Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Children's Day in Mexico

Now before you say EVERYDAY is children's day - DON'T! Yes, in the US that might be close to the case but in Mexico, not..............The town was all a twitter (is that a word?). As I left the house, there were balloons up all over the school and a special treat had been prepared for each child, some candy and ICE CREAM! Oh how Mexicans LOVE ice cream.............then as I continued down the hill the kindergarten was leaving and each had either a tiny doll for the girls or a tiny truck for the little boys. The smiles were priceless.
The talk in town was of the fact that tomorrow is a NATIONAL holiday - eveything closed - May 1st - "The Day of the Worker" and then Monday is "Cinco de Mayo"............three days all in almost one week. Whew!
People were scurrying around to get all their errands done in preparation for whatever is going to happen.........who knows? EVERYTHING will be closed tomorrow.

SHOCK and AWE

Another surprising "environment" is the home of Anado and Richard bought in 2001 for nearly nothing...............it WAS a plain house - it too is a "work in progress". Their vision has created a marvel. Traveling out of town for about 8 miles in a different direction from Timmyland, you turn off the "paved" road onto a dirt road around the church in the village of Cieneguita. As you traverse up the hill, the spire of the house comes into view. WOW - another surreal place to see!
Everywhere you look is something to see, be it in the garden, on the buildings or the fountains you pass on your way to the entrance. A delight. The house is called Casa de Las Ranas - the House of the Frogs - why, I don't know............

Anado is a master artist and collage/assemblage creator and works daily on his extraordinary creations with his assistant/collaborator, Carlos, a local Chichimeca Indian. Carlos' magical creations in tile can be see all over the property. Anado's work is sought after by collectors worldwide. Each is truly "one of a kind"!
Color is everywhere and quirky things catch your eye and make you giggle...........everywhere! What a happy place to see.
This is another of the unusual, surreal sites that the tour group will see in August - you're getting a preview!




Tuesday, April 29, 2008

TIMMYLAND

Step into a fantastical, organic, other-worldly environment ten minutes from San Miguel. To get there you must drive down a narrow dirt road , of course with no signs, and as you come to the multiple acres, you begin to see two or three story serpents out of lightweight concrete. The colors are accurate and even when you get up close after entering the grounds, as seen below, it's hard to believe your eyes. Featured on BBC and HGTV's Extreme Homes, this is the environment and former home of a Texan who has returned to the states. However, the "environment" is a work in progress.
Tim "aka" of Timmyland purchased the land in the erly 90's and began construction in 1996. He lived with his family on the premises until 2001. Yes, the picture above is an "octopus" sink.

Somewhat influenced by Edward James' Sculpture Gardens, Las Pozas, in Xilitla in the State of San Luis Potosi and the Gaudi influence, Tim went "off" on his own journey to create this vision of "FUN" and surrealism.

Don't you just love the curves and swirls of this house? There also is a huge building with a door large enough for large scale sculptures to be taken in and out or large canvases - perfect for an artist's studio.

And, last but not least, is the door into one of the houses on the property. (I'm sure you know you can click on the photos to see enlargements so you can see ALL the detailing.)
The house was built out of lightweight concrete applied to a wire mesh screening. It is a product similar to something used in refineries and areas that need a concrete product to protect structural beams from high intensity fires. It takes color well..........
This is just one stop on the "outsider art" tour that I have planned for a group in August.




Monday, April 28, 2008

Heading to Sayulita

I'm off next week to the beach...to a place called Sayulita which is north of Puerto Vallarta. It was not in my "long range" plans to do this trip - it just came up. I've been so focused on the trip the end of May to Chiapas that I really, really hesitated to make this journey. BUT let me tell you why I'm going............. The "gypsy" kids are getting ready to leave the end of May for their "GREAT" adventure and they are going to Sayulita. So, it seems that if I want to spend time with them and Matilda I better "get with the plan" and head over to the beach for a week..........it WILL be fun! Lisa's parents will be going too and other friends - so it will NOT be like my usual quiet, tranquil, reading books on the beach trip............
I MUST confess this is what I HOPE Sayulita is like..........empty beaches, great palapas for seafood............I KNOW there won't be a thatched roof cottage to stay in...........but clear skies, good water and seafood will suffice.

