Hacienda Las Moras

The transition from sunny, warm, Mazatlan to cool, cloudy, Beaverton was not as bad as I expected. After a day or two of walking from window to window trying to get some light in my brain and dressing myself in flannel and shawls I'm back to normal. It's good to be with my stuff. (even though at my advanced age I have way too much stuff) Our trip to the hacienda which occurred on Nov 10th was so fabulous I had to write about it even though it was a couple weeks ago.

We set off about 12:15 from our condo with Gary and Carol to go to lunch and visit a tequila factory, Los Osuna. We drove up the Malecon, past all the beautiful hotels and shops in the Zona Dorada, out into the country north and west of Mazatlan. Gary, who can't see worth a whit sat in the backseat of his car with me and Marshmellow (the dog), while Carol drove with Rick riding shotgun. And we drove and drove, and drove. Gary knew where the place was but was at a disadvantage being half blind and trying to give directions from the rear. The roads are poorly marked in Mexico. Finally we found the cut-off for the road to Noria and the Hacienda Las Moras (mulberries). Gary told Carol to drive carefully because there could be goats and burros crossing the road. That verbal cue plus the visual of the Mexican landscape must have woken up an ancient memory of my first trip to Mexico in 1964. Tears welled up in my eyes and I had to stop myself from crying. My friends Nancy Teeter and Carol Gruber took a month long road trip here so many years ago.

We followed the signs for the Hacienda---difficult because there were so many side roads (dirt). On a hill we spotted a small church which belonged to the property so we knew we were close. Gary asked us if we wanted to eat first or see the tequila place first and we all yelled out in unison---EAT!!! We found the parking lot after taking a dangerous service road. Rick got out of the car and opened the gate. We were the only people there, but soon an English-speaking caretaker arrived and said the dining room was open. Someone said if it wasn't, Gary was walking home. It was 2:15

The hacienda was magical, grand and old, colorful paint, carved furniture, fountains and flowers. We walked to the covered outdoor dining room through a huge lobby(?) with very high ceilings and huge paintings on the walls. We found a big, round table and a nice waiter handed us the English/Spanish menus Carol and I ordered mango margaritas, Pacifico for the guys.

The food was delicious. I had bean soup, as did Rick, and Huatinago Veracruzana. Rick also had fonduta which was melted Chihuahua cheese covered with diced spicy chorizo.
Afer lunch we strolled around the grounds among the peacocks and roosters roaming free and down the hill to the paddocks for the horses. The caretaker came back and asked Carol and I if we wanted to see the rooms. When he opened the door, Carol took a deep breath and said, "what a place for an affair". It was beautiful, massive, antique furniture, dark colors, no telephone and no television. OH yeah!!!

All of us except Gary came very close to throwing up our hand and yelling "uncle" when we were driving around, tired, hungry, thirsty, and frustrated. I'm so happy we didn't. The hacienda was one of the best things that happened to us in Mexico. It took us twenty minutes to get home. We never did get to see the tequila place---next time.

While we were driving in the countryside we came upon something that could have been a movie scene, I swear. We came around a corner and there were, under a shady tree, two police cars one one side and a police pick-up on the other. There was just enough space for a car to maneuver through. There were at least a dozen Federales in full regalia, guns, assault rifles and bandelaros. They stopped us, of course. Gary spoke to them in Spanish, popped the trunk for a quick inspection and off we went.

I'll post some pictures which do not fully explain the feeling of being in this beautiful place. Rick says when we go back we are going to spend a few days there.

