying up old houses and vacant land to use as retirement and snow-bird residences.) Frittata, blueberry pancakes, orange muffins, Canadian bacon, dark, rich coffee . . . a lovely send-off. This year the celebrations of Mother's Day for both the US and Mexico are on the same day. The Mexican day is always May 10, no matter what day of the week. In the early afternoon we left Alamos, baking in the hot sun, for the cooler climes of San Carlos. This is my last glimpse of the Pacific ocean ~ except if I take a trip to So Cal, which I am doing next weekend ~ so I don't want to miss it. We could have made it from Alamos across the border to Tucson, but a night in San Carlos is not to be missed. Back on Mex 15, the toll road, for another few hours of driving through the Sonora desert. It actually looks the same as what's on the US side; cactus, wide expanses of a whole lot of nothing. Flat, dusty, empty. But finally we got to San Carlos, found a room at our traditional hotel, and settled in for a 16-hr stay. The view is as I remember it.

This hotel, the Fiesta Real, has 30 rooms, each one facing on the sea with a great view, a good dining room, a very nice beach, decent pool, and reasonable rates. What's not to love about it? That's why we've been coming here for 9 years. San Carlos is growing by inches, not by leaps and bounds. It was originally the overflow from Guaymas, the coastal town about 30 miles to the west. Then it became its own up-scale retreat. Now it has a few hi-rise condos where both Mexicans and gringos have vacation retreats. There are a couple of very old neighborhoods; the new stuff is up in the hills and nobody pays any attention to that. It's still very quiet and laid back; a sailor's paradise. After another soup dinner, an early night. We want to make Gila Bend by mid-afternoon tomorrow.

Day 6, Monday, May 11

Up and out by 6 PM. Very light. Varying reports on what' happening at the border these days. Health inspections for everyone? Extensive inspections? Nothing much happens at all. Well, here's what did happen. No health inspections; no questions, no masks, no nothing. But we were asked to pull the car into the inspection area and were escorted into a waiting room off-site. Probably because we have been in country for 5 months. They searched the car thoroughly but they didn't find anything, didn't confiscate any of the "overage" booze (tequilla), and didn't question my syringes. It was a mere slow-down but nothing more. We arrived at the border at 10:30 and were on our way to Gila Bend by 11:30. A straight shot up AZ 19 to I-10 to Gila Bend and, again, our favorite stopping spot, the Satellite Motel. It's a funky space-age joint that pays homage to the 60's and the space program that went on out in the desert near-by. But it has refrigerators, air conditioning, a zillion TV channels, comfortable beds, and easy access to I-8 (our usual route into San Diego). Dinner thanks to Burger King and lights out at 8:30. Medical reports: tummies doing better.

Day 7, Tuesday, May 12

Destination for today is Bakersfield, via San Bernadino and I-395. This was not, I repeat, NOT my idea of the fastest way to get home, but since we were not going to visit my sister in San Diego, this is the alternate route that the pilot chose. As the navigator I had no say. (Vic is still in CT, in a rehab facility, and doing well, from all reports.) It was another long day's drive with heavy traffic and boring landscape. We arrived at our hotel at 3, took naps, ate a light supper in a really grim motel restaurant, and called it a day by 8, when it was still light. It's amazing how dispiriting highway off-ramp motels can be, isn't it? They're all the same, the rooms differ only in the color of bedspreads or size and make of TVs. This one at least had sliding doors onto a nice patio that offered a garden view and a breath of fresh air.

Day 8, Wednesday May 13

Like the horse that can scent home, I knew we were getting close. We got shut of the Bakersfield hotel early and started the great trek up I-99. It took 5 hours. Lots of truck traffic, but the road is good and there are places to stop along the way. We pulled into the driveway at noon and believe me, I was happy to be here. There's really no place like home.

There were the usual sights along the way: the dusty blue tequilla fields that go on forever; the rich, fertile valley in Sinaloa with beautiful irrigated crops of tomatoes, pepper, flowers, berries; the Sonora desert blooming like crazy this year, all the cacti with blossoms of pink and white on the tips of the up-stretched arms. We had only one military inspection point the whole trip and that one was so perfunctory it was laughable. I could have been carrying all sorts of contraband and who would know (or care)? Two agricultural stops for fruit and veggies; again, laughable. We were carrying avocados and limes (fruits) and nobody even looked. We must look honest.

So adios for another six months. We don't know where we will cross next year, El Paso-Cuidad Juarez or Tucson-Nogales. It depends on where the worst fighting is. For now, we are very glad to be home, sleeping in our own bed (the Patient had a lot of back issues with the various beds along the way) and cooking in our own kitchen. To say nothing of speaking our own language, or a facsimile of same.

2009-05-13T20:12:00.003-05:00

home . . .

but much too tired to write. Tomorrow. With pictures. I promise. Now it's off to bed. It's very good to be back.

2009-05-12T19:37:00.000-05:00

bakersfield?

bakersfield.

home tomorrow.

2009-05-11T19:18:00.000-05:00

gila bend, arizona

we crossed the border this morning at nogales. mostly uneventful. no stop in long beach. heading north tomorrow. home wednesday. more then.

2009-05-09T13:16:00.002-05:00

from Alamos, Sonora, MX

No time to write now. Will do so later, with pix. This is the 4th stop on our journey home and so far, the best. What a delightful old town. It's east of Navajoa ~ you are looking at your map of Mexico, aren't you? ~ about 30 miles. Old colonial town that fell on hard times, was "discovered" by gringos looking for an out of the way haven. Now it's getting quite gentrified. We're off to explore the town and take pictures. It's hot here, really hot. My thermostat needs resetting.

2009-05-05T14:24:00.003-05:00

how did we get from here . . .

to here?

I don't know but it all went by far too quickly. Marie and I were talking about it this morning. Neither of us had enough hammock time, beach walking, reading, or gazing out to sea, lost in thought. Or dominoes. Next season . . .

We will disconnect from the internet late this afternoon, hauling down all the equipment from up in the rafters of Neighbor Nelson's palapa. No more postings until we reach the next hot spot, perhaps from the charming mountain village of Tapalpa. If not there, Mazatlán for sure.

Tonight is a quiet dinner at Dago's, then the last of the stuffing and cramming and shoving to get everything away from the salt and the light and the dust. Only 7 months until we're back again! Then everything we did up we get to undo. Fun!

Happy Cinco de Mayo to all you Norteños.

2009-05-04T18:20:00.002-05:00

the last tiagues of the season

It was a very strange experience to go to the usual sight of the weekly open market and find virtually no vendors in sight. The President of Mexico asked people to stay away from public gatherings over this long (5-day) holiday weekend. And they took him seriously. Whereas there is usually a market 5 blocks long with vendors on both sides of the closed-off street, this morning all the vendors could have fit in 1/2 block. I didn't need much since we are leaving on Wednesday, but I did want to take one last stroll up and down to check out the produce, clothes, tools, music, electronics, handicrafts (mostly yarns for embroidery) and plants. Nada. The chicken man was there, the banana/papaya man, and four vegetable and fruit vendors. That was it. So I bid them all adios until next December.

These are the chaps who run my usual vegetable stop. They grow the delicious round zucchini that I love. When they see me in December they know it's time to get those seeds in the ground. By February those sweet little nuggets are ready! And by April they have some grandes good for stuffing. Always cheerful, always helpful. Especially the little gentleman.

Down the way there are two beautiful stalls, one for fruits, one for vegetables. Since I am loyal to my Michoacan guys (above), it is the fruit vendor I patronize. Great place for berries, mangoes, melons, pineapples and, best of all, oranges. This morning he had a wonderful display of apples and plums.

What I really wanted to photograph was the newest selection of bras on sale this year. Many bright patterns and colors. But since they are all the same size as those I photographed a couple of years ago, who would know this not the current stock?

The manufacturer much think that all Mexican women (a) want padded bras and/or (b) that they all wear the same size. These are cookie-cutter bras, all the exact same size.

On the way home I stopped in the Pemex to tank up the van for the start of the ride home. The blazing Primaveras are now in full bloom along the road between here and Armeria. What a show. They usually appear in February but this year they decided to hold off, to make us wait in eager anticipation of this beautiful show of color. We feared we had missed it. Not so.

I also had to tell the beer delivery guy, the gas delivery guy, and the bread delivery guy that we would no longer be buying things this year. El año próximo . . .

2009-05-02T12:43:00.010-05:00

the birria party

This is the oven.

This is the birria pot going into the oven.

This is the birria, done to a turn after 4 hours @ 500ºF +/-.

These are the veggies roasted in the oven.

This is my plato of birria, papas, verduras y frijoles.

These are little sugar cookies baked in the oven. ¡Postre!

Cheers to all.

2009-04-29T11:52:00.009-05:00

a week's worth of news

We are down to one week more here at the edge of the world. Our five months are up, the car insurance will lapse in 3 weeks, it's getting hot, the flies are ojut, and it's time to go home. We've been without a phone for most of this past week, the internet connection is sporadic but usable up on the 3rd floor, I've run out of ideas on how to make interesting salads, and it's time to go home. But the past week has not been without it's very good occasions.

While our guests were here we took a day-trip up into the hills of Colima, first to Nogueres and the lovely little museum and arboretum. This place was once a thriving hacienda and sugar cane plantation. It was purchased by the Rangel family, and the son, Alejandro turned it into a museum for his fantastic collection of pre-Columbian art and his own paintings. We did the museum and, while the gents explored the flora in the extensive arboretum, I sat on the cool, shady veranda

and looked out over the green, green gardens.

Over in a corner I found this lovely plant; reminds me of a giant lily pad.

We drove on to Suchitlan, a small town noted for its wood carved masks.

It was once a thriving coffee producing area. Now all that's left of that enterprise are some coffee trees located in the gardens of a wonderful restaurant, Los Arcos where we had lunch. The colorful, imaginative masks of some of the local carvers are on display and for sale in the restaurant.

After lunch we drove around looking for the little town of San Antonio. There is a very chi-chi hotel there, the Hacienda San Antonio, a quite grand $780 USD a night crash pad. I have seen it in the past but, try as we might, we couldn't locate it. So we gave up and drove home.

Friday night was dinner at Dago's (see previous post). Saturday was dinner at P & B's beautiful, high-ceiling'd house down in the colonia. P cooked up his delicious tacos for an appreciate group of invitees. Our guests were impressed by the beautiful sea views and by the warmth and generosity of the hospitality of two of our favorite ex-Ajijic-ers. Sunday night was dinner at Marie's to bid farewell to Helen and Linda who headed back to BC, Canada on Tuesday. More great hospitality. By Monday I was socialized out. It was all I could do to make the weekly visit to the tiagues, not really to shop but to stroll the vendors and get it all fixed in my mind to last me six months. It is always a huge shock the first time I wander into the Safeway or Nugget to shop. I am amazed at (a) the choices, (b) the packaging, and (c) the prices. Food is so expensive in the US as opposed to here. For every bite we take, several dozen bureaucrats get paid. I prefer it here, where the man or woman who grows the potatoes is the one who takes the pesos home. Food is abundant and very cheap. And if you have a lime tree in your back yard, or a mango tree, and it is overproducing, just set out a chair and table outside your garden, put up a hand written sign, and all your produce will be gone by the end of the day.

Tonight is dominoes. Tomorrow evening Fernando and Chuy are hosting a birria party, using Marie's big outdoor horno. It's going to be beef and pork; he could not find anyone to sell him a goat kid. We'll roast veggies and have a big watermelon for dessert. Friday will be the last gathering at Dago's for this season. Most of the gringos will be gong by mid-May. There are about a dozen full-timers who will be here for the summer and fall.

I am sitting up on the third floor as I write this, looking out toward the mountains, across a sea of waving palm fronts. There are a few houses peeking through the groves. To the left I can see just the very top of a Primavera tree, now in full, bright yellow bloom. They are very late this year. I can also see the brilliant fuchsia and white blossoms of the Surprisa bouganvillea in the garden at Neighbor Nelson's. It is a bit hazy this afternoon so the light against the hills is grey-blue, a nice contrast against the various greens and yellows of the palms. Behind me I can hear the sounds of the ocean. It's a strange sight-sound mix to hear the one and see the other. The palms don't seem to be making their usual rattle and click sounds but instead the swish of the sea. But I'm too drowsy to think about it anymore.

2009-04-24T17:38:00.005-05:00

my daughter the shoemaker

When she was here this morning I asked Chuy if she was planning to join dinner at Dago's tonight. She said no, that she was going to be in the jardin doing something having to do with shoes. I didn't catch it all but thought that I could check later to see what was up. It turns out the local ladies are taking a shoemaking class. The shoes, mainly sandals will later be sold in town. I found this out on an afternoon walk with our houseguests.

We strolled the beach, commenting on (a) the big waves and (b) the high water line on the sand. Some chairs and tables had to be pulled up closer to the puestos to keep them from washing away. In certain places the beach is already beginning to erode about 1 foot. We have see it with drop-offs of 6' to 8' after heavy rain and surging tides.

Dinner at Dago's tonight. Think I'll have shrimp. To hell with the cholesterol. I've only got one more Friday here after tonight and I intend to celebrate at both of them.

2009-04-22T18:22:00.003-05:00

Happy Anniversary Henry

Today is the 500th anniversary of the coronation of Henry VIII as King of England and Ireland. It was dangerous to be a friend of Henry's, and not only a female friend. For those of you who may have an interest in how he changed the face of England, I recommend this article from today's Telegraph.

In other news, our guests arrived on Sunday and have been, by all reports, having a grand time. We went to the tiagues on Monday. Yesterday they went off to the turtle reserve and in the evening we had lovely grilled fish at Dago's. I have no idea where they went today. We may go up to Suchitlan and the arboretum at Nogueres tomorrow or Friday. They plan to begin a long, slow return to Guadalajara on Sunday. Then begins the big pack-up. Two weeks from today . . .

Today was a lovely luncheon-cum-dominoes down in the colonia It's very nice to have a "day game" every so often. Ten of us gathered at Bobbie's house, at noon for mimosas and a yummy chicken curry salad served in scooped out cantaloupe. I like it when the dishes are part of the meal.

2009-04-18T19:12:00.006-05:00

does this sound like your life?

I listened to Garrison Keillor tonight. Here is a wonderful song, performed by Tom Rush. It's perfect for those who have lived through more springs that we perhaps are willing to admit. Enjoy.

I have not felt in the pink for the past couple of days so today I just stayed in and, as a matter of fact, in bed most of the day. I am reading a terrific book, "The Untouchable" by John Banville, an Irish writer of prodigious talent, so it wasn't all hardship. This evening I am feeling a bit better; the tricky tummy seems to have subsided a bit. I have sipped only broth all day; a soothing alternative to real food. The bread man will be by any minute so I can buy more comfort food: taleras. I have to be up and doing tomorrow when our house guests arrive.

2009-04-16T21:27:00.000-05:00

Hartelijk gefeliciteerd met je verjaardag

Last night we went to a lovely birthday party for Chris DeRon, a Dutchman of more charm than is probably legal. A real treasure of a man. He and his wife live way down at the very end of the colonia, just this side of the tortugario sanctuary. They have a wonderful house that is made for parties. Great b-b-q, live music ~ provided by the masseuse Patti and her husband ~ well-stocked bar. Chris is renowned for his grilled ribs and they lived up to their reputation. Many contributions from the 35+ guests; salads, breads, hot dishes, etc. And on the grill, "personed" by two excellent chefettes, ribs and chicken. There was a full contingent of Cuyutlán's finest, gringo and Mexican. The first dancers on the floor were Chris and wife Robbie, swaying to "Spanish Eyes." As you can see from the photo above, Chris is a roly pink-cheeked blond. His wife is a tall willowy brunette with dark eyes, raised in Surinam. He told the story of their first meeting: he was working in a hospital (he's an anesthesiologist) and saw her coming down the stairs. As he said, "I saw her and dat vas it!" A fine time was had by all. Including Chris.

2009-04-15T11:00:00.001-05:00

my sleepy little Mexican beach village

We took Neighbor and Mrs. Neighbor Nelson up to the bus station in Colima for their trip back to California. Then we went to the Toyota agency to get the car looked at; the idiot light on the dash has come on and the notation in the owner's manual is "Go to Dealer." We have to take the car back this afternoon for a diagnostic check. We have to be sure Vincent is in good shape before we start the trek home.

A phone call to YNHH and my sister brought unhappy news. She had to have all the toes on her left foot amputated. Two were gangrenous, the other three were not getting any blood supply. On Friday she will have bypass surgery to etry to stimulate blood flow into her leg and foot. She was all doped up and really couldn't talk. I'll call again today.

