I went to bed late last night finally falling asleep to a real snoozer – “Public Enemies” with Johnny Depp. Now you would think I could sleep through just about anything if I can sleep during 140 minutes of Tommy gun battles – but read on.
At 5:30 AM the bells started. Recall that I have named our townhouse “Casa Campanas”. We live across the street from Capilla de La Santa Cruz. The Capilla sports a fine set of bells – working bells.
I always name our locations (houses, ranchos, and townhouses). Little did I realize when thinking up a name for this location just how very appropriate the name would be.
Today is the first day of the celebration, “The Day of the Dead” or “Dia de Los Muertos”; also referred to as “All Saints Day”. The spirits start coming today. November 2nd is the final and principal day of the celebration. The cemeteries come to life – literally to the ‘believers”. They have been cleaned decorated and populated for the celebrations.
While the word “Day” would lead you to believe it to be one day – not so here in our part of Mexico. The celebration started at 5:30 AM Wednesday and will end sometime Monday, November 2nd.
The bells started and I popped up and out of bed dazed wondering, “What is going on?” Anita rolled over suggesting that perhaps the young fellow that seems to live on the Church property and cares for it might have dipped into the Communion wine. The woman has a sense of humor even at 5:30 in the morning
Yesterday we had arranged a visit with our friend Rosy. She operates a shoe and perfume store on the boulevard here in Xico. You might remember I ran with the bulls in front of Rosy’s tienda last July. Rosy would explain about the cnadies and candles she sells just for Dia de Los Muertos.
During this festive time Rosy adds Dia de Los Muertos candies and candles to her store offerings. She and her family have been selling the colorful candies for 25 years.
Rosy invited us up to see her stash of candies. She has already sold more than 300. People come to Rosy to buy in volume and sell at their tiendas and on the streets of Xalapa, Coatepec, San Marcos de Leon, Teocelo and Xico.
Aside form the chocolate skulls the candy angels, animals, fruit and shrimp are made from a pumpkin seed dough. The actual ingredients are a closely guarded secret. The seed paste is formed into brightly colored shapes as seen below. Be careful to not eat the eyes – they are small beads. Anita ate one. Rosy laughed. She has not reported and adverse affects.
Rosy proudly tells us the history of her selling the candies and bees wax candles. The candles are produced only for this celebration she explained. “Bees wax candles called velas de cera are quite special.
A candle is lit for each deceased family member. On November 2nd a mass is held at 10 AM here in Xico. Perhaps we won’t be awakened by bells at 5:30 AM, but I wouldn’t bet on it. Stay Tuned!
I really like writing a Blog. Some of you may know that this Blog is posted on GlobalPost (for the link to GlobalPost see upper right hand corner or the bottom of this page or on the logo below).
Steve over at ‘same life — new location‘ wrote an entry about reaching the 100,000 visits mark since April of 2008, an accomplishment for a relatively young Blogging upstart and deservedly so for a well written Blog.
Blowing my own horn this Blog has attracted over 300,000 visits in the last year; close to a third of a million visits. This is not taking into account any viewers that read this Blog on GlobalPost. I have no way of knowing as my Blog, text and photos, is captured and reproduced on their servers.
Please note: I am not suggesting I write a better Blog than my friend Steve. Blogs grow (or they die) and Steve’s hasn’t been at it nearly as long as this one. As he points out his is growing and rightly so.
There are four writers whose Blogs, mine included, appear in the Mexico section of GlobalPost News. I am humbled by the talented writers of the other three Blogs.
In GlobalPosts words: “Mexico News [on] GlobalPost is an authoritative new platform for Mexico news. Our correspondents travel throughout the country to unearth the facts about America’s southern neighbor. Gain ground-level perspectives on current Mexican news matters including the drug trade, tourism and the country’s complex relationship with the United States.”
I should mention that each entry they use of this Blog appears on their national news front page for a time as well.
I use to write a Blog daily. I wrote a while back that for this Blog I had written the equivalent of seven average sized books (about 77,000 words for an average book).
Last February this Blog started appearing on GlobalPost, at their inception. I began reducing my output as GlobalPost was looking for an entry or two a week rather than daily posts. I reduced my output primarily because my entries on Global Post were losing continuity since some posts were being missed due to their less frequent release of Blog entries.
For the writers whose Blogs appear on GlobalPost John Wilpers is the jefe (boss) at GlobalPost. His staff reached out to find this Blog and he has subsequently become my contact with GlobalPost.
