Tag Archives: 2025

May25

Here Comes Seventy-Four

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Here Comes Seventy-Four

I had another one of those special days on Friday. It was my birthday. While it was nice celebrating with my friends, I long for even just one more minute of my birthday last year when I was in Winnipeg celebrating with my son. It was the first time in several years since we had done that and I have no idea when we’ll ever do it again.

I’ve celebrated my birthday in several places with many different people — Culiacan, Mazatlan, Guadalajara and Aguascalientes in Mexico. Leavenworth, Cashmere, Wenatchee and East Wenatchee in Washington. Winnipeg, Toronto and London in Canada. And every year I wonder where I’ll be and who I will be with on that day in the following year.

A few minutes ago I caught up on What’s App messages and am drooling at the pics Ricardo posted of the food he cooked the other day. Very different from what I eat here in Washington. But I couldn’t bring Ricardo home in my suitcase. Today is one of those rare Sundays where I didn’t go out to eat after church. Instead I made myself an omelet.

Mission Impossible The Final Reckoning. That is one movie you absolutely have to see on the big screen. The stunts and special effects are amazing. I was riveted from the start.

There were two vocal concerts I wrote about in my blog post last week. This week the concerts were ukulele. My friend Joyce is in a group and they performed at the Senior Center and at Avamere on Thursday. Two events in one day again.

I was excited to return to my writers group again. I didn’t read this week but I enjoyed listening to the contributions of others. There is always such a variety of genres. We are all from different backgrounds and have amazing stories to tell.

It’s taken two weeks but I’m finally completely unpacked. I’ve organized my closet and my drawers. I’ve sifted through documents and dusted knick-knacks. I’ve even gone through my craft supplies. So today I can finally get into that book I’ve been eager to read.

Tomorrow is Memorial Day here in the USA. I hope you have a relaxing day. Safe travels if you’re on the road.

May20

Really? All That In One Weekend?

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Really? All That In One Weekend?

My suitcase finally did make it back into the closet. And it’s unpacked and all my laundry is done. But I want to clarify something first.

People have asked me what an essentials bank is. An essentials table or bank differs from a food bank. We do not give out food. We give out other necessities including shampoo, household cleaners, toilet paper, diapers and the like. Most of the cliental are Hispanic, so my knowledge of Spanish comes in handy.

Now I’ll move on to the weekend.

Friday night my church held an event called The Table. This is a time to celebrate community. We gather together to share a meal, listen to testimony and spend some quiet time with God in the form of praise and prayer. A beautiful way to begin the weekend.

Saturday afternoon we went to a concert in Wenatchee featuring the Apollo Club and the Eastmont High School choirs. Donations from this event go towards the Apollo club’s annual scholarship program for young aspiring musicians. Then we headed to Cashmere for a delicious dinner at the new Wild Huck. Final destination was an amazing bluegrass concert featuring Runaway Train.

Sunday morning was church. It’s so nice to attend in person rather than merely watching online. Fellowship is so important. Lunch was at Peking and then we took in a couple of garage sales.

It was a busy weekend.

May15

I’m Back!

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I’m Back!

A bus trip and three flights and I’m back in Washington. Everything went off scheduled. I got my usual three questions at Immigration: Where are you going? What is the purpose of your trip? How long will you be in the USA? I downloaded the I94 onto my phone and I’m good for 180.

I left Aguascalientes last Thursday at 8 am and arrived in Wenatchee at 1:30 pm on Friday. Joanne picked me up and brought me home where I collapsed into bed. My suitcase stayed out in the garage until Saturday. Of course I didn’t start unpacking it until Tuesday. My closet and drawers have more than enough clothes, and my toiletries were all waiting for me in my bathroom.

Joyce and I went out for lunch on Saturday and on Sunday I went back to church. Monday was a killer. I left the house with Christina just after 8 am. I went into Cashmere to visit my tree and have coffee at Weeds. Then on to Leavenworth to Shears for a much needed haircut and highlights. Charleen and I went to the golf club for lunch after. Then back to Wenatchee to do some shopping. I love Bath and Body Works!

