closing up, leaving town

We'll be pulling out of town tomorrow at about this time.  The last week has been spent weeding out, tossing, packing to leave here, packing to take home.  Every year we get a little more systematic and discriminating;  do we REALLY want to save that 1/8 cup of dry black beans or could we manage to buy new ones next season?  That sort of thing.  I've taken inventory, made lists, committed them to my Dropbox so the same list will be on the "big" computer at home.

Mr. C made an unexpected quick trip to Tecoman this morning to buy the paint for the ugly wall.  We've planted the oleanders and bougainvillea with instructions to Omar the Gardener to water them faithfully and if any should die or mysteriously disappear to replant.  I'm hoping for a good hedge by next year.  Fernando will get on to the painting chore next week.

My report on last week's opera:  too Russian, too dark, too grim.  Tomorrow there will be two short operas, frequently performed together:  Cavalleria Rusticana and Paglacci.  Unfortunately our internet will have been disconnected so we'll miss them.  But the following Saturday is Verdi's Un Ballo in Maschera.  But no shrimp salad to go with it, unless of course I cook them myself!

It has been a fine season even though we, again this year, didn't do any in-country travel.  Next year, we hope, with our own new-ish car we plan to buy.  But plenty going on here.  No nibbles on the house at all but there is so much property for sale here I'm not surprised.  Both houses and undeveloped lots sit idle and waiting.  But every time there's another outrage anywhere in the country we think, "Well, there's another 10,000 people who will never visit Mexico!"  Meanwhile, we'll just keep coming back until someone figures out this is a wonderful place to be.

Below are a couple of pictures that I never got around to posting.  Enjoy!

Papalotes in the tianguis  These are made of plastic.

These birds are the chattiest creatures. They have very melodic calls and talk constantly. This pair was in one of our trees in the back.  Frequently they hang out in the palm trees right outside our bedroom window.  I love hearing them.

We now turn over the care and feeding of our house to Fernando and Chuy and they always do a wonderful job.   Adios, amigos.  Next post will be from the US of A, jala.