Tuesday 19 th November 2019...great tennis

This morning!!!

A good plan!!

Yashi kochi!!!!

Monday 18th November 2019....another friend gone!!!!

Bit of a mixed bag today.....

For the next six weeks or so my training session at the gym will be at 10.30am a time that suits me perfectly....again Aaron just knows how hard to push me and I know I say it often but he is not only the best trainer in that gym he is a remarkable and kind young man!!!

Went to the grocery store afterwards and then spent the afternoon working on all the final numbers for the schools for the Three Kings Toy Drive followed by some dead heading of my plants on the roof top patio!!

I saw this on FB posted by my friend Joey...I like it!!

Every year millions of tourists visit northern Siem Reap in Cambodia to explore the Angkor archaeological complex, the site of numerous temples built between the 9th and 15th centuries.

A UNESCO World Heritage site, the park spans 154.44 square miles (400 square kilometers) and many visitors choose to travel the park by elephant to explore the impressive monuments. The parks 14 elephants have been trained to carry passengers and also put on performances for tourists.

As is the case elsewhere in Asia where elephants are used to carry tourists, Siem Reap has been criticized for this practice and also because many of the animals are old or unhealthy. Handlers have been accused by animal rights activists of overworking the elephants and have encouraged officials to stop the use of elephants as entertainment for tourists.

As reward for the animal rights activist’s efforts and staying the course, a ban on the practice was announced earlier this year and an officially confirmed on November 15 and will come into effect early next year, The Straits Times reports.

Long Kosal, a spokesperson with the Apsara Authority which manages the park, admitted that ‘using elephants for business is not appropriate anymore’ and that some of their elephants were already old.

The elephants will be moved from the park to a community forest about 25 miles (40 kilometers) away and will be taken care of by the company that owns them.

‘’They will live out their natural lives there,’’ Kosal added.

I just like this...

Most of my readers know I spent from May 1970 to May 1980 serving in the Bermuda Police force...

6 Questions Every Bermudian Has Been Asked

November 17, 2019

No matter where a Bermudian may travel to, the questions one receives from strangers are often the same. While it can get frustrating at times to dodge seemingly endless questions about the Bermuda Triangle, there is relief in knowing that the interest shown in our island home by strangers abroad is in direct proportion to how unique and special Bermuda is.

 

Where is that?

The problem with this is, as soon as you say that it’s in the Atlantic Ocean and its closes point on land is in the U.S. they think we are part of the U.S., like Hawaii. We know it’s confusing that we’re a little rock in the middle of nowhere, but we’re British, okay?

 

Is that in the Caribbean?

No! We might share quite a few similarities with Caribbean culture, but it’s important to note that Bermuda is an island all on its own, with its own history. Our formation apart from any other land mass is what allowed so many endemic species to emerge here, including a reptile, our very own skink! Imagine the amount of evolutionary grit it took for that to happen.

 

How did you get out of the triangle?

Sometimes they ask what the other points of the triangle are too – as if we know. Sometimes they are absolutely certain that planes and boats are not legally allowed to travel within the area of the triangle. Later examination of supposed disappearances in the triangle has concluded that most were either spurious or wildly embellished.

 

Do you live in huts?

The irony is that Bermuda is one of the richest nations in the world, with more than 25% of fortune 500 companies having subsidiaries here in 2014. For many, the concept of an island nation is wedded with preconceived notions of it being a developing country. One gentleman in London once asked a Bermudian: “How do you pay for things? With fish?”

 

What do you do for fun?

This is your opportunity to shine (especially if you’re answering this question during the winter months abroad when the landscape is covered in snow): Boating, beaching, surfing, sailing, snorkeling, diving and any other activity that evokes the warmth of sunshine and the crystal clear waters of Bermuda will do.

 

Do you spend all day on the beach?

In this instance, you have to concede that yes, sometimes, you do – and when you’re not on the beach, its absolute torture to look out the car window at the blue skies and palm trees.

There is a Bermuda Police website that I connected with a few months ago where they update all the happenings on the island and with the force....

I went to the site last night and was saddened to read of the passing of one of my good friends and a great mentor to me in my early years, Stan Hill....

I got to know Stan and his lovely wife Hilary, who actually was born and raised about 45 miles from me in England, quite well and I was asked to be God Father to their daughter Victoria...

