Objectively, it's very interestng that Elisa still had a fever yesterday and still wasn't eating much, but I appear to be fine. I wonder if my flu shot had an effect and minimized my illness. Anyway, I did not go into town and tried not to infect anyone, just in case.

Ray and I took a walk. It had frozen again a little. The day turned sunny and was very pleasant, with a fire going in the morning. He went to work and I stayed home with Elisa, madly reading articles about innovations in nursing home care and trying to decide what to focus on. There have been a series of movements to try to improve it. Elisa was awake most of the day. At one point, she was hungry. Then, after two bowls of soup, she said her stomach hurt. Probably out of practice digesting?

I had a somewhat stressful encounter with the KR Finance Committee discussing the board and the proposed budget for next year, but it was good to get out of the house, probably, in the sunny cold, and walk to the Community Center, which was lovely.

Ray came home about 5 and we might pork and bok choy stir fry, with the leftover pork steak we ate early in the week--and a bok choy from the garden! Yay. Not much out there now but lettuce. Elisa joined us, mostly eating rice and a then some yogurt and fruit. She is pretty congested.

Ray and I watched several TV shows, for the first time in ages. I cast about for my next knitting project. Lidet wants a beret. I hope green is a good color.

Well, that was unfortunate. Elisa is home from school for the third day, although she wants me to take her in later for her history presentation on Hurricane Katrina (how can that be history? never mind).

Tuesday I felt a little odd. I met with my Epi group at 12:30 and didn't feel like getting any lunch before then. You know that is a red flag for me--no appetite means something is wrong. The meeting went pretty well, but there was still a lot to do before the final presentation yesterday. I wasn't sure if maybe it was just stress. I went to class at 5, but came home after less than an hour. I could barely stand up. I went to bed and Ray took care of me, bringing me tea and crackers. I slept a little and read some. He slept on the couch to try to keep from getting it. I had some diarrhea, but no vomiting. And, wonder of wonders, I felt much better by the next day.

Needless to say, I didn't go anywhere. I worked on my presentation for Epidemiology--about suicide and murder rates, a little depressing. BTW, suicide rates for older people are increasing, and they are about twice the rate of deaths from murder! You won't pick that up from the evening news! What does it mean? I'm not sure, we would need to do more research, but it means, for one thing, you can't believe mainstream media. Recently, funding was approved for suicide prevention, which is awesome, but it's for young people. Not that I think young people don't need help, but you would never guess that they are not the ones most at risk.

I didn't want to go in to make my presentation, so got permission to attend via Skype, protecting all those students (and professor) from possible infection. It went pretty well, although there were sound issues. I couldn't listen and talk at the same time and if the volume was up, there was some static and feedback. Nonetheless, it was a good discussion and I was glad I had made the effort.

We didn't go to choir, but Ray did. First, he made us some cajun shrimp. Elisa was still not eating, except for an occasional clementine. She sat up for a bit and watched CSI (a little gory for me--the bad guy shot and killed one of the good guys; that never happens on my shows. She wanted to know why he wasn't wearing a bullet-proof vest).

Ray slept on the couch again, but I am declaring myself better today, now that I don't have any more classes this week. Just a couple assignments to turn in...

We are still adjusting to being home. I worked some in the morning after walking Elisa to school and Ray drove to UGA. By working, I mean working on my class projects and readings. Only a couple more weeks. I can do it!

About 10, Amelia called from Kevin's and I went to pick her up, in the truck. She had some breakfast and we chatted a bit about what to do with the few hours we had. She got some things out of the closet and went through them, taking some with her to Durham and throwing some away.

We decided to get some lunch in town, since there is not much here as we haven't been to the grocery store yet. We went to Ike and Jane's, but got it to go, except for the donuts. Amelia has to research donuts and donut shops, since Monuts is opening a store in January. I think she is almost as excited as Lindsay, the owner. She drove me to Ray's parking lot and I got the Prius and drove it to my class.
She took the truck home for me.

