The Fire Breathing Down On You

19 Jan

There isn’t a person in the country who didn’t look around their house this week and wonder what they’d do with a fire breathing down on them and the urgent need to evacuate. Grab the animals and the kids, not necessarily in that order, and in some cases not much else.

Emotional Reunion

Then there was the fire fighter, digging through the rubble of his destroyed house to find his wedding ring. And he found it!

Many, us included have donated to displaced families, firefighters, community centers and food distribution volunteers. The homes that burned belonged to both gazillionairs and regular folks. What was once clusters of small towns melded together to create the sprawling City of Los Angeles. Such a sad and daunting task to rebuild.

I have tried several times to stuff a go-bag for each of us. Ours are mostly for trips to the hospital, which happens way too frequently with three older women. Bags must be kept up to date which is a job unto itself.

Once my leg allows me more mobility, the plan is to go through the house and do a thorough clean out. Aging is the fire breathing down our necks and no time like the present to face it,

DOS TORTAS

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A Man Of Service

12 Jan

This week the US said goodbye to our 39th president, Jimmy Carter. At 100 years old he left the world a better place for his existence. His funeral featured loving remembrances from both the sons of Walter Mondale, his vice president and Gerald Ford, his political rival and dear friend. The grown sons read their fathers’ words in tribute to one of the greatest humanist our country has ever seen.

Habitat for Humanity volunteer,

In 1977, I was a young mother during his presidency. The country was living through an energy shortage. President Carter was one of the first to recognize the looming climate crisis. I remember in an address to the American people he suggested that we put on sweaters and turn down the thermostat. News stations openly ridiculed and made fun of him for his practical suggestion. I always liked him with his calm, caring demeanor.

1924-2024

I think Carter got in the last laugh as a certain president-elect got to sit through the accolades of a man who was referred to as an honest, gentle man who negotiated peace, gave immigrants a hand up and helped build homes for the needy.

Somehow Trump got cut out of the photo of all living presidents.

Thank you President Carter for showing us what a president with integrity could be like. I think the world has forgotten.

DOS TORTAS

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Let’s Skip 2024

5 Jan

Someday when I’m strolling down memory lane, sharing my life history with grands, or in my memoir, lol, I think I’ll skip over 2024. I see posts all over Instagram with smiling people flashing photos celebrating their accomplishments, weddings, vacations, reunions, you name it. I’ll pass thank you.

Truthfully the year wasn’t entirely a bust. Our out of the blue trip to Europe was over the top fun. I keep going back to the memories to get me through. It helps.

Amsterdam

Ever the optimist I’m always looking for the gifts and the lessons, even if doing so brings me to tears.

I learned not to dismiss my experience with “it could have been worse.” There’s so much going on in the world that people are dealing with. I try not to complain and take life one day at a time. Some days it’s all I can manage.

I learned to appreciate my wife who has done the lion’s share of taking care of me since my accident and running our house. She shops, cooks and does everything possible to facilitate my healing. I feel very loved.

Paris

I learned that accidents happen, whether it’s getting robbed twice in four months or tripping over my own feet. The longer I exist on the planet, the odds go up for a life changing event, sometimes not a good one.

So as we head into 2025 I feel optimistic. I was born on the 25th day of February in the year 1952 (2-25-52). I’m not sure if 2025 has any astrological significance but I’m holding out hope nonetheless for a vastly improved year.

DOS TORTAS

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Christmas Surprise

29 Dec

We kicked off Christmas morning sitting on our sun filled porch, quietly taking in the day. My MIL is very attached to opening gifts and she was gleefully tearing wrapping paper.

Merry Christmas Alice.

Suddenly our dog, Luna began barking frantically and we were shocked to see a dog standing in our yard. He was wet and shivering having just swum up out of the laguna. Where on earth did he come from?

A very sweet boy who we later discovered is named Oso.

In Mexico, Christmas is celebrated December 24 with family dinners, midnight mass and fireworks, It was the fireworks that sent Oso to our house and numerous other terrified doggos running and in the case of Oso, swimming for their lives. Poor things.

Another run away on Christmas Eve, a chihuahua named Larry. .
This beauty named Melon was also reported missing.

After posting notices on numerous community pages, we located Oso’s family. The reunion brought tears to our eyes as his excitement was demonstrated through whimpers, wiggles and wet kisses. Unfortunately there are no photos.

Melon and Larry also found their way home. We are lucky enough to be out of earshot of the fireworks in town. Many poor dogs are not so lucky.

DOS TORTAS

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Hi Ho Hum

22 Dec

It seems that the older I get, the less enthralled I am with the lights, the gifts, and the fuss. Even our little Mexican town of Bacalar has a Santa parade and school Christmas shows. We’re having some folks over for a potluck so I guess any excuse to gather with friends and family is worth it. However you spend your time, I hope it includes what gives you pleasure. Happy Holidays.

DOS TORTAS

Our first Christmas many moons ago.
Our three kids.
Me with my brother William. My finger is bandaged because I rocked on it while sitting in my rocking chair.
My mother. Isn’t she a beauty?

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Three Steps Forward Two Back

15 Dec

Healing is not a linear process. To do and not overdo takes trial and error and a lot of finesse. As I begin to put weight on my healing leg, pain and fatigue show up in unexpected ways and places.

In order to respect my body, I’m going to make this week’s blog short and sweet. I thought I’d post some of my artwork, none of which has been produced while I’ve been laid up. Stela has decided that my pens and sketchbook make a lovely place to nap.

Stela our blind pug.
One of my first attempts at painting on canvas.
A first abstract.
Collage
Much of my art is about the Laguna.
This one really spoke to me.
Mexican singer Lila Downs
Dark.

Have a good week, we got this!

