Both, Simultaneously

Bob + Claire

Thursday morning, I met up with M+D at Santa Fe Baking Company to see them off. Their flights on Friday were uneventful, and they're back in warm Connecticut now.

We weren't able to spend the afternoon with Bob and Claire, in town visiting her family, but we were still able to meet up with them at Ten Thousand Waves. Claire had suggested that we get a private tub there, something we haven't indulged in since moving here, so we booked one for the evening. We got what is probably the coolest one (temperature-wise, I mean), the one that's most like a natural spring. With the low temperatures we've been having, it had us a bit worried.

But we didn't need to be concerned. Though the day was cold and snow was falling (looked like about 3-4", judging from the roofs of the cars coming down from the ski basin), it was plenty comfortable. And the adjacent sauna provided a pleasant break, and the perfect way to warm up and dry off when our time was done.

But while we were there, the steam was rising off the pool (and us), a light snow was falling and had been dusting the trees and the Japanese-style buildings all day. The golden evening light gave way to a clouded dark night as we soaked, visited, swapped stories, and caught up. It was a singular experience.

To finish it off, we brought Bob + Claire to Bert's La Taqueria, always a satisfying meal in a nice setting. We shared a giant sampler of their signature Mexican (not New-) tacos and rounded out the evening. We had to send them on their way after, but it made for a wonderful end to the holidays.

Happy Birthday (one with a 0), Dori

Sorry about not posting 'til we read your post. Kinda lost track of the days here.

(That's Dori on the left, from her visit this September.)

Flying Farolitos

After last year's outing to see the farolitos on Canyon Road, we decided that we didn't really need to do that again. And with our own house and kitchen and dining room, we didn't need to go out for a big Christmas Eve dinner.

Monica hit on the idea of going to see the "flying farolitos," which we'd heard about and maybe seen a glimpse of in past years, and then return home for dinner. We knew they were launched from Acequia Madre Elementary School, we thought around dusk. No details were available in the papers or online. Got underway late afternoon, perhaps a bit too early, so we were walking Canyon Road (the school is a few blocks off it) as people were out lighting and preparing. It was fun to see, and we were beating the crowds, but still way early for the flying farolitos. Stopped off at Downtown Subscription, a coffee shop/magazine store, for some hot chocolate to warm us up and pass some time.

Made it to the school just around sunset; the building and the grounds out front were covered with farolitos, a huge peace sign made of farolitos decorated the athletic field, and a tent was set up in the parking lot — the sign hanging in it lead me to believe that a lack of published details about the event is not unusual: "Celebrating 18 years of Flying Farolitos (and 17 years of the Santa Fe Reporter refusing to inform people.)"

Soon after our arrival the organizer/creator of the flying farolitos asked for some volunteers to help. The crowd (maybe 20 or so) clustered close to help block the wind. D and Monica were two of the three people holding the top of the light paper farolito; the organizer lay down underneath and attached a styrofoam cross with birthday candles stuck in it to the bottom, lit them, and then used a torch to heat the air some more and fill the bag up.


   

The volunteers walked the farolito out, the crowd spread out, and on a count of three, it was released.



And away it floated.



As the organizer noted, "the finest 15th century technology."

We stuck around for another launch as a few more families joined the crowd, then we headed back out, through some nicely decorated back roads into the throngs already starting to fill Canyon Road. We did wind up outside for a while in the cold, but made it back home soon enough for our "snack dinner."

-=-=-=-=-=-

Christmas morning was pastries and presents here, then the traditional trip to Cochiti Pueblo for the dances. Snow was coming in, so we left Santa Fe in the warm sun and got out in Cochiti in the cloudy wind. Stayed for a bit over an hour, and came back home, where Bob and Claire soon stopped by for a brief visit. Posole for dinner.

Today, a visit to the Wheelright and some meals and dessert out. I'll be joining M+D for breakfast tomorrow, and then sending them on their way. We meet up with Bob and Claire in the afternoon to spend the rest of the day with them.

Best Christmas Envelope

Great cards from folks this time of year — but this, from Jeff, was undeniably the best envelope.