I also must confess, these photos are of a wonderful area called Yelapa just south of Puerto Vallarta that you can only get to by panga or the "barf boat". I used to go stay there every chance I got...........haven't been there in ten years - wonder if it is still the same. The "pie lady" and the coconuts falling on the roof in the morning as the kids climbed up the trees for the nuts for the pie lady! Paradise.

So, I'll let you know what I find when I get to Sayulita...........hopefully another paradise!



Sunday, April 27, 2008

A "Must Read" for all Ex-pats

I read this book aobut eight years ago at the suggestion of Warren Hardy, the language school guru here in town. It was the BEST read even though I had been doing business in Mexico for twenty years. It is concise and well written. I do take exception to some of his hypothesis and comments about the female role in Mexico and women doing business in Mexico - as I know that scenario first hand and do not agree with many of his comments. BUT here are just a few categories that many people are not aware of and reading how these categories tie back into the culture adds a sensitivity to living her. The chapter titles "The Importance of Music and Singing", "The importance of Literature", and the chapters on Mexicans and time is very very enlightening..........the bottom line is remembering that Mexico has not even been a democracy for 100 years.........
I just found this book at a garage sale (it is out of print I think) and reread it again and learned a lot again..............
Read it if you can find it! Many "aha" moments.

Saturday, April 26, 2008

A Three Minute Roadtrip

"Narrow Larry" who lives in Houston is the creator and leader of "Eyeopener Tours" for the Orange Show, usually. This year he graciously handed that off to me - stay tuned for wild and wacky photos in September of the outrageous and wonderful sights, rarely seen in and around San Miguel.........
So "Narrow Larry" went off on a road trip to West Texas and New Mexico..........many, many miles. (You realize that getting to El Paso is as far as driving to Chicago, truly) so he is "scouting the new, wild and wacky for his next trip that I will DEFINITELY be on, probably in 2009 or 2010........
If you would like to see how much fun all of this is..........go to www.narrowlarry.com/wtnmone.html and enjoy - especially Casa de Azucar. It is truly indescribable............and "Ran Horn who does Van Gogh in Van Horn". I met he, his wife and their wacky cat years and years ago.......glad to know the wackiness is still in Van Horn! So funny. This is allllllllllll about not taking life too seriously - ya know? And, enjoying people's compulsion to create............whatever.

Cafe Monet

You just never know what the day is going to bring...........up and in the garden by 7:30 this morning to prune and replant...........aaah, soooo cool and wonderful! Mission accomplished and then I decided I would pop over to the Alma big monthly Garage Sale to see if they had any gauzy shirts for the next 6 weeks of heat..............nada, but I did find two folding chairs to just pop up for a quick seat anywhere in the gardens - spontaneity at it's best!
Ran into a friend who said, "Let's go have breakfast at Cafe Monet" and since I had heard so much about it in the last few days, I agreed.
Dazzling beautiful interiors is all I can say! A bit of Europe in San Miguel. Big comfy overstuffed chairs, sofas, wood furniture and a beautiful beamed wooden ceiling along with luscious artwork...........it's first class. You order breakfast or lunch at the counter and pay when you order (very smart) and the prices are so inexpensive that I was shocked. A new place to add to the list of dining experiences in San Miguel.

Thursday, April 24, 2008

A Poignant Conversation

It does me good to get out of town and drive the road through the "Jolly Green Giant" countryside to Celaya. I love the drive and there is always something being planted, baled or harvested as it was today.