DOS TORTAS

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What A Week What A Week

8 Dec

After two and a half months of being bound to my bed, and not in a fun way, Lisa and I ventured out of the house three times this week. While it might not seem like much to someone who can stand up and walk to the kitchen, it was a big deal for us.

When we built our house ten years ago, we built a ramp from our front door to the car. Our house itself is on one level but we live on a steep hill with parking up top.

Tropical paradise but not for a broken leg.

In true Mexican style, the ramp was built way too steep and not according to any regulations. Pushing my walker up it this week took strength and self control not to laugh.

Our three outings were 1) to the doctor.

The grey area is bone growth. Yeah.

2) A birthday party and…

Fun dinner with friends.

3) An hour drive to the coast to meet up with friends who were visiting Mexico by cruise ship.

Great friends from Austin.

So to say we are tired is an understatement. The doctor released me to begin putting weight on my leg in a week. Light at the end of the tunnel.

DOS TORTAS

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Visiting Notre Dame Cathedral

1 Dec

Watching Notre Dame burn in 2019 was heartbreaking. The entire world was horrified. When Lisa and I saw the news this week of the completed renovation and pending reopening, it sparked memories of our trip to Paris in March 2024.

April 2019 Stock photo

I know that the French get a bad rep, especially from entitled American tourists. Maybe the unfriendliness is true away from the city, but Paris was a delight for us. We stayed in a quaint boutique hotel behind the Louvre. The ancient “lift” took us to within two floors of our attic hideaway. The view was of the surrounding buildings, nothing to write home about but we enjoyed it immensely. The best part of the hotel stay, for me, was the daily warm baguettes for breakfast! I was in heaven.

View from the attic.

We are not foodies but enjoyed the waitstaff at every restaurant. They were multilingual, friendly and happy. One time we shared a table with a young couple from Mexico. They were living abroad for work and happy to speak Spanish.

St. Eustache

One of our stops was of course Notre Dame. We sat on the bleachers behind a plywood barrier, gazing upward at the scaffolding and the very busy workers. It was a gray day but we sat for a long time taking in both the sadness and the hope. It’s hard to believe it’s finished.

Artists across the Seine from the cathedral. Stock photo.

I guess we’ll have to go back. Of the five cities we visited on our whirlwind tour, London, Amsterdam, Paris, Munich and Salzburg, Paris was my favorite. And there’s so much we missed.

DOS TORTAS

PS Forgive my stock photos. All my pictures were stolen in my phone.

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Ten Years Living In Mexico

24 Nov

When we moved to the small jungle town of Bacalar in 2014, there was of course much to learn and adjust to. We were looking for a slower pace and to stretch our retirement dollars. I had gone to college in Central Mexico in the 70’s, travelled the country extensively, loved the culture and spoke Spanish. We loved the pyramids, fiestas and people, what could go wrong?

Small groceries are the best.
  1. Travel – there’s a small “international” airport forty minutes from our house. In 2014 I imagined catching a flight to Austin to celebrate family events, birthdays and holidays. I should have done more research. All flights out of Chetumal pass through Mexico City’s enormous and confusing Benito Juarez airport. Connecting flights are often impossible to make requiring over night stays and $$$. Additional travel considerations were not thought out with the addition of Lisa’s mom and two dogs. Alice can no longer travel by herself and the dogs and house require house sitters, even for a long weekend in Merida. Not to mention that flying is not as much fun as it used to be.
  2. Friendship – While I have talked about the challenges of making friends with expats, I haven’t talked about friendships with locals. Bacalar is small enough that shop owners, fellow gym rats and Lisa’s students and parents from the school she volunteers at, greet us warmly. Sometimes we get side-eye over who these foreigners are. It helps that Lisa’s Spanish has greatly improved. After ten years it’s nice to feel like we belong.
  3. Transportation – For me, Mexico has always been an example of public transportation at its finest. Buses, colectivos and taxis were frequent and economical. As the Mexican economy improved, people bought cars. Individual transportation is far more common today than ever before.
View from our dock.
Bus from 1975.
Flying into Mexico City

For the most part life here has been a joy. We have zero regrets. A crystal ball to predict Covid would have been nice. We also don’t have to deal directly with the current political climate in the US. Hopefully in a few more weeks I will be on my feet and life will look a bit more “normal”, whatever that is.

DOS TORTAS

Dreaming Of Pickleball

17 Nov

I found myself lying awake at two a.m. last night. The room was bright due to the full moon shimmering on the Laguna outside the window. The silence was palpable except for an occasional snort from our little pug. I love the quiet of night here in the Mexican jungle. Drifting in and out of sleep, I began visualizing myself healed, walking, swimming, squats and leg presses. I was seeing complete recovery from this broken leg that has kept me immobile for the last two months.

Visualization can be a powerful tool.

Last summer on our cruise to Alaska, I noticed a pickleball beginners’ class being offered on the upper deck of the ship. If you’ve been living under a rock for the past few years you might not be familiar with this cross between tennis and badminton, played on a smallish court with a large paddle. It is very popular with the grey goat population.

I’d been wanting to give it a try, seeing myself with some level of skill. Boy was I wrong! My cruise partner had brought his own paddle! Who does that? I’m not sure what the problem was but I couldn’t connect with the ball to save my life. I zigged and zagged trying to keep my eye on the darn ball. Back in the day, I used to play a decent game of tennis. That day is long gone.

Pickleball rules are very different from tennis.

My two a.m. visualization included playing pickleball. My feeble cruise attempt was fun in spite of making a fool of myself. I hear there’s a court in Bacalar. While I’m at it, I think I’ll visualize playing pickleball well. Ha ha. Might as well ask for what I want.

DOS TORTAS

Open link to watch.

v=smw4ekw089U&si=LMvK_nWZfHQWNx7j

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