Hot Mexican Legends

Buenas tardes.
Now just look at this picture. Senor with a blowtorch. Of course, this is not unusual, but it is the first blowtorching he has done since he blowtorched his thumb and spent the afternoon at the hospital.
If you look closely the flame is going and he could easily become distracted and blowtorch himself again. He is blowtorching a copper water pipe.
I kept looking at this one spot on the ground thinking, I didn't put water there. I didn't water anything near that spot. Still, every day it was wet. So I dug my fingers down in there and water just oozed up out of the ground and we discovered a leak in the pipe. All water proceeded to be shut down and off for about a day until Senor repaired the pipe.

A few other water related things happened this week. Of course it would be exciting news if I could tell you we have had lots of water, but I know you want the truth. We are getting a few inches in the cistern each day. And I have to keep reminding myself every day that water gets rationed in the US, too.

Then while Senor was taking a shower one day, the water shut off completely. After I supplied him with a few buckets of water so he could get the soap out of his eyes, he was able to figure out the drains were clogged up with silt sand and adobe dirt.

Then the pump broke. We had no running water inside or out for about four days. Both Senor and Jovito, the man who drives the little red tourist train, worked on it and the pump was finally fixed.

I am always looking for the bright side and while it was just on the outskirts of my mind, I did get away without having to do dishes for several days. The down side was I still had to cook.

We have had four or five loads of water brought in. I forget now, but we never seem to catch up.

There are a lot of flies around town, seems to me more than usual, and a friend's gardener says Mexican legend says excess flies in May, means a good rainy season. Normally I am swatting them left and right, but suddenly I welcome them, they have become sacred little rascals to me. I hope they bring all their friends to town, they can camp in my yard, as long as they bring rain.

I asked the gardener a block over about this. He says...............ah, si', flies means a wet summer, little black flies means a wet summer and lots of wind and rain and storms............we needs to feed dees flies, so they will stay around especially because it is so hot now....................

Whooweee and has it been hot. Dry and hot. Hot and dry.

The Cinco de Mayo parade was hot. Not too dry as many of the kids on the back street where we watched the parade were throwing water on each other and vying for positions in the shade.

Overall, whether the kids really wanted to be there or not, because of the heat, they all seemed happy. I am showing you only a few of my parade photos, my favorites.

I do love these little girls.

too hot to march..............

too hot to play............notice the heavy wool coats............

this is dedication.................

giggling boys, second row back................

and what must be one hot iguana............

So, it was hot...............blah blah blah. We are not really into the hottest days yet. And that's because it is dry. We should be relishing this weather, eating it up like candy, like there is no room for anything else but this weather. Yet it is just a little taste of what is yet to come.

So, I went to town. I bought Zukar, the Mexican sugar that turns brown when it is boiled with water. It is what I feed the hummingbirds.

But tonight! A special dinner! I am putting out little silver bowls of cooled boiled sugar water to attract the flies. Sugar water because I am sure they will want to stick around after they eat. Silver because I want them to feel special and loved.

Then, we will cross our fingers that Mexican legends hold true.

Que tengas buen dia!