Tag Archives: time zones

Flights Booked

Standard
Flights Booked

I can’t remember the last time I wrote a blog post, but it’s been quite a while. It seems like when I have the time to sit down and write I lack the inspiration. It’s late afternoon and I glance out at the sky and see the rain clouds rolling in. But today was such a beautiful fall day. The temperature almost reached 70 and it was quite sunny most of the day. Here it is, mid-October, and I enjoyed eating my eggs benedict out on the patio of a restaurant. We actually had the umbrella open to provide some shade.

The leaves have begun to change color and I’ve taken only a handful of photos. I’ve taken hundreds over the years and they’re all stored on my external hard drives. Fall is my favorite season of the year, especially here in Washington state.

But fall is also a procrastination time for me. It means I have to book flights back to Mexico. It’s hard to leave friends and familiar places. But then again, I’m headed home to Aguascalientes to other friends and familiar places. If only travel weren’t so tedious and complicated.

I fly out of Pangborn here in Wenatchee with connecting flights at Sea-Tac and LAX before arriving in Guadalajara. Then it’s a taxi from the airport to the bus station and a short bus ride until I arrive home. Less than 24 hours of travel including layovers. At least this year I don’t have the usual overnight at LAX and I arrive in Aguascalientes in daylight rather than at night.

Speaking of daylight, now comes all the time changes. Clocks roll back here in Washington but Aguascalientes doesn’t do the spring forward fall back thing. I think Winnipeg still does. I wonder who will be on which time zone other than mine when I return to Aguascalientes. That will wreak havoc with my long distance calls until I sort it out.

This upcoming week will be a busy one for a change. Activities range from volunteer work to a memorial service, and include travel to Leavenworth and Cashmere. Routine in no way describes my life. In fact, I thrive on spontaneity and change.

One other upcoming activity will be packing, an arduous task. I’ve accumulated way too many clothes in my closet, most of which will not accompany me to Mexico. A fifty pound limit goes fast with the weight of all the toiletries I bring with me, the majority of which are not available in Mexico. But I have my nifty, new Baggalini laptop bag which will replace my usual backpack. I used this bag on my trips to Canada this summer and was very pleased with the versatility.

I still have three weeks left until I leave. My calendar is filling up quickly, but I will try to post more often.

The Theme Tonight Is

Standard
The Theme Tonight Is

I’ve been working on the third part of my book. And I’m struggling with how to get to the ending. I’ve tried four or five different sequences of events and I’m not satisfied with any of them. I get these crazy ideas in the middle of the night and it’s wreaking havoc with my sleep pattern. I seem to do my best writing in the wee hours of the night.

I’ve been checking out the time changes. Here in Aguascalientes we are not springing ahead. But they are in Washington. Not sure what’s going on up in Canada. I’ll have to check because one of the Zoom groups I’m on is in Canada. Wouldn’t it be nice if the whole world was on the same time zone?

I was talking to one of my friends in Leavenworth last night. She’s moving to Wenatchee at the end of the month. We teach SAIL classes together and it will be nice to have her close by. I don’t really know many people in Wenatchee yet. Most of my friends are in Leavenworth, Dryden and Cashmere.

The weather has become incredibly hot here. Ninety degrees. The sun feels a lot stronger here too. Yesterday I met friends at a restaurant three blocks away from where I live. While I was able to walk mainly in the shade it was still hot, hot, hot! Then I see the photos of all the snow in California. I hope it’s gone by the time I get to Washington.

I need to get back to my writing. I just got another brilliant? idea. I’m listening to Eric Burdon and The Animals from back in the 60s. I wonder if that’s what inspired me.

By the way, I don’t live anywhere near Matamoros, although I have been there. It’s not one of my favorite border towns and what happened there this week doesn’t surprise me.

Happy Humpday!

Snow Kids Chocolate

Standard
Snow Kids Chocolate

The spring solstice was on March 21st. But I think winter has returned to tease us. Here in East Wenatchee we had daytime highs approaching 70 F for a couple of days. But now we’re back to 30s at night and 50s during the day. And there has been snow up on the mountains.

The above photo was yesterday in Leavenworth. The photo below was yesterday in East Wenatchee where it’s quite a bit warmer.

There is far less snow on the mountains and the trees are blooming more and more everyday.

Yesterday Joyce and I went out for lunch and wound up at the Wenatchee Valley Mall. We had a great time at Macy’s and Ross. Amazing how quickly two hours can go by at those two stores. And those sacks can get heavy too!

I’m still thinking about a couple of trips to Canada. Possibly next month if I can pin down some dates with my daughter in Kelowna. And, yes Winnipeg, you are also in the running. But I’ve just settled in here in East Wenatchee and am not overly anxious to pack up another suitcase and head out so fast.

Once in a while I like to embarrass my kids. I guess today is the day. This photo came up as a Facebook memory from 2010 before I left for Mexico. The occasion was Kimmy’s birthday.

Let’s talk time zones. For my friends reading this, Culiacan is now one hour ahead, Winnipeg and Aguascalientes you are two hours ahead, Indiana, Alabama, Maine and Toronto you are three hours ahead. Times like this I wish it was the same time everywhere. At least Kelowna is the same as Washington. I’m not sure what’s happening next year everywhere, but in Washington they’re doing away with the time change in the spring and fall.

Look what the chocoholic found at Costco the other day!

Yes I Moved Again

Standard
Yes I Moved Again

Hopefully this is the last Washington move. One night in Seattle, two nights in Leavenworth, one week in Dryden, four nights in Peshastin and now I’m in East Wenatchee.

I’ve unpacked one of my two suitcases. I got here Sunday evening so that’s not bad. The other suitcase has things like pastels and water colors. No time for that yet.

I went into Leavenworth yesterday for a SAIL class. Higher up in the mountains so it’s cooler and there is still snow. I’ll be going into Leavenworth again on Thursday for another class.

We watched House of Gucci last night. I am so glad I watched it in English. Had I watched it in Spanish in Mexico I would have missed a lot of the little nuances. Great movie and I highly recommend it.

For all my hometown friends in Canada…..you are now two hours ahead of me. That means I won’t be calling as regularly as when I was in Aguascalientes in the same time zone. Apparently Washington has also decided to do away with the time change starting in the fall.

The featured photo is the view from my street. I just can’t get enough of these mountains. Living on the flat Canadian prairies for so many years will do that to you. The mountains in Queretero always remind me of the ones here in Washington.

Things are looking better for traveling to Canada this year. Doing away with Covid tests to enter the country is a start. And Amtrak is going to start running to Vancouver again.

My thought for Humpday: