Occasional thoughts from a neophyte political junky living in two different worlds
Reflections on the last few days….
Posted 04-16-2010 at 11:31 PM by SarahSal
April 16, 2010
Bucerias, Mexico
Seems like legions of the so-called ‘snowbirds’ are leaving this week, driving or flying back to the colder regions of the US and Canada. It’s sad to see some folks go but once they do, you tend to feel like you’ve got the real Mexico back!
Yesterday I left mid-afternoon, menos los perros Rosie y Miga, because it was very hot and I didn’t want them to suffocate in the car. Naturally they cried pitifully as I left, especially Rosie who lives for her rides in the car! Went to the phone company downtown, and as usual, there was a long line at the machine. The guard there is always so helpful in dealing with machine paying – but right in front of me was my Mexicana neighbor Teri, who snatched my bills out of my hands and proceeded to punch the numbers in while telling me what she was doing – then finding me change (they don’t take 500 peso notes) from the smiling guard and someone else.. Oh my God, do I look that helpless? I think not – it’s Mexico and people here are just extraordinarily helpful!
From there, on to the friendly lavanderia (as opposed to the ‘Nazi’ lady lavanderia) to drop off the laundry. I thought this load would be mucho but the slip showed only 65 pesos (about 5 bucks). This is my special treat for the week – having the laundry done then picking it up all neatly folded and compressed into a big plastic bundle/bag, which I then re-purpose as a garbage bag! And, what with composting and burning of paper stuff, I end up with one very tiny bag of garbage every week for our NEW garbage collectors plus I haven’t bought a roll of garbage bags in well over 3 months! I also surreptitiously carry a bundle of plastic grocery bags in my big pocketbook, mi bolsa, which I reuse over and over again. The lady at my little tienda/store down the street knows my habits now and always asks me for SU bolsa if I forget to pull them out at the counter.
Next stop ---- the dreaded Mega; super-sized, ultra-modern grocery store, always filled with hoards of people milling and rushing about. It is SO non-Mexico to me but necessary for basic stuff like DOG food, decent meat, and tequila and rum and BUTTER, etc. (If we were vegans, we could survive very nicely with only items from my little tienda – cause they now have regular COFFEE!) Somehow I always end up spending over 1000 pesos at Mega –about $90 USD! Preparing for Tom’s arrival I stocked up on veggies, meat and chicken and pork to make some good stuff while he’s here. (I survive on tuna, soup, fruit and tortillas while he’s gone) Also bought for the very first time (here), a chocolate cake mix. Hope Tomas remembers to bring the gingerbread mixes for gingerbread cookies with genuine chocolate bits! Those items you cannot get here – unless you go to Walmart, which on principle I resist doing unless it’s essential. Chocolate bits don’t meet that criteria.
As I was pushing my cart towards the car and trying to propel it up over the curb, an older Mexicano gentleman with a crippled leg - and in a walker - offered to help me. I protested but he grabbed the cart handle and helped me pull it up. Muchas gracias, Senor, whoever you are.
Always liked the phrase “acts of random kindness….” You see that a lot here.
Back home to two wild beasts who behaved as though I’d been gone for a month!
Thank God for Gabriel who helped me carry all my aborrotes up to the second floor – the ONLY thing that I don’t like about my sweet little house in the trees. It’s a long climb up the steps to ‘Casita Los Arboles’, my very own ‘Stairmaster’ house.
This morning a good friend came over to swim her daily laps and another neighbor came by for coffee. I am so, so lucky to have such nice friends nearby – all no more than 1-5 minutes away. It’s so funny that folks choose to locate here to be near the beach. Then when they discover the beautiful countryside only a mile from the ocean, many decide to move away from the crowds and be more private. You don’t miss seeing the ocean that much, most agree, and you can always drive there in a flash. The Nayarit countryside is very serene and very green. I love waking up to see the palms and huge old line of mango trees out my window.
The big event of the day today was the bathing of Rosie and Miga, decidedly two of the stinkiest, dirtiest dogs in our neighborhood. Funny but they don’t look it – their coats are such a shiny black they look like they’ve been oiled! Dare to put your hand on their coats though and it’s soap and hot water immediamente! So Gabriel and I mixed up the shampoo, grabbed the scrub brush – then had to find them cause they were hiding/ They knew something was up – something unpleasant, perhaps something painful. Amazingly, they were quite good, actually very compliant! We finished that job fairly quickly, after which they both slinked off, probably embarrassed by how they smelt. No mas olor malo!
After that I went swimming – actually I went swimming several times today. It IS getting hotter. That also means the time is running short – not long before the return trip back to the good ole USA. Then decisions about what’s next – one month there then back here – or maybe to Chapala? It’s a thorny decision time, mulling over giving up a home in the states – and a horse for Mexico solimente. I’ll think about that manana.
The cutest thing happened today as Gabriel, prepared to leave for the day. He came over and said, “Tango regalo para ti’ ( a present for me??). It was a little bottle of car freshener! Too sweet. He is such a gracious, young guy (“honesto y muy noble” according to our contractor) – his now deceased mom who bore 9 children sure did a fantastic job raising him!
And, that’s it – fairly unexciting stuff but a few days in the life of me.
Manana is market day next door at the Rancho.. Hope it’s as good as last time – I plan to stock up on some organic veggies and fresh baked bread and goodies to put in the freezer for Tomas’ return on Thursday.