I took a long walk up and down the malecon yesterday afternoon to soothe my sorrowing heart and to check on the health and welfare of my little town after the departure of the Easter revelers. It's in petty good shape, despite rough treatment. It's heart has slowed to its quiet, peaceful normal beat. All four discos shut down after a last gasp on Sunday. Stages have been dismantled, light standards removed, banners gone, speakers gone. It's as if they had never been here, although memory tells me they were! The beer tents that lined the southern end were empty although all the awnings have not been taken down. The Easter-only puestos had been packed up and taken away. Trash wasn't too bad; it will be picked up, piece by piece, by strollers such as I, and deposited in the at-hand badsura bins. The Indian ladies with their jewelry stalls were still there, but they are fairly ubiquitous now. The established puestos were doing a quiet but acceptable Tuesday afternoon business. I looked in at Dago's and saw a goodly number of folks sitting in sling chairs under the umbrellas on the shore. The very visible crowd control presence (local and federal police, army, marines, National Guard) is gone. I understand there were only a few fights, one shooting, and, unfortunately, four drownings. One of them was the nephew of the Governor of Colima. About average. The town hired more than 15 extra lifeguards for last week's crowd. This is always a fight among the hotel owners who are responsible for paying these daring and brave guys (and they're all guys. No Baywatch here.) They don't want their guests drowning but they don't want to fork out money to pay for their security. Ours is not a friendly-to-swimmers beach. And despite all the warning signs posted along the malecon and in the hotels, non-swimmers have too much beer and tequila, too much sun, wander into the surf and drown.

Last night I sat out on the front balcony - soon to be enclosed as a dining room - to listen to the lovely quiet. It was still and cool and very clear. I could hear, somewhere down the beach or in town, a wisp of faint music, Ranchero, I think. The dog next door had a few things to say but not much. The sea moaned and sighed on the shore. No traffic, no voices, no loud music, no disturbance of any kind. Bliss.

Three weeks from today we are leaving this wonderful place. I can only hope that Cuyutlán will pass a safe summer; no hurricanes to take out the beach and the puestos, no earthquakes to take down the houses.

2009-04-13T21:14:00.003-05:00

se fueron

Yes, they've gone. After a mere 5 days of revelry the crowds have left town. The disco did crank up last night and I was here to enjoy every spin of the turntable. But it is now closed down, the beer tents have been packed up and taken away, the speakers loaded up and carted out of town. This little village is ours again. Or at least it no longer belongs to the disco. The disco pavilion did light up and I had a momentary attack of panic, but not a peep out of it. Tonight it is quiet and peaceful and the only thing I can hear is the lovely suss of the waves on the shore.

Tomorrow we take Neighbor Nelson and Mrs. Neighbor Nelson up to Colima so they can catch the bus to Guadalajara for their flight home. They'll spend the night in Guad and fly out on Wednesday. Their lovely holiday is over but, all things being equal, they'll be back next year. They "host" the internet from their house so if we get cut off for some reason, and we can't restart, you won't hear from us for awhile. We have had intermittent interruptions in service recently but I think we know how to remedy the problem.

2009-04-12T18:21:00.001-05:00

Happy Easter

It seems like only yesterday that my mother would dress my sister and me in Easter finery and trot us off to church for the traditional Easter service (not the sunrise variety). My Godmother used to send us "sister look-alike" dresses, hats, sox and gloves. Not too many folks doll up in this style here.

Things are settling down after a pretty loud and busy weekend. Marie and I walked the malecon yesterday and commented that the crowds were much lighter than they had been last year. We could actually walk side-by-side without having to squeeze through wedges of hard-drinking, hard-partying folks. If this year's disco schedule follows that of last year, it should be quiet fafter tonight's blow-out. More vacationers will come during this next week, Pasqua but, as I have noted here before, that group is considered a more "genteel" crowd. Supposedly they do not camp on the beach but instead hang out at some of Cuyutlán's finest hotels. Which ones are in that category is still a mystery.

For us, it was a quiet Sunday with reading and resting. I dearly miss my traditional Easter dinner of roast leg of lamb, roasted potatoes, asparagus and lemon mousse. Instead, tongue tacos.

2009-04-10T17:40:00.005-05:00

such a birthday!

This is a shot of the beach at Cuyutlan. It is covered with beautiful colored umbrellas and bright canvas sling chairs which have come to symbolize life here.

This is a shot of the back wall of my garage.

And this is my birthday present from my friend, Marie.

I cannot imagine a better gift! But as if that weren't enough, a group of us got together for lunch at Morelos for chiles rellenos, served only on Friday's during lent. Delicious. And tonight a little dinner party at Roger's.

I am birthday'd out.

2009-04-09T17:13:00.005-05:00

and it's only thursday . . .

The revelers have started arriving. Here's what it looked like this morning at 9 AM, off the front balcony.

This area was totally vacant last night. These folks arrived during the night or very early this morning.

Here's what it looked like at 3 PM this afternoon.

Some of these cars will leave this evening. But others will come tomorrow to take their places. There will be more campers tomorrow, too, on that bare patch of earth and huddled along the wall across the street. There will be no parking anywhere in town for the next 3 days. There is a serious police presence, too, including dogs. Many more uniforms than last year. I don't know what they expect to happen but whatever it is let's hope all this heavy armour and army personnel keeps it to a minimum. I woke up at 4:30 this morning and looked out the window. A line of police trucks, lights flashing, was patrolling the surrounding streets. I'm not sure whether to be relieved or afraid!

It is now 5:30 and the disco is getting warmed up for this evening's entertainment. A quick dinner and I'm off to the quiet of the colonia. It will all be here when I get back in the morning. And many, many more party-makers, I am sure.

2009-04-08T13:29:00.005-05:00

the scorched earth policy

This lot is on the south of side of house. It gets completely overgrown during the year, so by the time we get down in December it is covered with shrubs, cactus, debris, trash, and other items both natural and man-made. Now this might be ok IF the Easter visitors did not take advantage of the sheltered parts of the lot to use as an outdoor latrine. About a week after they all depart the perfume and the flies are enough to make you pack up and head for the border. A few years ago we decided we'd had enough of this back-to-nature stuff and got Fernando to burn off the lot. It did discourage it's use, so we did it again this year. It was pretty overgrown, so first he had to hack everything down and let it dry out. Then we had a big burn and it indeed looks like a war zone. This is the time of year when it gets very damp during the night so in the morning the air smells like there has been a forest fire. We can only hope that no cover and a bad smell will do the trick.

The disco fired up last night at 6 PM ~ a lovely accompaniment to the evening's Margarita hour ~ but quit aat 7. Then from the small hotel across the street came the funky music of a pick-up band. Brass, drums and a clarinet.

Loud but playing good old Mexican music, a mix of Mariachi band tunes and classic Ranchero-style. I walked over to get a better look. A great bunch of old guys, except for the two drummers who looked about 15, having a fine time together.

I went back home and they continued to fill the evening air with really great music, ever so much better then the black fog that pollutes the town from the disco. Around 9 PM they took a break and strolled down to the malecon to play there. I went back to the hotel to see if they would be returning. Yes, at about 10 o'clock. I wanted to give them a propina as thanks. Well, they never came back. Maybe they made a bundle at the beach and didn't bother. At 9:30 the disco started, blew out the town's electricity for (unfortunately) only 5 minutes, and then were back at it. I put on my trusty Bose noise-canceling ear phones and went to sleep. Things will crank up loud and long starting tonight so this is probably the last night I will sleep at home for a few days. I am hosting dominoes so really have to be here to clean up when it's over.

Telmex finally showed up to fix the phone lines. Now if I could just figure out what's amiss with our internet connection . We have to sit up on the 3rd floor (en plein aire as the Patient calls it) to get any reception. I think perhaps our aerial has become so salt- and dust-encrusted that it just doesn't work anymore. But we're now, suddenly short-timers so I'm not going to buy new equipment until next year. Four weeks from today we head home. Much too soon.

2009-04-06T11:47:00.000-05:00

the candy man

Yesterday afternoon I walked along the malecon to see what fresh hell is afoot for Easter. New puestos, depositos (where you can buy beer and then return the bottles) and, of course, el disco are the first additions. There will be more as the week goes on. This year's disco incarnation is bigger than ever, spread over four lots. Between us and it lies one slender, one-house wide vacant lot, so we get the full enchilada. The "music" will probably start tomorrow night and go for 7 nights, usually until about 4 AM. But I am not going to sleep here; I'm going to spend the nights with friends who live down in the colonia, about 2 miles away. I'll still be able to hear the noise faintly but it won't shake the bed.

There were lots of day-trippers out yesterday, strolling up and down, eating in the puestos (Dago's was packed), surveying the wares of various purveyors of jewelry, ceramics, clothing. One of the prettiest sights was the candy man with his wheelbarrow full of these colorful goodies. He's the most popular vendor on the beach with the kiddies.

Right now it's quiet and peaceful, with only the occasional sound of hammers building yet another stall to sell drinks or food. I finally got through to Telmex to report that our phone has been out for 3 days; they'll come tomorrow. You know, mañana. Since I haven't been able to talk to the East Coast, I have nothing to report on my sister's condition. I'm sure I would have heard either via email or Skype if there was anything to report.

2009-04-04T19:11:00.001-05:00

another perfect day . .

here at the beach. High, clear blue skies, light breeze, beautiful, sparkling surf.

Meanwhile, in Bozeman . . .

Daughter Caitlin reported this morning that they had 40" of snow overnight.Even Ike found it a fun playground.

" I know I left it in here somewhere!"

"Found it!"

For all you readers in Mexico, tonight is the set-your-clocks-ahead time. We'll now be right back where we were, as far as time zones, except for Arizona that has no DST. They're "mavericks" in Arizona, but we already knew that.

No news from YNHH; our phone is not working today. We have to wait until Monday to find out why; Telmex is not answering its 24/7 Emergency Service number. You know, it's coming on to the Easter holidays and people have other things to do.

Es la vida loca . . . es la vida Mexicana.

2009-04-03T21:27:00.000-05:00

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.

2009-04-01T14:25:00.001-05:00

almost dual citizenship

Our trip to Manzanillo to pick up the FM3 documents went without a hitch. Well, almost. The Patient, while parking the car, ran into a tree and scraped the left side of the car pretty badly. Other than that, not a hitch. The documents were ready, except for the photos which were pasted in, then everything was stamped, signed, etc. It took just about one hour to get it all done. The main advantage to holding an FM3 is the tax break when selling property. We have no plans to do that immediately, but it's better if you hold the FM3 for more than about 15 minutes before selling. Then it was off to shop, to lunch, to bank, and to go home.

Tuesday morning I got a message from my niece that my sister had been whisked off to the ICU and put on a ventilator at 4 AM that morning. The cause was probably elevated potassium, the same condition that landed her in the hospital shortly after we arrived here. By last evening things had stabilized, she was off the ventilator and feeling ok. Today is another CT scan to see if the docs can find a healthy artery to transplant into her leg to improve circulation. No surgery until blood flow can be detected, otherwise the fear is she will not heal. Such an ordeal. She is a real trooper to put up with all this. I will call again tonight to see what the day's events brought. As for me, it's off to Jack's for a swim ~ perfect pool weather today, not too windy ~ and then the weekly domino fest. And even now, 10 days out, preparations are underway for the Easter crazies. Oh joy.

Here's a terrific April Fool's Day prank. Oh, if only . . .

2009-03-30T21:02:00.002-05:00

this one's for you, Vicky

I talked to my sister tonight to see if she had heard from the surgeon. Has he decided what he's going to do, come Wednesday? The answer was no, he hasn't. The CT scan was not particularly encouraging; circulation is quite impaired. So I will call again tomorrow to learn if any decision has been made. Meanwhile, this beautiful piece with Cecilia Bartoli and Arlene Augér is for you, Vicky.

Tomorrow we drive in to Manzanillo to pick up our FM-3 documents. We had to have our pictures taken again (gag!) because the last ones were too small and there were no profiles included (gag! gag!). You know the old saying about one would rather have a root canal without drugs than do "X"? I feel that way about having my picture taken. But it's done, we hope the documents will be ready, and we'll be fiinished with all of that for another year. Then a big-time shopping at various large stores, a smart lunch, and home probably mid-afternoon. This, of course, is predicated on everything going as planned, gringo style.

2009-03-29T14:48:00.002-05:00

the virgin's vigil

Solace and comfort can come from the most unexpected places, can't they? In this little village there are many kind and caring souls. One of them is a big, blustery chap from Wisconsin who has found, among other things, a politically conservative soul mate in the Patient. (Linda, if you're reading this you know whom I mean!) Today he gave me the traditional Virgin of Guadalupe vigil candle for my sister. He is the last person I would have expected to have done this. I just about wept right in his presence. (I waited until I got home.) He has proved to be what I always though he was: a big, soft Teddy Bear in hiding. I have lighted the candle. It will burn for 7 days.

My brother-in-law called from New Haven to let me know that Vicky is having an MRI today to see how good the circulation is in her lower leg and foot. That will determine the extent of the surgery.

Now on to happier things. I talked with granddaughter Emily ~ we missed one another on her 15th birthday ~ and was very pleased to learn that she has been accepted at Thacher School for next year. This is the place where her grandfather, father and brother went. She'll be holding up a long tradition. She is going for an introductory weekend next Friday, then she has to make up her mind and let them know by April 10. She will have to give up rowing if she goes, so it will be a trade-off. As she has sagely pointed out, "If I don't like it I can always come home and row. But if I stay and don't like rowing, I'm stuck." Smart woman!

2009-03-28T19:42:00.001-05:00

send out good mojo

Some of you faithful readers may remember the scare I had last year with the infected toe. I had to leave the beach in a hurry to get some good old USA medical attention. Everything turned out just fine; the infection cleared up quickly and I was back "on my toes" in no time. Unfortunately, my beloved sister has not been so lucky. She, too, is a diabetic. She, too, has turned up with an infected toe. However, it has turned gangrenous and she is scheduled to have one and possibly two toes amputated on Tuesday. If the docs find further damage and evidence of gangrene, she may lose her entire foot. She is currently in New Haven languishing at Yale University Hospital, a virtual home-away-from home for her. It seems like every time she goes east for a visit she ends up spending at least part of her stay at Yale. I think she should just book in there at the outset instead of even trying to stay with her daughter.

Anyway, I talked with her this evening and she is in remarkably good spirits. She is optimistic that they will stop at the toes and leave everything else as it is.

So, send good mojo for her safety under the knife and a health recovery with all 8 toes intact.

By the way, I did listed to the opera today, "Das Reingold." Not bad. But we have a break from the Ring Cycle next week with Elisir d'amour. A bit of levity in the midst of gloom and doom.

2009-03-27T18:00:00.001-05:00

in my own front yard

The wisteria at home (US version) has burst into bloom and, once again, I am not there as a witness. But thanks to my neighbor, at least I can see it through the magic of photographs. We planted these vines in 1990 when we had the house remodeled and an overhang built outside our bedroom. There are actually two vines of differing colors; this is the violet shade; the other is more blue. When they're both in bloom and twined together it's quite dazzling.

Latest read: "The Looming Towers: Al Quada and the Road to 9/11" by Lawrence Wright. One might think ~ correctly ~ that this is not a fun beach read. But absolutely riveting. I am a big fan of Wright's, anyway. He is a writer for the New Yorker and I make sure to read everything by him. The background is fascinating, but it's like watching a movie when you've read the book. You already know what's going to happen and it isn't going to be any better this time.

Time to get ready for dinner at Dago's. Tomorrow's Met presentation is Das Reingold, the first of the four Ring Cycle operas. I may be busy.

2009-03-26T21:10:00.001-05:00

great new party idea

Here's a new party theme: Clean Out the Refrigerator Party. Meg and Marnie and Nick and Roger are heading back to Canada/Kansas City respectively on Saturday. So tonight they had a get together at which everyone was to bring an hors d'oeuvre and a carry-away container to help them clean out their refrigerators/cupboards. Including the bar.

We rescued a bottle of Kahlua that was doomed to find a place in an unappreciative household. There were several bottles of various liquors that we do not drink but that we know will find good homes. We brought home ceviche, salsa, the guacamole we took that wasn't eaten, the rest of the Pita chips from TJ's that we brought down, and some chorizo filling for tacos. Tomorrow's lunch is taken care of. I think they are going to have more leftovers for their fridge than what they started with. Nonetheless, they had a great gathering and gave the rest of us a whole new idea about how to off-load all the end-of-season goodies.

M & M's house has a completely outdoor kitchen that faces on to the sea; what a great view, early in the morning and at sunset. Actually, any time.

They have a sensational view from the second floor ~ north to south, uninterrupted coastline.

We will all be together again tomorrow night for dinner at Dago's. Maybe they'll bring the leftover leftovers.

2009-03-25T13:00:00.015-05:00

luly cooks chilaquiles

This morning, ten of us showed up at Linda and Helen's house for a cooking lesson of that favorite brunch dish. Luly is a native Mexican, a wonderful cook and a crackerjack domino player. We all gathered around the tiny outdoor kitchen and sipped strong coffee. Marnie, Helen and Roger chopped. Luly and Roger cooked. Marnie stirred. Roger beat eggs and shredded cheese. Linda took notes. I took photos. The rest ~ Carol, Marie, Patty and Nick ~ supervised.

Before beginning the assembly process there are several steps to be taken. Luly bought fresh tortillas, cut them into triangles, spread them out on paper towels and let them dry overnight.

By the time you are ready to fry them they are dry and will stay crisp. She browned some whole garlic cloves in olive oil, then added the cut-up tortillas and browned them slowly, turning constantly. They get nice and crunchy and will hold up in the eggs. COOK'S NOTE: You can also buy packaged chips prepared especially for chilaquiles if you are in to saving time and work!

