It's nice to have folks visit, it makes you do things you should have done sooner, but now have to get done before their arrival. And so it was last week in preparation for the arrival of some folks from Albuquerque. I met Neil online a year ago and we found many things in common, we were both salesmen and we were both in Denver in the 60's and 70's so we relate to lots of things. They lived here in Ixlahuacan and then moved back NOB about 2 years ago and are now building one last big house. They've graciously allowed me to suggest some things during the design phase which I've enjoyed and now they needed to make a "shopping" trip here to buy some things. Neil had mentioned renting a place while down here and I said "rent?" - you're kidding with the casita sitting open, so it worked out well.

I needed to dust up the casita anyway and as usual, one thing led to another and I ended up repairing and painting two walls in the bedroom and rebuilding the flush system in the toilet and other little projects which was fun. I even went to Tonala and found a picture for the bedroom wall. The walls had many nail and screw holes from previous pics, so I patched and painted all of them and then - made a new one of my own?

Because they knew that shopping areas well I tagged along Sunday to Tlaquepaque which is a more upscale area than Tonala and we had a great time. I hadn't been there yet so it was a great introduction, they drove and bought me lunch - hey, I like shopping better already. It really is a nice area and many of the shops are converted from old mansions and you can tell they were from extremely wealthy owners, high ceiling, courtyards with fountains etc., all in all a great experience. We had lunch as a great place and then walked and shopped more. On the way home we stopped to deliver some things Neil had brought down and the folks suggested we go to the new Chapala Malicon to the art show and then eat dinner at a new restaurant and we had a great time including a very high energy mariachi band that was having more fun than the rest of us, the pics for the day are in the photo section under Tlacquepacque. By the time we got home it was 10pm, a full day for the old man - the cats thought I'd left town.

Monday they were going to Tonala and at first I said no having just been there, but decided to see new stuff so, off to the big city again. Actually it was great because they were in many shops I never visit and so I got a new perspective and found a whole new section of town I didn't know existed. Another great restaurant for lunch with enchiladas mole and more shopping. We found an onyx shop that had a sink they're going to buy for $200 that would probably be $500 NOB. After a full day there we stopped to see their old neighbors and home by around 7, so a shorter day, but I'm "shopped" out. Today they're off to a town about 200 miles from here that specializes in copper and they're looking for copper sinks for the new house. They'll be back Thurs night and they'll finish the shopping trip Friday before heading back NOB, but I don't think I need to "shop" any more, I need to "rest" - as Mom noted today, I must be getting old? - nah, not likely.

Hope you enjoy the Tlaquepaque pics, I had a great time taking them.