We've been back a few days now and we have been catching up.
Construction on the two house remodels down the street are progressing. There were robberies in a couple of houses in the neighborhood. Laptops and cameras seem to be the items that the thieves are after. The refurbish of the jardin in the centro is almost finished but I'm not sure it looks any more inviting. Finally I'm seeing ladies with buckets of squash blossoms for sale. School has started and you see all the kids in their school uniforms and backpacks coming and going. The tables for the workstation are finished and we went to Dolores Hildago to see them today and to pick out the color for the stain. The new lampshades for the downstairs bedroom were ready. There hasn't been much rain while we have been gone. Two of my three orchids have put out spikes. All the pot plants that suffered through the remodeling are starting to look good again now that they are back on the terrace. Stands with all sizes of Mexican flags are sprouting along the roads in preparation for Mexican Independence Day. Friends have returned and friends have left town.
Life goes on.
Tuesday, August 30, 2005
Sunday, August 28, 2005
Bad Surprises and Good Surprises
The bad surprise.....the spammers found me yesterday so I've had to turn on the word verification feature in my blog. I don't get a lot of comments in my blog so hopefully it will not be too much trouble for those who do wish to comment.
Those of you who also have blogs, don't you wish that you knew who came to see your blog and also wonder what brings them back a second or third time. Just yesterday I heard from someone who has been reading my blog for a while. That was a nice surprise.
Those of you who also have blogs, don't you wish that you knew who came to see your blog and also wonder what brings them back a second or third time. Just yesterday I heard from someone who has been reading my blog for a while. That was a nice surprise.
Saturday, August 27, 2005
We're back in San Miguel de Allende
By the time the Explorer was loaded we had the back filled up to the windows which isn't too bad for us because we have often brought down a FULLY loaded Explorer. But this time was a little different because we were loaded with electronic gear. A new HP desktop, a new high-end LCD monitor, a Epson 4000 inkjet printer which leaves a 36" square footprint and weighs about 85 pounds, and my camera bag plus I was bringing in a digital back and some other photography stuff for a friend. I figure we had roughly $15,000 worth of equipment. I was ready with some "invoices" should we need them but I was very nervous about what to do. Stop and declare or just keep going and see what happens at the checkpoint....red light/green light. The Customs declaration point is just over bridge #2 in Nuevo Laredo and I was still debating what to do as we got to the middle of the bridge. But then I see several cars with everything piled out of them on tables and the ground and I decided to take a chance and play dumb gringos.
We had left Houston about 9:30 AM on Friday and crossed the border about 3:00 PM. Shortly after we crossed the bridge on the road around Nuevo Laredo we passed two open truck loads of Mexican soldiers with weapons and bullet-proof vests ready for the drug war. From the bridge to the checkpoint needless to say I was worried. But we got a green light and went on our way with a sigh of relief. Actually I think we have only gotten a red light one time and that time we didn't have anything that might be "contraband." That time they asked us what we had in the car, we said personal stuff, they had Ned open the hatchback and said we could go. I don't think it would have gone that well this time if we had gotten a red light because that damn printer is so big it can't be kind of covered up with stuff.
Within the first 25 miles or so after the checkpoint we passed through two other checkpoints which is unusual. One was the Federal Police and the second one was the State of Nuevo Leon police. They waved us through but they had stopped some other people and were searching cars and trucks. I seems strange that these checkpoints were on the side of the highway for people going further into Mexico rather than on the side of the highway of people going to Nuevo Laredo where the drug war is being played out. In fact, all along Mex 57 on the way down we saw more police and Federal Highway police than we have ever seen so it appears that Mexico is stepping up police visibility.
We were making good time so instead of stopping at El Rancho about an hour from Nuevo Laredo, we went on to Saltillo and arrived there just in time for the traffic jams. But we checked into a hotel. By the way for any of you traveling with a moscata....that would be Taylor, the cocker spaniel at our house.......it is difficult to find hotels that will accept a dog. On the internet nearly all of them say, No Pets but we have found that if we show up and have the dog and pesos and promise that he will stay in his crate, that we can get a room. But we have friends who live part of the time in San Miguel and the rest of time on their boat at Isla Muejeres and they have had to start having their dog sleep in the car because they have been unable to find lodging that will let him stay.
This morning we left Saltillo about 7:30 AM and pulled up to our door here in San Miguel at 1:30 PM. No problems....just a long drive.
It was so good to walk into our house. When you come in the door you are in a patio and it was so lovely, cool and refreshing to step inside. The car is unloaded and parked in the parking lot. It may take a day or two to get all our stuff hooked up and working but it is good to be back.
We had left Houston about 9:30 AM on Friday and crossed the border about 3:00 PM. Shortly after we crossed the bridge on the road around Nuevo Laredo we passed two open truck loads of Mexican soldiers with weapons and bullet-proof vests ready for the drug war. From the bridge to the checkpoint needless to say I was worried. But we got a green light and went on our way with a sigh of relief. Actually I think we have only gotten a red light one time and that time we didn't have anything that might be "contraband." That time they asked us what we had in the car, we said personal stuff, they had Ned open the hatchback and said we could go. I don't think it would have gone that well this time if we had gotten a red light because that damn printer is so big it can't be kind of covered up with stuff.
Within the first 25 miles or so after the checkpoint we passed through two other checkpoints which is unusual. One was the Federal Police and the second one was the State of Nuevo Leon police. They waved us through but they had stopped some other people and were searching cars and trucks. I seems strange that these checkpoints were on the side of the highway for people going further into Mexico rather than on the side of the highway of people going to Nuevo Laredo where the drug war is being played out. In fact, all along Mex 57 on the way down we saw more police and Federal Highway police than we have ever seen so it appears that Mexico is stepping up police visibility.
We were making good time so instead of stopping at El Rancho about an hour from Nuevo Laredo, we went on to Saltillo and arrived there just in time for the traffic jams. But we checked into a hotel. By the way for any of you traveling with a moscata....that would be Taylor, the cocker spaniel at our house.......it is difficult to find hotels that will accept a dog. On the internet nearly all of them say, No Pets but we have found that if we show up and have the dog and pesos and promise that he will stay in his crate, that we can get a room. But we have friends who live part of the time in San Miguel and the rest of time on their boat at Isla Muejeres and they have had to start having their dog sleep in the car because they have been unable to find lodging that will let him stay.
This morning we left Saltillo about 7:30 AM and pulled up to our door here in San Miguel at 1:30 PM. No problems....just a long drive.
It was so good to walk into our house. When you come in the door you are in a patio and it was so lovely, cool and refreshing to step inside. The car is unloaded and parked in the parking lot. It may take a day or two to get all our stuff hooked up and working but it is good to be back.