If you write a Blog I strongly suggest you add his Blog to your reading list. John is a long time career newspaper man. He has great wisdom about how Blogs relate, effect and should be written to interface with the news media.In fact he provides good tips for creating an interesting Blog generally.
That brings me to a complaint. I don’t complain often (those of you that have been reading along dummy up!). My entries have not found comfort on GlobalPost. My entry from last Monday appears in today’s Sunday GlobalPost. The one written prior to this entry was released Thursday night. The entry you are reading now will appear next on the GlobalPost site missing the prior post completely (and it was a good one I thought).
I commented on Señor Wilper’s Blog mentioning that we have discussed the issue of when GlobalPost releases Blog entries, however to date I have not been supplied with a schedule or a rhyme or reason for how they post entries. It is obvious GlobalPost is a world news magazine. It is not daily world news. All still I would like the entries of my Blog to appear with continuity on Global Post, and I am willing to release my entries to accommodate their schedule.
I am hoping that my feelings will reach someone at GlobalPost who can help their Bloggers become a better part of their news service. I should add in closing that they are a terrific source of grounded information; less propaganda and more thought provoking news than most news sources. I am proud to be part of them. If you haven’t seen it click from my link. Also consider their Passport option (not to be confused with the often written about passport issues as relating to Mexico
So GlobalPost – are you listening? Sorry your readers missed my last entry. They will just have to go to my Blog to find it (look for GOTO SITE link). For the rest of you I will be back on the Mexico track next entry. I promise – so Stay Tuned!
You can pick your friends but not your relatives or your neighbors. Neighbors (vecinos) are typically a luck of the draw thing. We have some neighbors that have become very good friends, some others quite the opposite.
Often in Mexico, where houses vary considerably from door-to-door, you find a wide variety of neighbors, unlike the U.S. where there is a certain class element to most neighborhoods.
I have complained, probably too much, about our gringo neighbors in Ursulo Galvan. They have all but destroyed our view and they don’t like our religious, political, and environmental leanings and probably more, but this story is about some good neighbors we have lucked upon.
Here at Casa Campanas, our newly rented townhouse in the city of Xico, we are getting to know the neighbors a bit. Down at the end of the block within WIFI distance is arguably the best restaurant in Xico, El Campanario. The restaurant owners are also our landlords and really wonderful people.
It is hard to watch the food budget when you live three doors down from a high-end eatery.
Right next-door to El Capanario and closer still to us is Casa de Las Tías (House of the Aunts); yet another terrific eatery, and far more affordable. The small establishment is a cocina economica (an economical kitchen). But, don’t let the costs fool you the food is excellent and the owners and staff really fine folks.
As is often the case an in depth look at people will enlighten and brighten your day. Teri the owner, chef and often server is a fifties something, slight, chisel faced Madonna who at first appears steely eyed serious only to be discovered as kind, sensitive and caring; and a terrific innovative cook as well. Teri will serve up a Mona Lisa smile when she feels inspired to, not to be given up as a facade; she is the genuine article.
Anita has been supplementing her own excellent cooking with various food items prepared by Teri like her frioles or an unnamed torta mixed with Anita’s fried veggies.
The other morning we went over to Casa de Las Tías to see if Teri would fry up some potatoes for our breakfast, perhaps to add with some free range huevos revueltos (scrambled eggs).
Within the restaurant there were celebrants enjoying coffee and cake. It was Teri’s birthday. She was still running her business and served up our potatoes with some beans, and salsa, finishing things off with pieces of birthday cake.
Anita went to our casa and enclosed a small gift in a colorful gift bag returning with it and a song, “Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you…” Teri’s esposa (husband) Enrique Hernandez Mejia was at one of the other four tables.
Don Enrique is also stern faced, small in stature but with a big broad chest that swells out, ‘Don’t let my size fool you!’
Don Enrique is not as rapid to dispel first appearances. He isn’t one to quickly warm up to gringos; polite and formal he will respond but not initiate conversation. But I don’t scare easily.
In front of the little cocina economica sits a vintage, small black Volkswagen with a deflated tire. This tiny veteran warrior of Mexican roads was questionable in my mind as to whether it will fight another day being that it has been at rest for the entire month or so we have been here.
But, the other day Don Enrique was out pounding with hammer and chisel on a lug nut of the lame wheel.
