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It is amazing just how important your car’s battery is, is it not? Without a fully charged battery, you can go nowhere in your car. How easily we take these things for granted.

We had gotten ready to go to Costco recently, went outside, got in the Mercedes, turned the key, and sat there, staring at the dashboard in utter silence. Ivan turned the key again- nothing. What?!?

It has been years since we had a vehicle that did not start. It is so frustrating!! I want to get in it, and see if my key will start it. Of course not. (I was sure that my key would magically start it, but, alas, it did not. I really knew it would not- but I was trying to be hopeful).

Well, Ivan has a super duper charger that should have us going fairly quickly. Stay tuned.

He tried charging it with two different chargers to no effect. Then, he tried jumping it with Marcos car- nada. Lastly, and miraculously it worked, he jumped the battery with one of Juan’s Mercedes. Yay.

So now, we are on our way to AutoZone to have them check, and replace (more than likely) the battery. It only had a four year guarantee so it is probably time. By for now.

Post script: We did not go to AutoZone, Marco took us to Runsa Auto parts, and they checked the battery.

“Change is inevitable, and, necessary, like the seasons Mr. Palmer. I suggest you embrace it.” NCIS: Season 9, episode 6 – “Thirst”.

I was watching an episode of NCIS, on New Year’s day, when those words were uttered from the mouth of the esteemed Dr. Mallard, aka Ducky, to his young, plucky, assistant Jimmy Palmer. It made me think of all of the changes that are coming soon, with this new year. Also, about, how, for our own piece of mind, we should try to embrace those changes.

Sometimes, however, that is easier said than done, We, each of us, accept changes differently. Some go kicking, and screaming, into it, while others quietly acquiesce. (I have been wanting to use the word acquiesce from the start 😂).

I, for one, will not try to tell you how to accept change, as we are all adults here, and, as such, have our own minds. It is solely yours choice to make. Whatever changes befall you, however, I suggest you do whatever research you need to do to made the decisions you need to make, weighing all of the pros and cons, and then, with the facts in your possession, make the needed change(s).

If you are interested in finding a new place to work, check out everything you need to know about the place in order to make an intelligent decision. Do not make the leap solely on someone else’s information. That usually leads to someone being disenchanted in the end. No, do your own research, get the facts, then look at all options.

Side note– Sorry, but I am so distracted at the moment. One of Ivan’s uncle’s stopped by the house earlier, and after the ritual welcoming hug, and quick peck on the cheek, his cologne is still on me. We love him dearly, however, his cologne is overwhelming me still, and it has been at least an hour now. Wow!

Synopsis- do not be afraid of change. As Ducky said, (and you know you can trust Ducky), it is not only inevitable, but necessary. I hope each of you finds the means necessary to make the best changes that need to be made in your life. Let me know what challenges you are facing this year. Peace, and tranquility, are my hopes for all of you.

So many times, when we are outside, we end up people watching. With close to nine million people here, in México City alone, there are plenty to see.

They come in every shape, size, color, and, creed. Tall, short, thin, heavy, black, brown, and a few of us “güeras”, (pronounced gwehr-ahs). That is what I am considered. And there are not many of us here.

A couple of weeks ago, we were walking through Zapamundi, the mall that houses Soriana, our favorite grocery store. As we passed this group of people, who were waiting to get into the Asian restaurant, a woman, about my age, with the same color skin, and, hair, turned around, and smiled at me. I smiled in return. We both had to be thinking the same thing- “nice to see another güera, for goodness sake”.

Fortunately, I have had no trouble adjusting to a different culture, this time. When we moved to Houston, I was twenty seven, and there were enough güeros to get by. But, in nineteen eighty six, we moved to Laredo, TX – I was done for. I cried for the first six months we were there. The culture shock was more than I could manage.

Not anymore. Now, we enjoy going out, sitting on a short wall, say, while our car is being washed, just watching what people are doing. It is so much more fun, now that I have so much more life experience. I cannot get enough.

I just learned that during the last, large, 7.1, earthquake here in México City, almost 4 kilometers of buildings, including the Liverpool mall I have shown you, were demolished as a result. Just on one street alone. It did not remain so very long, however.

Liverpool was rebuilt within the year, as were many of the other buildings, but under much stricter standards. If you remember the photo showing the “bridge”, in the middle of the mall, (it was one of several in the mall), they all collapsed, on top of the shoppers, injuring and killing many, many people.

Throughout much of the city, where the damage was worse, however, there are hundreds of buildings, still under reconstruction. Evidently, much of the money that the US said they were sending, as a relief effort, that was “supposed” to be allocated for the purpose of rebuilding the city, was “confiscated “, so I am told. No one is one hundred percent sure where it has gone, but, gone it is.

There are several suppositions, however- 1) (this is the most popular thought) – that the US government never actually sent the money, 2) the money was sent to México, but got misdirected after its issuance, and last, 3) the money was sent somewhere, just not here.

Any explanation is possible- who is going to admit anything? Those companies that have enough of their own money are coming back in spades. Those without are taking much longer for a come back. Many small mom and pop stores are gone forever- or have had to move elsewhere.