Friday, August 26, 2005
Headed South
We will be leaving Houston in a few hours. The car is partly packed. Once again I'm in the worry mode which will last until we get well past Nuevo Laredo. We will spend the night at El Rancho about 70 miles South of Nuevo Laredo or if we get away earlier enough, we will go on to Saltillo to spend the night.
Taylor is also in the worry mode. Last night about 2:00 AM he started "crying" in his crate. I'm sure he was just nervous about all the packing that is going on. We let him come stay in our bedroom and he was fine. I think he just wanted to be where he could keep an eye on us so he could be sure we didn't leave without him.
It has been a fast two weeks. We're ready to head South.
Next post will be from San Miguel de Allende.
Taylor is also in the worry mode. Last night about 2:00 AM he started "crying" in his crate. I'm sure he was just nervous about all the packing that is going on. We let him come stay in our bedroom and he was fine. I think he just wanted to be where he could keep an eye on us so he could be sure we didn't leave without him.
It has been a fast two weeks. We're ready to head South.
Next post will be from San Miguel de Allende.
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
Hecho en Mexico
I was putting together the papers on the new computer and guess what I found. This new HP computer was made in Mexico! This baby is going HOME!
Starting to Worry
It seems like our life is one of packing....either to come to the USA or to go to Mexico. This time it is back to Mexico. Going into Mexico is always a question mark.
Will we get a green light or will they check our car for "contraband?"
What are we taking down that might be considered "contraband?"
Will we have to pay a "fine" if they decide that we are carrying something that isn't allowed?
Should we declare anything at the border and pay the duty?
Is the Mexican consul here in Houston right that since we have an FM-3, there will be no problem in taking my computer for my personal use down?
We have heard that you can take down an old computer and we have heard that you can only take down a new computer....which is correct?
When we first bought our house in San Miguel de Allende, everytime we went to Mexico we took an Explorer loaded solid from the front seats to the hatchback, top to bottom. Except for a little spot for Taylor, there was not a smidigen of daylight. We took linens, small appliances, and furniture. We have never had a problem. Still I'm starting to worry.
Will we get a green light or will they check our car for "contraband?"
What are we taking down that might be considered "contraband?"
Will we have to pay a "fine" if they decide that we are carrying something that isn't allowed?
Should we declare anything at the border and pay the duty?
Is the Mexican consul here in Houston right that since we have an FM-3, there will be no problem in taking my computer for my personal use down?
We have heard that you can take down an old computer and we have heard that you can only take down a new computer....which is correct?
When we first bought our house in San Miguel de Allende, everytime we went to Mexico we took an Explorer loaded solid from the front seats to the hatchback, top to bottom. Except for a little spot for Taylor, there was not a smidigen of daylight. We took linens, small appliances, and furniture. We have never had a problem. Still I'm starting to worry.
Tuesday, August 23, 2005
Back in Austin
Our son Doug, wife Susan and their two boys have just moved back to Austin. We went to visit them this weekend. They are still getting settled into their new house and we got to play with the boys while they worked. That is the good part of being a grandparent.
Maxwell started kindergarten last week. When we arrived Th
omas the train was up in the playroom and the electric train was up in his bedroom but his main love these days is everything StarWars. On Saturday morning we took him to buy another lego space ship. He picked it out....actually I think he already knew what he wanted before we left the house. He and his Father have put together a couple of lego space ships since they moved into the new house so by the time Doug completes this assembly, he will be a master lego StarWar space ship assembler. Maxwell was willing to wait until after dinner to start putting the pieces together if he could get the "character" pieces out of the box. 
Dexter is 4-1/2 months and he is a beautiful baby....and he is a good baby. He can fuss if you don't listen to him but I didn't hear him get into a cry....of course that might have been because we were doing what he told us to do. He likes for you to help him stand up and he is a talker. He is ooooing and gooing and he wants you to listen. He is making a connection with food. Anytime you eat or drink, he watches the plate then your hand go to your mouth. I think as soon as he gets a little better coordinated with his grabbing, he will be dangerous near the table. He was almost turning from his back to his tummy while we were there and on Monday he made the flip but then he had to call Mom because he couldn't do the reverse roll.
Doug and Susan are so happy to be back in Austin and we are glad to have them closer to Houston. We had such a good visit and I took lots of pictures of the boys.
Monday, August 22, 2005
Digital Pocketbook
The digital pocketbook is being challenged.....especially since it is a retired digital pocketbook.
I have the Canon 10D camera with 6 megapixels. It is now more than 2 years old....kind of long in the tooth for the digital age. It has been surpassed by the 20D as well as the digital Rebel with 8 megapixels and a number of other improvements but I have held off buying one of them because I wanted a bigger jump than just 2 megapixels. Megapixels may not seem that important to many of you but when you come from a photographer background that equates negative size to improved quality of the image.....You want more megapixels!
There have been rumors of a new digital Canon but today the internet is a buzz with sites that are talking about the Canon 5D. It looks like it is true and the camera will have a full frame sensor and 12 megapixels. From what I'm reading we will start to see these cameras in the stores sometime this Fall. The price, at $3300, is a big reduction from the prices of their other full-frame cameras but almost double the price of the 20D.
Is this the camera I've been waiting for? Or if I wait until the Spring will Canon launch a toned-down Rebel version of this camera at a lower price?
But the real question is can the old pocketbook afford this camera.
I have the Canon 10D camera with 6 megapixels. It is now more than 2 years old....kind of long in the tooth for the digital age. It has been surpassed by the 20D as well as the digital Rebel with 8 megapixels and a number of other improvements but I have held off buying one of them because I wanted a bigger jump than just 2 megapixels. Megapixels may not seem that important to many of you but when you come from a photographer background that equates negative size to improved quality of the image.....You want more megapixels!
There have been rumors of a new digital Canon but today the internet is a buzz with sites that are talking about the Canon 5D. It looks like it is true and the camera will have a full frame sensor and 12 megapixels. From what I'm reading we will start to see these cameras in the stores sometime this Fall. The price, at $3300, is a big reduction from the prices of their other full-frame cameras but almost double the price of the 20D.
Is this the camera I've been waiting for? Or if I wait until the Spring will Canon launch a toned-down Rebel version of this camera at a lower price?
But the real question is can the old pocketbook afford this camera.
