A New Year

Another year is gone, how many are left?

Make this one as if it was the last one is a great way to live
.
How would you live your life if you knew you had a year left to go?

Would you want to know if you had just one year left to live?

Why not live your life if you think you did?

What would you do differently?

If you had one last year to live would you still treat your friends and neighbors the same?

Would you enjoy the time you had?

So why not live our lives that way now, instead of getting wrapped up in the minutia of crap and inconsequential BS.

I am going to give it a try,

Hopefully , just maybe it will make a little difference.

Just a thought.

Have a prosperous and safe New Year to all!

And where are you going to be on New Years Eve?

Last year, I think I was in bed around 10.
We get New York Networks on the television so I saw the crystal ball drop down, a couple of hours before the rest of the US awaits to party hearty.

I didn't even get woken up by random gunshots like in the past years.
Must be the price of ammo now a days.
The dogs were even sleeping, they have better hearing and in the past have heard the blast of cannons or fireworks.
So maybe I'll sleep well this time.
Who knows?

Today is one of the days that I am in a pretty good mood. Why because checking the weather reports that lands on my cell phone I see that Palm Springs is 54 today with a low of 41 and raining.

Meanwhile Patzcuaro is Sunny and 77 today and will be 81 tomorrow.

HA! to my friends that couldn't understand why , oh why would I ever consider Mexico, let alone Patzcuaro.

That is one of the reasons , the other is why would I want to move to a place that you get run over with walkers and wheelchairs any place you go?

Talk about beauty, eh?
Yeah right, they had to build a phony river to meander through their RIVER shopping center just to make it feel like it's gots nature...............

Yes I like Palm Springs, to drive through and to visit.

Could I live there?
Sure, but why?

Unless they have better something, I have not found it yet.
......... And besides it's still in California. If that's not bad enough it's in SOUTHERN California.

Besides I don't have enough funds stashed away to live in the life style that I want to be accustomed to.

No trees , only windmills, whooooshing all the time, dust, heat and besides what do you do when its 118 degrees outside?.........yeah I know, it's a dry heat!

My friend tells me that they have to keep their AC on even when they are not there for months.....otherwise the stuff in the house will dry out and the walls will crack and shrink.

Have a nice life!

I'll mosey in my pine tree forest, with the pitfalls of life in the Sierra Madres.

Maybe I can dig for gold like Humphrey Bogart and Walter Houston did in the movie.

So today we are getting ready for Christmas. We have our health, we have each other , so what else do we need?

"Merry Christmas to all, be kind. You only have one shot to go around".(kushnir 2008)

Big Brother is watching...........

One of the reasons we choose Mexico was what we though we would have some semblance of the "simple life" to kind of uncomplicated things.

One of the ways to stay connected is obviously TV, but the media is so slanted and biased that I only watch the BBC news or one of the channels from somewhere in South America now and then.

Years ago I canceled all my subscriptions to the newspapers, talk about a dinosaur, it seemed that they only had ads and sensationalism.

The only choice I had was to get my fill of the news in a nut shell, USA Today.

I got use to it while travelling, it was concise, fairly objective (most of the time) but recently is getting biased also.
It however is one of the few publications that is still profitable.....for awhile.

Anyway to the point... I now get it in the Internet edition, so I can read it anywhere, even at the Starbucks on Camilitas in Morelia!

Today I read something that disturbed me.
So let me get the step ladder to reach the tribuna or soapbox!

(Front Page USA TODAY 12/19/08)
"Text-message tipsters help NFL tackle fan misconduct"

In a nutshell the stadium is asking via a large instant sign to report any fan that is deemed unsocial.
The penalty is immediate removal from your seat, loss of your season tickets and future seat reservations. No refunds! Nada.
Ok, well it doesn't seem too bad, there have been a few times I would have like to have the person next to me escorted out, BUT here is what is banned by the new code:

• Behaviour that is unruly, disruptive in nature. (Isn't that the idea of cheering and fans that still have some energy left in their bones?)
• Intoxication or other signs of alcohol impairment that results in irresponsible behaviour ( huuuummm, that rules out all the attendees at a bullfight)
• Foul or abusive language or obscene gestures ( no more finger salutes, Damn, oops!, sorry)
• Failing to follow instructions of stadium personnel
  
• Verbal or physical harassment of opposing team fans. ( Yes, they are serious here)

• Ticketholders are accountable for the behaviour of anyone in their seats. SO if you sell your tickets to a friend and he gets in trouble, you take the fall! (So, I sell my ticket, and the buyer swears or gives the finger to someone, I take the fall?)

