What's Going On?

I feel like I've just re-adjusted to being back home after the vacation known as Endless Summer in Indiana. Seriously, when in life does anyone get to enjoy SEVEN weeks of vacation? I'm glad I had my chance. Thanks, Dan and Jo!

In the midst of getting adjusted, Mario's mom and sister came to visit us last week. Lili (Mario's sister) went home on Sunday, as she finally has the possibility of a job. Mago (Mario's mom) will stay with us through the weekend, when we head south. Yes--we're off on yet another vacation! But this time Mario gets to join us for more than 48 hours.

So on Saturday we'll head down the Emerald Coast, otherwise known as the Gulf Coast to Coatzacoalcos, on the southern "tip" of the Gulf of Mexico. Mario's uncle is having a birthday party, which Mario would like to crash. Furthermore, this gives Clara the chance to meet her only living great-grandparent, the 102-year-old legend that is Don Octaviano (Mago's father).

Sometime after Independence Day (next Tuesday and Wednesday), we'll head to Puebla, where Mario has some business to do, and I have some candy to buy and chiles en nogadas to eat. Mario and I met in Puebla 10 years ago, and I haven't been back in 4 years--it's time!

We'll stop to visit Mario's compadre, Rodrigo. Yep, they're more than friends--they're compadres. This means that Mario is the godfather to Rodrigo's son. [Do you have the theme song in your head, too?] Then we'll finally spend some time in Mexico City with Mario's immediate family.

However, if you've been counting days, it is clear that we will wind up in Mexico City around Friday. Considering that it takes an entire day to drive between Mexico City and Saltillo, it's clear that we'll spend maybe a grand total of 48 hours in Mexico City. No, scratch that, as Mario has also decided to visit Metepec, because he thinks we need to buy another rocking chair. Where he thinks it's going to fit in this house, I don't know. The man is a freakshow when it comes to buying furniture. We'll have a grand total of 24 hours in Mexico City. Boo.

This got me to thinking . . . we haven't seen Mario's siblings in about a year, and I'd also like Clara to spend some quality time with Mario's dad. Therefore, I tossed around the idea that Clara and I stay another week. Mario loved this idea, because he now has space to fit that rocking chair in the jeep for the ride home. So the girlie and I will spend an additional week in central Mexico, dividing my time between Mexico City and Morelos, as I'd really like to see my kids, too. I promised them that I'd visit with "my baby", and I don' t know that we'll be back before she starts walking. At which time, she'd no longer be a baby (technically). So off to Morelos, we go!

What a crazy, crazy month! We'll return late on the 28th of September, and don't plan on leaving northeast Mexico again until Christmas. As much as I like to travel, I think this month will push me to my limit!