Meanwhile, there was lots of chopping going on. Marnie was seeing to the tomatoes, Roger was doing the garlic, and Helen diced up the onions and two Serrano chiles (one with seeds, one without). It was time to start cooking the salsa. In a saucepan, lightly saute the chopped garlic, some of the chopped onions, and the chiles. Add a couple of tablespoons of crushed chicken broth cubes, water, and some ground pepper and simmer while the chips are cooking. This sauce is more liquid than a regular salsa, although still pretty chunky. COOK'S NOTE: The knives used in preparing all these veggies came from a town in Jalisco famous for its cutlery: Sayula, about 120 miles east of here. I think we'll stop there on our way home and buy a couple. They are gorgeous and not too pricey.

The sauce is done when the veggies are medium-soft. It will be nice and spicy. You can make this ahead, refrigerate or freeze for later for use in almost any other Mexican dish you can imagine. They all seem to use a salsa of some kind. In addition, as it sits it gets more picante.

Now it's time to prepare the eggs. Break into a bowl and beat gently with a fork. Add about a teaspoon of the crushed chicken broth cubes. A bit of pepper; no salt. The chicken broth cube takes care of that. If you like a bit more heat, a couple of shakes of Tabasco or other hot sauce will do fine, but remember the salsa that is to come.

Into the frying pan with the perfectly sautéd chips pour the beaten eggs. Don't stir. Let the eggs set slightly, then gently push the chips around to get the rest of the eggs set. They should not be dry or overcooked.

Spoon a serving of the eggs onto a plate, top with a generous helping of salsa, a sprinkling of finely diced onion, chopped cilantro and crumbled queso seco, a dry white cheese that's ubiquitous here. A dry Romano might work at home. On the side, refried beans with raw onions stirred in.

¡Buen provecho! What a morning! What a wonderful meal. That and an ice cold cerveza and you're set for the day.

The full recipe will be available, complete with proportions, as soon as Linda cleans up her notes and passes them on.

2009-03-24T21:40:00.001-05:00

the president holds a press conference

Whether you agree with him or not, whether you voted for him or not, even if you want him to fail ~ I actually know someone who does ~ this is a president who speaks English in entire sentences ~ subject, predicate, punctuation, the whole deal ~ who thinks before he speaks, who has a breathtaking grasp of what's going on, and who is linguistically nimble. What a refreshing change.

2009-03-23T18:47:00.001-05:00

adios, san miguel

Today's chores included a trip to the Mega, a big grocery store that has everything you could ever want in the way of food stuffs. We bought a case of wine, some dry salami, some hot cross buns (in Mexico??!) for breakfast tomorrow before we hit the road. Then it was to El Maple, a Canadian bakery for delicious whole wheat bread that you can't get any place else. We walked up to La Palapa, our favorite quickie lunch joint. Its specialty, as far as we are concerned, is fish tacos (not as good as Dago's, of course). This outdoor spot is nothing but a cyclone fence on a dirt lot with a big Sol tent overhead.

I should explain, perhaps, that Sol is a beer maker in Mexico; the other biggie is Modelo. My favorite beer, Indio, is a Sol product. If a restaurant carries one brand, it doesn't carry the other. This is a country of monopolies; think Telmex (phones) and Pemex (gasoline). So at La Palapa we can get Indio along with our fish tacos.

One of these little beauties, slathered in some mystery green sauce that's a bit piquante and covered with fresh salas, and you have the perfect San Miguel lunch.

After filling up on these we walked over to the Italo-Mexican deli, La Cava to buy some good parmesan cheese to take back to the beach.

I would have opted for some more of their delicious sausages but we passed them up this time. Then a stroll back home ~ it was hot by this time ~ to begin packing up for the trip home. I did manage to finish "Assassination Vacation" and made good progress in "Conflict and Culture in the Middle East." All in all, it was a very successful vacation; visit with friends, good food, good shopping, good walks.

This is a very beautiful city, even though it is loaded with Americans and Canadians who have left el Norte for a different life. Not necessarily better; just different. San Miguel is a place where you are free to be. I have seen people ~ mostly women ~ walking around, perfectly comfortable and unconscious, in the most outlandish get-ups imaginable. Nobody pay attention, except me, of course, an outlander. But I get the feeling that these women, back in Keokuck, Iowa, probably never took a flyer on anything. And here they are, thousands of miles away, having the best time imaginable, in a whole new world.

I need to remember this.

2009-03-22T21:32:00.002-05:00

I saw it on TV!

We don't have a television at the beach so if I want to see something important, such as the inauguration or the State of the Union speech, I must depend on the kindness of strangers (thank you, Charlotte!). But here in the big city, aka San Miguel, we have cable in the apartment. I get to watch CNN (boring) and FOX (egad!), and CBS. Tonight I watched 60 Minutes, first time in 4 month, and the president. I have been reading the Daily Kos, Real Clear Politics, Politico, the NYT, WashPost, etc., and thus all the negative stuff about the recklessness of the president'a plan, Tim Geithner, the budget and the various bail-out schemes. But watching the President tonight, listening to his even, measured, tempered explanations and responses to Steve Croft's questions and comments, I am again reassured and deeply thankful that we have him dealing with the crisis rather than the former President and his band of pranksters or the McCain-Palin crowd. If we think this is bad . . .

We had a low-key, quiet day today. We went out this morning to do banking and some wine searching. Needless to say, we can't get any really good (or interesting) wine where we are, but up here in Gringoville, there are more possibilities. Interestingly, however, most of the good stuff comes from Chile. Although there is fairly decent wine produced in the area of the northern Baja (thank you, UC Davis department of viticulature and enology), it's still not as good as the Chilean products. We bought a couple of things to try; tomorrow we'll go back and load up with two or three cases that should, if we're prudent, see us over the border and home. The inspectors are quiet lenient about how much wine you can bring across.

Tomorrow is the final "shop 'till you drop" day. I am contemplating a beautiful rug, although if I bought it I wouldn't know where to put it. But it's so beautiful and so inexpensive . . . That's the problem with coming here. There are really gorgeous things at such reasonable prices, especially when the dollar buys so many pesos. But I guess prucence should be the watchword. We'll go to the fish taco joint for lunch, then find someplace interesting for our last dinner treat. Then back to the beach early Tuesday morning. It's been a great get-away. As we drove around through the hills this morning we ooh'd and ahh'd at the beautiful houses ~ many for sale ~ but agreed that, although living here would be lovely and offer many more amenities, there's nothing like our little corner of paradise at the beach.

On a more serious note, my thoughts and prayers go to the families of the four Oakland police officers who were senselessly gunned down today in a stupid shootout in that oft-violent city. What a waste, all around.

2009-03-21T19:16:00.002-05:00

fun guests, lovely hostess gift,
great lunch, best baby pix

Carolyn and Beto arrived yesterday noon for an overnight visit. I haven't seen them since they moved from the beach to Tepotzlán, a town north of Mexico City. They bought an old falling-down house, completely rebuilt it, and now have a gorgeous two-story casa with a nice casita for guests (ahem!). We went out to lunch, sent Beto and the Patient back to the apartment, and Carolyn and I strolled through San Miguel for four languid hours. We must have gone into every shop and tienda on our route. She found a gorgeous pair of doors for her house. The only drawback was how to get them from here to there. Since it's only 2 hours' driving time, she'll be back. The fellows had stopped at the local polloria for chicken, which we had as a late-nite supper, along with a salad and a nice bottle of Chilean white.

This morning the two muscle men wrangled the big olive pot out of our car and into theirs for the trip to Carolyn and Beto's house and garden. She had left it behind at the beach when she moved; couldn't get it into her then-car. But it fit ~ barely ~ into the newer, bigger car. So off they went after a really great visit. As a hostess gift, she brought me a little piece of intriguing artwork. This little picture (11 X 15 cm) by an artist in her town Alfredo Hernandez Morales, is made of tiny little wooden sticks, dyed and pasted into scenes of local life. This is a scene of Lago de Patzcuaro. Initially it looks like very fine needlework done in single strand silk. But when you look carefully at the materials used, it's even more astounding. You can even see the tiny boats on the lake. (I tried several different settings on the camera and could not get a really clear shot.)
Our guests pulled away about 10 AM this morning. I got myself settled to listed to the opera at 11 AM ~ the best bel canto opera ever, in my relatively untutored opinion. Full of bright, colorful, tuneful music for all the characters. At about 4 PM we headed out for comida and the aforementioned Ole! Ole! A 30 peso ride delivered us to the front door of this way out of the way place.

It is a shrine to bullfighting. The walls are covered with posters dating far back into the 70-'s and 80's. There is a huge stuffed bull at the front door and another bull head mounted on the wall.

The specialty of the house are fajitas ~ chicken, beef or shrimp, or a mix. I ordered the mix of beef and chicken, the Patient ordered a veggie brochette that came with beautifully roasted squash, onions, mushrooms, tomatoes, and peppers.
We both did our best to do justice to these beautifully prepared and presented dishes but it was the old "eyes and stomach" thing, so we brought at least half of it back to the apartment for tomorrow's lunch or dinner. We had a lovely stroll (all downhill) back to the apartment. When you finally get to San Miguel, don't miss this delightful spot.

As for the above mentioned "Best Baby Pix" I received this from my dear friend Patty who lives in Maryland. Her son, Jason, and his wife Nerija, produced this beautiful little boy, Vacarus Titus, some three weeks ago. They have titled this "The Sleeping Thinker." I might go with "The Thinking Sleeper." Whichever you like, I think this is one of the best baby pictures I've ever seen.

2009-03-19T21:23:00.000-05:00

vacations are for changing your mind

We didn't go to Ole! Ole! after all. First there was the indoor market. What a feast for the eye and the intended daily menu. There was beautiful aspárrago; I've never seen asparagus in Mexico, or at least some that I would be willing to pay pesos for. Then there was granadas, passion fruit. I am not a particular fan of this fruit, mainly because of the zillions of tiny, sand-like seeds nestled in the viscous pulp that afficionados claim is its essence. To me it tastes like juicyfruit gum. I'd rather have the gum.

After the market we walked up to the intended restaurant but found that it would not be open until 1 PM; it was, at that time, 11:30. We wandered back to the jardin, found a bank ~ we thought it was somewhere else but found where it had moved to ~ and instead decided to lunch at Méson San José, famous for its salads.

My eating-drinking-travel-life partner opted for Sopa de Azteca with nice chunks of chicken and stringy cheese in a rich broth. I opted for a beautiful Cobb Salad with the aforementioned chicken, bacon and other usual ingredients.

All this lovely food is served in a quiet garden setting, off the bustle of Avenida Mésone, in what looks like it might have been a real hacienda. There is a big courtyard surrounded by an arched terrazzo walkway off of which are small rooms, now little shops. In a real hacienda these cell-like rooms would have been occupied by the servants. The family lived in the front and upstairs.

We walked back to the apartment, stopping at a great deli, La Cava, for pork sausage and capollini pasta for dinner. This tiny place is stuffed with all things Italian; sausage, pasta, cheeses, ham, canned goods, olive oils. I asked whether it was Italian or Mexican. The dueño assured me it was Mexican with the heart of Italy. We went back today for some fresh Parmesan cheese.

On our way back to the apartment we passed this show of jacaranda. The photo in no way does them justice. But believe me, they are breathtaking.

This morning we went off to Delores Hidalgo, the home of talavera style pottery. I bought two big ceramic pots for the house; the clay pots simply disintegrate in the salt air. The only thing that lasts is real ceramic. They are stowed away in the car; photos on our return to the beach.

We are expecting friends tomorrow for an overnight treat. They are driving down from Mexico City, about four hours away. We'll do a bit of walking around, have a lovely dinner out, and generally enjoy their company and the treats San Miguel has to offer.

As for Saturday's opera, it's La Sonnambula with the glorious Natalie Dessay in the lead. It's one of those operas where all's well that ends well.

2009-03-18T08:55:00.002-05:00

rain? rain!

Easy drive here yesterday. Very little traffic or slow-downs for construction (the biggest time-waster in most Mexican travel). The best thing about the drive was seeing the jacarandas, now in early bloom. I never cease to wonder at their indescribable color. As we came through Celaya, heading up into the mountains, there was a stretch of them on both sides of the road, maybe 200 total, all decked out in that shimmering blue color. Worth every minute of the 7 1/2 hour drive.

As we're settling in to our lovely apartment, the distant roll of thunder reaches our ears. Rain? Could that be a warning that it's going to rain? May and June are the months for that here. By 5 o'clock the sky was leaden, the clouds low, the light gone. We stood out on the tiny balcony off the bedroom, looking west, and watched it progress from a mere sprinkle to real a rain.

Looking east the sky was even darker and more threatening.

It didn't last long ~ maybe an hour ~ but it was enough to give everything a nice drink and to wash away the accumulated dust on the leaves. And to give us a beautiful rainbow in the eastern sky. Best of all, the ground was wet enough to exude that delicious after-the-first-rain smell. Wet, muddy, earthy, pungent. Even a little pine-y up here at 7,000 ft. This morning the birds are singing, the sun is bright and warm, the sky a brilliant blue.

On today's schedule is a bus ride up to the indoor market for a walk-through, always a treat, and then lunch at Olé! Olé!, a couple of blocks away. Famous for fajitas. Pictures to follow, of course.

Started a fascinating book on the way up (recorded), Sarah Vowell's "Assassination Vacation" about the events that took the lives of three presidents, Lincoln, McKinley and Garfield. I got on to her because of a review of another of her books, "The Wordy Shipmates." I'll get that one when I get home.

2009-03-16T12:05:00.000-05:00

we're off to San Miguel de Allende

Early tomorrow we'll head up into the mountains to one of our favorite spots. We managed to snag the same apartment we've stayed in twice before. The owner just happens to be taking a trip to Chiapas at this time so it works perfectly. We usually go in January when it's cold, day and night. At this time of year, weather report shows low 80ºs; just perfect. Some friends from Cuyutlán who now live just outside Mexico City will join us for an overnight. Along with good eating, great walking, and splendid shopping, it should be a fine week.

Happy 4th Birthday, Ruby. No photo yet.

2009-03-13T22:08:00.003-05:00

Southern hemi south swell

A faithful reader asked me if we swim in the ocean. This is why we do not. March is the time of year when our beaches get a "gnarly shore pound" from huge waves. There is a phenomenon called the ola verde, the green wave. These are enormous, rolling waves, beloved by surfers, that start way off shore and roll in, gathering force as they come. They rise, curl, and slam onto the beach. And the really big ones are not here yet, but they will come in a few weeks. For now, we have 10' to 15' variety. When they hit, it feels like an mini earthquake and makes a loud roar, enough to wake you from a sound sleep. This will last for a week, then subside. In a month it will start again. It is spectacular to watch; great sprays of foam 25' high.

So no, we don't swim in the ocean. The ola verde, along with serious rip tides, make this a great beach for observing but not for swimming.

Wonderful dinner at the beach tonight. Thirty of us showed up to break bread (or tostadas) together. Tomorrow's opera is on at 11 AM our time, given that you nortes are on DST. I'll be all ears for the sublime Renée Flemming.

2009-03-12T17:11:00.002-05:00

11ºF is the high!

Remember the Bashers who left us on Wednesday morning? They were on their way home to Winnepeg, Ontario. Just out of curiosity I looked up the weather there to see what greeted them. 11º was the predicted high for today (it actually got up to 16º). The low? 2ºF tonight. Imagine living in such a place!

This picture, taken from the edge of Dago's puesto looking out to the sparkling sea,is for them.

2009-03-11T08:53:00.001-05:00

the march of birthdays

We are celebrating three birthdays in the family this month. The first is Ike, one year old on March 8th. His take for the event was a new bed. He spent the day playing in fresh snow with his neighbor pal, Gemma.

Today is granddaughter Emily's 15th. I have no idea what her take will be. But she will probably spend at least part of the day on the water; she is an accomplished rower and member of a local crew club.

And finally, next Monday is grandniece Ruby's 4th birthday. My sister has gone back to Connecticut to aid and abet the celebration. The take will be serious. Photo when I get one.

Happy Birthday to all of you!

2009-03-10T22:00:00.006-05:00

adios, Shelagh and Ned

Twelve of us gathered at Dago's tonight for shrimp and whatever else you might want to bid a fond farewell to Shelagh and Ned Basher who are heading back to Winnepeg, Ontario, Canada, after two months in beautiful Cuyutlan. They are the proprietors of the Rossport Inn in Rossport, Ontario, located at the top of Lake Superior. In fact, we are even talking about heading up there during the summer to take over the place. As we ambled out of Dago's onto the malecon for the walk home, Neighbor Nelson played this on his iPod and cranked the sound way up. A fitting end to a lovely evening.

The Bashers are a most charming, congenial couple who have had a nice two month to thaw out in the tropics before heading back to the ice-bound north. We will miss them and look forward to their return next season. Bien viaje.

2009-03-09T13:07:00.001-05:00

the beautiful kisskadee

I saw this bird on a telephone wire near Jack's casa. I was walking back from the beach, glanced up and saw this lovely flash of yellow. I had seen them in the past but had no idea what they were. And they don't spend much time in town. I consulted with my friend Patty, an accomplished birder, and she knew instantly what it was. Their name comes from the sound of their call: "Kiss-kiss-ka-dee!" They congregate here in the spring, and by April they're gone.

