Monday, September 30, 2013

Monday 30th September 2013…where did this day go…..

Cannot believe this is the last day of September this month went by so fast…Monday mornings so

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comes to clean and as usual I have to have the casita all fixed up for her..I know don’t laugh…..I then went off to my Yoga class my instructor is back and the class was a good one and I do enjoy the movements and stretches and my teacher is very patient with me…but now I am able to do my head stand in between two chairs all on my own.

From there I went to pay my rent for the garage and also the casita.  Next stop was the bank and the bakery and then I went home and did something I haven’t done for weeks……

I put on sunscreen poured myself a large glass of iced orange juice got my book and went up to the roof and settled into my lounge chair read for about 15 minutes and then I was off to slumber land……it felt really good to relax and enjoy the warm sunshine.

Then showered and changed and Carolyn had asked if she could come and sit in on my English class so I picked her up and off to class…..because today is holiday for the schools and some businesses I wasn’t expecting many students but 5 did turn up and the class was a good one Carolyn talked for a while always good to get a different accent and the last 30 minutes I took my computer to class and had arranged some photos of my whale trip this year, the damage in the storms last week and my family…they really enjoyed it all…… the 90 minutes went by very quickly.

So it was a good day…hard to believe that tomorrow the 1st October is the day I arrived in Mexico last year….. now where did that year go to….

Yashi Koshi!!!

Sunday, September 29, 2013

Sunday 29th September 2013…..2 posts in one!!!!

The huge thunder and lightening storm last night knocked out the Internet so today is two for one day!!!

Saturday morning beautiful sunshine and Loren and I played  2 hours of great singles tennis it sure felt good to be back on the courts again…forgot to mention before I left for tennis watched a live soccer game from England.

After tennis came home for lunch and guess what……watched another live soccer game and then went to pick up my girl and we went to get the car and the bike and she went biking in the park for 2 hours!!!

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she loves it she rides around and around then a different route then comes for a drink and then more biking then she comes for her sandwich…just a delight to see her having so much fun she also teases me and her English is getting better every time…we stopped and bought some fruit for her to take home.

Last night Carolyn and I went out to dinner and then into the main Jardin to watch the festivities…it was mobbed…and the parade was over 90 minutes long everyone having lots of fun.

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It was a fun evening and later in the evening I have never heard thunder so loud and so close.

This morning after watching yet another live soccer game went to Carolyn's and we hiked around the neighborhood just look at places that I always drive by and do not get a chance to see..on the way passed by these kids

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The hills in the center background are the canyons where I hike from my casita.

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It was a good walk the sun was out the whole time and we finished going down town went through one of the markets

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Town was packed with people and another long parade going on…

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You will notice the date on some of the these shots..my camera is finally toast and I am using Carolyn's if anyone can tell me how to take the date off I would appreciate it.

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This guy pulled Carolyn out of the crowd and started dancing with her then showered her with confetti

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There were some truly wonderful costumes and all the folks watching in the heat and no crying babies…

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Before

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and after

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It was a great walk to see some beautiful homes and landscapes and then the activities down town.

Early evening I was treated to a lovely home cooked meal by Carolyn and now catching up with blogs and e mails…

 

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Yashi Koshi!!!

Friday, September 27, 2013

Friday 27th September 2013……….the hike day!!!

As usual today was my big hiking day and after breakfast I set out on a route that I knew a little but a bit of a mystery tour

on the street outside my casita I saw this pooch

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he was having a back rub..

 

 

…..I had lots of food and drinks and my music so I walked on the side of the highway for 4 km

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this weekend in San Miguel is going to be a bit crazy huge celebrations for the Arch Angel san Miguel and I think this man is on his way to town.

 

and then onto the side gravel roads…the fall flowers are quite lovely

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I was enjoying myself so no one

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After about 9 km I came in to the little village I was aiming for and saw the most unusual site outside the local church

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there was no one around so funny!!!

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After the village I knew where I was heading about 8 km along a paved and then gravel path to another small village saw some animals along the way

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Then the photo of the day!!!

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Just saw her parents pushing her down the road asked for permission to take her photo and she was so sweet and she also got some gum from me…

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The high level of the river after the recent heavy rains.

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I have no idea what these folks were doing a long way from anywhere

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Glad I did not meet this guy when he was alive

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I ordered a safety bracelet a couple of weeks ago and it arrived yesterday so wear it when I go off into the wilderness on my own…..has my name , age and three friend’s phone numbers listed and then the quote which I stole from Nike Corperation…’JUST DO IT”…..just a safety precaution…

Well I was gone 6 hours and I reckon I walked about 28 km and I enjoyed it but a little tired and iced down the knees as a precaution

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The end of an era!!!!

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My shoes are done!!!!

