It's the middle of December and everything's blooming here. I'm amazed at the color and complexity of so many of these. To the left is a delicate flower with beautiful leaves and what look like pea pods hanging from the branches!?! The plant shown just below doesn't flower, but look at the beautiful purple color of the foliage. Below that is a picture of Mexico's version of our wild blackberries up north. The flowers on ours are simple white or pale pink - these are three colors. Lavender, pink and yellow. Everyday I take at least one "walk about" on this large piece of property with our dog. No leash needed as it's all enclosed, but she just loves the company.

What else do we do?

A couple of weeks ago we went to a fabulous 70th birthday party held by a good friend at the huge house he shares with his 52 year old lady-friend. No, she is not Mexican, but you do see that often as a large difference in age is not considered unusual between partners here. That is true for men as well. But more about the party: There were about 100 people there. Great food provided by a Mexican catering company that made the tortillas fresh, one-by-one for the guests and an open bar and live music with dancing on their veranda. The following week I went to a play with friends at the Lakeside Little Theater. It was a Neil Simon play - "Rumors"- well-played and hilarious! Cost: $200 pesos (less than $12US). Very talented actors here, and some have many years of acting experience in their former lives. Last week we went to a local bar that frequently has live music and dancing (and Sushi!) to see a blues band from Guadalajara, I believe. Absolutely amazing - the best music I've heard ANYWHERE for a long time. Google the "Cadavieco Blues Band" if you like music in the style of B.B. King, early Greg Allman or Stevie Ray Vaughn. Fabulous musicians, all Mexican, that play like they were mentored by all of the above and perhaps Clapton as well! Most of what I found online does not do them justice as we saw them the other night...

And further on the topic of daily activities - we have been playing Petanque twice a week down at the malecon. Petanque is France's version of Bocce ball played with metal balls that are heavier and slightly smaller. The play field is very casual vs the carefully groomed field for Bocce, I'm told. I know our area is fraught with all kinds of built in "obstacle courses" that include scraggly grass fading into dirt areas that have pebbles and exposed tree roots. I think I would be bored to death on a Bocce field - no challenge! Our friends who established the small group have been playing for years, beginning back in San Francisco before they moved here.  

The weather continues to be very nice, albeit a bit chilly at night. It's been about 70 - 75 degrees consistently and in the upper 50's at night.

We have a busy couple of weeks coming up with good food and drink with friends we have made down here, but I still do miss my kids and grandkids at Christmas. We'll Skype with our youngest (so that I can see how much our 22 mo. old grandaughter has grown!) on Christmas day.