Temptation!

Robert:

The bakery in our Mezcales Walmart superstore is offering these cutely decorated cupcakes as a spring promotion. They look better than they taste, by a longshot. Still, not bad, cheap, and fun.

Quiero pastelito! (Ana 2 1/2)

I'm a hypocrite when it comes to patronizing the big chain box stores. On principle, I despise how they have destroyed so many small neighborhood businesses here, as they have everywhere. But, regardless, I hypocritically often go to Walmart, Chedraui, Sams Club, Mega or Costco. I'm a sucker for the convenience, like almost everyone else. I'm guilty as charged.

An Addition To The Staff.

Robert:

We have a new member of our extended family. Lily our secretary has wanted a dog for a long time, and now she has one! She was visiting her mom in Tepic a couple of weeks ago, and a family member gave her Yogui, a tiny chihuahua puppy.

Yogui relaxing at home.

Lily brought Yogui back on the bus with her; he was tucked inside her purse. Luckily, he was quiet, so she didn't get busted by the driver and put off the bus on the side of the highway with a dog in her purse. He was a cool, calm little passenger I'm told. No yips or whines, and didn't, ahem, make a mess in the bag. Good dog!

Yogui showing off his new, upscale bed.

Yogui has yet to honor the office with a visit, but we hope to meet him in person someday soon.

Name This Cat Please.

Robert:

That scared little kitten that wandered into the office a couple of months ago is growing up. No owner came forward so I guess he's part of my world now, by default. He's doing very well, and eating 30 lbs of Whiskas a day, or so it seems.

He loves the huge tropical trees in my backyard area. They are cat heaven, filled with lizards to chase, and easily climbable if a dog wanders by. He spends a lot of the day up in the trees, sleeping on a fat limb, Cheshire Cat style.

The two big trees in the video are parotas, and they are getting new leaves right now, greening up nicely, their shade getting darker and cooler every day. Even though the rains don't start until around June 15, the longer days are the trigger for the trees to put out new leaves.

Here are the parotas, followed by the growing adopted cat. He still has no name. Suggestions are welcome.

Street Juggler

Robert:

Lots of circuses  coming through these days. The shows are in the evening, so during the day, the performers work the traffic lights for change and to promote the circus.

This is at the main traffic light in Mezcales.

New HD Video, Velmar Penthouse

Robert:

Updated HD video for this wonderful penthouse in Bucerias' Zona Dorado. This condo combines visual drama with cozy, restful charm. It has a great feeling and a great price. $289,500 fully furnished and equipped, move-in ready.

Here is the link to the web page for this condo, with more hi resolution fotos and data. CLICK HERE.

Roger Ebert

Robert:

Like so many others, I had a deep admiration for Roger Ebert, who died today. I attended a few of his summer film courses in Boulder at the University of Colorado, so many years ago. His brilliance was equalled by his warmth, humility, approachability, and, above all, kindness. 

Roger was much more than a mere critic. He was a gifted thinker and essayist, who wrote beautifully and wisely.

He once said, 

“Kindness covers all of my political beliefs. No need to spell them out. I believe that if, at the end, according to our abilities, we have done something to make others a little happier, and something to make ourselves a little happier, that is about the best we can do. To make others less happy is a crime. To make ourselves unhappy is where all crime starts. We must try to contribute joy to the world. That is true no matter what our problems, our health, our circumstances. We must try. I didn’t always know this and am happy I lived long enough to find it out.”

Fragilities of the Heart

Robert:

"When young we think there will come one person who will savor and sustain us always; when we are older we know this is the dream of a child, that all hearts finally are bruised and scarred, scored and torn, repaired by time and will, patched by force of character, yet fragile and rickety forevermore, no matter how ferocious the defense and how many bricks you bring to the wall. You can brick up your heart as stout and tight and hard and cold and impregnable as you possibly can and down it comes in an instant, felled by a woman’s second glance, a child’s apple breath, the shatter of glass in the road, the words ‘I have something to tell you,’ a cat with a broken spine dragging itself into the forest to die, the brush of your mother’s papery ancient hand in a thicket of your hair, the memory of your father’s voice early in the morning echoing from the kitchen where he is making pancakes for his children."

Bryan Doyle from Joyas Voladoras