“Open your eyes, look within. Are you satisfied with the life you’re living?” Bob Marley
I failed to mention last week about the announcement of the first anniversary, May 1st, of a major milestone that changed the course of our lives. It was a year ago we moved into our Ajijic rental to begin our Mexican experiment. It turned out to be a life-changer – making the decision of becoming ex-pats and not looking back. We are not just satisfied nor content with the life we are living…….WE ARE HAPPILY BLESSED.
Cinco de Mayo celebrated NOB: margaritas, guacamole, chips, mariachis, “Ay yi yi yi…”. Cinco de Mayo celebration SOB: gin and tonics, chips & salsa (some traditions are honored), a delicious East Indian chicken curry (I‘ve become a “flexitarian” in Mexico) along with pakoras and samosas prepared or purveyed by our next-door neighbor, Judy. And for dessert – a beautiful tiramisu. We celebrated diversity Amen.
A few weeks ago we drove to Guadalajara to see an Ophthalmologist for our biannual eye checkups. Further tests were required, but we passed them all with flying colors. A slight change in our prescriptions so we shopped for new spectacles. We found two very sharp-looking pairs during our trip to Querétaro and brought them back to the office in Ajijic to have the prescriptions filled. While there I fell in love with another pair. I felt like a big boy picking my own glasses because in the past my dear friend, Lorraine, who worked as an optometrist, always guided my selections. I hope I do her proud. Total cost for both pairs of glasses, eye exam, additional peripheral vision exam = the total cost of a pair of single-lens eyeglasses NOB.
Be careful what you wish for…..during one of the horseback rides I mentioned to Sally, our group ranger, “… wouldn’t it be fun to do a sunrise ride?” Well, she took me up on the idea this week and so we were saddled up and ready to go at 6:30 am! A joyful handful of us was brave enough to choose dawn’s early light. What an experience as we rode in darkness up to a cima (mountain top), dismounted, and watched the sky turn pink over Lake Chapala. It was incredible.
Thursday we went exploring nearby Jocotepec’s Malecón on Lakeside for the first time and its vast park setting. It was empty during the week but imagined it overflowing with families on the weekend……with its built-in barbecue pits and picnic tables, soccer fields, food stands, and a children’s play area. The Lakeside walkways are filled with vegetation and abundant fauna with its many water birds. David wants to return with his camera and capture them closeup.
On the menu this week: grilled spiced salmon served with mashed potatoes using the leftover veggie lasagne filling (ricotta, leeks, spinach) with the addition of sweet corn kernels, made for a very satisfying umami mash.
