enjoy life

credit rtve.es

• SPAIN WON THE WORLD CUP!!!! WE’RE WORLD CHAMPIONS!!!
  ♪ Oéeeee, oé, oé, oéeeee!!! Oooéee, ooooéee!!! ♫
  I’m beyond myself, beyond ecstasy. A very joyful day indeed. I don’t know what got into me over this past month, but football (soccer) definitely gets in your bloodstream!! It’ll take a while for this feeling to wane…
• The new moon happened in the middle of the game, while a sun eclipse was happening on the other side of the world. How cool would it have been had it happened in South Africa instead of the South Pacific?
• After the game —and still in full euphoria—, I called a few family members, but the funniest was my brother in Toronto. He evidently saw the caller ID, and before I said anything, he screamed “Aaaaaaaaahhhhhh!!!” to which I simultaneously replied “Aaaaaaaaahhhhhh!!!” LOL

• Going for a midday walk during a break from the constant rain. My neighbors’ dogs joined us as usual, and they jumped over me to greet me in their excitement. Of course, my raincoat got all muddy with their paws.
  In the flower fields, I spotted a bird I hadn’t seen before. I love its bright-red patches.
• I’m doing a photo gig for my dad. I’m photographing some furniture and will include them in a catalog. This sort of photography is not my preferred kind, but it will bring me some extra money for my upcoming trip.
• Watching Le Tour de France and drooling over its beautiful country. I am already getting excited to go there :)

• Glorious sky and clouds today. The air was clear and the ride with my dad to meet AM & MC for dinner was enjoyable. We had sheep-barbecue tacos. They were good, but I enjoyed the avocado with fresh cheese even better. The tortillas were handmade, so, of course, they made the whole difference.
• Watching fireworks through my window as I write this, and Uma is sound asleep next to me in bed.
• Yesterday, Spain classified to semifinals for the first time in the World Cup. They will be contending Germany next Wednesday in what promises to be the best game of the tournament! Go Spain!

credit © Disney / Pixar

• Toy Story 3. I met my aunt A to watch it in 3D. A delightful sequel which had me rejoicing, laughing out loud, and shedding more than a tear! A fun, wonderful, and touching story. Fantastic :)
• Starting the process of my new passport. It will be ready in three weeks! It was a pain at the embassy, except for the lady who took care of my passport process. She was even more concerned about my name difference than me —she noticed as soon as I handed my papers in. She went out of her way to see what could be done about it and was very disappointed to find out nothing could be done. A very nice woman.
• After a long morning at the embassy and then an afternoon movie —plus both ways back and forth to Mexico City—, I got back in time to walk Uma for a short stroll at least. She was all too excited to see me back and greeted me as happy as always :)

• A nice walk to the market with Uma. My ever-patient loving dog always tags along and awaits as I shop a bit and take photos of doors and events.
• A delicious meal at my friends’ home. M & I were gracious hosts as always and they showed me their splendid veggie patch that I helped plant. The effort was theirs and a bit of mine at first, but there was a hint of a proud smile in my face since I gave them most of the seeds and gave them much guidance to some techniques and suggestions. We had a wonderful talk over dinner with much laughter about all the idiosyncrasies and surrealism of cultures in general but particularly our own :D
• The trip to my friends’ home reminded me of the goodness in people of smaller towns. When I was a bit hesitant when the combi (a small van for public transportation) dropped me off at the stop, the driver asked me: “Whose house are you going to?”. I replied, and he didn’t know, but a passenger gave me the directions!
  When I boarded another combi for the way back, a passenger offered me and others some peaches from a batch she had. I reciprocated with some beet and carrot seeds that she picked from the seed envelopes I had. Goodness is all around :)

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• A sudden luminosity in the sky in an otherwise very-dark sky; eight minutes of bright light coming through the clouds from the covered sunset. Spectacular! _{This is a 360º photo montage.}
• Taking a nap spooning Uma. I bathed her earlier in the morning, and we were both exhausted from her struggle.
• Spain winning the match against Portugal. We’re in quarter finals! ¡¡¡Oéeee, oé, oé, oéeee!!!