Sadly we lost touch over the years until I discovered my Face Book page and sort of out it works....anyway I found Hilary’s FB page and also Victoria and sent them both a message and I have heard back from them both which is so nice.

So when I went on their FB page I saw another face I recognized, Vivienne..it turns out that Hilary and Stan and Vivienne and her husband all emigrated to Australia quite a few years ago.

Vivienne and I dated for quite a while and I remember taking her to England to meet my family, this is all about 47 years ago!!!

Anyway I dropped a message to Vivienne on FB and also heard back from her....

It is a small world and nice to be able to communicate with friends from so long ago, just a shame it took a sad occasion for this to happen...

My blessings to Hilary and her family!!

Yashi Kochi!

Sunday 17th November 2019.....this and that!!!

I had breakfast did a load of laundry and then settled down to watch this really amazing live tennis match....

A nerveless Stefanos Tsitsipas came from a set down to beat Dominic Thiem on a thrilling final-set tie-break and become the youngest winner of the ATP Finals in 18 years.

The Greek, 21, won 6-7 (6-8) 6-2 7-6 (7-4) to claim the biggest title of his fledgling career.

Thiem, 26, who edged a tight first set, fell away in the second and the start of the third before fighting back.

But Tsitsipas forced a tie-break, and then won it, at a raucous O2 Arena.

He collapsed to the floor after Thiem put a forehand return out on the first match point before the pair embraced at the end of a two-hour 35-minute battle, with the Greek kissing his beaten opponent on the shoulder.

Tsitsipas is the youngest winner of the season-ending championships since Australia's Lleyton Hewitt in 2001 and claims prize money of just over £2m.

"It's been a rollercoaster. Holding this trophy is amazing," the world number six said.

"It is a dream come true and the best way to end this match.

"I did get nervous at some points in the match but I managed to forget about how I felt and I had momentum in the tie-break, which was really tight.

"My fighting spirit and me constantly trying to push myself to do better got me there in the end."

Tsitsipas and Thiem are good friends off the court and shared a warm embrace after the match

Tsitsipas broke the hearts of many in London on Saturday in knocking out six-time champion Roger Federer and a day later backed that up with a performance that showed why he is regarded as a player who will be one of those at the top of the game when the Swiss and the other current greats move on.

He had been the better player in the opening set only for Thiem to take it on a tie-break but when the Austrian's level dropped he was there to take advantage.

He did not panic and hit just one unforced error in the second set compared to eight from his opponent - going 4-0 ahead in 14 minutes and wrapping up the set soon after.

Tsitsipas' entertaining game - full of powerful forehands, laser-like serving and a stunning single-handed backhand - improved further at the start of the third set and he looked set to power on to the title.

But Thiem, a two-time Grand Slam finalist, broke back and levelled as his crunching groundstrokes returned.

In the tie-break Tsitsipas saw a 4-1 lead become 4-4 before he held his nerve to take the match with three straight points.

Unlike against Federer, the Greek had the backing of the majority of the spectators inside the arena and he celebrated with his fans long after the match had finished, taking selfies and signing autographs.

Can Tsitsipas go on after stellar year?

A year ago Tsitsipas was celebrating winning the NextGen tournament - the end-of-season event for the best players aged 21 and under.

He has now ended his breakthrough season by winning the biggest tournament outside the four Grand Slams and has done so with an entertaining style and exuberant personality that will bring him many fans.

He became the youngest Grand Slam semi-finalist in 12 years at the Australian Open in January, beating Federer along the way, and won two regular-season ATP titles as he climbed into the world's top 10.

The Greek is just the seventh man to win the season finale on his first appearance and the sixth-youngest winner in history.

He is the fourth new champion of the event in a row - following Andy Murray, Grigor Dimitrov and Alexander Zverev - and will now aim to succeed where Zverev failed this year in turning success in London into a Grand Slam win.

"This year was the best year I've had and I want to constantly improve," Tsitsipas said.

"Things were great this year and I beat some top-ranked players which gave me confidence and I've won matches in Grand Slams and Masters 1000s. I think I can do well in the Slams.

Just going to have a quiet evening doing some Three Kings paper work and then watch a couple episodes of my new great show Suits on Netflix!!!

This is all the talk of the town this weekend!!!

Evo Morales with the Mexican flag.

It was revealed on Thursday Nov. 14th by local media, that the former president of Bolivia, Evo Morales, could live his exile in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato.

