All OROGs are advised to re-review the webpage for the Quinta Tesoro de la Sierra Madre..   There have been a few tweekings and fiddlings that might be of interest.   It is 90% the same, but completely different as Yogi would say.   We are taking advantage of a bit of a falloff in activity to prepare the way when the star again appears in the West.

      One thing that is a bit funny is that we try to fix the old "manor house" of the Hacienda de La Vega section of the Quinta Tesoro de Sierra Madre's website (down towards the end), and sometimes it disappears, or moves, or jiggles a bit and "loosens up" the script at times.   The house has a few ghost stories associated with it that even the family takes a bit seriously.   Perhaps the ghostly resident(s) either like or dislike having the picture of the house on the webpage.

       It was built, for one thing, where a trouble-maker during the expropriations in the late 1920's led a bit of an armed action wherein several people were killed and wounded.  It is said that that is the reason for the location of the Ejido Cemetery very close by.    All of the expropriations were finished by the early 1940's.    The hauntings, however, began around the house almost immediately with its finishing in 1934.

More later.   Thanks for the interest.   Remember to send five dollars and three questions on a note card to Sister Maria.

The Old Gringo

The Dog

When Alvaro came back to the Quinta to spell the Old Gringo for a bit, he brought a little bundle from Heck in the form of a Labrador puppy.     It was, of course, the thing that we absolutely needed above all else.   

Bebe with his new friend from next door

It is the kind of thing that an old fool needs to have running around trying to be friendly and important and becoming lost in the invisible line of the bifocals  during the middle of the night.    But, he is a Labrador, and he has all those endearing characteristics that a Labrador brings to an issue.   With luck, he will outlive me.

     He was kept inside during the first couple of nights, and he did not whine or whimper.   He only made one small mess and after that was essentially housebroken.....pretty good for a dog....He seems to prefer playing in the front yard and lounging on the "long west-facing corridor" like the rest of the tourists.

      We did lose Trouble, the dog one sees at the entrance with the Old Gringo when he was caught up in a contest of alfa males....Trouble was a dedicated beta male, but failed to move when two really stupid males were fighting and they both pretty much took him apart.    I was informed after the fact, having been in the Austin area at the time.    It was about a week later that Sylvester, our resident black and white tomcat was found quite a ways away.....about a half mile....on the paved road.   He had been run over, so Alvaro brought him back and gave him a decent burial as well.    So....don't have pets or animals around unless you have nerves of putty.

       Anyway, New Puppy a calico Heinz of about 7 months age and Bebe who is about 3 months hit it off well and so now they are en situs.   Bebe had to come inside during the day because of the heat....102 f outside and 81f inside.....he found the master bathroom where we keep a bowl of water for the cats.    The dark, adobe cooled room was much to his liking, so he slept long stretches, sometimes with his paw in the bowl.

       The "general purpose dogs", Prince and Pinto have given Bebe the "benign neglect" treatment, with only Prince growling at him one time.     It was noticed however that both of the older dogs are spending the nights over at Anastacio's house behind the Quinta.    They still gallop out barking and growling at night whenever a real or imagine interloper comes into the nasal radar range.

       Bebe has given considerable effort with some significant success towards making peace and friendship with the cats.    Cleopaetra has become "used to" him, while the other two seem to be a bit more concerned with making sure that he knows who is who, and what space belongs to whom.

Just a bit of estrogen dosage for that portion of the OROG community.

El Gringo Viejo.

ps.    It was decided to hang Alvaro by his toes for three days when I make it back to the Quinta.....or force him to sell raffle tickets to raise money to feed the new dog.

