Tag Archives: Family

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.

Feb25

February Finale

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February Finale

February might be the shortest month of the year but it’s been one of the busiest for me. While the focus this winter has been on writing, other activities fill my days as well. Church online. Bible Study on Zoom. Writing Webinars. Conversation Club. Tutoring. Friends. And finally this month I did some traveling.

I went to visit my friend Angie in Pachuca. It’s been three years since we last saw each other but we just picked up where we left off. Time was of no consequence. We first met in December 2010 on El Chepe up in the Copper Canyon. We hit it off as we were both teaching English at the time. Angie is Mexican and was a superb translator for me because back then my Spanish language skills were practically non-existent!

This week my daughter is competing in the CPU Nationals in Canada. I must admit that it’s a little unnerving watching her bench press more than her weight but I’m also so very proud of her and what she has accomplished. Last year I got to see it in person. This time I’m watching online.

My granddaughter Madeline turns seven tomorrow. It seems like just yesterday I flew to Ontario shortly after she was born. Video calls will have to suffice until I see her again in person this summer. I predict that she will be as tall as Grandma by then.

I’m attending a program on Zoom later this week that deals with publishing. I’m looking forward to it as I hope to publish a book this spring and the writing world has changed since I first published back in 2009. My genre has also changed and my next book is fiction.

I enjoyed my break from reading all the newsfeeds. And I ignored the podcasts. Now back to reality where people are still trying to hack into my Facebook and Microsoft accounts. Back to reading about more airline mishaps. Back to reading about The United States of Democrats and The United States of Republicans. Back to reading about the gong show going on in Canada. I think I need another break.

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?

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.

Nov10

Last One For A While

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Last One For A While

This is my last post from Washington until the spring. On Monday I leave for Mexico for the winter. The fall has been beautiful here and I’ve managed to avoid snow although the temperature has dropped considerably.

The time has flown by quickly. And this last week even more so. It’s a time of saying goodbye to friends. It’s a time to say “See you in May.” It’s a time to bid farewell to the brilliant colors of the leaves on the trees and the majestic mountain views. It’s a time for numerous “lasts” of the season.

Linda and I did our last Netflix binge. This time it was The Lincoln Lawyer. Virgin River will have to wait until I return in the spring.

I went to my last writers’ group meeting on Wednesday and enjoyed one last lunch at the Senior Center with them after. This is the best writers’ group I’ve ever belonged to. We all come from different places and have had a variety of life experiences which provides a great deal of inspiration when it comes to writing.

On Thursday I went to my last book club meeting. This is my first year with the group although it has been in existence for several years. A delightful group of ladies combined with the ambience of the Wenatchee Golf Club make our monthly luncheon get-togethers most enjoyable.

On Friday I went out for lunch with Soul Sisters and friends from church. I was totally overwhelmed by the large turnout who came to bid me farewell. Although I’ve only attended Breath of Life for just over a month, I treasure the friendships I’ve made and intend to stay in touch until I return to East Wenatchee in the spring.

On Friday afternoon I started packing and then went over to my brother’s for one last dinner before I leave. Back in 2016 I had no idea that his invitation to visit would result in my becoming a snowbird to Washington State for so many years.

On Saturday Joyce and I went to one last movie at Gateway. We lingered over coffee afterwards where the conversation ranged from musings on the recent election to religion and everything in between. I will miss these interesting discussions. They’re so much better in person than over a phone call.

Today is Sunday and I started the day at church. There were a lot of hugs and farewells and then I was off to one last lunch at Peking with Clairesse and Linda. I just got home and decided to get this blog post up before I finish packing. Then it will be one last dinner with Christina before I fly out tomorrow.

Watch for my first post from Mexico later in the month.

Sep24

Desperate Housewives

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Desperate Housewives

When I come up to Washington each spring, one of my favorite pastimes is watching TV in English. In Mexico I make a point of watching in Spanish. I also find myself binge watching certain series with my friend Linda. Seeing as there has been no Virgin River or Lincoln Lawyer this year, we’ve watched Eric and My So Called Life.

I’m also watching one series on my own. Desperate Housewives brings back a lot of memories when on Sunday nights my kids and I used to watch it together. Once I moved to Mexico I never did catch up on the remaining seasons so I decided to do that now.

I’m in Season 7 now. This morning’s episode was when Gabrielle confronted her past. At first she fought the therapy sessions. But then she realized that the only way to move on with her life was to deal with the demons in her past. The big one was sexual abuse by her stepfather.

And that brought me back to my counseling days. One of the first people I ever counseled was a young woman dealing with sexual abuse. It took her years to finally be brave enough to come forward and admit the abuse. And as a counselor, I’m certain that I was only the first of professionals to come who would help her along the journey to healing.

In the very first counseling class I ever took, our instructor gave us a rather interesting first assignment. We were told to find a therapist; the idea being that if we had never been on the client side of that desk then we would never succeed on the counselor side. By a show of hands, I also recall that in that classroom of more than twenty students, only three of us admitted that we had previously been in therapy. Also noteworthy is that the following week, the class had greatly diminished in size. While there were more than three students, there were far fewer than twenty.

Back to Desperate Housewives and Gabrielle. This episode got me thinking of my own past. No. I never experienced sexual abuse. But I have sat on the client side of that desk and I know how difficult it is to look back at your childhood and realize that it was far from idyllic. Truthfully, the presence of both a mother and a father in the home does not necessarily make a family functional; indeed it can be quite the opposite.

I may be retired but I can still offer advice. Be open to suggestions. Embrace change. Take risks. We only get one crazy ride on the roller coaster of life.

