Travels with Kila: March 2007

The Goat made it to San Miguel

Benjamin Kelly Flinn said Kila

Last night I went over to Paiges' house. she lives near my parents where I am dog sitting... Makes me miss Mana, and for all the Mana lovers in the world and Jodi, your booty girl is still shakinn it for you... Anyway I went over to my sisters and we were playing in Mac's room and from the other room where Ben was supposed to be sleeping we started hearing KKKIIIIIILLLLLAAAA. I said "Ben are you trying to say Kila" and he said "yeah" Then he mumbled "I am trying to say Kila", and we unerstood every garbled word. So last night it was official... he said KILA.

Later Mac was in Ben's room and he started shouting Kila once again.

My Real Trip

http://jentisdale.blogspot.com/

My friend Jen Tisdale put up some photos from our trip to Real, I forgot she had some great photos including a sequence of me being a super awesome dancing machine in an empty bar in the middle of the afternoon. Scheck em out if you got the time.

She also has some other great photos.

10 days until I leave for Europe, say a prayer for me I haven't even bought my rail ticket yet. For those of you that know me well and are aware of my slightly obsessive need to, in advance, secure my travel plans... say an extra prayer for me so I can find a room, especially in Espana.

It is the fool that fails to return to the place of his last happiness"

On the road again.... seeing thing that I may never see again. I just got back from Mexico with my sister, beautiful. It seems strange that I had not been there in exactly 10 years. Ten years since I traveled in that Volkswagen van. Can it be true? While in San Miguel I woke in the morning and walked the dog Lilly that lived in the house that we were staying in. I walked on cobble stone streets, streets that reminded me of being 24 a long, long time ago. A different time when I attended art classes and made silver jewelry and spent precious time weaving wool rugs by day, then by night sat on roof tops and drank Cuba Libres and played old records. I spoke about Ken Keasy, Neil Cassady (he died beside the railroad tracks between San Miguel and Celaya after a party in town) and the the Merry Pranksters that had made their way down to San Miguel and fell in love with the idea of falling in love with men under the stars of Mexico, a different sky all together. It also reminded me of being 15 and living with a family that had the Hacienda de los Flores and my first kiss in Mexico at the Mirador. He and his friends took me all over town in his Volkswagen comby... was that when I first fell in love with the VW. Which then reminded how much I love Latin America and San Miguel de Allende and was happy to take my nephews there, to start their history with that city. My sister and brother-in-law were married there, our histories include the streets of San Miguel, My first Bohemia beer at Mama Mia, or michilades at La Fragua,, sitting at the zocolo at with friends at 15, empanadas at the blue door bakery, the animals carved in the buildings at casa Cohen, the park, the topes, the elote man, liquados, bouncy balls, El Ring, Pancho and Lefty’s, Ole Ole, La Enchilade, La Grota, La Capilla and everything I can't remember. When I walk adown those streets I feel more at home than when I am home, my sister describes it as my heart being at peace... maybe she is right. We had some laughs, between Mac asking 20 to 30 times if we were there yet, reading Missioni's family mantra ...Because WINE IS RED... or asking the cab driver “vamos a Clinica Betty Ford” and only us laughing. We ate wonderful meals cooked by the women in the house and slept in comfy beds and I hope to be there again very soon, 10 years is too long. Paris is next on the agenda, the Amalfi Coast and Spain. I am happy to go back and to take new photos, have new experiences, Alaska, Canada, Galveston, etc.... This is my year of travel. I have a few trips planned to Austin, and I am always recruiting people to come down here…. who knows,

In my free time I looked/thought about another Masters program at UT PanAm in Anthropology studying Hispanic cultures and the Mayans... it would keep me busy… I guess, maybe next January. Until then travel travel travel and work work work.

I have also started working in my yard again. I was always better when I was over scheduled, but even better with company. Anyone want to visit, while I pull weeds and listen to good music? Keep me posted.....

San Miguel was wonderful..... Paige, Me, Mac & Benji - Spring Break 2007

Sweet Toby, Rest in Peace.......

"The Power of The Dog" - by Rudyard Kipling
read by John Engelhard

There is sorrow enough in the natural way
From men and women to fill our day;
And when we are certain of sorrow in store,
Why do we always arrange for more?
Brothers and Sisters, I bid you beware
Of giving your heart to a dog to tear.
When the body that lived at your single will,
With its whimper of welcome, is stilled (how still!),
When the spirit that answered your every mood
Is gone-whether it goes for good,
You will discover how much you care,
And will give your heart to a dog to tear.