Tag Archives: weekends

May20

Really? All That In One Weekend?

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Really? All That In One Weekend?

My suitcase finally did make it back into the closet. And it’s unpacked and all my laundry is done. But I want to clarify something first.

People have asked me what an essentials bank is. An essentials table or bank differs from a food bank. We do not give out food. We give out other necessities including shampoo, household cleaners, toilet paper, diapers and the like. Most of the cliental are Hispanic, so my knowledge of Spanish comes in handy.

Now I’ll move on to the weekend.

Friday night my church held an event called The Table. This is a time to celebrate community. We gather together to share a meal, listen to testimony and spend some quiet time with God in the form of praise and prayer. A beautiful way to begin the weekend.

Saturday afternoon we went to a concert in Wenatchee featuring the Apollo Club and the Eastmont High School choirs. Donations from this event go towards the Apollo club’s annual scholarship program for young aspiring musicians. Then we headed to Cashmere for a delicious dinner at the new Wild Huck. Final destination was an amazing bluegrass concert featuring Runaway Train.

Sunday morning was church. It’s so nice to attend in person rather than merely watching online. Fellowship is so important. Lunch was at Peking and then we took in a couple of garage sales.

It was a busy weekend.

Nov15

Hola de Aguascalientes

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Hola de Aguascalientes

Three flights and a bus trip. Every time I vow that it’s too exhausting I somehow do it again. And a big thank you to Alaska Airlines for bumping me up to First Class on number three. You’re my favorite airline.

Day four and I’m finally unpacked. I did it gradually this year instead of in a one day marathon. I didn’t have the energy or the inclination to do it any faster. I was also alternating trips to the corner tienda to stock my fridge and pick up other miscellaneous items.

The tienguis on Thursday was larger than the one when I left last spring. I think everyone is gearing up for Christmas here just like they’re doing up north. Of course the temperature was 84 degrees instead of the 44 when I left Wenatchee. The dreary rain has been replaced by brilliant sunshine.

Two new items in my room this year. Raul built me a desk. It’s much more comfortable than sitting in bed with my laptop. He also bought me a new microwave. I’m busy reading the manual in an attempt to improve my Spanish. That is huge. Those of you who know me are aware that I never read manuals.

I also started doing Duolingo again. After several months away, I need all the practice I can get, especially when it comes to grammar.

I watched a movie in Spanish this morning. My goal is to watch at least three a week. I don’t watch TV in English while I’m here and I don’t use subtitles when I watch movies in Spanish.

The two hour time difference was most welcome as it gave me a chance to get some badly needed sleep when I arrived. Of course it also means that I have to remember who is on which time zone now when I call my friends. Sorry about those 5 am texts some of you received the other day. It will get better.

I haven’t activated my Mexican number yet as I’ve decided to keep my American one. It’s a pain every spring when I return to Washington and have to get a new number. And I will get that Mexican chip going soon. It just isn’t a priority. There are people to see and places to go and that come first.

On Monday we have a holiday here – Revolution Day. And it’s also Buen Fin, the Mexican equivalent of Black Friday. The fun goes all weekend.

Speaking of weekends, have a good one!

Jul29

Ambassador Karen

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Ambassador Karen

Yesterday I was an ambassador. I spent six hours down by the river near the Icicle Bridge volunteering. It was hot and sunny but we were shaded under a canopy. Statistics were requested by the Chamber of Commerce in Leavenworth. Clicker poised in my hand, I counted just under 1700 people arriving at the site with boards, tubes and miscellaneous other flotation devices. Needless to say, traffic was extremely heavy at the 5 minute loading zone.

I call it a successful afternoon. Not one 911 call was needed and no wild animals invaded our area. I got to talk to a lot of interesting people who were only too eager to float down the river despite the high temperature and the sun mercilessly beating down on them. No. I didn’t talk to all 1700 of them but I did talk to quite a few. Also, many brought dogs with them and these animals happily frolicked in the water in the shallower areas.

Today was more relaxing and quite a bit cooler. We hid inside an air-conditioned movie theater and watched Twisters. It was quite captivating and the special effects were one thousand per cent better than in the original movie Twister.

What did you do this weekend?

Sep1

Friday, My Day

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Friday, My Day

This morning I was lazing in bed with coffee playing word games on my tablet, music by Phil Wickham in the background. It’s the first chance I’ve had to do that since I returned from Canada. Usually I’m up and out the door early. Saturday was Waterville, Sunday was church, on Monday I was out with Ann, on Tuesday I had a workshop with my writers’ group and then Tai Chi, on Wednesday I was off to Linda’s in Leavenworth and yesterday I was off to Leavenworth to teach a fitness class and then back to Wenatchee for Tai Chi. It’s so nice to have one day this week with absolutely nothing on the calendar.

Of course there are things I need to do today, among them online banking and catching up on emails. I also need to come up with something for my writers’ group meeting next week. And it’s also time to start checking out flights back to Mexico. So much for nothing on the calendar today.

My street looks like a war zone. New water pipes are being installed. Piles of dirt and heavy equipment make traveling down the street an obstacle course. They’ve been at it since back in May. We have the same two seasons here in Washington that they do in Winnipeg…..winter and construction.

Linda and I have been binge watching The Lincoln Lawyer. Last night I caught an old episode of Perry Mason. Those were the days when lawyers actually got innocent people off rather than getting guilty people off on technicalities. Our world has changed.

I’ve been watching the crazy weather and have pretty much decided to stay away from the coastal airports when I fly back to Mexico next month. I’m leaning towards Guadalajara again. I detest Mexico City anyways and have been reading about all the expected cancellations due to cutbacks on the number of daily flights allowed. I’ve been in Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta when there have been hurricanes and it wasn’t fun.

Have a safe and enjoyable long weekend!