* Old Friends and New Mail Art

As you know, Kathleen and Ivan are here.  It's just nice to know they are in town.  Comforting to have them near.  Lovely to catch up with their lives and know what's going on 'inside'.  We, the three of us, go deep .... to a soul level.  It feels magical.  On this journey I cannot do that with everyone I meet.  This relationship is special.  It's healing. 

They were on the last flight out of O'Hare the day the storm hit.  I think I mentioned that.  The next night we went to a wonderful little restaurant that serves food from the Oaxaca region of Mexico.  We happened upon a very special day.  I will try and explain.  On January 6th, the Day of the Three Kings, bread is served with the festive meal.  If a person gets bread with a doll representing Baby Jesus in it, they have to cook tamales on February 2nd for all the people they were with on January 6th.  Well, the owner of the restaurant got Baby Jesus.  He had been cooking tamales since dawn and was actually behind in this tamale cooking.  He decided to serve tamales in the restaurant that evening.  We happened upon a special evening.

We took our own champagne and toasted to 'YES' several times over the evening.  Starters were jalapeneo peppers, the seeds removed, served hot stuffed with cheese and covered in Oaxacan mole.  YUM.  Next a wonderful salad was served with warm soft tortillas.  Then the tamales began to appear.  Tamales stuffed with chicken and mole, tamales stuffed with cheese, shrimp, almonds and who knows quite what else, then a very traditional Oaxaca tamale sweet and slow cooked in a banana leaf covered in that most delicious mole.  We were so FULL .... tamales seem to expand once they are in your tummy.  We enjoyed each others company during our two and one half hour dinner.  Re connecting and knowing being together for this two months is a gift.  Finally we were able to pull ourselves from the table, said our farewells to the very charming restaurant owner and wandered slowly, in the cool night air, to the jardin to enjoy sitting, chatting, and gazing at the beautiful old colonial surroundings.  The feeling is enchanting and magnetic. 

San Miguel is not her usual self for this time of year.  Tourism is down, and the town feels quiet and empty.  It can feel a little heavy, a little sad sometimes.  Like some of her energy is missing.

Yesterday we met at the Biblioteca (library) for breakfast.  We ran into friends.  Sylvia came and sat with us for a while, and on the way out, we stopped to talk with Wendy and Blanche ... so now they have met some of my friends.

After breakfast, which was about noon,  Ivan wandered over to the Jardin to sit and read the paper while Kathleen and I went shopping to the market for nichos and delightful trinkets to put into nichos, in preparation for our nicho party.  It will be fun.  Since Ivan has found out it is not a Nacho party .... for some odd reason he is no longer interested in coming.  ;o)

A lovely day was had.  We enjoyed a late lunch of my favorite -- gorditas, in a little Mexican restaurant. 

It was after 3:30 when I arrived home.  The painting is almost finished, although the painter will be back to do the floors next week and also some painting on the main level.  Hopefully the plumber and the electrician will be here next week ... then all that is left is the iron railings for the upstairs terrace and the two sets of stairs.  We also need a little more glass for the double doors in the studio.

Wendy popped over about 5:00 pm, bearing gifts of homemade cookies.  Tea and chatter was enjoyed for a couple of hours.

When Wendy left, naturally I was alone.  Something is 'afoot' when I'm alone these days.  Something is stirring within.  I'm restless.  I can't settle.  I feel edgy.  Things are bubbling up ... not sure what.  Not a particularly nice feeling.  Don't quite know what to do with it.  Just let it 'be'.

I did a piece of mail art the other day, so I'll share that with you.

We can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot survive without human affection.

- Tenzin Gyatso, 14th Dalai Lama