mOOners in Mexico

by Kris

Kids, kids, kids what would the world be like without their beautiful little faces, their boundless energy, their open minds and huge hearts? As a card carrying Grandma, I am attracted to kids and quite a few of them are attracted to me. And that's a good thing. This abuelita (little grandma) in the small Jalisco town of Amacueca, knows what I'm talking about. She is a walking party with her nieto, un globo (balloon) and a squeeze of hands.

We met our amiga especial, Guadalupe, at the pool in Roca Azul when she swam with her charming curly-haired nieta, Paola.

Fiestas are the heartbeat of Mexico and the estrellas (stars) of the show are the niños. This beauty has the best seat in the house with her papa.

This little caballero has his eyes on the parade ahead. Dad is checking his watch and (based upon a later encounter with him) is thinking, "Bueno, it's tequila time."

These gorgeous little ones enhanced a float in the most angelic way...

Two tuckered fiesta attendees share a bench in the Ajijic plaza.

One of my favorite kid encounters happened as we drove through the Lake Chapala village of Mezcala. This happy young'un was headed home with vegetable scraps for his family's animals. We returned a few weeks later to give him this printed photo but, unfortunately, couldn't locate him. Now we have an "Epson Picture Mate personal photo lab" and we can print and deliver a beautiful color photo on the spot. Instant gratification for me - happy kid with a special and personalized gift; a win win situation.

Another "drive-by shooting" was this adorable pair from the south shore of Lago de Chapala.

Photographing kids is an interactive activity. We ask first, if possible, and always show the pictures to the subjects. They love it! Evi shows these amazed niños their smiling faces on her camera. Thank God for digital cameras with big lcd screens.

Many photos speak for themselves; this one is titled, "Mine". We watched these two, obviously hermana y hermano, for five minutes. Every bumper car he hopped into she pushed him out of. Every one. Finally the ride started and he made a last second jump to a car of his own. He will be a survivor in the on-going big sister little brother struggle...

Niños are cute. Niños con perritos are cuter. During a visit con la familia Fernandez de El Molino, middle hija, Candi, was inseparable from Tai, the incredibly mellow pooch of amigos Dave y Sonia.

Watching las tres hermanas at play was fun and a good work-out! Yuri y Candi played so well together - they encouraged and helped each other. It was very non-competitive for a sibling activity! Artist, Karen, colors on the tea table in the background.

Playing, drawing, and a full tummy of her mama's pozole can wear out even a nine year old and Yuri takes a much deserved break.

Yuri's relaxing pose is the perfect segue to a siesta...

Luego,

mOOners

by Kris

How is it possible that a place that is paradise can so suddenly become the farthest place from your heart and soul? I found out the day I heard via our satellite internet of our eldest daughter's breast cancer. Looking out my backdoor, I saw the Mexican beach we'd called "home" for two enchanting weeks. The enchantment was replaced with anxiety and the helpless feeling of being too far from home and family.

I am not sure I was totally recovered from Ken's heart experience in January and this news of my child hurting and the family trying to deal with the hugeness of this without me, Mom, was almost unbearable. To protect my daughter's privacy, I will just say that she is one of these beautiful young women - my girls; my daughters, my daughters-in-law, my bonus girls...all healthy and fabulous friends, sisters, aunties, wives, and mamas...

If I couldn't be at home during the initial time of diagnosis, I was blessed to be in a beautiful place with Ken and friends who felt my pain and offered amazing amounts of love and support. I was safe to share my feelings and I freely did so. Paulita and I shed tears of so many different feelings; sadness that one of our girls was affected by this horrible disease, shock and anger that breast cancer is insidiously creeping into a younger generation, joy that we are blessed with fabulous daughters, and hope and trust for a complete healing. We walked the beach and talked, cried, and laughed. Not sure how I would have coped if not for very special people in my life at the beach, in Jocotepec and Roca Azul, and at home.

Our unity in support for all breast cancer patients and survivors like my girlie, was sealed with bright pink nail polish.

While we made plans for our homeward trip, we enjoyed our remaining beach days with Paulita y Geraldo. It pains me to report that Ken y Paulita appear to have our number in Blongo...but Geraldo and I will get 'em next year..The fellas could not have been sweeter and we know we're blessed to have them.

There's no better therapy for the mom and grandma in me than to snuggle up to a little person. Raquel has no idea what her touch meant to me.

Duffie got a "going home" haircut and looked so fancy that he was invited for a sleep-over with tia Paulita y tio Geraldo. Dogs and kids have the gift of making everything feel better.

I watched this woman walk back and forth on our beach for hours; she was physically on our beach but spiritually she was in another world. Not one other person approached the water during her journey; it would not have been right to interrupt the communion of this woman and her angels. I had the most overwhelming urge to talk with her and tell her about my daughter. I explained this to one of her companions and came to the realization that the four women were nuns and the lone walker was the Madre. What a blessing and comfort to have the Madre come to me, hold my hands in her hers, and tell me that my daughter would be in their prayers. I doubt that I could describe her face, kind and loving as it was, but her hands and her strong and reassuring touch are as real to me now as at the time of our encounter.