And Then.....tales of great bravery and steadfastness of the Old Gringo

     Not only suffering the other tribulations of the moment, the evening of the day after the Night of the Coralillo, an auto pulled up to our main gate.....at almost precisely mid-night.   Since there had not been any vehicular traffic during the previous 30 hours, the sound of crunching gravel was conspicuous because of its rarity.   A session of listening to ghost stories and tales of flying saucers on overnight radio was just beginning.     Is George Bush secretly running the show in the White House still, and directing the press to project  controversy into the American conciousness so as to divert their attention from the fact that the Rothchilds and Bildenbergers keep moving ahead to gain control of a Planet over which, apparently, they already have total control.

      But none of this radio-addiction would be in the offing.   There was a visitor at the gate.     It turned out to be "La Maestra", a woman  who also built a house a few hundred yards from the Quinta....a much more elaborate house....and who has been a generous friend and associate.    She was the XO for the uncle of our neighbour of the Hacienda de La Vega.   That uncle died about four years ago, and had served for over 20 years in the State's office for wildlife protection and rural development.

       In any regard, this was not a social call.    As I made myself decent enough for presentation, figured out who the visitor was, and fumbled around for the right key and a flashlight, my mind clunked around thinking about why on Earth would any visit be so urgent as to need to take place at this hour.  La Maestra waited at the gate, accompanied by her two employees.   All three seemed agitated.

      "Buenas noches.....or dias, depende el caso" began the Old Gringo....making a feeble bit of a joke about the fact that we were now in the "madrugada" , or the "morning of the next day" phase of the calendar.

       "Hola' don David, disculpe la molestia....." she responds, leaving the conversational door open to a more rapid entry into the real business at hand.

        "En que los puedo servir?",  enquires the Old Gringo, cutting to the chase. (What can I do for you?)

         "You have seen the fire coming towards us?" she answers.    Her staff members nod and seem very impatient to do something....or anything.    These fellows are kind of a combination of two skinny Mutts and Jeffs folded into the scenes of Mayberry RFD, haplessly pleasant.   We are exchanging handshakes at this point.

       I can smell the smokiness, my throat has been paying that price for the past week because of more distant fires in the mountains.    But truly, this is something different.   As my senses adjusted to being outside, it is apparent that there is considerable smoke in the air and the smoke smells hot and fresh.

But, in reality, there is not tell-tale glow, near or far, to indicate immenency of a blaze.   So the question, "Donde esta' el incendio?"

        "It's right there on the other side of the main house of the Hacienda de La Vega!" all three respond.   I do not see it still, as we walk out to the area of the road that leads to both our place and the La Vega.     Knowing that we have to intervene, no matter what the nature of this issue truly is, I began to formulate that plan of attack.