I went to Walmart to pick up a few weird things I can't find in San Miguel and as I came out to unload stuff into the car, a young man came up to ask me if I needed help or wanted the car cleaned. (ALL of this conversation was in Spanish.) He DID notice that my license plates were form Texas and asked me where in Texas and I replied Houston. His eyes lit up and he said, "Ah, Galveston"..........and I said yes that was near Houston. I asked him if his family was there or in Celaya and he said that no his family was in El Salvador! Wow, I was caught off guard. I asked him how long since he had seen his family and he said almost a year. He told me he wanted to get to Galveston so he could fish and shrimp as his father does in El Salvador. He then can send money home for his family - his sisters and brothers. He got to Celaya on the top of a train......this young man is about the age of my granddaughter who will be 17 in September.

It was gut wrenching for me to think of the danger this young man faces trying to go the rest of the way - how will he hold onto this dream to make money for his family? Will it be worth it? Will people be kind to him? Will he make it?

Then I think of the life of my granddaughter who has so many friends and plays in the high school band and yes, she studies hard and has a lot of responsibilities, BUT she is safe and has parents and siblings and relatives as a support system................I can't get this kid out of my mind. Multiply him by all the others who will face danger, hunger and who knows what and I want to tell all those who do "hate" the illegal immigrants - there but for the grace of God - it could be you!

The young man from El Salvador thanked me for talking with him...........WOW!

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Blessed, blessed Rain

I find the title of this blog so funny.........because if anyone had told me ten years ago I would be praying for rain, I would have ordered a psycho test for them. I can remember it raining for 28 days straight when I, my husband, and three children under four years old first moved to Houston. I thought I would lose my mind.............

Well now that I'm living where the average rainfall is 13 inches, that's right 13 inches of rainfall a YEAR - I PRAY for rain............we haven't had any since January and the dust, the heat now, and the poor plants were really sad. BUT it is raining, it is thundering, it is lightning and if someone didn't live in the house across the way, I might run outside naked and dance in it............

Sure doesn't take much to thrill me anymore, does it?

:Ladies who Lunch"

I NEVER fit into this scene - never have! Maybe it's because I always worked and had important things on my mind or decisions to make. But now, I know that I'm not a "surface" talker - never have been!

I was invited to a lovely potluck luncheon yesterday and I thought it was so nice to be included. I so like the person who had the luncheon and she is a very kind lady and fun. I respect her so much because she is her own person and unique.

It was funny on the way over with my "hippy chick" friend Gayle that we were talking about aging and how totally unimportant our looks are anymore and that living life is waaaaaaay more important. I remember mentioning that about ten years ago as I realized my "looks were going" that I purposely read about many accomplished women - Eleanor Roosevelt, Golda Meir, Margaret Thatcher, just to name a few, to remind myself that accomplishment didn't require looks.

So, we get to this luncheon and lo and behold a woman of fifty has a machine to stop aging, wrinkles etc. and she only paid $5000 US for it. She started worrying about this at 35! Good grief...............She is a beautiful woman and I talked with her at length but I so wanted to say, "Honey, it's about what's inside, not outside!"

San Miguel seems to be attracting more and more women who are having face lifts and boob jobs and whatever else people do to stop aging. Don't they know you can't? I think I would rather take that money and go on a trip!

Monday, April 21, 2008

Cleaning out a cabinet

Just in case you think that living in Mexico has no reality - it does. There are routine things that have to be done from time to time - but not many. My son and daughter-in-law are having a garage sale soon in preparation for their "great adventure" in the Airstream with the black lab and two month old baby. So needless to say they are getting rid of almost EVERYTHING. I decided I might as well see if I had anything to contribute. I have learned NOT to be a packrat here since I am in a small house with very, very little storage. However, there was this one cabinet that had stacks of papers and I knew some of it was "design related" and since I don't do that anymore it was time to get rid of it..............amongst the papers were two newspaper articles I had saved about Mexico since 1987! I DO have a big basket where I keep books and articles on Mexico as people are always calling me for guides, hotels and things to do in various places. I thought I had everything in one place. Ah ha, a stray couple of articles.

