Happy New Year!

Poised to begin the New Year, I realize that I need to pack the many wonderful moments from 2011 into a sunny place in my memory. I wonder what 2012 has in store?

I wanted to make my New Years greeting a little different from most of my other posts… Following you’ll find an A – Z account of people, places, sights and sounds  that made me smile this year.  The slideshow at the foot of the piece illustrates it all… I hope your screen is big enough to read the text and view the images simultaneously…

A is for the many angels in my life

B is for bride… my daughter was a beautiful one

C is for candles… I love them

D is for dancers… my son Carlos and his wife Jeanette

E is for our entrance into 2012… I hope it will be a wonderful year for you

F is for flamingos… they make me smile

G is for all the cute little girls in Mexico

H is for the helping hands that always show up at my house

I is for irises… they aren’t often available in Merida but they are lovely

J is for Joanna and Jorge… taken during our stay in Florence last summer

K is for kisses… enjoy them and return them as often as you can

L is for love… in all its forms is the most important thing

M is for my daughter Maggie and me… she is a joy

N is for niche… tucked into every corner of Mexico

O is for oven… isn’t this a beauty?

P is for pelican… not graceful, but much fun to watch

Q is for this man from Queretaro… his message is mine

R is for ribbons blowing in the wind… so elegant

S is for sunset… watching the sun go down is a wonderful way to each day

T is for tequila… I’ll toast with that!

U is for Uxmal… and its unequaled rain god masks

V is for Volkswagen vans… we had one but not quite as colorful as this

W is for wedding couple… Jeanette and Carlos in August

X is for Xochimilco… if you haven’t been there, it should be on your list

Y is for Yucatan… we’re lucky to live in this peaceful corner of the world

Z is for Zijuatanejo… not many words start with Z… last January I was there

Happy New Year to you all! 

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A Memorable Musical Day

Yesterday, Jorge and I took several friends and family members for lunch at Mauro’s, a small restaurant near our home in García Ginerés. The minute we sat down, our waiter served a selection of free botanas along with ice-cold beer. The delicious ceviche, guacamole, refried beans and other delectable edibles made for a wonderful first course…

The menu at Mauro’s features a variety of seafood entrees, and once we made our choice, we were approached by a strong shouldered man carrying at least 30 kilos of DVDs for sale at 25 pesos each. Next, a nimble young vendor with a tray of regional sweets… coquitos, pulpa de tamarindo, and marzipans came by… and finally, we were effusively greeted by Enrique, the restaurant’s resident entertainer.

I don’t know Enrique’s life story but from his boxer’s nose, bum hip and crooked-toothed smile, I’d venture to guess that he’s had a colorful life… his taped and battered acoustic guitar looks as though it has participated in more than one barroom brawl. But when Enrique begins to sing and strum the strings… magic fills the room. His repertoire must include every Mexican song ever written, and he plays them perfectly… from memory.

When our food arrived, (chile poblano stuffed with gulf shrimp) Enrique slipped away from our table and greeted some of the other patrons – a former governor of Yucatan, a prominent businessman, a family from Campeche and other assorted Meridanos…

Later, we were invited to the home of good friends and treated to more wonderful music. This time the artist was Maricarmen Perez, a beautiful Yucatecan woman. Her voice fluctuated from a sweet soprano to earthy contralto, depending on the piece she sang. I just loved her rendition of Guadalupe Trigo’s  “Mi Ciudad.” She continued singing and playing her guitar, and before we knew it, evening slipped into night… Reluctantly, we wound our way home.

This is one of the things I love about living in Yucatan… wherever you go, you’ll find eclectic… EVERYTHING!

The photos were taken with an i-phone… not too clear, but you get the idea.

WOW!

WOW! It is December 23rd. Hard to believe that just a week ago, Jorge and I were immersed in the final countdown for Maggie and Ricardo’s marriage. And what a magical evening it was…

We worked towards the wedding for 18 months… Maggie and I kept giant binders to organize all the ideas, print-outs from many websites and cuttings from magazines… business cards, appointment reminders, quotes, fabric swatches, plans, receipts, etc… They’re filed away now, but maybe someone else will be able to use the information one day? ‘Need a great florist, caterer, music, a hacienda or wedding planner… whatever, just ask me!

The ceremony and reception exceeded all our expectations. Maggie looked gorgeous and Ricardo, so handsome. But best of all were the radiant smiles on their faces… Both were absolutely thrilled with one another and with everything around them.

I think the nuptial Mass held outside on the stone steps of the hacienda’s chapel was made even more meaningful by the exquisite string quartet and the voice of Christian Koestal. As long as I live, I’ll remember Ave Maria swirling through the night air.

The party that followed was the best!  Under six huge white tents… the band’s enthusiasm, the  caterer’s excellent food and ever-flowing beverages, the waiters’ attentions, the soft lighting and the balmy temperatures combined to create an ambiance that was all we could have hoped for. Our friends and family who attended seemed ecstatic. Seventy of those loved ones had traveled a very long way to be with us. Their presence made the occasion even more wonderful.

After dancing, drinking, eating and laughing the night away, we rolled home at 6:30 am, slept a couple of hours… and then roused the newlyweds who headed off on their honeymoon to San Francisco. Since then, we proud parents have been in “recuperation mode.” We had not realized how tired we’d be…

And now Christmas is right around the corner – although we’ve just been through the excitement of the wedding, I am looking forward to my favorite holiday. Tomorrow my sister Barb and cousin Donna will be at the house and we’ll cook up a storm … Mass at 9pm will be followed by a midnight supper at my brother & sister-in-law’s home. After opening the gifts that are waiting under the tree, we’ll have a BIG crowd for dinner on the night of the 25th.

Reflecting on this past year, I have to admit that our world is not at its best right now, but amongst the turmoil we read about in the headlines, and the depressing statistics, I know there are many people helping out where and when they can. I choose to maintain an optimistic attitude and act in constructive ways. I take joy in the many large and small blessings I have.

I hope that this Holiday season is the culmination of a mostly-positive year for you all, and that 2012 will bring you much to be grateful for.

*** I hope you’ll enjoy the photos, starting with us all getting ready… arriving at the hacienda… the wedding and a few of the party. They were taken by my son Carlos and friend, Eduardo

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