Category Archives: Uncategorized

Jan22

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.

Jan18

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.

Jan16

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?

Jan12

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?
View all responses
Jan7

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?
View all responses
Jan2

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.

Dec31

Adios 2024 Bienvenido 2025

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Adios 2024 Bienvenido 2025

This will be my last post for 2024. Was it just yesterday I wrote my first post of the year? It seems like the older I get the faster the time flies by. And it scares me when I hear people decades younger remark about the very same thing. Just wait til you get to be my age!

I hope you enjoyed the post I shared again about some of the New Years Traditions here in Mexico. I originally published it back in 2022.

It’s a balmy 76 degrees here although it feels warmer with the bright sunlight. I have welcomed in the new year from somewhere in Mexico for the past fifteen years except for the one year I was in Washington during Covid. And I will take the heat over cold and snow anyday.

To all my readers, I thank you for your support. I wish you all the best in the year 2025. Here’s to a year of Health and Happiness for all!

Dec27

Dia de Los Santos Inocentes

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Dia de Los Santos Inocentes

December 28th. Mexico’s version of April Fools Day. I first heard about this when I was teaching middle school in Culiacan back in 2010. And it’s not just mischievous children who delight in playing pranks on people. There are false newscasts in abundance. And if someone asks to borrow something from you rest assured that you will never see it again.

A common prank is hiding the baby Jesus figurine from the nativity scene. The explanation is that now Jesus is safe from Herod. Yes. King Herod’s soldiers were instructed to find and kill all baby boys under the age of two in Bethlehem, thus eliminating the threat to Herod of Jesus, the king of the Jews.

“Inocente palomita que te dejaste enganar!” Personally, I find it easier to say “April Fools!”

Dec23

Two Days

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Two Days

It’s two days after the winter solstice. It’s two days before Christmas. It’s two days before Chanukah. It’s twenty years since the first day of Chanukah fell on the same day as Christmas.

The TV in the background features Meet The Fockers. But of course I’m watching it in Spanish as I eat my breakfast. Yes I realize it’s almost two in the afternoon but I slept late this morning and lazily sipped coffee in bed until a half hour ago when my body requested food.

A quick trip to the corner tienda was quick although it was crowded. I think the whole neighborhood was there. Last minute shopping. And if you think Costco or Walmart are busy at this time of year, you need to check out this tienda. The owners had even recruited extra help for today. They also presented me with a Christmas gift — a reusable shopping bag that contained a large box of cookies.

Christmas Eve is the big celebration here in Mexico. Families go to church and have sumptuous meals together. I will be with a friend tomorrow night and will be attending a mass in a Catholic church nearby followed by dinner. It’s a tradition we have since I’ve been in Aguascalientes.

Merry Christmas! Happy Chanukah! Enjoy whatever holiday you are celebrating with friends and loved ones.

Dec17

Posada

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Posada

The word “posada” means “inn.” Posadas are generally held from December 16th-24th. Although posadas have become synonymous with parties, the roots are religious ones. They commemorate the journey to Bethlehem by Joseph and Mary. Back in the 16th century, Augustinian missionaries introduced these searches for shelter in order to teach the Nativity story and to replace other pagan rituals. In the end, the innkeeper lets the pilgrims in and there is a celebration.

I’ve lived in different places in Mexico and have seen different celebrations.

One of the most memorable was in San Ciro. There was a procession down the main street of this small town that included Mary riding on a donkey. The procession culminated at the Catholic church where children sang and danced before smashing open a pinata.

In Culiacan the school held a dinner party for the staff. The tradition of singing and looking for shelter before the birth of Jesus was a big part of the celebration. And of course we adults got to break open a pinata.

Here in Aguascalientes I’ve seen groups of people singing out on the streets going from door to door in search of shelter, just as Joseph and Mary did.

In Tlaquepaque I was invited to a house party the first year I was there. I need to clarify here that house parties rarely began before eleven at night and usually ended at around seven in the morning. That year I only lasted until five. In the years following I made sure I had a long siesta before the party.

The schools where I taught had posadas for the students. The pinatas were always the highlights. The seven points represent the seven deadly sins. When the pinatas are broken open, the candy that falls out represents the faith that good things follow when evil is conquered.

Aside from the candy that falls from the pinata, a celebration would not be complete without food. The traditional drink is ponche (a warm fruit punch often spiked with tequila.) Tamales ( filled corn husks) are the main course and bunuelos ( a fried pastry) are a typical dessert.

Oh oh! I have a new neighbor two doors down and she makes bunuelos!