Tag Archives: Washington State

Jan12

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?
View all responses
Dec31

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!

Oct21

Flights Booked

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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.

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.

Jul11

I Did What?

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I Did What?

I’ll try anything once. I may decide to never do it again but there’s no harm in trying something new. So I did just that.

The North Central Washington library offers some really interesting programs. I’ve done several on Zoom. The speakers and topics have all been great but the events I enjoy the most are the craft programs offered in person. I try to take advantage of as many as I can while up here in the spring and summer.

I was volunteering at the book sale in Cashmere on Founders Day when an event on the calendar caught my eye. Woodburning Coaster. Sounds intriguing. I know what a coaster is. But I claim ignorance of woodburning. I registered for the event.

Upon arrival I had to sign a waiver. Etching in wood with a hot pyrography pen can be dangerous. If I burned myself there would be no lawsuit. I’m Canadian. We don’t embrace lawsuits in the same way as Americans. So I eagerly completed and signed the waiver although I noticed other participants hesitantly complying.

I tentatively put on the silicone finger protectors provided and gingerly picked up the pen from its stand. Hmmmmm. I’d best stick to straight lines and curly lines. My attempt at a circle was unsuccessful. Practice time was now over and I flipped to the other side of the coaster where I would create my masterpiece.

I quickly concluded that freestyle was the way to go rather than drawing a design with a pencil. I experimented with different pressures and different strokes. The time went by quickly and I was pleased with the result. Not bad for a rookie!

And I might even try it again.

Jul5

From One Extreme To Another

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From One Extreme To Another

I was in Winnipeg for two months. It rained at some point every single day and the temperatures were cool with the odd 70 degree sneaking in. Here in Washington it’s sunny and temperatures are in the 90s predicted to reach 100 in the next few days. I prefer to be here.

Last weekend I volunteered at a book sale in Cashmere on Founders Day for Friends of the Cashmere Library. We raised just under $1000, up from last year’s $600. The money goes towards funding the amazing programs this library offers. I’m actually registered for a woodburning coaster event this coming week. Other programs I’ve attended in the past have included such activities as pastels and painting with acrylics.

It was great to be back at my writers group the other day at the Wenatchee Senior Center. What a variety of writing was presented at this meeting! Members come from all walks of life as well as very different places. Poetry, memoirs, fiction, non-fiction……………it’s all here and the two hours flies by quickly.

Another highlight of the week for me was going back to Shears in Leavenworth to have my hair done. I know. There are salons in East Wenatchee. But Lisa knows my hair and I don’t mind going a few towns away every few weeks to pamper myself. Another bonus is that Linda and I pick up lunch at Dan’s and then go back to her place to visit and binge-watch Netflix.

And yes, I’ve been back to Costco a couple of times and we won’t even discuss clothes or the bag of Hershey kisses I bought. But I did pass on the dark chocolate sea salt caramels LOL.

Cashmere Valley Bank I am annoyed with you. I got a new debit card from my Canadian bank and you wouldn’t accept it at your ATM. But Numerica did. I guess I have a new favorite bank now.

Please pray for my friends in Mexico as Hurricane Beryl bears down on them today.

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!

Apr9

Back in Washington

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Back in Washington

Coming back after 6 months away is always a blur of adjusting and getting organized. We’re actually going to hit 60 today which is a far cry from 87. My sciatica is complaining. But in time it will settle down. It wasn’t exactly thrilled with the 4 hour flight back from Mexico.

I’m unpacked and getting organized. I went to AT&T and got my phone number for the year. I’ve been busy texting and messaging my new number to friends. My What’s App stays on my Mexican number. Also have been dealing with credit card companies to register the new number and access my online accounts. They don’t like it when I change countries and phone numbers as often as I do.

Adjusting to an English world. The only Spanish I’ve done since I’m back is on Duolingo, although I have texted friends in Mexico in Spanish.

Only one trip to Costco so far in terms of shopping. Joyce and I are going to Dollar Tree tomorrow after lunch at the Senior Center. I don’t really miss Waldo’s in Mexico and much prefer the American version of a dollar store.

Did a Bible study with my life group on Zoom this morning. We’re planning on getting together in person later in the month. Not everyone lives in Wenatchee or East Wenatchee so it does take some planning.

I just came home from a SAIL Lunch and Learn and it was nice to reconnect with everyone after several months away. But I don’t intend to do any teaching until I get back from Canada in June. Did I say Canada? Yes I’m back on a plane in 3 weeks to head up north.

Speaking of planes, I didn’t get sucked out of my window seat on the Boeing 737 on my way back from Mexico. No blown tires, cracked windshields or missing parts of the fuselage either. Great flights that left on time and arrived early. Even Immigration welcomed me back.

