It's A Dog Day

I finally managed to finish my pastel drawing/painting of my deceased dog Brandy.  She lived to a ripe old age of 14 1/2 yrs. and I still miss her.  She was the best dog ever.
I was kind of nervous about trying this as I wanted it to turn out well.  It came out not too bad for my first try at doing a drawing/painting of a dog.  It is done in Chalk Pastels.

Brandy

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A VERY HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE.

Update on Computers

UPDATE 2:  The computer dr. told me that both the computers would be ready this afternoon at 4 PM..  I decided to phone him before leaving home to see if they were ready.  He informed me that they were both ready to go, so off downtown I went.  I walked past the taxi stand at the Mercado and asked a taxista to come to the computer store in 15 or 20 minutes and he said he would be there.  I continued on to the store where the fellow had both computers hooked up and showed me that they were both working and asked me to test them out.  I did and things seemed fine so proceeded to pay him.  As he was writing out the factura (bill), the door to the store opened and the taxi man stuck his head in the door looking for me.  He and the computer fellow loaded the computers into the taxi and we headed home.  I always enjoy the little conversations I have with the taxistas on our little trips from centro.  They are very helpful with loading and unloading the various parcels or whatever you have and the fellow today even opened the car door for me.  (The going rate for  a taxi from centro to our apartment is 35 pesos without the tip so if you have been getting charged more you are getting a little tourist tax added to the bill.  We did have one fellow overcharge us one evening after an event; so we didn't tip him as he had already taken his tip we figured.)


Bill for all the stuff done :
  Power supply for my computer -- 290 pesos
  1 Gb. Memory for my computer--900 pesos
   Windows 7 for Roys computer---300 pesos
             Total---             1490 pesos, (less than $130.00 CAD)

UPDATE 1:  I took both the computers to the computer doctor this morning and as I suspected the problem with mine was the power supply.  He put a new one in and it revved up right away.  I then asked him if he could add more memory to it and he told me the price for 1/2 a Gb and for 1 Gb..  I chose the 1 Gb..  I also told him that every time the power goes off I have to reset everything so he checked and the backup battery was dead so he replaced that also.  He is also going to put a new copy of Windows on Roys old PC.   They should both be ready this afternoon by around 4 PM and he is usually pretty close with his timing or has been other times.  The cost for all of this work will be around $130.00 CAD or about 1500 pesos.  Good deal!!!

KA BOOM!!!!!!

UPDATE:  I took both the computers to the computer doctor this morning and as I suspected the problem with mine was the power supply.  He put a new one in and it revved up right away.  I then asked him if he could add more memory to it and he told me the price for 1/2 a Gb and for 1 Gb..  I chose the 1 Gb..  I also told him that every time the power goes off I have to reset everything so he checked and the backup battery was dead so he replaced that also.  He is also going to put a new copy of Windows on Roys old PC.   They should both be ready this afternoon by around 4 PM and he is usually pretty close with his timing or has been other times.  The cost for all of this work will be around $130.00 CAD or about 1500 pesos.  Good deal!!!

Last night I was sitting in my recliner reading a book, when suddenly a loud bang almost made me jump out of my skin.  Roy and I both looked at each other wondering what on earth had happened.  I thought it had sounded as if something had slammed into our door, HARD.  We turned on the outside light and went out to have a look.  Nothing, all normal, quiet and still.  Hmmmm........ back inside we came and looked around.  Everything seemed normal.  Roy went back to his computer and I sat down to mine.  Turned the screen on and nothing, looked down and the power light was off.  Strange, as it had been on a while before.  Hit the power button and nothing, nada, zilch, no action.  Hit it again, still dead.
Then it hit us both, I guess my computer must have blown a gasket or something.  Very weird !!!
My computer is old for a computer, I purchased it at the beginning of 2004 I think and have spent next to nothing on it for repairs.  It has served me well.
I have been saving everything lately onto discs and other online storage sites so am not too upset about losing any data.
I am really hoping that it is just a power supply issue or something simple and he can just repair it for me as I really don't want to buy a new computer right now.  We are going to take Roys old one that I am using right now and get a new version of browser put on it.  It quit working for him quite a while ago for a simple reason; but he hasn't wanted me to reload my legal copy of XP onto it.  So today we dragged it out and I managed to download the Chrome browser onto it and it has been working fine for me; but it does need a reload.  Anyway, if mine can't be repaired cheaply I think we will just get his old one revamped and he will take it back and I will take over the laptop that he is using now.  We will have to see what happens when we check in with our favorite computer guy.  He did a good job for Roy several times so we have some confidence in his ability.
Wish me luck.  See you tomorrow, maybe.

