New Old Window

 Hola! Buenos dias! Well, I don't know who ordered this January weather, but it is unbelievably warm, just a little breezy and it could not be better. We had a few chipichipis in late fall and early winter, keeping the hill sides deep green for much longer than usual. A total rainfall, in our barrio from our rain gauge, gave us 25.9 inches total for 2013. That beautiful amount of rain has also helped the amapas to come out across the mountains, so while the hillsides are no longer bright green, they are a mix of bright lavender, purple and pink.

When the new real window was delivered Senor was playing bridge. I absolutely hate being the one left at home alone when a worker is coming for a specific reason. To me, the window was perfect. But as you know who said when he got home that day........well, they did not follow the drawing...........yes, it is beautiful, but i need it to be like the drawing i gave them..................

So he had them return and they stood out in the room that will be the new fake kitchen, and eventually the 'Game Room', and went over the original drawing and of course,the window was just as you know who said.......not like the drawing. And I looked later and this is not just a little drawing he did on a scrap piece of paper. Oh it is very detailed, with measurements, exact measurements of course, drawn on draft paper, down to the tiniest detail, with the smaller panes.

So the iron worker removed the panes and took it back to the shop and returned it yesterday looking exactly as the drawing. I like it both ways. But, the panes are more in keeping with the Colonial style, which Senor is trying to follow.
So, we now have a new old window and you know who is very happy about it. The door will be the same, with panes the same size as the window panes.

 Things are moving right along, and there are a number of works in progress at the same time. I like to see Senor and Humberto multi tasking. It makes me feel like stuff is happening faster than it really is. Lots of projects make it look all busy.

Below Senor has had a different iron worker make a large frame. The frame has been clamped together and Humberto is pouring cement into it and then smoothing it down. We are sure Humberto thinks we are crazy. He asked what it was for and was told, the floor. Then in his Peruvian Spanish, Senor told him...................after it sets, break it into pieces and carry then out to the stable. I saw this conversation and saw Humberto shake his head in disbelief..........all this work to then just break it apart?????

 Here is a pile of some of the broken pieces. The pieces are different sizes, many are smaller that this.

 The pieces will have to cure for twenty three days and then Senor plans to acid stain them and piece them back together to make the floor in the 'Game Room'. Below are the acid stains and he is messing with them to see what patterns and color blends he can get.

The windows in the Sala are being framed in. They are large territorial style windows, designed after windows we loved during our days in Santa Fe. You can see them a little in third photo, but I will try and give you an up close view in the next post.

The Festival Cultural Alfonso Ortiz Tirado began last night. This is our week long music festival that used to be called FAOT.
Here is the website so you can take a look at what you're missing. This year's artists are coming from Mexico, Colombia, Spain, USA, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Italy, Austria and Russia and Poland. I want to see it all. But there are so many venues, so many things going on, this would be impossible.
 http://festivalortiztirado.gob.mx/

I went to a different kind of a little music festival myself yesterday. My good friend had a jamming time at his house. There were guitars, his mandolin and a banjo. I took my guitar and had a great, but rusty old time and I think with a lot of practice I might be able to get back to the guitar the way I used to back when I was performing in the late 60's and early 70's. I played more yesterday than I have in 30 years and have these nice looking blisters to prove it. Now the blisters will harden up and I should get some nice hard pads on my fingertips. Oh, joy........ The bucket bass was sitting all lonely in the corner and I put myself to it and discovered it has three octaves and I went to town on it. I enjoyed that so much, but I imagine my friends were tired of hearing my guitar playing and sweetly told me I was making fine music on that bucket bass. Oh, life is good with good friends.

Que le vaya bien!!!
Linda Lou

A Real Window

 Buenas tardes! We now have a real window in the game room. Here it is. I am pretty happy about it. It is another step closer to getting this room finished so we can move the 'fake kitchen' in here and get moving farther along. We still need a door in here, but I am satisfied with a window for now.

 We bought the hardware for our windows in the US and had them installed here on the window. The hardware, made in India, is called a rat's tail. The window came with grill work to match the other grills on that side of the house and a screen. Now we realize iron workers here in Alamos can most likely make the same rat's tail. But we have plenty of them and plan to use them.

 The latch, also from India, is very pretty.

 It's a bi-fold window and opens and closes beautifully. I'm happy. Just wanted to share the first window we have installed with you. We will eventually need more of course, but the door for this room will come first.

I am felting circles, so gotta go. I am doing my reds, oranges and yellows today. Muy. muy bonita.!!
Linda Lou

Happenings around Here

 Hola. It's been so long I had to go and look up my password. But we have been busy for sure.
 Below are a few photos from Senor's garden. I think there are seven different lettuces. They are all delicious. The third photo is of my cayenne peppers. I have picked most of them and just waiting now for them to turn red and dry out so I can grind them up. Then the fourth photo is "gotta have it" sweet corn and salad from the garden.

And here is the latest Catrina, she is a bride. These photos are not so flattering, but she has already left the building, so I can't take any others. I never did name her. Any ideas? ...........though I suppose the person who bought her might have her own name ideas. And NO, absolutely not, I am not making any more Catrinas.

 In the photo to the left Humberto is making the holes for the grill work that will cover the window we don't have. Below that Senor continues to work on the fireplace in his spare time and in the last photo he is working at the tile saw. Okay that's about all you'll get from me today. But before I go I will mention our beautiful weather, our light chipichipi rain at four am this morning and over all, I could not ask for things to be better.
Hope this day finds everyone doing great!
Hasta pronto, Linda Lou