That 'uh-oh' moment explained

Friends who have owned and visited their house here in Merida for many years have FINALLY retired and have recently made the move along with their dogs Sam and Lucy.

They are settling in to their new lives and routines here and are both figuring out what stuff they want to do, where they want to expend their boundless energy and which projects appeal to them.. - additionally they are doing some remodeling of a few things at their house that were fine when you are here for just a few weeks but daggummit  just won't do for the long haul. So getting out of the house is a good thing right now; workers, debris, dust....

So anyway, to that end Deb decided she wants to assist with one of  the local dog shelters, evolucion.   As I already assist there we decided to go together 2 Saturdays ago.   

As soon as I said 'Let's go together' I knew, nay I felt a little something in my subconscience, a kick a tickle a warning - I don't know what exactly but someting was trying to warn me.  I didn't listen, ask my dear hubby, he'll tell you  - I don't always listen, and most especially not to him.

So anyway, I picked Deb up and off we went, sunscreen, bug spray, sweatbands, sunglasses, ball caps, water, coffee, and clean wipes. We were ready for anything!    

What ever happened to the days when you just walked out the door with a few bucks tucked into the back pocket of your jeans?

 

This was the first time I'd been back down to the dog shelter since we returned the two puppies we had fostered.  I've still been helping, but just in other ways.

I decided not to actively search out the puppies, just to go about the business at hand and hope for the best. My friend and I started about the business of herding dogs out of the way for the film crew, then on to scooping poop!

At one point I saw what might have been, but I wasn't 100% sure Netira - She had grown quite tall and lean, and all in just a month. I said her name and she responded enthusiastically to my voice and climbed all over me.  I thought Ceniza must have been placed because I couldn't see her anywhere.

As we continued on with our rounds we entered one area and I saw a scrawny little reddish grey puppy with ears plastered against its head and round sores all over.  A rather subdued little thing.  I don't know which of us had that uh oh moment, but I think we sort of recognized each other about the same time. I was in tears.    She has some sort of fungal infection and scaly patches all over, along with hair loss, her gums were pale, her eyes sad, and she just seemed a bit drawn out.  I tried to put her out of my mind and go about business. We worked our way through 2 more pens and were starting to refill watering stations when she came scurrying over for water.

I couldn't help myself.  I scooped her up and bawled like a baby. A short while later I saw her and her sister wrestling like they used to, it was heartening, then someone yelled at them to stop and they drifted apart.

I continued with watering and she came into my view again.  I looked at my friend and said we had to leave, and I was taking her with me. 
I searched out the founder, and advised her I was taking Ceniza home with me.

So here she is, at our house once again.  We don't want another dog, and especially a puppy, but what can you do?  She's had several baths already, and is getting slathered with a local remedy lotion for all types of skin problems. We are getting her back to 3 feedings a day, she is getting B-complex with the morning food, and fish oil with the dinner food. I am also treating the fungal infection with essential oils and getting her ears cleaned out.  We're trying to teach her to walk on leash, and to stop peeing on the patio. She will be going to the vet soon for a full eval.

Missing Mokito

Friend, neghbor, and fellow blogger,

Lin is missing one of her cats

Mokito has been missing from calle 75 y 66 in Centro Merida since October 23.

Lin is asking for your help - if you see Mokito please call 285 3935

¡EXTRAVIADO! - ¡PERDIDO!

Nos Hace Falta,  El Mokito desapareció el 23oct @C.75 y 66,  RECOMPENSA - 285 3935

So what do you call it

when you know immediately after you offer to do something that you shouldn't have done it?  When you just feel some sense of the ominous, some very slight dread or reluctance.

cool clear water

Nearly everyone here, that is able, uses bottled water for drinking.  We are no exeption.   I am not a fanatic, I mean I use tap water when I brush my teeth and rinse, I use it when I cook,  and sometimes I even run tap water through the coffee maker, YIPES!.

Many here have wells from which they draw their water, others use city tap water, some have a combo of both.  The water quality is probably fine, however the infrastructure by which the water gets from point A to point B is the issue.   Some of the old conduits or canals are deteriorating.  These deteriorating canals allow unsafe water in and that gets transported into some homes.  I think this is why most choose to use bottled water.

When doing our remodel we had intend to use well water.  Our household system was designed with this in mind.  Our well was dug, and I asked to have the water tested.  Well let's just say we now have a LARGE cistern storage tank for City water, and use our well water for the pool, and for watering.

For the past nearly 5 years we have purchased Cristal water from the big delivery trucks.  The price for that water has escalated,  The large bottles, or garrafones hold 20liters.  When we first started with Cristal I believe the bottles were 15 or 16 pesos.  They are now 21 pesos.

Recently a little coffee and sandwich shop that was located next to the entrance to my local Chedraui closed and in it's place came a purified water shop.

The process is pretty cool. They take regular potable water, run it through a bunch of filters, then pass it through UV, and voila, clean purified water.   And look - only 10pesos!

Here are some of the tanks and filters

These are my first bottles of water from this new store.  

You take your own bottles, they wash, inside and out,  fill, cap and seal your bottles.

