Monthly Archives: January 2025

A Typical Day

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A Typical Day

People often ask me to write a post about a typical day in Mexico. I cringe when I hear the word “typical.” To me it’s synonymous with the word “normal.” These are not common words in my vocabulary. But today is Tuesday, January 28th and this is what my day has been like so far.

I was up by eight, sipping coffee in bed and watching a movie on Lifetime. Of course the movie was in Spanish as I’m always determined to hone my Spanish skills. Even that early in the morning this movie was one of those horror-thrillers.

I had a lively conversation with my Uber driver about torta ahogadas. Right next door to where I live are some of the best tortas I’ve found here since I left Guadalajara. My driver is eager to try them after my recommendation.

First stop was the bank. The ATM worked perfectly! It even printed my receipt and didn’t attempt to eat my debit card. Yes, it’s going to be a good day.

I then enjoyed a delicious breakfast at Date Latte. Scrambled eggs, chilaquilles, and black beans. With all that protein I’m really ready for the day.

The next conversation with an Uber driver focused on the upcoming Ferria in Aguascalientes. This celebration runs for three weeks beginning in late April and stretches from Centro all the way out to the Isla (I was told approximately 10 kilometers) and attracts thousands of people from all over Mexico as well as other countries every year. And I live about two blocks away from music, carnival rides, vendors and food galore.

I’m back at home now sifting through email and what’s app messages. I’m also eagerly awaiting the arrival of my new friend Ricardo. One of my Mexican friends recommended him to me and I am eternally grateful. Ricardo cooks for me and delivers although he is about a twenty minute drive from me. Among the offerings this week are delicious roasted chicken and a pork dish with vegetables. He comes once a week and I fill my fridge with amazing and healthy food. He knows I try to avoid fried foods and is well aware of my allergy to fish and seafood.

I plan to work on my book for a while after I post this. I’m getting down to my final editing. I am enjoying writing fiction. There is no need for disclaimers and people recognizing themselves in case studies. I just get to make things up as I go along. It’s a nice change from the two self-help books I’ve published. Of course I haven’t left psychology behind. My protagonist is bipolar and struggles with drug addiction.

Later this afternoon I’m facilitating a conversation club with adults. There are so many people here who are eager to learn English. However work schedules and finances do not always permit attending a school or language institute. As a retired English teacher, I now volunteer my time helping these people.

That’s my day so far. No idea what happens later on. I may decide to start writing at midnight and write all night. Or I may not. For me, there is no such thing as a typical day.

Everything Is On Fire This Week

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Everything Is On Fire This Week

It all began on Monday with the inauguration of Donald Trump. And that has got my Mexican neighbors all fired up, not to mention all the Canadians and residents of other countries around the world.

Then there’s the other fires – the wildfires in California. Today I watched videos of brushfires surrounding the Fashion Valley Mall and Mission Valley Mall in San Diego. Those were two of my favorite malls when I was there.

Friends are asking me if I’m researching flights back to Washington yet. A lot can happen between now and May. Will LAX even be there? The winds around LA are kicking up again.

And now I’ll add something that will fire up my American friends. I renewed my Mexican Costco membership for a mere 529 pesos ($25 US). And yes, I use it in the USA and Canada.

All this fire and it’s only Wednesday.

Martin Luther King Jr.

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Martin Luther King Jr.

Growing up in Canada, we learned a lot about Canadian history and even British history. Living in Manitoba, we also learned about our province’s history. We even studied European history in high school. But the history of our neighbor directly to the south was seriously lacking. I’ve chosen to fill in the blanks by doing my own research.

Monday January 20, 2025 is the third Monday in January and is synonymous with Martin Luther King Jr. Day. This day has been observed for the last 39 years.

King was an American Baptist minister who was active in the civil rights movement from the mid-fifties up until his assassination in 1968. He is famous for his “I Have A Dream” speech in 1963 during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. He advocated for equal rights and an end to racism. He was instrumental in bringing about the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 as well as the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

King traveled millions of miles throughout the USA and delivered more than 2500 speeches. He also wrote five books. His goal was to make all Americans aware of the racial, civil and economic inequality occurring in the USA. He was dedicated to his work and inspired many people to support the Poor People’s Campaign.

Whether you are mourning or celebrating the inauguration of Donald Trump, on January 20th this year it is equally important to remember and honor Martin Luther King Jr. on this day.

Plans For A Crazy Day

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Plans For A Crazy Day

Today is one of those crazy days. My mind keeps wandering as I’m trying to focus on my writing. I’m working on the Epilogue now. And things haven’t exactly turned out the way I’d anticipated when I’d first started writing this book. And that’s okay. Plans don’t always work out.

Plans. My thoughts drift to the sermon the pastor gave last Sunday. It was all about plans and God’s plans for us. And I sometimes wonder about that. Why did I wind up in Aguascalientes? No ocean here. I don’t hang out with gringos. The art galleries and museums are nothing compared with those in Guadalajara. And then there’s Washington state. I keep being drawn back there. The lure of the mountains and life in the USA.

