A Fork in the Trail Jan 2011

It's Christmas Day.

I have four invitations to share sumptuous feasts with four different groups of friends.

I will not be able to eat at any of them.

I can't take the chance.

But I will visit, hang out, laugh, have fun, and deliver presents.

And eat later.

I'm barely 4 months into a gluten-free life (Celiac Disease) and the doctor

says not to eat anything that was not prepared by me

in my own gluten-clean kitchen for the first YEAR!

sigh

The Mexican Trailrunner has come to a fork in the trail!

It's been nearly 7 years since I crossed the US - Mexican border to

live out the rest of my life in the warmth of the Mexican sun

and its people.

I've never looked back.

But, things have changed, I've changed, life paths have changed!

I no longer hit the brakes and stare stunned every time

I pass a burro with a load of firewood on it's back

led by an ancient man chatting on his cell phone.

Know why?

It's now just everyday life.

Twelve people on one scooter?

Nothing new.  So what?  I didn't even notice.

Well, except to try not to run 'em over!

I've been thinking I would shut down the blog at the first of the year.

Time to move on.

The Mexican Trailrunner has become stale.

Quit while I'm ahead.

I don't want to write about narcos and Mexican politics,

you can read that on the news - just don't believe everything you read.

I am safe here.

We are safe here. 

Blogging is too demanding to keep up!

Who cares anyway . . .

Then I thought. . .wait!   I'll miss it!

I'll  miss you readers and your comments and emails.

And I'm addicted to my fellow bloggers.

I'll feel left-out when I read their blogs with my morning coffee.

 This won't work! 

So, the Mexican Trailrunner will continue to meander.

But, like life, the Mexican Trailrunner will take some new paths.

A twist here, a turn there, an unexpected detour, who knows what we'll find.

I will write about what it's like to explore, shop, prepare, cook, and eat

glorious gluten-free foods in Mexico!
Did you know there are an estimated 2 million Mexicans
with Celiac Disease?

I'll tell you about the small - but growing! - Buddhist

meditation sangha I've joined in Ajijic!

And I will continue to tell you stories about exploring, living in
- and loving -

this wondrous, magical country.

We will have fun, we will laugh, and WE WILL EAT!

¡Buen Provecho Amigos!  

¡Prospero Año Nuevo!

Enjoy this video!

Happy Holidays And Peace On Earth Dec 2010

I like this picture of the Noche Buena Christmas tree in

Guadalajara so much, I'm using it again this year!

  Stay tuned for changes in the path of the 

Mexican Trailrunner.

Done! Dec 2010

   

Big kids like 'em too!

 

Ok, now we can put these puppies to bed!

Aren't they cool.

 

¡Gracias, Presidente!

Jocotepec Gran Fiesta Schedule - El Señor del Monte Dec 2010

Come to Jocotepec and enjoy our famous

El Señor del Monte Fiesta!

Jan 3rd 2011 to Jan 16th 2011

If you can only come for one day

be sure and come for Sunday the 16th - the final day.

At around 4PM the huge splendorous statue of El Señor, 

depicted on this poster,

will be taken down from above the altar and carried in a procession

through town with thousands of faithful pilgrims leading the way.

Many pilgrims march on their knees, some are blindfolded

and carry candles.

Indian dancers and other acts will fill out the parade.

It's extremely moving and beautiful to witness.

DO NOT MISS IT! 

Click to enlarge.

Click to enlarge.

Hundreds of puestos and impromptu restaurants will fill the town

and plaza of Jocotepec.

 Great shopping and great eating.

See you there!

Jocotepec Malecón Fishing Chairs - Update Dec 2010

BIGGER AND BETTER!

 

Almost done.

The Ajijic Quilt Guild Heats Up La Casa Nov 2010

Networking!  It works.

Sheila met Betty.  Betty had quilts.  

Sheila said she knew some cold little old folks on the south shore

who could really use some quilts.

Betty said - Let's go!

Jim and Betty Parker of the Ajijic Quilt Guild

display the 8 quilts they brought and donated

to the patients at La Casa -

a quilt for each patient.

Each one of these beautiful quilts were made by

Kit and Bill Vincent of the AQG.

Thank you Kit and Bill, how generous of you.