Authorities of Mexico would have proposed at least five destinations, some of them on the coast and 2 in the “Bajío” region, Querétaro was one of them, however Morales would have preferred San Miguel de Allende, according to a statement made by the federal PAN representative, Sergio Ascencio Barba.

“Morales will reside in San Miguel de Allende, it’s a shame, since it is such an expensive city to live in.”

Amid the controversy generated by the political asylum offered by the Mexican president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, criticisms have increased after knowing that Evo Morales will enjoy an escort of 10 agents from the National Guard, some of them members of the security staff of former President Enrique Peña (Estado Mayor Presidencial), as well as a generous “monthly tuition” of 150 thousand pesos.

We will have to wait for the confirmation of these versions, the truth is that from his first day of exile in our country, Evo Morales was transferred in a caravan with 3 armored trucks and motorcycles, among other security measures that were not seen in Mexico City during the AMLO administration.

Is this fair to the people of Mexico? Give a life pension of 150 thousand pesos a month to a person who had to flee his country where he is accused of being a dictator? Give him protection and residence in one of the most expensive cities in Mexico? Is the people of Mexico willing to allow this outrage?

Is this a decision that AMLO consulted with the people? Of course not!!!

Yashi Kochi!

Saturday 16th November 2019...down memory lane!!

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

This is timely as Chris and Juan are here now and came to my class last Wednesday!!

Wednesday 16th November 2011…..I need a rest already!!!

My busy social calendar continues…..I follow the blog of my friends Chris an Juan at…. livingboonockingmexico.blogspot.com and saw that they arrived in SMA last night and were staying at the parking lot by the Botanical Gardens so at 8.30am I went up there and had a quick visit with them!!!

They live in Monterrey and Chris has helped many RV people over the years…they are going to be there a couple of days so I hope we can find time to get a meal together!!!

On the way back home I stopped at the Mirador and took these 

The church is such a lovely centre piece to the town and can be seen from almost everywhere!!

Back home I was lucky enough to see a hummingbird on the the bird feeder I had put out but not quick enough to get a photo!!

Then it was time for my morning walk in the park this time children doing some sort of activity it is so nice I think to see that the children wear uniform!!!!!!

I just had time for a quick bite to eat and a shower and then off again to get Bonita in for a service!!

I then went next door

to get my teeth cleaned!!!

Dr.Laura remembered me as I had been before last March and also taken Paola there….the cleaning lasted about 40 minutes and the cost was 200 pesos!!!

Round the corner was the house where my poker group were meeting so it was great to see all my old friends again and we had a wonderful afternoon of fun and laughter and I about broke even!!!

Back home another shower and then off to my friend's home Karen and Gregg for a lovely supper and evening…..Gregg is one of my tennis partners and he also hosted me at his home in Cape Cod during the summer…it was nice to meet his charming wife Karen for the first time!!!!

So now it is almost 10.30pm!!!!

Tomorrow and Friday are also fully booked so I need a rest!!!!!

A great day in SMA

Friday 15th November 2019.....yesterday was a slow day today was more of the same!!!

Well if yesterday was a slow and easy day I don’t know 

how to describe my lazy day today!!

Had my breakfast watching the first of two live tennis matches from London....both games were quite good I am always amazed at their stamina and strength they are all superb athletes!!

In then went into town and picked up some chicken breasts and veggies and came home and watched the second tennis match!

I then cooked the chicken and veggies and when it came out of the oven I had my dinner..it was really good, simple but good!!

Off for a long hot shower and then going to settle down and watch a couple of episodes of my new show, Suits, on Netflix ..I am enjoying the show and it is nine seasons long with lots of episodes to keep me busy for a while!!

Wish all my readers a &a bulbous safe and happy and warm weekend!!

Yashi  Kochi!!!

Thursday 14th November 2019..a much quieter day!!

After yesterday’s busy and exciting day

today was a much slower day starting out with another great two hours on the tennis court..always enjoy that.......then I went and had tea with my friend Jen, who owns the casita where I used to live..always great to catch up with friends.

I relaxed this afternoon and watched this live tennis match from London!

Roger Federer moved into the ATP Finals last four at the expense of Novak Djokovic with a scintillating win over his great rival at the O2 Arena.

