DO NOT WANDER!!!

Have you ever got instructions like this? You would have thought I was a 5 year old!

On my recent trip to Lo de Marcos, I was anxious about my connection at Puerto Vallarta. Would I get picked up or would I have to take the bus to Lo. I had emailed, but the internet link was tenuous at best. . . . then this email arrived from my cuz:

"We will meet you right there. . . inside. . .just stay in the area. . . do not go outside. We will be looking for you right there, inside. . . easy peasy. Stay put. . . do not wander away from the area!!!
We will shoot for 2 o'clock.
DO NOT WANDER AWAY!!

If you have ever been at the PV airport, you will know that the place is not huge, in fact it is down right small and where would I possibly wander. The bar 1/2 mile away? You can look around the general area and besides a couple exchange and variety stores, not really much else.

Needless to say, as soon as I walked out of the security area, I just had to scan the room and my eyes rested on my cuz! Lucky for her, I didn't wander, but I did WONDER why she would send such a message. . . . . .She doesn't even have kids ---just a dog. That must be why I got the directive not to wander. She was afraid after getting off the plane, I would head straight for a fire hydrant!?!?!?

She did let me off my leash and let me wander once we got to Lo. Here are just a few spots I wandered to!

STAIRWAY TO . . . ?

Building inspector anywhere?!?!? Any weight restrictions on this one. Seems like there are no rules or liability here in Lo. I began to pay a little more attention to other public stairs after this one.

SOME WERE BEAUTIFUL AND BUILT WITH
FORETHOUGHT. . .














Others, obviously ran out of concrete before the last step, which I discovered when I almost fell on my
face!?!?




You might say I developed a new appreciation for staircases . . .

THIS GLORIOUS QUEST!!

Not long after I arrived in Lo, I bought some tamales from Señora Annie at a stall in the plaza. Being a little cautious, I only bought a couple in case I didn't care for them. What a mistake. I loved them. Necesito más! I NEEDED MORE. And this is how the quest began. The next day I asked around and was told that she was in the plaza every evening around 5:30 or maybe 6:30, maybe 9. I then began to make my rounds each evening, asking around the plaza, shops, restaurant: ¿Dónde es el tamal señora? Either she hadn't been seen or she had just passed by. . . I began to think that she had just been an apparition to begin with. The elusive tamale lady. . . the impossible dream.

Finally, a week later, on Sunday she "would be at the plaza at 10am". . . 10AM:No Annie. . . but she would be there for the book sale at 12. There had been a sighting at the church.(I passed by there on my search and Annie was NOT at the church.) 12:30PM: No Annie at the book sale but "would be there in 20 minutes". After waiting for an hour, I went my way. Beach walk, lunch, etc. Later, I returned to the plaza and I had "just missed her", as other folks tantalizingly waved their bags of tamales in front of me. Hope sprung in my heart, because this was proof that she really did exist. Supposedly, she was headed for the ball field. I walked to the far side of town and circled the ball field. No Annie! But this was my quest! To stalk Annie, no matter how hopeless, no matter how far. Cause the world would be better for this. I could not give up! There was a rumor that she lived near the ball field, so I decided I would just go door-to-door asking: ¿Dónde es Annie casa?
I approached the first casa with a group of people gathered around a pickup and was amazed when a lady said:"Soy Annie". Tears of joy welled in my eyes. . . .OK. . . so I just gushed, muy bueno! Mucho gusto! Estoy alegre ! Maravilloso! Fantástico! which exhausted most of my Spanish vocab.
Her vege tamales are filled with calabaza, patatas, zanahorias, and pimientas. (squash,potatoes, carrots and peppers) They are worth every peso. So when you come to Lo de Marcos, check out Annie. She lives at the corner of the ball park and her fresh tamales will set you back less than a dollar a piece. Muy delicioso!

"Buen apetito"
"Bon Appétit"**

**for the multilingual impaired--
"Enjoy your meal!!"

LO-O-O-O-O

"MY FAVORITE THING IS
TO GO WHERE I HAVE NEVER BEEN!"

So I am finally here in Lo de Marcos,a little piece of paradise. A truly sleepy town with a magnífico beach and laid back ambiance. It hasn't taken long to relax and discover that nothing is too important that it can't wait until mañana.

