Well, last night I saw tremendous fireworks from the Sisters' convent roof top. We were all like little "pollitos" (baby chicks) and screaming our heads off as the huge fireworks exploded over our heads..."mejicanos locos" (crazy Mexicans)!! Lucero (a very popular singer) was down below in the center plaza belting out some of her big songs. The celebration went on until 2 or 3 a.m. Dear Lord! These people celebrate. The "Viva Mexico!" cry was heard into the wee hours.

Around 7 pm we were invited by another convent to come join them to celebrate "el grito" (the cry of independence). They told the Sisters to bring some drama outfits as they were going to do a "desfile"(parade) and the works with the country's flag. Off we went in two vans. We got there and the Sisters (same order...about 12 who teach in the "colegio central" -- there are 25 here with many of them teaching about 15 minutes away in "colegio Sebastian Cabot, where I will go on Monday) were watching on TV the celebrations going on in Mexico City. Oh, my goodness! It was like watching the opening of the Olympics! We finished watching and the Sisters dressed up in their costumes...Miguel Hidalgo, Josefa, and other heroes of history. They were extremely serious in the showing of the flag colors and in the singing of their national hymn. It was nice.

That convent is so very beautiful. Ours is baroque and theirs is more modern but still palatial. We played games, had instantly formed teams to entertain us: some of us sang, some pantomime, some did comedy acts. They had a Karaoke machine and we tried singing silly songs. We laughed like crazy ladies. The majority of the Sisters is very young and only some are elderly. The infirmed Sisters live in another town. Finally...around 10 pm we finally ate dinner--we started with fresh, delicious "tunas" (the cactus fruit)...they were already peeled and very cold, full of seeds but delicious and then we had a bowl of posole with tostadas.

A young Sister drove the van. Well, on our way back, around 11 pm we got disoriented and lost due to the great number of cars all parked and double parked. The cobbled streets are narrow and then with the many cars and people walking and not wanting to move....oh, boy! We got stuck and wedged in an impossible situation. The Sister was ready to cry. A man came over and told her to relax and he would guide us. We got home around 11:40 and went directly to the roof top to watch the midnight fireworks. Awesome! Incredible.

Up at 5:00 a.m. and to Lauds and Mass at 6:00 and breakfast. I love praying Lauds in Spanish. The Sisters pray and sing loud and clear. The kitchen Sisters...I doubt that they slept. They cut up fruit and had everything ready for breakfast. We had papaya, Mexican sweet bread, papitas fritas (little fried potatoes), frijoles, scrambled eggs and tortillas, chile...always chile!

I'm going to clean my room. Due to whatever...the weather, the age of the house or whatever, I've already killed 2 cockroaches the size of my thumb! The critters are huge. They crack when I step on them. Yuck!

It's so funny to turn my clock radio on and every station has SPANISH music!