38 - 35 - 36

No, these aren't my measurements. These are the low morning temperatures we've been having this week. YUK. Woo hee it has been cold. Well, cold to me. Yesterday it only got up to about 58 and that is absolutely way too much for this time of the year..........

Velcro and I have been hunkered down in the bedroom downstairs since Tuesday with pillows lining the window wall to keep out the cold. The bedroom door is closed and the heater and electric blanket have been on for days. Can you tell that I'm not ready for winter?

Actually, other then going upstairs to find something to eat it has been kinda nice to just settle in and read or nap while I watch my face turn into colors similar to the NBC peacock tail.

Not all bad. Not all bad.

E.R. - NO not the TV show

Before I start writing this post I want to clarify that this is not a "sympathy" post, but rather an informational one. So, please no, "Oh I'm so sorry" replies. OK?

I spent Tuesday afternoon at the E.R. AGAIN. Second time in three months. This time the fall was caused by my foot getting caught in one of those Oaxacan throw rugs. It is no longer on my floor. I have almost fallen before when the thing started skimming across the floor. That opportunity has now been removed - forever.

My cheek hit the corner of the kitchen counter. The amount of blood was startling. I managed to take a taxi to the E.R. hoping that the Doc would say, "No, not so bad, no stitches necessary". Ha. Not the case.

Ok, I must admit, I am absolutely the worst patient on earth. I'm a big wooz. In other words, I'm a scaredy cat. When the Doc said "Lay down" and I said, "HERE?", he knew he was in for a time..........I politely told him to please tell me everything he was going to do before he did it so I could be prepared.........(thank goodness he wasn't reattaching an arm or something) and he complied with kindness and grace. But I also quizzed him about how long he had been a Dr., where he had graduated and what his specialty was. After all, this IS my face. Oh vanity, be still.

He again was gracious about answering all my questions as he prepared me for this episode.
Actually he kept me talking through the whole thing by asking questions about my life, how I liked Mexico etc. I now realize it was to keep my mind off "the procedure".

I kiddingly said I had first come to Mexico in 1968 and said "Probably before you were born". YUP, he was born in 1977. I gasped. Only 32 and working on my face......oy vey.
I said, "Oh my gosh, you are younger then all my kids". He chuckled. At one point he asked if I go to Harry's which is a gringo hangout. He seemed surprised and disappointed when I said no.

Then he was finished. He wanted two x-rays because I mentioned that my neck and chest were hurting. He walked me to x-ray - came back to get me and was very, very solicitous.

He had written, in English, the prescriptions for all the stuff I needed - pain meds, antibiotics and a cream so I don't scar..........(we'll see).

The cost for the procedure, the meds, the x-rays and the E.R. charge, less then $200US. In the states that would have been close to $5,000 to $7,000 US. I promise. His charge for the "sew up" - 428 pesos which is about $28US!

I was extremely impressed with this Doctor. He was very precise and thorough.

When I went to pay the bill I noticed that De La Fe has a program where, if you are a frequent patient, you can pay an annual fee which is small and get a 20% discount on services for that year. In view of the last few months, I signed up. Who knows what the future holds.....hopefully NO more E.R. visits!

Adios Joe!

I met Joe at a party at Billie and Ned's house many years ago. . Billie writes BillieBlog. He had on round yellow glasses. I thought then, "Anyone who can wear those glasses is someone I want to know!" He was stilll living in Paris at the time but ultimately moved to San Miguel and lived at the end of my street. What a character! What great parties! What fun clothes he always wore. And what a kind heart.

Two stories - because isn't that the essence of the people we care about - the experiences and stories? One day there was a knock at the gate and I opened it to see Joe standing there with a sack of tomatoes for me. He grew them on his roof, in close proximity to wear he suntanned on a daily basis. How generous! Then remember back in August when my wallet was stolen? Well I went to a bank to open an account and hopefully be able to get some cash from this new bank. Joe was there. He and I visited and I told him what had happened. He said, "How much do you want?" Not, "How much do you need?" I said no, no, and I did work it out with the bank. He called that night to make sure I had indeed been able to get money. Now THAT is a friend!

Joe's love of folkart even surpassed mine. I loved to be in his home and admire and talk about the various pieces in his collections. So few people had that knowledge about Mexican folkart. I treasured that too. His house near mine did not showcase his collections in any way near what his new house accomplished. There was a super party there last Friday night with all of his friends and his brother who had come from Montana. Joe had built the most wonderful warm home. Something to enjoy and be proud of. His creation.

Each minute detail was selected by Joe. It WAS Joe - a house of color - just like him. And of course he HAD to have a pool for his suntanning. Not just a simple pool but one with a little pool house next to it. Again, attention to detail.