So, I predict that fans will slowly figure out that they want them to sit in the seats, orderly and under control at all times, which will then make the games less fun, cause more people to sit at home , joining their kids from never leaving the house!

I especially like the one where you are responsible for the behaviour of anyone in the seats.

I would think they would want to first get the players under control? Nawwww.

(Somehow I don't think that the Mexico Soccer Association would support that.)

Let's see, let's start with a CHIVAS game.


So....you are encouraged to text the authorities to report this. So now already they have signs on most of the freeways to report drunk drivers, you are suppose to call the authorities when you hear the kids next door being disciplined, report the guy in the office who says "hi Sweetie, and winks" and report the teacher for taking a ruler and slapping the wrist of a student......

The plan is to condition all to report on each other , stay home, do not go out unless authorized....

I'm glad I am so old that I only have a decade left ( I hope)

I feel sorry for the next couple of generations.

Time for a hot brandy and think of the good old days..................

Just call me morose I guess.

Or maybe old fashioned, speaking of an old fashioned.........wheres that hot brandy?

Another Tradition... Going, Going, Gone ?

One of my first experiences with Mexican traditions was with friend, who happen to be a Mexican businessman. Every Friday a group of friends would get together for what he called "Social Friday". Let me tell you what "Social Friday" was about.

A group (3-7) of friends (all men) would get together around noon every Friday. The lunch would start out with a cocktail or a shot of their favorite libation. There would be the usual, bringing all up to speed banter and boasting of the past weeks triumphs and tribulations.

There was no hurry to order since all already knew ahead of time that the lunch would last for several hours.

The menus would be presented after a drink or two, the orders would be placed. A bottle of a wine would be ordered. It always seemed that more talk and piquant discussions would be better inspired with a second bottle.

It was usually about the 2nd bottle that the food would be served. Most of the time the discussion would then turn to critiquing the appearance or personalities of the buxom staff at that particular restaurant but only, if it was deemed appropriate. (Yours truly, never participated in that part)

The discussions would continue until all important present and future issues would be discussed. That almost always required another, after meal "one for the road" drink.

So far we are looking at about 2 to 3 hours of important debates. It was around 3 o'clock that one or two of the participants had to leave to either make an appearance at the office or plan for the weekend.

The remaining few, had a more important mission.

Find another location to move the party to.......

A change of venue so to speak, new faces to ogle, tease or flirt to.

Sometimes there would be the requirement to look for new locations where some of the single members and some of the wanting to be single members would look for companionship of a change of gender.

Most of the time , that would leave one or two topics in which to fuel the beginning stories at next Fridays lunch meeting. And the whole chain of events would repeat itself.

Somehow times were easier then, one for the road was not punishable by instant scorn and insurance premium explosions. There was more casual acceptance of the "three martini "lunch. That was before you could no longer deduct lunches for business expenses.

There also seemed to be less drunk driving accidents, or maybe the bumpers where made of more steel and less plastic than they are now.......who knows.

I'm glad that was a long time ago, but Mexico still had the Friday scene a few years ago..... Now I see it less and less when we are visit the big cities like Morelia, Guadalajara or Mexico City.

The long Mexican business lunch, a tequila-fueled food orgy that could last past sundown, is on the demise nowadays as a new generation of clean-living executives cuts back on costs and time wasting.

Several times when I was in Mexico City (1990's) the afternoons were unproductive because of the habit where herds of key people would spend entire afternoons for hours massaging business relationships, many times wondering how some of those participants would make it home that night.

