Tag Archives: neighborhood

Dec1

Have You Heard The News? What Did It Say?

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Have You Heard The News? What Did It Say?

Yes I’m on Facebook. And I am quite aware that a great deal of false information is easily spread. I disregard most of it until I have a chance to check out reliable sources. I’m amazed at just how much is exaggerated or enhanced by those who love to gossip. And I have no patience for this.

Here in Mexico the farmers continue their blockades on the highways. They are protesting the new water law. They are protesting the price of corn. They are frustrated and angry. And so is anyone attempting to travel on the highways.

However that seems minor compared with what’s going on in the news in East Wenatchee, Washington. I’ve called this city home for the past three summers. And it has changed drastically in three years, and not for the better.

Spacious single family homes are now being subdivided into duplexes. In conversations with my neighbors during this past summer, I learned that many homes are being rented out as the market is down. Even plummeting prices have not encouraged people to buy. It is common for four or five college students to share a house. My neighbor even told me of one house down the street which three married couples are sharing.

The other night there was an armed home invasion down the street from where I’ve stayed. A couple of weeks ago a teenager in the neighborhood was arrested for possession of illegal guns and threatening neighbors and police. Last winter I read about meth labs that were busted close to where I was staying. And the high speed car chases aren’t limited to Wenatchee. There are also incidences of gangs fighting, especially near the mall. And there was more than one murder in the area last summer.

People in East Wenatchee are quick to blame the gangs for spilling over the George Sellar Bridge and into East Wenatchee from Wenatchee. And of course they take it further and blame the immigrants, particularly the illegal ones. However I believe there’s a lot more to it than that. I don’t think the kids in East Wenatchee are all the innocent darlings their parents believe them to be either.

And I wonder what I’ll read in the news about East Wenatchee in the coming months before my time in Mexico comes to an end this winter.

Mar14

Life 101

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Life 101

Life 101: Mental and Physical Self-Care. University of California, Irvine. That’s the course I’ve just started this month on Coursera. This week we’re discussing habits. We’re learning how to overcome bad habits and turn things around so that we form good habits. We’re learning how to look at our current life situation and interpret things in a more positive way than we have in the past. We’re learning how to strive for goals differently by considering the benefits of intrinsic motivation over extrinsic motivation.

The beauty of taking a course on Coursera is that I work at my own pace. Other courses I’ve done on Zoom demand that you be there on certain times and on certain days. With the nomadic lifestyle I follow, this is difficult and sometimes even impossible. Thankfully some of the writers’ workshops I attend on Zoom frequently send me recordings of the session and that is quite helpful.

Less than three weeks left until I fly back to Washington. I finally went down to Central yesterday and got my bus ticket to Puerto Vallarta. I have a hotel booked and I fly back up north to Wenatchee via Seattle on April 2nd. This winter went by way too fast.

I’ve been stockpiling meds as the cost here is about a third of what it is in the USA. I really don’t enjoy all these tedious last minute things to do before I leave. And I especially despise having to say goodbye to friends. It’s interesting the close relationships you develop with people although you’re only in a place for a few months.

And then there are other friends who have left Aguascalientes and are now living in other areas in Mexico as well as in the USA. But Aguascalientes has become home to me. I love my neighborhood and the delightful tiendas and papalerias. I have my favorite restaurants that haven’t changed much over the years. There are the familiar parks and streets that are comforting. However, I still look forward to the time I spend up north.

When I first arrived in Mexico in 2010 I met several people in Mazatlan who had decided to leave Mexico and return to the USA. I really pondered that one until I reached year six living fulltime in Mexico. That first visit to Leavenworth in 2016 had an impact. I became a snowbird after that. And I have been blessed to enjoy the best of both worlds.

But it’s still hard to say Adios when it’s time to leave.

Oct22

Sunday Sunday

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Sunday Sunday

Now that I’m back in Mexico, every day feels like a Sunday. There are no scheduled classes to teach and no regular activities to attend. The only routine in my life is how I start my day. With Christian Gospel music in the background, I check emails and texts and play Candy Crush. Yes, I’m still hooked on that game after ten plus years. And of course I’m sipping coffee throughout all this.

