Tag Archives: Mexico

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.

Different Things

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Different Things

I slept in this morning. My first cup of coffee was at eleven. Breakfast was pasta alfredo at about 1 pm. It’s humpday and it’s one of those days.

Today I read a blog post written by a friend in Missouri. It began by mentioning memoirs, evolved into family life, and from there went on to a craft project. Despite the fact that the rain exacerbates her knee and back pain, she always plows her way through to finding something positive. You are an inspiration to all of us, Ty. Thank you.

Sea snakes are harassing beachgoers in Puerto Vallarta. These poisonous creatures are dangerous. It used to be just the tides we had to watch out for. And I guess we can throw the jellyfish in with that too. I detest snakes so won’t be going to Puerto Vallarta anytime soon.

Time to embarrass one of my kids. My daughter just competed in the CPU Nationals (Canadian Powerlifting) and qualified for Internationals. She is off to Panama in October to compete. It’s exciting that I get to watch her live online. It’s almost like being there.

I found a great dentist here in Aguascalientes. His office is only a five minute walk from my house. A visit to the dentist isn’t one of my favorite pastimes, but he was excellent and I actually felt quite relaxed. I’ve even forgiven him for the white diet he put me on after the whitening process.

I won’t comment on Trump’s speech last night. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and I’m not interested in sparring with friends who are staunch Democrats and friends who are staunch Republicans. We’ll just have to wait and see how everything turns out.

I just signed up for a virtual program with NCW Libraries. This one is being presented as a part of Women’s History Month and deals with homelessness.

I’ve started to think about returning to Washington in May but, as usual, am procrastinating the arduous task of booking flights.

Have a great afternoon!

Menudo and Me

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Menudo and Me

Everyone always asks me what my favorite food is here in Mexico. There is so much to choose from that I really struggle with the answer to this question. Tacos al pastor, tacos barbacoas, enchiladas suizas, tamales, pozole, quesadillas, chile relleno, tortas ahogadas, aracherra, guacamole– and the list goes on and on.

Now, ask me what my least favorite food is. Hands down it’s menudo. But before I tell you what menudo is, I’m going to tell you about my introduction to this delightful?? delicacy.

Several years ago, Isaias and I were on one of our weekend jaunts to some small town or other in Jalisco. We always sought out places to eat where the locals hung out. That’s where we found the best as well as the most authentic food. Isaias used to call it typical food.

We were seated at a small table and Isaias glanced up at the menu on the chalkboard. “Menudo!” And he grinned from ear to ear. He ordered for us and we were soon served warm (nothing is ever served hot here) bowls of……bowls of…… I studied the contents carefully. Was that an eyeball staring up at me? And what were those other unidentifiable pieces of, perhaps meat? or not?

I gingerly dipped my spoon into the bowl after Isaias assured me it wasn’t an eyeball. I bravely sipped some of the broth and it tasted……weird, strange, not too spicy. But as for everything else floating around in that bowl…….while I did recognize the onion and cilantro, the rest of the ingredients were still a mystery.

Isaias was now squeezing the obligatory lime into his second bowl. Come on, Karen! You can do this. After all, Isaias loves you and isn’t trying to poison you. Besides, he’s already wolfed down his first bowl hungrily. I very tentatively put a piece of who knows what onto the spoon along with the broth.

I was momentarily distracted when an older Mexican woman brought us a plate of freshly made tortillas. I had noticed her sitting at a table across from us, along with her rather large basin of masa and a tortilla press.

Back to the menudo. The spoon with its mysterious content was now in my mouth. It was chewy and felt awkward. But somehow I managed to swallow that piece of whatever it was. I passed my bowl over to Isaias who was now halfway through his second bowl.

He looked up at me questioningly. And he looked even more surprised when I flagged over our server and ordered a quesadilla.

Are you curious? Do you want to know what menudo really is? I almost puked when I got home and googled it. Cow’s stomach. Tripe. And many of my students tell me that menudo is a popular item on the menu before they come to school.

No thanks. I’ll stick to yogurt and granola.

It’s Time

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It’s Time

It’s time to stop reading my newsfeed. It’s time to stop watching the news on TV. It’s time to stop googling all the craziness going on in our world today.

By this time, I’ve already booked flights back to Washington. But I’m not too eager to do that yet, especially after viewing the crash in Toronto yesterday. My preferred airline is Alaska, synonymous with the 737 issues. But I do fly Delta, yesterday’s airline involved in that fiasco. And I often fly into Sea-Tac, and that airport hasn’t been without incident in 2025 either.

But my best option is still to fly over the border. I’ve done the land thing……San Ysidro, Matamoras, Reynoso, Nogales. Pretty eerie around 2 am which I did in San Ysidro and Reynoso. I highly recommend daylight for those adventures. But border towns are becoming more and more dangerous.

I love trains. I wish I could take a train across the border. But there isn’t one.

Today has been an Uber kind of day. A trip in the morning to run errands. Uber Eats to deliver a pizza. Yes, occasionally I crave something other than Mexican food. But I do put my foot down when it comes to the chimi churri. Salad dressing just doesn’t belong on pizza. Later this afternoon I will also use an Uber when I go out to Conversation Club.

I’m traveling tomorrow to visit a friend in Pachuca. This will be my last post until I return to Aguascalientes next week. And I am definitely going to cut back on the newsfeeds.

Have a great week everyone!

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.

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?

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.

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!