Sunday, September 30, 2007

A "surreal" evening

I went "to town" yesterday to watch the "three ring circus" known as the Feast of St. Michael the Archangel. At on point in the area between the jardine and the Parroquia (big church) there were Indians parading, horse riders standing at attention facing the church, and a Mass being said......then the paper mache creatures that were to be blown up a little later paraded in and another group with a statue of St. Michael paraded in...........it was MORE then a three ring circus. Add to that that it started raining, no pouring with lightning and thunder shortly after all of this assembled and you get the picture............fleeing spectators.
I came home, noticed as I did that the front door that opens to the jardine at my house was slightly ajar, but Velcro pushes it open when she's hungry.....didn't give it another thought.
Settled in with the Atencion (our local newspaper) in my favorite chair in the bedroom downstairs, listening to te rain and reading. Velcro was preening herself on the end of the bed in close proximity to me......as usual. I'm reading and ALL OF A SUDDEN there are TWO orange cats on the bed, one of them attacking Velcro. I could hardly believe my eyes............I swished the newspaper and both took off. WOW, what a surprise! Now what? So, I put Velcro (I hope that was Velcro, I thought) outside and wandered around looking for "another" cat. Nope, couldn't find it........decided to leave the door open like I did a couple of years ago when a coatamundi fell in the fireplace and I didn't want to meet him, eye-to-eye. Whew, I thought after a while, THAT other cat must be gone because I never saw it again................
So, Velcro and I settled down again (at least an hour later) and I heard this low growl......."Oh, --------", I thought. Went upstairs and found a cat crouched behind a plant in the dining room. I herded it out with a cane............
Heavens, life is NEVER dull in my life!

Saturday, September 29, 2007

Presents from "Velcro"

The feral cat "Velcro" who has become my best buddy in a short period of time continues to bring me "presents"..........lizards, field mice, lizards, field mice. Almost always they are no longer living.......but when they are there is a "dance" of me trying to get her to return outside with them IN her mouth and my trying to NOT get near them...........YUK!
I must confess though the other day she did DROP the "deceased" lizard (BIG) under the dining room table and I actually picked it up by its dead tail and slung it into the garden.........DOUBLE YUK!. I might have to increase my blood pressure medicine if this keeps up.......
Ok, dear readers, how do I let her know that "presents" aren't necessary?

A great "read"

At the Monday Morning Cafe Klatch last week I was given "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson to read............oh my gosh, what a fabulous book. It is a true account of the building of the World's Fair in Chicago in 1893. A fascinating read for so many reasons. Many, many things we take for granted came out of that fair....the Ferris wheel, shredded wheat and too many other things to mention.....you MUST read it. One of the MOST amazing things to me was that architects from NYC, Chicago and Kansas City worked together to build this incredible fair in less then 2 years and were able, most of the time, to get along, sort of...........I wish we could reincarnate these men to come up for a plan and a team to rebuild New Orleans.
The research that Larson did to write this book is staggering. It reads like a novel but in fact, is true.
I have to add it to my list of favorite books that I have read in my lifetime! Hope you find time to enjoy it also.

Friday, September 28, 2007

"Dagnabbit"

That's what it sounded like when people used to say that instead of curse words.....sure don't know how to spell it!
It is raining here today..........the flowers are happy.......but this is the BIG weekend for the celebration of St. Michael the Archangel Day and many indigenous people come in to parade and dance in their Indian costumes for two days.............the Voladeros take the bus from the State of Veracruz (6 hours) to get here and depend on the tips for their bus fare here and back......if it rains, no tips. That's what happened last year. One of the Voladeros approached me to buy his costume so they would have money to get back home......I couldn't, but a friend did buy it. Sad.
I think this rain is from Hurricane Lorenzo that came in about 6 hours east of us at Tuxpan this morning. Hopefully it will be over tomorrow when the parades begin.
Tonight at midnight as many people as wish, stand in front of the Parroquia (the big church) and sing Las Mananitas (Happy Birthday) to St. Michael. It is very poignant. Then at 3AM the Alborada happens - it is the battle of good (St. Michael) and bad (the devil) in the form of rockets, fireworks and heaven knows what else. People are warned to have umbrellas or pieces of cardboard as armor to prevent being burned by falling embers. I only had to see this event once.............3AM, get burned..........Not my idea of fun. Then at 6AM they have another Las Mananitas. I wonder if that is to see who was brave enough to survive the night! Ha.
I have giiven all my photographs to someone of all of the above and when I get them back, I'll share some on the blog.
NEVER a dull moment in San Miguel!

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

Funny blog

If any of you out there raised kids, you will find www.mom2my6pack.blogspot.com hilarious. I read about it in the Houston Chronicle and brought the article back so when I had a minute, or more, I could read it. Not only is it hilarious, she has been contacted by a publisher to do a book,
By a producer from Nickelodeon asking her to write a TV series and a movie producer! Gosh, and I thought we just wrote these blogs as a catharsis.............
Check it out for a good chuckle.