2009-03-08T08:23:00.003-05:00

the right to bare arms

The country is involved in two wars, the economy is in shambles, people are out of jobs, have lost their health care, are out on the street . . . and plenty more. And what's the latest socio/political flap that's sucking up printer's ink? Michelle Obama's arms. Yes! I am not kidding. Critics (mainly from the right and wingnut factions and mainly male) are all over the story of her sleeveless dresses, showing off beautiful arms. Maureen Dowd has a nice, salty comment on this subject in this morning's Times. Even David Brooks, my favorite sane conservative Republican has been sucked into practicing sociology without a license. He has some choice comments about Ms. Obama and her flaunting of a nice figure. What he says is more damming to the right's ideas about women than it is about Michelle.

I find this dust-up particularly pointed because today is International Women's Day on which we celebrate the struggles and successes of the generations of women who have spent their lives protesting, marching, legislating and teaching for economic, social and political equality for women. Much has been done, including Obama's signature of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act last week. But as the Dowd op-ed piece shows, there's still a long way to go.

There are many things that people can find to criticize about this fledgling administration. After all, he's been president now for 9 weeks and we're still in a mess. I, for one, intend to keep faith with him for as long as it takes and as bad as it gets. But Michelle's arms are not, I believe, a subject that falls into the category of "our national interest." This woman is a product of those 98 years of struggle and the boys can't stand it!

2009-03-07T19:43:00.003-06:00

carsten's garden

While the Patient was in the library, I went across the street to take photo's of a garden belonging to one of the original owners of our house. He has built a new house a few blocks away. He is still living in cold, cold Canada but is worried about his garden. It's doing nicely, except for a couple of things that have been over-watered by the caretaker. This bloom is from the same type of vine we planted in our yard, but ours was dined out upon by the iguanas. Perhaps we'll try again.

The opera was wonderful, although I'm not a big fan of Patricia Racette, who sang Cio-Cio San. But the music is sublime. Next week's opera is "Rusalka" with Renée Flemming. This time the tenor is the loser.

All you nortes go on Daylight Savings Time tonight ~ OK, tomorrow morning at 2 AM, if you're up. Don't forget to spring ahead. We will not go on DST for another month.

2009-03-06T16:19:00.000-06:00

Forma Migratoria 3

The trip to Manzanillo on Tuesday went (almost) without a hitch. It took more patience than the Patient usually has, and some logistical rethinking, but after a mere 3 hours, we got done as much as we could.

The Instructions: Turn right at ISTI. It's in a big green building at the end of the street.
The Truth: It's white.
The Instructions: Park as soon as you get onto that street. There's never anyplace to park.
The Truth: We parked in front.
The Instructions: You need three months' worth of bank statements - originals.
The Truth:: They accept copies.
The Instructions: Oh no, just a copy of the first page of your passport is necessary.
The Truth: We needed all the pages of the passport, blank and stamped.
The Instructions: Yeah, those pictures are fine.
The Truth: The photos must be 4X4 cm., four front, three right side profile, no jewelry, no hair across the forehead (aka "bangs") or along the side of the face. It all has to be swept behind the ears. I'm talking about mine, of course. Ours photos were 3X3 cm., not accepted BUT we can have them retaken and hand them in when we return to get the final FM3.
The Instructions: Get there early so you'll be first in line. It shouldn't take long.
The Truth: We were there early, when it opened. But we were 6th in line. It took, as I said, three hours. But that included having to walk quite a distance to pay the fees and to get the passport pages copied. We returned with receipts and pages, and then it was more waiting. By 11:30 we were back in line to sign the papers to cancel our visas and pick up our temporary documents.
The Instructions: You go back in 2 weeks to get your permanent document and you're finished for a year.
The Truth: According to Srta. Monserrat, "It will be ready in 4 weeks. Come back on March 31, with photos."

The wheels of the bureaucracy grind mighty fine here.

By noon we were in the car headed for lunch at La Posada, our favorite watering hole/restaurant down in Las Brisas. The food isn't the greatest, but you can't beat the view and comfort of the dining room. (I know this is not a new photo. I posted it a couple of years ago. But I didn't take a new one.) A bit of shopping, and finally home.

We drove into to Manzanillo on the 2-lane free road, through the jungle and groves of limes, papaya, mangoes (the trees are loaded with ripening fruit that should hit the market in about 2 weeks), bananas and coconuts. It's a beautiful drive, if slow because of truck traffic. But coming home we drove on the toll road along the shore. It, too, is a pretty drive if less interesting. But by that time, I was all about speed and was too uncomfortable to be interested in anything except the prospect of a nice siesta. I have been having a bit of the "jippy tummy" and was in no mood or condition to linger. Indeed, I did take a nice long nap, had a light supper, and was in bed early.

As for the rest of this week, it has gone by at its usual leisurely pace; walks on the beach, hammock time, reading, dominoes, breakfast with friends in Paraiso, swimming, marveling at and enjoying the delicious weather. I'm gearing up to plow into some heavy reading: Naomi Klein's "The Shock Doctrine," passed to me by one of our group. But before I open it I will read the profile of her by Larissa MacFarquhar that was in The New Yorker on December 8, 2008. You can tell how I ration my New Yorker reading; I have nothing more current than January 26, 2009. I have to make them last another 2 months.

Puccini fills the opera air tomorrow with Madam Butterfly. It's another one of those operas that doesn't end well for the soprano. But tonight is steamed fish al Veracruzana at Dago's. I'll worry about Cio-Cio San tomorrow.

2009-03-02T17:53:00.004-06:00

almost ellis island

Tomorrow we are off to Manzanillo to the Mexican Immigration Service to apply for our FM3 documents. This is like a long-term visa. It gives you permanent registration for the car which means you don't have to stop at the 30-mile aduana and show car papers, and it gives you a sort of "permanent resident" status since you have to be a property owner to get one. That means no more breath-holding as we approach the border, wondering if, this year, our vehicle and all its carefully packed goods will be torn apart and searched. We've avoided this but have seen others who have not been so lucky, and it's not a pretty sight. We have put off applying for an FM3 for a couple of years, just because it entails a ton of paperwork, standing in line, having photos taken, etc.

We'll take off early - 8 AM if I can get up and going - and head down to the interior port of the city, in what was, only a year ago, a bustling area. Last reports from people making the trip were that it's eerily quiet and almost deserted. Manzanillo is Mexico's largest and busiest deep-water port on the Pacific coast. Its yards are always crammed with stacks of containers either waiting to be shipped out or to be loaded on to trains for delivery throughout the country. With the economy in the dumps, things have slowed to a snail's pace.

Our FM3 is good for 5 years, with a yearly renewal fee and the presentation, once again, of all the required documentation. This year we finally got our act together, made copies of the last 3 months of bank statements, electric bills (how you show proof of property ownership - although if you owned property and didn't have a building on it and thus didn't have electricity I don't know what hoops you'd have to jump through), photographs, copies of passport and driver's license. If it all goes well tomorrow we can return in 2 weeks to get the actual document. Now when we come through the border we just flash the FM3 and that's it. Or so it is said. I can't believe it's going to be that easy.

2009-03-01T12:22:00.004-06:00

bulletin from the linguistic wars

Pica, over at The Magpie Nest put up this interesting post on Friday:

"Delighting in a New Vowel

Hanging around the hispanohablantes on Ravelry has introduced me to the gender-unspecific vowel that is apparently now being widely used in Spanish texting: @.

Spanish, like many Romance languages, has an obligatory masculine/feminine divide in nouns. Sometimes the endings are unintuitive (la mano [the hand], el drama [drama]) but mostly “a” is feminine, “o” is masculine. This being a culture where historically the masculine incorporated everyone, in the 60s if you said “hola a todos” it was assumed you meant hello world, or hello everyone, masculine feminine and neuter.

I’m delighted to see new Spanish-speaking knitters chime in on Ravelry with the “hola a tod@s,” the ‘o’ encompassing the ‘a’ as a perfect, ambi vowel. It’s particularly heartening because in fact not all Spanish-speaking knitters are female, nor are all of them straight, and I love the inclusiveness that’s implied…"

As a refugee from the non-gender-using lingo of el Norte, the "o" and "a" dilemma can be a source of amusement along with confusion. I don't know if there are many locals who do either texting or emailing, but I'm going to ask around to see if anyone recognizes this trend.

Regarding last nights Carnival, after my delicious massage (I fell asleep on the table), I ate an early supper and was in bed by 8 PM. Next year . . .

2009-02-27T21:55:00.001-06:00

Friday night and Saturday morning

Wonderful dinner at Dago's tonight. One of our group ordered this seafood melange; shrimp, octopus, scallops, fillet. I had my usual camerones mojo de ajo, the patient his fish tacos. Our Friday night dinner confab swelled to 14 tonight; the more the merrier. Great food, lots of laughing, several bottles of wine, good conversation all around. This is a congenial group of folks from very different parts of the world who share a love of Mexico, the beach, and the laid-back life. I sometimes wonder if I would know any of them in my "real" life. Some yes, some no. Some of them I would come across because of interests I have at home; for others, our paths would never cross. I would be the poorer for that.

We finally called it a night at about 9:30, just as the fireworks were beginning. Tonight is the first night of Carnival. The bands were on the malecon, and the Queen of Carnival was crowned at a ceremony in the jardin. Tomorrow night is the parade and the Queen's float. The parade will be on the next street over since the malecon is now blocked off for vehicular traffic. We may be able to catch it from the 3rd floor.

Tomorrow the opera is Il Trovatore, another one of those over-the-top stories where the heroine dies at the end. But beautiful

2009-02-26T22:14:00.003-06:00

i forgot . . .

to add the bells of Cuyutlán to the frequently heard sounds of this village. There are two churches in this tiny village, one in town and one out in the colonia. The sounds from the colonia church, more a mission than a full-fledged parish, are faint and sporatic. The bells in the templo in town ring daily, now that we're into Lent, chiming odd numbers~ sometimes 20 peals, sometimes 22 peals, sometimes 5 followed by 10 followed by three or four. I have no idea what the different numbers mean or why the bells ring at certain times. They are a call to prayer or service but I don't know what they mean; sort of an ecclesiastical Morse code. It must be a Catholic thing. But they ring every Saturday as a reminder to come to Confession, and on Sunday several times, beginning at 6 AM, as a call to early Mass. If there is a death in the village there are mournful pealings that go on for many minutes. This can happen at any time of the day or night. When the padre hears of the death, the bells ring, slow, sad, mournful tolls. On the other hand, the bells also announce joyous occasions such as the celebration of the Virgin of Guadalupe (5 AM, 11 AM, 5 PM, 10 PM daily for 10 days), weddings, quincineros celebrations, Christmas morning heralds, Easter morning rejoicings. I would not go so far as to say the village lives by the church bells, but one could argue that it's close! In the old days the salt workers were awakened by the bells at 4 AM. Now they have alarm clocks.

2009-02-25T15:03:00.001-06:00

listening to Mexico

I have been taking a listen to the various sounds and noises that are different than those we are plagued with (or pleased by) at home. Some sounds fade into the background after awhile; the ocean, the trains, cars and dune buggies, the scrape of shovels on sand and cement as houses around us get repairs or are built. I have tried pulling all those various sounds apart, identifying them one by one. The day sounds are different from the night sounds. Some sounds are so rare here ~ traffic, sirens, whistles ~ that when you hear them you pay attention. How much traffic can you have in a town of 2,000 with two paved streets? Sirens usually mean a drowning or other accident. These are some of the sounds of Cuyutlán.

Day noises
• the background murmur and suss of the ocean
• the rustle of palm trees that, in the night, sound like rain.
• the occasional car horn or the clang of a pickup truck loaded with loose tools
• the snik, snik, snik of the sprinkler in the back garden
• the voices that float upstairs from passers by, especially mothers and children to an d from their way to kinder down the road
• On Monday mornings, the sound of the children's marching band; kids with drums and horns who parade around the square beating and blowing and making great noise but no music. Sometimes they march up and down the malecon as well. In all the years I've listened it I have never heard even the faintest hint of a tune.
• Mariachi bands on the weekend. We are in the perfect "sound tunnel" to catch the music. It carries from down on the beach, across the street and into the house. Sometimes there are two or three competing for attention.
• the bleating of a goat. This is a new sound. Our neighbors have installed a goat in their back yard. It replaces the screaming peacock and peahen, the gobbling turkey, the clucking hens are crowing rooster, and the honking of the goose. The peacock lived on their roof. I imagine the goat is a short-term tenant; there must be a birria party coming up.
• dogs, day and night
• birds, but not as many as I would like
• car stereos with the bass turn up as high as possible. It's especially pleasant when they park on the street near the house and get together with their friends, leaving the "music" at full tilt.

Night noises:
* the sea, no longer a background, becomes the loudest part of the night. It crashes, it pounds, and when the tide it high the force of its pounding feels like an earth tremor. I know it's something to do with the pressure in the ears, but still . . .
* trains that blow warning whistles and rumble through the village three or four times a night. I have gotten used to it after two months, and only rately hear them now. But when I do, it is LOUD. And we don't live near the tracks. For some reason I don't hear them during the day.
•the aforementioned dogs frequently cluster at the end of the block and carry on their dog business deep in the night
• The reliable rooster a few blocks away; 4:30 AM every morning.

When we go back to the US, the sound of the surf will be replace by the background hum of I-80, half a mile away. There will also be sirens, car horns, traffic, to say nothing of radio and TV noise. None of that here.

I listened to the President's speech this morning via streaming. I still marvel at our luck in having him in the White House.

2009-02-21T09:24:00.006-06:00

dinner and the opera

Dinner last night at Dago's was a new take for him. Mixed grill. Well, that's what was said, but the "mix" was steak strips (good) and sausages (not so good), grilled onions (excellent), baked potatoes (didn't have one), along with the usual tasty things like quesidillas, bean tacos, guacamole, chips, beer, wine, tequilla, and Neighbor Nelson's own sangrita mix. gthe Patient stuck with his usual fish tacos; meat is too hard for him to eat. Good crowd, good food, good fellowship.

Today's opera, "Adriana Lecouvreur" is one I am unfamiliar with.

All I know is that she dies in the end, poisoned by a rival. Such goings-on!

I will leave you with a picture of the Virgin in her new digs, complete with candlelight. Very pretty, I think.

2009-02-19T14:12:00.002-06:00

building a home for the virgin

The tile maestro who did such a beautiful job on the kitchen last year arrived yesterday morning promptly at 8 AM to begin constructing the niche for the Virgin of Guadalupe. This fellow, Gustavo by name, is a true pleasure to watch. He's got the gift, big time.

First thing was to construct the little shelf at the bottom onto which I can put a candle or two when I have some special pleadings for her (like now, for my sister who was in the ICU at Scripps Hospital. She's better today.)

I may have written about construction methods before, but in case you missed it, here's how much of it is done. Almost everything is poured cement. In our house, all our shelving in the kitchen is cement. Our sala sofa and book case are cement. Houses are brick frame with cement; roofs are poured cement. Thus this interesting looking contraption to build the shelf. First he chipped out a toe hold in the wall for the cement, then set up the frame, fashioned the shelf, and let it dry, propped by a 2x4 wedged underneath.

He drew in pencil on the wall the shape of the arch into which the tile fits, then made, by hand, the frame, molding the cement into a graceful arc. Next he cut the yellow tiles to make a sunburst effect around the edges. And finally he set the big tile into its place.

When I got home from dominoes last night (I won!), there she was, keeping watch.

This morning Gustavo returned to fashion the bottom decoration like the one on the little model, but without the bottom flower. First he drew it out on the wall, then again, molded it by hand and incised the design at the bottom.

At 1 PM this afternoon she was all done. I was presented a bill for 600 pesos ($40 US) and paid it with a smile. Gustavo went off with a smile. Everyone is happy.

The next project will be to repaint the wall around her, then paint the frame and the little area at the top of the tile. I'll get to that in a day or two. Meanwhile, I can just admire her the way she is. Thanks to daughter Alex we have this beautiful addition to our Mexican life!

2009-02-17T13:58:00.009-06:00

kohlrabi? in cuyutlán?

At yesterday's tiangues I spotted a bunch of pale green kolhrabi (colinabo) in my usual vendor's selection of verduras. I have never been a fan of this strange-looking vegetable so passed them up. But Jack, always looking for something different, bought them and then called me to ask me what to do with them. I didn't have a clue but did some on-line recipe sleuthing and found something that sounded pretty good. He decided to just peel away the woody exterior, dice them and boil them. He gave me three of them ~ they're about the size of a golf ball ~ to try. So I peeled them, diced them into julienne strips, sauteed them in garlic and oil, then threw in some chopped fresh spinach and let that wilt. Add salt and pepper (the Patient believes you can't eat spinach without vinegar so add that too, if you like). It was delicious; crunchy, fairly mild with a hint of the flavor of broccoli stems. Now I'll know what to do with them if I ever see them again. Which is doubtful. Nine years and this is the first time I've encountered them? And Jack has live here for 35 years and has never seen them.

