Sunday, December 28, 2014

Even though it is December in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico

The gardens don't seem to be aware that it is winter!  The lemon tree is covered with lemons, as always.

And, the flowers are blooming in profusion.   Green, green, green with a splashes of yellow, red and soft pink.  Enjoy!
 The cross is the construction cross that is installed on a property at the completion of building by the builders.  They are not fancy, but meaningful. 

Angels all over the gardens.  All here to bring beauty and light and gentleness to our surroundings.

                                                                   Happy New Year!

Friday, December 26, 2014

Velcro, the sheep and the Kids

Yesterday was a jam packed day........especially in the afternoon when the kids and John came for our family Christmas.

Me, being the person who always has everything done ahead of time, realized at about 10AM, that I had time to go to the jardin and see the sheep.  Woo hoo.  I wanted to take a photograph of the live Nativity.
They used to have more animals.  This year it was sheep........

I was absolutely astonished to find parking places everywhere on the street.  Especially Mesones where the parking lots were closed.  No cars.  Few people.  Wonderful.

Also, you can see that the Baby Jesus is in the crib.  Put there about midnight when the fireworks began.......

After photographing, I went over to sit on the bench for a bit.  Enjoy the sun and the few people that were strolling by.

What a delightful surprise when all of a sudden Matilda and Sebastian with their mom and other grandmother came strolling by.  Matilda and Sebastian were so excited and surprised to me.  As much as I was to see them.  They both were trying to tell me what Santa had brought them earlier in the morning.  Delightful.

Then I asked their "Nonie" if she would take a photo of us. Graciously, she did.
THIS was my Christmas gift.  Just love it!  Then off they went to see the sheep and on to other things.  But, first Sebastian wanted to make sure that Santa had come to my house too, so he would have more presents.
Spoken like a true little four year old.  It made me chuckle inside.

Hopefully all of you had as joyful a day as we did. Many gifts for Matilda and Sebastian.  A magnificent turkey with gravy cooked by my son with other food cooked by me.  And lots of love and laughter.

Last, but not least.  A "Happy Holidays" from the other creature in our lives.  Velcro, the Cat, in gold lame' wings.

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

The Christmas Not to be Forgotten

There have been many, many memorable Christmas times in my life, but one stands out like no other.

My oldest daughter Jennifer and her husband Phillippe were newly married.  They lived in Montrose in Houston in a little cottage.  Phillippe came by his culinary talents because his mother had trained at
the world renowned culinary school in France, Le Cordon Bleu. His parents had owned a well loved French restaurant in Houston.  Later on they opened and owned Frenchy's on Nasa Rd 1.  Yes, that restaurant did start out as a French restaurant even though it is Italian now with the name Frenchy's.

I digress.

Rabbit is a dish that the French know how to cook.  Jennifer was learning to cook all kinds of culinary delights as well.

Together they prepared a feast that day.  As we all gathered around the table to enjoy the multi course meal, we noticed an old man walking down the street with a grocery shopping cart.  He had a cardboard box in it.  He was looking for anything to sell and a way to stay warm.  Anything.

We all stopped about what we were to do.  We asked him to come in and join us for Christmas dinner.  He adamantly refused.  He said he wasn't clean enough.  We assured him that he was fine, but he wouldn't budge.  So we took a good china plate, a salad plate and a dessert plate along with a glass goblet for him to take with him.  He couldn't believe his eyes.  We put it in a gift box so it wouldn't tip and off he went.

Our meal, I must confess, was slightly subdued.  Thinking of all we had and how little so many others don't have.  Often it is no fault of theirs.  I've sat many a time and heard the stories.  Jobs lost.  Ex-vets.  Divorce.
Parents died. Illness.  So many things.  We did enjoy the rabbit, the other dishes and the dessert.

As we all left after dinner, out on the porch, were the dishes.  Spotlessly clean and all stacked right by the door.  A scribbled note said, "Thank you" and "Merry Christmas".

It truly felt as though we had been visited by the Spirit of Christmas.  Maybe we had..........



Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Birds of a Feather

Living in a nature sanctuary made up of birds, butterflies, the occasional black squirrel, and a few stray cats is a joy.  Add to that the occasional skunk passing by and the coatamundi who hasn't returned since I had the tree limb cut off the big chinaberry tree.  All are welcome.

Imagine my surprise last week when I noticed something different out of my "window on the world"in my living room.  It was early morning.  There it was.
I knew I had never seen one before. I slowly walked up to the window to look at closer range.  It had a red head and was at least 12 inches, if not more in length.  What a treat!

Quickly, out came the Audubon Mexico book written and photographed by the local San Miguel Chapter.
There it was on page 10.  A golden fronted woodpecker.

While taking time to look at all the other birds I see in the garden, it occurred to me that something has happened lately.  MORE birds.  It might be because of the time of the year.  However, I also wonder if it is because all those eucalyptus and other large trees were cut down in the school yard behind me.  Something is going on.

There are SO many birds that I can't even identify them all but here are a few more that I have within my walls.
Hummingbirds galore.  The two pictured here are here all year long.  Especially the white breasted one.

Vermillion flycatchers are prolific.  Everywhere.  So easy to see.  I think there is a nest somewhere in the garden as I see them darting around all the time.

My other favorite bird is Scott's Oriole.  Not sure of the scientific name, but here is a photo of the bird.
The first time I saw these birds years ago, an entire flock landed in the chinaberry tree all at once.  At first I thought they were small parrots since there coloring was a chartreuse kind of green, but on closer inspection, they are regular birds.  Seldom is it just one bird.  They usually travel in groups.

Now, I'm not a birder per se.  I don't go on hikes to see birds.  I don't log in a book when I see a certain or unusual one.  But, I sure do enjoy hearing them and seeing them.

In the garden, most of the trees and plants are there to attract birds and butterflies.  Add to that the many sources of fresh water that I have placed around for nourishment.  They definitely are attracted to water.  I've never had a hummingbird feeder.  Recently I received one.  I'm somewhat reluctant to hang it up as I like the fact that the hummingbirds have plenty of nectar naturally.

The butterflies are also attracted to the water.  When I was at Chinqua Sanctuary several years ago, I observed that as the butterflies began to fly out of the trees, they headed straight for the streams and any water they could find.  An "aha moment" for me.  Ever since then, I've had water spots in the garden for them.
The monarchs land on the bougainvillaea, the aloe vera blooms, the poinsettias and in the spring they cover the jacaranda trees when they are migrating back north.  There are so many kinds of butterflies in this area that the Audubon book, of just the area around here and the Botanical gardens contains twenty-four pages of five butterflies per page!  A veritable feast of flittering creatures.

Outside the walls of my sanctuary, closer to the lower canyon in the water are all kinds of ducks, ibis, egrets, stilts, and sandpipers.  Coots, pintails, shovelers and teals add to the beauty.  There there is the Eagle and swifts.   A plethora (as some would say) of winged creatures.

The melodic sound of their singing in the morning is what awakens me.  IF Velcro, the cat, is out there, there is such a racket that it isn't singing but alerting messages from one bird to the other and scolding.  Very, very seldom does she ever come home with a bird.  Usually it is small field mice.  THAT is another story.  YUK.

Recently there was an article in the Atencion newspaper, our local weekly paper, about setting up a butterfly sanctuary in San Miguel.  I was surprised at the article as it appears the writer is not aware that many people raise and provide food for migrating butterflies and newbies.  It started about 25 years ago in Houston and is ongoing there as well as all over the USA.  I'm sure it is ongoing  all over Mexico with certain planted material.  Luckily, when I moved here much of the plant material was already here.  I've just added to it with those plants that attract hummers, birds and butterflies.

I live in a natural paradise!  Thanks to the woodpecker,  I've taken time to think about that and to share this with you.

And, thanks to Audubon for their two small publications that were sold a few years ago with photos of all of these winged creatures so we can identify what we see.  It's a great resource of information.

