If it's Monday, it's tiages.
But even before the market we had the mosquito spray trucks. I heard them at about 6 AM this morning, driving slowly up our street with the spray mechanism covering the ground and bushes by the side of the road. I heard later that they actually started last night, worked around the area all night, and ended sometime late this morning. Of course, this is after the high season for mosquitoes. Better late than never.
But back to the market. The hot items in the market this morning were papayas for 5 pesos (45 cents) a kilo, pineapples for 3 pesos each, and someone selling crayfish for 70 pesos a kilo, or less than $3.50 a pound for big, fat crayfish. Unfortunately, I didn't think to buy some and pop them in the freezer for later enjoyment. Perhaps she will be there next week?
And if it's Monday, it's library day for me. It was, as usual, quiet and peaceful. I got a little needlework done, read a bit of my reading group book, Blue Horizon by Tony Horwitz, the story of Captain Cook's journey. I had a couple of browsers and then it was time to lock up and go home. Tomorrow is another day for the lovely Las Palmas library.
A lovely evening with friends last night. Their home is at the very end of the colonia, as of now the last house built out on the south end of the beach. We sat around the table discussing Mexican politics -- now there's a labarynthine subject if you've ever heard one. Good food, good fellowship. Sunday evening in Cuyutlán.
Monday, February 27, 2006
Sunday, February 26, 2006
El Horno de Maria
Last night we had a wonderful dinner cooked in the beehive-style Mexican oven that Fernando built on Marie's terraza. It is fired with coconut husks and gets fiercely hot. After a couple of hours it is cool enough for cooking. Then things slow roast and simmer to perfection. Big hunks of swordfish bubbled in a sauce made with beer, onions, garlic, tomatoes and a few spices. That along with roasted veggies, foccacia and wine. A little bit of heaven.
The cats have returned from the vet's, sadder but wiser. Next week they go back to have stitches taken out. In addition, somehow we have to catch the other feral kitten who will go, along with Cleo, for "the treatment."
The cats have returned from the vet's, sadder but wiser. Next week they go back to have stitches taken out. In addition, somehow we have to catch the other feral kitten who will go, along with Cleo, for "the treatment."
Friday, February 24, 2006
Cat Update
Two of the four female cats went off to the vet's this afternoon for their "spa-y day" appointment. They'll come back new cats! We could catch only one of the kittens; the other would not be lured out of hiding, even by tasty sardine treats. We'll try for the remaining two next week, including Cleo who has already brought five or six litters into the world. Won't she be relieved!
Four of us went into El Paraiso for breakfast at YuYo's this morning. This little seaside shack sits right on the beach with a fantastic view of the sparkling Pacific. A lovely way to start the day.
Four of us went into El Paraiso for breakfast at YuYo's this morning. This little seaside shack sits right on the beach with a fantastic view of the sparkling Pacific. A lovely way to start the day.
Thursday, February 23, 2006
The Pause that Refreshes
I was asked tonight by a Blog reader what had happened to my scribblings. It has been about two weeks since I have posted anything. I guess the Muse has deserted me, has gone somewhere else to enjoy the glorious days and spectacular sunsets. So I am preparing this without her help. It may be, perhaps, that I have become infected by the Cuyutlán blahs, a particularly virulent form of malaise with symptoms of extreme lassitude combined with manaña-ism and an endless search for the most comfortable perch for siesta. But at the urging of a frequent reader I have roused myself long enough to bring you up to date.
The most important milestone of the last two weeks, in fact, of the last two months, is that we finally signed the purchase papers on the lot next door. We made several trips to the lawyer's office, had many phone calls between us and the lawyer, between us and Fernando, us and Roy, who is acting with the Power of Attorney for the seller, and countless calls between Fernando and the lawyer and the lawyer and the bank in Guadalajara. The phone bill itself is almost more than the price of the lot. But finally, after overcoming totally unforeseen obstacles, we arrived at the lawyer's office on Wednesday at 10 AM ready to sign. The purchase document, called a feidecomissario includes the entire history of this piece of land; the original owners, to whom they sold it, the subsequent owners by name and nationality, the dates of both sale and secession and on and on for about 70 legal-sized pages, each one stamped and signed. We arrive, sit down, have about a 20 session of chitchat, and get down to business. The lawyer picks up this pile of papers and starts reading. I thought, "He's going to read the entire bloody document to us, all in Spanish, and it's going to take a couple of hours!" .In truth, he read about half of it in half an hour. We paid various fees and taxes (even though we paid LESS for it than did the previous owner. Go figure.) signed, shook hands and left. We started this process on about December 7th.l Two and a half months later it's (almost) ours. We still have to get all the papers to the bank, get the feidecomissarioregistered at some state office in Colima and pick up the final papers at the bank in Guadalajara when we go up for a few days next month. This whole process was like something out of Kafka or Dickens (viz. Bleak House), and I think we've made our last land speculation in Mexico! All of that so that nobody can build a big house next to us and cut off our view and our breezes.
NEWS IN BRIEF
The biblioteca is now open six days a week to the delight of eager readers. True, most of the patrons are the regular residents, with a few browsers here and there. But it's nice to have it open for business.
Jack's female cats go to the vet tomorrow to be spayed. Over the past months he has wound up with seven cats. Enough. The 4-month old kittens go tomorrow; the two dowagers go Monday. The two male kittens and their older brother will probably get off the hook!
The Mexican Train Domino group continues its killer schedule at the Marie Victoria Hotel every Wednesday night. From 5 PM to 8 PM, conversation is at a minimum as the click and snap of the tiles hints at the fierce competition around the tables. I won last week. And the week before. Milagro!
