Author: iagardener55

Another plus that has come with staying in the home of friends, most new, two- less new, is that one’s command of a different language increases exponentially.

When one is completely immersed in the experience, it becomes less scary and more loving. The family here, still in Los Altos, is multi generational, with Jesús’ parents being the patriarchal members.

Unfortunately, this photo only shows about one third of the family members here for this celebration. I can, with some accuracy, pick out the siblings of Jesús, and, with marginally less accuracy, the spouses of the siblings. Their children, however, are completely undoable. (Not sure if that is a real word, but it is in this post).

Along with these sixty or seventy family members, comes the task of feeding and housing all of them. Here is a photo of the stacks of corn tortillas Maria, mother of Jesús, has bought twice already, in three days.

All of these were made fresh today, and sold about one and one half blocks from the house. The cost for all three bags was about five dollars and forty cents, or twelve pesos per kilo.

I will try to write more often now that we into a new year. While we wait for that to actually happen, stay happy, stay healthy, stay safe. Wash your hands, cover your mouth, and protect your loved ones.

Finally, it is here; the start of a new year. And here, in Los Altos, it is about forty degrees. I am finally cold.

This old man was burned in effigy last night as it represented the last of 2020. The shirt was filled with small fire crackers. It made quite the noise and flash. Happy New Year everyone.

Here is the final product of last night’s effigy.

Nothing left of last year’s affects. On to the New Year.

We are all still in our pjs, doing absolutely nothing but napping. Bedtime was two thirty this morning. Ugh.

During this new year, stay happy, stay healthy, stay safe. Wash your hands, cover your mouth, and protect your loved ones.

We had a wonderful Christmas Eve, with the family of our friends Jesús, Lizbeht, their son Gaby, and Liz’s mother, Alicia. In fact, Ivan just told me “this is what Christmas feels like. This is where they needed to be”. I agree wholeheartedly!

They are going to stay here until we go back to Los Altos, on the thirtieth. We will be staying in a hotel in a city close to LA, called Perote.

We, more Ivan than me, have been “cleaning” for the past two days. OMG! I am almost paralyzed! The condo requires vacuuming every other day, as well as mopping the white tile floor. Have I done this, every other day? Peshaw! Anyone that knows me knows how much I enjoy (not) cleaning.

THIS PLACE IS IMMACULATE! This is our Christmas gift for them, the four of them. Take a look:

A few days ago, this room was filled with all kinds of stuff. Now, it is being used as it should be used- a spare bedroom. They are so happy to be sleeping in a space that has wiggle room; all except Gaby. Gaby is used to a smaller space, and is unfamiliar, here, with this amount of space. He has plenty of room to roam when they are in Los Altos, but not here.

Fast forward: today is New Years Eve, and, once again, we are in Los Altos, celebrating the end of a very difficult year, ushering in, what we all hope becomes a year better than the former.

Happy birthday to my BIL Larry. And a Happy New Year to all of you. While we wait to bring in the year with celebration, stay happy, stay healthy, stay safe. Wash your hands, cover your mouth, and, protect your loved ones.

This old man is going to be burned in effigy later as it represents the last of 2020. The shirt is filled with small fire crackers. It should make quite the noise and flash. Happy New Year everyone.

Published on the 26th of December, 2020. Yes, they are out of order; continue.

Over the weekend of December fourth, we were in the car, on our way to Veracruz. By “we”, I mean Of course, not long after starting out, I was ready for a nap. Ugh.

When I was growing up, and our parents took all of us on a vacation, my younger sister, Nancy, and I, would fall asleep, within ten minutes of listening to the tar strips, on the pavement, through the floorboard of the car. (Nancy got one side, and, I got the other. Heaven. Truly).

The roads were considered highways by nineteen sixties standards; I can, however, safely say they were just paved roads.

The highway was a toll road so it was in better shape than the public highway. And the scenery was beautiful. So much of it resembled the states up North. One of the areas we passed through resembled Oklahoma, going through the foothills.

Later, we had traveled about an hour and a half, with dormant fields on either side of the road. The only thing growing, then, were scrub trees, cacti, and agave.

