Closing Down The Blog

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I have made the decision to close down the blog.  It won't be forever.  We aren't traveling as much as I had expected and things have soured here in Mexico in terms of rving.  I had hoped we would be doing a lot more but the house seems to keep us tied up along with some unfinished work projects.   I believe we will be gone this month for a week or two and then again during the hot summer months.  

As for the living side of Mexico, I never got many takers.   I participate in several groups but it seems I am far different than some ex-pats.  I always receive mail about where they can get American products here in Mexico.   You don't know how many emails I have received about where they can find organic peanut butter or real American cheese.   If you look on the SMA list it is one post after another searching for some wierd American product or viable substitute.   Well, to each his own.

My family, well, their my family.  Since day one no one has ever read my blog.   They aren't much into internet much less reading about my adventures on the road.  They all seem to stick close to their homes and don't venture out much.   The younger ones are too busy raising their own kids.   I thought it would have been a good way for them to see what we were up too.  

Kind of a bummer but I will bring it back I'm sure.   Let's say I am taking a hiatus from blogging for a few months.  In the meantime, if anyone is interested in receiving a newsletter update, send me an email and I will add you to the list.  Everytime we take an rving trip I will send out a mail with all the trip details.

Thanks so much for being friends and blog readers.  Adios!

Making Preparations

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I told you my brother and SIL are coming near the end of April for a colonial tour.  This is a good time to get things done around the house.   We bought a pressure washer (if that's what it's called) at Home Depot and it has really come in handy.   I even did the cats and they were really blown away by it :)

I painted the front gate today on the outside.   I didn't have any paint thinner and here in Mexico you can go to your local hardware store where they have it in a drum.  Bring your own container and they will fill it up.   While I was there I asked the cashier who goes to the gym if she knew what happened to the previous owners They still write tickets by hand but use a computer for other stuff, wierd.  She said she would call a friend.  She got on the phone and said, " el gringo del gimnasio busca la dueña de las pinturas".  (the gringo from the gym is looking for the owner (female) of the paint store).  So that is how I am known in town.  Hmmm. . . . .   Imagine if I were black?

Many things to do around here as it will!  The baseboards will be installed in the next two weeks and that will make a big difference.  I also asked for an estimate for laminated flooring.   If they install the baseboards and we want to change the tile I don't know how it will work because they also use glue as well as screws.

An interesting note here with elections coming up in November here in Mexico.   This is inflation based on the dollar exchange by president in Mexico for the last 42 years.  Notice the difference with the PAN party at the end of the list with Fox and Calderon.  Imagine if we were to have Lopez Obrador aka AMLO (socialist) at the helm.  We don't have reelection here in Mexico so I am not sure why AMLO is running as he declared himself the legitimate president of Mexico five years ago.

Lic. Luis Echeverría Alvarez (1970 a 1976)
Tipo de Cambio al inicio de su mandato (beginning of term)$ 12.50

Tipo de Cambio al final de su mandato (end of term)
$ 22.69 82%
Lic. José Lopez Portillo (1976 a 1982)
Tipo de Cambio al inicio de su mandato$ 22.69
Tipo de Cambio al final de su mandato
$ 150.29 562%
Lic. Miguel de la Madrid Hurtado (1982 a 1988)
Tipo de Cambio al inicio de su mandato$ 150.29
Tipo de Cambio al final de su mandato
$ 2,483.00 1552%
Dr. Carlos Salinas de Gortari (1988 a 1994)
Tipo de Cambio al inicio de su mandato$ 2,483.00
Tipo de Cambio al final de su mandato
$ 3,375.00 36%
Dr. Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de León (1994 a 2000)
Tipo de Cambio al inicio de su mandato (a)$ 3.37
Tipo de Cambio al final de su mandato (a)
$ 9.45 180% 
Lic. Vicente Fox Quezada
Tipo de Cambio al inicio de su mandato$ 9.45
Tipo de Cambio al final de su mandato
$ 10.90 15%
Lic. Felipe Calderón Hinojoza
Tipo de Cambio al inicio de su mandato$ 10.90
Tipo de Cambio a la mitad de su mandato$ 12.50 15%

