I'm in Parzcuaro now. I'm feeling far too much like a tourist. I came here to look at the blankets. They are beautiful but there is little middle ground. Junkier blankets made with acrylic and cotton are cheap but not well made, whereas there are some astoundingly beautiful wool blankets for mucho dinero. The all wool blanket I would most like to take home with me is 250 dollars. I don't think I'll come home with a blanket after all.

The native ladies come down from the hills and into the cities to set up on the sidewalks and sell their wares. They are beautiful, dark old ladies with long black or gray braids. Their clothes are beautiful and they all wear riboso's (the mexican style shawl). They sit on the concrete and peddle their wares to tourists as the endless car parade spits high emision exhaust at us all.

I'm feeling incredibly sad about leaving on Wednessday. I'm so happy here and this experience seems so important. I can't believe it is coming to an end. I want to stay and learn the language and learn more music. I don't know when I'll be able to come back. I don't want to come back to the stress of what to do, where to live how to get by. The dollar goes so far here I can live modestly off my disability check and not worry too much. In the states, I have little hope of living off my disability pittance.

Today I go back to Copandero to perform. I hope to visit a friends farm while I'm there, give Marina a gift I purchased from the Fabriqua, and learn more nouns from the kids. I will be staying with Juan and Lupita and will hopefully have a chance to cook them breakfast. Tomorrow Pancho will take me to the Rodeo to perform.