You know it occurs to me that maybe I should clear up some commonly held misconceptions about retiring in opulent splendor in Mexico. While it's true that when you rent a palatial estate in Mexico it comes with a maid, gardener and at least two cats - especially the "at least" two cats thing because like rabbits they seem to multiply? - I now have more. You might also assume the lap of luxury would include electricity for your every whim, hot and cold running water miraculously flowing from faucets etc. - all of which ain't automatic I find. And while refrigerators are common, if the electrico is OFF - YOU CAN'T OPEN THE DOOR AND LET THE COLD OUT!

So, that's another $60peso pot shot, that makes 4 pots in 3 storms and it's Saturday morning which means I'm missing country oldies from Austin because there is NO POWER and so we're camping out yet once again in MX. As previously noted, no electrico means no light, no PC/Internet, no water because it's a pressure system - although it is nice and quiet early in the morning with only the roosters crowing and the cows mooing loudly in the distance.

This has been a rough year for power outages and the rainy season isn't half over although maybe the stormy part of it is - I hope. We had a big storm last Tuesday which dropped a 60' tree formerly across the street from the gate, now over the street and onto the gate arch, the casita roof etc. taking out a power pole and electrico to the casita in the process. The guys from the CFE (Comision Federal de Electricidad) came out a day or two later, rolled up the broken power line saying they would be back "manana" - sure they will be - I've not seen them since, nor anyone with a chainsaw the Rental Officina is supposed to be sending - ah, but this IS MX and it's not even been a week yet.

So it's a challenge, actually more of a ritual, you look out before going to bed to see if you see any lightening in the distance and put out the requisite towels strategically placed around the house to prevent moisture incursion from leaking doors, windows etc. (the glass and steel windows and doors in MX are designed to leak - I swear) Once the towels are in place, most windows are closed and only the upper deck doors remain open for ventilation. Somewhere between 2 - 4AM you'll be awakened by the lightening and rolling thunder which is constant (rather odd actually) and you get up and close the remaining doors in preparation for another horizontal frog strangler.

You go back to bed to catch a few more winks with the fervent hope the electrico won't go out, but of course at the height of the storm the beeping of the UPS regulator in the computer room says otherwise. You have a few minutes to get to the weather PC which runs 24/7 (when power is available) and hit "Hibernate" and when it shuts down you kill the frantically beeping regulator and go back to bed - again - Max has learned to pretty much sleep through all this activity, it doesn't concern him, he's disinterested.

With or without power morning comes at 6am and Max's clock runs on cat power, so he wants to be fed - now please! Eventually you get up and of course it's still dark and you know there is only a rather limited amount of water remaining in the pressure tank, so you brush and wash with minimal water, stumble down the dark stairs to the kitchen where a strategically placed candle awaits. Feed the cats, clean Max's litter box with a small flashlight clinched in your teeth to provide some light and put out the residual in the outside trash.

On the way back in you dip a bucket of water from the concrete pond out back - it will be needed for flushing purposes. Of course there is always an adequate supply of bottled water for drinking so we're happy and healthy for the moment.

Fortunately this camping expedition has a gas stove, so you boil some water and pour it through the coffee filter for the mornings brew. This brings me to a memory; when we lived in Slidell, LA in '66 (an area noted for its hurricanes and power outages lasting for days) we were going to build a house. The one thing everyone told us was "put in a gas light and a gas outdoor stove so at least you have light and cooking capability - now after 43 years I see the wisdom of their council - we never built, we moved to a state where power was consistent.

As the day begins to brighten a bit I can now see a minimum of 5 big palm fronds in the pool along with assorted other bashura (trash) from the trees. A trip out to the casita finds a couple more palm husks in the drive which get chucked over the wall onto the vacant lot. Back at the casa grande one of the "new" 2 week old elephant foot pots is broken and needs cleaning up and all the wet towels are hauled to the washer with the hope the power will return sooner than later so they can be washed and dried for tonite's storm.

Of course with the PC's off, the weather station is offline and so when power returns there will be lots of things to document, then there are the timers for fountains, pool, lights etc. to be reset all in preparation for another storm tonite - well, actually as I look out it may be brewing as I write as it's still dark and cloudy - but, this IS MX. (and I can see the lights from the rich people up on Gobbler's Knob - I often wonder how much extra those fools pay to have electrico all the time? - might be worth it)

But, just as I finished typing this on the laptop I looked up to notice the back gate lights are on, so guess it's time to resume the pampered gringo life I enjoy - please disregard my previous grumblings.