A Good Day in San Miguel

This has been a good day! First, the weather has cooperated: sunny and warm all day. Although there have been some clouds hanging around, they have just provided variety and have been very scenic. No piddly little clouds here in San Miguel, but big, robust ones.

Second, I was able to retrieve my credit card from the bookstore at Biblioteca. Biblioteca is the English/Spanish library in town supported by its members and various fundraising events, not the government. In addition to books, it sponsors many educational programs for Mexican youths and scholarships for worthy kids. The House & Garden tour we took on our first full week vacation in May was such an event as was the realtors’ trolley tour of several homes a week ago Wednesday. We’re not members yet, but will be soon. And their café serves Margaritas – good ones!

Yesterday when I noticed the card missing I figured the Tienda was the only place I used it (to buy a traditional Mexican cookbook). A call to the Biblioteca was fruitless (it was late in the day), but an email to the manager of La Tienda (the bookstore) was promptly answered even tho’ she was on holiday. This provided the first opportunity for Michael to drive the van through El Centro and he did just fine. It helps if you have some idea of where you’re going and which are the one-way streets – which we did.

Third, Miyake came through her surgery just fine. She’s downstairs in a crate in the living room with a couple of ice cubes for water, whimpering a bit occasionally, but the vet said she’d be just fine. She got a pain shot that should last about 72 hours – which is better than the meds given at our L.A. vet’s office. She'll get half rations when we return from dinner.

Fourth – I nearly forgot – we heard from our moving company that they are just waiting to be released by customs and then they’ll be on the road to San Miguel. Within the week should do it. Guess the customs brokers who must verify each load and set the duty are just overwhelmed with the backlog! So we can start our household helper’s duties on Saturday if she’s available. Maid/ housekeeper/ helper/ Margarita; I think we’ll just call her by name.

Remember the novels set in an earlier England where the upstairs maid was always ‘Rose’ regardless of what her name really was? The house was professionally cleaned before we arrived, but we’ve had two weeks to get it messy – even without much in the house.

Fifth, once Miyake is settled in, we’ll probably head downtown for dinner at La Posadita, our fave restaurant. It’s on a rooftop across the street from La Parroquia and on Thursday nights they have this great French singer, Myrna. A perfect evening in San Miguel.

Sixteen days and waiting

As it turned out the weather cleared, cabin fever set in, and we went out for dinner last night. Taxied to El Jardin in Centro. After making a stop at the mail place (our mail is couriered from a Texas address), dropped into La Fugata for a 2-for-1 happy hour margarita. Nice drinks, though I didn’t care for the tequila they used - but it didn‘t stop me from drinking my 2x1 second drink - lovely setting, but meals were priced a bit on the high side (for down here).

Many of the buildings in Centro were once Spanish Colonial homes. Rooms facing the street separated the outside world from the rest of the house built around a central courtyard. When the homes were converted to business buildings the central courtyards often became restaurants with their second- or third-story open ceilings glassed in. Spacious and grand. La Fugata is one of those.

So, of course, we ended up at La Azotea again! Didn’t sit at our usual table as we were earlier than usual and the ‘front’ tables were unoccupied. When it started to sprinkle and the staff wasn’t moving very quickly to extend the awning, we moved to the very front under the canopy and had a splendid view to the west. The view included the workmen laying brick on the roof of a house a bit lower on the hill who didn't let the drizzle stop their work.

There was some sort of PR team that arrived for the Film Festival that began last night. The commentator, cameraman, and producer sat in the lounge area near us and occasionally got up to shoot a bit. I think we may be in one of them. Hope I was sitting up straight and not slumping or my mother will be turning over in her grave!

After a quick shopping trip this morning under gray skies, the weather again turned rainy and it’s still raining at 5 pm. Our trip included tableware and a few pots and pans as we were running out of plastic picnic things and ideas for microwaveable meals.

Let us say at this point that the local stores – including the large ones such as Bodega Aurora, Mega, and Sorriano do not stock frozen meals or entrees. There is, in fact, very little frozen food on offer. We did find some frozen veggies and French fries today but that was about it. Refrigerators are small here with smaller freezers and I’m not sure that that many people shop on a weekly basis, but rather daily. What need for frozen food is there if you are used to freshly prepared meals each day?

We also ran into one of our B&B hosts at Mega. Hope to pick up the mirrors, lights, and things we got from his partner when we were in SMA back in May.

Wondering what to do for dinner. Had thought of visiting La Postidita, but the weather would need to change rapidly for another rooftop dining experience. They have no awnings except over the bar. We had hoped to see the opening night presentation of the 200th anniversary of the revolutions celebration (Son et Lumiere on the face of La Parrochia), but may opt for something homemade. Would you believe refrigerator-case pizza a la Mexicana? The usual cheese and sauce with chorizo and chilies. Spicy! Hoping the two Zantac will forestall the effects of the pizza on my innards.

Still a bit wet out. We’ve already returned the Netflick Avatar we watched earlier this week. Next CD should arrive Monday. It was really a great movie. The usual good folk vs. the evil corporate world, but the CGI was spectacular. And the cast included Sigourney Weaver, of course.