Wednesday, December 7, 2016

As Kathleen Used To Say, "I Am Carrying My Bucket Of Sand Around With Me."

I have had a very good quiet day at home. I had a lovely walk and ducked into the old graveyard by the horse farm for a quick peek-around. It looks tidy and well cared for.


The dead appeared to be at peace on this gray, damp, cool December day. 

I have been feeling strong on my walks lately and I am glad of that. I am sure the cooler weather has much to do with it. It's lovely to get home from my miles and not feel as if I am done for the day, exhausted and sore. When I stopped at the Post Office on my way home I found a dress I'd ordered from eBay for my trip and I brought it right home and tried it on and it makes me very happy. 


It is soft, it is embroidered, it has a slip, it has pockets. It may in fact be the perfect dress. I now have about five short dresses and a few long dresses to wear in Mexico and that may be about all I'll need. A few sweater things, a pair of shorts, a couple of shirts, a bathing suit. I'd love to find a few skirts to wear as well and maybe I'll spend some time at the Goodwill. I am not, at this moment at least, too concerned about it all. 
I think about the woman I was when I first went to that little island which stole my heart. It was almost thirty years ago and I was thirty-two years old, still only the mother of three! and considered myself just about middle-aged already and the thing I remember buying for my trip was some water-proof eyeshadow in mermaid shades and I will be taking some more of that this trip. Mary Moon does not wear make-up for the most part but Maria Luna has been known to do so. 
Oh! How I wish I had known how beautiful I was then. How very, very young. 

Well. What an amazing thing to be able to go back all these years later. I hear that there have been changes in the Zocalo and I am interested to see them. I hope with all of my heart that Plaza Leza is still there- the place where we always go for our first meal. I just looked it up and it appears to be there, although under new ownership which sort of breaks my heart because it was the owner who always told us, "Welcome home." I wonder if they still make the tiny lethal margaritas there, the delicious chiles rellenos which I always order. So much has changed in Cozumel since we first started visiting. In 1987 the only vegetables we ever saw were either in the Xnipec (the Mayan version of Pico de Gallo) or were carrots and a type of squash I've never really identified along with a serving of the ubiquitous frijoles negroes refritos. Of course the fruit has always been wonderful and varied. Now there are Italian restaurants and I hear there's a German restaurant and restaurants which serve fancy sorts of fusion-indigenous cuisine but I know that some of our old favorites are still there with the delicious local seafood and sopa de lima and Mayan pork dishes which I never have once grown tired of. 

So anyway, besides dreaming of Cozumel, taking my walk and trying on my new dress, I have taken trash and picked salad greens for my neighbors and done a little tiny bit of laundry and the usual tidying and making up of the bed. And embroidering. Somehow this has filled up my entire day.  
My entire day. 
And I am happy with that. 
Yes, I've looked at the news and yes, I am still in shock and horrorfication and I think I've just reached a point where I can't deal with it. 
I am one woman and I will do whatever I can on a day-to-day/person-to-person basis to ensure that justice is done but quite frankly, I will just be incredibly happy if there is no nuclear warfare in the next four years. 
That is where I am with expectations about the coming administration. The bar has been set so low for expectation that the lowliest earthworm could cross it and there is not much more to be said about that at this moment. 

Yes, I paid too much for a previously-owned dress on eBay but it is going to bring me pleasure and comfort and when I think about the long, long line of the history of this planet and realize how incredibly small my place is in that, I take comfort. Here I am. I have done what I could and done what I shouldn't have and will do both until the day I die. 

Yours truly and much love...Ms. Moon

21 comments:

  1. Pretty dress! I like the embroidery! You make me want to go to Cozumel. The drinks and the food and all the lovely sites. One of these days I will go. Your day sounds perfect. I wish you peaceful sleep.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think you would like it there. I hope you get to go some day.

      Delete
  2. LOVE the dress! I know Cozumel refreshes and energizes you, and I hope this year is no different,
    I'm having carotid artery surgery and may be 'out of the loop' for a while. But I promise to catch up as soon as I can. Coming here, even on my not-so-good days, always lightens my mood.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh no! That sounds so serious! I hope all goes well and that recovery is quick! Keep us posted!

      Delete
  3. Excellent dress! Pockets are a must. Spent my honeymoon in Cozumel in 1977. I remember the carrots! Also remember lovely whole milk with my coffee. Can't imagine how much it's changed over the years but it sounds like it's still pretty magical.
    Xoxo
    Barbara

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It has changed tremendously! And yet, some things are still very much the same. The water and sky and people, mostly. I wish I had seen Cozumel in the seventies. Where did you stay?

      Delete
  4. I love the dress...perfect for Mexico! It looks comfy, which is always a high priority for me. The highest.
    Cozumel sounds lovely... I'm excited for you! I fell in love with Mexico when I went. The food, the beautiful blue water, the sunsets, and the people. Mostly the people.
    So happy that the ativan is working for you.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Beautiful dress, little hippie momma.
    Love.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I am a hippie momma, aren't I? Always will be.

      Delete
  6. I believe I was about the same age when I went to Cozumel for the first time. I haven't been in so many years I can't remember now. It would be so different from the last time I was there. and yes, our future government is going to be totally fucked up and hopefully the democrats in congress can hold some of it back though I fear greatly based on the people he is selecting to hold positions. it's going to be a cold hearted and callous four years. all we can do is stop injustice whenever we see it happening.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wish you could go back for a visit, Ellen. I really do.

      Delete
  7. Beautiful dress. You're all set! Guess what? Your are still beautiful and you still don't know it which is why I'm telling you, with all the love in the world. It sounds like you had a lovely busy peaceful day.

    ReplyDelete
  8. You look gorgeous in that lovely dress!
    I can write this and admire how beautiful women look at all ages and - guess what - still feel I am not one of them. And I don't think I am the only one thinking along those lines. How pathetic.

    But seriously, you look fabulous and I want that dress.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Why can't we ever see our beauty? It's the saddest thing, isn't it? The dress is made by Johnny Was. Perhaps you can find one too?

      Delete
  9. Great dress! I love hearing you talk about Mexico. Makes me look forward to our own trip. Do you get vaccinations of any kind before you go?

    Maybe that mystery squash was a chayote?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. So you got me unblocked? Haha!
      No. No vaccinations needed. Not as far as I know. Or have ever gotten.
      I think the mystery squash probably was a chayote.

      Delete
  10. Love the dress! and horrorfication is my new favorite word.
    XXOO

    ReplyDelete
  11. I do love that dress. So flowy and feminine. And I always enjoy the cemetery pictures. Because cemeteries are such peaceful places. Nice place to spend eternity.

    ReplyDelete
  12. That dress is perfect! The color, the fit, and POCKETS! Of course it's Jonny Was, hippie-chic works of art! You look mahvelous darlin'!
    Angie D

    ReplyDelete

Tell me, sweeties. Tell me what you think.