Friday, August 19, 2005
Foto Friends
Last night Jan and Milton came to dinner. So good to see both of them. Jan and Milton are doctors but Jan is also a wonderful photographer and that is how I met her. Then of course I met Milton. Milton is a good sport like Ned and he will go wherever Jan wants to go with her camera so there have been times when Ned and Milton are over on the sidelines trading stories while Jan and I are "photoing." One time in Floresville, Texas, Jan, Milton and I stayed in a B&B and in order to get to the bathroom I had to walk through their bedroom. So we are "very" good friends. We've been together in Martha's Vineyard and a few other out of town places. This friendship is very dear to me in many ways.
In fact, many of my friends are through photography. Some of them are people I've met along the way, but a lot of my photographer friendships have come about through the internet. And most of the people I've met on the internet, I have eventually met in person. Some of these connections go back 12 years or so but it seems like I've known these photographers and their families all my life. I've seen their children grow into adults, we've been through divorces, surgeries, deaths in the family, cross-country moves, and all of the things that happen in life. Photographically, we have watched projects develop, seen them come to an end, had books published, exhibitions hung, lived through slumps, and we are experiencing the great change in our work methods as we sort though what digital technology means or doesn't mean to our individual visions.
But last night, I prepared dinner....salad of baby greens with apple, pecans and blue cheese, rack of lamb, couscous, and sauteed asparagus, Blue Bell vanilla ice cream with a hot fudge sauce..... and it was wonderful to sit across the table from Milton and Jan. We talked about Mexico, health, kids, and of course photography. What a wonderful evening.
In fact, many of my friends are through photography. Some of them are people I've met along the way, but a lot of my photographer friendships have come about through the internet. And most of the people I've met on the internet, I have eventually met in person. Some of these connections go back 12 years or so but it seems like I've known these photographers and their families all my life. I've seen their children grow into adults, we've been through divorces, surgeries, deaths in the family, cross-country moves, and all of the things that happen in life. Photographically, we have watched projects develop, seen them come to an end, had books published, exhibitions hung, lived through slumps, and we are experiencing the great change in our work methods as we sort though what digital technology means or doesn't mean to our individual visions.
But last night, I prepared dinner....salad of baby greens with apple, pecans and blue cheese, rack of lamb, couscous, and sauteed asparagus, Blue Bell vanilla ice cream with a hot fudge sauce..... and it was wonderful to sit across the table from Milton and Jan. We talked about Mexico, health, kids, and of course photography. What a wonderful evening.
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
Technically Challenged
I'm writing this from the NEW HP computer that will go back to Mexico with us. Yesterday Sam Terry, my computer tech guy, came and we, actually he put in a second 100G SATA HD and a 128MB PCI-e video card. Then we took out the video card because it wasn't playing like we wanted it to with the integrated video card that came with the computer. He is doing some research on the issues to see if we can work it out. I have questions about whether the integrated video card will carry the load and not use too many resources when I'm running Photoshop. After getting the machine loaded with the additional hardware, Sam left planning to come back later to finish up after I have a chance to put the new machine to the test with some large PhotoShop files. We still have to load 2 more Gigs of RAM when it gets here. Thank God for Sam.
About 8:00 PM, Sam calls me to say that I should stop what I'm doing and get all the Windows Security updates installed and be sure that I have the latest virus definitions downloaded on my virus software. He said this latest virus is credible and my Windows 2000 machine is vulnerable but also he thinks from what he is reading that the other two computers running Windows XP Pro and XP Media Center are also. This isn't something I do everyday so I always feel like I could be about to "shoot" my computer especially when I'm asked the question "Are you sure you want to .......delete, download, or whatever." The Windows 2000 machine will not let me download the latest security updates from Microsoft. I figure I'm doing something wrong. I called Sam several times and he had me going into these foreign menus and checking this and unchecking that. Finally I gave up about 11:00 PM and just turned the machine off. The other two machines updated fine.
Today I'll be loading PhotoShop and other software onto the new machine and I have printed out 2 pages on "How to use the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard with a wizard disk in Windows XP" so maybe I can transfer my personal settings from one computer to another. Sure will save time if that will work.
I'll let you know what "challenges" I face today.
About 8:00 PM, Sam calls me to say that I should stop what I'm doing and get all the Windows Security updates installed and be sure that I have the latest virus definitions downloaded on my virus software. He said this latest virus is credible and my Windows 2000 machine is vulnerable but also he thinks from what he is reading that the other two computers running Windows XP Pro and XP Media Center are also. This isn't something I do everyday so I always feel like I could be about to "shoot" my computer especially when I'm asked the question "Are you sure you want to .......delete, download, or whatever." The Windows 2000 machine will not let me download the latest security updates from Microsoft. I figure I'm doing something wrong. I called Sam several times and he had me going into these foreign menus and checking this and unchecking that. Finally I gave up about 11:00 PM and just turned the machine off. The other two machines updated fine.
Today I'll be loading PhotoShop and other software onto the new machine and I have printed out 2 pages on "How to use the Files and Settings Transfer Wizard with a wizard disk in Windows XP" so maybe I can transfer my personal settings from one computer to another. Sure will save time if that will work.
I'll let you know what "challenges" I face today.
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
Is it going to flood?
Houston isn't very much above sea level and when it rains we depend on our sluggish streams and bayous to drain the water out to the Gulf of Mexico. It is a delicate equilibrium between the size of the streams and the amount of the rainfall per hour. Sometimes, like during Tropical Storm Allison in June of 2001 when the city was overwhelmed with 10 to 30 inches of rainfall in a 24 hour period, streets and freeways go under water, 18 wheelers float in the freeways and houses are flooded. So you don't have to live in Houston too long until you come to respect heavy rain. Yesterday, I was out shopping when the black clouds rolled in, thunder rumbled and the wind gusted. I headed for home.
Monday, August 15, 2005
Texas eats
We eat well in Mexico and not always enchiladas and tamales. I can find the ingredients for most anything I want to cook though not always on the day I want to cook it. While we are there I usually don't have a craving for any particular food or recipe that I can't satisfy. But when we come back I find that I have missed some foods....and usually it is food from my childhood.
One night since we have been back we had rib-eye steaks cooked on the grill and baked potatoes. Oh, I can get good meat in San Miguel de Allende and I have probably written before about the filette de res that I buy there. Very tender and good but in general the meat isn't heavily marbled and it isn't the heavy, aged beef that we get here in the States. There is a big price difference between the meat in San Miguel and the meat here. I think I paid about $12 a pound for the rib-eye while the Mexican fillete is about $5.50 a pound. In San Miguel I don't find the big firm skinned potatoes that we use here for baking and in general the potatoes there seem starchier. That rib-eye steak was so tastey and favorful and the potato was light and fluffy. What a great meal.