Jeanette

On our El Dia de los Muertos excursion to the Plazuela Machado, we met a woman from New Zealand with a delightful accent. She had a blond dutch-boy haircut, and was wearing a simple but beautiful orange shift and shoulder wrap that she had created. She is a world traveler, having recently arrived here from Victoria BC where she had lived for many years. To my great surprise I received and e-mail from her inviting us for sangria and "nibbles". She lives in a restored house in Centro Historico and I knew from talking to this creative woman that the house would be spectacular. I wasn't disappointed. We walked down the street from the Puerto Viajo, past the Casa de Leyendas, to her cream and terra cotta colored house. The doors to the houses in Mexico are right on the sidewalk--no front yards. You can't see what is inside until you go in. When Jeanette opened the door we walked into the living and I gasped. Tall ceilings, of course and dark tiled floors covered in some areas with Oriental carpets. The drapes covering the high windows were white, a panel of lace then a panel of plain, with rosettes spaced evenly at the top. The stuffed and comfortable-looking furniture were also covered with white slipcovers. The other furniture was perfect in that space, including a carved armoire she had brought from Italy via Victoria.
There were two bedrooms on the first floor, converted into and office and a sewing room. Each had a white covered day bed with white mosquito netting above. Colorful cookbooks were propped on the blue-tiled kitchen counter, a kitchen you could easily create a meal in. On a table leading to the kitchen there were 2-3 large ironstone soup tureens and other tasteful articles---I forget exactly what they were.
Jeanette then led us up the tiled staircase with wrought iron hand rails each of us carrying some food and drink to her bedroom and outdoor living areas. The bed was covered in beautiful white textiles including cut-work toss pillows. Her seventeen year old orange cat, Seth, making a nice contrast on the bed. There was a small covered terrace with a table and chairs on one side of the room and a huge rooftop terrace on the other. Another gasp!!! She had three green umbrella covered tables, one umbrella was like a flower and comfortable chairs placed for conversation. In the middle was a portable firepit. It's still too hot here to use it.
On the terrace there was a feast. We had red wine sangria, the best I've ever had---fruity but not too sweet. There were curried deviled eggs, nuts, bacon-wrapped water chestnuts, toasted bread cups for the wonderful and colorful cold marinated large shrimp. I hope she will give me the recipe.
This remarkable woman left her comfort zone and a seventeen year long relationship because she was tired of being cold. Her other option was India but she opted for Mazatlan because it is only a four hour flight to Vancouver, BC where she has a son who is ill.
I have become Rick's little girl since we've been here. He holds my had on the bumpy sidewalks and crossing the street. I can not imagine at sixty-four years old, selling my house, doing all the paper work required, packing my household for shipping--literally--it goes to Manzanillo by ship, and then trucked to Maz--- and moving to Mexico by myself

Good for you, Jeanette. I'm really glad I met you

By the way, she know Lisa. I'm not even surprised anymore.

El Quelite and the Cock Farm

Last Thursday, Oct 29th we got up early and walked down to Casa de Leyendas to meet our tour guide for our trip to El Quelite. Of course, Rick was making friends with everyone. Glen, Sharon, Pifas, and Reyna came out to greet us. Kisses and handshakes all around......and coffee.
The air conditioned van was waiting so we hopped aboard. There was a cooler with cold water and pop in the front. We traveled up to the Golden Zone to pick up a nice couple from Edmonton, Alberta, at the Hotel Flores and further north to El Cid to pick up a lady traveling alone, from California. Miss So and So (not her real name LOL) never shut up for a second--chirp, chirp chirp. Holy Cow!! Question after inane question. She asked our driver, Jesus, how old his mother was and when he answered 70 she asked if she was a young 70.
El Quelite is about 35 kilometers from Mazatlan. We stopped first at a little village--bumpy unpaved roads and abject poverty to our American eyes. Miss So asked if they had indoor plumbing. Duh! Does this little-more-than-a-hut look like it has a shower?? Rick and I felt like we were spying on them and taking advantage of them. The people smiled and waved at us anyway.
Chuey( short for Jesus) pointed out a lot of the flora along the way. Quelite is a bush with red branches, San Miguelito, aa beautiful wild flower and morning glory beside the road. along with papaya orchards and pomegranate trees.
The next stop was a cock farm (Jesus called it a rooster farm, isn't that sweet?). There were hundreds of concrete tents line up for the cocks. They were tethered to their own tent lest they kill their neighbor. They are bred for fighting are the most beautiful birds you ever saw. Their feathers are brown, white,purple, red and gold and everything in between. It didn't bother me a bit that they are fighters. Hey, I've been to a boxing match and loved it. Unfortunately one of these birds has to die. Yum Yum, fried chicken. By the way the best breeding stock comes from the US even though cock fighting is illegal. The breeders ship them to Mexico and Thailand. Their females are kept in stacked cages in the back, 3-4 to a cage. They are brown and ugly. They put plastic eggs in their cages to get them going. Is this the equivalent of chicken porn? Oh what fun it must be for them to be with one of those beautiful cocks (maybe a should have said studs here)
You could see the cemetery across the field. Very colorful. Jesus explained El Dia de Los Muertos to us. The spirits of your dead relatives come back for the day and everyone goes to the cemetery with gifts of flowers and the relative's favorite food and drink. They spend the day there with all the family, including the kids, and tell stories about the dead ones.
Chuey's favorite place was next, the pandaneria--bakery. We got to go in the back and watch the baker shove the goodies into a huge beehive shaped oven with a huge peel. We bought some bread, Chuey ate his in the van. Mexican bakeries are a killer for weight control. I bought 8 pieces and my bill was 35 pesos--less than 3 bucks. Oh Dear God.
We then hiked up a steep stone path to a statue of the Blessed Virgin who sits in a shrine above the town. The vista was of the whole town and miles beyond.
Continuing in a religious tone we went to the town church. Ninety-five percent of Mexico is Roman Catholic. Jesus said the church was new---build in the 1890's--a beautiful little church. He told us the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Indian, portrayed on the stained glass windows. The story meant a lot to him and almost made me cry.
Finally we went to the town restaurant, La Meson de los Laurendas It's huge, many beautiful decorated rooms, colorful and imaginative. The food was great, Mexican, including a sweet warm caramel pudding. Everything was served in typical terra cotta decorated pottery dishes.
We left feeling full and satisfied. The best thing was that Miss So shut up on the way home.