Today has been one of those days when both the Patient and I have had great spirts of energy. First we, along with Fernando, hung the two new ceiling fans that have been sitting in boxes since we brought them down last year. (Don't even ask about the whys of the delay.) The problem with fans here is that the blades rust out after one season and even with heavy enameling and protection during the off season, i.e., removal and storage, the rust takes over. After researching this problem I found some fans with resin blades and housing. For indoor-outdoor use. Made in Florida. I decided they probably knew what they were doing with this product and ordered two of them. They are now up and moving the air around nicely. But it took two men, three ladders, and a female supervisor to get the job done.

Then we moved downstairs into the garden and managed to accomplish quite a bit. One of the first chores was to plant a palm tree that Fernando and Chuy had given the Patient for Christmas.It is a native of Mexicdo and is called pata de elefante, "elephant's foot." In the US it's called a Pony-Tale Palm, although it's not really a true palm. It has been thriving in a little plastic pot against the back wall, unseen and unadmired. We moved it into a roomier clay pot and put it in the front patio where it will get both sun and shade and we will be able to enjoy it.

If you look at the base of the fronds you can see the "elephant foot" bulb.

Next it was a huge pot of aloe with at least 10 "aloe-ettes" that had sprung from the mother plant. We rolled it out onto the grass, pulled it out of the pot and gently separated the little plants. The mother went back into her original home, freed from those pesky suckers.

The offspring were scattered around the garden, some in pots, some in the ground. But three wound up in this big pot on our living room balcony.

I've wanted something green and growing out there for a long time. However, although the balcony is nice and bright and sunny, and it would look pretty from the living room, when the wind whips through it shreds leaves and fronds, and knocks things off the ledges. I don't think it can do damage to the aloe spikes. And besides, the pot sits below the wind line.

Now if those little plants will just be happy without Mom. . .

2009-02-15T19:24:00.005-06:00

how many tea lights . . .

. . . does it take to keep the casa romantically lit after dark? Twenty holders with tea lights that last two nights each. That's 60 candles per week. We are here for 22 weeks, or 134 nights. That's 1320 tea lights. At 100 tea lights per package, I need to bring down 14 packages, or maybe 15 to allow for duds. We do have electricity, yes, but candles are so, ummm, flattering. And where is the nearest IKEA? Probably Phoenix or Tucson or even San Diego. I have never seen good tea lights in any of the stores. Perhaps in San Miguel. We're going up next month for a week; I'll check it out. We're going to run out in about 3 weeks at this rate. Perhaps I'll cut back a bit. Everyone else is doing without things. Tea lights every night could be my personal sacrifice.

2009-02-15T13:50:00.015-06:00

winter in the tropics

Here it is, mid-February, mid-winter. The breezes have come up in the afternoon, as they always do at this time of year. Enough said about the hardships of winter.

Last evening was the traditional (2nd year) Dia de Amistad party. The centerpiece of this Valentine's Day commemoration is a huge standing rib cooked, packed in salt, in Marie's outdoor oven. This fabulous cooker was built by Fernando a few years ago. To use it, he stuffs it with coconut husks, burns them to a very high heat, then lets them cool a bit before shoving in the roast. Fernando's father was once the town baker; this oven is a replica of what was in the bakery. A few hours later we sat down to a feast of roast meat, roasted veggies, foccacia, salad and garlic mashed potatoes. For dessert we ate Chuy's capirotada, a rich bread pudding with raisins and nuts, and a platter of rum-soaked melon balls. I made a white sangria, Neighbor Nelson made Sangrita for the tequilla drinkers. It was an all-around great evening. One of the guests, a delightful French Canadian gentleman brought roses for all the attendant women; trés charmant, bien sur!

I stuck mine in a bottle of beer to give it a little drink; it was none the worse for wear when I got it home, and it seems to have survived the night in good shape.

You are by now familiar with the iguana problem we have had in the Iguana Arms tile roofs of the back patio. Although they have moved on to other quarters, at least one stayed behind and was living in an East German-style apartment block made up of stacked celosia. Before the Patient closed the tops with bricks, they were open and provided a fine entryway into a cozy room. The Patient finally evicted the fellow today. I think our property is now iguana-free, except for the chap living in the drain pipe, but we never see him so it's almost as if he's not there. Actually, since Fernando tried to pull him out and pulled off a big piece of his tail (PETA ALERT: it will grow back), we haven't seen him either.

These decorative blocks come in a big variety of patterns. They are often used in lieu of windows, with a screen over them to keep out the bugs. We bought these, at Fernando's insistence, to put on top of the wall around the house. He then cemented vidria, broken bottles, around the tops to act as a deterrent for uninvited guests.

(This is looking down through a short stack; you can see what messy tenants they are!)

Jaime came on Saturday morning to look at my projects, especially the new Virgin of Guadalupe altar. Here's the wall she will grace.

This is in the downstairs entry terrazzo. Marie has a little Virgin altar that was a gift that I have admired and I think it will do just perfectly, but enlarged many times.

He will be here on Wednesday to start and, knowing him, probably finish.

2009-02-13T20:06:00.004-06:00

dinner on the beach

Another stellar meal at Dago's tonight; camerones al mojo de ajo for me, fish tacos for the Patient. We joined other folks who were also enjoying being out of their respective kitchens and onto the beach.

Tomorrow being Saturday brings a massage at 11 AM and the opera, (Eugene Onegin with Thomas Hapson, among others) at noon. Then an afternoon of shopping, baking, chopping, steaming, and preparing for the evening's Valentine's Day bash starring a standing rib roast to be cooked in the outdoor oven on Marie's terrazzo. I am whipping up foccacia plus veggies for grilling (onions, carrots, beets and red peppers) and maybe even some lemon bars (made with limes instead) for postre.

But before all of that Jaime, he of the wonderful tile work last year, will be over to give me a presupuesto on some work we want to have done: pave the pathways on both sides of the house, pave the front small patio, turn the second floor balcony into an indoor dining room, and, most importantly, install an altar to the Virgin of Guadalupe using a beautiful large tile daughter Alex gave to us as a house gift some years ago. Actually, that's the first thing I want done, so there will undoubtedly be pictures of it before too long.

2009-02-12T16:19:00.011-06:00

abe and charlie

Today is the 200th birthday anniversary of both Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin, two men who, each in his own way, changed the world.

Happy Birthday, gentlemen!

2009-02-10T11:39:00.002-06:00

makes sense to me

This gem gleaned from today's Daily Kos re: the bailout plan.

"An Open Letter to America from the Republican Leadership:

Dear America,

There has been much confusion about what our position is on the economic stimulus plan now making its way through Congress. Since President Obama made his case yesterday, we would like to make ours now in the interest of equal time. In a nutshell, our plan is streamlined and simple:

First and foremost: lizard marshmallow hat in the wicker basket goes nefarious.

Second: All couch fur in pothole will be goat cheese on a sliding scale. Pearls are carrots drill bit woodpecker equally.

Third: Monkey farts on the naval base gets pitched to solar backgammon limitations. If there are no arias being sung in Poughkeepsie the maple tree gets ranch dressing. Note: Stinky mop excites the trousers.

In the event of a cordless manhole cover, the Easter Bunny gets towel rack plus nuclear pudding.

Above all, lawn chairs will graze on the mixing bowls in toll baskets.

We hope this helps cut through the clutter to give you a better idea of what we as a party stand for---and have to offer the nation---in this most difficult time.

Sincerely,

Your Republican Party Leadership"

2009-02-06T22:09:00.004-06:00

fish every friday

A lovely meal at Dago's tonight. Fernando and Dago whipped up a salpicon soup and some lovely shrimp quesidillas for the hungry gringoes. Nine of us, plus Fernando, Chuy and a local translator named Pedro showed up around 6 PM for a delicious feast. Dago is going to put together some sort of meal every Friday night for all who are interested. We are trying to talk him into doing a carne asada once a month, perhaps on a Saturday. We must be mindful of the Catholics! He makes fabulous fajitas, too.

Tomorrow Patti will be here at 11 AM for my massage. Then it's the Met's presentation of the unhinged queen of slice and dice, "Lucia di Lammermoor." Beautiful opera, if a bit bloody!

2009-02-05T14:48:00.007-06:00

a clarification on
Los Condominios Iguanas

A reader of this blog wrote the following:

"But...I thought the iguanas got under the tejas so you were taking out the tejas to spite the iguanas."

Let me clarify what we did. Before we removed the tiles, they sat on a platform that served as the iguana condo floor. You can see what messy tenants they made.

We ripped off the floor and rebuilt the support using only lath. Then Fernando laid the tejas back on, anchoring them to the house with cement at the top. This is now what the underside looks like. No floor. No iguanas. No mess all over the patio.

There is no place for them to get into the tejas as they overlap and the space is much too small to accommodate them, even for a studio apartment. Good riddance!

2009-02-03T19:03:00.007-06:00

the tejas plus "Kavalier and Clay"

Fernando was hard at work this morning preparing the lath for the new tejas roof. Much hammering and sawing going on in the lot next door where he had set up his workshop.

Then he began laying the tiles, one inside the other.He assures me that there will be no room for iguana condos.

The measuring of distances and patterns is all done by eye, except he does us the length of the hammer handle as a reference.

By tomorrow it should all be done.

Meanwhile, while Fernando and Regís saw and haul and measure, I am lounging around enjoying this delicious novel. It's been out for almost ten years, and I have had it on my shelf for probably eight of those ten, but never got around to opening it. My loss.

What a fine adventure. Perfect hammock book, I thought. But hammock books are those you begin to read and, hammocks being what they are, you fall asleep almost immediately and don't in the least feel guilty about it. Not this one. Awake and alert at all times lest the reader miss one twist or turn.

2009-02-02T15:44:00.000-06:00

#46, Part II

A visit to the Casa de las Flores is always a treat. Over the years, Stan and Jose have turned a little house in a modest neighborhood into a wild, wacky, colorful B&B chock full of arts and crafts they have gathered from all over Mexico. Stan is the main cook, Jose is the main gardener. They, along with a delightful staff, run a real "destination" hotel. This was our sixth visit and every time I walk through the front door, I feel like Dorothy entering Oz.

I would venture that Stan is the real craft collector of the group. When he finds something he likes, he never buys just one. He'll buy all the vendor has. As a result, the walls and shelves are covered and crammed with things he has found; masks, plates, planters, prints. Every surface is crowded with things to look at.

This is the back wall of the outdoor patio/bar completely covered with carved masks of every description. The ceiling of the patio is hung with lights and five or six strings of papeles picatas, the traditional Mexican cut paper decorations. These are made of plastic, a real find, especially for us here at the beach. The paper ones get filthy and soggy overnight.

There was once an inner courtyard where guests could gather. But Stan decided it should be enclosed because it would provide (a) more wall space for more art, (2) a party space for the gallery presentations they host for local artists, and (3) a gathering spot for guests during rainy or cold weather. It is now a sunny, high-ceiling'd room with a 2-story fireplace, shelves and ledges to display more art, comfortable sofas and chairs and a nice place for the breakfast overflow from the little dining room.
Spread out along a tall ledge under the windows are a whole barnyard of red clay roosters, a signature piece of a local artisan. And when you take your leave from this wonderful place you take a miniature as a parting gift. I am gathering quite a collection.

Stan has also set up a little in-house store when guests can browse through and buy some of the crafts that are part of the region; clay pots, clay dishes, all sorts of little artifacts.

The mind boggles. I am always on sensory overload while I'm there.

The rooms are large, comfortable, airy, beautiful furnished. There are only 7; six in the back building, one in the main house. The six in the back all look out on José's exquisite garden, tended by him and two or three others. This area of the property was basically a junk dump for the neighborhood when they bought the house. Now it's a veritable jungle of trees, flowers, shrubs, herbs, little walkways, raised beds, hundreds of pots of every size and description, and this fountain in the middle.

There is a very nice seating area outside with a big fireplace for evening sitting and chatting in fine weather.

It was there, and here

that I spent my reading hours.

Saturday morning we left early so I could get home to listed to "Rigoletto" from the Met. However, we had no internet connection until about 3 o'clock and by that time they had folded up the sets, put away the violins, and it was over. Patti called to cancel my massage, too, so all our hurry was for naught. But it was good to be back to the soothing atmosphere of my mostly-bare walls.

While we were gone, however, Fernando was busy at work preparing the back overhangs for their new configuration. The "floor" of the iguana condos has been removed. Next he will lay lath to act as supports for the tiles.

He will be back tomorrow to finish some painting and to start building the frames.

So that's how it was in celebration of #45 and to get well-launched into #46!

2009-01-31T22:06:00.005-06:00

the beginning of #46

I have been remiss in keeping my faithful reader(s) up to date on the Tlaquepaque celebration. Here, in one place, are two days' worth of observations, comments, photos, and travel ramblings. It's going to be a long read so get a glass of wine, get comfortable and come along for the ride.

Thursday morning, the actual Day of Celebration of #45 we decided to stay in town and not brave the mobs up in Tonalá. Been there, done that, bought that, seen that. We thought Friday might be much more civilized and less crowded. On the schedule was a trip to the El Refugio ceramic and art museum, the Museum of Ceramics, more lamp searching, and a celebratory luncheon somewhere. I was opting for a taxi ride into Guadalajara to the Café Coyote, but as you will learn as you read on, that option was not on the table. And I'm not sorry.

First stop was the El Refugio, some 6 or 8 blocks from the Casa de las Flores. It is a huge, block-square cluster of buildings that have been a hospital, a convent, an abandoned wreck, and is now a museum-convention center-gallery-civic building. The original building, constructed like a typical hacienda was founded by a local priest as a hospital for the local people, most of whom were Indians. This effort took longer that anticipated. Ten years later the building was completed and served as a hospital for over 100 years. Then it was turned into a convent which lasted over 50 years, until that Prince of Darkness, Plutarco Elias Calles, was elected president in the 1920's and declared war on the Catholic church. He lost but managed to do a great deal of damage. He shut down all the convents and monasteries he could find. He was hugely unpopular and hated.

Desviación
As is true in every country, boys born during the administration of presidents, prime ministers, and other functionaries are named after such worthies. It has been reported that there was a spate of boys named Barak right after the election. In Mexico, you'll find various Carloses, Benitoes, and of course, Vicentes. Even a few Venustianos and Lazaroses. But I have never met a Plutarco!
Fin de deviación.

The main auditorium houses the "history of ceramics" throughout the country. No photos allowed. But then we wandered through the rest of the building, and my, what a gorgeous place.

There are four "squares" making a larger square, each with its own garden in the middle.

Along each corridor are tiny rooms ~ there are a total of 700 of them ~ just large enough for either a hospital bed or a nun's cot. Each opens onto the corridor and the little garden; it would cure you or inspire you, depending on why you were there.

After a couple of hours we wandered through some of the neighborhoods of Tlaquepaque. The houses and their paint-jobs were reminiscent of San Miguel.

We walked down to the ceramics museum. Most of what they are showing is from ceramic artists from the Tlaquepaque/Guadalajara area. It's varied, colorful, detailed, and a marvel of artistic invention. I think this pot and lid piece was my favorite.

Now it was time for the anniversary lunch. We ended up at El Adobe, a place we have seen for years but never tried. It was spectacular! It is in the back of a very pricey furniture/home accessories store although you can get to it by a side door. The Patient had checked out the menu on Wednesday while I was browsing the (extravagantly priced) lamps. But, as he so sweetly said, "Nothing it too good for you" so we went in and, oh my! What a treat.

With Tanya Liberdad crooning "Sombras, Nada Mas", followed by "Gracias a la Vida" in the background, it was a perfect place to celebrate the occasion. I ordered crab quesadillas and a green salad. What I got bore no resemblance to traditional quesadillas in the least. Instead, there were four little puff pastry pillows filled with sweet, succulent crab. I would have taken a picture first but I fell on these little beauties before I could even think about getting out my camera. But I did manage to get a picture of this gorgeous salad.

The ceiling of this restaurant is hung with pierced metal 3-D stars that I would give anything to be able to hang around my palapa down here. But in about 15 minutes they would turn into rusted wrecks. The waiter saw me eying them and, bless him, turned on the lights so I could get the full effect.

It's absolutely beautiful. We need to go back at night for dinner and look at the restaurant lit only by these lights. But I was mighty grateful to see them like this.

After lunch we strolled back along Independencia, the main pedestrian walkway in the shopping district. We went back to the store where we had seen the pots that we thought might be made into lamps and decided that we were probably not going to find anything better (we didn't) and bought two of them. I will get in touch with Gustavo, the Cuyutlán resident electrical genius, and turn them over to him to make lamps.

Thursday night we did not go out to dine. Instead, Stan had baked a wonderful chocolate cake that we christened "Dinner" and called it a night.

The next morning we feasted on Stan's chiles rellenos for breakfast. In a former life Stan worked at Alice Waters' restaurant, Chez Panisse, in Berkeley. It has served him, and his guests, well. Then we headed off to Tonalá by bus. I had a short shopping list and was determined to stick to it. First stop, the zocolo, the central square in front of the cathedral.

Then we walked around the indoor market. First I saw the bread lady with her big canastas of pan, five or six different varieties.

Not the bollios or talera limitations we have here. Cheese bread, little batards that might have been sourdough, and something very crispy and fragrant with herbs. Then around the corner was the vegetable stand with a big pile of chopped nopales, chiles, cebollos, and some other green vegetable I didn't recognize. You buy this mixture by the kilo in a plastic bag. What you do with it after that I don't know. The basket of tiny green droplets are baby tomatilloes. The other green is nopales leaves.