I've never seen live crabs in Mexico although I'm sure they must have them along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. Yesterday Ned went to Fiesta, a grocery store here in Houston and bought 1-1/2 dozen live crabs and 1/2 pound of shrimp. Good old gulf coast crabs. I love 'em. We boiled them with crab boil. I really don't care for anything else with them. Just cover the table with newspaper and get me a crab cracker, some wine and let me sit there for hours just picking and eating and picking and eating. Ned wears out with the picking so he always has a few shrimp to fill in with. The crabs were so delicious, sweet and delicate. Oh, what a treat.
Another thing I'll have while we are here is corn on the cob. I love the sweet tender corn that we find in the summer. So far I haven't found anything to match it in Mexico. The kernels of their corn are much firmer and in general it isn't as sweet. I think one night I'll have to prepare fried chicken, corn on the cob and a big salad. That is definitely a memory from childhood. Yes, I can get good chicken in Mexico and I can fry it, but it is the combination of summer, fried chicken and fresh sweet corn on the cob that is what I want.
I have a couple of racks of lamb in the freezer that will get cooked while we are here. I seldom see lamb in Mexico. Another meal with rack of lamb, couscous and asparagus.
We will have Blue Bell Ice Cream while we are in Houston. Blue Bell is made about 50 miles from Houston and it is the best ice cream ever.....better than Hagen Dazs or Ben and Jerry's or any of the premium National brands. Yes, I definitely must have Blue Bell pralines and cream ice cream....so delicious.
Texas BBQ....we stopped the night we drove home and picked up a couple of BBQ beef sandwiches...loaded with beef and sauce dripping down your fingers BBQ sandwiches.
Does it sound like I'm eating my way through Houston? Well I guess I am.
One night since we have been back we had rib-eye steaks cooked on the grill and baked potatoes. Oh, I can get good meat in San Miguel de Allende and I have probably written before about the filette de res that I buy there. Very tender and good but in general the meat isn't heavily marbled and it isn't the heavy, aged beef that we get here in the States. There is a big price difference between the meat in San Miguel and the meat here. I think I paid about $12 a pound for the rib-eye while the Mexican fillete is about $5.50 a pound. In San Miguel I don't find the big firm skinned potatoes that we use here for baking and in general the potatoes there seem starchier. That rib-eye steak was so tastey and favorful and the potato was light and fluffy. What a great meal.
I've never seen live crabs in Mexico although I'm sure they must have them along the coast of the Gulf of Mexico. Yesterday Ned went to Fiesta, a grocery store here in Houston and bought 1-1/2 dozen live crabs and 1/2 pound of shrimp. Good old gulf coast crabs. I love 'em. We boiled them with crab boil. I really don't care for anything else with them. Just cover the table with newspaper and get me a crab cracker, some wine and let me sit there for hours just picking and eating and picking and eating. Ned wears out with the picking so he always has a few shrimp to fill in with. The crabs were so delicious, sweet and delicate. Oh, what a treat.
Another thing I'll have while we are here is corn on the cob. I love the sweet tender corn that we find in the summer. So far I haven't found anything to match it in Mexico. The kernels of their corn are much firmer and in general it isn't as sweet. I think one night I'll have to prepare fried chicken, corn on the cob and a big salad. That is definitely a memory from childhood. Yes, I can get good chicken in Mexico and I can fry it, but it is the combination of summer, fried chicken and fresh sweet corn on the cob that is what I want.
I have a couple of racks of lamb in the freezer that will get cooked while we are here. I seldom see lamb in Mexico. Another meal with rack of lamb, couscous and asparagus.
We will have Blue Bell Ice Cream while we are in Houston. Blue Bell is made about 50 miles from Houston and it is the best ice cream ever.....better than Hagen Dazs or Ben and Jerry's or any of the premium National brands. Yes, I definitely must have Blue Bell pralines and cream ice cream....so delicious.
Texas BBQ....we stopped the night we drove home and picked up a couple of BBQ beef sandwiches...loaded with beef and sauce dripping down your fingers BBQ sandwiches.
Does it sound like I'm eating my way through Houston? Well I guess I am.
Sunday, August 14, 2005
Dinner with Jack and Will
One of the reasons we have to come back to Texas is to see family, especially the grandsons....no granddaughters in our family. As soon as we were back in town, Betsy called to say come for dinner. 
A lot has happened this summer with Jack and Will. Both have grown. They have surfer hair cuts that they are very proud of. Did you know that a surfer haircut is different than a buzz cut? Well, it is....at least that is what the boys tell me. They went to tennis clinics and they are growing into good tennis players. They had a great time in California with their other set of grandparents....lots of beach time and a trip on a catamaran to see dolphins. Jack played lots of baseball and for the first time, he is signed up in a football league. He has already gotten some bruises that he is very proud of. 
Will just had his sixth birthday and one of his presents was a new gameboy. Very serious business, a game boy. He is going to play in a soccer little league this fall and he will be starting in Kindergarten. It seems like over the summer he has changed a lot. Suddenly he is taller, his face has lost a bit of the baby boy roundness and he is more in control of himself.
Both of the boys are into bathroom humor. A fart is something to talk about. Is it just boys? We never had any girls in the family but boys and bathroom humor seem to go together. More pictures of the boys are on flickr.
Saturday, August 13, 2005
Pump It UP
I doubt that the service stations in Texas along the Mexico border are doing the same amount of business they were this time last year. Yesterday when I filled up my car I paid $2.39 a gallon. The fill-up was $46. The cost of gasoline is no longer a reason for the Mexicans to cross the border to fill up. Especially when you add $4.25 for tolls to cross the bridges.
This morning's Houston Chronicle had an article about how the rising prices are affecting people. It is already changing some things about our life styles and it will change more as it continues to rise. I worry about it, not for myself, but for my children and grandchildren. It seems simple on the surface but these are very complex economic and political issues that can bring huge change.
This morning's Houston Chronicle had an article about how the rising prices are affecting people. It is already changing some things about our life styles and it will change more as it continues to rise. I worry about it, not for myself, but for my children and grandchildren. It seems simple on the surface but these are very complex economic and political issues that can bring huge change.
Adjustments
Maybe we have gone back and forth between Houston and San Miguel so much that some things don't "hit" me in the same way they use to when we come back to Houston after an extended stay in Mexico. I remember going to the grocery store back in Houston several years ago, and just being overwhelmed at the size, the lighting, the cleanliness, and the cool, fresh air....no smells of ripe fruit or fresh meats. I don't know why that change doesn't seem so big today, except that we have had one foot in both places for quite a while now.