Three Things

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First things first, I'm sure most of you know John and Angela and may have already heard the sad news.   Gizmo passed away this week.  Gizmo visited us three years ago during the winter.  A bit grouchy but understood considering Gizmo lived to be 17 years old.   A real traveler and I know will be missed so much by John and Angela.  But the good news is that Gizmo waits at the end of the Rainbow Bridge ball in mouth and ready to play.

Second, my oldest sister Dorothy took a trip with a girlfriend to Bahamas leaving the husbands behind.  A well-deserved trip, they rv quite a bit and are avid boondockers in there year old fifth wheel that is beyond luxurious.  I'm glad she took the trip, it is good to get away once in awhile without the other half.   I'm sure she let loose as it was all inclusive!  Here is a picture of her enjoying her trip with the dolphins.  She becomes more beautiful as the years go by.   I love her!

Last but not least, today out of the clear blue, the temperature hit 40C.  Tomorrow it will return to the previous 24C.   This is a sign.  A sign that I need to get the calendar out and begin marking it with our activities and see when and where we can go to escape the heat this summer.  It will be a hot one.  Not sure yet what we will do but Juan has never seen the redwoods.  I lived in Sequoia back in the seventies.  

Never Trust The News - Another Debunked

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I have refrained from mentioning any country, group, or organization names, I ask that you do the same in your comments.

Well, it now comes to light  after a famous tourist town  and  the cruise industry has taken another hit against them.   The supposed gunmen that held up a tour bus with 22 tourists now turns out to be a lonely bandit with a bandana, sunglasses and an unconfirmed weapon.

It happens everytime.   However, I will now tell a tale of news that is not getting reported.  I said last year that it would only be a matter of time.   I was also told that what was happening here (heads rolling, acid baths, etc.) didn't happen there.   Over the course of the last month it has all come to light. 

What has been going on here with five major groups is now embedded across the northern continent, and of course all along the southern border from the west coast to the east.   Everything you have read and heard about "here" has been happening for over two years on the other side but has been mysteriously covered up with other stories or left under the guise of "under investigation".

Watch this video to the end and then ask yourself if you are safer there than here or for that matter anywhere else in the world.   Truly a sad situation and not one of "I told you so".   I just find it funny how the news has been able to not disclose the truth or I guess I should say make light of the matter.

Video

As a side note, I found out today that the school districts on the north side of the border are now teaching courses in apocolyptic survival in case there is a national disaster such as a nuclear attack or as they stated, "the end of the world as we know it".   Anything else the news would not like us to be privvy too?

Maybe I have too much free time and need to go rving!

Small Town Life

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Took a trip into Santiago today to get a haircut and pick a a DVD player we had fixed.  The DVD was stuck inside and it only played in black and white.   The guy who does this type of work charges 150 pesos for anything you have done.  He had it ready and reprogrammed in an hour.   I also popped in to see my account.

As I drove into town I saw people from the gym, a few merchants and other friendly souls who wave and say "adios" as you drive by.   I like it here and things have improved considerably since that tragic time just a little less than two years ago.  New businesses are opening, people hanging out in the town square and things look pretty good overall.

I have to say though, that when I went to pick up the DVD player I didn't think it would be ready and wanted to drop off the remote in case he needed it.  Well, he had already completed the work so I ran around the corner to the bank (literally because everything is so close) to use the ATM.  When I had returned, there had been a small fender bender on the corner of the river and the funeral home.  So I told the repairman, and we walked to the corner.  Being such a small accident one would think it was no big deal.  In fact, when I first saw it they were talking and inspecting bumpers. 