By the way, the publications are not copyrighted or anything, so I felt it was all right to use the images from the pamphlets. 

Sunday, December 21, 2014

Does THIS EVER Happen to You?

About an hour and a half ago, I sat down to find photos to print to fill some little stocking stuffers.  Of course, the printer did not want to cooperate and after a while I said, "To HELL with that!"  I'll give them the key rings with a place for photos.  They can deal with their own printers, ha.

In the midst of looking for photos on my Picasa site, I saw so darn many things that made me pause and reflect on the past year.  I certainly didn't start this exercise to elicit any feelings, or to post a blog, but I'll be darned if that is certainly what has happened.

The year did not start out auspiciously.  If you remember, or even if you don't, I had a horrible attack after eating New Year's day lunch which initially was thought to be a heart attack by me.  Never were those words spoken to my son who luckily was here at the time.  Then when the pain subsided and came back on my right side, wrong side for a heart attack and too low to boot, I knew it was my gall bladder.  A doctor in San Miguel confirmed this with an x-ray and scan.

Not my idea of the way to start the first day of a New Year.  Just the week before I had fallen and hit my head and ended up with a black eye.........sheesh.  Out of the mouth of babes, Matilda climbed up on the bed that day and told me lots of old women fall.

WAS I becoming an old woman?  I certainly hoped not.

So fast forward to February and off I went to an unknown surgeon who removed the faulty item and all has been well since!  Yippee.  Those are my memories of January and some of February.  I'm now grateful for my health.  Even the eye operation in September has been probably the greatest gift of the year. 

What all the photos that I paused to reflect on reminded me is that I have a blessed and full life.  With precious grandchildren here and in Texas along with a wonderful son and daughter in those places.
                                       Photos of my family in Mexico - John, Matilda and Sebastian.


Then my life is enhanced my wacky, deliciously kind and fun friends.  Let's see if I can upload a few photos of this year.
I would be remiss if I didn't include a photo of the feral cat who has taken over the ENTIRE house and grounds as her domain.  How did that happen in just seven years?  Velcro is certainly a funny cat, to put it mildly, and takes her job as guard cat and animal to welcome guests, seriously. And me, a dog person.  How did this happen?
Add in the beauty of my surroundings.  The gardens, the canyon and cliffs, the sunsets (I hardly ever see a sunrise any more) and the birds, butterflies and of course, the hummingbirds)- living in nature is good.

Old and new friends came to visit.  Above are my dear friends Sue and Vandy and my friend here in San Miguel, Bill who I met long before I even moved here.  New friends were many people who read the blog.
How cool it was to meet people that seem like old friends! 
Above are friends Barb and Marks from Houston and San Miguel friends Barbara and Howard from San Miguel.

Add to the friends and family all the stuff that goes on in San Miguel..........and Mexico.........what a full, full life I live!  This past year was no exception.  First, one of the many altars to the Virgen of Guadalupe.  This one is near the bus station on Canal.
A Nativity scene, one of many.  This one is at Mama Mia's restaurant.  In the past, when I first moved here, the only Christmas decorations one saw were poinsettias and Nativities. After all Christmas is about the Birth of Jesus, not about trees and presents.  Well, it used to be that way.  Happily, I see many of these Nativities still set up about town.
The year would end perfectly if I could have the Houston Hogan Family, of which three of the six are in this photo.  And, if my grandson Christopher could be here as well.

But, as my Dad used to say, ""Be grateful for what you have and don't wish for what you don't have."

I have a LOT and certainly am grateful for each and every thing.

In closing, does this happen to you?  You start out to do one thing and you end up reminiscing or going in a totally different direction then you started out in?

It's been a fun two hours now.  With all of that, I'm SO looking forward to 2015, just to see what is going to happen..........Stay tuned.



Saturday, December 20, 2014

THE Story of the Day




 The jardin looked spectacularly colorful and lush yesterday.  This photo was taken while I was sitting on the bench and turned around to snap it.  I had not been into the jardin in several weeks.  Not since they had planted all the poinsettias or put up the Christmas decorations.  Time flies.
 Soon where the kiosk is located will be the Nativity scene with live animals.  It's always so delightful to see.