But what does still make me suck in my breath and say WOW is the open space. Yes, I live in the 4th largest city in the United States but the freeways that disect the city leave huge holes in the fabric of the buildings so that you can see the skyline. The highways and r
oads are wide to try to move all the cars....since Houston isn't much of a walking town. Although Houston doesn't have a great park system, individual buildings have left space for fountains and landscaping. So there is this feeling of space, lots of green space.
Houston is so ripe and green now. There has been a lot of rain and the crepe myrtles are full of blooms, all the yards seem lush and over-grown....mine, that you see here, certainly is inspite of having a gardener who tries to keep it cut back while we are gone. The city is a bright grassy green as compared to San Miguel that is actually very dry and earth-colored. Patios can be lush with bouganvilla and pot plants but San Miguel doesn't overwhelm you with green spaces except in Parque Juarez and the Jardin in the Centro. But even in those two places, it is very structured with walks and it is as if those places would not exist with out humans to take care of them. In Houston, you have the feeling that if humans didn't do battle with the lush vegetation on a regular basis, that the houses would soon be taken over by the vines and trees.
But what does still make me suck in my breath and say WOW is the open space. Yes, I live in the 4th largest city in the United States but the freeways that disect the city leave huge holes in the fabric of the buildings so that you can see the skyline. The highways and r
oads are wide to try to move all the cars....since Houston isn't much of a walking town. Although Houston doesn't have a great park system, individual buildings have left space for fountains and landscaping. So there is this feeling of space, lots of green space.
Houston is so ripe and green now. There has been a lot of rain and the crepe myrtles are full of blooms, all the yards seem lush and over-grown....mine, that you see here, certainly is inspite of having a gardener who tries to keep it cut back while we are gone. The city is a bright grassy green as compared to San Miguel that is actually very dry and earth-colored. Patios can be lush with bouganvilla and pot plants but San Miguel doesn't overwhelm you with green spaces except in Parque Juarez and the Jardin in the Centro. But even in those two places, it is very structured with walks and it is as if those places would not exist with out humans to take care of them. In Houston, you have the feeling that if humans didn't do battle with the lush vegetation on a regular basis, that the houses would soon be taken over by the vines and trees.
Thursday, August 11, 2005
Decision - PC
Several weeks ago I wrote about trying to decide whether to get a PC or a Mac desktop to bring back to San Miguel de Allende. For several reasons I've decided to continue life with a PC. But now I have the worry about bringing it in to Mexico. We had been told by the US consulate in San Miguel de Allende that it might be a good idea to get a certified letter from the Mexican consulate here in Houston that states that we live in Mexico and would be bringing our desktop in and out of Mexico. So today Ned went to the consulate. He told them that we have FM-3's and live most of the year in San Miguel and wanted to bring our computer. They said "No Problema" if you have an FM3 registered with your Mexican address which we do. Ned asked if they would give us a letter of permission to bring the desktop back and forth.
"No, you don't need a letter. No problema." Mm......anything can be a problema. You never know, it could get confiscated at customs.
I have a high-powered Dell Dimension XPS Gen5, Pentium D 830 processor on order because Dell has been running a 34% off sale on it. But it will be a couple of weeks before it is shipped. We hope we don't have to stay here more than another couple of weeks. By the way, Dell has a box that you check when you order that says you will not export the item....not just a PC but even a monitor. It says that you have to get permission from the US government if you are going to export. I think that is strange especially when they are selling the same technology in Mexico. At first I thought it might have to do with the computer technology being exported but then I saw the same check box about a monitor.
Today a photographer friend called about a HP Pavilion desktop that is at the other end of the spectrum and is on sale at MicroCenter. A AMD Athlon 64 processor 3500+. at 1/4 the price. Even if I add 2G of RAM, video card (not sure about "integrated" video and photoshop and it has a PCI-e slot available) and another HD to put programs on while I keep the large HD for storage, I'll still be at considerably less than 1/2 the cost of the Dell screamer. Will the HP do the job? That is the question. My friend has been running a HP laptop with a AMD Athlon 64 processor with Photoshop CS and he has been pleased with the performance.
One decision made....I'll stay with the PC but now price, quality, features comparisons could drive me bonkers. Researching the differences between Pentium IV, Extreme Edition, D, vs AMD Athion 64, AMD Athion 64x2, vs dual core, dual processors, hyperthreading, etc., could go on until Ned loads the car to head back to Mexico.
I know I want.......
"No, you don't need a letter. No problema." Mm......anything can be a problema. You never know, it could get confiscated at customs.
I have a high-powered Dell Dimension XPS Gen5, Pentium D 830 processor on order because Dell has been running a 34% off sale on it. But it will be a couple of weeks before it is shipped. We hope we don't have to stay here more than another couple of weeks. By the way, Dell has a box that you check when you order that says you will not export the item....not just a PC but even a monitor. It says that you have to get permission from the US government if you are going to export. I think that is strange especially when they are selling the same technology in Mexico. At first I thought it might have to do with the computer technology being exported but then I saw the same check box about a monitor.
Today a photographer friend called about a HP Pavilion desktop that is at the other end of the spectrum and is on sale at MicroCenter. A AMD Athlon 64 processor 3500+. at 1/4 the price. Even if I add 2G of RAM, video card (not sure about "integrated" video and photoshop and it has a PCI-e slot available) and another HD to put programs on while I keep the large HD for storage, I'll still be at considerably less than 1/2 the cost of the Dell screamer. Will the HP do the job? That is the question. My friend has been running a HP laptop with a AMD Athlon 64 processor with Photoshop CS and he has been pleased with the performance.
One decision made....I'll stay with the PC but now price, quality, features comparisons could drive me bonkers. Researching the differences between Pentium IV, Extreme Edition, D, vs AMD Athion 64, AMD Athion 64x2, vs dual core, dual processors, hyperthreading, etc., could go on until Ned loads the car to head back to Mexico.
I know I want.......
- Performance from the processor
- at least 2 G RAM
- 2 HD's...one large one for storage and scratch disk and 1 for programs
- 128 M video card that will support the Nec 1980SXi LCD monitor
- I'd prefer XP Pro over XP media center
- Write to CD and DVD
- Ethernet network adapter
- USB ports...lots of them and some on the front
- 2 Firewire ports
Always another decision. Stay turned for the next PC decision.
Nuevo Laredo on Wednesday
We came through Nuevo Laredo on Tuesday afternoon about 2:30. I just read in the newspaper that on Wednesday about 5:00 PM in a neighborhood near one of the bridges, a police woman was gunned down as she went home in a car.
Hometown Houston
We are back in Houston....no problems.