        "Let's go down and tell Ciro.    Do you think he knows?    Have you called him?"     by this time I am walking back to the house to strap on some better shoes and to pick up a walking stick.    The two staff members of La Maestra are carrying long, well-honed machetes.   La Maestra responds that the cell phone signal is not working or Ciro's phone is off or his card ran out.    By this time I am openning up the gate of the Hacienda de La Vega and we are filing through a narrow, thorny uneven fence-crossing, full of all kinds of possibilities, most of them not too good.
        Then the dos of La Vega come.   Huge dogs, loping along, barking and growling.    It dawns on me that one of the characters from Mayberry is new to me.   "Have you been to the Hacienda de La Vega before?" I ask.
           "No",  responds Goober.
           "Get behind me, then!" I order.    He obeys and avoids a close encounter of the first kind with two 100 pound dogs....dogs who trust those whom I trust. Arriving at the Old Manor House of the the La Vega, where Ciro sleeps at night (and at times in the daytime) we begin calling out "Ciro....Ciro!!"   It seems appropriate because that is his name.    The smoke is heavier and finally I can see a bit of a fire line a few hundred yards further on to the west of the  Manor House.    La Maestra was certain that it would be advancing within minutes to the cemetery, her fancy new place, and several other humbler but still significant homes.
            Ciro comes out and we all go through the necessary civilities again, except with two more Mexican Mayberry characters added to the mix.   Ciro opines that the fire is simply the grass furrow that he formed while clearing part of the old orange grove.    He had set it afire at the end of daylight and watched over it until it became clear that it was ready to burn itself out.   This is a line about 300 feet long, 4 feet wide, and about 3 feet high.   Much of the grass and weed material was still a bit greenish, hence the smoke.   He said he would drive over with his helper and check it out, everyone could come.
           So, once Ciro has his necessry paraphanalia and his assistant, they all head off to the fire.    I return to the Quinta, in the dark, with my flashlight because Ciro wanted me to call the owner of the Hacienda de La Vega.    That is something that was quickly reconsidered upon arrival back inside my safe little 'fraidy-hole' because in reality there was nothing, as of yet, to report.    About twenty minutes later, Ciro delivered La Maestra and her staff back to the Quinta and informed me that a couple of the old, dead trunks of some damaged trees actually had ignited from the heat caused by the burning grass, and due to the angle of view from La Maestra's house, it looked as if there was a long line of flames approaching her.    For his part he was going to return with several buckets of water and finish all of the flames.....in short, no problems.
            All of this helped me justify my decision not to call the owner of La Vega. La Maestra's concern had not been misplaced.   The fires have been uncommonly menacing throughout the States of Tamaulipas and Nuevo Leon as well as Texas this late Spring and now early Summer.     It has been a constant fight, especially in the mountains and in areas where there are huge extensions of sorghum and/or corn plantings.     Lightning, stupidity, broken glass, and any number of other things can start these fires but we have had to play the Devil to control and extinguish each blaze.    Army, American Helicopter crazymen, and squads of tough "civil defense" volunteeers have laboured throughout this dry spell in an honorably and largely successful effort....but the trials of Job continue....lessening though, thankfully.


More Later.   Thanks for learning about my simple form of heroism....known as "getting out of the way and letting the people who do the work take the credit".
El Gringo Viejo
           
       

As promised.....

     During the period just past down at the Quinta, the Old Gringo noticed one morning that the three female cats, Smokey, Cleopaetra, and Calico were all in the kitchen pantry.    They were all arrayed, tail to snout, like spokes of a wagon-wheel, pointing directly under a little wagon that Alvaro uses when he is painting and doing small repairs around the house.

       The cats are all wierd....which is normal for cats....especially spoiled cats, so I was not surprized at first.    But then it was noted that Smokey, the persian-type cat, was flicking her tail vigourously....like before taking down a bird or pouncing on a  mouse.    Her sister turned and looked at me with eyes the size of steak-platters, and her tail was puffed up like Dolly Parton's hair-do.

       So an inspection was made and lo and behold, we had a 2 foot-long coral snake.    It was only the 4th one to be seen on our about the property, and the violation of my own rule about the total securing of the screen doors....shutting them snug to the door molding and hooking them shut....had brought the visitor in upon us.   I noticed that during the morning, earlier, I had left the door only slightly open....less than an inch....after feeding the neighbour's chickens.   It was still open.    Leaving the cats to their work, the Old Gringo went to the guest room to make sure that set of doors was correctly shut.....then called the neighbour's son to go and get Efrain *(Alvaro's brother-in-law) and then proceeded to trap and/or slay the beast.

       By this time, however, it could be noticed that the cats were all at the back door, standing on their hind-legs looking anxiously at something outside.  My attention was directed to where the snake had been but was no longer.    That is an icy-type feeling.    But then it was remembered that a coral snake, although extremely venomous, is also quite a coward.    Given an out, they always flee.

       So, outside went the Old Gringo, carefully searching any reasonable path of retreat for Caroline the Coral Snake.    The cats went in front....(Calico went in front as well, as long as she was behind someone)....and I trained my far-sighted eyes as best they would on the area where the cats were going.    The path they bloodhounded went towards the Rio Corona and  was soon covered by impenetrable bramble.     Returning, Efren was encountered already inside the house.    He listened stone-faced to my explanation of things and then observed that we would have to evacuate the entire pantry and even the kitchen since the Old Gringo had not actually seen the snake leave.   His conclusion was my conclusion, so the next hour was spent in moving things that had not been moved for a while.   We filled several large plastic garbage bags and did quite a bit of "improved placement" of things.....as well as a bit of helpful inventory assessment.