Heading down to have "bench time" yesterday was delightful.  Friends walked by and stopped to talk.  My son walked by on his way to brunch..........on his birthday!  I met him later for a bit of time.

The Christmas decorations are relatively simple with poinsettias, paper lanterns and some tinsely rope tied between the light fixtures. 
In about 2003, the city started putting up a tree in the jardin.  Prior to that it was unusual to see Christmas trees anywhere.  Certainly at that time, there still were not fresh trees to buy for one's home.  Today there are. Pathways and streets have visitors, but not like it will be starting next week.  It will be full.  These photos were taken about 11AM.  As the day wears on, the people become more plentiful.

As we sat talking, a wedding party arrived with a beautiful bride, about to be married in the magnificent Parroquia.  A little unusual on a Friday.  Most of the weddings are back to back in all the churches on the weekends.  San Miguel is quite a destination wedding city now.

I have saved the best for last.  While we were sitting and talking, beautiful, soft, melodic guitar music was playing on a bench just down from us.  Absolutely lovely. 

Initially, the man with the hole in his jeans was walking by, heard the music and I saw his fingers playing the song as he stood and watched them.  He moved on.  But, he came back.  He went over and dropped coins in their little tip box, listened for a bit and left.  He came back again about five minutes later.  He bent down and just listened.  Very intently and watched the guitarist playing.  He was so in the moment. 

I would so like to have known his story.  At some point in his life he has or still does play music.  I got that feeling from watching his fingers playing along with the musicians. 

His clothes are tattered.  He wasn't particularly clean.  He looked, at first, like a street person.  But his spirit was in the music.  The sparkle that came to his eyes when that music began said it all. 

This man was a message of generosity and someone "living in the moment".  He made my day!  And, the musicians made his, obviously.

Viva Mexico!



Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Antea Lifestyle Center, Part 2 - Juriquilla, Mexico

Back on January 7th of this year, I wrote the first piece about this stupendous lifestyle center (mall). Finally, yesterday was the day to see what all the conversations have been about.

Thankfully, someone else was driving away from Queretaro where we had been earlier.  It was like trying to land a 747 in a big airport with all the twists and turns without, of course, good signage.  But, with much screeching by those of us in the car, we made the correct turn at the SECOND turn and got there.

As the Brits would say, I was "gobsmacked".  The size, the development and what will encompass the surrounding area was grand, to put in mildly.

Upon entering the open area, as it is NOT an enclosed mall, there was a Crate and Barrel the size of the one in the Galleria area of Houston!  And as one goes farther in, a very high end store called Palacio de Herro.
  Rumor has it that it is more expensive then Neiman Marcus.  Or as we refer to it in the USA, "needless markup".   It was not on my agenda to go into a store that I couldn't afford to buy anything.  However, those that I was with, went in, came out and exclaimed at the prices.  See, I saved time.
Turning to the right was this open area with kiosks on the first level with roof gardens.  As I was taking the four photos and only four that I took, a security guard approached me.  In Spanish he said something (yes I know what he said).  But, thinking if I played gringo, I would get to take more photos I responded, "No comprende Espanol".  Aaah, but he was prepared, because in perfect English and very mannerly he said please take no photos.  Oh my.  Of course I didn't.  You'll just have to check it out yourself.





One of the disappointing aspects was no directory of what is or where the stores are located.  You have to walk the whole thing.  Lots of VERY high end stores, but also stores such as Merrill shoes, Victoria's Secret, Forever 21 (my granddaughters would be thrilled), H&M which had some fantastic home decor items along with precious childrens'clothes at extremely reasonable prices.  I was so surprised to see some of the brands there.

Liverpool has a huge anchor store at the exact opposite end from Herro Mexico.  And, I spotted PF Chang's hidden in a side aisle that I missed when going the other way initially.