Tuesday I stayed home to unpack and do laundry. Wednesday I went to the Senior Center for lunch and then back to Cashmere to volunteer at an essentials bank with Joanne.

This morning I was at Soul Sisters at church. I’m at home now and have finally booted up my laptop for the first time since I’m back. But this will be a short post as I still have a lot of organizing to do in my room. I’m determined to at least return my suitcase to its place in the closet.

May2

Last Post From Mexico

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Last Post From Mexico

A week from now at this time I’ll be back in East Wenatchee. I just glanced up at the calendar on my wall and noticed that it’s already started to fill up with activities. I’ve missed Apple Blossom and May Day but there won’t be many blank squares on the calendar for long.

Now that I’m down to my last few days in Aguascalientes, there will be more goodbyes to friends. I strolled through the Thursday tianguis on my street yesterday and on Sunday will be going to a swap meet for the last time. I went to one last mass at a Catholic church last night and am looking forward to getting back to my church in East Wenatchee. And of course I want to make one last visit to La Feria.

And I need to pack. By now you’d think that I’d have that one down to a science. But I don’t. I remember the first time I left Tlaquepaque and returned to Winnipeg. In the time it took me to pack up my bathroom, Alfredo had completely filled my suitcase with everything from the drawers and closets in my bedroom. I also remember the days when I used to leave a suitcase in Mexico and only take one with me back up north. But I haven’t done that in years. Instead I started leaving a suitcase in Leavenworth. And now in East Wenatchee my closets and drawers are full as well as a suitcase full of craft supplies.

But I’m getting better. I now travel with only one Samsonite and even that has been downsized. My Baggallini laptop bag is the best carry-on ever invented. I love all the compartments and side pockets. And it fits under the seat on the plane.

The dilemma of what to wear for travel is always a concern. I’m leaving sunshine and 90s and headed to overcast skies and 60s, with a 12 hour layover at LAX. Layers are always a major pain going through TSA. But it’s usually cool on the plane. Time to pull out the sleeveless quilted vest and jeans.

Time to go outside and visit with my neighbors, an elderly couple. My Spanish has improved dramatically and I am quite comfortable sitting and talking with them for a couple of hours. I recall the days when I’d feel overwhelmed after only a few minutes. Now we talk about a lot more than just the weather or their dog.

Have a great weekend and a great week to follow. I’ll post again once I’m settled in East Wenatchee.

Apr27

10 Days and Counting

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10 Days and Counting

April 19-May 11, 2025. La Feria.  Three weeks. I can hear the music when I sit outside with my neighbors at night. I can easily walk down two blocks. But I also enjoy sitting there watching all the traffic. There is limited street parking and traffic is crazy. Lots of police patrolling the area including the National guard. I feel very safe.

I’m down to my last 10 days. That means it’s a time of saying goodbye to friends until next fall. It’s always bittersweet leaving. In all honesty I won’t miss the 90 plus degree heat. I’m looking forward to the cooler temperatures in Washington.

My calendar is already filling up with activity once I return up north. Church activities and volunteer work along with a much needed hair appointment at Shears. And of course I’m looking forward to seeing all my friends and going back to the Wenatchee Valley Senior Center to writers group. I’m undecided about Tai Chi. I’m thinking of maybe getting back in the water and joining the YMCA instead.

Our internet is very sporadic these days. Raul is planning on changing service providers once the current contract is up. The current provider is less than reliable. Every time they install a new modem or cable, we laugh. New to us but probably taken out of someone else’s home. Their equipment is nowhere near state of the art. And if anyone ever inspected for safety around here……….. But it’s all the fun of living in Mexico. There are dangling wires everywhere.

I got an email from Alaska asking if I want to preorder food for my flight. The choices aren’t that great. It’s just under 3 hours from Guadalajara to LAX. I’ll take my chances on the overpriced airport food. I have a 12 hour layover before my flight to Sea Tac.

I’ll end with humor.

Why was Cinderella so bad at soccer? She kept running away from the ball!

Have an amazing day!

Apr23

Maybe

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Maybe

I have no idea when this will actually get posted, maybe today. Internet issues. Apparently there are problems with the modem. Someone from Izzy (our service provider) is supposed to come out to fix the problem today. But this is Mexico.