Mexican Cooking Lesson

Oh what fun!! There were seven of us menopausal women, each of us having hot flashes in the very warm kitchen. Linda, Kathy, Patty, Carol, Marie and me. All but Carol, a Canadian, and I, were permanent residents of Mazatlan. Marie, a Mexicana, lived in Tuscon most of her life and had move to Mazatlan recently.
Maureen, the teacher--from near Philly--had a big pitcher of hibiscus tea waiting for us. It's called Flor de Jamaica, red and full of antioxidents. I saw a bag of it at the Mega and it will be going back to the US with me next week. White wine sangria was next--wine, cut up fruits and club soda. This may be when we all started to glisten. We made two types of salsa, peach and mango, with the typical salsa ingredients, red pepper, cilantro, onion, and lime juice. Those were used for the topping on our chipotle, mayo and goat cheese canapes. For the fish course we made Mexican crab cakes. Mo used walnuts in the breading, ground by Carol in a molcajete. Delicious--more of the salsas served on top of them. The meat course was chicken Milanese. Down here you can buy the chicken already cut thin and flattened. You know I will be going over to Cornelius, Oregon to look for them at El Grande. You put goodies, herbs, veggies, cheese etc in the middle and either roll them and fold them, pan fry them or bake them. Very versatile and yummy.

For dessert Mo made Mexican rice pudding. I thought this will never work. I remember my grandmother baking it for at least an hour. This was done on top of the stove in a half hour and it was rich, creamy and delish. she served it warn with a sprinkling of raisin and craisins and cinnamon (canela in Espanol)

Despite and the flushing and sweating a Wonderful time was had by all. If you ever get to Mazatlan, take a cooking course from Maureen Gerrity. She's a great teacher--giving us helpful hints for variations along the way.

I forgot. We made a stirfry of corn, red peppers, onions and my new favorite thing, chayote. It's green, wrinkly and delicious. It tastes a little sweet and cucumber-like. Will be a staple in the Wise household.

Rick and the Roiling Seas

I've always wanted to write that expression--the roiling seas---and I got my chance 2 days ago when Rick came stormin' in. I woke up about 5:30 and realized we had lost power sometime during the night. I stumbled around feeling the walls on my way to the kitchen to find a candle or my little Tuality flashlight. It was thundering and lightning and blowing the rain sideways. Luckily, for we coffee drinkers, the power popped back on long enough for me to hit the on button the pot on so we had nice hot coffee while we watched the natural show outside. For a little while the power made a valiant effort to stay on---the microwave kept whistling---but finally it went off for good.
And what a show it was. It rained a lot but mostly it was the wind that was scary. Rick had to lock the front door as the wind was trying to suck it open. The palm trees were swaying, some of them becoming uprooted, and coconuts were flying all over the place. When it was over, our little courtyard off the bedroom was covered with debris, mostly palm fronds and about 6 coconuts but were safe and sound. The power didn't come back until quite a bit later making me realize what a sissy I am. While it was storming Rick and I listened to "The Poet" on my Kindle just like the 40's radio. It was pretty neat, I must say.
Rick cleaned up the debris in the courtyard and swept down the terrace and we are as good as new. The weather here has changed---don't know if Rick is culpable but it's cooler and less humid. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Hurricane Rick---no kidding

This morning we wondered a little out of our home neighborhood up the beach to the Golden Zone. The Zona Dorado is where the nice hotels and restaurants are and where the Canadians and Americans go for a week's vacation in the sun. While Rick was on his cigar search, I went into Martha's Spice shop and bought some Mexican cinnamon and a couple vanilla beans ($7.00 for 2. I'm hoping I can do better somewhere else but I know they are expensive. At home I paid $13.00 for two to make my son's birthday ice cream. He ordered "strong vanilla".