Sundays in Washington. Church and brunch with friends and hanging out together in the afternoon. Yard sales, frozen yogurt, shopping, perogies……………….I’ve left that all behind until next spring. I haven’t found a Christian church that I like near where I live. So I do two things. The first is that I tune in to Sage Hills Church in Wenatchee online on Sunday mornings. The second thing I do is go to a Catholic church close by for mass. No, I’m not Catholic. But I figure God hears me no matter where I am. Of course I get rather strange looks from other attendees because I don’t kneel or go up for communion.

Now for the other six Sundays of the week. Routine is totally out the window other than the morning one mentioned above. I didn’t have my first cup of coffee until 12:30 pm on Friday. That’s what happens when you stay up all night writing. One minute it’s 11 pm at night and then suddenly it’s 4:45 am the next day. Yesterday was a little better. I actually was on my second cup of coffee by 12:30.

I’m trying to get back in the groove of immersing myself completely in Spanish again. This results in some interesting conversations with some of the locals. Next door to me, this elderly couple are always sitting outside with all kinds of clothes hanging from their front fence. The other day the lady was trying to convince me that I needed to add to my wardrobe with some of the stuff they sell. She opened the door to their home and I saw a front room that rivals the stock at Macy’s……packed with clothes. Of course, everything is very used and polyester and definitely not what I’d ever even consider wearing. So far no one has successfully talked me into buying a dress and my neighbor sure isn’t going to either.

My neighbor on the other side makes potato chips, the really greasy ones that taste so amazing. I first discovered those when I was up in the Copper Canyon on El Chepe. The guy himself is really nice and great to talk to, but I’m really going to have to watch myself with those chips. I’ve decided one bag a month is probably more than enough. Of course one a month is only the goal.

I was looking for a bottle of antibacterial gel to keep in my room. I have the small purse ones I buy at Bath and Body works in the USA. And I’m not interested in the industrial size that can be found everywhere here. That was one entertaining conversation with the lady in the farmicia. She was super impressed with my Warm Vanilla Sugar small ones. It took three visits, but she finally came up with just the size I wanted for my room. She has connections with other vendors.

There’s a new chicken place nearby. Chicken is a huge of my diet as I seldom eat red meat. Rotisserie chicken is one of my favorites so I was delighted to discover that I now have one close to where I live. I struck up a conversation with the owners. One of them gave me a card and explained to me that they will sign the card after every purchase. When the card is full, (I think it’s four), the next one is free. That will definitely be an easy one for me.

I also checked out a breakfast place this week as I was craving a bolillo. So many fillings to choose from! I told the guy that I’m not into spicy anymore and he let me try samples to make sure the heat wasn’t too high. Naturally he asked me where I was from. And naturally I answered Washington State. Canada wasn’t even close to being on the radar.

That’s my Sunday. Hope yours is a good one.

Nov7

I Live Where???

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I Live Where???

This winter my home base is in Las Flores, Aguascalientes. I discovered this neighborhood last winter and love its proximity to the historical center and several museums, all within walking distance.

The name of my street is Begonias. All the names of the streets are flowers. (Las Flores is Spanish for “flowers.”)

This is a photo of the hotel where I live. You won’t see a Hyatt sign here. It’s an old house that’s been renovated into a hotel. Each room has its own bathroom. Common areas include the kitchen and laundry area.

Raul is the owner and takes good care of his properties. He is currently renovating a house where I first stayed for a week when I arrived. Not only did he move me and my luggage from place to place, but also a fridge and a microwave. I guess you could say that my room has now been transformed into an executive suite. None of the other rooms here have these appliances.

The following photo is the bull ring at the end of my street. It sees a lot of action during the Feria in the spring, but otherwise sits empty.

On my morning walk I encountered this neighbor across the street from my hotel. Cute, isn’t he?

There is no shortage of tiendas (corner stores). These two are at the other end of my street.

Two blocks away is the church I attend. It occupies the main floor of an apartment building.

Today is Thursday which means the tianguis (flea market) occupies a street a block away from where I live.

There is also an abundance of food available in this area, but I will save that as well as some other places in my neighborhood for another blog post.