sábado, el 31 de marzo de 2012

First April Fools joke is on me…there IS a Nascar race mañana!! It is proxima semana, Semana Santa, when the race community takes a week off.

So…you now know what Max and I will be up to mañana!! Ja ja ja

And what is the familia doing right now? Max is asleep, Bexico is putting together an IKEA box to hold Max’s juguetes and I am tuning into the Canucks game while keeping an eye on a pork roast…lomo cerdo.

The day started at 645am again…maybe that will be 745am mañana…with the time change and all.

Bex had the shift and when I checked in on them later…busted!! Chest nap con Max!! Naaah, not busted…best feeling in the mundo!! Max did not want to sleep in the cuna, so Bex took one for the team and gave him a chest nap.

When they both awoke, hola to a stroll around centro and then we had to wake madre up for some leche. Next up…nap time for the lil’hombre and that was followed by some alberca time and chez lounge in the camping chair. Exciting stuff!!

Madre came down to check on us and then took over Max duty. And it doesn’t really feel like a duty!!

I hit the gym and I swear that on the way to and from the gym, no less then 6 peeps I know, either drove by and said hola, or were at el gimnasio.…and I even knew 3 of their names!! Ja ja ja 

There was Elder and his assistant, the coco-frio hombre, Carlos from Nissan, another mecanico from Nissan and Hector.

Good gym session…it will take some time getting used to the new heat.

No walk through centro as it was getting late. Came home and we geared Max up for another alberca session. He was a little tired and maybe we should have napped him first, as he was not as pool excited as usual. He did enjoy meeting a 17 month old niña from Canada. Oh Max!!

The familia is part of a large family and Bex has met the mother and a sister before, and even this family last year. They have their hands full with 4 kids…and seem to be very curious about how we manage to live down here. I think the oil industry rat race is taking it’s toll on them and then they see us in the pool every day and then say to themselves…”hmmmm?”.

One more nap after the pool time and then max y madre tried to chill-lax antes the rutina. No such luck as Max was antsy. So…he has moved on from ventiladors calming him, and it is now all about the trees in the wind!! So Bex took him for a walk around the complex and he came back a new niño!!

Rutina went off without a hitch and you are caught up.

Fotos.

The Max y amigos series.

Maybe Bexico is right....the restaurante might be open in time for Semana Santa.


Los pintores are here.

As is Gas de Oaxaca...reconnecting the fryers!!

Another fresh verdura delivery.

Semana Santa stock up!!

More stock for the touristas from DF. Beach umbrellas...$325 pesos for the best ones.

Everyone is working the crowds. This senora has a large bag full of textiles.

Couldn't get this restaurante worker to buy the table clothe.

Hamaca hombre.

Niña con sombrilla y madre.

I had a closer look and the clothes on the outside of the camioneta, are sitting on a full length reclining pool chair....attached to the side with bungee cords.

This reminds me of the Mexico in the towns smaller then Huatulco. An abuelo y abuela just trying to make a buck selling bags and hats.

They know how to load their camionetas.

San Carlos Plaza is getting ready for tonights Carnaval!!

What is going on here?

The hombres were carrying windshield wipes and window tint...as well as the tools to apply said material. Look close...it is a Coke bottle with a squeeze trigger.

But what were the hombres installing? Weather stripping on the door. Who knew?


This is Hector...hung over.

This senora pulled up on her bici and laid out some personal items with the goal of selling them to make some $$.

At the side door of this restaurante, this senor had no luck trying to make some pesos by playing his instrument for some of the guests.

So he moved to the front door. Looks like the niño enjoys what he hears.

Take a guess at what the owner of this truck does for a living.

Fish stickers on the back window...a fish on the trailer hitch. Yup, pescador...fisherman. This morning he offered us one of 20 freshly caught atun (tuna) that were in the back of his truck. 

This was right outside the condo gates and Ricardo told me it did not take long to sell them all (thank goodness as they were NOT on ice), and that the last ones were selling for $55 pesos...under $5.

My Max highlight of the día? He was on the couch during his rutina and he managed to give Bexico a big kick. That was not the highlight. The highlight came next when he started giggling out loud. Madre looked at him and started laughing and Max just kept on. Hilarious!!