We left San Miguel de Allende about 6 AM. Between Saltillo and the border it was greener than I have ever seen it. Usually from Saltillo to the border is dry with scrubby brush and lots of open ground. The mountains have always looked very harsh and stoney. But this trip there was deep grass all around the scrub and the mountains looked like they were wrapped in a green velvet with lovely folds of shadows....except for the area just north of Monterry. There the pollution was so thick in the air that you could not see the mountains across the valley floor.
We did cross the border in Nuevo Laredo even though I was nervous about doing that. Of course, we didn't go straight through town, we took the by-pass that goes around town and along the river to Bridge II. The highway into Nuevo Laredo didn't seem to have as many cars and trucks as we usually see and everything looked quite normal. The salvage yards and truck repair places line the highway and the shoulders of the road are lined with vendors under awnings.....kind of your temporary/permanent strip centers....selling pots and pans, bicycles, clothes, CD's....well as I said a strip center. Everyone was going about their business. Bread was being delivered to stores and mothers were walking children home from school.
Everytime we are driving along this road on the north side of Nuevo Laredo and you can see across the river to the USA, I wonder what has made the difference in the way people live on each side of the river. And there are differences that you can see from the condition of the road, the kinds of houses, and the swarm of vendors on the Mexican side just trying to survive. So many political, cultural and social issues that I don't know how to even sort through my thoughts and write about it.
There was the usual jam-up at the Bridge and the traffic was solid across all 4 lanes the whole length of the bridge. Sometimes we only have to wait for traffic for about one-half the bridge length, but today it took us about 20 minutes to reach the US border agent.
It feels like it is a straight line from the Laredo border to our house in Houton. We are on I-35 to San Antonio. Then we peel off on to I-10 and when we exit I-10 in Houston we are just a few blocks from the Houston house.
We left San Miguel de Allende about 6 AM. Between Saltillo and the border it was greener than I have ever seen it. Usually from Saltillo to the border is dry with scrubby brush and lots of open ground. The mountains have always looked very harsh and stoney. But this trip there was deep grass all around the scrub and the mountains looked like they were wrapped in a green velvet with lovely folds of shadows....except for the area just north of Monterry. There the pollution was so thick in the air that you could not see the mountains across the valley floor.
We did cross the border in Nuevo Laredo even though I was nervous about doing that. Of course, we didn't go straight through town, we took the by-pass that goes around town and along the river to Bridge II. The highway into Nuevo Laredo didn't seem to have as many cars and trucks as we usually see and everything looked quite normal. The salvage yards and truck repair places line the highway and the shoulders of the road are lined with vendors under awnings.....kind of your temporary/permanent strip centers....selling pots and pans, bicycles, clothes, CD's....well as I said a strip center. Everyone was going about their business. Bread was being delivered to stores and mothers were walking children home from school.
Everytime we are driving along this road on the north side of Nuevo Laredo and you can see across the river to the USA, I wonder what has made the difference in the way people live on each side of the river. And there are differences that you can see from the condition of the road, the kinds of houses, and the swarm of vendors on the Mexican side just trying to survive. So many political, cultural and social issues that I don't know how to even sort through my thoughts and write about it.
There was the usual jam-up at the Bridge and the traffic was solid across all 4 lanes the whole length of the bridge. Sometimes we only have to wait for traffic for about one-half the bridge length, but today it took us about 20 minutes to reach the US border agent.
It feels like it is a straight line from the Laredo border to our house in Houton. We are on I-35 to San Antonio. Then we peel off on to I-10 and when we exit I-10 in Houston we are just a few blocks from the Houston house.
Monday, August 08, 2005
Packing
We are headed back to Houston for a couple of weeks. It has been too long since we saw the grandsons, especially our newest one, Dexter. Will just had a big 6th birthday, Maxwell and Will are starting Kindergarten, and Jack is going to play football this year. Doug and Susan have moved to Austin and we haven't seen their new house....lots of catching up to do.
Today we have been organizing and figuring out what we have to take. This is much easier than when we leave San Miguel de Allende for several months because we don't have to empty the pantry and refrigerator, pack up all our clothes, and put some things away in storage. Still, getting organized to head back takes some time. Do we need this or will we need that? Do we have the cable and power adapter for the external hard drive, how many pesos should we take? Do we need to cash a check? Fill up with gas, check the oil and tire pressure. Well, you know how it is when you are leaving town for a while.
Taylor is recognizing all the activities and he is staying right on our heels just so we know that he is planning to go in the car with us.
We will head out of here tomorrow morning about 6:00 AM and if all goes according to plan and no problems getting around Nuevo Laredo, we will cross the Texas/Mexican border about 3:00 PM and be in the Houston house about 9:00 PM having a slice of pizza and an adult beverage.
Say a little prayer for our safe journey.
Today we have been organizing and figuring out what we have to take. This is much easier than when we leave San Miguel de Allende for several months because we don't have to empty the pantry and refrigerator, pack up all our clothes, and put some things away in storage. Still, getting organized to head back takes some time. Do we need this or will we need that? Do we have the cable and power adapter for the external hard drive, how many pesos should we take? Do we need to cash a check? Fill up with gas, check the oil and tire pressure. Well, you know how it is when you are leaving town for a while.
Taylor is recognizing all the activities and he is staying right on our heels just so we know that he is planning to go in the car with us.
We will head out of here tomorrow morning about 6:00 AM and if all goes according to plan and no problems getting around Nuevo Laredo, we will cross the Texas/Mexican border about 3:00 PM and be in the Houston house about 9:00 PM having a slice of pizza and an adult beverage.
Say a little prayer for our safe journey.
Commission
Julie Kinzelman, who owns an art consulting firm in Houston commissioned four of my pieces from my Buffalo Bayou Series for one of her clients. This is good news. But the requirements for the commission made fulfilling it a challenge.
The Buffalo Bayou series was in the making for a long time. From the time we first moved to the Old Sixth Ward, I started walking along the Bayou which is just a few blocks from our house. Buffalo Bayou starts somewhere far West of Houston and after it goes through downtown Houston it becomes the Houston Ship Channel. There is a long green belt along it for several miles leading into town. Instantly, I felt the emotional attachment to this space. At times you are walking along a path through vine covered trees and deep grass and at other times along a concrete walkway. Most of it is quiet and you hear the birds and can imagine what it might have looked like to early settlers but there are other spaces that have been cleared enough so that you round a bend and suddenly you see the soaring skyscrapers of the city. The Houston skyline always gives me a thrill when I see it.
From the beginning I knew I wanted to photograph the Bayou but I kept trying to find ways to capture the sultry air, the green, the mystery, the quiet, the surprise at suddenly seeing the city. I tried my medium format camera with black and white film....my favorite way to capture images....No, didn't do it. Then I tried shooting for a while with the same camera with color film....Still not "IT." The project kind of dropped off the radar for a while. During that time I bought several Holga cameras and used them with Black and White film for several other projects. These cameras are a challenge and a joy. They are cheap (less than $20) plastic cameras and no two of them are alike. You may buy five and only three will be serviceable. But they do give a unique image.