A lot of the times we would still have to continue our real business the next week....

Yes, I know better.....

Since there's no snow or Salvation Army volunteers ringing their bells, I needed something to remind me of the Christmas season.

What better than to maneuver around the parking lot for eternity then being mowed down by a shopping cart full of toys with whining,screaming, snotty nosed kids in tow?

I decided to go to Wal Mart.

Like the mini experience in our Soriana Store in Patzcuaro was not reminder enough.

There's something about being stuck in a isle gridlocked by shopping carts and the smell of popcorn and chorizo that obliterates any distant reminders of pine needles and mulled cider.

It was an excuse for me to get some discounted spirits for visitors this season.

Not that I need an excuse...

Maybe I do.

Onward to Sears and Fabricas De Francia!

More Christmas Traditions

It seems that Mexico is getting more bad influences.

Years ago you almost never saw Christmas Tree lots down here.

Now you see Christmas trees in all the commercial areas, Sears, WalMart, Costco, and on and on and on.

The original Christmas holiday decoration was the Nativity Scene or El Nacimiento.

The focal point is a stable where wood carved, plastic or plaster figurines of the Holy Family are set up. The scene may be further decorated by angels and of course the Magi or Los Reyes Magos , the ox and the burro, shepherds and their flocks, and assorted other people and miscellaneous animals.

To be fair and to both sides of interpretation and to make all happy sometimes you would even see the forces of evil represented by a serpent and or a devil in the background.

The displays where something from a tiny table top to taking up the whole front of ones house or property. Sometimes the motivation was to share the moment with friends and neighbors, other times the motivation was to prove your status on the block by having the biggest and largest display. ( never mind that the family may go without milk for a day or two) Also often called the “Banty Rooster” or the “Little Pecker” syndrome.

Seems like there is a lot of competition down here for that.

I sometimes wonder that especially when I see someone driving a Hummer around.

Back to the topic...............

If they do something in front of the house the landscape starts with a paper background with drawings of hills and trees, little houses, villages and other scenes from villages and towns.

Sometimes they are three dimensional, using draped fabrics over benches and tables or boxes to add that certain depth....

Christmas light also festoon the scenes as well as handmade silver stars and other objects which are sometime hard to discern.

But always you will see the Baby Jesus in a manger bed.

The Baby is only added on Christmas Eve. ( Kinda makes it more realistic)

Nowadays a decorated Christmas tree is placed into the scene if the family has the funds. If they do not they may improvise with some branches or other tree looking items or shrubs collected from the area.

After all we do have a lot of pine trees around. Maybe that's where the cut trees from our property are going.....you think?

The next holiday is the celebration of the Three Kings which is on the 6th of January.

In my youth our family celebrated the real Christmas on the 6th of January. Then for a few years we had gifts for both, then only one, now people combine my Birthday gift with a Christmas gift.

At least they still think of me......

Don't forget to remember the meaning of Christmas, maybe you can live with your neighbor at peace for awhile.......

Mr. Bad Wrench!

One of the sad things is that there is no regulation for any businesses here.
Well maybe that's good and maybe that's bad.
After all, what are you going to do if a business cheats you?
There really is no such thing as small claims court. The only other justice is that has something to do with a bigger bat or a projective of some sort.

So how do you find a reputable mechanic or tradesman here?

We went to Morelia the other day in our Chevy pickup truck, to go to ACE hardware. I left my wife waiting for me outside in the pickup with the AC running.

I came out with some purchases, put it into gear and all of a sudden it was quiet. No motor running, No AC and we couldn't even roll the windows down.

Huummmm. can't be the battery since we had the engine running.

I tried the ignition.......nada.....

Opening up the hood, no problem, I figured it was just a poor battery connection.

I put in a new battery about 6 months ago and didn't tighten the lugs very well.

Let's try it again..... well the dome light came on but as soon as the starter tried to kick in they dimmed.........low voltage.

Hummm. So since there is no AAA down here,
I started walking to buy a new battery.
Since Pemex stations are really not full service, I was lucky to find a auto parts store only a block away.