Class was good and then I went to get Cameron, who was fine and excited. $266! Boarding, shots, exam. Glad we only have one dog. We went back and got Ray. At home, Cameron instantly disappeared, probably over to Conroys'. Ray made some popcorn and we left again. He is Charlie Brown in a short play of Charlie Brown's Christmas they are doing at UUFA. I watched for a bit and then went to get Elisa, who had rehearsal at Clarke Central.

We started back to get Ray, but Beth brought him to the gas station. While we were waiting, I filled up on gas.

At home, I quickly cooked some ham steak, potatoes, and broccoli, but Ray went right to bed. Elisa and I ate. I built a cheery fire and made cowboy cookies--perfect ones, the right texture, cooked just right. Elisa went to bed before they were ready and I didn't eat any. So sad.

I went to bed about 9:30. Ray is still not up and Elisa is sick, staying home from school. I made her te and gave her Nyquil. It is strange to have a sick child--that has not happened since Gerald, I think.

Home Again

A long travel day, one that is the busiest in the year in the US, went pretty well for us. It started before 6, when Molli and Adrian went to pick up the Suburban we rented so we could all drive to Veracruz together. We left the house, all packed and dressed with minimal stress, before 7:30. Goodbye, Osa! Goodbye, Xalapa!

On our way to Veracruz, we stopped at a restaurant they like a lot, where everything is cooked over a fire, and it's very inexpensive. It is at Serra Bossa (probably I have the name wrong), where there was a battle with the French. They have cannon balls found on site on display at the restaurant. We had beans and tortillas and cheese and meat and drinks and went on our way.

The airport at Veracruz is small, so not only were we checked in very quickly, but we were treated like minor celebrities to some extent. We had time to sit in a bar all together for a while longer (I ordered sangria--they asked if I wanted vodka in it, which is what they usually do). Then we went through security, with Abuelo in the wheelchair. When there weren't four seats together, they let us into what might have been the first class section, where we were the only ones sitting.

The smallish plane was full and a little bumpy, but we arrived safely in Houston and disembarked. With the wheelchair, we had two or three different people pushing, plus a cart ride in the middle. It was a long way from one terminal to the other, via customs and immigration, with a little waiting, but we still had plenty of time before our next flight and no problems.

I have to say, it was good to get back in the USA and be able to flush the toilet paper! It took a while to get through the Atlanta aiport and get all our suitcases. Ray went for the car at the Park and Ride lot. Then the real fun began--fitting four big checked bags, plus four carry-ons and "personal items" into the Prius, with four people. But that wasn't the hardest part. Then we drove to Buford to pick up Elisa from the home of the family that took her to Florida. We had to fit one more big bag and one more person (with purse and giant Biology book she never opened)--I don't know how Ray did it.


We arrived in Athens before 10 and unloaded the car. Kevin came to get Amelia and Ray drove Mudge home. I did some minor unpacking, turned the heat on, and climbed happily into bed. Ray was back in about 40 minutes and we were really happy to be home safe and sound.

Late breakfast, visit to MIX - Museo Interactivo de Xalapa. This was something we all enjoyed, including Adrian's mother and sister. His mother mainly took pictures of everybody else trying the various activities. There were even dinosaurs. We blew bubbles, played volleyball with robots, sent messages through tubes of air and generally had a lot of fun being silly.

The thing that makes us laugh still is pushing each other around in the really old "automobiles." There are two and it is an interactive museum, so Mudge enjoyed giving Amelia and me a ride and then Amelia pushed him. Then one of the museum guides, about 15 years old, came and explained to us that we were not actually supposed to move them. Many things here are like that, they are so different from the US that we end up making mistakes. No sign says, please do not move the cars. They are not blocked from moving or enclosed in walls that wouldn't let them move. No one seemed particularly upset. And now, just looking at the pictures makes me laugh and laugh.

