Friday, January 2, 2009 or Viernes, 2 Enero, Dos Mille y Nueve according to my Speed Spanish course lesson number 2.
Chuck and I arrived in San Felipe about 5 p.m. New Year’s Eve (Miercoles) and after unpacking the essentials and eating a light dinner we called our friends Rita and Rod and extended an invitation to an evening of cards.
Rod and Rita are a delightful couple from Oregon who have owned a vacation home here for ten years and have wintered here for the last three. We met the at our favorite Internet Cafe last winter. They overheard us talking to our family back home via Skype and questioned us about it. Rita, originally from Portugal, has lived in the US all of her adult life and is fluent in Spanish. Her language skills have been more helpful on our previous visits. While playing golf (the card version) we learned they now have a DSL connection at home and use Skype to call there daughters regularly now.
Yesterday (Jueves), we unpacked or relocated the boxes we had unloaded from the Odessey upon our arrival and passed on the toys and school supplies we had brought for the local kids to Carmen our caretaker/house keeper/friend. She was thrilled that we had brought gift not just for her nietas (granddaughters) but for muchos ninas o ninos… many girls or boys and assured us they would be distributed where most needed.
Later that evening Carmen returned with a special meal that she explained was traditionally served on New Year’s Day in Mexico. I didn’t get the name of the dish but is resembled Albondegas only the meat in it appeared to be pig’s feet. It was yummy but I am sure very high cholesterol. Maybe that is why they save it for a special occasion, no?
This morning we woke early enough to watch the sunrise over the Sea of Cortes from the deck. Spectacular, as usual.
Adios, hasta luego muchachos or Goodbye for now friends!