What a journey for these shoes since 2011 they have crossed the breadth of the USA into Newfoundland and Labrador…down the Eastern sea board of the USA…took a cruise to Bermuda and then into  Mexico and last year they went to 17 Countries in Europe..so they are well travelled and served me so well!!!

Tonight  I went to Carolyn's for pea soup which was really good we were going to watch a movie but I was too tired….better get a good rest supposed to play tennis tomorrow  but it just rained so hard…wish you all a great weekend.

Yashi Koshi!!

Thursday, September 26, 2013

Thursday 26th September 2013…..little road journey!!!

I did not have tennis scheduled for this morning and Carolyn asked me if I wanted to go to Queretaro

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with her and her friend, another Leslie…..the only commitment I had was to take my kid to the circus class but I was able to get a friend to drive her there and back from her class so I drove the ladies……

The drive is just about one hour and an easy drive Carolyn had to go renew a car permit so that was the first stop and afterwards we did a very tiny tour of the city but of course it was raining.

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Carolyn and Leslie…..

We then had some late lunch and then the next stop was a Doctor’s meeting for Carolyn and afterwards a safe drive home.

Got home around  8  and from the look of the roads they had lots of rain here today.

Yashi Koshi!!!

Wednesday, September 25, 2013

Wednesday 25th September 2013….a busy day!!

That shiny thing in the sky was there when I got out of bed this morning and I had my morning tea on the roof  terrace it felt really good.

Went and played tennis this morning with Carolyn at her club we met another couple and had a good game just so nice to be hitting balls in the sun shine……went straight from there to poker and this time I won but only  50 pesos…..but not complaining!!!

Home in time to have a shower and get cleaned and ready for my class at six!!!

Another great class I think and hope that the students are enjoying the class and learning we get into all sorts of topics and they love it when I tell a story about my past.

A nice sun set just happening after class.

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After class I was invited to Karen’s for dinner..she is a wonderful cook and knows my strange eating habiots…two other couples were there and the food and conversations were wonderful……

So another day done……

to make you smile…

Constantly being broke and stuck in an unhappy marriage, a young husband decided to solve both problems by taking out a large insurance policy on his wife, with himself as the beneficiary, and then arranging to have her killed.

A 'friend of a friend' put him in touch with a nefarious, dark-side underworld figure who went by the name of 'Artie.'  Artie explained to the husband that his going price for snuffing out of a spouse was $10,000.

The husband said he was willing to pay that amount but that he wouldn't have any cash on hand until he could collect his wife's insurance money.  Artie insisted on being paid at least something up front, so the man opened his wallet, displaying the single dollar bill that rested inside.

Artie sighed, rolled his eyes and reluctantly agreed to accept the dollar as down payment for the dirty deed.

A few days later, Artie followed the man's wife to the local Costco Warehouse.  There, he surprised her in the produce department and proceeded to strangle her with his gloved hands.  As the poor unsuspecting woman drew her last breath and slumped to the floor, the manager of the produce department stumbled unexpectedly onto the murder scene.

Unwilling to leave any living witnesses behind, ol' Artie had no choice but to strangle the produce manager as well.

However, unknown to Artie, the entire proceedings were captured by the hidden security cameras and observed by the shop's security guard, who immediately called the police.

Artie was caught and arrested before he could even leave the premises.

Under intense questioning at the police station, Artie revealed the whole sordid plan, including his unusual financial arrangements with the hapless husband who was also quickly arrested.

The next day in the newspaper, the headline declared:

 

 

 

ARTIE CHOKES 2 for $1.00 @ Costco

Yashi Koshi!!!!

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Tuesday 24th September 2013….a bit of everything!!!

Last night when my teaching class was over I had intended to go exchange the scooter for the car because this morning is when I deliver the food to the school but because of all the rain and slick roads I decided to come home on the scooter and go early in the morning and get the car.

So I was awakened this morning at 5.30 am by the car alarm belonging to Pauline who lives in the big house here and her car is parked outside on the street…the alarm went on for about a minute then silence..I went back to sleep and when I got out of bed this morning and looked out the bedroom window I saw her passenger side window was smashed……I knocked on her door to tell her before I left but just thankful my car was not outside.  I know I say I love this Mexican neighborhood and I do but I also know that I may be perceived as the rich American…the people in the hood are all so friendly but I just have to be aware.

So I went and got the car delivered the food and then took the car back to the garage it is 12 km from my casita to the garage not really an issue.

Back at home I had breakfast and then went hiking into the canyons which I always enjoy and for the second time in 6 years I saw water coming over the dam.

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It was a good hike….at home I called the gas company to come and fill the propane tank on the roof they came within 45 minutes and it is neat to see how they do it….one man comes inside the entrance and takes the stairs to the roof and then he throws a rope down to the man by the truck

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He ties the rope to the pump and the man on the roof pulls it up

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He then unties the pump and fills the tank

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all done in a couple of minutes.