This group of very energetic quilters have made quilts

for the kids at Shriners Hospital in Mexico City,

25 quilts for the Chapala orphanage The Hope House,

and 20 quilts for the kids at La Ola in Ixlahuacan.

And these are just the ones I know about!

Take a look at some of their work. . .

Ajijic Quilt Guild

Check out the quilters and their amazing quilts. 

And yet MORE amazing quilts. 

What do you think?  Pretty impressive, huh?

And if that wasn't enough,

Jim and Betty kept going back to their car

for yet more stuff.

This time, wonderful dolls donated by Arlene Warmoski!

Each patient got a doll.

Thank you Arlene, muy amable.

Think they liked them?

A besito!

Madre Mireya, beaming behind the mask.

Thank you, Sheila!

Think they stopped there?

Not a chance.

I just got this email from Betty:

"We took two more dolls out there today, plus 5 walker bags, another quilt, some staples and some homemade Christmas ornaments.  Made arrangements to go next Monday to paint and provide soup for comida.  I figure 4 hours max  11-2 there.  We can bring the ladder, t-square, paint brushes, roller, drop cloths, and soup, plastic soup bowls and spoons.

White paint  (small amt to do over the burns first) then if there is a nice blue or green (can be mixed with white if it is dark) will then give a border to the doors."

Anyone in the area who would like to come out and

help, meet everyone and visit, or bring things to go with what we're doing. . .

COME ON OUT! 

But please, don't come empty handed. 

Madre Mireya and Hermana Miriam scrape and stretch pesos

to feed, diaper, clothe, medicate, and shelter

every one of these very needy patients.

A bag of fruit, a couple of kilos of tortillas, tomatoes, a chicken, milk,

yogurt, tp, diapers (adult med), cleaning supplies,

well, you get the idea.

If you are not in our area and would like to donate to help the

nuns at La Casa,

just click on the Buy Now/PayPal button on the right side of this blog

and leave a note that you would

like your donation to go to La Casa.  

I will take the money over for you.

Looking forward to seeing you!

Monday, Dec 6, 2010

11 - 2

La Casa Sagrada Familia 

Rancho el Salitre
Carretera Mazamitla - 7 km from Jocotepec
Phone: 34 81 06 92 71

Jim and Betty Parker can often be found

at the Upscale Resale Bazaar in Riberas

or email them at:

casaparker@gmail.com

Happy Thanksgiving One and All! Nov 2010

¡Feliz Dia de Gracias!

Guatemalan artists association.

Things That Make You Go Hmmmmm. . . Nov 2010

 

Things That Make You Go YAYYYYYYY!!! Nov 2010

Back story:  Things That Make You Go Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr. . .

Things That Make You Go YAYYYYYYY!!!

Las Pescando Sillas (The Fishing Chairs)

are coming back! 
Good news for the people of Jocotepec!

The Presidente has commisioned the same artists

to recreate their sculptures, bigger and better,

in the same location on the malecón.

Artist apprentice, José, prepares the wire frame

and plaster that will hold the little tiles.

 Julio Martinez, famous for his Tlaquepaque

murals and sculptures, oversees the project.

Julio says he is second-in-command to

Camilo Ramirez who headed up the original project.

We're so happy they're back to do it again!

 

 The original plaque commemorating the original

sculptures

.

Dia de los Muertos Ajijic 2010 Nov 2010

Mexico's Day of the Dead

A Celebration of Life

Ajijic Style

Today Mexico celebrates the lives of friends

and family members who have passed from this earth.

By no stretch of the imagination is it a day of mourning,

or sadness.

Instead, it is clearly a celebration of life as 

they stream in to decorate the graves, share a meal,

and spend another night with their departed loved ones.

I'll leave Wikipedia to fill you in on the history

and details, in case you are not familiar with this tradition.

DAY OF THE DEAD

Instead, I'll provide a pictorial of the scene at the

Ajijic panteón (graveyard) as the hustle and bustle

began in preparation for the evenings festivities.

As soon as night falls, tables and chairs are set up, 

Mariachis tune up, grills fire up,

candles light up, and the super grand fiesta begins!

You have to experience it to believe it!

Witness a little of the joy. . .

Vendors begin to set up in the streets and at the entrances

to feed the hundreds of people

who will attend this 2010 Dia de los Muertos.

Riots of color in all directions!

And the graves!  Oh, the graves!