There was also a giant exhibit of animatronic insects, complete with roaring sound effects, which I was told, were the real noises they make, only magnified many times. There was an elephant, an anaconda, a rhinoceros, and more, none particularly lifelike, but clearly very popular. A guide told us about them, in Spanish, of course. Luz Maria and I sat out the aliens.

We went in two cars to a very nice restaurant, where 15 of Molli and Adrian's friends and relatives joined us for a wedding celebration lunch of beef. We had bought wine for the group and they stopped and got a cake. It was too loud for much talking, but was generally very successful.

We were very full, but I had to rush with Adrian and his mother and sister to a travel agency in another part of town. (I have spent so much time sitting in traffic in Xalapa, it feels like home). He had not brought his driver's license and I gave them mine, plus my credit card. I listened to a long, complicated story about which of three Suburbans would be available at 6 the next morning. They filled out the paperwork and I gave my card. $200 for one day! But the best way to get all 6 of us to Veracruz today. And since there are 8 seats, Adrian's mother and sister will join us.

Then we met Molli, Amelia, Ray and Mudge at PopularArte, which is the state-run store that sells authentic local products: baskets, pottery, beautiful ponchos and shawls. We bought a few things, but were pretty moderate.

We were home by 6, but it felt like the middle of the night. Some packing and some hanging around, not knowing what to do with our last night in Xalapa, and early to bed.

Yesterday after Molli and Adrian left (and the cleaning lady arrived to wash our dishes and our clothes and the floors and everything else), the four of us walked to the Anthropology Museum. It wasn't very far, but it was uphill. This is a great museum and by far the best thing to see in Xalapa. We went five years ago, except for my Dad, and were all excited to go again. The building itself is pretty cool, built in 1986. You enter at the top and gradually make your way down steps and ramps to the bottom, where you exit and walk up through the gardens. Along the way, there are outdoor rooms as well as indoor. When we were there before in July, it was very hot, but now it is a little on the cool side. The most striking thing they have is several "colossal" heads created by the Olmecs. One thing that struck me this time was an example of a head that originally was used as a throne, flat, and then turned into a face and turned up 90 degrees, repurposing from prehistory. The faces have hundred of pock marks. They say they are not natural and were not meant to destroy them, but they don't know why they are there. My theory is it was some kind of offering, that was acidic. There are statues of some woman god, with snakes on her belt, that supposedly deified women who died in childbirth.

We looked briefly around the gift shop, which has mainly books and is very crowded. We sat on a sunny patio and gathered our strength and slowly walked downhill home. Marina was still cleaning and it wasn't noon yet, but we got out the leftovers and ate a little bit. They tasted pretty good. Molli got home a little after two and Adrian a little later. By then, Amelia was feeling like she should be out seeing Mexico, not sitting in the house on her computer. We left Mudge and Ray and went into town. It was nearly dark and the traffic was bad. Adrian parked in a little lot (10 spaces?) and we walked along, looking at shops. I bought some small pieces of pottery to bring home to friends (4 for $5) and Amelia looked at a tortilla press, but decided not to get it--too heavy to transport.

We went to the indoor market I remembered from before--hundreds of stalls crowded next to each other--shoes and food and hats and baskets... It was just what she wanted and she bought several things, including candles and dried chilis and just the right size and shape and color baskets. Molli or Adrian would ask questions and find out the prices. As we walked by, the vendors would usually address us. "Tell me what you would like" or "ask questions." Adrian politely responded to almost everyone.

The faces of some of these people are incredible. They are mainly "indigenous" and look quite different from the politicians we saw reviewing the parade, who look European--shorter and darker with rounder faces and big eyes. We saw babies and small children and teenagers old enough to work. The other children must be home with relatives, working on homework or watching TV. The smells were conflicting--spicy, cooked meats, pungent incense, exotic... There was an old short woman with white hair in wispy braids...a man offering today's lottery tickets.