Fifteen years ago today I attended my daughter’s pinning ceremony for nursing. And about a month later her convocation at University of Manitoba where she obtained her Nursing degree. It seems like just yesterday.

I look back on the photos of that event. So much has changed since then. And I think back to my own graduation from University of Manitoba decades earlier. Both of my parents were there. And I feel badly for my daughter that this wasn’t the case for her. My marriage had ended the year before. While I felt it important to attend her graduation, (even delaying a move to Mexico by several months) sadly her father chose not to attend.

It’s hard to let go of your kids. My kids would probably say I was a helicopter mom when they were growing up. But thankfully that expression wasn’t coined until years later.

Still, I enjoyed volunteering in all their extracurricular activities and attending all their concerts and competitions throughout the years. Now, I watch my daughter compete in Powerlifting events on the internet. It’s not nearly as exciting as being there in person. But it does allow for some type of connection.

Only two weeks until I travel back to Washington. A bus trip and three flights. But every time I think maybe I’m getting too old for this, I think I want to keep going. I lead an interesting life and am not ready to give it up just yet.

I’ve decided on a title for the first book in my trilogy. Little Boy Lost. My protagonist hasn’t yet been diagnosed as being bipolar. He’s a child and is too young for that. But it provides good insight as to his character which is needed in order to understand what comes next in the following two books. My plan is to publish Little Boy Lost this summer and the second book shortly after.

I’m on my final edits now and am determined that they be done by the time I leave. So off to work I go, despite the temptation of having La Feria de San Marcos only two blocks away from where I live.

Apr17

My Mind Is Wandering

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My Mind Is Wandering

Yesterday afternoon I was chatting with a friend online. I told her I might have to come back to Winnipeg to take care of a legal matter. She told me that my life would make a great book. Today another friend told me to forget the book. Just go after the screenplay.

I actually began writing some memoirs a few years ago when I was living in Leavenworth, inspired by a course I was taking at the time. I thought they might be nice to leave for my granddaughter. But the more I got into it, the more I realized that there were a lot of things that had gone on in my life that I didn’t want her to know about, especially since my children didn’t even know about them.

I once contemplated writing an autobiography. But if I wrote an autobiography, no-one would believe it. People would think it was fiction. In all honesty, I’m living this life and I have a hard time believing it. But my close friends who have been there for me throughout the years continue to assure me that my life is very real and is definitely not fiction. They’ve seen the crazy things that have gone on, especially in the last couple of decades.

And that brings me back to the legal issue which is a daunting dilemma. My close friends know about it and that’s enough for now. There won’t be anything in my blog until the matter is resolved. And that will take time.

It’s a glorious spring day out there today. The sun shines brightly in the sky and the temperature is hovering around 90 degrees. I went out to the flea market on my street very early this morning in order to avoid the stifling heat later on in the day.

My neighborhood has taken on a very different feel this week. La Feria de San Marcos begins on Saturday. Three weeks of music, rides, vendors and celebration. Thousands of people throng here not only from Mexico but from other countries as well. Hundreds of worker have been at it for weeks now setting up. And I am living a mere two blocks away from one of the main stages!

Emiliano came unexpectedly for an English class today although the kids are off school this week for Semana Santa. We talked about the solar system and watched a short video. He is looking forwarding to seeing Minecraft over the holidays. He enjoys the game and is excited about seeing the movie. So we watched the trailer together in English.

I’m still listening to audiobooks but this morning I have a music playlist on in the background as I write this. Everything from Backstreet Boys to Marianas Trench. Actually it’s great music for writing memoirs, but I’m not going there today, or anytime soon.

Time for lunch. Ricardo made lasagna. Yummy!

Apr13

Sunday April 13, 2025

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Sunday April 13, 2025

Today is Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week, or Semana Santa as we call it here in Mexico. It actually overlaps this year with the Jewish Passover which began last night. Whatever you are celebrating, I hope it is a blessed time spent with family and friends.