I did not get a "warm" welcome, however. After leaving my jacket and long undies in the car at the airport in Sac, I knew I was in trouble when the pilot came on the intercom announcing that it was 67° in Puerto Vallarta. By sundown in Lo, it had dropped to 55°. Now the snowbirds are thinking that it is just perfect summer weather, but I was packed for it to be the usual 70-80. It didn't take me long to scavenge a few items from the locals: small heater, blanket, knit pants,and flannel shirt. A used long sleeve shirt from the mercado with a goodwill tag completed my ensemble (I was not given the goodwill price!?!?) Thankfully, I did bring my pashmina (shawl) with me, so the first few nights found me in 3-4 layers of clothing and the pashmina wrapped around my neck to keep warm.

One of the best things about Lo is that I have my own personal cocinero (chef) here. . . Si! None other than Señora Yena. Ms. "G", herself!! With just a few simple local ingredients, she can whip up such culinary delights. I would rather eat in mi casa or snack from the street venders.

BY THE WAY!! US CITIZENS BEWARE!!
U.S. government has issued a
Mexico Travel Warning

Very dangerous here. Do not consider this area. . . It must be left to me to have peace and quiet!!
Adiós

FOG VS DENSE FOG

Today on the way to work, I heard this "dense fog warning"! Now the driving was about the same as usual. So I began to ponder: Fog or dense fog. What defines dense fog. According to wiki, dense fog is visibility of less than 1/4 mile. Then as I pursued the subject a little more, I found not only is there fog and dense fog, but there is also "VERY DENSE FOG"! What ever you call it. . . I AM GETTING VERY TIRED OF ANY KIND OF FOG!! Give me some sunshine!






DENSE? DENSER? DENSEST?

"SKY-VIEW" OF VERY DENSE!

Lo de Marcos here I come!

FOG, FOG, GLORIOUS FOG!!

The fog is like a cage without a key.

After 2 beautiful days of sunshine, I got complacent. I thought Spring was here. I was clearing the soil, wondering why Lowe's didn't have their spring plants yet. Then this morning, I opened the blinds and just gave out a big sigh!! What happened? Winter is still breathing down my neck. . . . .and cooling my bones. Once the fire was going in the stove, I warmed up and remembered it is still January. Anything can happen. Best of all, I leave in 10 days for Lo de Marcos, a truly sleepy town with a beach to die for and a kind of laid back ambiance. Which hopefully my Canadian cuz, will let me vegetate and enjoy a "peace" of paradise.

"A day without sunshine is like. . . .

"A day without sunshine is like, you know, night."
--Steve Martin--

I mentioned before that fog creeps in . . . and then moves on. What a difference a little breeze can make. When the fog really does move on, let the sunshine in!! I was energized!! I headed out to the garden. Sure we could still have some freezing weather, but I felt like time for the winter harvest and plan for spring planting. The beets were huge. Begging to be freed from the winter soil.

"The beet is the most intense of vegetables. . . .
the melancholy vegetable,
the one most willing to suffer."
- - Tim Robbins--

YES YOU CAN!!!

Do you ever feel you are just too busy to cook up a healthy meal? Now you will have NO EXCUSE! This recipe is too easy, even a child can mix it up and it only takes a few minutes. It is family tested and approved. In fact I am always asked for the recipe, and they can't believe it is so simple!

YES-YOU-CAN BLACK BEAN CHILI

• 2 cans of black beans (try 1 can S&W "caribbean recipe" and 1 can pinquitos or chili beans or 4 cups of home-cooked black beans)
• 2 cups salsa (my fav Rojo medium restaurant style)
• 1 pkg frozen corn (1-2 cups)
• Squeeze of lime
• Chopped fresh cilantro

Mix beans, salsa, and corn. May microwave for 8-10 minutes in a glass bowl or heat over medium heat for 20 minutes. Can also combine in slow cooker and cook on high for 1 hour. Add lime and garnish with cilantro to serve.

Bon Appétit

HE'S BACK . . . .

Since a picture is worth a thousand words. . . I don't think I need to say anything.

His "desk" in the family room!

Bed-side "table"

The chicks are back to roost, or should I say the rooster's feathered his nest?!?!

THE FOG COMES ON LITTLE CAT FEET. . . .

OK, so I don't know about the little cat feet. . .




As you can see from these pictures: "It sits looking over harbor and city on silent haunches". However, "then it moves on" only happens in the poem.

Tired of the winter valley fog? Head up the hill. In the California central valley, winters are characterized by days of cold, clammy fog. On the other hand, my sister lives in Fiddletown, situated in the foothills at about 2000 feet and usually looks down on the fog.

I have marked in this sea of fog exactly where I live!

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), better known as the "winter blues" is easily treated with a generous dose of sunshine!!! I hung out with my sis and found the sunshine delicious and medicine for my soul!

END OF THE FOG BLOG