September - almost over already!

I finally got the contractor in to finish the stairs up through the utility well to the roof. I am pleased with the final product although there is quite a lot of finishing work still left for me to do. They put the “tanaco” (water tank) up on top of the stairwell and that has freed up some more space for the roof patio.

Mexico has been in full dress national holiday mood since early this month culminating in the September 16th blow-out with the usual fireworks and parades. My neighbors invited me to join them for “pazole” – a kind of stew with pork or beef and “pazole” corn – commonly consumed in great quantities during National Day celebrations. It comes in three different colours of course – red, white and green. (Everything around town is decked out in red, white and green – the national colours - and could be mistaken for over enthusiastic Xmas preparations in another context.)

The neighbor’s “pazole” was red with chicken as the base and very delicious. It was accompanied by barbecued “arancha”, “chorizo” and tequila and the daughter topped it off nicely with a type of cheesecake dessert. Daughter incidentally is about five months pregnant with her first and all are quite excited.

Speaking of which, I am midwife to two little fishes in my pond. How they have survived with the six big cannibals around them is a question. Who the parents are is another one. Anyway, one is red and white and the other black and we are all very proud.