my son, Maximo Lobo, learning to sneak up on his parents

Maximo, tu eres lo maximo!*

My kid is awesome. The best, you might say in this or another language. He is just about 8 months old, crawls like a crab, moves as quick as a mongoose, and is the happiest little creature you may well find in my house (a house full of happy people and dogs, no less). If you are reading this, you have probably met him. If you haven't I can't wait till you do, and he meets you. *translated from spanish "you are the best!"

Construction is a state of mind

We started construction on the second level of our beloved Casa Loteria last Monday. We are stoked to be well on our way to a new floor and more room for our little devil, but you are quickly and rudely reminded what living with construction is like. Lack of sleep : We have a good crew, so they are there with the sun rising, and leave when the sun sets. Pretty awesome on a schedule front (which as a manager, I appreciate), but pretty shitty on a sleeping in late, and not having strangers close to your bed as you sleep front. Since they are there all day, you feel a total disconnection to this house you are putting all this time and money into. That, and the banging. But the good is so gooood... bricks going up, rooms taking shape, a house that you can imagine hanging out in becoming itself... it is awesome. I can already see this new house, with it's stairs, new rooms, new views... I have never had the pleasure of building a house anywhere before, but building a house in Mexico for me is like no other experience - there is something very simple about the bricks and mortar, the small crew putting up the walls, such a complicated process brought down to it's basic steps - and you can be a part of it! Carry some bricks! Make some mortar! Drink beer with the crew (my favorite and most accomplished task)! Construction is great.

I can't wait for it to be over.

"el bebe" Villarrubia acrylic on Tequila (lots of it), circa early-mid-late 2009

Look what I can do!

I have been painting lately. I have no technical skills, or know-how. I used to draw for hours and hours (and days and days) under the influence of all sorts of good-timey hocus pocus - but today, I enjoy doing it semi-sober. It takes longer, but that's ok.

Holy holy-week, Batman!

I wrote about Semana Santa, or "Holy week" way back in '06, 2 weeks after our arrival to Sayulita. http://gabrea.blogspot.com/2006_04_09_archive.html . We are currently in the middle of that same holiday as I write. Nothing to crazy too report this year, but there do seem to be alot of Mexicans in Sayulita all the sudden. haha. We have such a mixed culture in our town, that a big mexican holiday really changes the tone of the town, and everyone will say the same...best to stay home? I can't say that, but I can suggest it best to wander on foot, because driving anywhere this week blows...Jesus your co-pilot or not. Speaking of Satan, today is Easter, and being the good-fearing Pagan I am, I spent Easter morning with some wonderful people, far from sacrificing goats or any living thing (though the alter to the high Queen of Bloody Marys was soaked and running red). Whatever our group's designation, it was devine, If you catch my drift. As we enter our 3rd year of living here, we feel blessed by the Dark Ones to have those we have around us these days... a great group of friends, wonderful humans and families - all a true community.

The Villarrubia, the Koch and the Sherman Clans - easter 2009