As if all that wasn't enough, Joe LOVED to cook. His dinner party last week of fifty or so people was entirely prepared by Joe and his brother. All to complete perfection. I teased him and said I guessed I couldn't serve simple brownies anymore. The above dessert was a lemon cream cake with fresh strawberries in a pastry bowl with a dollop of whip cream on top. A joy to behold and almost too good to be true.

Just like Joe! Gosh we'll all miss him so much. He was "one of a kind".

Jennifer's Altar

I have agonized for the last two weeks of whether I wanted to build an altar to my daughter Jennifer who died 5 1/2 years ago. I have questioned if I wanted to write this blog for about three days. I didn't build an altar this year. But, I am going to write this post. I feel driven to do so.

I decided not to build an altar because I reasoned that Jennifer's spirit is with me often. I decided that I didn't need to go through the emotional turmoil that I did when I made this altar five years ago. Whew, it was a difficult thing to do. It took me days. It was like climbing Mount Everest.

Although, once I was finished, a kind of peace descended on me and it became a place of reflection and remembrance for almost a week. I found myself sitting there and touching the things on the altar. Memories flooded back. Isn't that what this time of the year is all about?

Another interesting thing happened at that time. You see the quilt in that photo? Flash, my dog of 16 years at that time, decided that instead of sleeping with me at night, slept there the whole time the altar was assembled. I thought it so strange as Flash never lived with Jennifer. Two weeks later Flash was killed by a bus and of course is now frolicking with Jennifer in the "other world". How cool.

I did sit yesterday and make a list of all the people who have passed through my life, but have passed on. Quite a long list. I thought of each of them and how I contributed to their lives as they did to mine. Then the thought occurred to me that if all those people are in the same place that it is one heck of a fun party going on in the "other world". It causes one not to be so worried about leaving this world and going to the next!

Happy Halloween

I LOVE Halloween! It's a time to put on a costume and be someone else. I remember as a child anticipating this holiday almost as much as Christmas. Mom used to make costumes as seen in the above photo of me, probably circa 1945. That's me on the left with my cousin Carol and our friend Bonnie. Although Bonnie was a neighbor, she is still a good friend in our family, all these years later.

In thinking about all the Halloweens I've experienced and the costumes I've worn, I started giggling. One year when I was in my forties, I encouraged everyone who worked for me in a Fortune 500 company, to dress up. I went as Miss Piggy. I had the boa and the long cigarette holder. The whole deal. I was driving a Datsun 280ZX at the time and lived south of Houston.

This necessitated me driving up the freeway to my office. It was hysterically funny to see people's reactions to my costume as I drove up the freeway. What fun we all had that day.
I have pictures somewhere but don't feel like digging all that out. Maybe next year.

Then there was a party a few years ago here in San Miguel. In talking with friends there was concern because we didn't really have the makings of costumes at the last minute. Someone suggested that we use sheets and go as the "Sheet Family". Well we did - Bill went as "bull sheet", Fay went as "No sheet" and I went as "Hot sheet". OMG, did we have fun. I have photos of that escapade too. Maybe next year.

Happy Halloween from someone whose inner child loves being out on a night like tonight.

Day of the Dead Market

As I headed down the hill yesterday morning, I felt myself being pulled to the "sugar market" to see what the offerings are this year. I wasn't disappointed. Tents were set up all over Plaza Civica. Lots of people milling around and several small children from school groups were spending a few pesos on a precious gift to take to their family altar. The little girl above was buying one little thing, a lamb I think, and when I smiled at her she looked up at me with this precious sweet smile. It made my day.

Off I went to see the booths of sugar pigs, lambs or whatever the artesans could think to create. I saw little marzipan fruits. Tiny telephones. All manner of whimsical folkart. How delightful.

There were many candle vendors also. I have never seen the orange candles before. So inexpensive you wouldn't believe it. Only a few pesos. For all of that work! Papel picado abounded in every color of the rainbow. I have a feeling as I head into town this morning that my feet will take me there again. One can never get too much of a good thing.

You Read It Here First!

Casa Tranquilo is available for the month of January! You can come and enjoy a month in San Miguel and see if this is "your cup of tea" as they say. Or, if you've been here before, enjoy another visit.

I'll be at the beach for the month. I haven't told anyone in San Miguel that it is available yet for friends or family. I wanted to offer it first to my blogger friends.

Those of you who follow the blog regularly have seen the photos that I posted in August. But, if you're new to the blog and don't know where to go to see photos, here are the dates that I posted them. August 20th, August 26th and August 29th. Not only is the house filled with wonderful folkart, it also has a stone fireplace, maid and gardener service, Dish Network TV and of course, internet service. All for the low cost of $1,000 for the month which is VERY low for high season.

If you're interested, leave a comment with your email address and I'll contact you.