The Weather, or, What I Forgot to Pack

It's interesting how much weather can change an experience. The only clouds I saw yesterday were practically sitting on top of McDonald Observatory; and there they sat, all day long. Those telescopes pointing at Saturn showed us very dark images of clouds. Still, they did some great indoor programs. That ended around 11, so I went to see the Marfa lights. I ate some astronaut ice cream I had just bought, reminiscing about NASA fieldtrips and feeling confident that would lure the aliens into the vicinity, where a big, lumpy yellow moon had just risen. There were all these people with flashlights there though, so the aliens didn't show up. It snowed at the observatory today. It's supposed to be 30 degrees tonight where I'm camping, which brings to mind what I did not pack; namely, thermal underwear and gloves. It was so hard to imagine cold when it was already 90 degrees in Houston when I was packing. The clouds cleared around 2pm so I headed back to camp to shower in the best possible conditions today, even while standing on cold concrete with icy wind whipping through the bath house. I've never been so glad for hot water; except for that time Jenny and I stayed in the Club Med in Cholula after three weeks of dirty sheets and cold showers in Mexico and Guatemala.

This morning, I ate breakfast at the other cafe serving breakfast in Marfa. While I was talking to the motorcyclists from Fort Worth at the next table, a woman came in and I said, "Hey, Alex," and on my second day here I already felt like I was in Bryan. I went to a Cinco de Mayo parade in Alpine this morning, which started around 11. At least I got a really great parking place. It was generally miserable with the cold and rain and wind. Some of the kids in the parade looked like they were on the verge of tears. Primarily because of the weather, I stopped into a little store that had art, coffee, and ice cream, after the parade. I found some mugs for $6 that I had seen last year at La Posta when I was in Mesilla with Natalie. They have images of La Loteria on them, which brought back good memories of playing La Loteria in MX with Patrick's host mom. I hadn't bought any of the mugs in NM because they were around $25. I mentioned this, and the guy behind the counter, Victor, said, "My wife makes those." Go figure. He told me that they go on day trips to Mesilla whenever they can. Cool. I hung out there for a couple of hours, mostly talking with Victor's mother, Janie, who moved out here from San Antonio a month ago to take care of her beautiful grandbaby. I met Cristina, who makes the mugs. I also met Beverly, who throws big campfire parties every Sunday night, and her mother, who moved out from Houston after the last hurricane. The campfire party is where I will be tomorrow night. I'm going with Rose from Austin, who owns an art gallery in Marfa, who I met this afternoon after taking a shower. Everyone will be there. I ran into other people from the campground at a hot dog trailer where I stopped for lunch, 25 miles from our campground. Weird. I felt like this last summer, too, especially in Albuquerque, and a little in Las Cruces. I love being places where it is so easy to meet people and to feel connected. Maybe it's partly being out of Houston, and maybe it's partly travelling, and all the openness that goes with that. A woman from Mexico City today asked me how she knew me, or any of my siblings, as soon as she laid eyes on me. I simply said, "It's my presence," and she understood. Peace and love and open hands to all.

I am the Lord your God,
who brought you up out of the land of Egypt.
Open your mouth wide and I will fill it. - Psalm 81:10