Just to let you know.....

....I'm still trying to make friends with my new Macbook, but I keep skulking back to keep company with PC Nellie. She's kind of clunky, messy and slow, but she understands me, laughs at my jokes, you know -- she gets me. Mac just stares blankly when I try to start a conversation. I've been told I'll love him when I get to know him. It hasn't happened yet. But some of my best friendships have been slow off the starting blocks.

Larry and I just returned from a night out on the town. First we took a baby gift over to La Colonia. This is a dirt road village, hidden jewel kind of a place, where our friends Jeanie and Dennis live. (See the link to Jeanie's blog over there on the left sidebar.) Right now almost every house is decked out in multi-colored blinking lights, even the hovel perched on the edge of the estuary as you come into town. There are homemade altars everywhere, dedicated to the Virgin -- and to Rudolf the Red-Nosed Reindeer, if you listen to the recorded music coming from some of them. But picturesque. Very pictureresque. Then we went into La Peñita and had tortas at our favorite torta stand. We topped off the evening with ice cream. More about that later.

In other news:

Yesterday we said goodbye to Javier and his painting/roofing crew. I could look back in this blog to find the date when they began working, but it's WAY back in the archives. I think we've paid him about a jillion pesos. It was always something. Not his doing, but former owners. A painter would start to scrape a wall, and a huge hole would open up behind a thin veneer of patchwork. Or a whole sheet of plaster would fall off and reveal -- WOW -- a natural rock wall. And of course, Leo finally showed up tonight (two weeks late) with the new wrought iron door to the bathroom beside the pool. Hack, hack. Drill, drill. Weld, weld. Aggggh! Javier!!! Touch up!

This morning Larry came in almost-contact with the drug lord who has a beach house nearby. He-who-shall-not-be-named (at least in this blog) was in town to throw his annual Virgin of Guadalupe party. He books a major recording artist each year, and they start playing about three in the morning, December 12, but nobody around here has filed any complaints. (Well, hey, the church over in La Peñita has a pyrotechnic exhibition about the same time, so Who ya gonna call?) Well, the fun is over for another year, and this morning four Blues Brothers look-a-like body guards were stopping traffic on Avenida Sol Nuevo. Larry was first in the line and watched as a black-clad couple (he with a paunch, she with a slit skirt) emerged from the neon yellow house near the new bungalows and slipped into a long black limo. Off they went in a convoy of three vehicles: the limo in the middle, black BMW SUVs fore and aft. Hasta la bye bye! See you next year!

Did I mention I have become a karaoke diva? Of course not. I just started last night. Don't ask . Please. This "new lease on life" thing has led me into areas of expression I've only dreamed about. I can only say that my rendition last night of She had every Charles Aznavour fan in the place -- all two of them -- starry-eyed and dreamy.

Only two more things to mention:

First: Tonight we found really GOOD ice cream in La Peñita. I mean over the top delicious, like that famous gelato from Florence. This is a landmark event, worthy of being recorded. It has come to our attention through repeated trial and error, that not all ice cream vendors called "La Michoacana" (and which run about one per block in most Mexican towns) are created equal. In fact, most are pretty inferior, selling a product that is bland, sweet, coats your mouth, and leaves a funny aftertaste. This particular vendor, is "La Michoacana" one block from the ocean end of the main avenue, on the corner just across from Rocio's hair salon.

Try the plain vanilla, just TRY it! And the rum raisin. And the calabaza con piloncillo (that's pumpkin and brown sugar, special for the holidays). And the fresh peach frozen yogurt. You'll also want to compare the fresh strawberry frozen yogurt with the fresh strawberry ice cream. You might have to go back and forth several times to get a real appreciation for the difference. I did. Actually I did all this....and more. Oh dear. A whole lot more.

And last: Mañana we've got a marathon 50th wedding anniversary celebration to go to. Hilda's compadres (that's God-parents, and it's a really Big Deal down here) will renew their vows in a noon time mass at the Guayabitos church, which will be followed by a meal, which will then evolve into dancing. Maybe fireworks? There always seem to be fireworks this time of year. I hope there are fireworks. Larry promises to get spiffed up for the occasion. Here's one more thing I hope: that this promise means more than a new T-shirt. Are you reading this, Honey? Are you remembering this? I love you!