24 - 4 The beginning of OAXACA'S TWO HOTTEST MONTHS

 March turned out to be a very unusually Hot month. Now we will see what Mother Nature has in store for April.

Migrants come through Oaxaca.  Volunteers living or visiting Oaxaca help by signing up on this website.  Some photos.  Feeding and clothing are the biggest challenges. This will give you an idea:

 https://oaxacamigrantsassistance.org/

I started April with a nice Dinner at Casa Celia. Great Salad and Calamari. When I returned, my neighbor and his wife were counting up the number of Easter Eggs found in their yard by their children. I managed a photo of one showing his bounty.

Great neighbors! The following evening I visited Sur y Norte and tried there Chicken Enchiladas. Very good. 

                    Another Wedding on the way home.

Friday morning I visited Pachote Market on Colon to order some fresh Goat Milk that Deke, my former complex Manage said was available. It was a very nice market.  I ordered 2 liters for next week and vowed to do some shopping then.  Nice produce.

That evening I met Chris at Tres Bistro for dinner, then we were going to a concert.  The Manager Julian, a friend of ours, stopped by the table and told us his home is in a Complex of 10 homes and has not had water for 5 days.  He lived in San Felipe just north of Oaxaca City.  This has been a problem for years and now reaching a breaking point. Many are selling.                   We had a nice meal and though I managed a photo on arrival of the view...nada the dinner.  We walked to the hotel where the performance was to be held but no one was there. I checked the front desk and they explained my date 4/5/24 was the 4th of May...not April 5!  We had a good laugh and a month to wait. 

               Football on the Church Steps

 This morning I had Avocado Toast with Fried Egg and Tofu at Aquacate and did nothing all day.

             My Lovely Family to keep me company!

                Some new Art...the Bust.

                                   I have to AGREE.

                   Grandma and Granddaughter

The Solar Eclipse is coming in two days.  I took a photo of the Sun and the Moon rising together today! Never saw that before. Then I had the Eggs Benedict at Chepeche nearby, while a Marathon was in progress and a homeless person was washing her plastic collection in the rainwater from last night. I never saw but smelled the rain this morning.

                               SUN-MOON RISE

That evening I had 3 Beef Tacos at Sur y Norte...the Beef was overcooked and a tad dry.  First time and last for Beef Tacos. 

Boarded to protect the Church from Graffiti. Didn't work.

Drought yet the Fountain was on in the Zocalo...unusual.

John and Carla, joined Maddie and I for Dominos this morning.  We had lunch at Ayuk. It was my Mom's Birthday and my daughter Jennifer made her annual visit to honor her on her Birthday and clean the gravestone.

            All our food was excellent, as usual.

                         Happy Birthday Mom....

Jennifer's photo of the Eclipse from Buffalo.

Doug, Attica friend living in Upstate N.Y. sent his Eclipse Photos too.   My daughter Heather celebrated her Birthday the day before Mom's. Allen took her to Joshua Tree Park for a couple of days of surprise Stargazing , Hiking and the Eclipse. 

                  Allen got to be the photographer.

I took my neighbor Gaby out for dinner tonight at Kintaro. She leaves shortly for a month in San Diego and Oakland to visit her two sons and doctors for an update on her surgery rehab.  I failed to get many photos but the food was fantastic.  Some photos.

Back to Ayuk for another great Breakfast. Then a short photo walk and home for the day.

My favorite Korean Restaurant on Colon: Dururu

Early Morning Blood Work Up...so had to fast.  Then I tried a new Restaurant that Maddie told be about on Murguia. Huevos Rancheros...good but Sauce was watery.  Took the bus home.

   Drop off your Sneakers and pick up clean ones!

Health Dept requires a place for workers to wash?

Sunday I enjoy dinner at Casa Celia. Shrimp Stew with a Tomato Salad.  Very good. My High School friend Doug and Kathy live in Upstate N.Y. and occasionally send me great photos of there surroundings by the Lake where they retired.

I do miss the 4 Seasons and regret spending 40 years in Arizona.  Would have enjoyed 20/20.  I do enjoy Mexico!!!

