My Dad

 

You would think that if I were going to write a post about my Dad that there would be a photo of him. No, this warming cover is more a portrait of my Dad then a photo would be.

It's a warming cover for food from World War II. It brings back the most delicious memories for me each time I see it. I use it often, especially on the weekends when I allow myself a large country breakfast.

Dad was in the Navy. He headed up the Cook and Baker's school in Portsmouth, NH. The base was a place where German prisoners were held during the war until they were released and returned home. My Dad always loved to cook and it is amaizng that during the time he was in the service he helped to provide nourishment for those who needed it so much.

After the war we always waited with great anticipation on the weekends for Dad's homemade biscuits. Oh my gosh. They were about two inches high. I have never been able to match his exquisite creations. But, as I eat my home made biscuits on the weekend and use the warming cover, he's there with me, each and every time. Dad's secret for fabulous biscuits was a teeny bit of beer .........he was in the "beer business" as he said after the service.

It's funny how one thing jogs all the memories. When Dad died, of his personal belongings, all I wanted was this Navy issued warming cover and the Readers Digest condensed books that he had accumulated. In my mind's eye I remember him falling asleep at night reading these books. Others might have wanted jewelry or something of value, but I must say each time I look up at the bookshelves and see those books or use the warming tray on the weekends, my memories of my Dad are as strong as ever. They are treasures and priceless.

Do you have something from loved ones or friends that jog your memory on a regular basis? Isn't it wonderful?

Spam on the Blog

There has been an "anonymous" poster in the past few weeks who is posting ads on my blog. Even in Japanese........or Chinese.
Unfortunately I don't remember HOW to remove these nuisance posts. So, could someone remind me...........darn it.
And, in the meantime I've added back the need to post those silly little letters when you DO want to leave a real comment. Just til I "weed out" this irritating person who is posting.
Thanks for your understanding and help.

Scenario Quatro - A Little Bit of Paradise

 

 

 

 

For those quick witted, intellectually curious readers who realized yesterday that I had not written Scenario Four, here it is. I had to interrupt the series to post the adorable (in my humble opinion) photos of the munchkins on parade.

So, it is sort of anticlimatic to publish these serene, but beautiful photos. As I reclined on the chaise last Sunday after watching the field cleaning, wood hauling, shuttle bugging antics, I settled down and looked around at the beauty surrounding me. Up on the roof is the best. It restores me. It mellows me. It makes me grateful for my existence. It also allows me to realize that there was a time when I couldn't even see this beauty and now I revel in it.

I love to share it with all of you. Happy Days.

The future of Mexico!

 

 

 

 

I've said it before and I'll say it again, "One MUST be flexible to live in Mexico". I thought this last evening and I saw it in action today, over and over again.

I was supposed to go to Pozos today to visit my friend Gayle and to see her newest assemblages. They are selling in galleries now and going faster then the proverbial hotcakes, so I wanted to see them before they are all sold. Well at about 8PM last night THAT plan changed and the trip was moved to Saturday.

Ok, no problem. I had a list of "things to do" and I could always do those. Then this morning while getting ready to head down the hill, the phone rang and a delightful friend is in town from Sarasota. We talked and made plans to meet at Aurora for lunch to catch up on the last three years.........

Ok, no problem. I DO head down the hill and as I come around the corner at the intersection of Nunez and Mesones, a policeman pulls his motorcycle up and doesn't allow any traffic onto Mesones, one of the main streets into centro. What the heck? Then I looked farther on down the street and there were buses for as far as I could see. I said to him, "Desfile?" and he rolled his eyes and said, "Si".

I had asked and asked and been told the kindergarten parade of the wee ones dressed up as revolutionaries was scheduled for Friday. Obviously I was not the only one with the wrong information. The bus passengers were all bailing out of the buses and standing on the street to see what was going on.

I turned another corner and lo and behold.........there they were, all the mini revolutionaries. The future of Mexico.
A gaggle of little ones. I have to talk to myself when I see them. I say "You have enough photos from previous years (an understatement)" and "just keep walking". Ha, it never works. I'm out there bending down and taking photos one right after the other. It's a good thing my Picasa blogger site only allows me to post 4 photos per blog or ya'll would often be inundated with many more photos. Especially when it comes to the kids.

So, I was way laid, got photos for almost an hour and then went about my errands. SO glad I had my camera!

