Herramientas or tools is a mouthful for most English-speakers, but a necessary word to master for living in Mexico. In order to manage our lawns in the US we have mowers – riding, push, electric, gasoline, and human powered. Then there are edgers, hedge trimmers, clippers, rakes, blowers and you can probably think of more. In Mexico there is the all-purpose machete. Our half acre of property was cleared in half a day by two men wielding blades. There is historical kinship to the sword. Revolutions have been fought and roads built by armies swinging a machete.
This week I purchased my very own machete. I figured that it would come in handy working on our property. With the upper body strength of a flea, I bought the smallest and most light-weight machete I could find. I then turned to that trusty educational source YouTube. I learned more than I could have imagined about the usefulness of this handy survival, self-defense, multi-tool. I’m off today to get it sharpened and then will attempt to not cut off any limbs, mine or anyone else’s. Wish me luck.
You go girl! Carefully!
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I won’t be clearing any lots soon, but I can build shoulder strength. I mostly want to trim by the dock and keep the agave from taking over.
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We are constantly impressed with the average Mexicano’s ability to wield an edge, from your machete workers to the women at mercados doing things with a butcher’s knife that would cost me fingers.
Keep up the good work, Alex!
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I want to get a good edge on it and then learn how to sharpen it myself. I’m sure the trick is to keep it really sharp. yikes.
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A couple of weeks ago, Alex asked me if I wanted to take a first aid class. My first response was why would I want to do that. NOW I know. I wonder if they teach stitches?
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Thanks for your vote of confidence Honey. We won’t have a contest of who’s had the most stitches. ;@)
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Nice piece. I love going to your Facebook page to see the sunrise of the day. We are all envious. -alicia
Sent from my iPad
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Greetings to all my friends from the Department of State Health Services. I think of you often.
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Hey Alex, Ive been reading and thinking about you all. And machetes are the jungle tool! Way back when I was n peace corps in Congo, that was the essential tool . Not of choice but of reality.
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Hey Lori, Glad to know you’re a follower. Thanks for commenting. We are having so much fun. Hope you and Mike will come for a visit sometime. Hugs round to Cardea. xxx Alex
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I love that you’re learning to use your new machete via YouTube.
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