Much to my surprise there was a fabulous article on Malinalco about the Eagle and Jaguar pyramid that I went to last July. I obviously never read that article because I had never heard of Malinalco until I went there. It doesn't sound like it has changed at all in 21 years. It is a bit of shangri-la in Mexico. I wrote previously about it in July or August 2007. These articles were in the Houston Chronicle and I"m sure if you did a search of their archives you could read the articles.

I did throw away the "design" related stuff and found a few photo frames and a cute Dutch tin box to sell in the sale.

It always gives me a sense of accomplishment to clean out a closet or cabinet. Does it do that for you?

Sunday, April 20, 2008

"Specialty" tours

One of the things I do to keep myself "out of trouble" and busy is to bring a specialty tour to San Miguel once a year. Last year it was a culinary group of chefs, restauranteurs, cookbook authors, etc. The year before that it was Mexican folkart enthusiasts and collectors.

This year it is The Orange Show of Visionary Arts - www.orangeshow.org. The people that are coming are outsider art enthusiasts. There are many schools of thought as to what identifies "outsider art" but mine is that anyone who has a compulsion to create with no thought of resale or critiques but for the pure enjoyment or satisfaction of creation. These are unschooled people in the arts. I've been an avid follower and visitor to outsider environments for ten or fifteen years. There is a wonderful blog, www.detourarttravels.blogspot.com if you want to see some magnificent environments. Be sure to look at Casa Azucar (the House of Sugar) in El Paso. It is extraordinary. I think my friend Larry who I have traveled on the Eyeopener Tours with in the past is scouting for the next tour that I will ABSOLUTELY be on in 2009.

So, I've been busy working on the itinerary for this group and looking for quirky environments like the Mummy Museum in Guanajuato and Timmyland in Atotonilco. It really is fun to plan these tours and to see the surprise and elation on the faces of the participants when you have exceeded their expectations. It will be five days chockablock full of travels, surprises, great food and Mexican culture. I have artesans from throughout Mexico coming to participate in a special mercado for these folks among other things.

Next year is already booked with a "foodie" group who want to come and eat their way through the Colonial cities of Mexico. Won't I have fun putting that tour together? I already have some ideas............

This specialty tour thing is an extension of my desire to share the beauty of Mexico with the people of the world who might not have any idea of this rich culture.

Friday, April 18, 2008

Friends on the Blog

People look at me strangely when I say I love blogging and that I have made "friends" on the blog! They just don't get it, but then..what's new? Most people haven't "gotten" me my whole life. They used to think it was weird that I worked as much and fast as I could just so I could go on another trip. In other words, an old friend said, "You only work to play!" "Well yes" I would say...............well, at least that was my attitude after my kids were all raised and gone - prior to that it was "survival".
But, back to the "Friends on the blog". I LOVE meeting the people that I'm corresponding with or getting comments from.............I swear the bloggers probably know more about me then my family does.........hmmm, message there. And, right now as I write this a group is in Isla Mujeres having a "gathering" of bloggers in that neck of the woods, or beach.......HOW FUN. I would love to have known about that earlier and gone over to meet all these people that I read about and correspond with.............
Isn't it fun and interesting and thought provoking? There is a blogger who has been gone on vacation who comments often on my blog and it's like a good friend has left town and isn't around to critique or comment............Another dimension of life!

