These are the good things in life. No matter whether I am at home or on a trip, the small routines are some of those things.
This morning Rudy sits at the table with his Sunday crossword puzzle. I have my little monster crafting project in front of me and I stitch on an ear. The little heater is shooting warmth at our feet. Neil Young sings Its Gonna Take a Lotta Love. I look up on the internet whether Neil Young or Nicolette Larson wrote it and this leads into a conversation about various musicians and who wrote what and of course some great digressions. (Rudy is a fount of information when it comes to songs, artists, and backstories.) All these little rituals and routines are what bind people together, whether a partner, a child, or a friend.
Ten o’clock usually finds us on the upstairs patio in the sun having breakfast and a second cup of tea and coffee.
After that I head out on a little adventure. I turn left out our front door and head up the steep narrow road.
It takes me to El Mirador which gives me an even better view of the city. I continue on the ridge and head back down and end up on the Ruta de Agua past the oldest church in the city and on to Benito Juarez Park. There is a jam session happening by the bandstand. Some expats and some Mexicans are playing what seems to me as tradtional Mexican music and it is enjoyable although somewhat repetitive. I sit on the bench and read my book, The Sleeping Car Porter by Suzette Mayr (the Giller Prize winner for 2022). After a number of texts back and forth with Rudy I head home for lunch.
Midafternoon Rudy heads down to the sports bar at El Centro to catch a football game and I stay back to try to get up to date on this blog. Ug, it takes a lot of time but I feel it may go smoother once I get the hang of it all. After 5 o’clock I am beginning to get hungry so head on down to El Choperia to find Rudy. He is ENJOYING himself. It is a game between the Giants and the Vikings (who are these teams anyway?) and, whata ya know, his team wins. I also win with a delicious Margarita and half a Cheese Monster Burger. We take the long walk home.