Aug11

Already August

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Already August

It’s been a very different summer. I’ve been to Canada twice; once for 2 months and once for 2 days. Mindfulness is my mantra, especially last weekend when I was with my six-year-old granddaughter.

I spent two magical days in West Kelowna last weekend. I played board games and read books with Madeline. She showed me her treasures from her Sparks trades. We watched a movie together. I watched her swim and jump into the water off platforms at the beach. She delighted in taking tons of pics with my phone. And I miss her constant chatter, her hugs and smiles and am sad that I only get to see her once a year.

This weekend is much quieter. I’m back in East Wenatchee. I’ve been writing and working on my WIP. Today we went to a movie and out for coffee after. And now I’m back to writing again. Tomorrow night I’m looking forward to a concert by Gladsong. Then the weekend will end and Monday will be here, beginning another week.

The only constant this summer has been the hot weather. But it’s cooling off. The high today was only 94.

At this point in the summer I’m usually thinking about flights to Mexico. But not this year. Because I spent so much time in Canada, I’ll be here in Washington when the leaves turn all their glorious fall colors. And that’s something I haven’t seen since before Covid.

As I sit here looking out my window at the hills, I reflect on how blessed I am to lead the life I do, both here and in Aguascalientes. I have friends who have become family, opening their hearts and their homes to me. Times spent with these people are the true treasures in my life.

Collect moments not things.

Jun29

Seventeen Hours

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Seventeen Hours

That’s how long it took me to get from Winnipeg to East Wenatchee last week. Commute to Winnipeg airport, go through TSA, go through Customs, flight to Minneapolis, layover, flight to Seattle, shuttle to Wenatchee, commute to East Wenatchee. Needless to say I slept almost twenty-four hours once I arrived back home.

It’s great to be back. I’ve missed my friends. I’ve missed the mountains. I’ve missed the sunshine.

What I don’t miss is barricading myself in a tiny room and staring at a computer screen as I scanned thousands of photos. I used to jokingly tell my friends that all I left behind in Winnipeg was my son and bins of photo albums. I can now honestly say that all I’ve left behind is my son. The photos are all digitalized. My childhood photos I gave to my brother. The rest of the photos and framed photos are history.

This was a tedious task and it was also emotionally draining. It took twice as long as I thought it would. I’m glad it’s done. Why didn’t we have cellphones with cameras decades ago? This generation has it easy.

I’ll miss my friends in Winnipeg, St. Norbert and Oak Bluff. We had some great times together while I was visiting. We enjoyed stimulating conversations, shared meals, watched movies and did some traveling. I’ll miss you Donna, Loris, Rita, Doug, Audrey, Sheila, Laura, Jacque, Marilyn, Kathy and David. I also enjoyed spending time with my brother.

The moments I treasure most are those with my son, Kyle. I was truly blessed to be with him both on Mother’s Day and on my birthday in May. That hasn’t happened in several years. He also took the time out of his busy schedule to set up a meeting with his attorney so that I could deal with some legal issues. I’m so very proud of Kyle and all of his accomplishments throughout the years. He has come a long way from the photos I scanned of him as a baby and as a child. But it gets harder and harder to say goodbye when it’s time for me to leave again. It’s painful when a mother and her child are separated for such long periods of time.

And now it’s back to life in Washington. Tomorrow I will be volunteering at Founders Day in Cashmere.

Enjoy the weekend!

Mar30

Last Post From Aguascalientes

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Last Post From Aguascalientes

The winter flew by fast. But my six months is up. I’m taking a break from packing. It’s easier packing to leave than to come here. Everything goes and nothing is left behind. But it’s still not a task I enjoy. I do love my packing cubes, so that definitely helps.

It’s been a week of goodbyes with friends—one last torta, one last desayuno, one last hamburguesa, one last cerveza together until October. That’s the hard part about leaving.

Tomorrow is Easter Sunday. Last year I went to Sage Hills in Wenatchee. This year I’ll be at one of the Catholic churches nearby. I wonder where I’ll be for Easter next year.

I will miss my lackadaisical days of writing when I feel like it. My life is a lot more structured up north. My April calendar is already filling up and I’m not even back yet. But I must admit I’m looking forward to my hair appointment at Shears. Every year I try out different stylists in Mexico but they can never quite seem to get it right.

I spoke to my daughter yesterday. I can’t believe my baby turned forty. Wasn’t it just yesterday I gave birth to her? Okay, I’ve embarrassed her enough if she’s reading this.

My journey home begins tomorrow at midnight when I take ETN to Puerto Vallarta. I opted for only one day there on the way back. Semana Santa is pretty crazy there. On Tuesday it’s Alaska to Wenatchee via Sea-Tac. And I refuse to check the weather forecast because I know it won’t be in the eighties and sunny.

To all who celebrate, have a blessed Easter. He is risen!

Jan13

My Day Friday

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My Day Friday

I was born on a Friday and maybe that’s why Friday has always been my favorite day of the week. Even Friday the 13ths don’t get to me anymore.

But yesterday was not a typical Friday. It was far more exciting than the usual Friday.

Grandson number five was born in Culiacan yesterday! Mateo arrived in the morning and at night he was on his way home with his mom and dad to his four brothers. That is way too fast for me. I recall the one week hospital stays I had back in the 80s when my kids came along. It was nice to be pampered for a few days.

Yesterday Joanne took me to her hairdresser in Bosques. Betty isn’t Lisa and the salon isn’t Shears, but I am happy with what was done. It was three hours well spent and well worth the drive. And Joanne had her hair done too so we had a great visit as well. Bonus: The price was about a third of what it is in the USA too.

As it had finally warmed up yesterday, I was able to go for a longer walk when I got home. Inspiration hit and I got some writing done too, not just editing.

That was my day, Friday.