Of course now we have to schlep the bottles to and from, and then throgh the house.  Before, with the delivery service there were strapping lads to do that!   HMMMMM, why am I doing this???

Oh what was I thinkin!

Oh Yeah!  I'm pretty darn sure that was it!

Today - in a fit of total heat and humidity induced madness I decided to get in the pool.

As pretty as it is, this is I am pretty darn sure the last time that will happen for quite a few months. 

The pool temp was 79f.  BRRRRRRRRRRRRR!

I can usually tolerate it once it reaches about 80-82.  
Until then, 
No Thank You!

Oh what was I thinkin! 

roasting a poblano chili, and pollo en rajas!

I make a number of dishes that include roasted poblanos, or rajas.  People often ask me how to make the dishes, which includes a lengthy discussion on actually roasting and peeling the poblanos.

The poblano (Capsicum annuum) is a fairly mild chile originating from the State of Puebla, Mexico. When dried it is called an ancho chile. While poblanos tend to have a mild flavor, occasionally and unpredictably a poblano can have significant heat. There is a secret, which I will disclose later on how to predict to some degree the heat of a poblano. 

Below you see a variety of poblano chilis.  Notice the ends of the chilis.   See how some are very pointy, and some are more rounded?  The pointier the chili, the more heat it has; the rounder the end, the less heat.

 To roast the poblanos you must get them directly on flame.  Some people use a comal, some a frying pan, but it just doesn't work as well as direct flame.  I would prefer to roast the chilis over a grill outside but alas the flames on my grill are to far from the grate and the peppers tend to cook rather than roast, or char.

And yes, you do want them charred dark like this all over, don't forget to turn them so that the stem ends get charred as well.

Once you have them charred all over you place them in a covered bowl for about 10 minutes to let the steam release the skins form the chilis.

After the charred chilis have steamed I like to plunge them in a cool water bath.  I find it easy to slip the skins while in water. Plus the chilis don't burn my hands with heat.  

I tend to not wear gloves when I peel the chilis, I do not recommend this.  My hands get quite hot and burning, however it really diminishes the stiffness from my arthritis.  You must be extremely cautious if you peel the poblanos bare handed, you can really hurt yourself if you touch tender sensitive other parts; eyes, etc.

 

Once you have the charred skins removed you need to seed and vein the chilis.  

I split the chilis and then just run a knife along the vein and remove it and any attached seeds. 

If you want to stuff the poblanos you need to either remove the top and slip out the seeds, or cut a slit in the side of the chili and remove the seeds.

I use roasted poblanos more as rajas than to stuff them.  So once I have them cleaned, veined, and seeded I slice them into strips.  I  always roasted extra and place the strips flat in multi-layers in a baggie, squeeze out the excess air and freeze.  Then when I want to use poblanos from the freezer they just break away and I can use some or all, depending on the recipe!

Another trick to diminish the heat even more, is after you have charred, and cleaned your chilis, place them in a bowl to soak for about 20 minutes with a bit of vinegar.  I'd say a tablespoon of vinegar per liter of water.

Below is a crowd pleasing favorite recipe:

Pollo en Rajas

1 - 1.5 k pechuga de pollo/chicken breast, cocida y desebrada (cook and shred)

4-6 chilis poblanos, se hacen se desvena y se cortan en rajas (Char, peel, seed and slice into strips)

1 cebolla blanca/white onion, grande, cortada en rajas, (peel, half, and slice into strips)

1 lata de grano de elote - quitar el liqido (1 can, drained whole kernel corn)

1 latita de media crema (sm box media crema)

sal y pimenta al gusto  ( salt and pepper to taste)

las rajas de cebolla se ponen al frier en un poco de aceite, se agrege los chiles, y se deja. Se agrega el elote, el pollo y sal y pimienta, cocido 5 minutos, se en lave esta mezcla la media crema, se dejo cocer por 7 minutos mas y se serve caliente

cook the onion strips in a bit of oil, just till transparent, stir in the chile strips, corn, shredded chicken, salt and pepper.  Cook 5 minutes - pour over this the box of media crema, cook about 7 more minutes to thicken and mix all the ingredients.  Serve hot.

I like this served over a plain pasta, although last time I made we discussed it and decided it should be prepared by adding 2-3 cups cooked, al dente, rotini pasta to be added about 3-4 minutes after the media crema.

Serve with a salad, or sauteed veggies.

This is a great potluck dish.  After it is prepared put it in a casserole, top with a bit of parmesan and brown for visual effect and take along.

The Legendary Yucatones rock Mérida

Last night we went with friends Mimi and Jonna to a small cafe* in Centro to see and hear The Legendary Yucatones.  The Yucatones** are two gringos, I'm pretty sure Gary is American, but don't know if Dan is American or Canadian.  Anyway, when in town at the same time, which seems to be less and less often these days, they perform as 'The Legendary Yucatones'.

*El Hoyo doesn't have its own web presence

but if you Google El Hoyo Merida, you get lots of hits;

 its listed as a venue for alternaive music??

