Let me just start out by saying, I know that 5 de mayo is not a huge celebration in Mexico. I realize that for the most part it’s an excuse used by most Americans to eat Mexican food and drink margaritas at discounted rates. I enjoyed it most when living in California, because there were always some of the most enjoyable fairs celebrating hispanic heritage. I have studied enough about El Día de la Batalla de Puebla to fully appreciate the day’s complex history. So no, I don’t think it’s Mexico’s Independence Day.

However, as a “typical American” I do use it as an excuse to celebrate our southern neighbors by indulging in a bit of Mexican food. Last night was no exception. Unfortunately Daniel and I are on both a budget and a healthy eating streak. So my only way around it was to use my acquired skills to produce an edible meal for us at home. This resulted in homemade “refried beans,” salsa (although a bit too spicy) and tortillas. My tortilla press has been sitting unused for too many months, and it was a joy to get it out again. I’ll admit, my homemade tortillas as not as good as the expert’s, but they are passable. So this year the Taipe house celebrated, ate, laughed and appreciated the diversity which our world can bring us. Isn’t it just wonderful creating a family painted with the colorful world around us?