Our special local señora, Margarita, has a heart full of love as we witnessed when we first saw her. She is feeding two orphaned kids (goat babies) in addition to being the village storekeeper. All with a big smile.

We were saddened to hear that Margarita's eldest daughter was killed in a car accident just months ago. During our goodbyes we mentioned that we wanted to see the nearby iglesia de San Mateo and she arranged for her friend to open the church for us. San Mateo is a non-descript village with an iglesia that defies description. The architect(s) had incredible vision in creating this one of a kind Casa de Dios. We are grateful for the opportunity to have experienced this special place of worship.

Over the past two winters we've been in many churches; some that are grand and hundreds of years old and full of relics of spirituality. None have affected me like this modern open-air home of worship in a small and simple town. I've not knelt in a Catholic Church since I was a young girl but it felt natural here and at this time in my search for peace of mind and comfort of heart.

The Virgen Guadalupe is a central figure in the culture and spirituality of Mexico. We have our own Guadalupe, our amiga muy especial and our link to the country that is our second home. The friendship we have with Guadalupe and her sister, Concepción, means so much to us. We are forever friends. We share comida y tequila, and stories of life and family in our brand of "Spanglish" - Ken once told Guadalupe that she speaks excellent Spanish and she replied, "I practice everyday!"

It was such a boost for us to see Guadalupe's car at her home in Roca Azul as we drove out of the RV park where we'd said goodbyes to other friends. When Guadalupe ran out of the house we hugged and she wept when we told her why we were going home. Her spirit, encouragement, and comfort were with us all the way home.

Now a week after a happy reunion with our family and a successful lumpectomy, we wait for news of further treatment. I'm where I belong doing what I love - being a Mom and Grandma (and happier wife). I am writing this to share good news with friends in Mexico, Canada, and the US. And I'm writing to encourage other Moms and Grandmas to have your young women realize that breast cancer is no longer "your mom's disease"...and to examine themselves, get a mammogram, and get involved with community efforts like the "Susan B. Komen" foundation and The Avon foundation.

We will beat this disease.

mOOners

by Kris

We love our Bigfoot truck camper; we must because we've been "full-timing" (RV speak for living in it) for almost two years and we're still happy and comfortable. All the tech gadgets, the two 125 watt solar panels, the satellite internet dish, our Macs and music gizmos aside, we try to keep the systems and accomodations simple. The original interior was pleasant but not inspiring.

We weren't sure how we wanted to personalize our home until I fell in love with a colorful picture at an art fair in Ajijic, Jalisco last spring. The artist, Luz, a beautiful young Mexicana, explained the title of her painting, "Once Flores de Mexico" to mean "Eleven Flowers of Mexico" with the ten bright amarillo flowers and the faceless woman of the vase representing the eleventh flower that is all women...I cried when she told me because I am una mamacita y abuelita (grandma) y amiga de muchas flores muy especiales.

The many colors of the picture came to life in fabric (8 yards of rich red for cushions, curtains, and valances for $22US in Morelia, Michoacán) and multi striped shawls, and brightly hued pillows depicting scenes of life in Pátzcuaro, Michoacán. The paper maché angel on the wall was created by a student of a special school in Tapalpa, Jalisco.

The cocina is brightened by the hand blown wine glasses from Tonalá; the glass holder "borrowed" from our sailboat, fullmOOn. The cheery "sun" is also from the children of Tapalpa.

The rug was hand woven by Margarita, a vendor in Chapala who is an absolute sweetheart y una amiga muy especial. Ken sewed the duvet from two queen sheets - I love a man who sews.

Framed and firmly attached to the wall and travel ready is my favorite picture.

Like all the treasures we've surrounded ourselves with, "Once Flores de Mexico" is a colorful reminder of all the places and people who make Mexico our happy second home...

mOOners

by Kris

I am so impressed with friends who journal their lives and adventures on a daily basis. How disciplined are they? Each evening here in Roca Azul, Paulita hollers from their camper to ours something like, "How do you spell Tapalpa?" as she faithfully enters the events of our (often shared) daily experiences. What a wonderful gift to herself (and to Geraldo) to have a beautifully written remembrance of where they were, what they did, and when. I rely on the dated pictures in "iphoto" for my travel calendar - and this blog, while depicting our adventures, in no way itemizes the events of our daily lives. I don't have the desire to write "mOOners in Mexico" as a today we ate breakfast, walked around town, went for a swim, yada yada blurb.  Not my style, certainly not my random personality. A journal, on the other hand, would be a personal diary of sorts and a therapy treatment at the same time.  I need to get with the program and start writing in the empty book I bought  three months ago for this trip. Yikes!

Paulita and I know one of the world's most amazing journalers, a woman we met in Pátzcuaro last spring. Pat puts the Art in the art of journaling. Her journals are beautifully illustrated depictions of her travels throughout Mexico. These pictures show Pat's stories....

A tree in the Villa Pátzcuaro RV Park was the entry we last saw Pat enter in her on-going journal.

