Clocks and Wires

At least once a year someone repairs the clock in the church tower near where I live. The repair usually lasts a few weeks, sometimes a few months. Then a year or so later the repairman returns to fix it again. The last person who worked on our clock must be a master clock expert, because it's been showing (and tolling) close-to-correct time for several months now.

I understand the problem. Mechanical things don't last long here. Metal rusts, other materials disintegrate. Or get moldy. It's the tropics, and after awhile you learn to live with it.

I was out taking photos of the church clock when I was reminded of a comment from my very observant photographer friend Michelle (hi, Michelle!). She noticed all the wires in my photo of a traveler's palm.


Here's a photo taken from the front door of my complex. I now realize that when I walk out my front door I'm surrounded by wires.

On the other hand, if we didn't have the wires, we wouldn't have electricity, or cable, or phones. And fewer places for the birds to sit.

You Are Mexican Now

The other day my Mexican friend and co-worker Lorena said, in English, "You are Mexican now." Lorena often makes good humored but snarky comments -- and she sees humor in almost every situation. She also has that self-deprecation that is so common in the Mexicans I know.

Lorena was referring to the fact that I had waited until the last possible day to pay my MegaCable cable bill. I had spent the morning in a long line at the cable company, then returned to the office to complain.

Everyone in that line, including me, had waited until the very last day to pay to keep their service from being cut off.

The thing about MegaCable is that everyone's bill is due on the first day of the month. Megacable doesn't send out bills. You have cable? Then your payment is due the first day of the month. It's as simple as that. You pay by the 10th of the month if you want to keep your cable service.

So what does everyone do? We wait until the 10th, then we go to the Megacable office and wait in line to pay. It's a tradition.

I've been here long enough to know that it doesn't help to sigh, roll my eyes, or grumble as I stand in these interminable lines. For one thing, no one else does these things, so I would only be calling attention to myself. Besides, according to Lorena, I'm Mexican now.

Aguas!

The other day I was walking down the street in Acapulco and I heard someone yell "Aguas!," which in Mexico means Watch out! I can't remember now what the approaching danger was -- probably a speeding vehicle, going in reverse down a one way street -- but that expression has always been one of my favorites.

The origin of the expression is interesting:
When a mariachi or other band arrives to serenade a woman, perhaps she is unhappy to receive it, and begins to prepare a shower of kitchen or worse, toilet water. One musician notices and alerts the others, "Aguas!".

I'm not a fan of mariachi music, but I do think throwing water, especially toilet water, is carrying things a bit too far. And how often does this happen, that bands have to designate someone to watch for flying water?

I recently read a Yahoo! article about Mexican New Year traditions. According to this article TWO of these traditions involve throwing buckets of water.

So I advise anyone who happens to be walking through a residential area on New Year's Day, or at midnight on New Year's Eve, to Watch Out, or, better yet, to carry an umbrella. And if you happen to be walking with or near a mariachi band, well ...

1. Throwing a bucket of water out the front door of your house is a method for ridding the place of evil: "echar un cubo de agua por la puerta de la calle hacia afuera para que se lleve todo lo malo."

2. If you want to forget a former lover, put a large container of water on your balcony or patio on New Year's Eve. At midnight, throw the water out: "deja toda la Nochebuena un recipiente grande con agua en la ventana, el balcón o el patio. Después de las doce, tíralo afuera."

Don't say you haven't been warned.

Feliz Navidad

Our neighbors have been busy the last few weeks decorating for the holidays. There are piñatas and paper cut-outs and Christmas lights hanging in every street.




Mostly I'm enjoying the piñatas, which come in all colors and sizes. A few days ago I bought my own piñata from one of the vendors along the canal. It cost me 50 pesos (about $4 US).


As I was walking home happily carrying my piñata, at least four people, including a taxi driver, took the time to stop and tell me how "bonita" it is.

I love this place...For 50 pesos I cheered myself up, decorated my balcony (thanks for the help Terry!) and brightened the day of at least four other people.

Fireworks and Cats

Terry and I returned to Zihuatanejo from a trip to Acapulco last night. We were welcomed with fireworks and parades. The churches were full of people, the streets were full of music and flowers. And the sky was full of fireworks. December 12 is an important day here (happy birthday, Mario!).

The fireworks lasted well into the night, making everyone around us restless and cranky, especially the cats.

But hey, I don't need to repeat myself. It turns out I've already written about this. To read more about how Zihuatanejo celebrates the Dia de Guadalupe, click HERE.

Oilcloth and Rice Krispie Treats

Last weekend I had four things on my to-do list.

1. Buy groceries.
2. Buy oilcloth.
3. Get my cell phone fixed.
4. Pick up some friends at the airport.

On Saturday I accomplished the first two items. AND I had a nice surprise. It was one of those surprises that give me much pleasure and can make me smile all day.

I found Rice Krispie Treats at Commercial Mexicana, the local supermarket. Rice Krispie Treats always remind me of Acapulco, because that's the only place in Mexico I've ever been able to buy them. And now they're available in my home town of Zihuatanejo. Life doesn't get much better than this....

Oh, and I found some really cool oilcloth. I plan to use it to line Terry's pantry and cupboards while he's out of town. Not everyone shares my passion for Mexican oilcloth, so I feel compelled to sneak into kitchens and redecorate while people are out of town. Hey, they'll learn to love it...

Treeless Zihuatanejo

I've been driving my boyfriend Terry's truck while he's in the U.S.

Several months ago, when he was still in Zihuatanejo, I almost backed his truck into a palm tree. So I was surprised when he told me where to find the keys.

The tree I almost hit was located in our parking lot. Unfortunately, we had to have the tree cut down this summer, as it had become a hazard -- because it was dead and might fall down any day, NOT because it was in my way...

I contend that the tree was dead BEFORE it had its scare with Terry's truck. Terry claims that it died of fear.

So Terry and I were discussing my driving the other day, and Terry asked about the state of health of the other palm trees in Zihuatanejo.

VERY funny....

There are plenty of palm trees left in Zihuatanejo. One of my favorites is this traveler's palm, located up the hill from where I live. I used to live at the top of that hill, and I drove a truck then, and hey, three years later that tree is still alive and well.