       Of course we did not find the snake....so we threw the cats into the pantry, one at time, because they would immediately know if there were still a snake on the premises.   Each cat made her brief review.....starting with they had encountered the serpent in the first place, and then decided that things were pretty boring again....the way they should be.     Each went to her appropriate "reward station"  where each allowed  me to give her a cat candy-treat at her  exclusive  place.     Before long they had preened up and were fast asleep.

        It should be pointed out here, without any false attempt at humour, that the practice of judging by a cat's reaction whether there are snake problems nearby is very common in the Ejido Francisco I. Madero.     The mother of the two sister cats, for instance, has killed two coral snakes during her time on earth.   These cats are called, appropriately enough, "Coralilleras" (koh rah lee YAIR ahs)....which means something close to "coral snake hunters" or "coral snake killers". 

     Things become even more interesting during the next episode which will be published  sometime early this evening.

        As an aside, We are watching with some interest as a tropical depression tries to form off the coast.....it is moving west....so if things would develop a bit, both South Texas and the area around the Quinta could stand to receive a bit of moisture, finally.

El Gringo Viejo   

Hello Again - Update 1 /22:00 Friday, 3 June 2011, Update 2 /09:00 Saturday, 4 June 2011

The Old Gringo arrived into the Magic Lower Rio Grande Valley of Texas early this afternoon.   Long drive....uneventful.   A narrative in this same blogspace will build over the next several hours and days concerning our little adventures and general comings and goings.    Questions and observations are  being received, of course.   So feel free to forward your OROG official communiques.   

More later.....after thoughts are collected and processed.


Update 1
      My son wrote a greeting and an observation of the news that a major break had been made in the cases surrounding the horrible San Fernando, Tamaulipas incidents.    Over the past year and a fraction almost 200 people have been discovered  either buried or strewn in a small area just outside of the town of San Fernando, Tamaulipas.     This is a place about mid-way between McAllen and Ciudad Victoria.    About half of these folks were hapless travellers coming from other places in Mexico and Central America up to the United States.....people who were taken off of public transportation, encountered in small towns and wayside places on their trek to the north, and other chance meetings.   They were offered the chance to carry drugs or participate in violent drive-by type shoot-ups of public buildings and/or un-co-operative police or military....and then shot when giving a refusal to participate.   Some were held alive long enough to be used to extort money from relatives in other parts of Mexico or Central America.
       Since the gangs who pull off these vile shake-downs are made up of members who are frequently either drunk and/or stoned, extremely violent responses can be provoked by refusals of these simple, rustic victims to become involved in the plans of the gangs.    Another half of those who were found dead and/or buried during this lamentable period were mainly casualties of other drug-trafficking gangs and/or casualties of the gang which was holding sway in the area....and who had brought some of their fallen away from encounters elsewhere.   
             In any regard, during the past few weeks military and civilian authority has rounded up 73 individuals.....some of the arrests have been reported here.....remember the picture of the 15 year old girl who was holding the 1,000,000 pesos in cash in her two hands, for instance.   Several ranking people in the gangs .....loosely lumped into the category of ZETAS.....were arrested and then finally some pinnacle players were taken down within the last 72 hours.   Of importance is that the extension of the "cuarentena"....the legal ability to hold somebody for 40 days without charges if said persons are thought to be involved in a crime of violence....took place without delay.   This is an important legal hurdle....and sometimes one which lazy judges (and corrupt judges) frequently have used to allow really bad actors to be released.   These people who have been detained have been moved into the more heavily secured "real prisons" in various places within the Republic.    All are now considered to be "presumed responsible of involvement"  or "guilty".  Some may be being prepared for extradition to the United States for crimes committed in our country...perhaps as many as six or seven.    About an equal number are thought to be American citizens of some type or another.
      The number one leader of this group is now in prison in Vera Cruz state.   He had the appropriate alias of "El Kilo".....We need to await the appearance of his replacement.
Much more later.....things that are a bit more pleasant.