Yes. Life in the USA. I grew up hearing about how we were so lucky to be living in Canada. Such a great country. The way things are going right now, I don’t think it’s such a great country. Despite the political divide, I prefer my life in the USA. The big drawback to me is that my kids still live in Canada and don’t want to visit me in Washington or Mexico.

Back to plans. My TV has been doing weird things like freezing and no volume and no nothing today. So there goes that plan of watching a movie in Spanish in an attempt to improve my skills in that language. But I have been doing some texting in Spanish today so that helps.

Speaking of today, I had planned on going to the tianguis on my street today. But it’s almost 2:30 and I’ve missed it once again. Oh well, there’s always next week. And I really should take some pics.

Pics. I’m slowly but surely organizing all the pics I scanned when I was in Winnipeg last summer. My son has promised to send me a link so that I can share a few thousand with him.

My son. The other night I missed a video call from my daughter in Kelowna as I was doing a course online at that time. When I called her back, to my surprise my son and his girlfriend were there visiting from Winnipeg. My kids don’t exactly keep me updated on their travels. But it was so great to do a video call and see them all together. Only wish I could’ve been there with them.

Of course that was another long ago plan that never happened. My kids and I all living in the same city and seeing each other all the time. That was the way I grew up. But someone up above had a different plan for me.

Back to my plan for today. Back to my Epilogue. And I’m listening to The Rolling Stones in the background.

What’s your plan for today? And how is it working out for you?

What Snack Would You Eat Right Now?

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What Snack Would You Eat Right Now?

This prompt works for me today. As I write this, the wind is howling, the rain is falling and the temperature is far below normal for this time of year. No. I’m not in Washington. I’m in Mexico. And I am about to have a snack.

The water is heating in the microwave for my cocoa. And the bag of popcorn is next in line for the microwave. This is definitely not my usual afternoon snack here in Mexico.

Usual snacks include guacamole, fruit or veggies. Some flavor of an electrolyte drink is also common, or a Coke or a beer. But it’s not usually anything hot.

I’ve also been drinking a lot of herbal tea in the past few days. Yes, it’s been that cold here. Mid 60s instead of mid 70s. But I can hear my friends up north chiding me as they are submerged in snow, so I’ll stop complaining.

And now it’s time for my snack………

Daily writing prompt
What snack would you eat right now?

What is the greatest gift someone could give you?

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What is the greatest gift someone could give you?

I’ve been doing the prompts every day on WordPress but as I said before I’m not going to post all of them. But this prompt is one that I think I will share.

The greatest gift someone can give me is not anything of a materialistic nature. That rules out jewelry, expensive clothing, electronics, candy and even chocolate. And I am a chocoholic. Yes, over the years I have received a lot of the aforementioned gifts.

What I treasure most is a gift of the heart. Time. A small monosyllabic word with such a deep meaning.

We all lead busy lives. We work, we volunteer, we travel and we pursue other activities that interest us. But when people take time out of their busy lives to talk, go for a walk, share a meal or coffee, go to a movie, phone, email or even text…………….that is the most precious gift that they can give me. They are taking the time to share a part of their life with me.

The path I have chosen for myself is not an easy one. As I age, obstacles and distractions appear to surface in abundance. But I am blessed with many friends in my life who care and are encouraging and supportive. And I do my best to reciprocate and find time for my friends. After all, it’s the moments we share that count, not the things.

TIME. A priceless gift. A valuable gift. The greatest gift.

Daily writing prompt
What is the greatest gift someone could give you?

King’s Day……Dia de Reyes

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King’s Day……Dia de Reyes

A 4.7 earthquake in San Francisco. A vehicle exploding in Las Vegas. A terrorist killing and injuring many after recklessly plowing into a crowd of revelers. And it’s only January 2nd! And that’s only in the USA! Crazy things have been happening all over the world.

Here in Aguascalientes it’s peaceful. The only loud noise was the fireworks in the sky at midnight on New Years Eve. And life is pretty much back to normal as the holidays are almost over. Yes, almost over. The kids are still out of school until after King’s Day.

King’s Day? What is that? The first thing to know is that King’s Day is celebrated on January 6th. It is also known as Three Kings Day or Epiphany.

This is a Christian holiday commemorating the day the Three Wisemen arrived to present their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the baby Jesus. These were expensive gifts given predominantly to royalty. It also emphasizes the importance of the birth of baby Jesus.

Here in Mexico, King’s Day is known as Dia de Reyes. Traditionally, this is the day when children receive gifts and treats. Another tradition is the Rosca de Reyes, a special wreath-shaped bread adorned with fruit and nut decorations. Inside are hidden baby Jesus figurines. Whoever finds the figurine brings the tamales for the party on Candlemas, February 2.

Another tradition in Mexico is that all Christmas decorations remain on display until Dia de Reyes.

So amid all the chaos in the world today, King’s Day is definitely a much needed cause for celebration in 2025.