Not too lucky they didn't have that model battery.

So now I start walking the other way.

Asking someone on the street where the next auto parts store will give you absolutely no credible information.
You can ask 5 people on the street and get 10 different answers.

So after finding a cab, and cruising the streets I purchased a new battery at the battery factory that I now know where it is.

Now back to ACE to buy a set of vice grips to un do the old battery.

New battery installed the truck started immediately and the AC started working again. Now I notice that the alternator does not charge, well that explains the dead battery. No Problem the Chevy dealer where we bought the truck was only 4 blocks away.
BUT the dealer told us that it would be 3 days before they could install a brand new alternator for 3 times the price.

So, we turn off the AC and decide to make it back home, no problem we will find a autoelectric mechanic in Patzcuaro, after all we have friends that can refer someone to us.
The last alternator I changed was 30+ years ago and I didn't have a really great tool assortment anymore., or the desire to loose half the skin on my knuckles again!

First referral was, "well they are up the street, but my brother in law went there and they doubled the price they quoted him"

The next referral was " I took my wife's car to have them replace the headlight and they changed it, it then fell out 3 days later and melted the whole assembly so now the light is crooked"

The last referral that was the epiphany was " They changed the headlight and it stared a fire and burned up the headlight assembly and a new one is $1800 pesos"

Great, just great!

Well, the skin will grow back!

So , back to Morelia to Auto Zone for a new rebuilt alternator, and a new trouble light.

Now I am a certified GMC alternator changing wizard.

Since you no longer have to re-tension the belt after you remove the old one, I was able to replace the unit in less than 10 minutes, sans any knuckle damage!

Another event that forced me into learning about more stuff than I initially set out to do because of the lack of reliable tradesmen down here.

There are certain things that you give up when you live down here.

Or maybe that's just around here.

Christmas Traditions in Patzcuaro

I had a nice rant session a couple of weeks ago about traditions and how they were disappearing in the US because of the lack of social interaction because the kids nowadays were more involved with the video games than actually getting outside and interacting with other humans......

One of the nice things down here is that the traditions are still around, although not as prevalent like in years past, but hopefully they will continue until I am doing my trick or treating 6 feet under....

Christmas time is such a special time, not because all the stores are selling crap, but because there is still some tradition left.

If you are dreaming of a white Christmas in Mexico, the closest you get is a frosted Margarita class and maybe a couple of white topped sugar cookies.

The Christmas season in Mexico is usually nice and warm and colorfull and here in Patzcuaro we still have a lot of green around, still have wildflowers and even though the evenings drop down to the low 30's the sunny days hover in the 70, until the sun drops down behind the trees...


There are nice traditions here to celebrate Navidad, is one of them which makes the Christmas season a nice and unforgettable experience.

The Posada

Christmas festivities begin with Las Posadas, which is nine consecutive days of candlelight processions and lively parties starting December 16.

In villages and urban neighborhoods throughout Mexico the young children get together each afternoon to reenact the holy family's search for lodging in Bethlehem.

The procession is headed by one small local child who is cajoled to volunteer to play the Virgen María, often sitting atop a live burro, led by a equally tiny San José.

They are followed by other children acting as angels, the Santos Reyes (Three Kings), and a host of pastores y pastoras (shepherds and shepherdesses), all usually decked out in colorful costumes and carrying brightly decorated báculos (walking staffs) or faroles (paper lanterns).

The parade of Santos Peregrinos (Holy Pilgrims) stops at a house that has been previously selected to sing a traditional song, where the Holy Family asks for shelter for the night only to be rejected and turned away at the first door.

They then go to a second home where the same scene is repeated.

At the third stop the pilgrims are told that while there is no room in the posada (inn), they are welcome to sleep in the stable. The doors are then opened and all are invited to enter.

Then the party starts where the kids get to stuff their faces with overly sugared candy which falls out of (what else) a piniata meanwhile while the parents down a brewsky or two.