Suddenly one day, I had one of those Aaaha! moments. I can shoot Buffalo Bayou with color film in the Holga. And so the Buffalo Bayou Series began. I had finally found a way to express what I felt was the atmosphere and environment of the Bayou. But it wasn't easy. The Holga camera makes you work. Sometimes there is nothing on a roll you can use and besides that, the negative quality and poor color fidelity with this plastic, leaky light box isn't very good. But when it works, it works. This work was shown a little over a year ago at Goldesberry Gallery.
Kinzelman had seen the work and liked it so when her client whose building was along Allen Parkway overlooking the bayou needed some artwork, she asked me if I would be interested in a commission. Yes! But then she told me that she would like to have the image size 30x30 inches. Gulp! Scans of poor quality negatives are difficult but then to have to up the resolution and print them out that large....I didn't know if it could be done. I knew I couldn't do it because I didn't have a printer that would come anywhere near that size. It was going to take the BIG ONE, the Epson 9600 fine art printer. My friend Chuck Jones, here in San Miguel, had the equipment so we worked on some test prints. Looked like it could be done with a lot of work still I was afraid that the prints would not hold the quality that I expect in a fine art print.
I've always said that a 16x20 photographic print was large enough but yesterday we printed the four images. These 30x30 inch images are NOT too big. I am very pleased with the results and I hope the client will be too.
The Buffalo Bayou series was in the making for a long time. From the time we first moved to the Old Sixth Ward, I started walking along the Bayou which is just a few blocks from our house. Buffalo Bayou starts somewhere far West of Houston and after it goes through downtown Houston it becomes the Houston Ship Channel. There is a long green belt along it for several miles leading into town. Instantly, I felt the emotional attachment to this space. At times you are walking along a path through vine covered trees and deep grass and at other times along a concrete walkway. Most of it is quiet and you hear the birds and can imagine what it might have looked like to early settlers but there are other spaces that have been cleared enough so that you round a bend and suddenly you see the soaring skyscrapers of the city. The Houston skyline always gives me a thrill when I see it.
From the beginning I knew I wanted to photograph the Bayou but I kept trying to find ways to capture the sultry air, the green, the mystery, the quiet, the surprise at suddenly seeing the city. I tried my medium format camera with black and white film....my favorite way to capture images....No, didn't do it. Then I tried shooting for a while with the same camera with color film....Still not "IT." The project kind of dropped off the radar for a while. During that time I bought several Holga cameras and used them with Black and White film for several other projects. These cameras are a challenge and a joy. They are cheap (less than $20) plastic cameras and no two of them are alike. You may buy five and only three will be serviceable. But they do give a unique image.
Suddenly one day, I had one of those Aaaha! moments. I can shoot Buffalo Bayou with color film in the Holga. And so the Buffalo Bayou Series began. I had finally found a way to express what I felt was the atmosphere and environment of the Bayou. But it wasn't easy. The Holga camera makes you work. Sometimes there is nothing on a roll you can use and besides that, the negative quality and poor color fidelity with this plastic, leaky light box isn't very good. But when it works, it works. This work was shown a little over a year ago at Goldesberry Gallery.
Kinzelman had seen the work and liked it so when her client whose building was along Allen Parkway overlooking the bayou needed some artwork, she asked me if I would be interested in a commission. Yes! But then she told me that she would like to have the image size 30x30 inches. Gulp! Scans of poor quality negatives are difficult but then to have to up the resolution and print them out that large....I didn't know if it could be done. I knew I couldn't do it because I didn't have a printer that would come anywhere near that size. It was going to take the BIG ONE, the Epson 9600 fine art printer. My friend Chuck Jones, here in San Miguel, had the equipment so we worked on some test prints. Looked like it could be done with a lot of work still I was afraid that the prints would not hold the quality that I expect in a fine art print.
I've always said that a 16x20 photographic print was large enough but yesterday we printed the four images. These 30x30 inch images are NOT too big. I am very pleased with the results and I hope the client will be too.
Where is my creative muse?
Have you been wondering what has happened to pictures in this blog?
Well my creative muse has gone on vacation and I want her back! I wish I understood what happens sometimes when the camera suddenly becomes too heavy to pickup. The anticipation of what might be out there to photograph turns to yawn, hohum, maybe tomorrow.
It seems like everytime this happens it is because I've stopped having dates with my Artist soul, my creative muse. You are saying, "What?" I know it sounds a little strange but not if you have read The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. I first read this wonderful book 10, maybe 12 years ago. It says a lot of things but the two things that Julia advocates as the way to help artist stay in a creative spirit is to write morning pages, three pages in a journal every morning no matter what and secondly is to take time for an Artist date. An artist date is taking the time to do something to refill your soul, your creative spirit....a walk through a garden, a gallery tour, meditation time.....only you can find the right thing for yourself. The reason you need an artist date is because as an artist you are always taking something out so that you can create and you need to take time to put something back in or the well will run dry.
I think that with all the photography I did up through June and the construction efforts since we came back to San Miguel de Allende, my well is running mighty low.
Well my creative muse has gone on vacation and I want her back! I wish I understood what happens sometimes when the camera suddenly becomes too heavy to pickup. The anticipation of what might be out there to photograph turns to yawn, hohum, maybe tomorrow.
It seems like everytime this happens it is because I've stopped having dates with my Artist soul, my creative muse. You are saying, "What?" I know it sounds a little strange but not if you have read The Artist's Way by Julia Cameron. I first read this wonderful book 10, maybe 12 years ago. It says a lot of things but the two things that Julia advocates as the way to help artist stay in a creative spirit is to write morning pages, three pages in a journal every morning no matter what and secondly is to take time for an Artist date. An artist date is taking the time to do something to refill your soul, your creative spirit....a walk through a garden, a gallery tour, meditation time.....only you can find the right thing for yourself. The reason you need an artist date is because as an artist you are always taking something out so that you can create and you need to take time to put something back in or the well will run dry.
I think that with all the photography I did up through June and the construction efforts since we came back to San Miguel de Allende, my well is running mighty low.
Saturday, August 06, 2005
Sometimes I surprise myself
I hate making any changes in my computer's innards. I'm never sure I'm doing it right or if everything is going to play nice once I've done it. And if all the parts don't play nice, then I could spend hours of time trying to figure it out before I finally give up and phone a technician.