I headed over to see the design of the food court.  One BIG food court with all the tables and chairs to be used for any and all of the establishments.  At each end of the outdoor dining area were waterwalls.  A very nice touch.  BIG white sun umbrellas covered each table.    It was very well designed.  The food establishments were in a line.  Little signage other then their logo.  Well done.

Sitting there watching and waiting for my friends, I was astonished at several things.  One was the number of uniformed men and women that were security people.  No weapons, only walkie talkies.  Many customers in business attire.  Men in suits.  Women in suits.  Something not often seen in San Miguel.

It was impressive to imagine all the personnel that are employed in this center both in retail sales and ancillary positions.  What a boon to the area. 

Quite a few people in the center, but few with bags.  In other words, a tourist attraction, mostly.  I was among the bag less people.  That doesn't mean that I won't return some day.  I've already scouted out a few stores that I would like to explore but didn't yesterday.

I said to my friends as we left, you would never have seen this  15 or 20 years ago.  With the change that NAFTA has wrought in this country, which has caused, to a large degree, the emergence of the middle class, I found it quite an interesting social study.

The facility is beautifully constructed with high end materials.  It would have been a project that I would have been proud to have been involved in, if I were still doing that kind of work.  I DO hope though that there is much more landscaping in the transitional spaces surrounding the parking lots and roadways to give a more destination feel as one arrives. Right now it is like landing in a big open field next to a highway.

I'm sure as time goes by, it will receive the big trees and landscaping needed.  Work, they say, will continue until 2021 before all is completed!  




Saturday, December 13, 2014

A Full Heart

Sometimes life gets too hectic to find time to write the blog.  I hate when that happens, but this past week is a prime example.

A lovely couple from Ohio was in the guest house!  How fun to observe them enjoying San Miguel for the first time and their comment that "We will be back" as they left.........

Getting ready for the BIG (for me) Koffee Klatch Christmas Gathering at my house.  It was a pot luck so it seemed it would be a piece of cake.  I had forgotten all the little details of having a group over.  It has been quite a few years.

The last time I did something like this I had fifty-five for dinner out in the gardens for a sit down meal.  That was quite an event.  It has not happened again........

This was pure joy!  Last night and this morning I've reflected about how grateful one should be - and I am - to have such a zany, wacky, fun group of friends to share life with.

As always, even the best plans of mice and men, never happen the anticipated way.  I had worried, needlessly, as to where everyone would be able to sit to eat the feast that everyone was bringing.  I had played it out in my head a dozen times.  The guest house table could seat six.  The dining room table in my house could seat eight.  AND, the roof terrace glass top table could accommodate six easily.  Perfect!

Thursday was one of the coldest days it seemed to me.  In fact I got so chilled at one point that I came home and crawled under the covers to warm up for about thirty minutes.  So, scratch the roof top terrace table.

Then yesterday, I awoke to a relatively warmer day.  One that one could walk outside without saying ""mucho frio"...........

Still I didn't plan on the rooftop terrace table.  How would this work out, I wondered.

Here's what happened in photos:
Just put out appetizers and positions are determined.  Near the food.  I failed to take a photo of the line of food. At that point it was too hectic. Here is some of what was served.  Baked Ham, Fabulous pork tenderloin, au gratin potatoes, baked sweet potatoes, creamed corn, green beans, salads galore, hot breads and rolls, just to name some of it.  Dessert was lemon bars, German chocolate cake and an exceptional carrot cake as well.

At this point I thought people would sit at the dining room table, NOT.  Some did go to the guest house to that table, but most stayed in the living room.  About eleven of us.  It was interesting.

Dessert was served in the living room as well.  No one was leaving.  Good food and then the zany Santa gift swap.  Dogie, of course, gave us the rules.  But, rules are only to be broken and our group is good at that, ha.  Here are some of the fun photos.




It was still relatively sedate at this point.  Then a few people decided they wanted the gift that the previous person had selected. It became quite hilarious.  Some gifts were swiped with all kinds of pleading from the one who had it, not to take it.  Great laughter ensued.  It's pretty hard to stay mad at someone in a Santa hat............
                        The FIRST person to get the hummingbird feeder was thrilled............




