Monday, January 2, 2012
And The Wind Does Blow
We spent a bit of time in town today, having breakfast with Jessie and Vergil and then seeing them off at the ferry dock. Jessie cried at breakfast- I'm pretty sure she did not want to leave the island. I understood but I told her that she would have adventures and she would be so glad when she saw Uxmal.
Then I cried too.
Damn.
Leaky, leaky hearts.
While we were at the ferry dock we watched a pelican dive and dive, each time getting that huge-beak-sac full of water and then the water would disappear and a fish could be seen going down his gullet. It was beautiful the way he crashed face first into the water, so clumsy-looking, so sure of what he was doing.
Mr. Moon let me shop. I hate to shop. I hate it. I don't know why. I can't do it. I didn't buy anything. I only saw one pair of earrings that I was even vaguely interested in and they were too heavy for my old lobes. Silver has gone up so much. It's crazy.
It's been raining a bit on and off today and the wind is strong. The sea sounds like a real ocean and people are still down on the beach, but wrapped up in big towels, three sisters are cuddling and being silly. They remind me of my girls.
When we were in town I stepped into the church. I took a picture of the Virgin of Guadalupe's statue. I did not light a candle this year. I do not know why.
I am feeling more love for Ixchel this trip and they have no altars for her in that church.
I also took that picture you see in the new header. I do love the nativity scenes here. They add all sorts of animals that we do not. Chickens and rabbits. How lovely! And I have no idea who that little princess is. Is she a shepherdess? If so, I am 100% behind it. You know damn well that it would not be all men who came to look at the baby. There would be a trail of women walking into and out of that manger. And they would have brought the gifts Mary could have used. Extra diapers, some food. A jug of water, some eggs. A blanket or two.
Here. I'll put in another picture of the nativity, just in case you're reading this in the future sometime and have no idea what I'm talking about.
Why is it that in the nativity, the baby is always about two years old? You never see an actual newborn represented. Was Christ born as a toddler? I hope not.
So. We shopped. We walked up to the place where you can get delicious fried fish and shrimp. We sat at the counter and ordered.
I am getting GOOD, y'all, at ordering food.
One of the ladies who was working behind the counter had three of her sons with her and they were a pain in her ass. But she didn't yell at them. She kept telling them to sit down but of course they didn't. They stayed out of the street. I was impressed.
Here's what my sandwich looked like:
I put habanero mayonnaise on it and lime juice. That's what that lime slice is for. No, I was not drinking tequila. I had a Fanta Orange. It was delicious. All of it.
And now we're back at the room and the wind is blowing so hard that the umbrellas are flying around before the waiters can tie them down. One escaped into the pool. It was rescued.
They just seem to take everything in stride here. It's such a mixture of complete chaos all the time and total tranquility. I can't explain it. It's like when the mother was trying to run a lunch counter and take care of her sons at the same time and the fish was frying and traffic was going by and loud frantic music was playing and every time she got a second she started rolling fish in flour again, her eyes calmly keeping watch over everything as her hands did what they needed to do without any other help.
I know, that didn't make much sense.
I'm sorry.
It's nap time.
I think I'll leave it at that.
I sort of wish I'd bought those earrings. Oh well. I know where they are.
I probably won't, though. I probably won't.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Earrings don't have to be hung from your ears. Maybe a Christmas tree decoration!
ReplyDeleteThis time in Cozumel is doing you so much good ~ I wish you could stay another week!
ReplyDeleteI love the bunnies and rams and so many flowers in the nativity. And, of course, the rooster.
You should have lit a candle for Joey. Ya know, he needs all the prayers he can get. Also, that sandwich looks divine. I bet it was completely delicious.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your vacation with us.
I love how the animals are out of scale. The chicken is as big as a camel.
ReplyDeleteI love the paragraph about the chaos and the woman who can handle it all. It makes me feel less crazy.
ReplyDeleteI also love that you included the nativity scene in the post for those reading in the future.
I also love you.
If you can ....go buy those earrings. I regret having not bought the moonstone ring that I kept looking at in Vernazza, Italy. A month later and the town was flooded with water and mud. The whole town evacuated. Every business gone...that ring...gone. Unless someone else bought it. I hope so. I hate to thank of it buried under mud or swept to sea. That ring had spoken to me and I ignored it.
ReplyDeleteBirdie- But I want earrings in my ears! Silver ones! I do!
ReplyDeletelulumarie- Or another lifetime....
Aren't all the animals wonderful?
Rebecca- Candles can be lit anywhere. I believe that.
Denise- This is one of the most charming aspects of every Mexican nativity I've seen. The scale of the animals means nothing at all.
Elizabeth- I also love you.
Ellen- They didn't speak to my soul that much. I know what you mean and that is exactly what I am looking for and it has not happened yet. If it does- I'll go for it. I promise.
Windy times, Ms Moon. Maybe go for those earrings, though on second thoughts if they're going to be too heavy, don't.
ReplyDeleteI'm on a waste not want not jag at the moment. Only of objects, not of feelings. Enjoy your holidays.
It's only a north wind.
ReplyDeleteI love the names for those pesky winds in different countries. I was just re-reading one of my old posts about the tramontane in France, which is a strong, cold wind from the northwest to blows through our little village of Soreze periodically. The wind does draw friends and lovers together and make strangers speak to each other, especially after a few days of its blowing.
Enjoy your last days, in bed and/or out =o). x0 N2
I think that I would spend a windy day walking on the beach. The wild surf is so awesome! Have a good nap. I like those also.
ReplyDeleteI love the manger scene: Here's a legend my Russian relatives used to tell about the girl at the manger. (I have no idea if it's truly Russian; they were appropriators of the worst sort). I'm not using their words, but trying my best to recreate the story.
ReplyDeleteAt the manger, a young girl, a shepherdess, knelt before the Christ child and shed bitter tears because she had no gift. From her tears sprang white roses, and when Christ reached to touch them, each petal was edged in red.
My take: The language of flowers makes this innocence meets passion--a weird floral Eucharist.
And, as you put it, much better than drumming for a baby present.
Enjoy your time in what seems to be your real home. Maria Luna.