A "sea" of post-it notes

I have always prided myself on my organizational abilities.......but it seems those skills are going by the wayside...........or else I'm slowing down and can't get as much done. Who knows?
I have resorted to lime-green (obnoxious color) post-it notes to remind me of things to do......they are posted arround the screen of my computer so I don't spend TOO much time reading blogs.......like Billiesblog, First Mate and Traveling Shoes.......
So, the post-it notes range from "email Oaxaca", "cancel Ajijic"," buy 2 wedding and 2 birthday cards" and the all important one "street lights".
Yes, the battle is on again, the street lights on the side street of my house have been out now for about a month........it is darker then the bottom of a well at night...........and there are no houses around me so if I screamed it would be just me and the coyotes. I DO feel a sense of security with the street lights as I feel they deter "whatever"!
Back to the post-it notes.......I think I used to be able to keep all this info in my brain and now with all these lists it seems daunting. Either that or I have too much to do..........and then people ask me what do I do all day! Yipes.

Saturday, September 22, 2007

Happy Birthday Vandy!

Hi Vandy! Happy Birthday - the secret is out! The entire population (I'm exaggerating) of Texas now knows you're 65. The "Voice of Galveston" keeps on "mouthing off" at banquets, bar mitzvahs, weddings and on the Bolivar ferry - thank goodness. What a life you have had! You have rolled into this 65 years more then 10 people............or 20...........truly!
It has been my joy and pleasure to know you and Sue and to have laughed so many times at your stories and to have shared so many special times.
I would have posted a photo of you but I couldn't possibly "top" the one I posted of you in your Mardi Gras gear earlier this year!
You are truly "one of a kind"! Thanks for the memories!

Family Time is the Best!

Family time IS the best! This trip to Texas was ALL about that. From the football game where we all got to see Jessica marching on the high school field with her band (the high school too that her Mom, aunt and uncle graduated from) to hanging out in the pool with the kids to shopping with the girls...........all of it was great fun and super memories.............It's the little things that happen during the big things that bring the chuckles and smiles to me. The photo above is Hannah, Christopher (Jennifer's little boy) and Emma. Christopher turned 9 and we had a birthday cake for him out by the pool where it didn't matter how much cake or frosting you got on you.............just jump in the pool! What fun.
Hannah, Emma and I went shopping and the fun of them picking out things to buy and then opting for satin pajamas, one with pandas and the other with puppies was fun to see. Then they each bought their own big animal slippers.........which they wore for the next two days. Only grandparents, I think, can understand the joy of this.........
Life is good!

Texas two steppin'

This is the BIG night of Jessica's 16th Birthday Bash! It was a fabulous evening with about eighty of her good friends. She is shown here with John and Lisa and her sisters Hannah and Emma. The invitations said to wear black or white and everyone did........ Next is Mom, (my daughter Julie) and my wonderful son-in-law Rich and Hannah, Andrew and Emma. They are such a beautiful family (I'm prejudiced)





And these are the friends of Jessica, who made this evening such fun. My faith in the future was strengthened by the courteous, polite and friendly kids that were at this gathering. What a fine group!

NEWS FLASH - NEWS FLASH - NEWS FLASH

John and Lisa were married on the beach in Galveston, Texas on Friday, September 21, 2007.I took this picture the first night that I met Lisa. I have NEVER before done that with a new friend of John's but at the time, I KNEW, somehow I KNEW this was the one! She is adorable, spunky and perfect for John. She loves the symphony and she loves hiking - perfect for John.
I took this picture with me to Texas in June and showed it around - again something I had never done before...............little did I know that my new grandchild was being created. I'm so thrilled for John to have a life partner and soulmate and I'm thrilled that I have a new daughter. What joy they have ahead of them in their lives. I'm beside myself that they are going to be living in San Miguel and I will have a little granddaughter to enjoy again as I did all of the others!
Isn't life amazing?

Wednesday, September 05, 2007

Headin' to Texas

Headin' up the road to Texas - "catch you later" as we say in Texas!

Tuesday, September 04, 2007

Carmela's Beauty Salon

Ok, I confess, I splurge and have a manicure and pedicure once a month at a little Mexican shop in town. It is ALWAYS, ALWAYS an adventure! The place is usually packed with women..........and a few men. The shop has been around for 30 or 40 years, they say.
So today, I no sooner sit down and Lupe and Alma get ready to work on me and all but one of the flourescent bulbs (those long slender ones) go out. It was pretty darn dark in there and I'm hoping they are not going to try to continue with no light - but I sit patiently. Lupe gets up, gets a broom and starts pusHing at these lights at about 10 - 12 feet off the ground. I'm thinking "hmmmm-interesting". So she pushes and touches and voila..........all the lights come on! How could I have ever doubted her ability? She then sat down and proceeded to do her work as though nothing had happened. I just giggled to myself inside. I would never be able to go to those fancy-schmancy new salons in town - it would be SO boring!

Saturday, September 01, 2007

Billieblog

I met Billie about 5 years ago, I think. It is a friendship that has slowly evolved. I love her "matter-of-factness" and "down to earthness" in this day and time. Because of HER blog, I decided I wanted to do that too. Her blog is www.billiemercer.blogspot.com You'll enjoy it!
We're both from Houston but didn't know each other there - although we HAVE discovered over time that we have mutual friends! Her husband Ned is "a dear"!
Billie is more then an accomplished photographer - she is also a passionate and knowledgeable one. A website www.pbase.com/billie_mercer/xilitla shows photos that she took at Edward James surreal sculpture gardens, Las Pozas. I've seen LOTS of photos of this place, even the ones in Smithsonian magazine a zillion years ago, but hers really, really capture the surrealness (is that a word?) of this magnificent place. Her understanding of light staggers me.......
I could go on and on about her talent and her awards, but suffice to say Billie is one of those "real" people in this town that you feel honored to know.