Yesterday was definitely one of the highlights of my first week back. I traveled to Leavenworth to Shears for my hair appointment. Lisa always has her hands full dealing with the mess the Mexican hairstylists make and she had her hands full yesterday. But as usual she did an amazing job.

Yesterday in Leavenworth I also got to see Linda. We picked up sandwiches at Dan’s and settled in to watch the Virgin River Christmas episodes. We’re also making plans to attend the Leavenworth Summer Theater productions.

I have a CPR refresher on Thursday and then I will finally have a day to relax on Friday, if you call doing laundry and housecleaning relaxing.

Another highlight was going in person to Sage Hills Church on Sunday. So much nicer than on-line. And I got to meet some of the women from my Zoom life group in person as well.

Sunday afternoon Clairesse and I went to Blue Spoon for some delightful frozen yogurt. We had a lot to catch up on. That happens when you don’t see each other for 6 months.

Sunday night Christina and I watched a movie together. We decided that Sunday nights will be movie nights while I’m here.

I haven’t even looked at my WIP since I’ve been back. I had a lot more time for writing when I was in Mexico. But that’s okay. I still have friends to see and places to go and things to do. And I have writers’ group next week!

And my dear tree in Cashmere, I haven’t forgotten you. I promise I’ll come visit you really soon.

Mar10

March 14

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March 14

March 14. Pi Day. The Greek symbol for 3.14 is π, and 3.14 are the first three digits of Pi. It’s hard to believe that a symbol for a mathematical concept has become somewhat of a national holiday celebration. But back in 1988, a man named Larry Shaw was working at The Exploratorium, a science museum in San Francisco. He declared that Pi Day be celebrated on March 14. Years later on March 11, 2009 the U.S. House of Representatives made it official by declaring that March 14 be National Pi Day. Students, teachers, mathematicians and science geeks are very much aware of the significance of Pi Day. I’m not as interested in going into all the detail about circles and calculus as they are. But it’s interesting to note that March 14 is also Albert Einstein’s birthday.

March 14. The Ides of March. This dates back to ancient Roman times when March 14 was thought of as a day of doom and gloom. Bad things happened on that date commonly also associated with a full moon. I first became aware of The Ides of March in middle school when we studied Julius Caesar, a play by William Shakespeare. A soothsayer warned Caesar, a Roman dictator, to “beware The Ides of March.” Sure enough, Caesar was assassinated on March 14, 44 BC.

That’s your history lesson for this month.

On another note, I’m down to my last month in Mexico before I return to Washington state. That means the snow and cold have less than a month to disappear before I get back. I’m afraid that hearing temps have soared up to 50 does not create the enthusiasm for me as it does for Washingtonians. I’ve become accustomed to 80s. At least I have a closet full of warm clothes awaiting me.

Alexa:

What’s the difference between a cat and a comma? A cat has claws at the end of its paws and a comma is a pause at the end of a clause

Have a great Sunday!

Nov21

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Happy Thanksgiving!

One of the reasons I live where I do here in Mexico is because I want to totally immerse myself in the Mexican lifestyle rather than in the gringo visiting Mexico lifestyle. In my neighborhood very little English is spoken so I have the opportunity to really focus on speaking Spanish. I don’t care what language you speak but it is customary to speak faster in your own native language. I often find myself saying to Mexicans the expression “mas despacio, por favor.”

I also practice speaking Spanish to my Uber drivers. But today I had a very different experience. My Uber driver was Mexican and spoke fluent English. Why? Because he lived in Seattle for sixteen years. Not often that I find a Washingtonian around here. He told me he used to go to Leavenworth and Wenatchee often. He misses Seattle but came back here to Aguascalientes to care for his parents during Covid. He hopes to someday return to Seattle.

I am helping a cafe owner with English. He is a musician and teaches here in Aguascalientes. However he also played with a group on a cruise ship for two months. He has once again been offered a job on another cruise ship so he really wants to practice his English. His wife speaks very little English and I will be doing inter-cambio with her. I really look forward to that because we will both have the opportunity to practice talking with native speakers.

Thursday is American Thanksgiving. I have fond memories of spending this holiday in Mazatlan and in Guadalajara with friends. This year I will be eating at Country Break with my Mexican friends. Hamburgers are on the menu rather than turkey. And that’s okay. I was talking to one of my Wenatchee friends on the phone and we decided we’re going to do a turkey dinner when I get back in the spring.

Happy Thanksgiving to all my American friends. When we look around at all the chaos in the world today, we need to count our blessings for all that we have. And we definitely have a lot to be thankful for. Actually, every single day of our lives should be a day of Thanksgiving. And if you are celebrating the holiday with family, you are even more blessed.

Happy Thanksgiving!