Well, I had bought another external hard drive. I already had one external hard drive. I wanted them both connected to the computer at the same time. I read the installation instructions....nothing about 2 external hard drives. Some of my techie friends said, "Oh, you can PROBABLY daisy-chain the two together if they are on firewire." The PROBABLY made me into a procrastinator for about two months until finally the Hard drive on the laptop was too full. I had to take off about 25 Gigs of images. With lots of deep breaths, I turned off the laptop, plugged in the new hard drive, attached the firewire cable from it to the old external hard drive, turned on both of the external hard drives, turned on the computer.
I surprised myself....it worked!
Well, I had bought another external hard drive. I already had one external hard drive. I wanted them both connected to the computer at the same time. I read the installation instructions....nothing about 2 external hard drives. Some of my techie friends said, "Oh, you can PROBABLY daisy-chain the two together if they are on firewire." The PROBABLY made me into a procrastinator for about two months until finally the Hard drive on the laptop was too full. I had to take off about 25 Gigs of images. With lots of deep breaths, I turned off the laptop, plugged in the new hard drive, attached the firewire cable from it to the old external hard drive, turned on both of the external hard drives, turned on the computer.
I surprised myself....it worked!
Housekeepers, Cooks, Maids and Gardeners
Back in July, one of my favorite blogs on living in Mexico, Rancho Calypso wrote an entry about his thoughts on having maids and gardeners. It stirred up quite a few comments by some of us who read his blog. I've given you a link to go read it for yourself but something I read this week gave me some insight on our attitudes.
One of my favorite Mexican cookbooks is by Zarela Martinez, Food from my Heart, Cuisines of Mexico Remembered and Reimagined. It is out of print now but besides recipes, Zarela also writes about growing up in Mexico and Mexican traditions. When she is writing about the recipe, Chiles Anchos Nana Luz, she tells how Nana Luz has been with the family for many, many years and is treated with respect. Then she writes the following which may explain some of the conflict we feel about having servants.
"In many ways this typifies the difference between Mexican and U.S. attitudes toward servants. Here there tends to be something uncomfortable in the relationship of employers and "household help"; it doesn't seem right or natural for either side, maybe because of some lingering puritanism. In Mexico there are real bonds of respect and a sense that those who work in a household have their own authority--especially nanas!"
One of my favorite Mexican cookbooks is by Zarela Martinez, Food from my Heart, Cuisines of Mexico Remembered and Reimagined. It is out of print now but besides recipes, Zarela also writes about growing up in Mexico and Mexican traditions. When she is writing about the recipe, Chiles Anchos Nana Luz, she tells how Nana Luz has been with the family for many, many years and is treated with respect. Then she writes the following which may explain some of the conflict we feel about having servants.
"In many ways this typifies the difference between Mexican and U.S. attitudes toward servants. Here there tends to be something uncomfortable in the relationship of employers and "household help"; it doesn't seem right or natural for either side, maybe because of some lingering puritanism. In Mexico there are real bonds of respect and a sense that those who work in a household have their own authority--especially nanas!"
Monday, August 01, 2005
Another Party
Sunday night we went to a Party at Linda and Andrew's. To those of you reading this blog periodically, it must seem like all we do is party. Well that isn't quite true but I do have to admit that there is more entertaining in San Miguel de Allende than among our circle of friends in Houston.
Linda and Andrew's contribution to one of the many charities here in San Miguel had "bought" them a catered party from Celebrations! San Miguel so what could they do but invite some friends in to celebrate! Celebrating was easy to do at their house with deep porticos and comfortable seating, a lush central patio with a tinkling fountain in the center.
I sometimes think that the food in San Miguel is "okay to good" but Linda Walcowich, one of the owners of Celebrations! San Miguel, filled the table with beautiful platters of delicious treats that were way beyond "okay to good." Little tequila shot glasses of gazpacho, bite-sized pastry shells filled with salad topped with a feta or goat cheese, a wonderful cilantro mousse, tiny flautas, tender, tender pork for tacos with lots of tasty toppings, a red, white and green terrine with pita chips. A dessert buffet with rich chewy brownies, tiny sand tarts and little cheese cakes.
In addition to the great food were some really interesting people. We reconnected with Seth and Karen. They live near us and we met them last year. I had been wondering if they were back in town for the summer but hadn't seen them. They are going to spend several weeks in Quintana Roo and Yucatan this winter and I gave them a few tips from our experiences there but we are going to have to talk about it some more....a reason for another party! They had a couple visiting them from Scotland and it was great to find out what they thought of Mexico on their first visit. Ned met a Mexican man who had been in the same business that Ned was in and they knew a lot of the same people in the industry in Mexico. And, of course, we had a chance to visit with people we already knew.
Near the end of the party, just as the sky was turning dark blue velvet, there were cascades of fireworks over the top of the patio wall. I think they were from some celebration in front of the Parroquia in the Centro but Andrew and Linda are such gracious hosts, I wasn't positive that they hadn't arranged to top off this fiesta with these sparkling points of light.
Linda and Andrew's contribution to one of the many charities here in San Miguel had "bought" them a catered party from Celebrations! San Miguel so what could they do but invite some friends in to celebrate! Celebrating was easy to do at their house with deep porticos and comfortable seating, a lush central patio with a tinkling fountain in the center.
I sometimes think that the food in San Miguel is "okay to good" but Linda Walcowich, one of the owners of Celebrations! San Miguel, filled the table with beautiful platters of delicious treats that were way beyond "okay to good." Little tequila shot glasses of gazpacho, bite-sized pastry shells filled with salad topped with a feta or goat cheese, a wonderful cilantro mousse, tiny flautas, tender, tender pork for tacos with lots of tasty toppings, a red, white and green terrine with pita chips. A dessert buffet with rich chewy brownies, tiny sand tarts and little cheese cakes.
In addition to the great food were some really interesting people. We reconnected with Seth and Karen. They live near us and we met them last year. I had been wondering if they were back in town for the summer but hadn't seen them. They are going to spend several weeks in Quintana Roo and Yucatan this winter and I gave them a few tips from our experiences there but we are going to have to talk about it some more....a reason for another party! They had a couple visiting them from Scotland and it was great to find out what they thought of Mexico on their first visit. Ned met a Mexican man who had been in the same business that Ned was in and they knew a lot of the same people in the industry in Mexico. And, of course, we had a chance to visit with people we already knew.
Near the end of the party, just as the sky was turning dark blue velvet, there were cascades of fireworks over the top of the patio wall. I think they were from some celebration in front of the Parroquia in the Centro but Andrew and Linda are such gracious hosts, I wasn't positive that they hadn't arranged to top off this fiesta with these sparkling points of light.
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