Getting Ready to Leave Chacala (only for a few days)

Tres Mars restaurant, owned by Marta and Martine. I think.

I am taking the bus out of Las Varas, the nearest town, early tomorrow morning. I was wondering how I would get into town early, since the earliest collectivo, which leaves at 6:30am, is to0 crammed with kids going to high school to take ordinary people.

But it turns out Aurora is taking her Mom to Tepic to the doctor tomorrow. Her brother is driving, and it looks like I can get a ride, at 6am. My trusty alarm clock finally bit the dust, after being knocked on the tile floor about a 1,000 times. The current plan is Aurora is going to call me at 5:30am so I can be down on the road to get picked up. Pretty neat. We talked about me riding to Tepic with them, but they aren't going anywhere near the bus terminal, and it's alot faster to go directly to Guadalajara and bypassing Tepic. But the bus I hope to catch is the bus that didn't stop at Las Varas a bunch of times when I was heading to Morelia. I'll just play it by ear.

It's strange. I think I take the same amount of stuff whether I am going somewhere for three days or three weeks. I have a nice little rolling duffle bag sort of luggage thing, with lots of pockets etc. And it's easy to handle. So I have that and a small pack for my computer and camera. A few manuals, and some cords. And some books to read and my pen and paper and some snacks. And aspirin. And a hairbush.

Last trip I had a small battle with the bus luggage guy over taking my rolling duffle onto the bus (rather than under the bus). But this time I am prepared. It's not very full, so it looks smallish. And the little computer knapsack looks smallish too. But even if I have to put the rolling duffle under the bus, I will have my bus-survival-kit with me this time. And my precious computer and camera.

I spent the morning moving my plants on the veranda into the shade or semi-shade. Berta is coming over to water every other day. And I have moved some really portable and appealing stuff into the bodega or the house.

Since Maria, my former favorite little gardener person in Chacala, destroyed my landlady's best new hibiscus by breaking off all the new plant growth, I am more worried about people messing with stuff around this house. Usually when I leave town for three or four days, only one or two people know I am gone. But this time, for various reasons, more people know I will be gone for a bit. I am in the process of bringing the front patio plants back onto the veranda, where at least Maria would have a hard time reaching time.

This house was broken into last year. Some very quick moving and fleet-footed person climbed up the window grills on the first floor, unto the 2n floor veranda. He got into the house and took a computer and camera, and a new water pump from the bodega. I am assuming it was a "he". How sexist of me. Anyway, I am very careful about keeping everything locked up, even when I am in the house.

I am going to eat something. I have to use up my fruit and tortillas and tomatoes. And milk.

This is Sarai's store.
It's in the same neighbor as Trini, Guia, Beatriz, and Socorro live