              The second person to take the hummingbird feeder was a guest from Seattle, Jerry.
       And then, those that had their gifts taken had to select and open another present.  Here's Ron getting candy.

The unthinkable happened, I took the hummingbird feeder from the second person (no photos to prove it) and I got to keep it because of some rule or other.  Woo hoo.

Added to the fun of this, was that my son John brought the children by.  Originally the plan was for them to stay for about ten minutes because it was an "adult" party but somehow, they were so welcomed by everyone and had so much fun helping others open their gifts and ooooohing and aaahing with each recipient, that they stayed for the whole party.

I love the photo of Matilda with BIG eyes when Don opened a giant jar of candy.

A cute story that I didn't know happened was relayed to me by Ron this morning.  Matilda and Sebastian were sitting next to Sheryl, a relative newbie to the group.  When she chose her gift, it seems that Sebastian could hardly contain himself and was bouncing on the couch, very quietly saying "Open it" "Open it"...
Sheryl heard it and asked Matilda and  Sebastian to help her open the gift.  Sweet.

Words can't express how grateful I am for all of these people.  We are a very diverse group.  In our lives, in our beliefs, in where we all come from.  It doesn't matter one bit.  We respect each others lives and revel in the friendship that has grown in the years that this little group has been together.

We started as Dogie, Sue and I.  Over the years it has grown to this.  What a blessing!

At Christmas when we take time to reflect on the message of the holidays, to me, this is what it is all about.

Family, friends..........oh, and good food!  And, kiddingly, I must add unexpected gifts.  My heart is full.


Sunday, December 07, 2014

FIRENZE Restaurant, thanks to dondayinsma!

A week or so ago, Dondayinsma (see his blog in the blog roll to the right side) reviewed Firenze.

A good friend had suggested we have lunch to discuss the world and other assorted items of interest.

Initially he suggested another restaurant but then emailed back and suggested Firenze.  We had both read
Don Day's review.  Each of us was intrigued and ready to try out the new location.

About a year ago, I had dined at the other location that Firenze had operated from near the Col. San Antonio church in the former Jackie's location.  Notice I say dined.  It was not an eating evening.  The food was too good to say that.  It was definitely a dining experience, which is an infrequent occurrence for me
here in San Miguel.

I had oohed and aahed about the ravioli with sage butter sauce along with the rest of the meal.

Therefore, with great anticipation, I arrived before the restaurant even opened at 1PM on Thursday.
With a pleasant outdoor dining space, it was fine to sit and watch the street traffic until my friend arrived.

Then we entered the restaurant.

But before that happened, two unknown women had arrived about the time I did.  The first woman was a real character.  When the owner told her what the prix fixe menu was, she told him she couldn't eat this and couldn't eat that.  Could she have her caesar salad without croutons as she could not have bread. (The irony is that I saw this same woman eating a croissant on the park bench in the jardin not thirty minutes prior to this!) Then he told them one of the entrees was grouper and he only had two servings left to offer.  The irritating woman wanted only that and the caesar salad without croutons.  He gently explained that he would have to charge her the prix fixe price even though she didn't want the dessert.  She agreed.  So the two of them ordered the grouper.  I had not uttered a word, but in my heart, was disappointed.  Grouper has been a favorite of mine since the first time I ate it in Cozumel.

After I discovered grouper in Cozumel, I came home to Houston and searched out the restaurants that served it.  Only a few back in the 80's.  Not the case today.

Then the women decided they wanted to move inside to eat, next to us as we were in the main dining room.
One of the women said there was a smell and she couldn't eat in this room or outside.........and they left.

Of course when Anthony came to tell us the entrees, I asked for the grouper, with a big smile and an impish grin.  My friend ordered the same.  We also ordered the roasted cauliflower soup with truffle oil.
AND a bottle of delicious merlot.  Fresh, crusty bread was brought while we waited for our soup.

Then remembering the delicious ravioli, we asked if we could have just a tasting of the ravioli which we knew would be at a slight additional cost.
My intention was to photograph each course.  As the ravioli arrived so did the wine.  The last time I had a drink in the middle of the day was probably two years ago at the beach.  