I spent the day with Raphael and his assistant who fixed my doors leaks from rain and revarnished sun dried exterior wood.  He took down all the 4 doors leading out to the terrace and built up the floor support to prevent future flooding. Then I returned to that new restaurant for Salmon Dinner.  Not bad but no beer or wine.

It is already Mid-April.  I have been busy fermenting foods...Kefir, Sauerkraut, Carrots, Green Beans, Jicama, Garlic, Red Onions, Beets, ...shopping and having proper Jars, Utensils, and Ingredients has been a challenge for this newbie to Fermenting.

    

I got my third and last reclining chair and had to throw out most of my recent fermented vegetables because of the wrong salt to ferment them. A week's plus work gone.  Need a break.  This heat means little gets done between 11 pm - 6 pm. In the 90's most days and no A/C.

        Not so great Eggs Benedict from the new place.

My Namesake

            Los Nogales, second home of mine for 3 years 

          Girls just want to have fun...and they know how! Reading and discussing the Book of Mormon.

A Stainless Steel Strainer for my Instant Pot when I make Natto...Fermented Organic Soy Beans. Ordered on Temu from Beijing China delivered to my door in one week for $12 total. Must have used a whole roll of packing tape.

Par-Cooked Broccoli, Brown Rice, Hummus, Beet Soup 

Mixed Nuts, Pickled Onions, Ginger, Beets, Kefir, Garlic

Red Sauerkraut, Kombucha, Fermented Carrots

This morning I walked to the Mazda and China dealers. Talked to sales reps in each Dealer.  One showed me 4 Mazda's and the other 3 China cars...all overpriced for what I want.  A car for long distance driving into the USA.  Certain car makes and models can NOT be sold in the US.  If and when I depart Mexico for good,  which I doubt, I would like to be able return to the US and trade the car in but certain ones the US will not accept.  I decided to take my time and shop for only used cars on the open market...maybe in a couple months.

                       Mazda ... all look alike to me.

My landlord got Dengue but allowed a crew to fix my doors leading to the terrace and varnished all doors and windows on the outside. Then built up the exit to the terrace so it wouldn't flood as much. So I've been around all last week AM-PM while they have been pounding and painting. Glad it's near done. 

Nice job!

Breakfast Omelet with Tejate at the local Market then dinner at La Jicara.  My favorite Tuna Steak, Red Cabbage and Mashed Potatoes with some wine and a lecture after.

               

               Healthy Aztec Drink...original Recipe.

                           Mixed Vegetable Omelet

                  Beet and Apple Chilled Soup

                     

                            More Dance Practice

Last night I ate a Steak at Tres Bistro before attending  the Candlelight Concert Tribute to Queen. I expected to hear Queen music.  I wasn't going to go.  I got 2 tickets but couldn't get anyone to go with me. My friend Chris and I were already going in a couple weeks to hear another Candlelight Concert of Vivaldi's 4 Seasons.  I like Queen and decided to find out and go alone.

Filet of Beef with Corn and Nopal...Cactus Fronds

Chewy and flavorless. Meat in Mexico is not the best.

      It was a Chamber Orchestra.  It took me 4-5 songs before I realized they were playing their interpretation of Queen!  It was hot sitting in chairs lined up so you couldn't see the band and just row upon row sitting side by side with no armrests.  At least the seats had cushions.  They advertised food and drink...snacks and overpriced booze in plastic with no place to put it except on the floor.  Everyone was dressed up except me. The only one with shorts on.   I was told you couldn't leave during the performance out of respect for the performers....how about the audience.  I left.  It was a nice walk home.  I saw a street entertainer I filmed 4-5 years ago that was just as good as she was then.

In Vietnam, we called these carts: "Ho Jo's"

Did nothing until this evening when 

my new friend Gabriella and I stopped at Sur y Norte for some Wine then spotted the Fugle Horn player on the way out so taped a little of him.

 Lee and I ventured out to Casa Celia's for dinner then he took me next door to a new Gelato Gem. 

                             Yeah...RAIN Today!

I have exceeded my normal length for this blog. It started slow with little happening but this last week has been busy so I will post this then continue with the last week in a few days.  Thanks for your patience.

....lots of love to all.  David