Coro Regina Pacis y Orcestra Heroica

For the Christmas season the Coro Regina Pacis and the Herocia Orhcestra, ( Regina Pacis Choir and Heroica Orchestra) are having several performances of the Christmas Story.
The first one was on Thursday morning at the Municipal Palace, (city hall) at 10 AM, we were going to go to this; but when we woke up on Thursday morning it was foggy and cold, well cold for us anyway.  We decided not to go, in other words we wimped out.  The next performance was on Friday night at the Casa de la Cultura at 7 PM.  We did manage to make this one.
The six band members on violins and wind instruments accompanied by the teacher, (on keyboard), and the choir are, as far as I know, trained in the courses given at the Casa de la Cultura.  I see the various members of the band there having classes when I go for my classes and I think the choir also meets there and trains.
The concert started a bit late as when they tried to begin the amp. was not picking up the keyboard so they had to switch keyboards and wires around a bit before everything was a go.
There were unfortunately very few people in attendance, perhaps 30? and from some remarks that the maestro made I think he was disappointed in the lack of support from the people of the city.
Personally, I also think it is a shame that the people do not support the events put on by the Casa de la Cultura by attending in greater numbers.  The majority of the performances are free and open to all.  The staff put in long hours and an enormous amount of work in hosting events all over the city for every festival, etc..  We always enjoy anything we go to there and appreciate all the effort they put into everything they do.

 I take classes there at times and enjoy them.  This was the last week of my art class and at our Monday evening class the maestro asked us to come to class at 3:30 PM until 7 PM on Tues, Wed., and Thurs., usually our classes would be on Monday and Wednesday from 5:30 PM until 7 PM; but several of the people in the class had not finished their painting and he wanted to give them an opportunity to do so in class.  What more could you ask of a teacher??
He will be having another class starting in February utilizing oil paints so I intend to attend that one also.
We have been told to have our finished projects at the Casa de la Cultura by a certain date in January so that they can be put on exhibit during the FAOT festival.

Anyway there is a photo of the choir and orchestra below and several videos of poor quality that give you some idea of their sound.

Coro Regina Pacis y Orcestra Heroica

Christmas Parade

Last night was the annual Christmas Parade and they were also supposed open the ice rink set up on the Plaza de Tres Presidentes.

We went with a couple of friends and centro was absolutely packed with wall to wall people.  Way too many people for me.  It was almost impossible for me to see much of the parade.  We met some relatives of our landlady and we had fun with their grand daughter, at times Roy held her up so that she could see some of the action.  She was very into Santa Claus and it was fun watching her face and listening to her.  She is about 3 yrs. old so is at the stage where everything amazes her.

We got tired of craning our necks trying to view the parade and headed down to the plaza.  You couldn't get close enough to the rink to even see the boards, I assume there are boards up around the edges anyway.  There were stands set up and those were full of people also.  They were supposed to have some professional figure skaters put on a performance; but we heard later that the show was cancelled as they had trouble with the ice maker and the ice melted.

  We found a some empty chairs in front of a stage and sat down to rest for a bit.  The band went into play mode and after a few tunes we decided our ears needed a rest from it and moved on.  We grazed on the snacks available from the vendors and headed over to the annual city Christmas tree and Nativity Scene that is set up on the Malecon.  We continued down the Malecon where we had a bit more breathing room and found that they have set up another tree, a new, different one, or I have not seen it other years anyway.  It is very pretty and has lit up bells on either side of it.  Lots of people were taking photos in front of it.  Pretty.

By this time we had had enough walking, noise, people, etc. and headed home.  After a stop off at our favorite hot dog lady where we initiated our friends into Mexican hot dogs we headed home.  We must be getting old as we were tuckered out.

A nice evening, made more enjoyable by good friends and a cute little girl enjoying her glimpses of Santa Claus.

Roy and our little friend.

Parade was attended by all ages.

The coca cola girls.

The new Christmas Tree.