Swiss third seed Federer, 38, won 6-4 6-3 in a round-robin match which eliminates the Serb second seed from the season-ending tournament in London.

Federer will meet top seed Rafael Nadal or Stefanos Tsitsipas in the last four.

Djokovic's defeat also means Spain's Nadal is guaranteed to finish as the year-end world number one.

Nadal, 33, is far from certain of reaching the last four himself, needing victory over Greek sixth seed Tsitsipas on Friday to have any chance.

However, if German seventh seed Alexander Zverev beats Russian fourth seed Daniil Medvedev then Nadal is out regardless of his result.

If results do go his way then Nadal will top the Andre Agassi Group and face Federer - who has finished second behind Austrian fifth seed Dominic Thiem in the Bjorn Borg Group - in Saturday's semi-final.

Six-time champion Federer, who lost his opening match to Thiem, jumped for joy after clinching a victory which goes some way to avenging his defeat by Djokovic in an epic Wimbledon final in July.

Asked what he did differently at the O2, Federer said: "I won match point, I guess. It was so close at Wimbledon. It was a privilege to play that match, so many ups and downs. 

"I couldn't be more happy right now. I think I served great, had great anticipation, clear game-plan and it worked great tonight - hopefully not for the last time against Novak

It really was a tad one sided, but still enjoyed watching this amazing 38 year old man perform at the highest level.

Then it was off to Bo’s house we did not play train Tuesday but tonight..always like going there lots of fun!!

Came home and hung my new photos...

Ashley has had an amazing season finishing at number one!!!!

Yashi Kochi!!!

Wednesday 13th November 2019..a really great day!!

I was at the gym by 8.30 am for what is now always a 

tough workout but I am so glad I go!!!

Gracie comes home this afternoon so I moved my stuff back to my place and did some chores around town including picking up three photos of mine that I had taken to a small frame shop...

All taken on my safari a few years ago in South Africa!!

The photos are not very good but the quality on the work is so good and can you believe I was charged 200 pesos per frame for the work!!

Off to poker where I sound like a broken record..another 150 pesos win!!

Dropped by to say a quick hello to Gracie and then came home showered and went to pick up yet another birthday cake for one of my students!!

The class tonight was simply amazing...I had invited another nine of my special friends to attend class and eight students showed up!!

So I paired them off and one student Marta having two partners.....I gave them about twenty minutes to talk to each other and ask a lot of questions..

here are Elizabeth and Carlos..

Maggie and Paty....

Juan and Emiterio..

Chris and Adriana...

Kim, Mathew and Marta..

Joy and Lucy

Jen and ILiana..

Nancy and Andrea..

After a while everyone came back into the classroom and each took a turn talking and introducing their new friend....it really was so special I am so proud of everyone of my students!!

Juan won a national dance competition two weeks ago and I got him to come to the front and then brought up Andrea who also studies belly dancing and they did an entertaining little dance routine....

I then surprised Andrea with a birthday cake..it is her birthday on Monday but there is no class as it is a national holiday....

Isn’t this cake amazing????

We all sang to her and then sampled the carrot cake which was delicious!!

You could tell that every had such a good time...I am so blessed to have so many wonderful friends and to be able to teach these amazing students....

Thanks to everyone!!

Yashi Kochi!!

Tuesday 12 th November 2019..if we could all do this...

Yashi Kochi!!!

Monday 11 th November 2019...Remembrance Day!!!

Before I get to today I have to tell and show photos

of the hike I took the dogs on yesterday...it was a lovely day and they so enjoy going out into the hills.....

On the way there we passed this baseball game being played in just a cleared field..my how they improvise to play their games.

We had to cross this small bridge and the dogs loved it.....

Great views and a nice shortish hike..

Coming back I let them cross off leash...

It was a great time we were gone four hours!!

This morning I was at the gym by 8.30 am and I think Aaron took pleasure in working me very hard.....

Came home and had a good breakfast and relaxed, did some laundry and took the dogs out for about 20 minutes just around the neighborhood...

This afternoon I met with two lovely ladies who have offered to help in a specific way with the Three Kings....

When we go out to deliver the gifts to the kids registered in the schools there are always extra little kids around with their Mums and we want everyone to have a gift....so Gina and Linda have volunteered to be in charge of putting together 150 small bags with little gifts for the younger kids.

I will take them to the Tuesday market next month and they will choose the stuff and sort and pack them and then on the day of delivery be I charge of distributing the gifts.