Andrew arrives in a week. All is in readiness for his stay.
Daughter Alexandra celebrated her birthday today. Happy Birthday dear Alex!
PS: Nelson, this one's for you!
The most important milestone of the last two weeks, in fact, of the last two months, is that we finally signed the purchase papers on the lot next door. We made several trips to the lawyer's office, had many phone calls between us and the lawyer, between us and Fernando, us and Roy, who is acting with the Power of Attorney for the seller, and countless calls between Fernando and the lawyer and the lawyer and the bank in Guadalajara. The phone bill itself is almost more than the price of the lot. But finally, after overcoming totally unforeseen obstacles, we arrived at the lawyer's office on Wednesday at 10 AM ready to sign. The purchase document, called a feidecomissario includes the entire history of this piece of land; the original owners, to whom they sold it, the subsequent owners by name and nationality, the dates of both sale and secession and on and on for about 70 legal-sized pages, each one stamped and signed. We arrive, sit down, have about a 20 session of chitchat, and get down to business. The lawyer picks up this pile of papers and starts reading. I thought, "He's going to read the entire bloody document to us, all in Spanish, and it's going to take a couple of hours!" .In truth, he read about half of it in half an hour. We paid various fees and taxes (even though we paid LESS for it than did the previous owner. Go figure.) signed, shook hands and left. We started this process on about December 7th.l Two and a half months later it's (almost) ours. We still have to get all the papers to the bank, get the feidecomissarioregistered at some state office in Colima and pick up the final papers at the bank in Guadalajara when we go up for a few days next month. This whole process was like something out of Kafka or Dickens (viz. Bleak House), and I think we've made our last land speculation in Mexico! All of that so that nobody can build a big house next to us and cut off our view and our breezes.
NEWS IN BRIEF
The biblioteca is now open six days a week to the delight of eager readers. True, most of the patrons are the regular residents, with a few browsers here and there. But it's nice to have it open for business.
Jack's female cats go to the vet tomorrow to be spayed. Over the past months he has wound up with seven cats. Enough. The 4-month old kittens go tomorrow; the two dowagers go Monday. The two male kittens and their older brother will probably get off the hook!
The Mexican Train Domino group continues its killer schedule at the Marie Victoria Hotel every Wednesday night. From 5 PM to 8 PM, conversation is at a minimum as the click and snap of the tiles hints at the fierce competition around the tables. I won last week. And the week before. Milagro!
Andrew arrives in a week. All is in readiness for his stay.
Daughter Alexandra celebrated her birthday today. Happy Birthday dear Alex!
PS: Nelson, this one's for you!
Sunday, February 05, 2006
Sunday at the Beach
As we say, "Every day is different here."
Today is crystal clear, breezy, very warm . . . a perfect Cuyutlán day This is a puente weekend, meaning that there is a national holiday of some sort that fell on Thursday, so everyone gets an extra "bridge" day off. That was Friday, the "bridge" to the weekend. There are many families here for the long weekend; the puestos are all in full swing, the hotels are busy, the beaches are crowded. The trinket sellers are all over the place, vending hammocks, beaded bags, jewelry, pots, T-shirts -- you name it. Cuyutlán is a bustling place today. But tomorrow we will have it back to ourselves again. Cars will pull out tonight, the hotels will again be virtually empty, the umbrellas and tables will vanish from the beach, and what's left will be the gringos and the beach dogs who live for days off the visitors' refuse.
Tomorrow is the official opening of our English language library. We haven't yet scheduled the press opening. We will christen its debut with our book group meeting to talk about Dickens' Hard Times. In preparation we went this morning to give everything a final cleaning; it gets very dusty and gritty with the sand that blows in through the louver windows (that won't close, but we're working on it). It is now swept, mopped, dusted and ready for readers. This project has taken us three years to get to this point and we all take great satisfaction if finally having our own space. All donations (cash or kind) cheerfully accepted! You've heard of junkyard dogs? We seem to have two "library dogs" who call it home. They get into the building by squeezing through a space left by some missing glass louvers into the foyer where they sleep. I have named them Dewey and Marion.
Friday was my dear sister Vicky's birthday. Happy Birthday Vicky. She's feeling much improved, thanks.
Today is crystal clear, breezy, very warm . . . a perfect Cuyutlán day This is a puente weekend, meaning that there is a national holiday of some sort that fell on Thursday, so everyone gets an extra "bridge" day off. That was Friday, the "bridge" to the weekend. There are many families here for the long weekend; the puestos are all in full swing, the hotels are busy, the beaches are crowded. The trinket sellers are all over the place, vending hammocks, beaded bags, jewelry, pots, T-shirts -- you name it. Cuyutlán is a bustling place today. But tomorrow we will have it back to ourselves again. Cars will pull out tonight, the hotels will again be virtually empty, the umbrellas and tables will vanish from the beach, and what's left will be the gringos and the beach dogs who live for days off the visitors' refuse.
Tomorrow is the official opening of our English language library. We haven't yet scheduled the press opening. We will christen its debut with our book group meeting to talk about Dickens' Hard Times. In preparation we went this morning to give everything a final cleaning; it gets very dusty and gritty with the sand that blows in through the louver windows (that won't close, but we're working on it). It is now swept, mopped, dusted and ready for readers. This project has taken us three years to get to this point and we all take great satisfaction if finally having our own space. All donations (cash or kind) cheerfully accepted! You've heard of junkyard dogs? We seem to have two "library dogs" who call it home. They get into the building by squeezing through a space left by some missing glass louvers into the foyer where they sleep. I have named them Dewey and Marion.
Friday was my dear sister Vicky's birthday. Happy Birthday Vicky. She's feeling much improved, thanks.
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