Driving between national parks, we passed through lots of little villages in Kenya, with their version of strip malls.

The business names were a little… different. We started writing down the funniest ones. Note that somehow the word “butchery” is funny, no matter what goes with it. Strangely, Tanzanian business did not have the same quirkiness.

Here are our favorites:

• Amazing Funeral Services
• Caskets Galore
• Late Chemist
• Double Vision Bookshop
• Waki Motel
• Amazon Accommodations
• Plan B Highway Shop
• Happy Go Butchery
• By Faith Agrochemicals
• Twine Towerz
• Highway Butchery
• Divine Providence Computers
• Best Lady Hair Salon
• God’s Power Shop & Cafe
• Pivot Cool Bar & Butchery
• Silent Bar
• Travellers’ Butchery
• Nairobi Hardware (in a tiny village)
• Precious Dry Cleaner
• Bull Head Butchery
• Club Destiny Cafe & Butchery
• Kaka Butchery
• Meet & Greet Cafe & Butchery
• Honey Pot Bar
• Anointed Candy Shop

El Quixote sin Mancha, originally uploaded by sbmilagros.

What does don Quixote have to do with a lavanderia (laundry)? Well, mancha means stain & sin means without. So it’s the laundry without stains… Even in Mexico, there are punsters- beware!

So Candalaria is winding down… The Organic market has moved to the Ancha for a couple wkends. The chili cookoff was last wkend… Friends & friends of friends are arriving daily.

Yesterday, we took some FoF’s around & showed them the ropes. I’m starting to feel like an old hand here, although I still have a lot to learn.

I’ll be out of touch for the next wk or so. Senor is going to Cuba for a wk, which- as he is Canadian- is perfectly legal. He promises to come back w/lots of info & pix for my readers.

Here are some links to cheer us all up:

• Bike parking lot
• Cats in sweaters. Lots of them.
• Yoga that you & I can do- Thx Stephanie!

Pink potatoes, pineapple pop, tuna cheese, originally uploaded by sbmilagros.

Yes, Mexico is a little… different. Here are some things I picked up on a recent expedition: Magenta potatoes, tuna cheese, pineapple soda and cilantro in the background.

Tuna cheese (queso de tuna) is not cheese, or tuna as you know it. It’s the brown hockey-puck thing in the bowl. It’s actually a sort of traditional candy made from cactus fruit puree (tuna!) I asked it there were any in guava or pineapple, but no dice. It was still pretty good, but kind of an acquired taste.

The pineapple soda… yeah, no. Although I do really like the apple sode- tastes like Martinelli’s & is good for an upset stomach (well, we all knew that was coming, didn’t we?)

I absolutely love the little pink potatoes. They turn more to reddish when cooked. I’m wondering if they’re similar to what my mom calls cranberry potatoes?

Let’s see… here are some links for your amusement:

• Looks like I’m not the only one becoming sara. (This was the biggest belly-laugh I had all week!)
• Shetland Grand National- Ran into this one courtesy of BN
• Igudesman & Joo- Mozart meets Bond

Mi casa es su casa…, originally uploaded by sbmilagros.

The entrepreneurial spirit of Colonia San Rafael (my n’hood) never ceases to amaze me.

There are people who come in from the campos (little settlements in the country) to sell cactus, fruits, jicama, tortillas- you name it.

There are people who set up little shops in their front courtyards, people who sell juice & tamales for breakfast, people who go to Tues Market, buy clothing & then sell it on Wednesdays. It seems like everybody is working, scrambling to make it.

But I was a little surprised (ok a lot) to open my front door Saturday (That’s my door just beyond the little tree) and find a yard sale going on on my front steps. “Don’t worry,” said the lady in charge, “It’s just for today.” And sure enough, by the end of the day, everything was gone, and they had swept up my sidewalk as well.

Here are a few links to get your weekend started:

• Love this rolling room!
• How to wrap a cat for Christmas (Thx, JH!)
• Electrolux takes on ocean pollution
• DonDayin SMA- another SMA blogger, focusing on food & drink
• Dorita Loca takes on the cats of San Miguel

Garden Statue, originally uploaded by sbmilagros.

I love this garden statue I saw on the trip out to La Purisima de Jalpa this week. We were moving quickly so I didn’t get its history. But it’s nearly big enough that you could curl up in her lap. She looks like she wouldn’t mind a bit.

Here’s hoping you can find a quiet sanctuary…

Here are some links to start your wkend right.

• Jeanne Robertson on why not to send a man for groceries (Thanks, CR!)
• The day the internet stood still (Very old, but I remember it whenever my modem goes wack-o)
• Are you hungary? (Pun alert)
• Bloody brain shots (Halloween’s over, but there’s always that zombie party you’ve been planning…)
• I tried this, but I just dreamed of Stilton…
• Living in a museum for a month? (Thx, Javantea!)