This event does a couple of things first this is an interactive way of teaching the kids the story of the Nativity, but also that there is another occasion to party and smash pinatas and start their early life to diabetes and alcoholism.

What a pain.....

We discovered today that the Tree Thieves had crossed our property sometime in the last couple of days and removed several nice sized trees.
In the process they broke the fence, left a lot of stuff to clean up and the worst, left a sign and feeling of hopelessness.

So what can I do?

Hiring an armed guard will prove pointless.
Maybe importing a few hungry trained Dobermans from a car salvage yard in downtown Atlanta or Los Angeles would do the trick?

Or some signs advising that I have spiked the trees.

They probably would not believe the signs.
The armed guard will help them cut the trees.
The dogs would be distracted by some old meat bones.

What a pain.......

Living in Mexico is not all Tortillas and Margaritas friends......

The pause that refreshes.....

Today the sun was shining bright and clear and being Wednesday was cause enough to celebrate the hump day.

Being a little cold sitting in the sun kind of warms up the bones, but a direct cause of warm bones makes the throat parched.

I usually am not a big beer drinker, actually if I have a dozen beers in the a dozen months that's about my normal quota.

I would be considered a teetotaler by local standards, as I see cases of Indio or Corona being balanced on shoulders of professionals floating out in the parking lot from Soriana..... I consider myself lucky.

I only have one requirement that most sippers here don't have.

I demand that my beverages be close to becoming solid form as much as possible.

My compulsive obsessive behavior was inoculated years ago when I visited Tahiti for a vacation.

As the airplane door opened and it felt like a oven in the tropics.

The resort that we stayed at only had AC power for about 4 hours a day.
Most drinks including Coca Cola was served tepid.
I had to beg for a single sliver of ice.
It was one of the longest 7 days a week ever created.
Hot, Humid, Thirsty, no ice in sight.......
Never more.
I need ice, cold cold cold drinks, even in winter.
That's my cross to bear.
Now you know one of the reasons I am here and not in Acapulco.

Brought to you in living COLOR

It was so exciting to watch the NBC peacock unfurl its colorful feathers when their premiere broadcast in color television shows were starting.
In the beginning of Color Television only a handful of shows were produced in "Living Color".

NBC was the first network to do color, followed by ABC that had it's first weekly program which was the Disney show.

Now we take all of that for granted, watching them and forgetting of the old black and white productions.

I read a couple of months ago that Polaroid was discontinuing the manufacturing of their instant film, so the old Polaroid Land Camera, is another relic from the past.

Long time ago I use to work doing photography work and used the Polaroid film pack in in the back of a regular camera to do test shots to check the composition. Polaroid was a real time saver then. Now we have instant digital imaging.

I also remember all the slides that I have stowed away, never to be seen again.
They have gone the way of the 45 RPM records or even the 12 LP.

Now we can do wonders with digital cameras, and software to manipulate the photos.

Back to Color.....

One of the things that I love the most is the display of colors here in Mexico.

They are not afraid to paint their houses all kinds of bright colors. One example not so beautiful is the Yellow, as seen on the Bardahl Signs, wrapping the walls all over the country.

Could you imaging how things would be different if that was allowed in the US?

We have brightened our life and gotten into the spirit down here, we went all out!

One of our bedroom walls is a deep blue.
One of the living room walls is a bright orange.
Our outside doors are painted with a nice sky blue.
Both bathrooms are a shade of green.
Colors that are seldom used in the states.

I enjoy going to the plaza during the Dia de los Muerto simply because I get to see the interesting sculptures that are created and painted with colors.

I have noticed that the Katrina figurines have gotten progressively better in the last 10 years.
They use to be these scrawny poorly created figures devoid of any decorations and fancy accessories.

Now that they are able to fetch hundreds of dollars for some of them, it has turned into a art profit center as well as a expression of the artist. Some come with pets of Katrinas at an inflated cost of course.

I purchased one of the creations pictured above for a friend of my back in California.

He is fascinated with the frontal portion of women, so this was something that he could put in his office to quench his thirst with his eyes......at least temporarily.

I am glad that I have more color in my life now......