We left the four lane highway about thirty minutes later, winding our way through small town after small town, on two lanes.

Then, there was construction. The pavement was gone, completely; the road was rough, and it was exactly what I was hoping not to see.

We were back on paved two lane, a few kilometers farther, and there were plowed fields, growing cauliflower and broccoli.

NOW, we can see clouds coming over the tops of the mountains, in the distance. Gorgeous.

When we get back to town, and have internet, I will download some photos. It could not be more majestic, in this little village.

Until I can upload photos, stay happy, stay healthy, stay safe. Wash your hands, cover your mouth, and protect your loved ones.

Post script: I wrote this post on our way, to and from, the very small city of Los Altos, in the state of Veracruz, Mexico, three and a half weeks ago. The posts that will follow, are the things, good AND bad, that have transpired in the several weeks hence. Thank you for your patience. The photos are some incredible views of another part of this beautiful country. Please come back.

Recently, we went to Los Altos, Veracruz, to visit the homes of our friends, Jesús, and, his wife, Lizbeht. Here, they live on the rooftop of the condo, in a small, (I really mean tiny), one and a half rooms dwelling, with their four year old son Gaby.

Right now, Liz’ mother is living with them, because, on the sixth of December, at six and a half months gestation, Jesús and Liz’s baby girl died while they were trying to get to a hospital that would take them.

Each of the hospitals said they were unable to take them, for various reasons; too full with CoVid19 patients; not enough staff; you do not have insurance. The denials were the same, just different reasons.

Liz went into labor after traveling the four hours from Veracruz to Mexico City. She has had, in the past few years, a few miscarriages, so this pregnancy was welcomed, but guarded.

It has been very hard to put this behind all of us, (obviously for them more than for us), but, we had been doing so many little things, in the background, to welcome her into the “family”; our family; the family we chose.

While we were in Veracruz, we met both of their families; many live very near, or, in the house of Jesús’s parents. The house is very small from the outside, but is built deep, and, on three levels, giving it much more space than it appears. Here is their house, from the road.

While we were there, Liz’s dad drove us, about an hour outside the city, up into the mountains, to a place that we consider very close to our Shangri La. Let me show you just a few photos. (There will be more photos to come, as we will probably be buying a house there, sort of a “vacation” home. Here goes.

We have not spent a more wonderful day than we did on this day. I have many more photos to show you, and will, when I am able to upload them.

For now, enjoy these while you stay happy, stay healthy, stay safe. Wash your hands, cover your mouth, and, protect your loved ones.

I have tons of photos to share with you, but it will take time, as there are about two hundred photos from our travels. I hope you will be patient and enjoy them.

This will be short, and to the point.

HAVE A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS, (with less than ten people gathered in your homes), and, an even more SPECTACULAR NEW YEAR, (also with less than ten people).

PLEASE! Do not have too many people in your homes for the holidays; I implore you.

That is what both of our governments are requesting, even though, they will, probably, all be having parties with multi-generations of families, their favorite constituents, favorite lobbyists, etc. What are the rest of us to do?

Here, the country of Mexico is in a state of “red” regarding the virus. We cannot go out to the stores; assemble with more than ten people; there are fewer hospitals available for help; we cannot buy alcohol!!!!! (We have Mercado Libre! Hahaha)

People. Use your common sense. If your people have all been taking care of themselves, and their families, and you feel comfortable having them in your homes, do so. We will be doing the same here.

On that note- stay happy, stay healthy, stay safe. Wash your hands, cover your mouth, and, protect your loved ones.

May the spirit of God, yours, and mine, fill you with love, and compassion for the world around us. God bless us, everyone!!!

We had our turkey last week, no sweet potato, beans, pie, just turkey. It was not that good.

Now we have leftovers. I am going to vacuum seal them as breast, thighs, and legs/wings.

We put garlic butter, and pineapple chunks under the skin before roasting it but it took hours to cook, probably six, as I recall. Unbeknownst to me, I did not have the temperature set properly on the oven. This F to C is not easy. Well, the computation is easy, just finding that particular tiny little number on the oven dial is a whole other matter.

