Monthly Archives: October 2025

Oct31

What A Week!

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What A Week!

Tonight can’t be Halloween already. Of course in Mexico the celebration of Dia De Los Muertos culminates with a parade tonight and partying in cemeteries over the weekend. Here in Aguascalientes there is quite the display in El Centro along with music, dancing and food.

But I’m passing on the parade this year. I will be watching the Blue Jays-Dodgers game. And yes, I watched all 18 innings Monday night. And I sincerely hope the Blue Jays take it on home turf. It’s been quite a series.

I’m settling in for the winter. I first discovered Aguascalientes in 2019. I arrived in January for three weeks after spending a couple of months in Culiacan and San Ciro de Acosta. I intended to stay for 3 weeks but stayed for 3 months. I returned that fall determined to visit the museums I had missed the previous winter. But Covid came along and I wound up staying until September of 2020 when I was able to get back to Washington. I returned to Aguascalientes in the fall of 2021 and it has become my winter home.

My Spanish has been getting a workout here in Las Flores. I’m not pantomiming as much when I shop at the tiendita or at the tianguis. And conversations with neighbors are going well although I still feel they speak way too quickly. I understand more when they speak slowly.

Yesterday I met some of my Mexican friends at Country Break for lunch. This is a quaint little restaurant that plays country music in English, although it is part of a Mexican chain. Great hamburgers and fries. A very popular place with Mexicans.

Speaking of food, Ricardo is cooking for me again and I am absolutely delighted. Tomorrow he is bringing me prime rib of beef Mexican style and 3 types of tamales. Earlier in the week I enjoyed chiles rellenos, enchiladas suizas and lasagna. Yes, he makes a wicked lasagna!

I got together with another friend and we had breakfast at La Palapa de Charly, another favorite restaurant. Delicious omelets are served with chilaquiles and beans. And the turtles still greet you at the entrance.

I belong to a book club in Cashmere and I’m keeping up by reading books on Libby now that I’m back in Mexico. The current book is Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson. I’m almost finished it and will email my comments to Joanne to share at the meeting next week.

I’ve also watched 2 interesting movies in Spanish this week. I pass on the subtitles. It’s a great way to improve my Spanish. Friends have recommended that I watch soap operas, but I prefer movies. Occasionally I opt for The Simpsons or Dora The Explorer. But movies are more my thing.

And that’s what I’m going to do right now. I’m going to watch a movie while I eat my lunch.

Have a great weekend!

Oct26

Happy Anniversary To My Gold Medalist!

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Happy Anniversary To My Gold Medalist!

Ten years ago I was in the Dominican Republic with my daughter when she got married. She is celebrating her 10th anniversary today in Panama. She gets around.

I was glued to my computer screen the other night watching her compete in The North American Powerlifting Federation Regional Bench Press Championships in Panama City. It was exciting to watch online but I really wish I could have been there in person. Breaking three records, she now returns to Canada with a gold medal. It was amazing to see her up there on the podium accepting her award.

Felicidades Kimmy! I love you and I am so incredibly proud of you!

Oct24

Home Sweet Home

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Home Sweet Home

Three flights and a bus trip. Every year I say I’m getting too old for this. But I did it again. Of course it took it’s toll. The two hour time change was welcome when I arrived, but not so much the next morning. 12 hour naps are exhausting and are not my norm. But it’s Friday and I finally had the energy to hit the ATM. I usually enjoy the mile walk to the bank but today I appreciated the ride Raul gave me. By the way, the temperature is in the low 80s and that sun is hot!

When I arrived at the bus station in Aguascalientes Wednesday night, I had a delightful and unexpected visit with Charlotte. She and Humberto were taking a bus home to Puerto Vallarta. They’ll be back here in Aguascalientes in December so I’ll look forward to spending more time with them then.

Alaska. You are still my favorite airline. All flights went smoothly and my bag was one of the first off the carousel when I landed in Guadalajara. Thank you for delaying your tech outage by one day so that it didn’t affect my travel. And thank you Pangborn that all runway renovation was complete and I was able to fly out of Wenatchee. Much easier to deal with TSA at a small airport.

I went to my corner tiendita and picked up some much needed groceries and other supplies. And they provided me with assistance to get everything that short half a block to my home. Yep! I bought that much stuff! Other than a torta ahogada yesterday, I’ve been living off protein bars. But sleep was first on my agenda.

My newsfeed this morning was not a good one. Canada and the USA are becoming more than enemies. And that’s all I’ll say.

Yogurt and fruit have the appeal of a mouth-watering steak right now. Time to end this post.

Have a great weekend!

Oct19

Last Post From Washington in 2025

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Last Post From Washington in 2025

I love fall. It’s my favorite season. The trees are in all their glory. The snow glistens high up on the mountaintops. But it’s also bittersweet as my time here has once again come to an end for this year. Washington is such a beautiful state. Every time I return I am in awe of the beauty; the views that most Washingtonians take for granted.

The past few days have been a blur of goodbyes with friends as well as last lunches and dinners together. Thursday was my last Life Group for a while. Yesterday was one last movie at Gateway. And this morning was one last church service here in East Wenatchee.

This afternoon the sun is shining brightly outside although the temperature has dropped. I have a Lifetime movie on in the background while I pack. But at the moment I’m taking a break to write this post.