Official garbage collection, originally uploaded by sbmilagros.

So, you think you’ve got the worst job? It could be worse; you could be a Mexican trash catcher.
The way it works… One guy drives the big truck, jockeying with taxis, buses & ATVs up & down the narrow cobblestone street. Four guys ride in back with the trash, one banging on a metal triangle. People come out with bags & buckets of trash that have been moldering & hand them to one of the guys. Then they throw it up to the one guy still in the bed of the truck, who arranges this whole stinky mess.
What’s really strange, is that everybody (even the “catcher”) is having a terrific time & joking around.

I love that readers are starting to send me links for Fridays… Let me know if you have some good ones to add:

• Your TV time machine- (suggested by B.O.) This is really fun!
• Smoked Salmon Vodka?- Actually saw this on the shelves in PT. For the record, I did not buy it.
• The Divorce Dance (suggested by VT)
• Mini Pumpkin Pies- you know how I love cute food… ok, any kind of food.

Tiny Gingerbread Houses from notmartha.com

Are those cute, or what? My wonderful DIL found some gluten-free ginger cookies at Fred Meyer. They were also vegan, so both Javantea & I had a special treat.

It is so terrific to be back in San Miguel de Allende. I’m staying in the same casita for now- Jan 1. I seem to be becoming migratory rather than nomadic

Here are some links for your Friday amusement…

World Air Traffic- see, I’m not the only one on the move!

Shop Etsy by COLOR! (I can waste hours this way. OK, I have wasted hours this way.)

Sushi Madness- Candy sushi or lego sushi? I can’t decide.

Virtual Paintout of San Miguel- What a terrific idea… Using Google street view to “be” wherever you like (some limitations, still.)

Supplies for making your own Day of the Dead decorations!

One of my biggest finds this summer has been POUTINE! Pronounced poo-TSIN in Quebec. I’ve been trying it all over, from Seattle to New Hampshire. My favorite so far has been at Boomer’s Cafe in Stratford, ON. Basically, it’s french fries with gravy & cheese curds. Sounds simple, but done right, it can be divine.

I’ve seen a lot of variations on the theme, including Italian poutine (with red sauce) and sweet potato poutine (not sure what they use for gravy.) I’ve been experimenting myself, and so far my favorite is Mexican poutine. I make oven baked fries, top it with chorizo & cheddar cheese. Yummm…

Sorry I’ve been AWOL for a couple weeks. A certain señor has been visiting, and I’ve been showing him all the sights in beautiful PT & Seattle. I think he liked it, although the ferry waits were a bit frustrating. Part of life on the peninsula, though. It’s great hanging out with someone who likes good food as much as I do!

Here are some links to kick off your weekend!

• Best Condiments in the world! (I’d add Boss Man Hot Sauce from Louisiana, but can’t find a link- what are your faves?)
• Another case of “Just because you can, doesn’t mean you should.”
• Pencil Crayon Jewelry- This is fabulous!
• Web Site Warning labels- What a great idea…
• Jellyfish- Who needs ‘em?
• Looks like I missed International Minimalist Day. That’s ok, I’ve been celebrating all year. (and yes, I still use shampoo!)

That’s for all of you who are stuck working on Labor Day weekend. It does make me wonder what went wrong. Wasn’t Labor Day meant to honor workers? Here’s hoping that you & yours actually spend time together, enjoying a beautiful long summer weekend.

Here are some goodies for you:

• Historical events- the Facebook edition
• Talk Like a Pirate Day- Sept 19. Start practicing, matey!
• The New Bio-Optic Organized Knowledge Device!
• Printed books vs e-books
• Palindromes!

IMG_3259, originally uploaded by sbmilagros.

From the inspriation journal:

Autobiography in 5 Short Chapters
By Portia Nelson

1. I walk down the street
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk
I fall in
I am lost, I am helpless
It isn’t my fault
It takes forever to get out

2. I walk down the street
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk
I pretend I don’t see it
I fall in again
I can’t believe I am in the same place
But it isn’t my fault
It still takes a long time to get out

3. I walk down the street
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk
I see it there
I still fall in….it’s a habit
My eyes are open
I know where I am
It is my fault
I get out immediately

4. I walk down the street
There is a deep hole in the sidewalk
I walk around it

5. I walk down another street

Here are some fun links for your weekend:

• When things get really wacky, Steven Wright is just the ticket. He makes me feel almost normal.
• Ah-ha! Diet and health questions answered.
• Knitters gone wild- I heart the sushi!
• Hipster puppies- cuteness alert!
• Facebook manners- ignore at your peril!