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Xochimilco

Xochimilco is an enchanted place. I had read about it for years and years and used some of its imagery in murals in the many, many Mexican restaurants I had designed in the USA....but I never TRULY saw it until last year. Jo Brenzo who is a photographer and also teaches was taking a few people to an "outsider" environment called "The Island of the Dolls" and so I decided I would go along even though I'm NOT a photographer. The other people had fancy, schmancy cameras and I had my little Olympus "point and shoot. I didn't care though because I wanted to see the island. So, we arrived early in the morning, about 8AM. Xochimilco is 30 minutes from the Historic District but light years away......... We arrived to see all the pole boats as seen in the above photo which was magical to me. We boarded a boat that Jo had made arrangements for and proceeded to head for the locks where we would enter the canals and champas of Xochimilco...........As we came out of the locks and poled along, we came around a bend and here was this bridge. If any of you have ever been to Giverney in France or seen pictures of Monet's home, this scene reminded me so much of that place.
I was stunned by the beauty. I had no expectations or preconceived notions so it was just breathtaking the farther we went down the canals. There were pole boats with people who had their bicycles who were heading to work; there were fisherman with their dog in the back casting nets and I just observed and felt like I was in a fairyland. These canals and floating islands are all used for commerce by the indigenous peoples. They grow 30% of the nursery stock for Mexico in this area and everything is "poled" to a walkway to offload. The silence was magical and large white cranes were flying around and songbirds were trilling...only 30 minutes from a city of 27 million people!
Here is a photo of a man with a boat taking a load of poinsettas to market. I don't know where he came from because there are thousands of acres and I wondered how long his day would be....

This champa which is part of the system that the Aztecs invented is over 500 years old. If this were not ejido land which was set aside for the indigenous, I'm sure developers would be in here building high-rises and who knows what else. The air is so clean and clear that you can see Popo in the background of this photo.

We DID make it to the "Island of the Dolls" which was an environment that had over the years grown to hundreds of dolls hung by a Mexican man around his house and studio etc. I found it creepy and it felt, to me, that it was contrived. I've been to lots and lots of environments all over the world, but this one did not thrill or amaze me. I did photograph it.........but Jo's photos that she used in a book called Isla Mujeres, I think, are wonderful. She used all kinds of special lens and imaging. I would think you could put Jo Brenzo, Island of the Dolls, or whatever into a search engine..........and see lots. Jo will be taking a group to this area in July - I will probably return again.

So, instead of going to a "tourist" place which I've always been told Xochilmilco is, I saw a community of life that I will never forget. It is probably one of the most beautiful, serene, places I've seen in Mexico.
On the way back, this woman was sitting in her boat making floral arrangments and there was another man sitting in his boat reading a book. Aah, Mexico - living in the "moment"!





Monday, April 14, 2008

The Coatamundi and the Sugar Bowl

I will start to tell you this TRUE story by saying, NO I do not have any photos to add to this blog. AND I will tell you that this REALLY is a true story. I was at a party tonight and I don't know how the heck the story came up but someone who reads the blog said, "Gosh, you NEED to tell that story on your blog!" So, here it is.........

About three years ago, one night I heard a noise in the kitchen. It sounded to me like the lid fell off the sugar bowl. I was already in bed. My way of dealing with that was to close and lock my bedroom door which is downstairs from the living room, dining room and kitchen. I wasn't about to go upstairs and see who was up there..........It never occurred to me to call the police.

So the next morning I went up and sure enough the lid was off the antique flow-blue sugar bowl and there were little paw prints EVERYWHERE. Ok, I've had raccoons in my house before in Texas so I know what paw prints that come down the chimney look like........yup, little sooty prints everywhere. Lordy, I prayed that thing, whatever it was, was NOT in the house. So when the maid and gardener came we moved everything in the kitchen and NOTHING. Whew. HOW it got out I have no clue............could it possible have gone back UP the chimney, whatever it was?
So, I figured it was just a weird thing that would NEVER happen again and I went to bed that night, but with my door closed. By gosh, about an hour after the lights were out......it happened again. So now I knew it wasn't a human being and that whatever it was would be more scared of me then I of it........(maybe) and I got my BIG flashlight and went up the stairs to open the door into the courtyard so whatever it was could get out........THAT's when I saw it. On the kitchen counter and oh crap, it was BIG.........like the size of a raccoon. So, I quickly ran over to the door, flung it open, and ran down the stairs as fast as I could and locked my door. No "whatever" the next morning, but the sugar bowl lid was off, again.
SO that night, I barricaded the fireplace opening in the living room with plywood, a table leaning against the plywood and I don't remember what all else. By god, that thing moved all of that and , you guessed it, tipped the sugar bowl (which by now had nothing in it).
ENOUGH already...........when I described it to the gardener he said it was a coatamundi. Ok, now what...............We cut the limb off the tree that gave the "creature" access to the roof and the fireplace chimney. And that truly is the tale of the coatamundi and the sugar bowl. Living in Mexico is ALWAYS an adventure!