Down the way was the carneceria with all his wares hung out for inspection. He was delighted to get his picture taken, too.

At least, at first he was. Then he thought better of it. But by then it was too late. Chorizo sausages, hunks of pork, tongue, and a few mystery meats hung on hooks. I didn't buy anything but it all looked good.

Desviación #2:
I try to be very careful about who or what I take a picture of, especially "who." These folks are just going about their daily routines. What do I find so exotic and snap-worthy about selling beautiful bread or chopping vegetables? Children are usually easy; they are happy to smile and mug for the camera. Adults, on the other hand, can get miffed in a hurry. But sometimes they, too, will smile and be proud of their pile of tomatoes or display of fabric or pottery. You never know.
Fin de desviación #2.

We decided, after getting all our purchases ~ four wine glasses for Chuy's birthday gift, four hurricane lamp covers for outdoor candles, some artificial greenery for outdoor vases, a dozen tiny salt dishes for tea lights ~ we would go to our favorite restaurant, El Rincon del Sol for a beer. Stan had fed us such a wonderful breakfast that lunch was out of the question.

We happened on this place many years ago, thanks to a taxi driver. We were staying in Guadalajara on that trip. We had heard about the glories of Tonalá and made the trip out. The driver pointed out the restaurant as we sped by, gave us a flyer (his cousin is probably the owner!), and the the deal was sealed. We've been back there every time for lunch. But this time it was drinks only. It's still the same; same menu, same layout, same music. But nice.

We caught a taxi home, spent the afternoon reading,then went across the street to Victoria's, a local cenaduria, open for dinner (or supper) only. During the day you would never know this place existed. It is in Victoria's house. In the evening she and her family haul out onto the sidewalk all the cooking equipment; deep fat fryer, tanks of gas, pots, pans, plus tables and chairs for sidewalk diners. They cook up some really delicious food; posole, enchiladas, pollo, tacos, all fresh, well made, nicely seasoned. For $40 pesos (about $3) we had a delicious and filling meal. Then back to Stan's, a cup of tea in the garden, and it's lights out. Home in the morning.

Desviación #3:
Entrepreneurship in Mexico is alive and well. A common sight in residential areas are tienditas (little stores) set out in front of a house, doing a brisk business in food, drinks, sometimes vegetables and fruits, or candy and other snacks. The fresh food stands are the hardest to by-pass. You can find every sort of taco imaginable ~ beef, pork, chicken, cheese, potato ~ plus wonderful tortas, sandwiches made with talera buns filled with shredded beef or pork, tomatoes, lettuce, radishes, all topped with salsa and hot sauce. Then at night, everything gets packed up and moved back indoors and the tiendita and all evidence thereof disappears until the next day.
Fin de desviación #3

I am too tired after all of this (and you probably are, too) to give you a tour of Stan's B&B. I promise I will do it tomorrow. Needles to say, we had a lovely three days. It has become a tradition to spend our anniversary there. I trust we'll go back next year.

2009-01-29T17:49:00.007-06:00

the medical report on Ike

On Tuesday, Ike the Dog went into the vet hospital for a little "procedure" that will, in effect, change his life. According the reports, he came through the surgery well, is home and resting comfortably.

His neighborhood friends Gemma, Molly, Oscar, Snickers and Sheriff have all been told to keep away for the week. He has been told that he may not go out and play. He's not happy about this but will tolerate the confinement. Now whether his caretakers Mike and Cait will is another question.

2009-01-28T22:00:00.003-06:00

dispatch from Tlaquepaque

The drive from Cuyutlán to Guadalajara takes 2 1/2 hours, even though it is only about 100 miles. Most of it is on a toll road, 4 lanes, moderately heavy traffic, and it goes quickly. Thirty-five miles of this road are, however, 2 lanes and some or all of it is always under construction. Including today. And every idler and fool was on the road so it took us an extra hour to get here. When we drove this road in the opposite direction in December the hills were green and lush; now they are a dull brown and dried out. But there is still an interesting variety of landscape to gaze at in passing. I couldn't see the volcanoes when we were in Colima; by the time we got to Cuidad Guzman, the half-way point, the air was clear and the two mountains were clearly visible. The agave has is its usual dusty blue-grey. There are huge fields of some sort of reed used in making furniture and window blinds, with its feathery white stalks, like Cleopatra's fans. Much of the flat parts look like Nevada or Idaho with neatly marked irrigated fields growing unidentifiable crops. The jacaranda are not yet out but we did spy four or five brilliant yellow primavera trees. In December the plastic greenhouse covers were over the bean crops. Today the bushy plants were open to the warm sun and we could see their little white blossoms. There is a many- mile-square area that resembles the Bonneville Salt Flats. In fact, I think it was a lake, ringed by mountains. Small towns are sprinkles around what was most likely the lake's shoreline. There are still some parts that are marshy and reedy. But most is flat, dusty and unarable, staked out with signs reading "¡Tolveneros! Precaution!" Then you hit the suburbs of Guadalajara and the big outlet mall, the Sol beer bottling plant, the new Mega market complex (right next to the Wal-Mart and Sam's Club), light industry, the University of Guadalajara, and all the other usual blights on an urban landscape. By this time the traffic was fierce and we were again slowed down. But we finally turned off to Tlaquepaque and gave a collective sigh of relief that we had made it.

The Casa de las Flores is as funky, colorful, and eye-popping as usual. We haven't been here for three years and although the physical plant hasn't changed, the decor is always a movable feast. I will take a picture-stroll through the place tomorrow. We settled into our usual room (ask for #6; best view of the garden), chatted up our hosts Stan and Jose, and decided it was time for comida. We walked down into the town, a couple of blocks away, and decided on this place, a new one for us.

Those of you who are Carlos Castaneda fans will recognize the name. "Tonal" is everything that ever was, is or ever will be. "Nahual" is everything else. I ordered tampequeña, a kind of grilled steak. Absolutely the best piece of beef I've EVER had in Mexico. If you let your eye fall across the grazing cattle as you drive through Mexico you can understand why beef is so bad. These poor critters graze on stubble; no hay or grass or kibble or whatever it is that cattle eat to make them fat and tasty!

There are wonderful things to look at on the walls; masks, paintings, retalbos, tapestries, and little niches and icons stuck here and there. The ceilings are high, and the feeling is of light and air and color everywhere.

After lunch we wandered down to the square and poked around in the shops. Note the blue sky!

The last time we were here the Christmas creche was still set up in this bandstand, with life-sized statues of people and animals. The only jarring addition was a baby who looked about 4 years old. This year it has already been dismantled. But I love this gazebo. It is reminiscent of those found in the central jardins in cities, towns and villages throughout Mexico.

I am not sure what's on the program for tomorrow, the actual anniversary date. We'll either go out to Tonalá for a day of shopping or we'll go into Guadalajara for comida and some swanky restaurant. The great lamp hunt is officially on; we found a couple of great urns today that could be turned into lamps if we can't find anything else. But we're holding out for a Tonalá visit before deciding. That little town, about 15 minutes from here, is like one gigantic flea market, 24/7. Thursday and Sunday are the actual "market" days, when the streets are clogged with vendors selling every imaginable art, craft, jimcrack, doo-dad, piece of essential junk imaginable. But if we go on Friday it will be much quieter and easier to get around. We'll decide in the morning.

Whatever we do, it's just nice to be here. Weather is beautiful; warm, clear blue skies, no humidity, no mosquitoes. A welcome change.

2009-01-27T19:00:00.001-06:00

the purple wall

Fernando painted my new purple wall first thing this morning. Every time I look at it I am reminded of our gorgeous wisteria vines that will be blooming at home just about now.

The original color of the house was pale Mediterranean peach. Or at least most of the house was that color. We had some patching to do, went to the old paint store for more and came home with something that was baby-girl-nursery pink. But now it's all one color.

These photos just don' t do the color justice. I've snapped it from every angle in every light and I still can't get it right. You'll just have to trust me that's it's a heavenly pale violet. Well, think wisteria! I do.

As for the lighter tan walls, they are not as much lighter than the café color. There isn't as much difference that I can see. I didn't want a dark color on the interior walls. I figured that would make the corridors and terrazzo too dark. We'll see when it is finished and dry. Right now the only wallspainted in the new color are up on the 3rd floor and it's so bright it's hard to see the difference. Hey! If it's too dark I can always get the lightest shade in this series and repaint next year!

≠≠

The literary world has lost another light with the death of John Updike. I think the first thing of his I ever read was "Couples." I still remember, rightly or not, the scene where the hero is commenting about the mud oozing up between the toes of his intended seducee. I thought at the time, and still think, that is a graphic and sexually charged image!

Meanwhile, it's off to the Casa de las Flores for a few days. I hope Stan has WiFi so I can send you some photos of this charming hide-away.

2009-01-25T19:16:00.007-06:00

the old and the new

I think I have put up this photo of the front of the house in its old color. But just as a refresher, here it is.

Here it is in its new color.

Likewise, here's a picture of the back before painting . . .

Half done . .

Finished (except for putting the Tejas back on the overhangs that have to be rebuilt, putting the big plants back on the landing where they belong, and folding up and storing the ladders!)

What's left? The "interior" exterior walls, those walls between the two wings of the house that are not technically "indoors." Fernando will get to those on Tuesday and hopes to be all done on Wednesday. We are heading up to Guadalajara and Tlaquepaque Wednesday morning for three days. It will be all put back together by the time we get back on Saturday.

2009-01-23T19:45:00.002-06:00

los nuevos colores de mi casa

Marie has given the new colors her approval. Pictures tomorrow.

Tomorrow's post-massage opera from the Met: Gluck's "Orfeo ed Euridice." All girl cast, boy's parts and all.

Still in a state of disbelief over Tuesday's occasion. This will probably last for months. Feels good so that's OK. Better than 8 years of depression.

2009-01-20T18:59:00.003-06:00

san fransico knows how to do it

All the Bush Street signs were changed, at least for today. I left my heart. . . etc.

2009-01-20T14:05:00.002-06:00

Hail to the Chief

Marie and I joined Charlotte for this mornings historic festivities. We three represented the Democratic Party in Cuyutlán. Most everyone else is either Canadian or members of that other party.

The pomp, the majesty, the ritual of it all. I laughed, I cried, I squealed with joy and delight. Yo Yo Ma, smiling broadly and having a high time of it, that right-wing religious pimp, Rick Warren (who managed to do OK and not offend me out of the room), the flub of Roberts' administration of the oath (and the President's attempt to salvage the moment), the long shots down the Reflection Pool of 2,000,000 joyous people who came to witness history, and particularly the Reverend Joseph Lowery, who gave a rousing benediction that made the President smile. And the new President's speech. I was deeply moved and exhilarated. Just think! We have a President who can string two sentences together, doesn't drop his "ing"s, and doesn't even know how to smirk. For me, that would be enough. Instead, we get all of that and much, much more. I was also impressed by the Obama's and Biden's gracious farewell to the Cheneys and Bushs as they saw them off to their new lives. That was a first. Just one of many.

Now the work begins. My prayers will be with him every day. Be strong, be wise, be safe.

2009-01-19T15:15:00.000-06:00

farewell to Andrew Wyeth, and others

Three "names" died this past week: Ricardo Montalban, John Mortimer (and thus Rumpole) and Andrew Wyeth. This is a beautiful gallery of his work.

Tomorrow's the big day! Marie and I are taking brunch down to Charlotte's where we will watch three hours of American history in the making.

1 day until 1/20/2009: End of an Error

2009-01-17T18:07:00.001-06:00

it wasn't Puccini . . .

Today was one of the warmest, prettiest days since we've been here. Perfect laundry day: on by nine, hung in the drying yard by 10, folded and stored by noon! Even the pool at Jack's had warmed up to 84º plus.

After my (weekly!) massage I tuned in to the Met's production of "Dr. Atomic." As I said above, it wasn't Puccini. I gave up after only half an hour. Instead, I dove into my iTunes library and came up with "Turandot" with Joan Sutherland and Luciano. Now that's Puccini!

Fernando and his mozo finished up the week's work at 1 PM this afternoon. Next week begins the painting. The materials will be ready for pick up on Monday morning ~ after the market. He's starding on the dark color ~ Cocoon ~ in the back. Then the overhang structure gets rebuilt. Then the rest of the painting.

Off to a dinner party tonight; it's Luly's birthday. There will be lots of folks, good food, live music, dancing. The Patient and I will probably be tucked up here by 10 PM while the rest keep at it far into the night. Ah, the joys (and wisdom) of old age.

New book: "Blue Hearts" by Jim Lehrer. Something light for the weekend.

3 days until 1/20/2009: End of an Error

2009-01-16T13:20:00.002-06:00

adios to the Tejas

These tile roofed structures are called Tejas (Texas) for some reason. I really don't know why. Probably based on someone's idea that all roofs in Texas are tiled? When we moved in the two structures did not exist. Instead, the back cement patios were uncovered and very hot. Fernando built the overhangs; they seemed like a good idea at the time. Little did we know that they would become comfy condos for iguanas. When Fernando painted the house 5 years ago he ripped off all the tiles so he could use the platform as a base for his ladders. The iguanas split for awhile. But they were soon back and brought their friends with them. You probably think that they are part of the tropical ambiance. They are pests. They eat everything that even thinks about growing in the garden. They especially love blossoms on anything and, a real treat are hibiscus blooms. They are NOT cute. And they poop all over the patios. So this time we are having the Tejas rebuilt to prevent any squatters.

First he pulled off all the tiles (they're laid one on the other. One up, one down. The only anchor is at the top). His mozo stands down on the patio and catches the tiles as Fernando tosses them off the roof. Then they're neatly stacked for reuse. We've only lost half a dozen so far and they were already cracked or broken. Next he will remove the platform they have rested on that provides a nice floor for the critters. Then he will build a sort of lattice on which to lay the overlapping tiles. My concern is that those pesky iguanas will scuttle into the tunnels made by the tiles. I suspect, however, that only the juveniles can do that; there will be no room to turn around and get out.

All of this ~ destruction, reconstruction, painting, hauling up and down three flights of stairs, tossing and stacking ~ is done with such speed, good humor and skill that it is a real pleasure to watch them. And to listen to their low volume chatter and laughter. Fernando is a very good maestro, except with his son. He gets too impatient. I miss having Fernandillo here; he's an excellent painter. But he has a full-time job as an abenillo at the turtle farm down in the colonia.

Ah fathers and sons. Nothing like mothers and daughters. No. Never!

4 days until 1/20/2009: End of an Error

2009-01-15T10:00:00.002-06:00

days of destruction

Fernando and Regís got right to work yesterday demolishing walls and columns that had cracked due simply to life at the beach. Salt, moisture . . . not construction's best friends. First they shatter the concrete that has gotten "soft" due to the moisture. You can see the rebar beneath.

Next Fernando paints the exposed rebar and surrounding concrete and brick with some magic potion called fin salitre or "end of salt." Ha! In your dreams. It is supposed to act as a barrier to further salt/moisture. After that dries he slaps one layer of cement on the post, lets it dry, slaps up a second layer, etc., until he has it the same size as the original pillar. Then he puts a wooden frame around the pillar, held in place by big pieces of rebar cut and bent to exactly the size of the pillar. That dries, he removes the frame, and there you have it.

The area around the door to the upstairs half-bath was badly cracked and at first we thought the entire door frame was going to have to be replaced. But after it was all chipped away we could see that the damage was only on one side.

That little blue door to the right is the closet for the water heater - all 40 liters worth. This morning Fernando had it all patched up. The paint swatch to the left of the wooden door is the new and final color for that wall. Click on the photo to enlarge. It's really not as "neon" as it looks!

The next step will be to smooth a layer of fine white cement over all the gray stuff. After that dries, it will be time to begin the actual painting, probably next week some time. We hope to have the whole project done by the end of the month. This house is about to celebrate its 20th birthday and given its history ~ survivor of three earthquakes, including the big one in 2003, and the day-in-day-out assault of salt air ~ it's in pretty good shape. But diligent maintenance is the watchword. You can walk through town and see houses that have been allowed to fall into unsalvageable disrepair and have ultimately been abandoned. They are just too far gone.

Last night was the weekly gathering of the Cuyutlán Ladies Chisme and Domino Society. I won at my table. My take will buy me a couple of beers at Dago's.

5 days until 1/20/2009: End of an Error

2009-01-13T19:09:00.005-06:00

history in the (re)making

If you've got 45 minutes to review the history of the last eight years, watch this. It's a real mind blower. Where was this worthy while it was all going on?

Fernando and his mozo, Regís, his cousin, showed up bright and early this morning to get back to work. They tore up more walls on the 3rd floor and then slapped on a new layer of cement. They'll be back tomorrow for more.

6 days until 1/20/2009: End of an Error

2009-01-12T19:53:00.003-06:00

o tropical moon . . .

I am experimenting with my camera to get better photos of night scenes. This wasn't all that good, but it's the best I could do. Last night was a mild, warm evening with this big, lemon-y full moon hanging in the sky. Makes one glad to be alive, and be here.

Treat at today's market; beautiful chard (acelgas). I bought a big bunch for about 50¢, split it with Marie, and sautéd it for dinner with lots of garlic. I swooned.