I went to get the kid and took her to her circus class she was all smiles this kind of class is what she enjoys!!!

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We bought some fruit on the way home and her Mum was there and we talked for a few minutes.

This is taken from the TSN network!!

It was 25 years ago - Sept. 24, 1988 - that Ben Johnson became a newly-minted Canadian hero and an internationally-recognized track superstar.

Sure, before that day he had already been a respected member of track and field nobility. He had endorsement deals, admiration from his peers and a seemingly bright future. But winning the gold medal at the Seoul Summer Olympics had sealed the deal: Johnson now transcended the niche culture of track - he was an absolute megastar. And he was Canada's megastar. But that was on Sept. 24.

Just three days later, Johnson was a national disgrace and a symbol of everything that was wrong with track and field. Shockingly and very suddenly, an event that was one of the shining sporting moments for a country of 25 million turned into an embarrassment.

TSN's Brian Williams, who covered the Seoul Games in 1988, joins tonight's editions of SportsCentre to reflect on the Johnson scandal, its impact on sport and its legacy in the Canadian sporting culture.

The International Olympic Committee announced that Johnson's urine tests had been found to contain Stanozolol, a synthetic anabolic steroid that could enhance the conditioning and performance of an athlete. They said he had cheated. They said his medal was being given to his rival, American Carl Lewis. The wind was taken right out of the sails right when most Canadians thought the voyage was just starting.
And a quarter century later, remembering the footage of Johnson winning the gold with the benefit of hindsight is an eerie, almost uneasy exercise.

The cameras focused mainly on Johnson and his American rival Carl Lewis. The final of the men's 100-metre dash - the most popular and exciting event in the Summer Olympics - had the track equivalent of the Magic Johnson-Larry Bird rivalry going for it, which only made it that much sexier.

Regardless of the debate and accusations that just about every runner that day was on a performance-enhancing substance, the perception of that day - according to official record and fair or unfair - is that Johnson was the cheater. In 1988, Johnson's victory was a breathtaking moment of athletic excellence, an achievement unrivalled in the history of the 100-metre dash, let alone Canadian track and field.

Twenty-five years later, it's still breathtaking to watch that race - but for entirely different reasons; namely the unpleasant knowledge of what was about to follow.

The Backstory

Benjamin Sinclair Johnson was born Dec. 30, 1961 in Jamaica. He emigrated to Canada at the age of 14 and settled with his family in Scarborough, Ontario. He soon established a very promising track career, garnering a solid reputation and arguably first breaking through to mainstream awareness when he won a bronze medal at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles (the gold medal winner that year was a 23-year-old sprinter from the U.S.A. by the name of Carl Lewis).

On the heels of successful results in several subsequent high-profile races, Johnson was named the winner of the Lou Marsh Award as Canada's top athlete for 1986 and 1987 and was also invested as a member of the Order of Canada.

In August of 1988, in anticipation of the pending Olympic matchup with his arch-nemesis Johnson, it was Lewis who brazenly said, "The gold medal for the 100 metres is mine. I will never again lose to Johnson." If the rivalry had already been heating up, it was now hitting a fever pitch. And that's when it happened.

The Fallout 

Without question, the Johnson debacle was the topic of conversation at every single office water cooler in the country in the days that followed. Shock, surprise, and disappointment abounded from Canadians coast-to-coast.

The disgraced sprinter was named Newsmaker of the Year for 1988 by The Canadian Press. One couldn't help but wonder if Johnson looks back now and reflects on whether he could have had that very same honour for an entirely different reason: having won that race without using steroids. No one will ever know.

After his fall from the top, Johnson kept a public profile roughly on par with that of Salman Rushdie and J.D. Salinger. In 1998, the man who had been arguably Canada's biggest sporting hero ever (albeit for three days) had sadly hit near sideshow status, reduced to participating in a novelty race against a horse and a stock car, and later appearing as a pitchman for 'Cheetah' drinks on television.

The Lasting Impact

Johnson wasn't the first athlete to cheat and he certainly won't be the last. But part of his legacy is that Johnson helped to create the deep, brooding skepticism that now sits with most sports fans. What used to be a knee-jerk reflex to cheer when a new feat of excellence was achieved, has since turned into a collective sense of cynical indifference. Things that were once a cause for celebration are now frowned upon and doubted.

Fans are often hesitant to embrace a new accomplishment for fear of a scandal about its legitimacy. The cheers have been muffled - fans are too busy waiting for the other shoe to drop. In Canada, this is the legacy of the Ben Johnson affair.

 

 

Taken from the New York Times.