I sauntered over to get a closer look being that a cold chisel and hammer are not the normal tools one would choose to remove lug nuts.
The lug nut was badly stripped of defining edges, almost rounded. I could see Don Enrique’s predicament; a lug wrench was not about to disengage the beaten nut.
In my best Spanglish I suggested he wait a moment. I went to our casa for some tools that I thought might work better.
I came back with my black plastic cased shiny-chromed tools. Now an acquaintance of Don Enrique’s was also on the scene, he and Don Enrique’s eyes widened as I lifted the lid on the gleaming tools – gringo toys!
I grabbed a ratchet and socket that I thought would work. Placed it over the tattered lug nut. There after I stood up and placed my foot solidly on the ratchet arm stepping down. The lug nut resisted little and spun loose.
My two onlookers were amazed – wow – gringos and their amazing tools!
I replaced the items in the plastic box, closed it up and returned to my casa feeling pretty, pretty good about what had just happened. Perhaps north meets south via a little neighborly assistance? I may have gained just a little respect for my effort; and truly I am the kind of neighbor that likes to help out; I won’t cover the trouble I have gotten into – Anita tells that story better than me in any case.
Yesterday we spotted Don Enrique sitting in the back seat of the little Volkswagen. He had pen and a pad of paper. He seemed quite engrossed in writing something.
Entering Casa de Las Tías I asked Anita to ask Teri if Don Enrique was in the doghouse and if he had been sent to his car as punishment.
Teri laughed not knowing why he was there. Later Don Enrique explained he likes the solitude of the car where he can write in peace and quiet.
We learned he is the Editor in Chief of a local newspaper, “Portal Xiqueno”. He gave us a paper explaining that he has been in the newspaper business for 30 plus years – a fellow writer two doors down. How great is that!
Last night Don Enrique came to our house to see my computers. We talked about guest writing for each others publications. It is exciting to have the prospects of a confederate writer that can possibly help bridge the understanding between two neighbors and perhaps even between two nations.
Stay Tuned for some words from Don Enrique Hernandez Mejia and if you are in Xico look for his newspaper, “Portal Xiqueno”.
After a weekend of rain that I am assuming was pushed over here by Rick, we have a beautiful Monday morning – the luck of the working class – harsh weather weekend and glorious Monday morning! (Click on any photo to ENLARGE)
The sun rising over Pico de Orizaba from our bedroom window inspired me to grab the camera and get a few shots for your viewing pleasure.
Those of you that have been here for a while may be tiring of Orizaba photos. But, that mountain’s majesty never dulls me.
Because we have electrical lines and such in the view from the balcony I opted to climb the metal ladder to get shots from the third floor flat roof. I pulled back my lens to include our blue dome to prove my location.
The 360-degree panorama is not shabby in any direction. I swung over from my southerly view towards the west for a shot of the town…
…and Perote. Cofre de Perote, originally Naupa-Tecutépetl (from Nāuhpa-Tēuctēpetl in the Nahuatl language), is known also as Nauhcampatépetl. Both Nahuatl names mean something like ‘Place of Four Mountain’ or ‘Mountain of the Lord of Four Places’.
I am pretty sure I spy Rancho del Cielo in this shot looking to the north.
A couple of dawns ago a neighbor in the Hood had a house explosion, an entire meltdown of everything other than stone. A poor but giving group of friends and neighbors gave items for this woman to begin rebuilding her life. Everything she owned went away with the explosion and subsequent fire.
Shortly before the sad event Anita and I had been talking about the dangers here in Mexico with propane gas.
In all our areas neighborhoods, poor and rich, stake bed trucks slowly cruise around like stalking cats. There is always a hombre riding in the back with the tall bottles of gas banging on a spent gas canister to let the surrounding area know propane gas is available.
In the poorer neighbor hoods most folks turn the valves on the tanks to open only when they need to heat water or light their stoves. Pilot lights are lit twenty minutes before showers so the gas lasts a little longer – pocket book conservation. The two sizes of tanks available last from 15 to 60 days.
When hailed street side the roving propane service will deliver the tank to the back yard or often even right in a kitchen or other room. There disconnecting and reconnecting hoses with a crescent wrench switch the tanks out.
The more cautious will apply 4 inches or so of white Teflon plumbers tape to the threads of the brass fitting that inserts into the tanks valve assembly. Poor folks merely connect threads to valves.