 Sometimes it looks like the families may have moved on

or become too elderly to participate.

Or perhaps, there just wasn't the pesos for it this year.

Note, however,  that it is spotless.

 Descanse en paz.

Drama In The Barrio Oct 2010

Culture Clash

Today's post will have no pictures.

No video.  No graphic description.

It's just too sad.

One of my neighbors, a family around the corner from me,

has a small rag-tag band of horses.

Every morning the chico (young man) rides one and leads the others

the 3 short blocks to their milpa (corn field)

where the horses can munch the dry grasses and corn husks.

And every evening he does the same in reverse to secure

them overnight close to the house.

Bringing up the rear, and a block or 2 behind,

is a young colt of about 6 months.

He cannot keep up.  He hobbles on 3 legs.

His right front leg is broken.

He shrieks for his mother who is a member of the band

the young man is trotting off with and she shrieks back.

I cannot stand to watch it and flee behind my walls,

plugging my ears, when I hear them approach.

Once, I shouted to the chico as they passed. . .

¡Oye, joven, que necesita veterinario!

(Hey, young man, you need the vet!)

He said. . .Ehhhhhhhh. . .without pausing.

(Colloquial affirmative response.)

I said. . .¡Está sufriendo!

(It's suffering!)

Ehhhhhhh.

Ok, what can be the problem, I thought.

Must be the family doesn't have enough money

to pay the vet to put the colt down.

No problem!  I'll offer to pay.  How much could it cost?

BAD IDEA!

I would then be the 'go to' gringa for everyone's

pathetic dying pet or livestock.

Bad idea.

So, I asked around the neighborhood for a solution.

Pobrecito (poor thing), my neighbors all cried.

Maybe I'll take up a collection and hire the vet anonymously.

That might work.

While chewing on that idea,

and not wanting to waste time,

I asked around a little more for the right way to handle this.

I stopped at Guillermo's carneceria in the mercado,

and told him the sad story.

Guillermo said he knew the family and would stop

and have a chat with them asap.

Don't worry, Guillermo said, I'm an animal lover too,

I'll take care of it!

Whew.

I returned to Guillermo's carneceria and asked

what he found out.

Did you have a chat with the family with the little colt?

Si.  I told them they needed to put the horse down.

What did they say?

No.

WHAT?  WHY?

They said it's not big enough yet.

Searching For Cancer Oct 2010

A Mexican Medical Experience

It's been a month since my Celiac Disease diagnosis

and the only thing left to do now

is to stick to a gluten-free diet

and search for cancer from Celiac damage.

The morning of the dreaded colonoscopy

we met my doctor, Juan Pablo Loza Méndez,

at his office in Chapala at 7:30AM.

 Dr. Juan Pablo Loza Méndez

Calle Guerrero #141

Chapala
Cel  333 141 3364

He drove us to the hospital in Guadalajara

for the procedure, where he would also assist.

Hospital Dr. Ángel Leaño is the teaching hospital

for the Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara A.C. (UAG),

the premier medical school in Guadalajara.

 It was impressive.

I was taken into the procedure room

and the first thing I saw when I walked in was this painting.

Although I am a spiritual person,

and not particularly a religious person,

I have to say I found this painting

very moving.

Maybe the fact that they were going to stick

instruments a loooong way up into my body

had something to do with it.

They prepared to sedate me and the

Chief of Staff of Gastroenterology came in and introduced himself.

He was a kind, confident, warm, and intelligent looking

man and I liked him instantly.

His name is Dr. J Martín García González

He explained everything he was going to do

and asked a lot of appropriate questions.

The nurse started the IV, put on a relaxing DVD of waves and beaches,

loaded a blank DVD into their recorder,

and pushed the sedation.

Goodnight!

I awoke to Dr. Juan Pablo and the nurse saying

"No cancer!!!"  "No cancer!!!"  "No cancer!!!"

OMG

After that we went to Dr. García's handsome office

for the results and a consultation.

 He gave me a bound booklet of the results with photos

and a DVD of the procedure.

The rest of the story is:

Procedure/Dr./Hospital - $5000 pesos (about $400US)

Dr. Juan Pablo's services - $1000 pesos (about $80US) 

NOT FINDING CANCER - PRICELESS!

 

For My SF Bay Area Friends Oct 2010