Morning Thoughts---Happy Halloween

This morning the cohetes (fireworks) started going off at five in the morning. When they go off, my neighbor's big dog freaks out and throws herself against a set of heavy wooden doors. It sounds like someone is trying to break into my place. Then all the neighborhood dogs start barking. This same dog has puppies and they start crying early. They cry on and off all day. It seems like hours at a time. Probably only twenty minutes.  I have a hard time ignoring crying puppies so time stretches out. I don't know how the Mexicans can ignore their desperate cries. And I was worried about Chico barking up a storm and getting us kicked out. He rarely barks. He can't see the street so he just sits quietly on the bed, happy. Maybe all that barking tired him out. Too much responsibility, guarding such a huge two story home. Now he can just relax. 

Also, the neighbor starts her washing machine often at five a.m. or eleven at night. It sounds like it is in my yard. But I have friends living in mansions and they too have problems with noise. If I start getting irritated, I put in my ear plugs and say a prayer of thanks that everything else here is perfect for me and my rent is only a hundred and fifty dollars a month. That makes up for all the noise. 

I hope some children come by for trick or treating this evening. I am ready with some candy and my camera. I know there are lots of children living in this neighborhood.  There are more small houses here than where I used to live. It is much poorer. But people are always out on the street and they seem happy. Everyone always says hello. Even the tough looking young men who hang out at night on the street corner smoking pot. 

My friend Virginia is moving here today and she will pass out the candy while I take the pictures. The altars will be up on the first and second in Chapala. I will go on the second and on the third I take the bus to San Blas.  I hope it won't be as rainy over there. Virginia and her daughter Allie will be staying here while I am gone, and most likely it won't be over one week. The jejenes usually drive me back home in a week. 

HAPPY HALLOWEEN EVERYONE!

Vino Blanco's Baby

For you long time readers, I have an updated story about Vino Blanco's baby. It was about five years ago that she had a baby boy. She belonged to Pedro at the time. After a few days the man who was taking care of Vino Blanco and her baby told Pedro that the baby died. We were all very sad. Yesterday I ran into the new owner, Yves. He showed me photos of a grown up white donkey. He said that it was the baby that belonged to Vino Blanco. That he didn't die. There were bad scars all over his body from being used to bring wood down from the mountain all these years. Yves recognized his birthmarks. He took the baby, now grown up, back to his restaurant. So if you would like to see them together, go to Yves Restaurant out in West Ajijic. I like to hear stories with happy endings. Yves said that Vino Blanco was so excited to see her baby again. 

Morning Thoughts. Day of the Dead

The Day of the Dead will soon be here. Unfortunately, I missed the Zombie dance on Saturday. I hope I can make it to some of the other festivities. I will take lots of photos and put them on here. After it is all over, I am taking a trip to San Blas to visit with my friend Pat. San Blas was bypassed by the hurricane. I don't know how much writing I will be doing on my trip nor how long I will be gone. I may decide to visit some other cities in Mexico after the jejenes run me out of San Blas. I am not even sure if I am taking my I pad. I don't want to worry about it. I will see how I feel as I get closer to time for me to leave here. I have two friends house sitting for me so it is a perfect opportunity to travel. So if I don't write for a long while, know that I am traveling and taking photos to share at a later date. 

Morning Thoughts--Hurricane Patricia

I think this area avoided major damage. But I haven't gotten any news yet. I stayed in my house all day yesterday, listening to the rain and worrying about what was to come. This morning it is very quiet and the rain is gone. When it gets light out there I will walk to Salvador's restaurant. Maybe I can learn some things by listening in on the Saturday morning breakfast crowd. Chico really needs to get out of the house. Me too. 

I have plans to visit San Blas after the first of November. My friend Pat over there wrote last night that they didn't have to evacuate and they weren't getting much rain either. What a relief!    

Morning Thoughts

I am now settled into my new home. Except for buying a washer and dryer. Okay, maybe a couple of ceiling fans too. I love being so close to the market and the bus. I love having a kitchen. I love having privacy. Chico and Olive both seem happy here. 

So many people wrote to me after I put on photos of my place. Wishing me well and complimenting me on my new home. I was surprised and happy. I sometimes get lonely and it is good to know that there are people in the world who care about what happens to me. That is such a gift.

The Day of the Dead is coming soon. I will take photos of some of the events and write about it for Access Lake Chapala. Then my friend Virginia is going to stay here and take care of the animals while I make a short trip to visit my friend Pat in San Blas. I will stay a week or so, if the jejenes don't drive me out sooner. 

I just wanted to thank everyone who wrote to me about my new place and wished me well.   Thank you!

My New Home

I spent seven days sitting by my front door, waiting for the man to show up to connect me to the Internet. He came yesterday. Now I am free again. I am going to put some photos on of my new home. I still don't know how to use this program so I can't write next to the photos. I will put them on in order of coming in the front door. I made a bedroom out of my living room so I will have a place for my friends when they visit. The second room is my kitchen and last is my other bedroom. It has a bathroom and opens out into my little garden. The first bedroom has a half bath. This is all my furniture. Chico and Olive are happy here. I am too.