The still wiser might stir some dish soap into a glass applying the bubbled mixture around the valve looking for expanding bubbles that would indicate a gas leak. But, most simply connect up without thought or caution.
This ever so common practice here in Mexico had Anita and I wondering how many propane gas explosion accidents must occur?
Freedom does not come without responsibility and risk. If there is not a certified person installing the tank risk increases. Granted there are plenty of small propane canisters gassing up barbeques throughout the U.S. but the risks are far less than casual installations of gas pipes attached to often-changed tanks in Mexican casas.
Propane gas is less expensive here and a lot easier to get. Propane gas hoses, fittings and adapters are available at every corner ferretería (hardware store). We are not required to get a building permit to change out a water heater like the city of Las Vegas, Nevada and most cities in the United States. I love the freedom and cost savings, but like so many freedoms this one does not come without the need for personal responsibility and assumption of risks. Stay Tuned!
I haven’t provided a dose of local color of late. What with being obsessed with moving. Saturday mornings are usually reserved for a quick trip to the Casa de Cultura de Coatepec. This historic building is on Jimenez de Campillo right where the name changes from San Jose de Campillo.
It is just around the corner from Tony & Beth’s place and a couple blocks up from the Big Pink Church that is currently graced in front by one of the loveliest Arcos I have seen.
An ecological and organic market is held every Saturday.
“The popular and emerging Coatl Bio Regional Market of Coatepec began in 2004 with the initiative of some producers who decided to promote the organic theme and raise awareness of ecology and organic products found in this region.”
We go for the bread and cheese, but some of the other products often catch our eyes. They have herbs, honey, organic produce, exotic wood articles, clothing, and of course our personal weakness artisan jewelry.
Our friend Marguerite, wife of Tony the retired tugboat captain, has a table right by the entrance. She sells jewelry, delicious homemade salsas and when her truck is working incredible plants and flowers.
Marguerite & Anita in Serious Negotiations
Next to Marguerite is Xikury Joyería Accesories Artesanales (Jewelry Handicraft). Aris Mariajna Montes has beautiful handmade jewelry. Montes creates with mixed materials, color and varying gemstones in bold designs ala Paloma Picasso designs, yet uniquely her own – and for a lot less money.
Montes is a pretty, soft spoken, young woman who craves to learn English and actually speaks a little. Anita and I both have Montes’ pieces.
I added to my collection with a handsome earring comprised of a small, hanging, wire wrapped, purple cast crystal.
We rushed around the corner to our favorite cheese vendor. Ale Mendez sells the cheese her father makes locally in Coatepec. Mendez also a pretty girl – oh these Latino ladies – Gracias Dios I have one of my own! One has to get to the market early before she sells out of the soft cheese that I like. She didn’t have any this day. Not sold out; apparently the prepared batch was not up to her usual standards. I appreciate her quality control efforts, but of course was disappointed.
We bought some lovely organic tomatoes and cilantro. My thinking is all tomatoes and cilantro around here are organic, like most of the coffee beans, our growers can’t afford no stinkin’ chemicals (when poor equals better )
Down the last isle towards the end is the bread lady. We buy designer bread in Capitan for $5 US a loaf (a real luxury for the Calypso Kids). The luscious loaves here are 25 pesos or less than $2 US – quite a bargain and scrumptious.
If you are in or around our area on a Saturday be sure and check out the eco market. You will find an interesting array of homegrown products and most assuredly won’t go home empty handed or with some item that will end up on the top shelf of your closet. Stay Tuned!
If you have been reading along you know Mexico is a land of rich traditions and mysteries. There are witches, warlocks, witchdoctors and priests who will cure your ills from your head to your soul.
Wives tales and rituals abound. The latest to which I have been exposed has really thrown me for a loop – so I have to reach out to my readers and touch at least someone that doesn’t think I am touched, by an angel or a bruja.
In our new townhouse, from here on out to be called Casa de Campanas, we have a small problem that becomes more of an issue by nature of the cure.
During the first few nights at Casa de Campanas we found small amounts of animal excrement on the balcony – right in front of the door.
Being new we didn’t know if this was a cat that had been left behind by previous tenants, a neighbors dog or what? Each morning we would clean it up and each night the animal’s waste would reappear – what the heck?
