Lunes in Oaxaca

The morning is cold, especially in our apartment. But we know that soon the sun will warm us as we walk to the OLL - Oaxaca Lending Library - a hub for English speaking visitors especially, but all who wish to visit
For 3 months membership, we pay 265 pesos (about $22.00 at today's exchange rate).

Jerry volunteers to work in the cafe for 3 hours on Mondays which has given him - and us - the opportunity to make new friends and feel more a part of the community of English-speaking residents and visitors.
Alan Gunderson is selling Thai food and giving out flyers about a tour to Xalapa that his wife, Teri, will lead, an occasional Oaxacan vendor wanders in, Oaxacans and visitors enjoy using the computers, meeting for intercambios (speaking Spanish part of the time, English for the rest) and perusing the stacks of 32,000 books and many DVDs to borrow. Barry, a permanent resident originally from Los Angeles, tells us about the New Year's Party and Fundraiser, costing 300 pesos each, at the gorgeous newly built house of Jan and Pierre.  Barry works very hard with many of the library devotees to keep the bills paid and the library functioning. There are many fundraisers so we must pick and choose. Jerry and I also want to be generous in our support but we are sponsoring three children to attend school and have a family to help, besides charities at home. But Barry is a good salesman - "this is our most important function and it includes a dinner, unlike the Solstice party at 200 pesos!"
I then went into the stacks, perusing the books about Oaxaca.  I found 5 that I am interested in and Jerry is borrowing The Help, which I will read when he finishes. Thanks to Barb, who invited me to go to the movie, it  will be more intriguing to read the book.

Later, i assembled gifts for our wonderful friends, Mafer, Gabriel, Emilio and Luisa.  We were invited to dinner and a birthday party at their home! How special to find that Mafer and Gabriel's parents were invited also!

It is Tuesday. I went up to the roof this morning to wash and hand some clothes in the warm ahhhhh! sunshine. Now it is time to leave now for the library - a lecture and slide show about Oaxacan women, organized by a presenter from Portland State University who is doing research here.  Then to Isabel's, one of our favorite restaurants to see Gail Schacter, from Victoria, and catch up with her life since we saw her last in February.Jerry left early this morning to go hiking with a group led by Willy, who joined the hikes he and Joy planned last year.