The magnificent and ancient arból will never look grander than in the pages of Pat's journal. No finer legacy can she leave her family than her journals of who she was and how she saw the world around her. ¡Que rico!

mOOners

by Kris

Before we were seriously distracted by Ken's heart situation, I was mid-stream in a re-cap of 2008's pleasures of tastes. These are highlights of the year, not daily dining experiences. The cheesey, dairy drenched, often fat laden plates accompanying this blogging are not indicative of our normal dietary intake. And many of the delicious looking plates are those of amigos. Unlike Ken, I have semi high blood pressure and higher than I'd like cholesterol (but a good ratio with my HDL level) so we are cognizant of what we consume on a regular basis. We generally eat with three food thoughts in mind; "The Zone" (balancing fats/carbs/proteins), "Eat Right for Your (Blood) Type" (we're both O's), and eating smaller portions and/or sharing a meal. This is healthy but not exciting enough for a highlights segment of foodie delights. Yum, half a tuna sandwich on whole grain (not wheat..bad for O's) bread....

With this in mind let's rewind and continue our tasteful journey of the year past beginning with one special evening in Maruata on the Pacific coast-line of the Mexican state of Michoacán.

The day's catch of langosta in two photos to more perfectly capture the meal - on the grill

and on the beachfront table...

We invited our Maruata family for a comida de spaghetti and Wendy enjoyed slurping pasta like every other kid I've known. Can I be sued for saying Coke is the worst thing that ever happened to Mexico?

Yuck, drinking fresh from the coco must've led to the creation of rum...

Our beach buddies, Steve y Danielle, treated us to an anniversary dinner of palapa pizza. Same beach side table, same condiments...salsa picante de Chapala, y tomates, y aguacates y cervesa.

Two weeks later we're home in wonderfully springy (a continuation of our winter weather :-) Northern California. Our kids surprised us with a welcome home party and the fun and great food continued. It was soo good to see all my girls.....

We had the most incredible six months at home with our family and friends. Ken and Russen were celebrated on "Father's Day" with brunch on the front patio of the Bird Farm....our newest family hang-out. Mimosa cheers all around.

If we have wine questions at home, we know who to ask...our fabulous daughter-in-law, Shannon.

What's summer without birthday parties?? Our youngest grandbaby, Jackson, turned two in July.

When I was a kid, the summer ended much too soon. The older I get they zip by even faster. Bummer! But hey, we don't have to go back to school...and we get to go back to Mexico!

A November reunion with our Guadalajara Gals began with a trip to Tlaquepaque, a shopper's haven and a memorable dining experience at "El Patio". Guadalupe has a watchful eye on the camarero serving the tortas ahogadas. She still has our vote for the best of these "drowned sandiches."

We have discovered a favorite dish in a favorite restaurant - can't wait to mention it to our amigos at our other favorite eatery, La Placita, when we return to Orangevale. Chiles en Nogada is a classic dish of celebration for Mexican Independence Day. The colorful presentation of green poblano chile, white walnut sauce, and red pomegranite seeds represent the Mexican flag. Absolutely delicious.  Agostín's interpretation in his San Juan Cosalá restaurant, Tia Lupita, is true to the taste and heritage of the dish. ¡Viva Mexico!

From my earliest visits to Mexico in the late 60's I have had a love for many things Mexican but perhaps none so much as my fondness for muebles de Equipale - the rustic furniture made of wood and pigskin. Our little patio in Roca Azul is just the right spot for a table and chairs and nuestro amigo and landlords, Oscar y Ana, graciously offered to house them during our six month absence. We ordered our set from the "Casa Laguna" factory in Zocualco, the home of Equipale. Sitting in these chairs is being hugged and welcomed to a table of good food, good drink, and always good company.

To celebrate the Equipale, our neighbors Sonia and Dave, put together a sampling of breakfast treats from their British Columbia bed and breakfast. The gathering was our usual congenial group of Canadians, Mexicanos, and us. ¡Que rico!

The main course...

The outstanding frittata..

Sonia, you are the wonderwoman de la cocina....we're all still talking about this meal and hoping for a repeat!

Another great chef in the making is Oscar's bride of nine months, Ana. We've had the pleasure of dining in their home and the hospitality is matched only by the delicious meals. For a newlywed she is way beyond boiling water....if you could taste this casserole and these potatoes, you'd agree.

 Our Roca Azul Christmas Eve fiesta was a potluck of exceptional tastes. How is it that there is always the right combination of veggies and salads and desserts to compliment the main dish when everyone contributes?

Fruitcake, not the joke variety, but really delicious melt in your mouth morsels of holiday goodness. Seasonal tunes on the Bose (Thanks Casey & Russen!) were international...even a little salsa...if not dancing at Christmas, when?

Just like this plate, the year is all gone...terminado...

We've reached the end of another great year; on the plate and off.

Now I'm ready for my breakfast of spelt cereal with fruit and soy milk. Ooooh, and freshly squeezed orange juice...

Hold the camera.

mOOners