End of 2^nd period…Canucks 1, Flames 1…I am sure the Larsons are happy….for now!!

Have a great domingo!!

Marco, Bex y Max

viernes, el 30 de marzo, de 2012

Phew…viernes is finally here!! And did it ever start early. Can you say 530am? Yikes.

Max seemed to be burp filled and awoke at 530am and needed some help. I looked at madre giving him some help…and she looked pooped!! She has had the early shift every day recently…so I stepped up!!

The plan was to prop myself up like I used to, and have him sleep on my chest. Well, he was having none of that (this time…stay tuned) so I bounced him and next thing I knew…lights out!! Tough to tell if he was truly asleep…kinda dark at 545am…but into the cuna he went and he did sleep…until 645am!!

Up and at em and this is what the lil’hombre looks like at 7am.

And then all WB’d up to go out for a stroll.

Great walk as it is only 27,0 grados at 715am and we were impressed to see so many tiendas open for business. And why were they open? Hoping to score on some early arriving chilangos. Hola to Semana Santa!!

And how did Max enjoy the walk with his mascota nueva? Pedro Pollo made many peeps laugh when they saw Max grabbing it and then when I squeezed it to make its noise!! Fue muy divertido…it was fun!!!

Home and it was nap time for Senor Max.

And then some FT with mis padres and next thing you know…leche time con madre!!

I hit el gimnasio and it was nice to see Fermin, mi taxista amigo.

Back through centro, hola to the boys and catching up with Daniel y Lalo. Last 2 weeks of their busy season…they are anxious.

Home and it seems that the lil’hombre had not been cooperating with nap time. Some vocal opposition to being put in his cuna and when he did go into his cuna, he would sleep for 5 minutes and then be wide awake.

So at 3pm, I see that Bexico needs to trade off…send in the Baby Whisperer. Now, I must be claro…Bexico had already bounced him quite a bit (heex4), so he was sleepy…and he hadn’t really had nap #3, so that added to his tiredness.

I get in there, look him in his ojos diablos, and let him know I mean nap business. Ten minutes later he is asleep…on my chest…and 90 minutes after that, he wakes up in madres arms. Huh? He slept on me…I took a nap too, and then when he started to wake up, I passed him to Bexico. When he opened his ojos, he was kinda confused…asleep on padre, wake up con madre!! Ja ja ja

Almost 5pm and we had not had alberca time, so off we went and had a blast. Max laughs when you tickle him on his sides, his neck or belly, but today in the pool he just was laughing out loud.

While holding him up, I had him standing on a ledge and all I did was blow some bubbles and all of a sudden came these giggles and shrieks of laughter. Hilarious. He is such a character!!

The rutina was approaching quickly and I needed to hit Che…so upstairs we went and Bex y Max went one way (hello to chez lounge time) and I hit the road.

No scores…but grabbed some lomo cerdo para mañana and some items for when mis padres visit. Padre…we are loaded up on paper towel!!

Home and jumped in to assist with the finish of the rutina and then the lil’hombre was fed and tucked in by madre.

9pm and la cena is finito, the platos are all washed, a few Oreo cookies are finished and Bexico is in the oficina.

Anoche, the big concerto was held in Santa Cruz. Our neighbor, Blanca, was involved with organizing it and had invited us. Too much work for 7pm…the rutina, la cena etc. But I spoke to some peeps today and they said it was great.

Palabras para el día…barba de chivo. 

I shaved (it is the end of the month isn’t it?) and trimmed the goatee. While I was leaving the compound Silverio made a comment and used a word I did not know…chivo. So I did my due diligence and was totally confused by what Fermin told me. Always trust Daniel...chivo is a baby goat…a kid. Barba means beard. Literal translation is “beard of kid” also known as a goatee. Ta da!!

Ok, fotos.

From the 7am walk...the verdura has arrived.

That camioneta roja will need some muelles nuevo!!


This perro is on the roof top across from the condos. He starts at around 4am.

Here in Mexico, gas is propane and gasolina is gas. Got it? Oaxaca Gas has a truck that drives around town and you can tell when it is in your neighborhood when you hear the "mooooo" followed by the speakers blaring "Gas Oaxaca".