I know, I’m a very lucky woman living our dream in paradise.
Bucerias, Mexico
Seems like legions of the so-called ‘snowbirds’ are leaving this week, driving or flying back to the colder regions of the US and Canada. It’s sad to see some folks go but once they do, you tend to feel like you’ve got the real Mexico back!
Yesterday I left mid-afternoon, menos los perros Rosie y Miga, because it was very hot and I didn’t want them to suffocate in the car. Naturally they cried pitifully as I left, especially Rosie who lives for her rides in the car! Went to the phone company downtown, and as usual, there was a long line at the machine. The guard there is always so helpful in dealing with machine paying – but right in front of me was my Mexicana neighbor Teri, who snatched my bills out of my hands and proceeded to punch the numbers in while telling me what she was doing – then finding me change (they don’t take 500 peso notes) from the smiling guard and someone else.. Oh my God, do I look that helpless? I think not – it’s Mexico and people here are just extraordinarily helpful!
From there, on to the friendly lavanderia (as opposed to the ‘Nazi’ lady lavanderia) to drop off the laundry. I thought this load would be mucho but the slip showed only 65 pesos (about 5 bucks). This is my special treat for the week – having the laundry done then picking it up all neatly folded and compressed into a big plastic bundle/bag, which I then re-purpose as a garbage bag! And, what with composting and burning of paper stuff, I end up with one very tiny bag of garbage every week for our NEW garbage collectors plus I haven’t bought a roll of garbage bags in well over 3 months! I also surreptitiously carry a bundle of plastic grocery bags in my big pocketbook, mi bolsa, which I reuse over and over again. The lady at my little tienda/store down the street knows my habits now and always asks me for SU bolsa if I forget to pull them out at the counter.
Next stop ---- the dreaded Mega; super-sized, ultra-modern grocery store, always filled with hoards of people milling and rushing about. It is SO non-Mexico to me but necessary for basic stuff like DOG food, decent meat, and tequila and rum and BUTTER, etc. (If we were vegans, we could survive very nicely with only items from my little tienda – cause they now have regular COFFEE!) Somehow I always end up spending over 1000 pesos at Mega –about $90 USD! Preparing for Tom’s arrival I stocked up on veggies, meat and chicken and pork to make some good stuff while he’s here. (I survive on tuna, soup, fruit and tortillas while he’s gone) Also bought for the very first time (here), a chocolate cake mix. Hope Tomas remembers to bring the gingerbread mixes for gingerbread cookies with genuine chocolate bits! Those items you cannot get here – unless you go to Walmart, which on principle I resist doing unless it’s essential. Chocolate bits don’t meet that criteria.
As I was pushing my cart towards the car and trying to propel it up over the curb, an older Mexicano gentleman with a crippled leg - and in a walker - offered to help me. I protested but he grabbed the cart handle and helped me pull it up. Muchas gracias, Senor, whoever you are.
Always liked the phrase “acts of random kindness….” You see that a lot here.
Back home to two wild beasts who behaved as though I’d been gone for a month!
Thank God for Gabriel who helped me carry all my aborrotes up to the second floor – the ONLY thing that I don’t like about my sweet little house in the trees. It’s a long climb up the steps to ‘Casita Los Arboles’, my very own ‘Stairmaster’ house.
This morning a good friend came over to swim her daily laps and another neighbor came by for coffee. I am so, so lucky to have such nice friends nearby – all no more than 1-5 minutes away. It’s so funny that folks choose to locate here to be near the beach. Then when they discover the beautiful countryside only a mile from the ocean, many decide to move away from the crowds and be more private. You don’t miss seeing the ocean that much, most agree, and you can always drive there in a flash. The Nayarit countryside is very serene and very green. I love waking up to see the palms and huge old line of mango trees out my window.
The big event of the day today was the bathing of Rosie and Miga, decidedly two of the stinkiest, dirtiest dogs in our neighborhood. Funny but they don’t look it – their coats are such a shiny black they look like they’ve been oiled! Dare to put your hand on their coats though and it’s soap and hot water immediamente! So Gabriel and I mixed up the shampoo, grabbed the scrub brush – then had to find them cause they were hiding/ They knew something was up – something unpleasant, perhaps something painful. Amazingly, they were quite good, actually very compliant! We finished that job fairly quickly, after which they both slinked off, probably embarrassed by how they smelt. No mas olor malo!
After that I went swimming – actually I went swimming several times today. It IS getting hotter. That also means the time is running short – not long before the return trip back to the good ole USA. Then decisions about what’s next – one month there then back here – or maybe to Chapala? It’s a thorny decision time, mulling over giving up a home in the states – and a horse for Mexico solimente. I’ll think about that manana.
The cutest thing happened today as Gabriel, prepared to leave for the day. He came over and said, “Tango regalo para ti’ ( a present for me??). It was a little bottle of car freshener! Too sweet. He is such a gracious, young guy (“honesto y muy noble” according to our contractor) – his now deceased mom who bore 9 children sure did a fantastic job raising him!
And, that’s it – fairly unexciting stuff but a few days in the life of me.
Manana is market day next door at the Rancho.. Hope it’s as good as last time – I plan to stock up on some organic veggies and fresh baked bread and goodies to put in the freezer for Tomas’ return on Thursday.
I know, I’m a very lucky woman living our dream in paradise.
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