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Ceramica de Tlaquepaque

Artes de Mexico is a publication in Mexico that anyone interested in Mexico searches out for the areas of interest they want to know about. One of the latest issues is about the Ceramics of Tlaquepaque that were popular in the era of 1920-45. Although I never collected this work and seldom have seen it, I have other reasons to be interested in this issue. First of all, an organization that I have belonged to for many years helped to underwrite this issue both with photography, articles and I believe financially. The group is Los Amigos del Arte Popular. A very knowledgeable group of people and fun to travel and meet with, always.
If you're interested you can go to www.ladap.org for more information. The group is located in the USA but do travel to Mexico at least once a year. I got involved while still living in the US.

Secondly, I exported out of Tlaquepaque and Tonala for twenty years and probably could walk through those villages, if they were still like they had been, blindfolded. Many, many days and hours of strolling and meeting with artisans, factory owners, shop keepers and freight consolidators. Quite magical places back then. Often the streets were empty and of course, now that those areas have been discovered, I doubt they are ever empty now. Back when I met the woman who I used at a consolidator she was shipping equipale chairs to Italy and Australia......very little to the USA. A great friendship developed with Maggie and we became "family". It got to the point where I could call her from the USA, tell her what and how much I needed from a specific place and she would air freight or ship it to me. GREAT lady. BUT, that is ANoTher story.
Thirdly, Artes de Mexico is to me, one of the best publications I have ever been priviledged to read. An entire issue is dedicated to one subject matter. I would hate to tell you how many issues I have, but when I travel I always look for a CONACULTA bookstore or place where I can find them. NOW we have such a store here in San Miguel inside Bellas Artes. Oh boy, I have to be careful. Books are my passion! In fact, when I went to buy this book I saw several other things I was interested in but I HAD to buy this and walk out - otherwise it would have been disasterous financially..........Oh by the way, most isues cost around $18 US, 200 pesos in Mexico.
Hope, if you're interested, you'll find Artes de Mexico and start a love affair with Mexico, or continue it.

The Big "DO"

Well, the big "do" last Sunday evening came off without a hitch! Weather was great...the streets weren't closed off by the celebration of San Jose...........and no fireworks until late, late that night after everone had gone home.
A celebration like that (it was for my birthday but no one knew but me, sort of) reminds one of why your life is so full and rich. I did say, in a toast, that, "If the richness of your life is measured in family and friends, then I'm a very rich woman". And I meant it.
Observations - as much fun as it was to do a big "do", I realized that I like the small 4-6 people dinners where afterward everyone hunkers down and has good conversations. And, what do you do with all the leftover food when you've sent tons home with people? Well, I ended up freezing brisket...........for another small gathering........some day. The ribs that my son John prepared were gone in a flash! Only two restaurants cook ribs here in San Miguel and they are short ribs and not very meaty like the ones he got at the carniceria here. Everyone LOVED them. Oh and the tres lech cakes from Casa Feliz had people asking WHERE could they get a cake like that.
All in all a wonderful memory! Oh and darn it, I forgot to take photos............ces't la vie.