As this wore on one night while gazing late from the window I spied a possum running along the top of the wall in the back yard. This wall wraps around and encloses the land in typical Mexican fashion. It also reaches on both sides to just below the balcony leading to the door where the nightly deposits are being made.
The scat now became clear to me. It hadn’t really looked like that of a dog or cat, at least not healthy eating ones. Without getting into any more detail you can see the blanks were starting to be filled.
I began complaining which is occasionally how things start to get corrected in my life. My good friend and futbol amigo Vicente hardly blinked after hearing my ravings saying that I needed to fill a couple bottles with water and leave them just to the sides of the doorway – problem solved – huh?
Vicente and I don’t speak the same language unless we are talking about futbol. He carefully detailed my needing to acquire two large (what 32 oz.) plastic soda bottles, fill them with water and set them on either side of the doorway.
How in God’s green earth will this stop this varmint from his deposits at our door? “No se.” That one I do know. It means I don’t know.
When I told Anita this one a light went off in her pretty head. Remember I asked you why people leave bottles on the walkways and around their yard. Well vaguely I had remembered. A new wife’s tale was in full bloom.
Vicente retrieved a spent soda bottle for me; another was secured by way of Claudia’s Tienda next-door.
Armed with my soda bottles we headed to Casa de Campanas where upon I immediately filled the bottles and placed them as I had been instructed. The whole time I am muttering, “This is ridiculous!” But, when it comes to avoiding scat I will try anything; and I was convinced that was just what this was – trying the absurd.
As with all these tales of folk wisdom I then headed directly here to the computer to see if anyone else on the planet has heard of this solution. Sure enough, you have to love the Internet. Enter: “water bottles” “discourage dogs” into Google – 173 hits!
As is often the case in these kinds of folk remedies there are your believers and those that write ridiculous!
I am usually not as observant as I could be, but now I noticed an empty bottle in front of Casa de Las Tias café just two doors to the west of Casa de Campanas.
Being an engineer type I continue to ask, “How does this work?” We have two lovely little mature ladies living next-door to us in the other townhouse. We chatted briefly yesterday at their gate.
The subject of the varmint droppings on our balcony came up. They agreed about the bottle(s) of water being effective. I ask how? They had a theory that the water reflects, shimmers and frightens off the offending animal – hmmm.
So far the bottles seem to be working. We have had no additions to the poop deck. I will keep you posted. If you know more about this than me – PLEASE – comment in. Stay Tuned for more delightful topics.
One more dish and we will have a place setting for four! I installed a dish to send and receive Internet data 22,000 miles above the equator. In terms of Internet connection quality and speed our part of Mexico is a third world county.
We always seem to live in places where the options and the speeds for Internet use are minimal and slow. After more than 25 years as a modem user, the new state-of-the-art speeds are mind boggling.
My son teases me with his 23mb Internet connection. You should know that I started with computers long before the World Wide Web was a reality (circa 1989). I could type much faster than the 300 baud Hayes modem I owned in the early 80’s.
During our recent stay with Anita’s sister in Las Vegas they had a 10 mb connection. And I slowed down to a respectable 1.7 mb in New Mexico. I knew that returning to Mexico was going to bring me down to earth via the Hughes Satellite.
We were optimistic that we might find a faster connection moving into the town of Xico after having lived in two remote locations where Hughes was virtually the only option.
In the city of Xico Telmex is the only option. They have both a cable and wide range wifi connection options. Neither is faster or more reliable than the Hughes Satellite System – which is to say all options are bad.
In Xalapa and Coatpec there is also Megacable that offers faster speeds for less pesos, but I hear discouraging reports of the quality of service.
We started asking around in Xico about a week ago. Several Xiqueños (Xico citizenry) were kind enough to allow me to sit down at their computers and test the speed of their connections. Most had comparable download speeds to Hughes; somewhat faster upload speeds but overall the gain was little.
We have been Hughes Satellite Internet customers/users for about eight years. Without going into details I can write unequivocally that Hughes has the worst customer service of any company I have dealt with in my entire life time. Overall I would rather have half a dozen root canals than deal with Hughes. They make the cell phone companies service look like the friendly folks in the ticket booth at the Magic Kingdom – I mean we are talking BAD!
Hughes banks on the fact that when you do business with them you have no other place to turn – so they can be as incompetent, mean spirited and autonomous as they please. I have often considered altering my life to get away from that only option – but I simply push on figuring one day they will get theirs. By now you have probably gathered I am not a fan.
