Below Freezing

Good Morning Monday Readers,

The news today:

Here in Portland Oregon - very cold! Good thing I am working indoors most of the day! My thoughts are warm with visions of familiar roadmarks on the way to Aticama. I am hoping that the frigid weather here will not delay our blastoff. Our ducks are not all yet in a row but they are in the pond.

Tiger Woods. Dude! Well, it is not surprising really. Must be a real drag to be at the top of your game, be super rich, be handsome and healthy, have it all, and have to deal with the constant temptation of zillions of vivacious women throwing themselves at you! Very few of us will ever understand what that is like......I don't know what to think about it.....

Meanwhile, over in Europe, world leaders are meeting to do something about global warming. No doubt the biggest issue to ever face the human race. If only it could get the same coverage as Tiger.....

Thomas John and Kawena got their report cards. Weng will no doubt post about that soon! My island girl wife, like the tropical creature she is, has entered into the hibernation mode. Too little sun, to much cold weather.......

Working on the little trailer - it will tow the 'Big Red' atv behind 'La Chiba' to Mexico. 26 years old, this little atv is a champ and will shuttle us around Aticama. At 40 mpg, she will give the old Dodge a welcome rest after a warp speed trip from Portland south. Yep, we are planning on a non-stop, relay driver, 60 miles per hour sprint!!

Off to work.....

Be warm.

Salud

Good News From Aticama

Good Evening Readers,

Yesterday Weng spoke with Juana In Aticama. Juana is one really fine human being. Now 28 or so, she has been a friend of the family for many years and was present the night Kawena was born in Tepic. She has one of the most golden hearts I have ever had the privilege of knowing. Single, Master Massage Instructor, Strong and resourceful, She also is very civic minded. She holds our daughters property in a Mexican Trust until 'V' turns 21. We in return have helped her become an 'Ejidotarian' - member of the local governing body. She is now studying constitutional law, preparing to run for elected 4 person council next election! This is
terrific news because she has the spiritual health of the pueblo in her soul.

And,

She was elected La Reina de Aticama (The Princess) for the upcoming Annual Founding of the pueblo Gran Fiesta on Dec. 15!!

Congrats Juana - good on you!!

Salud

Francisco

PS Check out todays "ReadFrancis" blog. Really funny.

It's Cold

Chilly Readers,

Today we woke up and it was 28deg. outside! Hard to get out of bed. Ducks win the War Of The Roses and now must play the mighty Ohio Buckeyes. Obama Partygate. Tiger Woods. Seems like so much attention on the Tempests In The Teapot. Wonder what is going on underground?

Mexico is waiting, I'm off to work.

Salud

Obama, War, 911 And What It All Means

"You Can Run But You Cannot Hide"

Powerful, scorching words of truth. No one really wants to think about it. One year ago America elected a man of the people to change America. Wall after Wall was thrown up. Every imaginable pressure and force and mind persuasion was thrown in his path. Now, this man must make a terrible decision that no one should ever really have to make. War. Lives. Effects on other lives.

Damn. And what do we, joe six pack, do to help? Little if anything. Complain about the cost of everything (who wrecked the economy anyway? and where is g. bush now?), pretend the world is ok (really, really think about that one), or just be too damn tired to do anything about it....

Blame Obama. Easy, right? If we dont stand with him then we let our enemies, home and abroad, send us to our own damnation. Harsh? Perhaps. Be honest with yourself - is what is going on in the world the best thing we can do?

I say, tell your friends to get off of their butts, search out the truth amongst the media b.s. and make a few phone calls to people who make decisions for us. Stop throwing away your leftovers and give them to the local shelters if they will take them and pull your kid off of the video kill games. And I could say more.

Salud

ps. BE SURE to check out the new ThinkMusic posting - the song 'Imagine' at the big benefit for 9/11 nearly ten years ago.....

The Road To Aticama, Current Blast Off...

Good Evening Readers,

Life is compressing madly as we approach Blast Off To Aticama.... A million zillion things yet to do and time is short! We are never sure of the exact details of 'for sure 'this long' or ' how to make this happen' or ' jee, dear looks like this amount of time now...' I have been blessed with friends who need home repair and I am now working like crazyman to make the necessary pesos to power us to the warmth and work of Aticama!! It is possible that many of you out there may think that we travel south to vacation...

well, that aint the way it is!! Between home schooling for Thomas, ('V' and Francis attend mexican public school), garden work, home repair, social commitments, tweaking the solar system, railroading in the new access road, helping the neighbors, and working the fruit orchards we are very, very busy!!.

It is interesting to live 10 feet from the ocean and have time to take a dip only once a week.....hmmm...

Not to mention friends who visit..... for 20 years I begged my pals to visit... to no avail... the stock " i cant because _______________________ (you fill in the blank)" or 'it's too dangerous" or " you are nuts" and on and on and on.. WELL, now, its "NICE!!!" or " can we stop by.....?"

You get the picture. My guitar and I will steal precious moments I assure you....

Salud

ps. the map is one I made 15 years ago.... at that time the Hotel Delfin was still in existance (for all of you 'Road To Aticama' followers - my room was on the top floor in the foreground)....YOU CAN CLIK ON THE PHOTO TO MAKE IT LARGER