** Likewise the Legendary Yucatones do not have a web presence,

they do however have a facebook presence, link to fb here

So last night was great fun, lots of people turned out and packed the small El Hoyo space; there was much laughing, listening, visiting, singing, and even a beer or two!

Jonna posted a great piece on the evening, so I link you to her blog for now to read about the event, then you can return here for a few photos!

here you see  some of the crowd

Tom and Jonna enjoying themselves

The Legendary Yucatones






 

to Blog or not to Blog - and a surprise, Impulso Universitario

Oh my gosh - I've got so many ideas and pictures for posts!  I just can''t seem to make myself sit down and do them.  Now don't get me wrong, I am spending plenty of time on the computer, a bit to much time as a matter of fact!
I'm just not blogging!    And it seems many of my favorite bloggers have slowed down on their blogging as well.

So is there a point when interesting topics, or interest itself drops off?  I actually enjoy the blogging, I think about it quite a bit; I take photos thinking "oh, this will be good for the blog".

I sometimes blog about mundane daily stuff, but I don't want that to be my focus.  I am involved in a number of things, and we do quite a bit of stuff...but should I write about all that?   I don't know.  How many times do you want to see my orchids blooming, or know that I went out to dinner with friends last night before going to an art auction that supports scholarships for kids.  You've heard about Impulso Universitario from me before.

Actually I guess I haven't blogged Impulso Universitario; I just searched for posts so I could link them - GADSZOOKS!

Impulso Universitario assists promising students with great family support but limited family financial means; they match these students up with local schools, offer scholarships, get discount tuition, and also offer aid with housing. They do require each student to attend and understand their civic commitments. This is like Leadership training, giving back to ones community.  It's a fabulous program that we have been proud to support for 4 years now.

Their biggest annual public fundraiser is a art auction.  Local artists donate art to a silent auction.  The evening of the event is hosted and includes presentations and thanks from the students, acknowledgments of supporters, wine, sodas, bocadillos, and of course all the current students are there and are so proud and will easily chat and tell you about their studies.  The art is displayed and bidcards are there where bids are made, you register and get your 'secret' number.  We should know within a few days if we got any of our pieces.  They also create a fabulous agendas with photos of all the art that was available for bid/purchase.

We always buy an agenda, and bid on several pieces of art.

 We actually purchased the 3rd piece in from the left, the dirt road leading out in the country, last year.

Well there you go!  A new blog post!  and something new and interesting!

Oh, and the the Bolshoi Ballet is coming next week, our cooking group is cooking to an ocktoberfest theme, we bowl nearly weekly, then the Havana Ballet Festival, our wine group's monthly binges er tastings, The Yucatones are playing again, Merida's new Theatre Groups first production is coming, a Horse Fair in Sucila,, dia de los muertos, the Bloggers Conference...the list goes on and on, how can I be short of things to blog about?

and what about the partial unfinished posts, and the photos that need the stories, and, and, and

OH - the 1st part of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is due out Nov. 19th - I am just beside myself over this... Just last week I watched The Half Blood Prince, and I just finished reading The Deathly Hallows, OK I think I'm ready to see the movie!  Well there is time to read the book again!

oh, I need to rest!

Poopies

Back in August I posted about the 2 puppies we were fostering.

The puppies went back to the shelter about a week ago.  

Today they were featured by InTheYucatan.com on their

pet of the week video

Please, if you can find space in your heart for one of these little cuties 

I implore you to contact evolucion, or me!

Jill Benson @ Evolución, Albergue y Santuario
Website: English: http://www.evolucionyucatan.com/
Spahish: http://evolucion69.spaces.live.com/
Cel: 9991-43-47-11

Skype: 913-871-8085

María de la Concepción Josefa Ortiz Magón de Domínguez

We went to a Mexico Bicentennial Party where we were asked to come dressed as anyone from Mexico’s past 200 years of history, entertainment, politics or…

I opted for a costume depicting

María de la Concepción Josefa Ortiz Magón de Dominguez.

The night of the party Tom and I neglected to photograph ourselves in costume.

  Several acceptable photos of Tom were found, unfortunately none of the elusive Doña Josefa were found.

Until tonight!

I can't say its a great photo, or even a good photo, in fact I'd prefer not to have anyone see it, but I'm being harassed to put up a photo
- any photo - of Doña Josefa.

So here she is! 
 

You can't see her braid, or her shoulder shawl, or her lacy gloves, but you can make out the empire waist skirt, and the poufy cap sleeves.

Coffee Mug followup

From my previous post Jonna reminded me that we actually have Starbucks stores here in Merida.  I knew that but just forgot having never gone to one here in Merida.

Well after the tragic loss of my super swell Starbucks mug I decided a trip to a local Starbucks was in order.  Now we do have several coffee mugs here, but they just aren't right for an everyday mug.

So the Starbucks just outside Gran Plaza has a whole case with lots of different mugs, none of them could even come close to what I was after.  So after much touching, lifting, holding, caressing I've decided to not get another mug but to just use what we have here.  They are small maybe only 10-12 ounces, but they'll do.

It's just not special!  It's not mine!



* note to Calypso - it isn't important to keep it hot, just to keep it close! I drink my coffee hot, warm, cool, and cold!