Adventures run in spurts as I've noted before and I guess there are two recent ones worthy of note because one was fun, and one definitely was NOT.

So, it seemed a good time to make a trip to Tonala and Guad. I really really needed a new fuente (fountain) for the upper deck (well, "need" may be a bit subjective) the old one was getting overgrown with moss etc. and the birds were giving me looks that were embarrassing. Then there is always a need for another priceless Pre-Columbian artifact or two (translated: there is a bare spot on the stair wall that needed filling) and a trip to one of the Home Depots for some supplies to continue my telephone rewiring project. I headed out one morning last week and made the trek in good time and the traffic in Tonala, even though market day, seemed less than usual.

As I made my way though the maze of market stands on the streets there was an obvious absence of the throngs that often pack the makeshift stands. In fact, some of the vendors looked down right bored. The snowbirds have gone home for the season now, but that would hardly be noticed, generally the crowds are more people from Guad etc.

I first checked a pewter shop for some salad bowls I would like to have as presents, but they were out of the ones I liked. Next I meandered along the main street looking for the "fuente man" who is always there and sure enough he had just what I needed, a small tabletop size for the exorbitant sum of $160 pesos, about $13 which includes a pump worth $6 alone, then on to the Columbian artifact dealer where I secured two more pieces for about $1 each? - I have no idea how they can even afford to bring these things to market at those prices.

Then on to Oscar's, my favorite restaurant for some spicy mole - love that stuff. Again, I was basically alone and I talked with him and he said business was quiet, so I tipped big and headed back to the car.

The next target was the Home Depot on the far side of Guad and you either take the S Periferico loop or Cardenas which is the main E/W street. I hate Cardenas, there's usually traffic problems, now there is construction of some major overpasses etc., but I decided I'd do it anyway - and I wasn't disappointed, I hated it. I made the Mexico Ave turn which should have taken me to Clothier S and the Home Depot, but somewhere along the way I got in a wrong lane or something? At times like these I just go with the flow, if usually ends up being a new adventure and sure enough this was to be one of those days.

I was following a car and we sort of went down into a tunnel and suddenly he was stopping at a parking entrance to get his ticket. At this point I truly had no idea where we were but I figured if it was worth paying to park at - it must be worth seeing, right?

I parked and took a good close visual reading on the place so I could find my way back. I headed up the nearest stairway and found myself in a store, some kind of La Fashion de something or other? From there I headed out into a mall, it turns out I was in a huge 3 story shopping mall I'd never seen before. So, carefully sprinkling a trail of bread crumbs I began to explore and it's more my style of mall, the stores aren't so frufru like a couple of other malls. I stopped in a Radio Shack and bought a couple of things and then continued on. I saw a Chili's (note that for futures) and a Sears and some interesting stores. Turns out it's "La Gran Mall de Fashion" according to the mall directory. But, one thing made me chuckle, what's the one thing you expect to see on a mall directory sign? - right, a little arrow etc. saying "you are here" - not in MX, or at least this mall, you're on your own.

I like to explore places like this so I can take my neighbor when she returns from Canada. If I do it on my own I then look like I know what I'm doing when she's along for the ride (even if I really don't).

I retraced my trail of bread crumbs and paid my parking and headed out, still basically unsure of where I was, but I've learned in Guad you just go with the flow until you see something you recognize, then navigate from there. So it was that day, I soon hit a traffic circle and I really hate those things. Fortunately I hit a stop light just as I entered the roundabout giving me time to quickly gather my wits and read the sign indicating exit options, assuming you don't want to just go round and round forever which could happen in Guad.

One of the exit options was Colima/Expo which rang a bell (having been there a few weeks ago). So I took that exit and pretty soon I recognized the main street I was on heading the right direction even. I eventually got to the Periferico and home. It was fun and a whole new place I want to go back to. I never did make it to Home Depot, so guess I'll have to make another trip.

Oh, the fuente? - I hit a big bump and it broke, so had to epoxy it back together the next day. Hey, I paid $160p for that thing and I wasn't about to throw it away!

The second "adventure" was not fun, it was last week and started at 11:45pm Sunday nite when I was awakened by the power regulator beeping to tell me the power was off and I needed to shut down the computer area. This was a bit disconcerting because we sort of grudgingly expect this during the rainy season, but as of the moment it's been 88 days since it rained. Also, all three of my circuits went down eliminating stringing extension cords - that's something new. Finally about 11am Monday it came back on. Now with no power, I'm at a standstill except I finally managed to pick up a Swiffer duster and got to work with things long overdue.

Monday night there was an electrical storm on the S shore and I was taking pictures and at almost exactly 11:45pm - BEEP, the power went off again, and again next morning, more dusting until 11am, we were now 2 for 2 and a bit curious. Wednesday was no problema, lots of power all day, all night - we almost declared a fiesta. Then Thursday, as I noted in the first part of this thread, I was in Guad and noticed after I got home that power had been off from a bit before noon until about 2:30pm - so, now were were 3 out of 4 days. Friday all was going well until almost exactly 11:45am and again, no electricos, but this time a variation, instead of coming back on at 2:30 it was 6pm and I was hopping mad because you can only dust so long before you need to take care of other things.

To go to the store I had to get out the ladder, unhook the electric gate opener, drive out, close back up and hope when I got back the electric would be back on - wrongo bucky, no electric. So I parked outside and after it finally came on I moved the car back inside. Additionally when power is off a battery backup on the weather station captures readings, then I have to download that information and merge it into the database files to make all the graphs and readings look right and as noted, this was 4 out of 5 days.

By this time other people living N of me in Mirasol had experienced the same problems and were as mad as I was at the CFE - Can't Furnish Electricity! The CFE is a classic case of a monopoly run amuck and of course there is little to be done. I pay exorbitant rates due to the pool etc., I have to buy expensive regulators to protect all the equipment from spikes and brownouts and they still treat us like red headed step children? - oh, the next morning when I tried to use my MX phone it didn't work, turned out the power had zapped the modem in one of the PC's which is connected to the phone line - thank you CFE !

Well, there you are, two stories about living on the frontier, I'm typing this quickly to get it posted before 11:45 when the power will probably go off again and I'll be forced to "go Mexican"? - don't know what that is? - well, with no juice, no radio and it's very very uncharacteristically quiet, so in typical Mexican fashion I open all 4 doors on the Jeep and turn up the stereo until the windows rattle and the cats dive for the bushes, but at least I only do that in the daytime, they do it all night?