No, I didn't feel a thing.  No I wasn't incapacitated.  I was just lulled into quiet bliss.  The food, the wine, the delightful conversation with my companion who has, in the past, been a world traveler along with an intriguing career. 

We had our grouper served on top of a tiny serving of mashed potatoes and diced vegetables.  Each morsel was savored.  Then came the desserts.  Miniscule, because we had selected the prix fixe, my friend had the panne cotta.  I, of course, had the dollop of molten chocolate cake.  One bite - just enough. It didn't even occur to me that I had not photographed the other soup, the entree or the dessert~~

Even though our portions were smaller then normal, neither of us felt as though we had not had enough food.
We were satiated.  The prix fixe price is 150 pesos for three courses   With the current exchange rate that is about $10.50USD!

The service, of course, was superb.  Between Anthony and Carlos, the head waiter, nothing was left to chance.  There were six other diners for lunch that day!  A goodly number since they have not been open that long.  Anthony did mention that they had been very busy the previous evening.

                        My friend Don and the waiter Anthony at the beginning when we first arrived.

The restaurant is tiny.  If I remember correctly, inside in the dining room is seating for 12 or 14 guests.
I don't remember what the seating capacity is outside.

When we left the restaurant two hours later, the sun was shining, the world was still functioning and I, for sure, was very relaxed from a delicious dining experience and a good merlot wine.

Firenze is located at Recreo 13 near Solutions and closer to Hospicio, then Correo.  There is not a sign on the building as yet........BUT if you look in you'll see table set up in a courtyard.  That's it.

Maybe, just maybe, next time I'll remember to photograph the courses.......



Saturday, December 06, 2014

Resisting for Fourteen Years

Architecture and design have always been my passion.  When moving into this property, the arches, the stone walls and the architecturally unscathed cantera stairs delighted my senses.

Resisting for fourteen years to have handrails, banisters, or anything to detract from the stairs WAS my goal.

Then a couple of months ago after falling really hard, something connected.  It was an unexpected, quick and severe fall.  Maybe it knocked some sense into my head! 

Shortly thereafter, I began to think about what if that had happened at the top of the stairs and I had fallen over the edge and fallen three stories down.  I truly had never been concerned before this. 


As one enters from the roof terrace there is a really deep step. My concern had always been for others because I knew how to hold onto the open door and frame,  But, would they?  It was disconcerting to others.  They expressed concern about me.  I pooh poohed it, always.

Then with this fall, for some reason, I became tentative as I came off the roof terrace.  Sheesh, what a wimp.  But then I thought, you could be a DEAD wimp!  Or worse, an injured, severely wimp........

So, finally I said something, after fourteen years to the owners when they came to put in the new water tank.
Last week they put in handrails from the first floor to the ground floor where my bedroom, dressing area and bathroom are located.  Hmmmm, I realized that holding that handrail going up helped my "still sore" injured knee.

Today, they came to install the banisters and handrails.  By this time I didn't even care if they were pretty.  Once I realized the danger, I just wanted something, anything, any color and sturdy.

Voila!  That's exactly what I got.  It ain't pretty.  It ain't a pretty design.  It ain't even colorful.


BUT it sure as heck is sturdy!

It was fascinating to watch them bring in the two pieces, measure again, reweld, secure, and touch up paint .  

One of the funniest things was when I heard the vacuum going.  I knew that the landlord, Carlos, knew I had a vacuum in the bodega.  I quickly grabbed my camera to get a photo of him vacuuming up the concrete dust from installing the railings.
I came rolling around the corner of the stairs, snapped the photo and told him I was sending it to his wife, Maria.  Love the smile on his face!  A Mexican man vacuuming.  NOW I've seen everything.  AND, he knew it!

NOW I'll really be able to zip up and down the stairs. No more snail's pace for me.  Well, maybe until the knee is completely healed.  It's been eight weeks........and counting.  

I think the beach will heal all wounds, soon.