It certainly wasn't the day I had planned BUT that is the joy of living in the moment, Mexican style. Viva Mexico!

Scenario Tres

 

THIS scenario is quite funny, to me anyway, and interesting, if not astonishing. Whatever this creature is on the bottom, it walked along the wall all the time that I was photographying scenarios one and two. I mean it plodded and paced the top of the wall like a father in the waiting room anticipating the birth of a newborn.

The first time I saw this creature going east on the wall, I was interested. But, when it turned around and came all the way back, I became mesmerized in whatever was going on. A ritual? A mating dance? Or a worried bug? Heck if I know.

To me it looked like the spaceship Columbia with the shuttle on top when it used to dip over NASA. This occurred every time it had to land in California and then be trasported back to Florida for the next launch. It would fly low over the area we lived in across from NASA. Many, many families would come out of their homes, stand in the front yard and wave. It always made my heart swell with pride.

So my "shuttle bug" just kept on with its mission. Five times this bug made the long trek from end to end of the wall.

Anyone have any idea what it is and why it was doing that?

Just one of the many things I saw on Sunday while enjoying the roof terrace..........life is a trip, isn't it?

Scenario Dos - Hauling the Wood

 

 

 

 

As I peeked over the wall from the roof terrace yesterday afternoon to see if the parents had finished cleaning up the side yard of the school, I thought it interesting to see four piles of wood neatly stacked. I knew something or someone was coming for that precious wood. We live in the alto plano with limited large trees. Many of the families still cook over woodburning stoves. I knew it would not be wasted.

I was right. Shortly the woman from down the hill appeared ready to haul off the wood. I think she is the same woman where the goat herd lived before it disappeared. No, the goats didn't live in her yard, but, rather they went inside her house every night when they came up from the canyon floor. She would milk them and sell the goat milk. About a year ago the goats disappeared. Lock stock and barrel. Along with the crippled shepherd. I missed them so much for a while and have often wondered what happened to them. I also wondered how this woman survived without the money from the goat milk.

So, I watched with fascination as she trudged carefully down the hill with the first batch of wood. If it had been me, it would have been four trips. But no, she combined all the wood into two piles. Her second trip up to the school she had either a neighbor child or a grandson with her to help carry the bigger pieces down with her.

She hoisted this second bundle, bigger then the first, onto her shoulder and determinedly headed back home. The young boy was carrying one of the bigger logs on his shoulders. The last picture of them walking down the hill is slightly out of focus, but I just had to include it because to me it says so much.

It's the other side of San Miguel. Not the part that is photographed over and over by all the photographers who come here for pretty pictures, but the "real" life of San Miguel.

Every day is another segment of the "real" life of San Miguel.

Four scenarios

 

 

 

Here's the first. Sunday's are always special. I seldom watch TV, but CBS Sunday Morning is a "must watch" for me. I learn something each time I watch the show. In addition, I always make a hearty breakfast on Sundays - turkey bacon, homemade biscuits, eggs and fresh orange juice with my usual Community Coffee. YUM.

This morning I was irritated because I kept hearing, of all things, a "weed eater". Where the heck was that coming from? I got up looked out the dining room window and there were all kinds of people working in the school grounds across the road. They were cleaning up the dead grasses and weeds. So, always alert, I grabbed the camera and headed to the roof to photograph all these people working to clean up the school early on a Sunday morning. Usually it is a group of women with scythes and scarves around their heads. Today it was men with better tools. Along with the men, two sons sat patiently watching their dads working.

Scenario #2: Yesterday I heard a truck come to a halt after making much noise outside the dining room. I looked out the window at about 4:30 PM and under the truck were four legs working on it. I didn't think too much about it but at about 11PM last night I looked out again and those two men were still working on the truck, with flashlights. Surprisingly this morning one of the men was back. By about 3PM, he had finished the work and the truck drove away quietly and smoothly.

Here I thought that by staying home I wouldn't have anything to report on the blog, but au contraire. I have more then I can put in one post. As the day moved forward and I looked over the wall from the roof terrace, the men cleaning the school had cut up the wood from the weeds and pruning. It sat in neat piles near the school gate. Just wait til you see the next series of photos tomorrow and who came to get the wood.

Along with that scenario, a bug was carrying another bug on its back up and down the wall. It looked like the space shuttle when it flies across country with one on its back.

