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Altavista y Las Palmas
Villa Obregon, DF
Feb. 14, 1941

Dear Mother:

I hope you'll forgive me, but letter writing just doesn't seem to get done in this climate! I have just finished supper (cafe con leche, pan dulce, and oranges, fixed by Angel) and am in bed. It is after ten - they have two hours of daylight saving here, but I don't know what good it does - we get up at ten, lunch at three, the offices close about seven thirty and everybody eats about nine thirty. There is a shortage of electricity, so it is turned off every day from eleven until four. Angel is the man around the place - he is very sweet, and fixes breakfast for me and draws my bawth, which means lighting a wood fire under a tank and slowly drawing the water off as it heats. Diego arrives from Coyoacan about eleven thirty and sits in his studio until lunch time, staring at the walls and wishing he were back in Hollywood, or playing with the dogs or monkey. At two we go to Frida's for lunch, and sit around afterword until four or so. It's a hard life, but I'm standing up pretty well under it! We put Dad on the train yesterday, after seeing the National Palace murals and your friend Mrs. Cervantes. Today Liera called me up, and it seems he arrived at the same hour yesterday that Dad left - he was very sorry to miss him, and is coming out to visit me. Pandy is enjoying the company of the other two daschunds, though she feels herself of a finer breed than they - she expresses a mute preference for steamheated hotels, but bears the hardships he patiently.

This is the next morning.....I have just bathed the three dogs in what was left of the hot water. They are all huddled on my bed licking each other. Diego is going to Zochimilco sketching today - I don't know whether I'll go with him or not. We vixited the Juan O'Gormans last night. He has done some interesting buildings here, including Diego's house, and is completing drawings for some mural in Pittsburg. They are very likable people.

How are you feeling by now? You better have the dam thing out and then you'll have nothing to worry about. It will always be a nuscien until you do.

Diego bought sixty five new idols yesterday. He already has about two thousand packed in boxes. Frida was furious, as he needs a new car more than idols. He wheedled her out of it, though, and then crawled under the table and went to sleep.

Well, I must be off - I sent Dad's report to Berkeley - it arrived the day after he left.

Love to all the family,
Emmy Lou