Six month anniversary

The six month transformation

June 1, 2018 will be our six month anniversary and we are going to celebrate…well, celebrate may not be the proper term, but will acknowledge all the wonderful adventures we have experienced.  Two terms have become buzzwords at our home…the first is TIM (THIS IS MEXICO) and we use it in an affectionate way.  We have learned to be patient and understand activities, products, etc. do not come as quickly or in abundance availability as we would expect.  A package mailed from the US took nearly a month to get to me.  (TIM). 

The main road running from town to town in Mexico is called the Carratera. Busses, semi trucks, and cars clog the road.  One man, with a single orange cone behind him, a bucket of yellow paint, and a brush, bends over, painting the yellow center stripe through Ajijic  (TIM)

We recently stopped at a restaurant for lunch and after being seated, we ordered three beers.  Two came to the table right away and then we saw the waitress leave the restaurant and in five minutes returned after running to the store and buying one more.  (TIM)

Recently we ordered a salad for lunch.  Requesting oil and vinegar dressing, the waiter said, “I am sorry, today we only have thousand island dressing.  Tomorrow we will have oil and vinegar”. (TIM)

We have one shoe store in Ajijic, but it is a really GOOD shoe store.  I ordered some sandals and they were to be in the store in about a week.  Three weeks passed and each time when I check, it is “Next Monday we are expecting a shipment”  Being “Mexicanized” means I now think, “Hell, I have not had good sandals in years….what is a few more weeks going to hurt.

The second term is “becoming Mexicanized”.  The term for retired is “Jubilado” and the term for relaxed is “relajado”…even when you say it, it comes out “raaylaado…..I am enjoying my morning coffee more, my afternoon bourbon more, watching the sunset more and appreciating life more than ever before. 

And it only took five weeks

This lovely lady sits daily just outside the grocery doing hand
work and  asking for change.

This is the season for hummingbirds.  We have installed four feeders and have nearly 25 regular visitors.  They are used to us and we sit and watch them play, chase and perform for us on a daily 

routine.  We have a resident squirrel who we see run up the stairs to the mirador each morning while we are in the office.  Not sure whether he is just sunning himself or whether he uses this as a way to get to other houses. 

The rainy season is coming, but true to form, it usually only rains at night.  About 7:30 we can hear the thunder start over the lake.  Sometimes it is even followed by streaks of lightning and loud claps of thunder.  Then about 10 pm we hear the rain,…usually coming straight down…no wind.  Nothing recently but clouds are building.   Apparently June is the month where we can count on a number of rainy nights.  It has been pretty warm here close to 90 degrees and without air conditioning, we resort to fans.  The two women are suffering but the heat does not affect me as much.  If they go out for lunch it is usually time for a short siesta in the afternoon.  I plan on that time to write more on my blog.  I have been lax lately, but promise to get back to it.   

Even the vendors are looking for what little shade is on the plaza

This entrepreneur has found an abandoned chair and is
re-caning the back....will be sold next week at the market

Still loving the adventure and all that our little village has to offer.  I recently joined CASA (culinary arts Society of Ajijic.  Much fun and it is definitely testing my cooking skills. As a member, you must present a dish at least four times a year.  On my first venture, my partner and I got second place and enjoyed the challenge.  This last month I made chicken pastelon.  I though it was great but the judges differed so no prize for me....but everyone here at the house liked it.