We continued on back to the Mega for survival shopping as the hurricane is coming in a few days---probably Wednesday. I bought a bunch of stuff that does not require refrigeration in case we lose electricity, plus paper towels, paper plates, alcohol gel,candles etc. So, we're good as long as we like fruit cocktail tacos.

When we got home Glen was here taping up our windows. He and Rick brought in the gas grill and secured anything that could be a dangerous missile. Talk of the impending storm is on every one's lips from the pulmonia drivers to people on the street. The cruise ships have been diverted from the Mexican Riviera port this week which really hurts the economy here, especially after the swine flu scare.

I've been checking the Weather Underground website to watch Rick's path and progress. Right now it's gray, cloudy and raining here---just like home but it's warm. Even if Rick goes from a Cat 3-4 to a tropical storm, it's still serious.
More later.

Baseball Stadium in Mexico

I couldn't upload this before. Maybe I was a little wordy?

Mexican Baseball

Last night we made our way over to the baseball stadium in Maz. You can see the lights from our perch on our deck. We went in the Red Trucks again with some new friends. I sat on the end of the bench and hung on for dear life, praying I wouldn't get bounced out or rear-ended.
The estadio looks like most well-worn minor league stadiums (stadia?) The steps going down to the blue plastic seats is aggregate---not nice aggregate like around a pool but very crude, rustic, dark gray. stuff with rocks the size of---well, baseballs. You are assigned a section but not a seat and there was lots of seat changing depending on who was watching.
They have 2 electronic scoreboards, smallish but very nice, but Rick said it was very dark in the outfield. That was the first thing he noticed. The place is loud. Some kind of music is playing every second, a Mexican band strolls around playing Mexican music with the tuba player--omm paa paa. There were two sets of five teenage girls about the age of my granddaughters (15), one group dressed in cowboy hats and the other dressed in red baseball caps dancing to the same music my kids do.
We got there early so we could all sit together. I watched the people coming in---families with babies, young studs, and beautiful you women dressed in tight jeans and sparkly jewelry. One thing that is exactly the same as home--all young people carry call phones and are frequently checking them and texting their friends.

Before the game Rick spotted Sid Monge talking to a middle-aged man by the dugout.They played together for the Cleveland Indians in the late '70's. He went down to say hello--Rick said he knew it was him because he was balancing a baby in his left hand. He's going to leave us tickets for next Friday and we will make plans for lunch. It was heart-warming to see the camaraderie of old team mates.
Vendors vendors, vendors, hundreds of them selling everything from the ubiquitous "we're #1" hand,cotton candy, cookies, tacos, pop of all colors, aqua and orange are big here and cut up fruit. Next week, after the next game I will write about the food. We decided not to have dinner before we go to the game. That's how good it looked. We left early. Rick's back was killing him. They won 4-1.

The Shrimp Ladies etc

Before I write about yesterday I have to tell everyone how nice the Mexican people are. Rick left this morning on an errand to buy cigars. He had some information about a man who made--or imported Cuban cigars and operated from his home. He took the pulmonia to the place but the man wasn't there yet. His wife--an abuelita like me--and spoke no English invited him into their home to wait. She offered him a glass of cold water and served it to him on a saucer with a napkin under it. He could have been a bad guy but she offered him her hospitality anyway. (by the way he bought a box of Cubans)



