I have a new mission

but it’s too bloody hot. I’ve been playing me guitar in the basement and had to stop.

Today’s new song to play, Art Brut, Emily Kane…

… and found this comparison of 1963 and 1991 editions very interesting. They never bothered to make one with Anglicisms mind, with Postman instead of Mail Man etc.

A bit transportationally challenged this morning, so i sorted out Martin’s computer, tried some space saving techniques in the packing in the garage, showered Atticus with attention and filled in some forms ready to send to the American government. Also tried to watch Planet Earth during breakfast but had to turn it off. Watching cave worms spew silk threads to hunt cockroaches doesn’t go well with sourdough toast and butter…

Well, that was a lovely afternoon wandering round the city centre of Guadalajara (Guanatos to its denizens) and meeting likeminded souls. While sipping Coronas con sal y limon in La Fuente El Charro Negro and Eliazar turned up with cameras in tow and we decided to go off snapping shots of the centre, from La Fuente to Las Cabaas to San Juan de Dios. A couple more Flickreros joined us in the cabaas and we watched life unfold in San Juan. I hope we can do it again some time. Thanks to everyone for coming, looking forward to your photos…

Here’re some of my faves:

Then we had dinner at La Divina Tentación, a v. nice restaurant, though we got there at 8 and left at 9:30ish and were the only customers there. Outnumbered 3 to 1 by waiters. Good food and not hugely pricey. Recommended…

Today Sita and I went on a lightning trip to Tonalá where we bought more trinkets to decorate the homestead with, including a copper agave thing (photo one of these days…) which we bargained down from 300 pesos to 200, then came back to a shiny clean house thanks to M & D’s Herculean efforts. And a rug which “really ties the room together…”

Later today: giving a private class to Monica and Daniel on the delights of the subjunctive mood. In Starbucks, for our sins…

There´s a chain of chemists in Mexico called Farmacias Similares. They sell generic medicines at bargain prices generally because the main brand´s patent has expired. They’re a fairly large corporation that competes with independent chemists. Visit their godawful website here. Their main method of promotion is having someone in a Dr. Simi costume prance around outside their shops to a reggaeton beat or worse. I snapped a photo of Dr. Simi a few days ago in Gwod:

And here he is again in Zacatecas:

Mario alerted me to an extreme sport sweeping the nation, flooring Dr. Simi… It’s like Mexican happy slapping. On YouTube there’s several videos of Dr.Simi being run at and knocked to the ground by young naco scoundrels with nothing better to do. I felt sorry enough for the poor buggers sweltering in their costumes for 50 pesos a day before seeing them have to contend with these antics.

Anyroad, just a quick post to say support your local chemist and be nice to Dr. Simi.

Plans for tonight? Bowling…