Religion has been on my mind these days. I’ve been reading a lot of historical fiction. Kristin Hannah has become one of my favorite authors. I’ve also read books by Kristin Harmel and Georgia Hunter. And I still have several more on my “to read” list. As an aspiring writer of fiction, reading the works of other authors is an important tool for me.

I belong to a book club back in Washington. Thanks to North Central Washington Libraries, I’ve been able to read books on Libby and Hoopla and keep up with the group. Actually, I more listen to them than read them. While I much prefer to hold a book in my hands, I find myself listening to audiobooks. I have more than enough screen time with my writing.

I first became interested in reading as a young child. It began with Golden Books and then moved on to Dick, Jane and Sally books I read at school. My Aunt Anne lived in Regina but she was the one who introduced me to Dr. Suess and The Cat In The Hat. She also encouraged me to read other books, such as Charlotte’s Web and Winnie The Pooh. And when I was older she recommended the series of Agatha Christie books. I became enthralled with Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot. Decades later when my aunt was in a personal care home struggling with Alzheimer’s, I visited her regularly. Remarkably, our conversation often shifted to books.

Rosamunde Pilcher is another of my favorite authors. I first read The Shell Seekers when I was in Florida visiting my mother. I was recuperating from surgery and reading was a most welcome activity. In the years after that I went on to read all of Pilcher’s books.

When my children were young, I used to take them to programs at the libraries in Winnipeg where I encouraged them to experience the joys of reading. It is amazing to immerse yourself in the many different worlds of other people and to share in their adventures. And I am pleased that my daughter has carried on this tradition with my granddaughter.

What books are on your nightstand?

Apr8

Capirotada: Mexican Bread Pudding

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Capirotada: Mexican Bread Pudding

Although I had been in Mexico for several years, the first time I ever tasted this amazing dessert was when I arrived in Aguascalientes back in 2019. A friend had a loncheria and this was on the menu when I stopped in one day.

Capirotada is popular during Lent, especially during Holy Week. It consists of layers of toasted bolillo, soaked in piloncillo syrup, cinnamon, cloves and aged cheese. Raisins, nuts and coconut are sprinkled on top. And to make it even more decadent, lechera may be poured over it.

This dish actually dates back to ancient Rome, Spain and Medieval Europe and didn’t originate in Mexico. The ingredients differed but I am going to focus on the Mexican version in this post.

The name “caripotada” comes from the word “capirote.” These refer to tall hoods worn during religious celebrations.

Each of the ingredients has a religious significance, which I just recently found out. The bread signifies the body of Christ. The syrup represents the blood of Christ. The cinnamon sticks are the cross. The cloves are the nails. And the cheese is the shroud.

For me, the symbolism now gives new meaning to the tradition of eating capirotada during Lent. And on that note, I hope to find some when I’m out on my walk later on today.

Apr5

Facebook, Thanks For The Memory

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Facebook, Thanks For The Memory

Flash back to when I once taught Secundaria, where we had a lively discussion about the similarities between April Fool’s Day and Dia De Los Inocentes. The students were all quite amused and were happily thinking about enjoying two of these “fun” days every year.

I wrote out their homework on the board, encouraging them to read the directions carefully. The directions were very simple. “This is your homework for today. One of the questions is a joke. You do not have to answer it. You must answer only three of the questions.”

Question 1. “On what day do we celebrate April Fool’s Day?”

Question 2 “On what day do we celebrate Dia De Los Inocentes?”

Question 3 “Do you like jokes?”

Question 4 “What have you learned about April Fool’s Day? Write a 1,000,00 word essay about April Fool’s Day. Be sure that your grammar and punctuation are perfect. Do not make any spelling mistakes. Submit this assignment in a purple binder and be sure that all the pages your assignment is written on are green and yellow.”

It was interesting how they followed??? the directions.

That night my inbox was flooded with emails. “My printer doesn’t have enough ink. My mother wants to know where to buy a purple binder. The papaleria doesn’t have green paper. Is blue okay?”

There were lots more but I think you get the idea.

The next day, two girls proudly handed in their three sentences while the remainder of the class taunted them for not doing their homework. I merely smiled. The rest of the class still didn’t get it until I asked one of the girls to explain.

It’s important to follow directions.