As if that wasn't enough, the views on the roof of the blooming flowers was just too much to keep to myself and I'll share that with you also in the coming days. Life is never dull if you just take time to notice!

The "Plan" for the Day

 

 

I had made a list of things to do today. It read like this. Find photos of roof coverings (my tenant wants a cover on his roof terrace similar to mine) Clean out and organize bodega (a mess similar to any storage place you have). Go to garage sales. Buy hanging basket to replace one that has died.

Instead, this is what has happened. There was NO wind when I got up. It was not cold in the house. "Aha", I said to myself, "Go to the roof with your coffee". I did. It was so beautiful, warm and sunny that I stayed up there to finish my coffee. THEN I scurried down. Now it's only about 10AM, put on my shorts and a tank top and went back up to lounge in the sun on this chaise. As I raised up at one point, I saw the red bird and got a photo of it.

Thats been my day so far and it's only noon. I've come in to get the book, The Shadow of the Wind, to reread and the heck with that list. There is always manana.

Hope your morning has been equally delightful.

Winter's Stillness

 

I don't know what is going on. I've been in a "clean out" mode for the last week. Maybe it is that I was semi-confined last week with the bruises and stitches. Who knows? But, I started cleaning out papers and "stuff" that I will never use and have no idea why I still have those things.........

I realize it isn't winter yet. But, when it is cloudy, overcast, blustery and cold, my mind says "Winter".

It's a good time for reflection, cleaning out stuff and as the squirrels do, storing nuts for the winter's stillness. In my sorting through papers, I came across many lists of books I wanted to read. I've consolidated all those papers into one list. Quite a diverse group of interests. I think I'll order them, now in paperback, for the cloudy overcast days.

None of them are literary giants but just subjects or writers that I am interested in reading. Here are some of the titles. Confessions of a Failed Southern Lady. 20th Century Mexican Art published by the Naples Florida Museum of Art. Nature Girl by Carl Hiassen (love this author). Yard Art and Handmade Places. Avoiding Prison and Other Noble Vacation Goals. Last, but not least, Surreal Eden about Las Pozas in the Sierra Gorda. There are more, but I don't want to bore you with the entire list.

Reading all those, plus cooking, gardening and creating gifts for the holidays ought to keep me content inside on the cold blustery days.

"Gypsy Kids" Update

For those of you who keep up with the "Gypsy Kids", here's the latest! They are still firmly ensconced in Colorado. They are loving every minute as they now have the "bear can" trailer and can head up into the mountains with Mati and Dusty the dog. They've named the little metal trailer "bear can" because there are bear claw marks on the outside of the frame. (The thought sends chills up my spine).

For those of you who haven't followed this blog for long, the "Gypsy Kids" are my son, daughter-in-law and newest granddaughter, Matilda. That's who is in the great photos above.

Life goes on. All are in high alert for the upcoming birth of Matilda's baby brother in early January.

The fairtrade dot com gift company, www.mountainavenue.com is doing great. Gift orders for the holidays are coming in and Son is busy, busy overseeing the growth of the company. Dauther-in-law is busy trying to keep it all and everyone together as only wives and mothers can do.

Mati, short for Matilda is growing leaps and bounds. Talking up a storm and still "signing" all her words, in addition to talking. Brilliant.

Our latest addition is a webcam to the mix, so I can play patty cake and read books to her. And she can say to me, "I love you Gammy" or "patty cake" or whatever and I am totally delighted and enthralled. Technology at its best.

I marvel that the "Gypsy Kids" can be so far away and yet right here in my house with this wonderful gadget. Oh my, who could have ever imagined such a wonderful gift for families who are separated by geography?

The rest of the family is in the process of getting set up on webcams too so we can have "family gatherings". Isn't that amazing?

As a Mom and Grammy, I'm beyond thrilled!

Catch a Shooting Star

In a recent magazine I receive there was an article on the meteor shower that is going to happen next Wednesday, November 18th. Here's what the article in Country Living's November issue had to say:

"Cast your eyes skyward to glimpse a dazzling celestial display, as the annual Leonides meteor shower - named for the constellation Leo, from which the meteors appear to originate - lights up the heavens on November 18th.