7 days until 1/20/2009: End of an Error

2009-01-11T13:29:00.001-06:00

it was fascination . . .

Around 8:30 last night all hell broke loose at the El Faro, a falling-down fire-trap dive on the beach, just across the street from our house. (You can see a corner of our house in the upper left corner of this photo.) I was reading quietly in the living room when suddenly loud music split the quiet of the night. And I mean L-O-U-D. I looked out across the street; no crowds, no cars, no hint as to what this was all about. It was a cinch that the evening's reading was over so I doodled around on the computer for awhile and then decided I'd try to sleep. Big mistake. Starting at 9 PM the song was "Fascination." This song played on a continual loop for more than an hour. Who is waltzing to this drek? Nobody. On and on and on. Around 10:30 the really bad mariachi music started and someone started singing. This particular crooner was tone deaf. I think he's the same gent who insists on singing at the disco during the Easter madness. Had the El Faro turned into a Mexican karioke bar? With no patrons? I checked with neighbors this morning and nobody could figure out what was going on last night. Whatever it was it was finally shut down at 3 AM. Siesta's looking mighty good for this afternoon.

Tonight is the luna llena. Don't miss it.

9 days until 1/20/2009: End of an Error

2009-01-10T15:30:00.004-06:00

here's what i missed

This is Magda's Act 1 aria, probably the most famous piece of "La Rondine", sung by Teresa Stratas. (You can also hear it sung by Renee Fleming, Anna Moffo and others on the YouTube site.) The internet was down when the opera came on so I missed it. I finally got back on line an hour into the performance, but the rest was superb.

Next week is Dr. Atomic, the new opera about J. Robert Oppenheimer and the development of the atomic bomb at the Manhattan Project. Great cast of characters: Oppenheimer, Edward Teller, Leslie Groves, among others. Sure to be a hit. No pun intended.

So, you ask, what did you do with the coleslaw that wasn't edible? I made a black bean salad with diced onion, tomato and cilantro. I mixed in the slaw. Delicious. The crunch of cabbage with the heat of bean salad. As for the fish, I'll either make a fish stew, adding some shrimp, or toss it. I hate to waste food but this stuff was really bad.

10 days until 1/20/2009: End of an Error

2009-01-09T20:00:00.002-06:00

international meal

Menu: Mexican tacos de pescado, German cole slaw (sort of), Chilean wine.

The Patient loves fish tacos. I bought two small Pargo filetes at the pescadoria this morning. Then we nipped over to the Presidencia to pay the taxes and water for 2009 = $230 US, up about 7% from last year.

At the indoor market I bought a half head of cabbage. My daughter Alex makes THE best cole slaw ever. At least for my taste. It's crunchy, flavorful and tart. I don't like creamy, sweet dressing on my slaw, although the Patient prefers this type. I asked her for the recipe and here it is:

shredded celery, onion, carrot, cabbage
celery seeds
mayo, Dijon mustard, red wine vinegar

Combine, let sit several hours or overnight.

I haven't omitted measurements; she didn't send any. Here's what I used:

1/2 white cabbage (I would use half red, half white if I could find red)
1 large stalk celery
1/2 medium onion
1 large carrot
2 T caraway seeds (don't have and can't get celery seeds)
2 T mayo
2 T mustard
1/2 cup vinegar

I also added 1/2 medium jicama, shredded

The Patient went up to the Rube Goldberg tortillarilla and brought home a quarter kilo ~ about 14 tortillas.

I sautéd the fish, put them on warmed up tortillas, and along with the slaw we called it dinner.

Restaurant review: the fish was tough and the slaw was not sweet enough for the Patient. Next week's fish will come from Dago's father-in-law's fish market. I should know better than to buy my fish anywhere else than where Dago buys his. As for the slaw, the Patient wants to add a bit of sugar to the mix and see what happens. It can't hurt!

This afternoon we drove up to the airport in Manzanillo to drop of two gringas who had been vacationing here for three weeks. On the way home we stopped in Santiago at an artisania shop to look for a new lamp. My most favorite lamp got broken when the Patient was carrying it upstairs by the harp and the whole mechanism came loose. No luck. We'll look up in Tlaquepaque when we're there at the end of the month.

Tomorrow's opera is another glorious Puccini offering, La Rondine.

After my 11 AM massage I will drag my relaxed body upstairs to wallow in this beautiful musical offering. In case you miss it, here's the story: bad girl meets good boy (see above). He tries to convince her to be good. She tries. She fails. She returns to her bad ways with a bad boy. In between is some truly sublime music.

11 days until 1/20/2009: End of an Error

2009-01-08T18:33:00.002-06:00

encountering a stall

There seem to be no mozos available to help Fernando on our painting project. He thought his sobrino (cousin) was going to be available beginning today ~ yesterday being a wash ~ but apparently not. No mozo. Maybe tomorrow?

But yesterday was not a complete wash. We went into Tecoman to pay our tourist visas at the bank. Every time we do this it is like reinventing the wheel. These folks had never seen such a transaction and so four tellers were gathered around the only chap who seemed to know what to do. I mean, come on people. We do this every year at this bank and we can't be the only folks here on a tourist visa. In the past they have run it through the machine, stamped and signed it, taken our money and off we go. This year we are given yet another piece of paper to attach to the originals (two pieces this year instead of one). I think the President's brother must be in the paper mill business.

Then we made yet another trip to Prisa, the paint store for yet another shade of paint. I decided that the purple (Sweet Lilac) that I chose for the terrazza wall and posted a couple of days ago is simply too dark. It overwhelms the more pastel tan shade of the house. Wrong intensity. So I bought another, lighter, more pastel shade: Twilight Chimes. (Who thinks up these names?) I have taken a couple of pictures of it but it looks too blue; it's a lovely pale violet. I'll try in another light and see if I can get a more true hue. If I were willing to wrestle with Photo Shop maybe I could recolor it. I'm not.

Tomorrow we are off to Armeria to pay our taxes and annual water bill: total for two lots and water for one house will be about $250. Can't beat it.

I was skeptical of the appointment of Leon Panetta for CIA director. I've changed my mind. He's just the guy to keep those spooks from knifing the new President in the back.

12 days until 1/20/2009: End of an Error

2009-01-06T18:30:00.003-06:00

the construction zone

Fernando arrived at 8 o'clock this morning to begin the repairing and painting of the house. He lugged along all the tools (las herramientas) of his trade, including ladders, trowels, mallets to tap-tap-tap on all the walls to find the hollow sections that have to be torn out and re-cemented, and the big sifting screen he uses when mixing up the cement. He set right to work on the 3rd floor. I could hear chunks of old wall fall on the floor. Pretty soon he came downstairs carrying a five gallon bucket full of debris which he emptied in the our vacant lot next door. Then back up for more. And back down again. And so on . . .

By the time he left for desayuno at 10 AM, this is what had befallen the wall. The original brick work and the rebar are now exposed. He'll layer in two or three coats of cement, let it dry, then paint it over with something called sellador that helps keep the moisture and salt out of the structure. But as we say here at the beach, rust and damp never sleep. He returned at 11 and did it all over again. By noon, his mozo had not shown up to help so he pitched it in. It's too time-consuming and difficult for one person to do this work. And besides, today is the last official day of the Christmas holiday and he wanted to be at home with his family. Tres Reyes is the traditional gift-giving-opening day for Mexican families who then sit down to a festive meal. But he'll be back tomorrow, I hope with a mozo or else this project is going to take a very long time.

14 days until 1/20/2009: End of an Error

2009-01-04T11:11:00.003-06:00

another first

Our first surfer president.

17 days until 1/20/2009: End of an Error

2009-01-03T18:33:00.006-06:00

the joys of saturday

First thing this morning Neighbor Nelson rang the bell to (a) announce his and Carol's arrival for the season, and (b) to deliver my undies left behind in November. I am now awash in lingerie.

After that the Patient went up town to buy some shredded beef tacos from El Gordo, the chap who is only here on Saturday mornings. They are well worth the wait. We will have them for dinner, served with plenty of green salsa and cold Indio.

At 11 AM Patti arrived to give me a wonderful massage, easing away all those tensions of sloth. Perhaps I am feeling guilty at so much do-nothing and hence am tense? I doubt it.

Starting at noon I sobbed my way through a thrilling Franco Zeffirelli production of La Boheme from the Met (I know that first "e" takes an accent grave but I can't fix it on the keyboard. Hélas.) This production was in Italian. I prefer it in French; Mimi doesn't die. Or does she? My French is a bit rusty these days.

The rest of the day was spent reading "The 19th Wife" by David Ebershoff. Interesting story and even more interesting is the author's style of storytelling.

18 days until 1/20/2009: End of an Error

2009-01-02T19:22:00.001-06:00

getting ready for a paint job

When we bought our house it was painted a color called "Salmón", a sort of pale peach, very Mediterranean, and the only house in town that shade. The color was very pretty, held up well to the sun, and looked "beach-y." From time to time we would have to patch and repaint and could never really match the color so the house is really several iterations of Salmón and, frankly, it looks a bit ratty. We decided it's now time for a new paint job, all one color. Houses here are mostly white, but there are also blue, green, yellow, orange, turquoise . . . you name it. I want to do something different this time so I have been experimenting with various colors. I pop into the paint store, buy a litre of something, slap it on the wall and see what I think. I've now narrowed the choices to two shades of tan.

One is called Tahitian Tan (on the left), the other Cocoon. The darker color will go on all the exterior walls; the lighter color on the "interior" exterior walls. I should explain. Our house is constructed of two wings joined together by an open air terrazzo that runs the length of the house on the first and second floors. (If you look at the photo above, the area above the front door on the second floor goes all the way through to the back of the house. You get a view of the sea in the front, a view of the mountains in the back.) Those are the "interior" exterior walls. The darker color will be on the shell of the house; front, back, sides, the walls you see from the street.

Upstairs I want to paint one of the terrazzo walls a different color. The color I chose is this violet shade. It may be a bit dark so I need to let it sit for a few days to see if it pales a bit. This picture doesn't do the color justice; it's the shade of a nice wisteria vine.But I think it will go nicely with the interior wall color. This swatch on the right shows the color as more purple. It is a pretty good contrast with the tan shade. I'll get Fernando to paint the wall and then see how I like it. If it is too bright he'll paint over it.

Here's the painting scheme. The front of the house, above, will be the darker color, Cocoon. The back of the house will be the darker color. Both the east and west facads will be dark. Then everything else will be the lighter tan.

In the back it will all be the darker color. You can see the large opening on the second floor. It opens onto the 2nd floor terrazzo and is open all the way through to the front of the house. I guess the smartest thing would be to put up a floor plan but I don't have one. Those two small windows upstairs are for the 1/2 bath (left) and our bathroom (right).

It's going to be quite an undertaking. Fernando is due to start next Tuesday with structural repairs before painting. That means I have to go back to the paint store to put in a gigantic order which, fortunately, the owner will deliver. It will take a couple of weeks to get it all done but I think it will be quite handsome when it is finished.

Tomorrow is the opera, La Boheme from the Met at 12 o'clock our time. Patti comes at 11 for my weekly massage. I'll be right in the mood to listen to Rodolfo (the sublime Ramón Vargas) and Mimi sing their little hearts out.

19 days until 1/20/2009: End of an Error

2009-01-01T18:58:00.008-06:00

eggnog by the beach

Welcome to 2009! Today the Mexicans serve the traditional Tamales de Dulce, a tamale filled with sweet meats, raisins and nuts. I, for one, am not a fan of this particular dish, but in our village it is readily available at most of the food stalls in town (not so much in the puestos that stick mainly to fish).

But down in the colonia we attended a lovely New Year's Day party that featured eggnog and lots of delicious "pick up" food. Everyone who had survived last night's festivities seemed in good spirits; not too hung over. The party was held in a house belonging to a couple who have moved down here from Ajijic, a gringo bastion near Guadalajara. It was built last year by Jaime and his crew of merry men (the chaps who did our floors and kitchen). This is a shot of the front of the house; all of those little windows are open to the breeze that comes from the mountainside, keeping the house cool.

For some reason it reminds me of the front of the Peter J. Shields Library

on the UC Davis campus. I love this library; it is filled with light AND great books.

I asked the hostess if rain poured through those openings during the wet season; yes, a little bit but nothing they couldn't live with. The breezes coming from the back keep the house nice and cool at night. Then the day breeze off the ocean passes right through the open house and out the back. Nature's air conditioning.

On the sea side of the house is a large covered patio and the pool. The fence you see is right on the beach. Beyond it is the sea.

The house is modern, decorated in black, white and tan. Furnishing are very comfortable; overstuffed cushions, a nice swing on the patio, plenty of room to spread out. The host and hostess are delightful people, a wonderful addition to life at the beach.

Tomorrow we will go into Tecoman to buy some more paint in anticipation of our big paint job next week. I am still testing out colors. I have almost decided on a two-tone house with some "interior exterior" walls painted a different color. I'll put the different shades up and take a good look. I checked out a local house today that used different shades on the exterior and it looks pretty good.

20 days until 1/20/2009: End of an Error

2008-12-31T18:11:00.005-06:00

feliz prospero año

From us down here in the tropical warmth of the Mexican riviera ~ well, the "lower" riviera ~ to all of you, wherever you are and no matter how cold you are, we wish you a Happy New Year. The above photograph is of the last sunset of 2008. For my part, I truly hope the new year will be a good one for all. As I have noted before, we have no TV, no newspapers, no magazines. We get all our news from either the internet (national, international) or the grapevine (local). It's frequently difficult to separate the wheat from the chaff, but as far as I can tell, on the home front not much has changed. Same old scandals, same disastrous news from the finacial world, earthquakes in Yellowstone, freezing weather everywhere, same old vitriolic rant from the right, same old flowery rhetoric from the left. Internationally, wars in the Middle East ~ not only "ours" but others' as well. It seems like that has been going on my entire life. Fire in Bangkok nightclub ~ we have friends traveling there and can only hope they were not in the affected nightclub. But here, it's like being in a bell jar; it's all so far away . . .

Tonight there will be celebrations all over town, up at the hotels and on the beach front and in the streets at random. There are quite a few people here, not just day-trippers. So it should be lively and LOUD. As usual, we will stay home, have a late dinner, listen to some music and turn in early. I have made albondigas, the delicious Mexican meat balls. We have a nice bottle of Bordeaux we found up in Colima. It will be a nice way to both "go out" and "stay in."

Tomorrow afternoon we will go to an egg nog party at friends' down in the colonia. They have built a beautiful big house on the ocean side and this will be my first chance to get in and snoop around. Full report later. With pictures.

Until then, I have pretty much recovered from my bout with the Cuyutlán catarrah. I am feeling much better although still subject to coughing fits. Whatever this is has spread through the entire town and has laid many low. Even the Patient has been flirting with it but I think he's going to escape the full blast. I have about 25 more pages in "The Nine." Good read. Next: either "Dreams from my Father" or "The 19th Wife." These are about the most pressing decisions I have to make these days.

21 days until 1/20/2009: End of an Error

2008-12-26T16:30:00.000-06:00

la gripa that stole Christmas

I was feeling a bit peckish on Christmas Eve ~ slight sore throat, slight runny nose ~ but soldiered on at Luly and Ed's annual party. I dragged out my once-a-year-at-Luly's-party sparkly skirt and made the best of it. Good group of people; nobody got drunk and jumped in the pool (as happened once before). Turkey was delicious, fellowship abounded. But round about 9:30 I was really feeling lousy. So we came home and I went straight to bed.

I started coughing in the night, and spent yesterday in bed, hacking and blowing my nose. Also reading (not a bad thing) and drinking flor de jamaica (another nice thing), a delicious punch-juice made from the petals of the hibiscus flower. We get it in little packets, like Crystal Light. Or at Mexican market where we buy the loose dried petals and brew it ourselves. Very refreshing flavor and a beautiful ruby red color. So I spent the entire Christmas Day doctoring myself, waiting for the coughing spasms to pass. We had no internet connection all day so I could not send out my pitiful story.

This morning I am somewhat improved. The dry cough has turned wet but at least it's not so painful. I think I'll actually get out of bed and pretend to live. I will lie low, though, particularly since I have a new book to read, Jeffrey Toobin's The Nine, a gift to the Patient from my sister. He is engrossed in something else at the time so now's my opportunity. I guess we'll go down to the beach for lunch again; nobody feels like cooking and besides, it's Friday so we should eat fish.

Weather holding fair and warm.

25 days until 1/20/2009: End of an Error

2008-12-23T21:10:00.000-06:00

another perfect day

We have had amazingly good weather these past two weeks. Days are clear, warm, breezy. Nothing like the cold, foggy and overcast of last year. We strolled down to Dago's for lunch again today. Not many people there so Dago was happy to cook up some fish tacos and open beers. When things are slow here's where he hangs out.

This is a photo of the front of the line of puestos that line the beach. You stroll down, find an umbrella and chairs, order your drinks and watch the sea, sparkling in front of you. The waiters scurry back and forth bringing your goodies.

Although there were quite a few vacationers, not nearly as many as in the past. I think the recession is keeping potential travelers at home this Christmas. The parking around the hotels is almost empty. Not a good sign for the businesses that depend on the holidays (Christmas and Easter) for their big yearly take. I have inquired at a couple of the hotels; the answer is the same. No reservations. Perhaps tomorrow the crowds will come in, although most may be day-trippers. Fernando is working at Dago's between Christmas and New Year's in anticipation of at least some action. I am volunteering to go eat some of his heavenly shrimp to do my part.