Within minutes a crowd gathered.  Everyone saying hello and giving their opinion on what happened and how even though no one had really seen the accident.  The Mundo's Tacos is right in front so the woman in the accident sent her daughter to buy tacos and then the people eating tacos grabbed their plates and walked to the corner.  Bicycles started to appear, traffic backing up and people getting out of their cars.   Lo and behold the paletero (ice cream man) came up on his tricycle and people bought a few popcicles and sat on the steps of the funeral home and watched with anticipation as it all unfolded before them.

The whole thing reminded me of Andy Griffith and Mayberry.  It was really a sight to see and one that made us all feel pretty good considering what we had been through the previous two years.   It's not over by any means, but we have all learned to adjust, accept and live within the boundaries of this dilemma.  

Toluca and Back

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Thursday I flew down to Toluca for an overnighter.  I was a guest speaker at the museum there.  The talk was on culture in the classroom.   It was a long day and I finished pretty much exhausted.   My flight didn't leave until 9:30 in the morning but Juan took me to the airport early so we could have a birthday breakfast there for him.

As I have said before, Mexico is a big place but in terms of the business traveler it is a small world.   On the flight down I got up to use the head and as I passed I heard someone say,  "hi teacher!".   It was an employee from a company I used to teach at and he wasn't even my student.

Coming home in the Monterrey airport I was using the ATM and a quiet voice said, "is that you Chris?"  A woman who worked at the local cigarette factory here maybe 15 years ago.   She is married now with two kids.

Anyway, Toluca was freezing in the morning but warmed up by about 1 p.m.   I was impressed with the city itself.  It is well-organized and the traffic flows smoothly.  Lots of people commute to D.F. and its outlying areas for work everyday.  I guess it is the solution to having your cake and eating it too.   Just too much these days for me.  The more time that passes the less I like the busy lifestyle.   Being home is nice, no people, no noise or traffic.  

The trip home was not uneventful though.   We call this crazy February, "Febrero loco y Marzo otro poco" goes the saying in Spanish.  About 10 minutes out of Monterrey airport the pilot told us to hang on as it would be a rough ride and he wasn't kidding.   He said it was normal for this time of year.   People were clinching the seats in front of them a you could here a few muffled screams.   As we were coming in for the landing and literally over the runway, the plane was moving sideways to the point where I could look out and see the runway in front of us but out the window on the opposite side of the plane.   The nose went up and off we went for another round.   Truly amazing.   The second time we came in hard but safe.

So much for the life of a landlocked boondocker who feels the rubber rotting under his feet.   I think we need a weekend get-a-way.

Making Plans

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We had a great weekend and another family party on Saturday.  It was a success as usual and we celebrated Juan's birthday (Feb. 23) and Valentine's Day.   We didn't do the casarolas (potluck) this time around.  Instead we all pitched in and had carne asada.   It was a great dinner and everyone had fun.

                                             I stick out like a sore thumb!

Juan and his great-niece Helen and some delicious Valentine cupcakes.

One of our nieces who is in the university came up with a great game for all to play.  We taped a blank sheet of paper to each person's back and then went around and wrote an adjective that we thought best described the person.   It was a lot of fun, kids and adults alike enjoyed it.

I may have mentioned that I have some work coming up in March and April.  I just couldn't turn down the money, it is too good.  I mentioned to Croft that I have a two-week break in the middle of March and we may be able to meet up somewhere around Saltillo for a couple of days.

In May, we are thinking of returning to the mountains of Jalisco spending some time at Hacienda Contreras.  I just read that Kevin and Ruth may spend some time during summer there so that would be cool to meet up with them.  They like to get out and hike and we do to.   After that, I would like to continue to stay in a cool climate until the end of August although Juan has a folkloric dance event in July.   Well, I could hang out somewhere until he finishes and comes back.

BTW, my niece Lisa finished her last chemo treatment for breast cancer over the weekend.  I need to get an update from her or her sister to see how she is doing.   I know she will be fine but I love her so much, just like all my kids, that I worry about her.