There are many charities operating here and a great many fundraising activities. We try to give some support to as many as we can. Recently, I was approached by a woman selling raffle tickets on a TV for Niños Incapacitados (Children with Disabilities). It helps families to deal with and get treatment for such children and also do horse therapy for some (it seems to be very beneficial for many kids). I bought a single ticket for 100 pesos without any expectations. About 2 weeks ago, I got a telephone call saying that my ticket had been drawn as the winning ticket and would I please come and pick up the TV! The TV is a 40” LCD made by Sharp (actually assembled here in Mexico); Bev, who I mention below, told me that it is the very model he has been lusting after. The surprise was great and provoked the issue of what to do with it. It wasn’t as easy as you might suppose.
When we moved to Mexico in May 2008, we fully intended to buy a TV--doesn’t everyone have one? However, we had to plan our priorities in line with our monthly income. A TV was several notches down the list of things that seemed more compelling. After some months, Barbara and I decided that we were not missing a TV, remembering that in Nova Scotia it had been difficult at times to find anything that we wanted to watch in spite of large numbers of channels via satellite. Besides, we would have to decide what route to take for TV service. Mexican cable has some English channels (all American) or one can go to satellite service. There are a couple of American companies or Canadian Shaw Direct (formerly called Star Choice). With new, more focused signals, the American services are more difficult to get as there is less spillover into Mexico. So far, Shaw has the best signal. Also, one has to decide if you are going to get someone to set up an illegal receiver or go for a legal approach.
Well, we have decided to keep the TV and have had to find out our options. Shaw is the best choice. There is a local outfit linked with a small company in Ontario that ships Shaw receivers and installs antennas. This is quite an expensive route. I found that I could buy the Shaw receiver I want at Futureshop in Canada, on sale for $150, but would cost close to $400 here. I have had Larry buy one for me. However, there is the process of getting an account with Shaw. Because Shaw allows more than one receiver on an account, it is the custom here to share an account with 2 or 3 others, which means that you also share the monthly cost. A couple of individuals were advertising for people to share their accounts and we have hooked up with one of them, Bev. With another couple, there will be 3 of us on the account. When I talked with Bev, I mentioned that we wanted a couple of extra HD channels. This has stimulated the others to think in this direction also. They have asked me to get 2 more HD receivers for them. I shall have to take a carryon suitcase to bring them all back! Fortunately, these new models are smaller than the older ones. I also managed to find a fellow in Chapala who has the antennas for Shaw (it is different from most satellite antennas because it has to pick up 2 satellites). He came and installed the antenna last week.
We have decided to put the TV in the guest bedroom. Few people are coming to visit us anyway and the TV is thin and doesn’t take up much room. Also, with curtains, the bed and a big new wall hanging, the sound should be improved as a result of fewer echoes than is the case in the living room. With all the hard surfaces in the latter, it can be difficult to make out dialogue, especially if the actors have accents.
I mentioned a new wall hanging. Barbara gave away the very cheap painting that had been in the guest bedroom since we arrived. Finally, she decided that we should get Mexican hand made carpet for the wall. She spent a lot of time looking around Ajijic last week. We also went to the 3 day Feria (fair) for artisans in Chapala. The latter brings a large number of artisans, some from as far away as Oaxaca, to show and sell their wares. Anyway, although there was nice stuff, we didn’t see exactly the right colours, size etc. On Sunday, our usual friends were not at Open Circle, just Barbara and I. We went to the Garden Restaurant, which is one of our favourites, but not of the others. Next door is a small shop with knitted stuff and lots of woolen rugs. We found one that is the right size (about 4’x6’), good colours and a nice scene (a tree with many different coloured birds. We bought it.
The annual festival for Ajijic’s patron saint, San Andres (St. Andrew), began on Sunday. We are having lots of rocket bangers, morning, noon and night. Mexicans really party; the different groups who each sponsor the festivities for a day (entertainment and fireworks every night) have been planning and raising money all year since the last festival. By the way, I have watched people launching the rockets from their hands; the rockets are over 6 inches long and go up more than 100 feet. The guys hold the rocket with one hand and with the other light the fuse with a cigarette! The rockets explode with a deafening bang so there is a significant amount of explosive. I’m sure that there must be accidents, but the guys are so casual about doing it.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
Monday, November 21, 2011
Catching up
There has been a long hiatus. I shall try to fill in the blanks in the next couple of days and then get back into the rhythm. 
When we went to Canada in July, we had another break in. We had taken our computers, iPod etc. to Kate and Jack’s; as a result the thieves apparently didn’t find anything that they wanted to take! However, in the aftermath, we decided to do substantial upgrades (see photos). The thieves got in by using a large screwdriver to pop open the lock on one of the doors from the patio. We have added padlocks and screens that are very difficult to cut on all the patio doors. We put iron bars on all windows that open (these are almost universal in Mexico and we should have done it earlier). We put a new gate with bars on the front entrance; as you can see, we had the old solid door repainted yellow so the iron work on the new gate stands out. Now, we can see who is there before we unlock the gate. Finally, we had a sliding door with steel bars (like in a prison cell) installed on our walk in closet; that makes it a strong room with a heavy padlock. We now put money, computers, etc. there when we go out. All this means that thieves will now have to come prepared with heavy tools to get in. It is discouraging, but necessary and not just in Mexico.