After lunch we walked the length of the malecon to check out the other puestos; same story. Not much action. Then we walked down the "new" main street. By new I mean the surfacing. For as long as we've been coming here the main street has been paved with cobblestone. Hard on the car but fitting for this village. Then suddenly someone decided the main drag needed to be "upgraded." Now it's cement. It looks terrible; sterile and stark. All the lovely trees shading the street were cut down. It looks positively bald. We walked by the Presidencia, the little city hall-cum- police station. As Fernando would say, "Aqui in Mexico . . ." then fill in the blank. So aqui in Mexico there is no such thing as separation of church and state, as you can see by this creche outside the city hall.

No baby yet; they will put the Christ child in the manger tomorrow night after midnight mass. In fact, everyone in town who has a display will put the baby in place.

Tomorrow night is the Christmas Eve party at Luly and Ed's. It's always a great bash; you get to meet and greet everyone who's in town, all in one place at one time. Saves wear and tear.

28 days until 1/20/2009: End of an Error

2008-12-22T19:01:00.002-06:00

dressing up for Christmas

I know you can't tell, but those lights strung along the front balcony are actually little pink flamingos. I usually don't do lights in the front ~ only up on the 3rd floor in the "party pavilion," but Gina gave these to me in keeping with other flamingos we have planted around the garden. I strung together some extension cordsl, draped them around the pillars and hurricanes, and there they are, a cheerful greeting for the season. Because of the upstairs lights people driving by do slow down; they think it's a night club or a lap dancing establishment. No, just our humble beach shack.

Tiangues this morning, followed by bean tacos and Negro Modelo, followed by a long nap. Perfect Monday.

Readers' alert: Ian McEwan's old novel, The Innocent. I had never heard of this one. Dread-full. He does psychological tension better than anyone.

29 days until 1/20/2009: End of an Error

2008-12-21T19:14:00.003-06:00

winter solstice at the beach

This is NOT the beach; it is Rochester, New York. Here, the first day of winter dawned clear, bright and beautiful. It stayed that way until about 3 o'clock when it began to cloud up and get very muggy. Fortunately I got my laundry done and hung out before the moisture crept back into the atmosphere. Now, at 7 PM, it is very humid and hot. Unfortunately our ceiling fans are not working; fans in the living room and our bedroom have been taken down for eventual (after Christmas) replacement. There is only a slight breeze to keep us cool and semi-dry. It's been so warm that I packed away the jersey sheets ~ we used them all season last year ~ and am opting for cotton only. But tomorrow is another day and, as we say here, each day is different, at least as far as the weather goes.

Tomorrow is tiangues, and I think the shopping group will stop at La Jacaranda for bean tacos and beer, round about 11 AM. A favorite tradition.

30 days until 1/20/2009: End of an Error

2008-12-20T17:30:00.001-06:00

writer's blocks

I'm not sure why this happens ~ I just can't seem to concentrate on getting anything written here. I have thought about it; lots has happened. But are you really interested? Or am I really interested in writing about it? I guess not. However, I am responding to a couple of inquiries ~ "Is your computer broken?" and "Is everything OK?" No, my computer is not broken; in fact, I now have internet at home (thank you Jordan Nelson) and yes, everything is fine. So here's a brief recap of life in our little Mexican village, 2500 miles away from "home."

Wednesday Fernando almost finished with painting the living room. The kitchen, which he finished on Tuesday, looked awfully pink at first, but once the paint dried it, too, had a lovely candlelight glow.

He also finished the living room, about which I had the same reaction: Yikes! Too pink! But after a couple of days of drying and seasoning, it looks lovely. We have finally unpacked all our books and other goodies that remained sealed up all last season because of the floor work. Looks quite civilized.

Also on Wednesday, Neighbor Nelson's son came over to figure out why the WiFi set up wasn't working. He got everything on his end set up just fine; we couldn't receive the signal. Turns out a cable was not plugged in securely. Once that was take care of, the world was ours!

And to top it off on Wednesday, the electrician showed up to fix several things that were not working; lights in our bathroom, outside the bedroom, half-bath off the terazzo (all on the same circuit), light on the front balcony, two other lights on the upstairs breezeway. He was here about 3 hours, along with his gorgeous son, and charged us 250 pesos ($20 at the current rate) and will be back after the first of January to install two new fans and to change the chains that hold the various hanging outdoor lamps. This gentleman, Gustavo by name (his son is Gustavo Numero Dos) speaks a little English, has a degree in Electrical Engineering, is retired and does this sort of as a hobby. What a find! We need to get everything done before he is discovered by the other gringos who have been relying on Elias, who is good but terminally unavailable.

Thursday morning Fernando arrived early to finish painting the living room and start on the bedroom. We decided to take care of a raft of errands in Tecoman and Colima. First stop: Bancomer in Tecoman to pay our feidecomisario, the bank trust that allows us to live here. Every year we do this we run into a bank employee who has never done this before. Bingo again this time. This bank now has computer networking with all branches; the one in Puerto Vallerta takes care of these trusts. We never did figure out what the hang-up was. But two hours-plus later we emerged from the bank and decided to do only one more thing and then go home and recuperate from the experience. We stopped at the paint store to try again for a color for the exterior of the house. The first one I chose was the color of a baby's diaper who had been fed too much spinach. The second color I tried is much better, more of a tan than a khaki. I am contemplating painting all "exterior-exterior" walls a darker color; the "interior-exterior" walls the "Sahara Tan" paint I chose. This may not make any sense to you readers and it's too difficult to explain. You'll just have to come down and see for yourselves.

By the time we got home Fernando had slapped one coat on the bedroom. I was horrified when I saw the color; it looked like every seedy Mexican motel room I'd ever stayed in. Plus he ran out of paint so we had to go back into Tecoman and buy one more litre of paint. But by the time he had finished and it had seasoned for a few hours it looks lovely; sort of like being in a recently cleaned aquarium.

Yesterday, Friday, we went up to Colima to do what we could not do on Wednesday. We went to Office Depot and bought a good desk chair on wheels; we had been using a plastic chair that was much too low and was giving me an aching shoulder. (Perhaps that is part of my writer's block?) Then we picked up some things we had dropped off to be framed; they did a good job on 3 of the 6 things. The other three have to be taken back after the 1st for reworking. Then to the local Wal-Mart for some heavy-duty shopping, then home. And last night was the first night of La Posada. The local kids came by about 7 PM, serenaded us, got their donation, and moved off.

The younger children ~ boys and girls ~ from the village sing the request from Joseph for a room for his wife, "soon to be delivered." The older girls play the "innkeepers," a hard-boiled lot who tell Mary and Joseph to move on. (The little girl in profile is Rosie, Fernando and Chuy's daughter.) They collect money for a Christmas party on January 6 for all the kids. I can remember vividly the posada when I was in boarding school. The Spanish Club put it on a few nights before we were all to go home for Christmas vacation. Someone brought a burro to school and "Mary" would sit side-saddle as the hapless animal was led from door to door . Joseph would knock on various doors and they would be opened by students singing their assigned parts. It is not until the third knock that they are given shelter, and this happened at the chapel. All those in the procession would be carrying candles, and as the group snaked around the quad it was really very beautiful.

Which brings us to Saturday. We worked at getting things in order, listened to the opera, Thais" by Massenet with Rene Flemming and Thomas Hampon. Absolutely splendid! Next week is "The Magic Flute," don't miss it. Then off to Jack's for a swim ~ full immersion this time. Only 82º so a bit invigorating.

As so here we are at a lovely Saturday evening. Cecilia Bartolli is on the stereo, the breeze is soft and warm, dinner is going to be a thawed version of something I made last week ~ birria, I think. Basically all is right with the world. The painting is done, the weather is gorgeous, Obama won the election. What more could I ask for?

31 days until 1/20/2009: End of an Error

2008-12-16T16:59:00.003-06:00

the first day of painting

I am standing on the porch of friend Marie's trying to access the WiFi signal from Neighbor Nelson's across the street. We still don't it in our house. But perhaps tomorrow . . .

Fernando arrived early this morning ready to paint.

He will be finished with the kitchen today and start on the sala tomorrow. I am very happy with the color; it is very soft and pretty and will look lovely in the lamplight.

35 days until 1/20/2009: End of an Error

2008-12-15T13:09:00.006-06:00

the prettiest virgin in town

This photo really doesn't do her justice. She is studded with tiny lights that flash and sparkle in the dark, but I love the bright colors. She adorns the wall of our friends' house.

We still don't have internet connection ~ annoying and frustrating but then, this is the beach. Help may be on the way if we decide to get our own hook-up instead of tagging on to other's system. I have to investigate this idea. Unfortunately it does involved dealing with Telmex® ~ it makes dealing with ATT seem like calling a personal shopper. I don't know who invented the Telmex® bureaucracy but they have an evil streak.

Weather the past few days reminds me of why I come here; balmy, breezy, about 75º during the day with cool nights, perfect for sleeping. Actually the days are OK for sleeping, too. Reading an excellent book ~ The Air We Breathe by Andrea Barrett. Lots more stacked up awaiting my attention.

Fernando will show up tomorrow morning to begin the interior patch-and-paint job. La cosine, la sala, el quarto. Then he'll paint the entire exterior after New Year's. I'm still taking colors under advisement, but I'm thinking of a warm nutmeg. I'm tired of the "salmon" shade. I've bought a litre of one color to try out but I think it's too dark. I'll go back to the store and try another color.

These colors, however, are just perfect.

36 days until 1/20/2009: End of an Error

2008-12-12T17:30:00.002-06:00

the virgin’s day

Every one should have one, don’t you think? For the Virgin of Guadalupe today marks the end of her 12-day festival. Beginning on December first, the tropical solitude of every morning, noon and evening is perforated by loud firecrackers and clanging church bells. These salutos are last about 3 minutes, but believe me, at 5 AM it seems like an hour. I have taken a few snaps of various altars set up in her honor which I will post tomorrow. As for what’s on the calendar for her tonight, there will be a big, noisy fiesta in the center of town that will include a parade, a castillo (a tall pole festooned with various types of fireworks. Someone lights the bottom wick and the explosions work up the pole until it gets to the top when all hell breaks loose), mariachis, random fireworks, and, my least favorite thing, los torros. These are boys who run through the crown wearing bulls’ heads with horns that shoot off firecrackers and other incendiaries. Last year Jack’s shirt caught on fire. All of this begins at 9 PM and I am not sure I will go, partly because it won’t really start until about 11 and partly because it is not something I enjoy. Harrumph!

Tonight is also the full moon. We have had a gloriously clear day ~ I even went into the pool, now 84º ~ so we are hoping for a clear night for the moonrise. Last night was clouds but made for a stunning sunset.

We may get internet connection in our house tomorrow. The problems seems to be an ethernet cable in Neighbor Nelson's house that needs a new connector on the end. We found a place in Tecoman that will either replace the connector or make us a cable to order. Here's the thing about dealing with Mexicans; they can fix ANYTHING.

40 days until 1/20/2009: End of an Error

2008-12-09T17:53:00.003-06:00

la biblioteca

Five years ago the gringas in town decided we needed a library. We all had lots of books to share, we had a professional librarian among our midst, and we managed to find the space to do it. Since that time the library has had a couple of iterations, but we are back in the space we enjoyed two years ago thanks to the swift attention of one of our members who saw the opportunity to reclaim it. This morning, eight of us showed up to clean up and re-shelve over 1800 books.

We still have some cleaning to do but basically it is looking really good. With a couple more chairs around the table it will be perfect for those who want to drop in, read magazines or books, chat, socialize, etc. Many people have invested time and treasure in making this happen. In a week the Mayor of Armeria and the woman who is in charge of all libraries in our area will be dropping in for a little reception. Maybe if we have all this "official" sanction and approval we won't have to worry about pulling up stakes again . . . until the next election. At that time we'll get a whole new crowd who may (or may not) support the idea. That's what happened the last time. When our "friends" got booted out of office we got booted out of the library space.

Tomorrow is a trip up to Colima to do errands; browsing at the two viveros along the highway for new plants, shopping for more staples, looking for a comfortable desk chair, taking some things to a frame shop that does a bang up job for not very much money. We will undoubtedly lunch at our favorite crepe place, Kronos. Then if I am still conscious after all that, the first of the season's Mexican Domino games. Full day ahead.

42 days until 1/20/2009: End of an Error

2008-12-08T17:49:00.000-06:00

A wasted Sunday

I awoke early Sunday morning with a raging blood sugar and then spent the entire day trying to get it down somewhere near normal. As a result I didn’t leave the house. Instead I dozed, read back issues of the New Yorker I had brought down with me, dozed some morek, tested my blood, read, dozed, tested, etc. Finally, around 6 PM things clicked. It being Sunday, the Patient went uptown to buy the usual tacitos for dinner. Alas, none of the wagons was in evidence. This is undoubtedly because our village has decided to (gasp!) pave the main street and right now the area around the jardin is nothing but a pile of rubble. The paving from the seafront to the presidencia is completed; from there to the railroad tracks is either under construction or will be soon. Now, instead of the charm of cobblestones we have a charmless slab of concrete. And in order to do this horrid thing they have removed all the trees that lined the street, giving shade and beauty to the town. And believe me, it needs all the beauty it can get. It now looks like a fake “seedy Mexican village” stage set; blank, sterile fronts in a blank, sterile street. Jack had told me about it but it looks far worse than even he could describe. All that by way of an explanation of why we couldn’t get dinner from the taco wagons. Fortunately the Patient had made some delicious bean soup earlier in the day and that was dinner.

Today was my first tiangues of the season. AWalking through the usual stalls, greeting the old vendors, it’s as though I had never left. The begetable man asked when I got back, how long I was staying, and charged me 25 pesos (about $1.75) for my week’s worth of produce, not including the big avocados which I bought from a different vendor and paid 35¢ each for.

I am still trying to locate stuff I brought down~ AA batteries, some meds, the CDs (although I loaded most of them onto the iPod so who knows? I may have decided to leave them home. It’s all such a blur . . .). I finally located my shorts, packed away and left here, and some T-shirts. Add sandals and a hat and that’s how it goes here at the beach.

Tomorrow morning all the local gringos are being asked to show up at the Biblioteca Las Palmas to reshelve all our books. A couple of years ago we got booted out of our space in the local library and were consigned to a tiny space in the foyer. Since then, however, the use of our original space has been abandoned and we have been invited back. The shelves have all been moved back= and the books moved into the room but all in a jumble. So if you know you’re a-B-C’s, come on down and help us reclaim our library.

Neighbor Nelson’s son arrived today so I may have internet at home by the end of the week.

43 days until 1/20/2009: End of an Error

2008-12-06T11:32:00.004-06:00

Firsts

The first sight of the sparkling blue Pacific Ocean.
The first sight of my house. Brought a lump to my throat and a tear to my eye. Yes, I am a tender little one.
The first scorpion, found in the garage. Huge. A “Bambi Meets Godzilla” scene; the Patient played the Godzilla role.
First sighting of Fernando and Chuy. Both looking splendid. They had set up the house for us. Bed made, sofa put together, furniture all arranged. After all these years they know where everything belongs.
The first Indio of the season, drunk on Jack’s terrazzo in the late afternoon on Thursday.
The first night in the house with the soft, warm breeze rustling the palms.
The first morning, while it was still dark, listening to the surf pounding on the beach just a block away.
The first trip to the fish market in Armeria. $2.50 for two big filetes for last night’s dinner.
The first trip to La Bodega in Tecoman for the basics to stock the house; tequila, rum, wine, salsa casera, olive oil, vinegar, dish soap. The rest we can live without for a few days until we take our first trip up to Colima.
First avocado, selling for 20¢ each, to go with the first bag of tostadas. Delicious.

The trip down was absolutely without incident ~ except perhaps for the momentary pause at the border so the agent could look at the box of pillows.

Best sight between Cuidad Jiminez and Zacatecas, besides the glorious sun rise: the farmer tilling his field behind a horse-drawn plow churning up the rich, dark river bottom soil. In the next field was another farmer leading a horse-drawn cart piled high with dried corn stalks. Five hundred yards from these bucolic sights was a big billboard advertising the glories of high speed internet via Telmex. You gotta love this place.

The hotel in Zacatecas was all tarted up with Christmas decorations. We had a very comfy room, ate dinner early and slept soundly, despite the trains roaring past in the night. We were up and out by 6 AM and had an easy drive. This route is one of two main "highways" between mid-country and Guadalajara. It is a 2-lane truck route, among other thingsm with speed limits betrween 30 and 50 MPH. It goes over and through two mountain passes. If you happen to get behind a slow-moving heavy-laden truck you can get stuck for hours. But the traffic was very light and we had no slow-downs. We made it to Guadalajara by 11:30 and rolled up to our front door at 2 PM. Exhausted, yes of course. Five long days of driving will do that. We don't have to even contemplate that again for five months.

Most of the usual suspects have returned or will be here within the next 10 days. It's good to be back.

Today is the 20th birthday of our adored grandson, Andrew. Feliz Cumpleaños, chico!

44 days until 1/20/2009: End of an Error