Always something to be grateful for when one turns ones head to look a different way.

There is a new cleaning lady, here at the house. And, gosh, can she clean!?!

Today is her third time here, and I have never seen a person clean like she does. She actually moves the furniture! (Obviously, not everyone does).

The first time she was here, last week, she washed the frosted glass window partition that separates the dinette from the actual dining room area. Then she moved all of eight chairs from around the dining room table, and swept the carpet underneath the table!!! She even swept and washed the patio!!! Who does this type of cleaning?

Pepe told me this morning that Adriana is a nurse. Well, no wonder! Now I understand. As a nurse, she understands the importance of cleaning, and how, in this time of germs, and bacteria, it is important to clean as much as possible, as well as possible. Arturo, (P&P’s #2 son, remember the party?) has been sick for a week with what sounds like bronchitis. And, two weeks ago, Juan, our cousin, was in bed for at least a week with a horrible cough.

I know- you hear this every year, but I will repeat it for you, again. Please, if you do nothing else this cold and flu season, WASH YOUR HANDS. Every time you cough, or sneeze, stop what you are doing, and wash them- well! This can save you, and those around you, from getting the flu.

I have gone many a year without getting sick, while others around me are hacking and coughing, forgetting to wash their hands. Those of you, my former coworkers, may remember me saying, “if you touched something, wash your hands. If you think touched something, wash your hands. If you are not sure if you touched something, wash your hands”. Seriously, you cannot go wrong washing your hands. It just may save your life someday.

Now that we are living in a country we do not know, we each keep a bottle of hand sanitizer in our purses, and wash our hands as soon as we leave any store, or building we have been in.

If you look online at the people society feels they need to remember as having passed away this past year, so many of them have died of “pulmonary complications from an infection of the lungs”. As we should all know by now, infections in the lungs are spread by coughing, and/or sneezing, which is then spread by the airborne droplets, which can, then, become surface infectants. Washing all surfaces, plus, of course, your hands, will help decrease the spread.

Enough sermon. It is just something I have been very passionate about for many years. Thanks for listening.

Enjoy the winter in peace, and good health. (WYH).

We recently left our favorite store, well, really, one of our favorites, Costco. As we were pulling up to the stop lights, we noticed several pylons, all around the crosswalks.

Normally, none of us would have said a thing, or, have taken notice, but, in looking down, in between said pylons, we noticed that the city workers were painting the crosswalks a beautiful orange, blue, green, and, yellow. The design is modern, and, coming across this surprise of colors, well, it just makes a person smile.

That has always been one of the biggest draws for me, coming here to live- the colors. The cars, here, for example, are all different shades of red, blue, green, turquoise, yellow, pink, and orange; not all black, or white, or grey. The houses, shops, restaurants are colorful as well. You cannot go one block, which contains ten to fifteen houses, and/ or shops, and/or restaurants, without walking, or driving passed a rainbow of colors.

At night, most of the these same buildings are illuminated, and now, especially since it is close to the holidays, they are lit with all types of Christmas lights. Stunning.

Colors here are essential, I believe. Everywhere you look, people are wearing brightly colored blouses, skirts, jackets, shoes, handbags- you get the idea. I believe, also, that the people that “appear” to have the least amount of worldly possessions have the most amount of color around them.

In the mercados, there are women that sit, and make colorful beaded items- bracelets, coin purses, earrings, book markers, all with the most beautiful, but tiny beads. And not a single one of them wears glasses. Amazing.

I know that, up North, there is only the color of Christmas, right now, and, as I recall, that would be enough. But not for me. I need color everyday, and as much as I can get. We have yet to find material for the cushions that will go on our couches, and chair. But, the real colors will be in the pillows we get that will go on the couches, etc.

Our bedding I actually bought purposely full of colors. One of the duvets I bought, this time last year, is actually called Belles Artes- the huge performing arts center here in downtown México City. How prophetic was that?

Enjoy all of the color you can, when you can. Let me know if they make you smile, too. Happy Holidays everyone.

There have been so many things we have purchased, online, of course, for the condo, that have been sent from the US. Now, since we discovered Amazon.com.mx.®️, and, MercadoLibre®️, we can get them here, and not pay the large shipping and handling charges. Not only those, but the prices of the items, themselves, are more expensive, sometimes, from Amazon.com®.

***I interrupt this post to let you all know we are moving next weekend, to be more precise- the eighteenth of January, in the year of our Lord two thousand and twenty!!! After an almost six month remodel, Luis texted us this morning, (09/01/20) that he will have the condo finished by the end of next week, that our table is finished, our bed is almost finished, and, possibly one, if not both Murphy beds will be finished very soon. We are going over to the condo this Saturday to put the window film on all of the windows, before the rooms fill up with totes, and boxes. We are both so excited, it will be hard to sleep. And, as I have my first appointment with Paty’s brother, Dr. Arturo Lara, (remember the Halloween photo of the guy with the saw through his head? That is Arturo), I do not want my blood pressure to be high. Ok. You have read the good news, now, back to the original post.***

So many things we took for granted, living in the States, that we now have to pay through the wazzoo to obtain. Salt, for example. We have enjoyed using Diamond Crystal®️salt, because it is flakes of salt, not grains, for many years. I ordered some from Amazon.com. They did not get delivered when they estimated they would, so I contacted the seller, only to be told it was being held up at the Customs office. Customs, here, wanted a certificate from the government here because this is considered a food item. Technically, it is a food item, and, you cannot bring food from the US into México, or, into the US from México.