Yesterday we met a bunch of people at Casa de Leyendas to go for lunch at 2 PM. Hotter than hell at 2PM. Most of the twenty three of us got on Red Trucks, they are Pick-ups with benches in the back and headed off with loud Mexican music playing to the "shrimp ladies". Every day in shrimp season the ladies sell the shrimp and other seafood along the street. You pick out what you want, do a little bargaining and then take it to a restaurant to have it cooked. It was 780 pesos(60 bucks) for all of us. We walked around the corner to the restaurant, Dunia's. (By the way I WILL NOT be posting pictures of me because I was totally drenched and no make-up by that point, although Rick looks totally perfect....grrrrrr Dunia's looks like a regular dark storefront but it was deceptively large and very dark. No a/c but fans blowing, but it was cool inside. They sat us all at a long table and started bringing out the food, family style. Of course, there were chips and two kinds of salsa, a cruda and a chipotle, and jicama with lots of lime. The ice cold beer was put in buckets at the ends of the table. The first dish was ceviche raw shrimp cooked in lots of lime juice, chilies, and salt, then came the shrimp in garlic butter, followed by fried shrimp We were entertained by a large Mexican man with a huge, loud voice and a boombox.

On the way out there was a kid selling absolutely fresh sugary doughnuts. Lots of our friends bought them and sighed.

I sat next to my new friend Mikki from Washington, who is a passionate knitter, and all that entails (Ravelry, stash, books classed etc) like me.
That was a fun day!! Off to a Mexican baseball game tonight. The Venados.

Rain

It rained like hell yesterday afternoon so we postponed Il Mosto until another time. They have a steak in burro negro that Rick is dying to have. I "cooked" at home our traditional Monday Night Footbal meal...soup. Luckily I had purchased some canned black bean soup from Walmart (Mexican brand) It was fabulous, especially with the jamon y queso sandwiches, grilled.

Today we got an early start and walked down to Centro Historico for breakfast at Panama. I made a fortunate mistake in ordering---thought I was ordering huevos rancharas but got some thing similar, two fried eggs with frijoles and a side of the most delicious beef concoction. YUM. Served with fresh, warm tortillas. We walked around, past the Plazuela Machada and Il Mosto, stopped at a bakery and bought some goodies and then stopped to see Glen and Sharon at the B&B.

Off tonight to La Copa de Leche for fish tacos and a margarita. The picture is of a Pastel minitura de guava. Rick put it in the fridge upside down. It was beautiful

Knitting etc in Maz

Woke up this morning to pouring rain, a nice warm shower. It didn't last too much more than daybreak. Rick took off to find some cigars and I after watching a whole day of the NFL in Spanish decided to work in the tiny Christmas ornaments (sweaters etc) I brought to knit in peace. The first one, red and white stripes, although a little tricky went well. I decided to make a plain blue one next. Some of the preliminary work was done so this one would be a breeze. Or so I thought......... With my Kindle reading "The Lost Symbol" to me I got busy. The book got really thrilling and you guessed it, I had to tink and tink and tink. (for you non-knitters that is knit spelled backwards). Now I would like to embellish the thing with my own symbol to an upright middle finger on the front.

We are going to a new place for dinner tonight, Il Mosto. It must be Italian. We are walking there so I can eat a lot!!!

Yesterday, we hit the Walmart to buy some groceries. I only buy enough for a few days so we run out of breakfast stuff and water quick. I bought enough pan dulce for three days and there is only one left.....hmmmmmmm. We weren't thrilled with Walmart so we'll go back to the Mega which was large and clean and friendly. Most of the Mexican people couldn't be friendlier but the young women seem to have a had fight with their boyfriends. No matter how much I smile-----and I grin until my face hurts it's hard to make them smile back. I's almost 4 PM, time for my dip in the pool. What a life. As Rick says, "another 50- 60 years of this".

Plazuela Machado

Last night we went over to Glen and Sharon's B&B, La Casa de Leyendas for drinks before we went to the Plazuela de Machada for dinner with a bunch of their guests. A good time was had by all. All the guests were from the states and, of course, much younger than us. That's the story of my life. Words could not describe what either if these places looked like so anyone who reads this, please Google the places.
I had pollo in a chipotle sauce and Rick had shrimp crepes and chicken with portobello mushrooms. They put the most delicious garlic toast on the table. There were tables and tables of vendors in the center selling mostly beaded jewelry and other neat things. The strolling troubador that sang to us---"recueudos de ti"----the first night here was there and he recognized us. Rick asked me how I pulled that song out of my head. I know more than he thinks I do. LOL Will post his picture. Rick has named him Felix

Dinner at the Plaza

We are just on our way out for dinner with our new friends at the Plaza Machada. Will post some pics tomorrow.