The stalls began closing and we made our way out onto the street. Walking along, we went into several stores. In a hardware shop, you can buy a metal milk can for a couple dollars--too big to bring home, not to mention we don't really have a use for it. Garish clothing and shoes and decorative items. We went into a fabric shop and Amelia had a good time there. I found a pink plastic stool and sat by the door. Eventually Adrian came to lead me to another shop a few blocks away. It was a litlte like the health food smoothie shops we have. We ordered drinks--for me, water with orange juice, for him, milk with strawberries--and waited for Molli and Amelia to join us. She had bought some notions--rickrack and elastic, which are small and light to take home--and cheap.

The shops are like those in other big cities. They each share a wall with the stores on either side and front right on the sidewalk. They mostly have no wall in front and are open to the cold or heat. This one has a counter that runs around the edge, roughly u-shaped, behind which work 3 or 4 people. In the middle, there is room for stools and a little space for someone to edge past while you are sitting there. You pay the cashier first and then show your reciept to one of the workers, who puts your ingredients in a blender and whips it up and pours it into a big glass mug, like a beer stein. In between customers, they wash these mugs out--no hot water of course. You get a whole blender full of your preferred drink. The walls are plasltered with posters of body builders--the kind that are almost disgusting to look at--shiny and grotesquely muscular. Adrian left to get the car and we sat there a while longer. After 15 minutes or so, we went outside to stand, but it was at least another 15 minutes before he got there, thanks to the horrendous traffic in the narrow bumpy streets.

I feel a little in danger just being in Mexico. You could get sick from brushing your teeth with tap water or eating something from a restaurant. The house has mulitple locks and bars on the windows. (they were robbed once after they moved here and the landlord quickly installed them). Dogs bark and fight in the street, night and day. The garbage is out in the street, to be picked up every day. Someotimes, the dogs scatter it around. This is a much nicer neighborhood than they lived in before, so I haven't seen any chickens in the street or yards. Not that it keeps me awake at night, but I will be happy to be home in the USA, where it is also possible to be robbed or get sick and there are other things to stress about.

We were home a little after 7. I made macaroni and cheese. Molli and Adrian and Amelia especially like it. Molli roasted a cauliflower as well, so we had white supper on black Friday. My Dad ate canned soup and tea and crackers. He didn't want the medicine Molli said she had. She has gotten sick a couple times here, in four years, and says the medicine works great. We played Oh Hell and went to bed. I managed to sleep until 6:30 this time.

Thanksgiving in Mexico

We sort of pulled it off. Molli took the day off, somehow. Adrian skipped his morning break and left work at 1.

I started by heating up milk and melting butter for the rolls. I sliced some onion for the stuffing, but had to wait until we went to Chedraui (have we been every day?) to get more butter. We walked with Adrian (Molli, Ray and I) and then to the store. We picked up some pain au chocolat and some coffees, too.

Amelia took over mixing and kneading the rolls and put them to rise. Molli worked on the turkey. We used some fresh parsley, the only thing edible Molli has growing here (in pots) and some dried herbs, and mixed the butter and onions with the bread crumbs and stuffed the bird. The biggest question was the oven--what temperature (1-5) to use? In it went. Then we could relax a bit before tackling the squash and potatoes. My Dad took on the squash, hacking it up with a big knife. It was very hard to cut. It didn't look much like a butternut, but it smelled right. We boiled it for a while and peeled the chunks. Amelia mashed it and she and Molli added some secret ingredients. The flavor was good, but the texture a little odd. The potatoes were boiled and mashed with some Mexican heavy heavy cream, more like creme fraiche.

The turkey came out, the rolls went in, followed by sweet potatoes. A few things got reheated in the microwave. The guests arrived and we ate, some more than others. The next I knew, Ray had disappeared. Research found him asleep in his bed. Tryptophan strikes again! Mudge was in his room off and on, checking on football games. Unfortunately, we missed the parade for the first time in ages.

The pies came out--they were tasty, but not quite the way they usually are: pumpkin a little milder, maybe with different spices, apple pretty yummy, fudge pecan awesome, but the texture is odd. Whipped cream perfect.

Games were played. People left. We even listened to Christmas music. I went to bed about 9:30 or so.