Update 2
     The other small point that we wish to continue to develop is that the notion that firearms of all kinds are pouring over the border into Mexico from the United States is an invention of convenience by the anti-gun forces in the United States.     They claim that the guns used by the drug cartels and organized crime in Mexico are sold to illegal purchasers who then take the firearms into Mexico.    To date about 30,000 firearms of various types have been taken into the possession of police and/or military authority in Mexico that have been traced back to being originally purchased or stolen in the United States.     It is estimated that there may be an equal number of such firearms still in circulation among those involved in "organized delinquency".
       Most military people in Mexico who are willing to speak at all about the matter quickly admit that the automatic weaponry they face on a daily basis from the "organized delinquency" is derived from arms traders in Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua.     The origination of those arms are from stockpiles once associated with Warsaw Pact countries (Soviet Union - Eastern European Alliance), from Red Chinese semi-official arms sales of stockpiles, and from the Peoples' Republic of Viet Nam who sell war materiel from the captured stocks of the Army of the Republic of South Viet Nam.    Much of the M-16 rifle supply for the cartels originates from this source and is sold through Cuba, for instance.
       It is thought that the "organized delinquency"  loses, destroys by bad maintenance, and has confiscated by the Mexican military  200,000 "assault style weapons" annually.   The "organized delinquency" is notoriously poor in terms of correct operation, cleaning, and maintenance of semi-automatic and automatic weaponry.   Last week a cache of 2,000 rifles was found buried in sands outside of Torreon, Coahuila.....which is okay, I guess, except that the rifles had not been coated and covered.    They were simply interred, completely exposed.


       In any regard....enough of all of this.    There are things to do so the Old Gringo needs to shave and try to put socks on.   More later.    Thanks for your time and attention.

Happy Trails

This is the time when the Old Gringo needs to move on along.   You all will have to do without acerbic commentary for a little while, which will probably be a relief for most.    As soon as the settling in process is completed, perhaps by Friday you all might have a note or two concerning my observations  and thoughts about the Mexico situation and about our little adobe abode....or is that abobe adode....or maybe it should be adobebode.

      We are watching with interest the simultaneous posturing and maneuvering among the various candidates for the office of President of Mexico and the same office for the United States of America.   We shall follow the National Action Party (PAN) a little more closely, because they are philosphical twins of the GOP in the United States and the Conservative in Canada and the Tories in the UK.   It seems like yesterday when Diana and I were up until 5:00 am watching the nearly ballot by ballot count in the contest between the socialist Lopez Obrador and the conservative Calderon Hinojosa.  

          As usual the old governing party the PRI starts off as the favourite, but the poll tracking will certainly change, as it has during recent elections.    There was one point last time when Lopez Obrador led both of the other opposition parties by 30% and the producing classes were girding their loins for the elevation of another leftist demagog to join the pantheon composed of the Castro Brothers, Morales, Chavez, and Ortega, et. al.

           Mexico was a lot easier to predict, in terms of elections, back in the old PRI days....sometimes the winners were announced on the day before the elections.  Oh well, perhaps it is all a conspiracy by the Las Vegas odds-makers to give the people something else to bet on.

              My favourite Drudge story....beating out the IMF socialist elitist slug who beat up the black chambermaid and sexually assaulted her....was the story about the guy who won a 2,000,000 jackpot is some lottery, but was still using his last allotments of food stamps.    Finally, Michelle Obama can be proud of her country for the first time again.

More later....remember the Old Gringo will be out of reach for a bit, but he will be checking in at the earliest moment possible.

El Gringo Viejo