They will sell you tanques, or in this case, pull out the escalera so they can check the bulk tanque on your roof.

This is Max's friend who sits outside the papeleria and says hola to Max. Today he was getting his shower and seemed to really enjoy it. Who knew?

Naranjas y mas naranjas!!

The planta de baja is clear of all the wood and the primero piso on the taqueria is now complete. Grand re-opening? Mañana...ja ja ja

And from the walk to/from el gimnasio.


The first of many turismo buses. The side mirrors have been painted to look like horns.

If you see these guys...

Somewhere in town you will see this guy!!

Missed the JC concierto (as Senor Lower called it...lol), maybe we need to go to this Noche de Carnaval?

Show mágico y Candidatas a Reinas!!

Mañana? Stay tuned. No races on domingo, but Silverio y familia might stop by so I can take some family fotos for him. Oh...we also lose an hour on domingo!!

Last foto.

As you can tell by the expression...I do not use the flash very often!!

Buen fin de semana.

Marco, Bex y Max

jueves, el 29 de marzo de 2012

Buenos noches!!

9pm and we saw the pelicula Man on Fire on TV and we own the DVD, so threw that in and we are watching it. We finished la cena, dishes are waiting and then madre will head back to the oficina.

A great day...Max slept until 645am!!

As per our current usual, Bex had the early shift and when I took over, it was a quick walk through centro. Por que rapdio? Friggin hot even at 10am.

At 10am I recall seeing the thermo at 30,7 grados and 60% humido…equates to around 40,0 grados!! And later during the walk to el gimnasio…35,3 y 55%...around 46,0 grados!!

Anyways, a quick walk, a few holas and then home for some eats, a nap and then some alberca time and also squeezed in a few minutes of FT con mis padres.

Great pool time, but it was short as Max does not seem to enjoy the morning session as much as the afternoon. Misses his madre? Probably!!

So we got out and pulled up the camping chair and chatted it up. Today we talked about all the litter we see on the way to Mojon and what we as a familia are going to do about it.

And as we were chez lounging…who rolls up? Bexico has awoken and came to see what the familia was doing at the alberca!!

Tag team…he was hungry!! And after some rummaging around, off to el gimnasio I went. Huh…2pm departure? And I pay the price with the heat. No cardio…only weights as I have already finished 3 litros of water!!

Quick walk through centro, hola to the gang and then home…ok, first I grabbed some DC and some items for mis padres visit. Oh, I also bought Max a new mascota…keep reading for fotos.

Home and Max needed another nap…my turn to get him to shut his ojos diablos!! But he forgets I have a few extra tricks up my sleeve and he was out in 10 minutes or so.

And then it was time for our second swim…con Max’s new amigo…Pedro!! Successful swim and dunk…old school for him…and then upstairs and getting ready for the rutina.

Rutina all completed and some great pollo con papas puree para la cena.

And you are all caught up.

Mañana…no extra plans. Stay tuned.

Fotos for the day.

Inflation!! This pollo used to be $65 pesos, then $70 and now $74.99. And they don't even use the centivo anymore. 

Where there are baskets, there are cobras!!

Un mecánico muy inteligente...y caliente!!

No sling needed for this niño.

Naaah. First time I have ever seen anyone actually buy one of the store mannequins!!

WFSITBOTT? Looks like he needs Raphael to come visit.

Couches and more couches. Daniel tells me these peeps go straight to the factories, buy a few units at super wholesale and then drive town to town, pueblo to pueblo trying to sell them.

New lines for the taxi sitio...stand. Actual translation means "site".

Oh that's how they do it.

And last but not least….Max y Pedro.

Max…what expression does Pedro make?

Yup, that was Pedro Pollo, who squawks quite loudly, and who did so MANY times while in the pool con Max!! Hope we did not annoy any of the smokers…ja ja ja.

Late addition to the entry...

Click HERE to see a character design Bexico completed for her client in Belgium. Bex has 5 more characters she is designing...as well as working on a pelicula for this clients website!! Felicidades Bexico!!

Have a great viernes.

Marco, Bex y Max