I just about killed my poor elbow today trying to get towels out of a still revolving drier. Muy Stupida.. Have a huge hematoma, swollen and not as painful as it looks. Rick wouldn't take a picture of it for me.
Mas manana.

Grocery shopping in Mazatlan

Yesterday we took the pulmonia to the Mega store. I's a huge grocery store like any in the US. It's on the second level of the mall. You take a people mover straight up. Returning, your cart is magnetized to the escalator without steps to go down.
Buying pastries is going to ruin me---but in a good way. The bakery has trays and tongs which you pick up and choose from at least 100 pan dulces. I didn't even look at the cakes or dounuts.

I bought enough food for a couple meals and breakfast and lunch stuff. When I asked for a kilo of boiled ham (jambon) the lady looked at me and smiled sweetly so I knew I screwed up. I then ordered a half a kilo, which is of course still too much for us. Last night I made spaghetti and meat sauce, Ceasar salad, and wonderful Mexican peasant bread. Surprise, surprise, my blood sugar was 109 this morning. rick says we have to move here for health reasons. Maybe it was all the "exercise" I got in the pool.

My computer went crazy last night--so much that I was sure it was gone forever. I am one with this thing and realized just how much when I couldn't sleep trying to figure out how to live without it. If I'm ever gone for a while that's the reason.

Mazatlan Day 2

We arrived exactly on time and got through customs like a breeze. Glen was there to pick us up and gave us a tour of our area Olas Altas. (Tall Waves). We got settled in this beautiful setting and went down the hill to the Malecon (boardwalk--except it's not boards) and took the pulmonia (golf cart--muy dangerous) to dinner. Not really knowing how far it was we could have walked. Dinner was fantastic---huge shrimp on the barby with grilled asparagus, etc.
Today we took the pulmonia to Centro Historico for shopping and breakfast (huevos rancheros). OMG, I wanted to go grocery shopping but the driver took us to the supermercado which is a covered open market like the Reading Terminal Market in Philly. There was tons meat lying about, and dead carcasses in all states. I'm not quite ready for that yet on my 2nd day in Mexico. The chickens and fish looked OK......maybe later.
It's hot and humid. the heat index was 103 all day but it's nice now. We are just about ready to go find some dinner. shrimp again, I hope. That's Rick in our pool.

Mazatlan

One more day!!! We are so excited. My packing is done, all the technology and their chargers are in their places. If I didn't knit I would have been done long ago. I keep changing my mind about how much and what knitting I'm going to take. Since it's still so hot (and I'm such a weather wimp) I may be stuck inside listening to my IPod and knitting my fingers off. I'm taking yarn to make tiny sweaters for Christmas ornaments. I figured they would take up less space.

My friend Lisa had to come back to PDX because her brother had a massive CVA. He's doing fine so far. I hope she gets back to Mazatlan while we're still there.

Back to packing.

I've been busy doing important things before out trip. Pedicure yesterday and a cut and color today. Lori put more dark stuff (dare I say dye) in my hair but I'm sure I will come back flaming orange. I haven't really packed yet, still throwing stuff on the bed. I will have to put 3/4 of it back in the drawers and my closet.


Rick has a gig in Philadelphia this weekend for a baseball card show. It will be a quick turn-around, he leaves Friday, back Sunday. We get our pesos from the bank on Monday then off to Mexico on Tuesday, VERY EARLY.

I'm sure I have seen every photo that every traveler has posted of Mazatlan. It looks wonderful.

I can't wait to go grocery shopping in a foreign country. I'm thinking of taking cooking lessons while I'm there. Doesn't that sound like fun? More later

Mazatlan

The Wise Old Owls are going to Mazatlan, Mexico in 12 days. We are going to stay for five+ weeks near old town, Olas Altas area. I found out this morning that an old friend of mine from the hospital lives and works there. Her name is Lisa Lankins. She was the unit secretary on 4 E.

I have started to pack---not really-----just putting stuff on the guest bed for packing later. As a knitter, you know the yarn and needles go in first. I'm going to try to be really good about taking the perfect amount of clothes. Like most people I generally overpack and come home with a stack of tee shirts that I haven't even worn once.

Mexico

Only Three more weeks until our adventure to Mazatlan!!

42nd Anniversary

Yesterday was our 42rd Anniversary. We had a great dinner @ McCormick and Schmicks--boulliabaise, calamari, and some great desserts