Friday, April 11, 2008

A view of San Miguel's iconic Parroquia

Here is a photo sent to me by my friend Keith. It has now become my screensaver. It is a view of the iconic Parroquia and the mountains in the distance. Isn't it beautiful? Click on it to enlarge the image and savor the beauty.

Wednesday, April 09, 2008

ELVIS is in the casa!

I received this birthday card of Elvis from my friend of the MOST years - Kathy. We have been friends since the third grade in Shreveport, La! Yup, over a half century.......good heavens! The card is actually a cut-out of Elvis and it brought back soooooooo many memories. You see we grew up in Shreveport, home of the Louisiana Hayride where Elvis was discovered and where my sister-in-law worked before she married my brother. She dated Elvis! After my sister-in-law died last year, I looked at photos of her when she and Bob married and she was exquisitely beautiful. Surprisingly, there were some similarities in her looks to Priscilla's looks when she was a teenager. The cool thing of this whole story is that whenever Elvis was anywhere near the two towns that my brother and sister-in-law lived, tickets were sent to them to attend his concerts.
Strolling down memory lane...........Kathy and I had our first double-date together and her Dad drove us to the dance. I remember my date's name - I wonder if Kathy remembers hers.............. Kathy and I see each other every couple of years and when we get together and start chattering, it is like NO time has passed. We have been through the births of kids, grandkids, the deaths of our spouses and my daughter and all the time that friendship has held! It's a treasure.
Too bad Elvis isn't still around to sing.............LOVE ME TENDER.

Tuesday, April 08, 2008

The "new" family

This photo was my birthday present from John, Lisa, Matilda and Dusty! The story is as cute as the picture. They did a "time release" photo which meant John would push the button ON the digital camera, run across the room, grab the dog and take the photo. Well of course the dog thought this was a game so many, many photos later with everyone smiling, including Dusty they got the photo. Pretty cute, huh? Oh, and the rocker Lisa is sitting in is one that John bought at a house sale and has saved for years to have covered. He covered it in a tartan print that he saved for years also. Now he has a family to share it allllllllllll with - HOW DIVINE!

Sunday, April 06, 2008

It's the "little" things!

I HAD to write this before I forget about it. I'm running aorund like a "chicken with my head cut off" this morning doing last minute things for the big "do" tonight. So I run to Casa Feliz to pick up the cakes and the young girl comes out and closes the car doors for me after I get all three cakes positioned so they don't fall off the seats as I go up the steep hill to my house. Aaah, how nice!
Then I go to OXXO, which is like a 7-Eleven in the states, to buy 6 bags of ice. I pay and go to lug them to the car and again, the cashier comes from behind the register and helps me get the bags down the stairs of the store and into the back of the car. Aaah, how nice!
To top it off, I get home and now have all of the stuff to get through the gate and either into the house or into the ice chests and two young boys are walking down the street and rush over and begin to help me again lug the ice. I offer them a tip and they say, "No gracias". Aaah, how nice!
I have a smile on my face and a warm heart.........can you tell I LOVE Mexico?

Friday, April 04, 2008

"Growing like "Topsy"


The Procession of San Jose on Cuesta de San Jose last year....................

I don't know where that phrase comes from but it's appropriate for this situation. I decided about a month ago to have a dinner party out in the gardens and on the roof terrace. Then began the task of inviting people...........I stopped at 60!................AND I had not invited all I would have liked to include, but I realized I couldn't get any more people here.........I don't think.

So then I decided NOT to cook but instead to have various restaurateurs prepare their best dishes. I ordered tables and chairs and silverware etc. So far so good.
Then today I heard that the Feast of San Jose that they didn't have the weekend close to March 19th for the Feast of St. Joseph because of Easter is, THIS weekend. OK, let me set the scene. Parades, music, dancing in the street, eating and having fun - always in the streets because the Mexicans' homes are not big enough, in most instances, for a street party. Of course the culmination will be FIREWORKS and guess where they set them off? You got it, right outside my house overlooking the canyon. I have to laugh! It is usually so tranquil here - hence the name, Casa Tranquila - BUT I have the feeling that this gathering on Sunday night is not only going to be multi-cultural (which I love) but also NOT tranquil.

