music to my ears

And I don't mean the disco. The music I'm hearing right now is the clank and thunk and bang of the disco being dismantled and carted away! And this being Easter, I am happy to say that there is a God! Last night the electricity went out and stayed off for about 5 hours. That meant that the disco had to shut down 2 or 3 hours early. It's true, I wasn't here to enjoy the dead silence. I was enjoying dead silence anyway. But Mr. C woke up, saw that all the street lights were out and the disco was silent. He thinks it was around 2 AM, but Fernando reported it was earlier, and he was sleeping in his puesto right across the malecón. Both he and Chuy look completely worn out. But he said that he made enough money to cover all his expenses, pay his help, and have some left over. And the Pasqua week is just beginning. He hasn't made as big an investment for this week. It's a different kind of crowd. But he is hoping he'll realize a tidy bundle.

The campers across the street are gone, the street is almost empty of cars, the street sleepers outside our house have packed up and left. There is trash everywhere, despite cans on every corner and 4-times-daily trash pick-up. It's just easier to drop it on the ground than to walk 10 feet and put it in a dust bin. I have seen some city workers walking through the streets with big black trash bags, picking up debris. The side streets are also beginning to reek of too many people in too close proximity without regederas and other amenities. Fortunately it's not too hot and there are good stiff breezes!

We spent the day doing more close-up work, putting things in bags for summer storage. I cleaned out the kitchen shelves and put pots and pans into some sort of tidiness. I've started compiling the "Bring in 2011" list, for instance, caraway seeds, rye flour, peanut butter, horseradish, etc. We can't get any of these things here. Do without, you say? Nonsense. As long as the wheels go around on Vincent we'll bring it all down. I don't how we'd do it if we decide to fly.

Tonight ends my Lenten fast, or feast. I have managed to post every day for the past 40 days. I think I was late once due to no internet. It was a good exercise in discipline and commitment. I am in awe of people who can write every day and actually say something. It's hard. I will do my best to keep it up.

Tomorrow is the last tianguis of the season; Marie and I will stop at the Jacaranda for our traditional bean tacos and a beer after the shopping is done. Best bean tacos ever. And tonight, tacos de lengua for the last time.

We made it through another Easter season. Thank you, Helen and Linda, for giving Marie and me a quiet place to sleep. As far as I know there were no drownings this season. That's always an issue; bad surf, rip tide, non-swimmers, drunks, etc. There were enough visitors to go around but not a terrible mass as there has been in the past. All in all, a pretty mellow holiday.