I received a message from my daughter in Canada. She is into Powerlifting and tomorrow she is off to Panama to compete in the Internationals. Very exciting! I hope to watch her online as I’ve done before. Maybe someday I’ll get to watch her in person.

I fly out of Pangborn on Tuesday. Three flights and a bus trip and I’ll be home in Aguascalientes.

But the packing cubes are calling. My next post will be from Mexico.

Saludos!

Oct14

Countdown Continues

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Countdown Continues

A week from today at this time I’ll be somewhere up in the air between Seattle and Los Angeles. The days between now and then are full. Actually, all my days are full. I wonder where I ever found the time to raise kids, work and volunteer before I retired.

This morning I went to Soul Sisters at church. No Zoom for this Bible Study so it will be by snail mail email. I told everyone they get their goodbye hugs at church this Sunday.

I spent two hours organizing and backing up the pics on my laptop. Then I downloaded more from my phone and backed those up. I really need to do this more regularly. Then it won’t be such a tedious undertaking.

Tomorrow morning is my last writers group meeting until next year. This group has been a great source of support and encouragement. Once again, no Zoom. But we can email files to each other and keep in touch by phone. I will miss our lunches together after the meetings. This is an opportunity to converse and get to know each other better other than just by our writing styles.

On Thursday it will be my last small group for a while. We share a meal together before delving into a Bible Study. And the fellowship after is most enjoyable. It’s always a late night and I am quite content to sleep in on Friday morning.

I’m not sure what’s happening on Friday. Joanne and I haven’t decided yet. All I know at this point is that it won’t involve volunteering lol. When Joanne asked me what I want to do I told her I want to go to Cashmere and never leave. If only that truly were a possibility!

I had an interesting email from the Canadian Embassy in Mexico. A warning about flooding and landslides in central Mexico. Hmmm. I decided not to fly in on the coast because of the current hurricane activity. Hopefully Guadalajara stays high and dry.

We’ve actually had some rain here in East Wenatchee. And there is snow up in the mountains. So I know it is time for me to leave. The temperatures have dropped and I’ve been layering and bundling up. I have plans for the weekend so I hope it doesn’t get too cold.

“Procrastination is the thief of time.” Charles Dickens.

I better get back to sorting through documents.

Oct9

Countdown

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Countdown

Only twelve days left. Why do the days go by so quickly? The past five months in Washington have been a blur of friends, volunteer work, writers group, book club and writing. I didn’t even get to Canada.

On Monday I went to Leavenworth for one last appointment at Shears. Ann and I went out for brunch and a lovely drive through Tumwater Canyon and Plain where the leaves are already in their autumn glory. Everywhere else, the leaves are just beginning to turn. Fall is late this year.

On Tuesday Linda and I went out for lunch and then to Office Depot. I was delighted to find a mouse pad, not an easy feat around here. Probably should have been more organized and ordered one on Amazon before.

On Wednesday Joanne and I volunteered at the Essentials Table at the Community Church in Cashmere. Then we stopped at the Sure To Rise Bakery. Last visit for me for a while to the Cashmere Library. Downloaded and printed out my piece for writers group next week. Farewell hugs to librarians Lisa and Ashley. And yes we did stop to visit my tree and I took pics. Then it was off to East Wenatchee for a delicious dinner at Olive Garden.

Today is Thursday. I spent the morning going through my closet. Clothes are easy. It’s those darn documents that are so tedious. And I’m leaving tons of those behind in a suitcase. Way too heavy to lug down to Mexico. Warmer clothes too. No use for a Columbia ski jacket or a pair of Sorrels down there.

I’m almost finished reading the book for book club. I will write out my comments and email them to the group as I’ll be back in Mexico when it’s time for the next meeting. Then I’ll be back to reading the books on Libby or Hoopla until I return to Washington next year.

Time for a snack. Yummy watermelon. Then I’ll be off to small group for dinner and Bible study.

Have a great evening!

Oct3

It’s That Time Of Year Again

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It’s That Time Of Year Again

I never liked fall. Frost came, plants died, leaves fell off trees. And then winter descended. But then I discovered Washington State. Vermont, eat your heart out. The trees here are gorgeous in the fall.

But fall is also a bittersweet kind of season. It means it’s time to pack up and head for Mexico for the winter. Envy me all you want. There’s a lot of preparing and organizing that goes along with this type of lifestyle. And in my case, a lot of procrastination.

Today is Friday. After running around all week I decided to stay in today and get into some of that organizing. But it’s already afternoon, and what have I done all morning? Okay, it was productive to check my newsfeeds, email and what’s app. Also checked other messages and texts. After that I headed for my happy place. Writing.

But I’ve moved on now from my WIP to this blog post. And I’m determined to continue sorting through documents later today. Documents? I have literally pounds of those. Legal documents. Medical history. They all pile up.

Then there’s all the paper I pretty much successfully avoid. Tap my card and no receipt please. I can easily follow that one online, although I’m fascinated by the hoards of people who still want that paper copy. Do they still put them in folders in file cabinets? I wonder.

However I think I’ll continue my procrastination just a little bit longer. Yesterday at book club I got a copy of the new book and I’m determined to read it before I head to Mexico later this month. After that I’ll be looking for books on Libby while I’m gone.

Have a great weekend!