Needless to say, I was not to be deterred. I was fortunate enough to find the flaked salt on MercadoLibre®️ for only one arm, and one leg. Pumpkin pie filling- another luxury. Only had to sacrifice the other arm for that. The good news is that both were delivered in only three days.

So, going forward, we are making lists of things we need to buy in the States, when we return in August of next year. We are planning to bring an empty suitcase to fill with our bounty, contraband, same thing. It is too expensive to continue to buy the things we are used to having, and have them shipped down here. I suppose we could try to get used the similar things being sold here.

No, probably not!

Anyway, enough for tonight. It is getting late, and with the above insertion of information, it is going to take us awhile to relax enough to get to sleep. Thank you, all, for your care, and consideration for the events in our lives. I hope you still find this somewhat entertaining. And, since no one has left any comments on things you want me to find out about, I am going to continue with my daily rambles. Should you want to know something, in particular, just let me know. Soon, it sounds like, I will be sharing the “move experience” with you. That ought to be interesting, as nothing here ever goes the way you would imagine it should. Stay tuned.

I wanted to tell you about the dogs here. There are three breeds that are most popular- the ever present purse puppy, the tiny Chihuahua, the beautifully ugly dog, the English bulldog, and the cutest little grey, and silver, Schnauzers.

There are other “lesser” breeds, of course, but, when watching the dog walkers, those three breeds are the dogs we see the most. There is an occasional Golden Retriever, or, a Poodle, and, some of those, well, I think they look like a walking mop, but I cannot remember what they are called. There are a fair few of them, as well.

It amazes me just how many dogs there are here, living with their domesticated families. Plus, there are very few, as I think I mentioned in another post, rogue tribes of dogs here. It is rare to see a wild pack anywhere that we have been, at least. Thank the good Lord.

The other, fairly common dog, is the beagle. It is so cute to watch several of them, all leashed, and walking together. They appear to be at attention all the while they are walking. I suppose that is because they are pseudo hunting. They have that expectant look about them, that, in any second they will find “game” that they will be told to chase, or fetch, or whatever it is they are bred to do. Their heads are usually held high, when not sniffing the ground, and, as I mentioned, they are ready for anything.

The other thing I have noticed, is the lack of dog poo. I know I mentioned it in a prior, but for as many parks, and sidewalks, and, open ground, in general, the lack of poo is remarkable.

Well, I think you get the idea by now. I just needed to remark on the cleanliness of this huge city. There are very few places that we have been to that are not clean. Lots of pride in this city, for sure.

Forgive me if this a repeat but, I just want you to know that the pizzas here have no sauce. How can this be, I ask you?

No matter which brand of pizza you buy, you add the sauce you want, either from a packet, or, from a small, round, plastic container that has a lid.

This is how I was first introduced to “take out” bolognese sauce. The folks, here, put just about anything on their pies, too. In fact, yesterday, we had two pepperoni pizzas, from Little Cesars, on which I put a few drops of Maggi, the seasoning sauce. It was fantastic!!! I would never have thought to try it. I saw Pepe put some on his, so I tried one drop on a bite. I was hooked.

Of course, there are the packets of dried chili flakes, catsup, and, hot sauce, as well as Parmesan cheese. However, most large, five item pizzas go for one hundred pesos, or about five dollars. Must be the lack of tomato sauce.

So far, we have had pizzas from Domino’s and now Little Cesars. I think the crust at LC was better than D’s. Oh, I think we had Pizza Hut in between those two, and that is where we got the bolognese sauce. Amazing.

I did see, the last time we went to Sam’s Club, their pizzas have tomato sauce. How odd! And, you know Sam’s Club pizzas are huge, but here, only one hundred thirty pesos, (about six fifty) for one with the works. Cannot beat that with a spoon.

We had our BMW parked just across the street, on the corner, from the house here, since the first of January. Yesterday, we were going to go to the store, when Paty noticed the passenger side mirror was gone. Then, we all noticed that the grills, on either side of the front of the vehicle, the signature grills that show the BMW to be just that, were both gone. The mirror had been broken off, but the grills had, somehow, been removed more gently- probably to preserve their resale value. Bastards!

I hate the feeling of being violated! Here, however, it is usually nothing personal, like someone having it in for you. Here, it is just resale value. Fortunately, the amazing mechanics that have been helping us with the Mercedes, getting it in tip-top shape, are going to help us order, and replace, all of the items that were stolen. Bastards! (Not the mechanics, silly).

One of many good things about these guys, (the mechanics), is that they will do superb work, and do not charge us like the dealership would. So, for now, we can afford the Mercedes. When I start receiving my SS benefits again, we are going to trade in the Mercedes for another BMW, but this time, it will be a four door sedan, and probably a couple of years newer. Not sure on the last bit.