Astronomers predict one of the most dramatic shows in years. With dozens of shooting stars visible between midnight and sunrise. (Visit leonid.arc.nasa.gov to find out what to expect near you.) For the best view, head to an open space, away from the flow of street lamps, then watch as all-natural bursts of bright white, blue and green streak the night sky - and don't forget to make a wish."

Sounds delightful, doesn't it? I'll be on my roof. Where will you be?

Sara's Altar

 

 

 

 

Of all the altars this year, the most poignant was Sara's altar. Sara used to operate one of the push carts at the front of the jardin. A jovial, sunny woman who always had a kind word or kind act for people. Sara had diabetes and some other health issues. We all worried and wondered if Sara would be able to handle all of her ailments and the push cart too.

Those carts are trucked in in the morning and trucked out at night. It's quite a deal to set it up and tear it down on a daily basis. I'm always amazed at the amount of work that goes into these endeavors without a word of complaint.

Sara especially liked two of the curmudgeons on the bench. Bill Maher and Gay Smith, alias Shanghai. You can see photos of each here on this post.

They were definitely characters. Bill arrived from North Carolina in a VW beetle. It broke down here and he never left. It took years to get to know Bill. He didn't say much. Eventually I discovered he had owned a group of hotels and golf courses in North Carolina. A very unassuming guy with a quick wit. I liked ihim a lot.

Now Shanghai was REALLY a character. I met him before I even moved here. He wore a baseball cap that said, "Apts for rent". So, I went to look at a few. He and his novia took care of a lot of property he had acquired here. Very gregarious guy - never met a stranger. He seemed to have "bench duty" on a daily basis. I discovered after many conversations that Shanghai, among his many careers and escapades, had been in the first graduating class at the University of Houston in law. His classmate was Racehorse Haynes who is a good friend of mine. Racehorse is a legend in Texas. The two of them had lost touch with each other and I was thrilled to reconnect them.

When Shanghai discovered he had leukemia and didn't have much time left, he married his Mexican lady, after 17 years of
being together, so she would have all that they had acquired. He was just a great guy.

So people who don't take time to sit on the bench and discover the histories of the people they are talking with are really missing out on great friendships, amazing stories and wonderful memories.

Thanks to Sara's family who every year builds this altar as a reminder to all of us.

Traditions of the Holidays

I had intended to post a photo of narcissus. For some reason the blogger site did not want to cooperate and after an hour of trying to get it to work, I decided the heck with it, I'll just post. Spoken like a true Aries.

Around Halloween, in previous years, the traditions of the holidays would begin. As the kids would carve the pumpkins, the innards of the pumpkins would be saved and separated from the seeds. The seeds would be roasted and the pulp would be saved to make "from scratch" pumpkin pies. If you've never had a pumpkin pie from the pumpkin pulp, you would be amazed at the flavor. It is nothing like the canned pumpkin - nothing.

So that would be the first tradition of our family. Carving of the pumpkin. Of course when the kids were littler, I would be busy at my sewing machine making costumes, but it has been eons since I did that!

Then as Thanksgiving would approach, I would always be buying narcissus bulbs to force in water. The fragrance of these little tiny paperwhite flowers (usually seen in flower beds) is exquisite. It is the smell that I associate with Christmas, along with pine, cinnamon and vanilla.

Narcissus bulbs are not available in Mexico. My methods of getting them here is one of stealth, guile and plain old subterfuge. IF the "powers to be" knew how many bulbs I've brought in over the years, I could be hanged just like the revolutionaries from the gallows in Guanajuato. OOOOH, yuk.

I can't remember how long ago or why I started this tradition. It has been a long time. I place the bulbs all over the house. When the kids and grandkids were little they loved to watch the bulbs grow. First the little green nub of what will become the bloom eventually pokes out of the bulb. It doesn't take long for that to happen. Then the stalk starts to extend up, up, up. Many a time a grandchild would say "Grammy, Grammy come look". And of course I always did. We marveled together about how much they had grown in a few days.

Within about four weeks, delicate white little flowers with a fragrance that belies the size of the flowers envelops the house. That coupled with pies baking, turkey basting and family and friends dining makes for great memories.......it's the best.

I'll be here this year without family but always with friends. I have no plans about a turkey but I can't imagine not having friends over at some point. It seems this is going to be a non-traditional holiday for me. But I'll try to throw in a few traditions for me, just so I don't feel lost.

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!