Archive | June, 2018

Summer in Bacalar

24 Jun

It’s that time of year again here in southern Mexico. The rainy season is upon us in full force with almost daily showers. Our gardens and the jungle are lush, green and beautiful with new growth and flowers everywhere. There is something about the rain. We could water everyday but nothing is quite like a soaking rain. You can see the ferns and palms smiling. 

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I would love to walk around the yard and take pictures. However, the mosquitoes are the size of pterodactyls, no kidding! This morning I put on long sleeves and sprayed myself in a cloud of insecticide and they were undeterred. Dog walks are getting shorter and shorter.

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Hibiscus are called tulipani here.

This is the time of year that most foreigners head for cooler climes. There isn’t a Canadian to be found. My brother in the hills of North Carolina has record flooding. Colorado has fires. Where on earth could we go? I guess we’ll stay right here.

The end of July I head to Northern California. Our daughter has been hospitalized with preeclampsia. She is thirty-one weeks pregnant on Tuesday and the goal is at least thirty-four weeks. This certainly wasn’t the plan. We are grateful for everyday the twins get bigger and stronger. Please keep her and her family in your prayers.

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Even the fountain is getting overgrown. 

I am doing my best to hole up and knit baby socks and hats. One of my favorite pastimes. Until next week…

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DOS TORTAS 
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Mal Tiempo In Bacalar (Bad Weather)

17 Jun

We returned from our trip to California Disneyland to Bacalar in the midst of a torrential downpour. Flying from the west coast to Cancun is always long and tiring. We had parked our car with a friend in Puerto Morelos, about a half hour from the airport. Having risen at 3:30 am Pacific Time we were ready to be home. The rain didn’t help.

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Princess Sophia with grandmas in Disneyland.

Showers, some heavy, continued off and on through Saturday when I had the Swim Marathon, three/quarters of a mile (1250m) across Laguna Bacalar (The Gods Were With Us). 1200 competitors took off in waves according to age and gender under gray skies and occasional thunder. Closing on the finish line, rain pummeled and waves swelled. This race would never have taken place in the US.

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Open water swim in Bacalar.

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Prior to the race, coming out of the portable toilet I noticed a group of women with their timing chips attached in the wrong place. Striking up a conversation, they were from Austin, TX USA, my home town. They were four women swimmers in a group of eleven who had traveled here for the race. How fun to connect with them.

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Managing to get in some training before leaving for California.

Today is a day of recovery. We have been busy! A shout out to Lisa’s great-aunt Edna who follows us from Alaska. She sent me the quote of the week. She is spot on. Enjoy!

 DOS TORTAS
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But That’s Not The Right Way

10 Jun

When we moved to Mexico almost five years ago, we rented the lower level of a house from a US/Mexican couple. They lived upstairs. Joe, the owner of the house, used to complain loudly that the housekeeper swept the floor “wrong”. 

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This week the Tortas travelled to California and Disneyland to hang with our son and his family.

In this part of the world, people sweep by pushing a broom away from them. Joe insisted that it destroyed the broom which he had to replace frequently and no matter how many times he explained the “right” way, the housekeeper did it HER way.

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Grandma and Sophia.

So if you are considering a move to Mexico, remember that your way just may not be the right way to other people. I have found this to be true for my children, friends and neighbors as well. For some unknown reason they rarely see the practicality of doing things MY way.

 

And yet I persist. The last time I saw my oldest son, against my better judgment, I made a suggestion.  Nope, it has never improved our relationship in the past and I’m not sure why I thought it would this time.

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Birthday dinner with Cullen.

Accepting people exactly as they are, wherever they live, however they sweep or do anything, goes a long way to producing harmony, both theirs and mine. Actually, this revolutionary practice just might change the world.

DOS TORTAS

Please add my daughter’s family to your prayers. She is in the hospital with preeclampsia. We need to keep the babies in for a few more weeks. Think four more weeks!

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Rethinking Adventure

3 Jun

Life rarely turns out the way one expects. Lately, The ADVENTURES of Dos Tortas have consisted of walking the dogs, taking Lisa’s mom to physical therapy and recuperating from la gripa. 

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Alice has her cast off and is working to regain use of her hand and arm.

Our recent travels have been to visit family and the VA Clinic in Austin.
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Our youngest son showing off his new glasses.

Next week we go to Disneyland for a week with the grandchildren and in August our daughter in Northern California is expecting twins, a different kind of adventure.
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One of the first rules of blogging is to narrow your subject and STICK TO IT.  Life in Mexico is looking more like life in the airport.
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No complaining, we feel extraordinarily blessed. This week I made the mistake of noticing that the blog post Held Hostage In Mexico has had 938 views. People are suckers for sensationalism. My boring blogs have far fewer hits. So a note to you faithful readers, life is taking some twists and turns. I hope you’ll hang with me. Perhaps adventure is a bit overrated.
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