Write on Maz

I have just realized how long it has been since I last posted anything here. The days have flown by since Jeff left, and although I have written endless 'stories' in my head, I just haven't had a chance to sit down and actually commit my thoughts to 'paper'.

I lead such a quiet life at home, I am still astonished at how busy I am here!




I am a member of the Library Committee and recently many hours have been devoted to the organization the second annual 'Write on Maz' benefit. It was a lot of work, and very time consuming, but well worth it in the end.

As the benefit is on behalf of a Library, we have decided to make an attempt to keep the event as educational as possible. Last year we featured local authors, who spoke about their experiences with research, dealing with editors and publishers, etc. This year we recruited a very informative speaker, Richard Rhoda, an American who currently lives in Guadalahara and is the co-author of the book 'Geo Mexico: The Geography and Dynamics of Modern Mexico'.

As this was a fundraiser, much time was spent pounding the pavement, soliciting items for our raffle and silent auction. We did very well. We had 42 items which were raffled, and 9 items on the Silent Auction table, including 2 paintings by Loretta, the very talented manager/director of the Library.



I was amazed by the generosity of the local business people. I visited close to 25 businesses and was rejected by only one (and that I think simply because he was having a really bad day!).

We had thought at first we would be able to rent palm trees to decorate the courtyard of the Museo de Arte, where the event was being held, but at the last minute, that fell through. So, a fellow volunteer and I visited several of the local flower shops on Saturday and bought armloads of blooms to fill the courtyard. We bought so many, we had to take a pulmonia home as they were too heavy to carry. Price, by the way, was less than $40.00. You've got to love Mexico!

'Write on Maz' was held on Sunday, from 2 p.m. til 4 p.m. and the day of the benefit was a marathon.

We had previously moved everything we needed into the Library - the prizes for the raffles and auction, wine, glasses, plates, flower vases, the list went on and on.

At noon on Sunday, the earliest we could gain access to the courtyard at the Museum, we were at the library, lugging things across the street and frantically arranging the blossoms in vases, piling books everywhere we could find an empty space, and setting up the tables for the silent auction and the raffle. Oh, and then there was the food - all of the volunteers at the Library, as well as a few other wonderfully generous people, provided appetizers, which were accompanied by generously poured glasses of wine. Which meant that the food and wine tables needed to be set up, and decorated ..... and then the whole thing needed to be dismantled afterwards as we only had the use of the space til 5!

It was exhausting but so much fun! We have received a great deal of positive feedback from those attending. Our speaker very generously offered to donate 50 pesos of each book sold to "Write on Maz" and 15 were purchased the day of the benefit. He has left us with an inventory at the Library, and the books are continuing to sell. The only derogatory comment heard was from one gentleman who complained that the food was so good it was all eaten before he had a chance to come back for seconds. His wife reminded him it was more like fourths!!!

All that's left to do now is to complete the delivery of the Thank You cards to all who contributed - I plan to set aside a day to retrace my steps and drop them off. And then I will sit back, relax and read the books I have been neglecting!

I am also going to take a minute to look at the sky, as it has been stunning lately.




And also to shop for my dog. We really have to get her a mat as apparently she is finding the floors near her breakfast dish just a bit slippery.