Had another wonderful class tonight....I asked my students to wear their poppies today and have a minute of silence at 11am and I hoped that family, co workers, friends would ask them what they were doing...the stories they told me melted my heart!!

We finished the class with another project related to Three Kings..another kind lady ordered and bought 130 yo yo’s and 85 spinning tops...to give out as extra gifts, very kind offer ..the only snag is that they all come with out the strings attached.....

So I brought one of each into class and asked them to see if they could string them....they had some fun doing this and then I asked them if next week I could bring all the gifts in and they could work on the strings and of course they said yes!!

Another great day!!

Yashi kochi!!!

Sunday 10th November 2019...a relaxing day!!

I was going through some old blog posts the other day

and came across these three photos.....

This is on my birthday six years ago and this is my great friend Robin..

, who now lives in Austin...I met Robin many years ago and she was the volunteer coordinator at CASA Hogar and was very instrumental in getting me matched up with Paola and Daniela.

The next one is taken in May 1970 when I had just arrived in Bermuda, we had to live in the Army barracks for the first six months and do general police duties, including washing and ironing my shirts!!

The last one was around 1974 you can see I no longer had to wear the uniform as I was working in plain clothes in Special Branch......check out the hair and the short shorts......of course the forehand winner is still with me!!!

So I have been keeping a little secret from you all, well maybe a big secret.....my next travel plans!!!

As you know I am in Mexico on a tourist visa and both myself and Little Bluey have to be out of the country be February 17th 2020......

So here are the plans......

My lovely friend June who I met in the cruise ship to New Zealand a few years ago is coming to SMA with he special friend, Vince arriving 8th February and they are going to house sit for me for a month....we will have two days together to catch up and introduce them to this amazing town.

I then drive through the mountains on a new route to reach the beach town where Gail and Larry always stay and I always visit with them for a few days before driving up the west coast and enter the USA in Nogales on 17th February .

Then I head to Tucson and visit with Linda for a few days before I head off to San Pedro, just south of Los Angeles, where I have a house sit arranged from 26th February till 4 th March...this will be good for me to relax see a new area head into LA for a visit and babysit two lovely Labrador dogs!!

Next on the agenda is to head to Palm Springs California where I have an Airbnb apartment booked for two weeks as I have been accepted to do volunteer work at the Indian Wells Tennis tournament..this is classified as the biggest tour out of the Grand Slams.....

I am working as an usher for the two weeks..I have to work 6 x 8 hour shifts showing the patrons to their seats and stopping them from entering during play.

They provide uniforms, free parking, twenty dollars a day food vouchers and when not working I can enter any court and watch any match......just down my alley don’t you think!!!

I have always wanted to do this and I believe it will be an amazing experience and also my lovely friend Stella and her daughter Caron are also volunteering so it will be great to hang out with them.

The next phase of the journey is to drive up to Vancouver Island although yet I have not prepared a route....

I shall stay with my second family Heather and Kirby and be there around the first week in April...whilst there apart from visiting and playing pickle ball I am going to say good bye to Little Bluey...

At this stage in my life with all the driving that I do I feel I deserve a new car..I have never had a new car and without sounding morbid this will be the last car I shall own......many of you know that I do not have a handy man or mechanical bone in my body so much research needs to be done but I do like this car!!

I fly out of Vancouver on 28th April for London and then take the train up to Hull to stay with my family for a couple of weeks and then and this part of the trip has not been planned, around 16 th May make my way to France and rent a car for a while and see some of the country which I only visited as a kid and then 26th May I have an Airbnb booked in Paris where I am staying till 3 rd June whilst I attend some games at the French Open....this is exciting as this will complete the grand slams of tennis....Melbourne, Wimbledon, New York and then Paris.

I fly out of Paris on 3 rd June to Halifax Nova Scotia where I stay for four days visiting my good buddies Paula and Jerry....whilst there I have been in touch with my ex room mate and friend from my Bermuda Police days, Alan, so we plan to meet for a great dinner party..

Then continue the flight back to Vancouver on the 6 th June....will stay a few days again at Heather and Kirby before beginning my drive back to San Miguel and again not sure which route I will take.

So a very exciting trip ahead of me..I will be sorry to miss my Students Graduation in April but intend to have a party with them before I leave in February!!

Yashi Kochi!!