Morning thoughts

I haven't been writing because of the holidays. They depress me. The hardest part of living in Mexico, for me, is being so far from my family. I have a son and daughter-in-law in Kansas. Talking for a few minutes on the phone just doesn't cut it. I don't have grandchildren or it would even be more difficult. Being away from family, and especially grandchildren is the biggest reason women go back to the USA to live. I have seen it many times.

The second hardest part for me is all the noise. We have a lull for a few days and I have been able to catch some sleep. But it will start up again now for the New Year's celebrations. On Christmas Eve, I thought a live band was playing in my neighborhood. I was awake until four in the morning. Finally, I stuck my head out the door to look for it. Two doors from my house was a bonfire in the street and three very drunk Mexican men were sitting on the sidewalk with their music blasting from the house.

During these holidays, many Mexicans celebrate the same way. And they leave ashes and burnt wood on the streets. Around six in the morning it was finally quiet. I fantasized about going to their house and blasting music in their windows so they couldn't sleep. But I did nothing. This is their country, not mine. And the holidays always remind me that I am a stranger here. An immigrant.

All the fireworks and noise made me start thinking about San Antonio Days. Last year it was twelve days of music, day and night. I found out that it starts June 13th this coming year. I have to be out of here for those days. Anyone out there wanting to hear some loud Mexican music and stay here and take care of Chico and Olive? Let me know if you do. HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!

Happy Holidays

Check out Olive, sleeping on my keyboard. That is her favorite place. 

Morning thoughts

I have been sick with a cold for over a week and staying home. I took a short walk to the San Antonio plaza this morning and noticed that the three altars dedicated to the Virgin of Guadalupe have been taken down. No wonder the fireworks have finally stopped. At least for a few days, until we get closer to Christmas. There are Christmas lights strung up in my neighborhood and I have watched two Christmas parades coming down my street at night. Both had fire engines blasting out their sirens. My dog was howling. He hates those high pitched noises. Each time I thought maybe one of my neighbors had a fire and I ran out to see where they were headed. Happily, I saw the parades instead. People were throwing candy to children from the backs of trucks and Christmas music was playing. Children were chasing after them. Would have put me in the mood for the holidays if I hadn't been so sick.

This morning I took Chico for a short walk to the Plaza and I took a few photos of the decorations and the stands.

Morning thoughts, What can I eat????

I went to the Wednesday market this morning for my weekly food shopping. Came back with nothing more than a small bunch of watercress. All because of my new diet. A few weeks ago I decided to try to go Vegan. That didn't work out so well. I couldn't keep to all the restrictions. I was okay with no meat, chicken or sea food.  Not so okay with no butter, milk, or cheese. I was told to eat lots of beans. And greens. That didn't work out so well either.  I had to stay home most of the time.

Since I have no thyroid, I checked what I should eat, or not, eat for that kind of diet. No cruciferous vegetables: broccoli, kale, spinach, cabbage, Brussels sprouts. (There goes the majority of the greens). No processed foods, sugar, soy and very few beans. I don't think I will miss all those beans.  So now almost everything has been crossed off my list. Except watercress and sprouts. I AM HUNGRY.

Ajijic Wednesday market

Rental/Sales/management agency

My friend Feliza Ornelas Ruiz just opened up her own agency a few doors down from my apartment. She has been helping people find rentals since 2004. She also has repair people and management people, an interpreter, and help with building projects.

Her phone number is 331 307 4977. Her address is Gonzales Gallo 64D. Her hours are 10 am to 2 pm. Monday through Friday.

Mexican Revolution Day Celebration

Mexican Revolution Day celebrations went on all day in San Antonio. They celebrate after the holiday. Parties all around me. Band playing in the plaza all day and still going on. The parade past a few steps from my house. Here are some photos of the parade.

Morning Thoughts

Yesterday, I went to Costco in Guadalajara with friends. I find Costco overwhelming. I usually shop at the small local grocery stores or outside markets. Nuts are expensive here. I wanted to buy a big bag of nuts. I knew they would be less expensive in Costco. A big bag of walnuts, 20 dollars. It went into my cart. A big bag of almonds, 20 dollars. It went into my cart. Then I discovered a big bag of mixed nuts, 20 dollars. Into my cart. Hummus in 20 tiny sealed cans. I could take it to the spa. 12 dollars. Into my cart. Olives, a monster bottle for 10 dollars. But I had to buy two bottles, not one. Into my cart. Two big boxes of freezer bags, 5 dollars. Into my cart. A big bag of greens, 5 dollars. Into my cart.

As I was walking towards the check out stand, I was slowly coming out of my Costco greed fog and started thinking about what I was doing. I had almost a hundred dollars worth of groceries and only a few different items. And I knew that most of it would just sit on my shelves and get stale before I could eat it. And what about the rest of my grocery list? Was I going to spend 200 dollars or more just to check off my list?

 How could I possibly eat three huge bags of nuts? Costing me 60 dollars. Out go the bags of nuts. And I can make most likely better tasting and fresher hummus for far less at home and put it in small containers for the  spa. Out goes the hummus. I can't possibly eat two monster jars of olives. One tiny jar lasts for a couple of months. Out go the olives. I am shedding groceries like a snake shedding skin. I ended up at the check out stand with just the greens and the freezer bags. Feeling much richer.

I have been trying out a vegan diet so the only thing I could eat on their food menu was a Caesar salad. And I would have had to throw away the meat and cheese, leaving me only lettuce and tomatoes for 4 dollars. So I broke the diet for an apple strudel. My friend reminded me that there was probably butter and eggs in the crust.
This is my third week of going Vegan and the first time I really felt deprived. I always loved the hot dogs in Costco. I would have made a special trip there just for a hot dog. But I am doing my best to stick to the diet for awhile longer. Every time I think of having meat, I picture a you tube video where the cows were running towards a person in the field who was playing the piano. Then they swayed as the music surrounded them.

Morning thoughts ----- Buen Fin

All the years I have lived here, I think twelve now, I have not heard about Buen Fin. Until this year. I was told about it by way of Jack, my friend and a person who has only lived here two years at the most. He was told about it from his Spanish teacher. And now I see it everywhere. On signs, in store windows, in stores, and online. It is Mexico's equivalent of our Black Friday. Except it lasts longer here. From Nov. 15th through the 18th.

This information sent us on a wild goose chase to Sorianas to buy two bottles of good tequila. Since neither Jack nor I drink more than one bottle a year, we decided to split the cost and splurge on the best. We were under the impression that it would be two for one. And that there would be a massive crowd waiting outside the store like what happens in the USA. And that even the bar owners buy their liquor there because it is so cheap.

But we arrived to a normal day in the store. Sure there were massive amounts of liquor for sale. The good stuff, the expensive stuff wasn't sitting out. Just empty boxes. I guess you had to take the empty box to the check out stand in order to get the liquor. But no anxious bar owners were standing around.

Because it wasn't two for one. It was three for two. That brought up the cost significantly. Plus, we didn't want three bottles. We also would have had to split that third bottle. We lost interest and ended up grocery shopping. The prices there are in line with Walmart. Interesting morning anyway. BUEN FIN.......   no expensive tequila for me and that is just as well.

Féria Del Arte photos