Well, not really below 0 but close enough to have to cancel driving lessons! But of course the skier can go have oodles of fun (cold fun, though), which she totally deserves. And up on the top of the Ski Basin it was -45 today with the wind chill. How can you people do that??
In honor of the end of 2007, a year of events for us and ours, I present here the first parking ticket of Santa Fe origin to grace our checkbook. It is a lovely design --- see how the faint print is obscured by the noble seal of the City of Santa Fe? One can hardly read the fine amount! ($16.00--$16)And there is the little ribbon within the seal with the dates of the three (post-conquest)countries of Santa Fe's government history: Spain - 1610, Mexico - 1821, and U.S. - 1846.
We received this for neglecting to put in the ha'pennies required for several hours parking starting at 8 am. Well, the 8 am part is true; you actually need a couple quarters.
Of course we ring in the New Year with Gruet. Also black-eyed peas (the comestible, not the band)for that southern touch of good luck. Please eat yours, too. We love you all.
Tonight is the 100+ yr.-old festival here in SFe called Las Posadas. Our first trip here, oh so many years ago, we just happened upon it one evening around 5 in the plaza. Absolutely captivating -- a mix of Old Word Catholicism and All World paganism.
The devil roams the rooftops of the plaza(assorted civic worthies in costume) spewing vileness and lack of hospitality to poor Mary & Joseph. So that was why there was no room at the inn --- the bad guys got there first! Finally, after visiting all four corners of the plaza in search of lodging (and an obstetrics unit, obviously) the Palace of the Governors relents and gives them shelter from evil and the cold. History is made and all is topped off with cookies, hot chocolate, pinon fires and carols in Spanish.
Well, we've finally -inevitably-reached the point of insanity we swore we wouldn't achieve again: two cats have been added to the mixola here. Tom & Ducky are currently living in the little bedroom while we convince the dogs (well, Folly & Twist; Bodkin doesn't really care) that Satan did not send them to lead us all into Hell.
The shelters here are overflowing with cats (can we blame George W. Bush?) and it was just time to make good on our re-surfacing laments, "Gee, I miss having a cat..." Should be an interesting winter.
It's Friday, which means I'm off work, for we have winter hours at my job! Fireplace blazing, jammies still on --- a Friday off is pretty much heaven. Not that I have nothing to do, mind you. It occurs to me that most of you have no idea what this publishing job I've landed is. Next year we'll have 6 million issues of 60+ slow food, local & sustainable agriculture magazines around the US and Canada. I get to be "Director of Operations" --- sounds a little like the CIA, huh? It really just means I have lots of things to do and occasionally a small fire to extinguish. Here's a photo of Edible San Francisco to give you all an idea. Check it out. Also on the web! for you modernists.
Here's a good little story of our time & place. M. comes home and says "Squash your inner Scrooge tonight because we're going to watch the Santa Fe Christmas Tree lit at 5:30 at the statehouse. No arguments. I'll make it worth your while." She had it on Good Authority (a flexible term, apparently) that the tree would be lit between 5:30 and 5:45 pm. There would be charming schoolchildren there (from Waldorf, actually) singing charming carols. So I roused my inner Norman Rockwell, bundled up, and inquired, "Where are our flasks?" Perhaps a bit obvious, so we settled for a large coffee mug from El Indio in San Diego and a discreet stainless steel mug from nowhere. The "coffee" was actually Gruet champagne; staying local, as always.
As we pull up to the statehouse at 5:25 I gestured and said, "Is that the tree there, the all-lit-up one with many colors??" Sadly, yes. Our local source got the time wrong. I, however, was in a more celebratory mood than I thought possible because the flask and the lack of carols (people were fading away at this point) meant we could make our way to the tree without a tiresome crowd and enjoy the prettiness as one slightly modified curmudgeon and her chastened wife. It was fun! Let's do it that way next year!
Here we are back in Santa Fe after a whirlwind weekend (movie title?) in San Francisco. Good whirlwind but bittersweet as always. Contrasts, contrasts. Eat, drink, be merry, fly away.
I took Margarita carriage driving last week. Well, it was actually a little marathon cart. A pair pulls that cart, and we had sleigh bells on Lady because the weather is cold enough. We trip-trapped, jingle-belled down the road and back for a mile or two in the open country northeast-ish of Santa Fe. Happy ponies in the cold were quite frisky. I'm more competent at driving just a single now, so my very wonderful instructor sits with me when I drive the pair. See photos.