MEXICO CITY — Can Mexico ever ascend to its proper place in the world economy without tackling corruption and crime head on? When will the country, with its rising potential, stop being held down by weak government

Those are some of the tough questions raised by readers responding to an article published in The New York Times on Sunday about the growing number of immigrants from around the world who have resettled Mexico in recent years, viewing it as a land of emerging opportunity. Many foreigners who have lived in the country for years stressed that while they wished the world would focus more on Mexico’s strengths, they also wished the country would do more to tackle its flaws – especially corruption and a justice system that does little or nothing.

“This is a great dynamic place for growth and wonderful things to happen,” said Irene Lee Pagan, 74, a Texas jeweler who moved to San Miguel de Allende 20 years ago. “But the police don’t care. They’re just sitting there getting a paycheck.”

Though her city’s new mayor put up posters promoting himself, she said, not one of the 50 robberies and assaults that occurred in her neighborhood over the last three years had been solved. Just a few days ago, she added, a Canadian retiree was beaten during a robbery in her home and nearly died, adding another unsolved crime to the list.

“I told the police, ‘If one or two of these other crimes had been resolved, this woman would not have been at death’s door,'” she said. “But they just don’t see it.”

Other foreigners in Mexico, writing by e-mail, on social media or in comments to Sunday’s article, relayed their own stories of the country’s paradoxical moment, with so much going well and so much to inspire outrage. Many argued that the gap between the dynamism of Mexican society and its failures appeared to be widening.

“Having lived in Monterrey for five and a half years, I am continually amazed at the contrasts in this country,” wrote a reader named Bil. “We have high-speed Internet and state-of-the-art highways. We also have almost 50 percent of our neighbors struggling everyday in abysmal poverty.”

“This is a growing, capable country,” he added. “At the same time, it is a corrupt, backward, enigmatic country.”

And according to one foreign businessman with two decades of experience in Mexico, neither the country’s powerful officials, nor the corporate executives they often court worldwide, have put in the necessary effort to change how things work.

“The lack of transparency in the government (national and local) and honest enforcement of laws leads often to years of litigation regarding such things as property rights and employment disputes, where all too often whoever has the deeper pockets comes out on top,” he wrote. While Mexico is, in fact, “a land of opportunity,” he said, it is “definitely not for novices.”

Even some new arrivals appear to have quickly concluded that Mexico needs a cultural transformation from top to bottom. As one Florida Rabbi, who moved to Tulum last year, put it: “Mexico needs to make a gigantic effort to move out of the perception and reality that the bribe is an accepted way of life.”

This has yet to happen. This month, senior officials unveiled their latest plan for improving security in Mexico, but the word “corruption” did not appear once in the document.

Other foreigners expressed broader fears that on its way to development, Mexico would sell or destroy its greatest resources. “One thing that distresses me is the environmental degradation,” wrote one reader who has lived in Mexico for 30 years. “Not that Mexico is any different from most countries in the world, but the roads are clogged with cars, air pollution is bad, buildings are constructed in high-risk zones, mass tourism is trashing the coastline, rivers are toxic, urban sprawl ruins quality of life, rural culture is being sacrificed to agribusiness.”

And yet, despite such critiques, many expatriates — especially Americans — described their lives in Mexico in positive, often glowing, terms. From the former Washington defense industry employee now making sandals in Michoacan to retirees and former graduate students, most said they did not regret moving south.

Andy Kieffer, a former Silicon Valley entrepreneur who lives in Guadalajara, said Americans needed to reconsider Mexico and the way they judged the country. He argued that Mexico’s largest cities are statistically less violent than Baltimore, Detroit, New Orleans, Oakland and St. Louis.

“When combined with the frequent, and high profile, mall/theater/school shootings (unheard-of in Mexico) in the U.S., I find it curious that Mexico is characterized as an unsafe ‘blood bath,'” he said. “What is the source of this? Veiled racism? An attempt by anti-immigration advocates to demonize Mexicans? A fear of anything different? A misplaced idea that home is always safer?”

In interviews, several commenters said they were speaking out publicly for the first time — because they wanted Americans to think more deeply about Mexico and maybe accept some responsibility for the country’s struggles, especially when it came to drugs, given American demand. Mostly, though, they said they were speaking up because they hoped to see their adopted country improve.

“I want it to be beautiful and safe again, for Mexican nationals and for people who move here, " said Ms. Pagan, the jeweler, speaking by phone from her home in San Miguel. “We’re all brothers and sisters, and I wish the United States would pay more attention

 

Sad to say the lady mentioned in the article did pass away this afternon from her injuries…..I am not saying that I agree with everything written here but interesting perspective!!

 

Yashi Koshi!!

Thursday 5 th January 2023…it was a great run!!!

 This was my first ever blog post back in November of 2006!!! With just a couple of days off I have written a blog every day since and I hav...