Viva Mexico!

Wednesday, April 02, 2008

"Bonding"

Here is Matilda's first foray to the jardine where the "neat" meet and greet! In the photo is Lisa, Matilda's mom and my delightful and wonderful daughter-in-law, Julie, my amazing and awesome daughter and of course John, cradling and protecting the miracle of his life, Matilda. John is equally amazing and awesome..............Funny that you can only see Matilda's tiny feet. So, here's the deal. Lisa was going somewhere last Sunday so John said, "Why don't you come over for a few hours to spend time with Matilda?" So I did. I try to be VERY respectful of their privacy and don't go over unless invited....sometimes hard. So anyway, I go - Lisa leaves. John and I are talking and Matilda has a "meltdown" -( John's term). Basically she was crying, very hard, wouldn't stop and so as he paced I asked if I could hold her. He gave her to me. I pulled from my memory the repertoire of lullabies I have always used with the other grandchildren - you know, "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star", Bye O Baby Bunting" Zipadeedoda"
and a few others. She quieted, she looked at me and I SWEAR, she smiled. Now remember this baby just yesterday turned 6 weeks - It's a little early for "emotions". I felt a stirring in my heart. I started singing some more, John came to watch and it happened again............Lordy I choked up! How precious.
I eventually left, but I also left my heart there with Matilda. I started thinking of all the memories we will create. Time to play, time to bake, sew and play games. Time to take walks. Oh such a glorious time it will be. Then John told me they are leaving Mexico and buying an Airstream and traveling around the USA. What does a mother do? She says, "I think that's wonderful" and swallows hard........

Do YOU remember?

I remember like it was yesterday, the assassination of Martin Luther King. My husband and I were living in Baton Rouge, La. We were driving to Port Allen to look at a puppy someone had for sale to give as a gift to our children. It was two days before my birthday, so, I think it was probably somehow a gift for me also! I can remember the view out the window of the car when the news came on the radio. Shock, dismay, disbelief.
We immediately turned the car around and went home. We never saw or got the puppy. I had been raised in a family of civil rights strong belief. I had seen my parents persecuted because of their belief in equal rights for all and I was so devastated at the death of a man who believed in demonstrating in a non-violent and peaceful way for the rights of his people.
Who could have believed that on June 5th of the same year that Robert Kennedy too would be assassinated? 1968 was a tragic year. I think it impacted who we are as a generation forever. My children were 3,5 and 7 at the time.
I pray and hope that my belief in equal rights for all peoples is the legacy I have left to my family, if nothing else.
Where were you on April 5, 1968? How did it affect your life?

Tuesday, April 01, 2008

The "shady" side of the street

About seventeen years ago while working on a residential restoration, I happened to be in Puerto Vallarta in August. Little did I know that most of the stores close that month because it is unbearably hot...but there I was with construction crews, furniture restorers, etc. etc. etc. So onward I trudged........lordy it was HOT! It was so darn hot that I slept on the tile floor at night with a pillow because it was the only cool place to be...........
Anyway, I digress. It will NEVER be that hot in San Miguel - I can assure you. But, I learned something lo those many years ago - to always walk on the shady side of the street. As I slowly walked up the hill from the river to Gringo Gulch I noticed (a) that the people walk VERY slowly and (b) that they are ALWAYS in the shade.
I have adopted that method and it will serve me well for the next couple of months as the temps heat up. In fact, I walked on the shady side of the street today both going down the hill and coming back up it Today's high is supposed to be 92!
Funny thing is, two weeks ago all the Mexicans were saying "mucho frio" or were talking about the winds - in three places today AND even the taxi driver said, "mucho color"............makes me grin to myself..............