It's been a while

I wish I could tell you something interesting as to why I have been in a Blog drought, but I am not that interesting of a person.

Since my last post in September, I have began my unemployment status and have enjoyed the 2 weeks with our youngest daughter in a quest to find a new truck suitable for her puppy and take it back to Juneau, AK.

I have also acquired a new Panasonic Lumix Z51 camera. It's a love hate relationship. She is way smarter than I am patient, so I just leave her in the bag for days hoping she will learn her lesson and just take a stupid photo without making me think about all the settings. Oh, don't get me started on her hooity tooity software that would make any FBI or CIA photoshop software look like child's play. Needless to say, I have been humbled by this small devise.

OK, so I also wanted to tell you all that Keith and I have started a new 12 step program. Well, not really it is only a 1 step program. We are no longer purchasing anything that we wont be willing to move to Mexico. I have started giving stuff away as well.

I was able to choose a few items from an award program and along with a propane patio heater (that will be great in Mexico on the cooler winter nights) I also chose a toaster that poaches eggs. Am I a total freak for loving this thing or what? I do love it. So simple and actually does something for me. Not like this stinking camera...

Here are some photos from our short trip in SE Arizona, my magical toaster and last nights sunset from our back yard.

Flag Waving.

I have misplaced my Mexican flag. I am sure I have flown it in Arizona, but maybe not. I bought it years ago in Mexico and it hung in our garage in Juneau. I am sure that is not proper flag etiquette, but it was meant more as a reminder to me than an allegiance to the Nation. I would not be offended if I spotted Ol' Glory in a Mexican garage, as long as it was in good shape and being treated honorably.




There is a flag store that is kinda on my way home today. I have email the Flagman, and he has several sizes of Mexican Flags, so I will go and get another flag.



I look up the Mexican Flag on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_Mexico.

Here is the National Anthem. Is it me, or does the music, not the language or lyrics sound Russian. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yG94Eb7CdYQ

There is some very interesting information on there. The Oath to the Flag and the Salute to the Flag are lovely pieces of poetry.

Blame my Orange Aura.

So, as boredom seemed to encroach and eat away at my brain like a game of Ms. Pacman. I took one of those Facebook quizzes. In part here is what it had to say about my "Orange Aura".

"Orange personalities are the creative adventurers in the color spectrum. They have an inner urge to be creative, active and enjoy life to its fullest. They enjoy the challenge and excitement of forming and shaping physical reality. Orange personalities love to imagine and plan strategies for their next adventure or project and then put those plans into action. They are always busy building, organizing and shaping their projects and physical reality. An Orange personality's motivation in life is based on how much pleasure and satisfaction they get out of their own adventures, challenges and creative projects. They want to be adventurous, creative and live out their own ideas."

So given the above scientific and proven results, it stands to reason that Keith and I can spend hours pouring over Websites that have only to do with Mexico.

I just started keeping track of the books I check out of the library. Since March 2009 I have read 24 books. All on Mexico. As my reading schedule usually does not vary much, I can use simple math and figure that over the last 10-12 years, I have probably read somewhere around 480 + - books all concerning Mexico in one way or another.

This does not make me an expert.

It does however make me a weirdo.

I almost feel that I need to hide this from people. Like I am some sort of a stalker.

Fortunately I have stopped buying books. I hate to think what I have spent on books and acrylic nails. At least the books provided some sort of education. The nails just costs money and I never learned one word of Vietnamese.

We have a huge map of Mexico. It is so large, the only place it fits is in our Laundry room. I have had some people give me that look as if to say "what the heck? Mexico in the utility room, she has truly lost it"

Keith can locate me there often. If I find an unfamiliar named town on a website and I cannot find it in my Guia Roji Travel Atlas, then I scurry off the the laundry room and start searching with a magnifying glass. I usually start prattling away to myself and the cats just gaze up to me in worry.

I have marked up the map with yellow highlighter all the roads we have travelled by car or bus.

We only have the states of Oaxaca and Chiapas to go and we have travelled the entire Pacific Coast.

So, writing this blog on Mexico, reading books on Mexico, constant lurking on websites on Mexico and actual travelling in Mexico are all the fault of my Orange Aura.

It's not just a phase I am going through.

Much to my parents discomfort.

Alarming

I accidentally set off my home alarm last night at about 11:30 PM. An ear piercing siren and strobe lights sent the cats flying under the bed and had my parrot not already been in his snuggy, he would have crashed to the bottom of his cage. It took me about 30 seconds to gather my wits, find my glasses and race to the other end of the house to disarm the stupid thing. Just as I was getting my hearing back and trying to lower my heart rate, the phone rang. CRAP! who could that be at 11:30 at night, it's got to be BAD!!!! CRAP!!! Oh, it was the security monitoring people. I had forgotten that I had that service.

You see, I haven't set the house alarm for years. But last night I was glad to have it. Keith and the grand kiddos left yesterday at 4AM for Alaska. On our way to the airport we thought we would stop at Dunkin Donuts. They were not open yet, so we drove right to the freeway. Unknown to us at the time, a woman, dead from a gun wound lay just off the side of the road just a block from our home. I drove by twice and didn't see a thing. It was only around noon yesterday that someone walking bye was able to spot her. It was determined that the body had been dumped there, but it still creeps me out to thing this would happen in my neighborhood.

One of the first things to crossed my mind was that it would never occur to me to have an alarm system in Mexico. Thats what dogs and window bars are for right? Colima Dog will protect me. Good boy!

A tisket, a tasket, I need a bigger basket.

$70.00 worth of groceries looks like a small amount. UNTIL...

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I try to load it on my Yamaha V-Star 650. I did get a few looks in the parking lot while I was trying to overload my bike. I certainly got more looks on the freeway.


See, this is reason 43 why I belong in Mexico. People don't give you a second glance when you overload a vehicle. Its a common practice and Mexicans seem uniquely qualified in it.