Whew – those purgative comments aside the reality is our best option is still Hughes – ugh. As stated at the top we have a dish at the Casita and one at Rancho del Cielo. I merely move the book sized modem back and forth. Now the modem will move between three dish fixed locations.
I brought down an additional dish to use in Puerto Escondido or where ever a third location might come up. So after finding that there was zero gain to move to Telmex considering that I can have a connection at all three of our current locations. Plus I actually do have a service for four as I have a Hughes Dish system in New Mexico as well; however I have never needed it because there are many options there including a 1.7 mb connection at the local library that is wifi’d 24/7 in and around the library building. It is two blocks from our ‘garage dwelling’ in Capitan.
The third system here was given to me by my neighbor in Colorado who is a Hughes installer. I had never tested it. So yesterday I lashed a pole up to the south facing balcony of our new townhouse (I am going to find a name for it soon). I used a bunch of motorcycle tie down straps; first leveling and then securing, and finally assembling the dish parts and mounting it atop the pole.
I sighted it in and did the necessary receive and transmit tests and it worked. It works as well as my two other installs. Down the road a bit I will work on doing a nicer looking and sturdier install sans the straps.
In the mean time we have Internet at the new place. An added bonus is I can sit and drink coffee at El Campanario Restaurant while using my laptop – my wifi connection covers the distance. Carlos the head waiter even sits me at a table where I can plug-in to power.
So I am back. Make comments, send email or come and stay at our B&B with free Internet access, or just Stay Tuned! I am back.
We haven’t rented a place since – well since I was my son’s age (about 44 years ago). Moving however has been a common occurrence, and I hate it. That is what we are doing now – moving stuff to our newly rented townhouse in Xico, Veracruz, Mexico.
We hope to be settled in before Carlos and BJ show up – around the time of the Day of the Dead Celebration.
The landlords agreed to have the entire house grounded (see previous entry). The electrician, a reasonably competent and very affable fellow is now into his fourth day of perhaps seven total days. I have been helping out where I can and of course overseeing the work.
What’s that old joke: shop rate is $50.00 or $70.00 if you help (you can tell it is an old joke, no way can you get those shop rates any longer in the U.S.).
In our new Hood we have lots of visitors trying to be the first one on the block to sell us handmade tortillas, maid services, water, cheese, or gardening services. While all this is going on we are going back and forth bringing stuff, packing, unpacking – you know the moving drill.
On the first morning that we slept there I was on the balcony drinking coffee as a beautiful day was starting up. There directly south was Mount Orizaba. Not as good of look as from our Rancho del Cielo, but a fine view. The sun felt good as it has been raining a lot.
We don’t have an Internet connection yet. I haven’t decided on whether to setup yet another Hughes Satellite dish or connect to a cable service; still checking the quality of the options.
We can make food, but have not moved the refrigerator yet. We are waiting for the electrician to get finished. We’re eating out a lot – both to learn about the new neighborhood and because we are too tired to think about cooking right now.
Because we are 2.7 miles between locations the trip there and back is less painful than some of our long moving trails of the past, like 1300 miles from Ashland, Oregon to Prescott, Arizona – so I shouldn’t complain – but of course I do – I figure I have earned the right – or so I think.
I had to do some modifications on the gas lines to get the water heater working – but that happened and we can take showers now – so don’t be afraid to visit us in Xico – bring sleeping bags and an air mattress.
From the department of rambling: the weather has been wonderful.
We scooted into Coatepec for pesos and grub. Last night we watched Columbia beat Mexico . The Aztecs simply cannot get anywhere near the net – what’s up with that?
A real surprise was when we connected up the new VISIO HD television to an on the roof antenna. While scanning for channels the two major channels (11 and 13 here locally) appeared with digital HD sister channels! All I can say is WOW! The beauty, well one of many, of digital free air channels is the reception – crystal clear (bad news for some of those heavily made up novella actors).
While we may be in the depths of an emerging country – what a pleasant surprise to see those two HD channels come up on the scan. I had planned on going back to the Hood (Ursulo Galvan) to watch the pathetic futbol game from the Cotton Bowl; but I had to stay and watch on the HD channel. I was able to see Mexicos poor showing in spectacular 1081 HD – try it – you’ll love it!
Last: have you seen those signs for the physically challenged (handicap parking) that include parking for pregnant women – how cool is that! I have yet to see one in the more progressive U.S.
