* Finally ...

a hair cut!  It was driving me crazy ... you know ... when your hair gets to that 'impossible' stage and you have no choice but to get to your hair dresser quick.  I have been going to the same hair dresser since I arrived to SMA.  This lady lived and worked in the USA and can speak English, however chooses not to.  It's been a quiet relationship.  Senora Laura has lovely energy ... so gentle, and even though we had never really spoken, I like her very much.  Today was different.  We had a conversation.  She started it.  "Where is your house?", she began.  "Santa Julia", I replied.  We chatted on and off the entire time I was there.  I think I have been accepted.  I think she is comfortable enough with me now to open up a little.  I was honoured.

From there I went to the Mercado to see who I fondly refer to as 'the nicho lady'.  She has her own factory in San Miguel, wholesales to others, and for whatever reason we refer fondly to each other as "Senoritas" and laugh about it.  It is our private little joke.  Today I visited her to return a bag full of nichos which I had picked up by mistake when I was there last week.  Much to my surprise, when I got home and looked in my bag, it was full of nichos I had never seen before ... all the same ... all not mine.
Today when I returned them, she was so happy and surprised,  I received a dozen little silver tin geckos which will make absolutely splendid brooches.  I tried to say no ... honest.  She insisted.  Senorita said such a very small part of the population would have returned them to her.  Sad, isn't it.

Time for a late breakfast.  I walked to Juans Cafe which is always a cheery place to be and enjoyed my food with an elderly gentlemen from Alexandria, North Virginia.  In his 80's, he comes here to escape the cold and enjoy the ambiance of Mexico.

By the time I was finished eating ... just enjoying a very well made capuchino, Kathleen came and joined me for a fresh squeezed orange juice.  After that we explored some shops, the artisans market, sat and had a fresh limonada with mineral water ... and suddenly it was after 4:00 pm.  We sat on the curb by the market waiting for a taxi, chatting happily and taking a few photos.

Look at that 'happy'.  How can you not love it.

It was close to 5:00 pm when we left.  I dropped Kathleen off and continued on the pick up my mail.  Received some great mail art and letters stuffed with little goodies today.  Such fun.  Returned to my beloved Quita de Luz and my Habibi for a lovely peaceful evening.  Spent some time on the phone with a friend, cooked a little dinner, decorated a few envelopes for some outgoing mail art, showered and climbed into my bed about 10:00 pm.  Another wonderful day.  I am so very blessed.

Each day is a new canvas to paint upon. Make sure your picture is full of life and happiness, and at the end of the day you don't look at it and wish you had painted something different.
-- Author Unknown