• A delightful weekend in Mexico City. I attended the first communion of two daughters of one of my best friends —I’m wearing the dress I made for the occasion. I’m posting the only photo I’m in —a couple of you were curious as to how it turned out.
  I stayed at my aunt’s, and we went to the movies with her daughter and her son’s girlfriend, so it was four of us to go see “Sex and the City 2” ;) We also watched a World Cup game on their HD tv. Wow!! And OMG! I almost cried the next day back home when I watched another game in my 25-year-old tv :P
  I also met with three cousins and four of their children for tacos and coffee. They’re some of my cousins I feel more connected to, yet I only see them very sporadically —besides last year, I had not seen them in 10 years!
  And lastly, I also met with my very good friend P, with whom I had breakfast in a nice restaurant in downtown Coyacán —one of my top-favorite neighborhoods—, and then we strolled around the main square to find out that the “temporary” stands and tents from sellers were finally gone. They had been there in the main square for as long as I can remember until about two years ago when they got kicked out by the residents. The feeling of the unobstructed view of the fountain with the coyotes sculpture in the early morning was sublime:
  
• The resolution of my name correction in my papers finally came back. It was a negative resolution because apparently the correction “does not proceed”. I get a feeling that someone just got lazy about it and decided that, after five months, that it was the best way out of it. I’m so angry about it, and I wanted to cry it out, but I just haven’t been able. My brother told me to not take it so personal and just adopt my new name spelling. Although spelling my name differently after 40 years bothers me, somehow it doesn’t bother me as much as the fact that they took FIVE freaking months to “solve” this, and now I have to make them give me some paper that proves that both spellings belong to only one person. I really hope this doesn’t haunt me some years ahead with property, or pension, or social security, or whatnot.
  So, the only reason I’m writing this down under this goal is because I’m finally able to process my passport —under the new spelling, but whatever… I’m still for Spain, and tomorrow I hope we win!! ;)
• My internet connection and my computer in general have been painfully slow, yet here I am trying to post but it’s not likely that I’ll be too active :( I’m having ups and downs lately, but I’m posting both equally as they are all part of enjoying life :)

• Sensing a distinct light after yesterday’s rain. The air seemed clear and, with the afternoon sun, everything looked crispier. Although the sky was heavily overcast, I took the opportunity to shoot the Cholula archeological area underneath the vegetation-covered pyramid topped with the church. In the photo, it looks sunnier than it actually was.
• A walk to the market with Uma. On our way back, we passed by the Casa de la Cultura where they were giving away baby pines for us to plant. We had our picture taken with our new tree. Now I need to find it a suitable spot. I’m thinking my friends’ house where they’ll take care of it while it establishes. It’s a good effort from the municipality to involve the people and hopefully spread awareness of trees and plants. I’ve always thought this town seriously lacks in green areas —well, except for the farm lands within the town, but there are almost no trees.
• Getting closer to finishing my dress for my event on Saturday. Although now I’m worrying that it might have come out a tad too formal. It’s not really a formal dress, just a cocktail dress. I was told that First Communions now have a “casual elegant” dress code. The dress was going to be a different design, but I changed it at the last minute so it would be more flattering, but I forgot to consider the shoes. Now I’m thinking that they may be too casual…mmmhh :S

• The smell and sound of rain coming through the open window/door while I was sewing. Uma, as always, keeping me company.
• Getting a lot of cutting and sewing done.
• Getting in touch with my Mexico City friends and setting dates to meet them this weekend!!

• A postcard from saraband in my mailbox over the weekend. It fills me with joy to receive a personal note from one of my favorite 43Ters from her corner of the world :)
• A few opportunities popped up last week, making me consider changing plans for the n^th time. I’ll consider them all, but I’m just finding amusing it all, how I’m just not making plans anymore and just go with the flow. We’ll see how events unfold…
• I moved around my desk, so it’s now facing the window instead of being sideways. Now that the sun is past zenith and for these two months that it’ll be north of us, this southern window is proving with great light quality and an acceptable view to get my work done there. No direct scorching mid-day sun.