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We inferred that we had a number of people over during our last episode down at our little bed and brunch place. For us, that became more rare, but it still happen'd with a bit of frequency. For the Hacienda de Santa Engracia it became rare....very rare...and it was quite frankly depressing.
My better three-quarters suggested after reading the previous missive that El Gringo Viejo did not quite round out the point that was being made about the people hanging around at our "parrillada machine". The "parrilla" is the plain, basic, real-live, mesquite and orange wood, outdoor griller. It is the fact that they went back to Cd. Victoria, on the back road, well after night-fall. To that end I have written this brief but important addenda:
One other "for instance" about the improving condition: We mentioned about the visitors we had.
In this episode of my life down at the Quinta Tesoro de la Sierra Madre, all of the day visitors imbibed and/or ate really complicated, excellent outdoor, mesquite grilled, heavily laden pork and/or beef ribs with secret sauces...homemade...including aged rums, native honeys, and other goodies. My special (no-marijuana or illegal anything) Brownies, special devilled eggs with guacamole, salmon, and egg-yolk stuffing choices, and our special red-grapefruit spring mix lettuce and tomatoe salad, with nuts and special vinegars infused with our own rosemary and oregano. Completely decadent.
In keeping with their processes, they bring really high quality liquors and mixers, but they will willingly condescend to have me make mixed drinks with our limited larder, which they realise even as friends, they will pay for...not much but far below saloon standards....still certainly enough to "recuperate expenses and pay for services".
One such grouping was of people that to El Gringo Viejo, were a mix of reasonable acquaintances and close friends. Among themselves, they are all very well integrated as friends, associates, and business and political allies. El Gringo Viejo becomes an adhesive element, allowing entrance to a private place unknown to many, where they can further cement the bonds they have. It is a rare but not at all unheard sociological placement for a Gringo in Mexico. It is an off-shoot of the old notion that...."A Mexican values more of something Mexican if it is valued by a foreigner".
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| The mother of 17 before the age of 2. Her name is Sonsa, which means, "silly" or "not bright". She does know, however, that something will come from the magic "parrilla" just behind her, because, there, visitors arrived earlier this morning with boxes of things,and fancy ice-chests. |
Please allow me to state with little apology that on these two occasions during our most recent stay, El Gringo Viejo prepared these outdoor, smoked ribs with the "secret sauces" for people such as those described. Understand that this is not a scene from F. Scott Fitzgerald's dull and foggy remembrances of things that did or did not happen, (The Great Gatsby). These scenes your humble servant describes are more apt to be found in scenes from "Leave it to Beaver", "The Lawrence Welk Show", or perhaps "Hee - Haw".....or some of the more risqué airings of "Gilligan's Island".
AND FINALLY! The point is that the people all went back, laden with generous portions of my aged, ultra-chocolate brownies for home use.....AT FULL DARKNESS.... like in the "good old days".
It was 20:00 hours in mid-December of 2014!
All were sober, all were cognizant of the hour, and all were aware that it was because the "times had changed back to some normalcy".
It was 20:00 hours in mid-December of 2014!
All were sober, all were cognizant of the hour, and all were aware that it was because the "times had changed back to some normalcy".
And that is the name of that tune.
El Gringo Viejo
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