The taste of the breast was ok, however, the thighs, legs, and wings were amazing.

Now, we are on to making more menudo. The panza, (stomach), at Costco, here, is so clean we do not have to do much of anything to it except cut it up and boil it.

I am looking forward to the bacalao we will make closer to Christmas. It originated, I believe, in the Middle East, so you can imagine the combination of flavors. Mmmm.

We have turcos to make, also Middle Eastern. The best way I can describe them is a sweet pork meat mixture in a pastry turnover. Again, the above few dishes are traditional foods only during the holidays.

We hope you all had a pleasant start to the holiday season. And, we hope the season progresses uneventfully.

In the mean time, stay happy, stay healthy, stay safe. Wash your hands, cover your mouth, and protect your loved ones.

Oh, my gosh! We are going “on a vacation” soon.

Actually, we are going with our concierge, Jesús, and his family to Veracruz, which is about four hours to our south and east. We will be staying with his multigenerational family, in their home, for about three days and two nights.

This city, in Veracruz, is up in the mountains, with a view that is going to be spectacular! El pardre, the father of our friend, is going to show us how to cook chickens, wrapped in the leaves of the maguey trees, cooked in the ground, like a certain type of beef, called barbacoa.

It will be rustic, it will be amazing, it will be everything I have hoped for in all of our time here. To come home to leisure, that is great. To live like so many others, for awhile, is the ultimate experience of a lifetime. As I have never really had the opportunity to live “basic”, well, not counting every summer camp in which I ever stayed, this is going to change my life, I believe.

I will have photos, demaciados, (more than enough). I will have commentaries. I will, probably, have a new regard for the human spirit. Come back here to learn what we discover.

Until we go, and return, stay happy, stay healthy, stay safe. Wash your hands, cover your mouth, and protect your loved ones.

We have done a bit of shopping today; preparing for Thanksgiving, and to make menudo.

Now, we are having the BMW recertified; it needs to be checked every six months. It does not take very long, if you get a decent appointment time. This certification tells you how many days a week you have to leave your vehicle at home. A “cero”, zero, means you can drive every day. Any other number, you have to find another means of transportation that many days. We have ceros for both vehicles because they are both well cared for.

Another subject. We were able to find a fresh, “natural” turkey at Costco the other day. We did not have to thaw it out, just cook and eat. Yay.

I hope you and your families had a wonderful holiday thus far. Many more to come.

They are almost done with the inspection so I will need to close this post. In the mean time, stay happy, stay healthy, stay safe. Wash your hands, cover your mouth, and protect your loved ones.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you that are able to celebrate with family this year. We will give thanks that no one else in the family has contracted the virus this week, and, that only one family member has died of the virus. That is quite a lot for which to be thankful. There is no celebration here, as it is a holiday for the United States alone, but we will have a turkey, just the same. (I want the carcass for bone broth, and the meat for tortas, enchiladas, and tacos).

We put our new Christmas tree up the other day. Bought it at Costco a few weeks ago, and it has been sitting in the box ever since.

We have about two dozen tin, Mexican ornaments to put on the tree, but we have no ornament hangers. It seems that there is always something that prevents us from finishing a simple project, like hanging ornaments.

As soon as we are able to get to the Mercados, which I have been told will not be much longer, we are going to see if anyone is still selling ornaments; which is a problem, now, with the quarantine. So many vendors have left the city, looking for other places to sell their merchandise. We are not sure what will still be available to find any once we get to the markets. Fingers crossed.

That is one of the really sad things about this virus; the closing of small mom and pop shops. It is happening all over the world, from what we see on the news. But as we are here, it is more profound, being right in front of our eyes. What this city used to be is a depressingly different to the city now. So much has changed, and in just one year!

Hopefully, if we wait patiently enough, the world will return to some sort of “new normal”; whatever that becomes, we will have to see. While we wait, stay happy, stay healthy, stay safe. Wash your hands, cover your mouth, and, protect your loved ones.