After early predictions of heavier than normal rainfall this year (June and July were pretty good), rainfall in August and September was extremely low. Lake Chapala ended the rainy season almost an meter below the levels of the previous 2 or 3 years. There was a respite in October because of a hurricane that blew in from the Pacific. It did a lot of damage to some of the beach communities in the vicinity of Puerto Vallarta. For us, it meant 4 days of heavy cloud and rain--about 100 mm (4”). Nevertheless, rain this year (we are unlikely to get any more) is only about 750 mm. (29.7”) as compared to the recent average of 850 mm (33.5”). In spite of being careful, four days of cloud were too much for the solar water heater and we ran out of hot water after 3 days. I had to turn on the gas heater. But after 1 day, the sun was out again and I could turn off the gas heater. With lots of sunshine every day, we have oodles of hot water.
Love in Action wants to teach the kids English as a means of getting them better prepared for jobs. English is especially useful here where there are so many ex-pats, but is beneficial for many jobs elsewhere with foreign companies established in Mexico. They had several teachers last year, but most were snowbirds and the program practically ground to a halt when they left. I have volunteered to teach a small group (4 at the moment), one hour a week. I have been there 3 times and so far it has not been a roaring success. It has been a very long time since I was teaching at this level (9-10 year olds). Also, it has been difficult to get a schedule so the kids arrive on time. I’m sure that we’ll all get into the swing of things soon.
Last Sunday, the speaker at Open Circle was Richard Rhoda; he is coauthor (both are geographers) of a book, Geo-Mexico published a little over a year ago. It’s a fascinating book which I read in just a few days. Much of his statistics are in the book, but he did update some in the presentation. He was pointing out how significant Mexico is in the world in terms of size and diversity of its economy and of its population, its diversity in languages, animal species, climate zones, cultural aspects, etc. It has made enormous strides in many areas in the last 20 years or so. Since its meltdown in 1994 when it required a $48 billion bailout (completely repaid earlier than the terms), Mexico’s governments have been very careful in managing its finances; it is coming out of this recession faster and better than the US--in fact not unlike Canada. It is certainly no longer accurate to think of Mexico as a 3rd world country, although some of the native people still live in 3rd world conditions (as indeed there are pockets in Canada and the US). It is only a couple of years behind the US in terms of life expectancy (a huge jump from earlier in the 20th C), but is also 2nd in the world behind the US in terms of adult obesity! He pointed out (he’s an American) that based on last year’s statistics, an American is 25 times more likely to die in traffic in the US than in visiting Mexico. Furthermore, as long as they don’t visit or connect with drug gangs, their chances are further greatly reduced in Mexico. The ignorance of people NOB (north of the border) is truly astonishing; I know from myself before I came here.
I am leaving for Windsor, Ontario on Thursday (Nov. 24th) to visit with my family there. Dad seems to be having problems with balance and has fallen several times in the last 2 or 3 months, one requiring 6 stitches for a cut on his head and another requiring an x-ray on his hand. He is 95 now and in other ways his physical health is pretty good. As last year when I went at the same time, I shall be there for Rosemary’s birthday on the 27th. I return on Dec. 1st.
When we went to Canada in July, we had another break in. We had taken our computers, iPod etc. to Kate and Jack’s; as a result the thieves apparently didn’t find anything that they wanted to take! However, in the aftermath, we decided to do substantial upgrades (see photos). The thieves got in by using a large screwdriver to pop open the lock on one of the doors from the patio. We have added padlocks and screens that are very difficult to cut on all the patio doors. We put iron bars on all windows that open (these are almost universal in Mexico and we should have done it earlier). We put a new gate with bars on the front entrance; as you can see, we had the old solid door repainted yellow so the iron work on the new gate stands out. Now, we can see who is there before we unlock the gate. Finally, we had a sliding door with steel bars (like in a prison cell) installed on our walk in closet; that makes it a strong room with a heavy padlock. We now put money, computers, etc. there when we go out. All this means that thieves will now have to come prepared with heavy tools to get in. It is discouraging, but necessary and not just in Mexico.
After early predictions of heavier than normal rainfall this year (June and July were pretty good), rainfall in August and September was extremely low. Lake Chapala ended the rainy season almost an meter below the levels of the previous 2 or 3 years. There was a respite in October because of a hurricane that blew in from the Pacific. It did a lot of damage to some of the beach communities in the vicinity of Puerto Vallarta. For us, it meant 4 days of heavy cloud and rain--about 100 mm (4”). Nevertheless, rain this year (we are unlikely to get any more) is only about 750 mm. (29.7”) as compared to the recent average of 850 mm (33.5”). In spite of being careful, four days of cloud were too much for the solar water heater and we ran out of hot water after 3 days. I had to turn on the gas heater. But after 1 day, the sun was out again and I could turn off the gas heater. With lots of sunshine every day, we have oodles of hot water.
Love in Action wants to teach the kids English as a means of getting them better prepared for jobs. English is especially useful here where there are so many ex-pats, but is beneficial for many jobs elsewhere with foreign companies established in Mexico. They had several teachers last year, but most were snowbirds and the program practically ground to a halt when they left. I have volunteered to teach a small group (4 at the moment), one hour a week. I have been there 3 times and so far it has not been a roaring success. It has been a very long time since I was teaching at this level (9-10 year olds). Also, it has been difficult to get a schedule so the kids arrive on time. I’m sure that we’ll all get into the swing of things soon.Last Sunday, the speaker at Open Circle was Richard Rhoda; he is coauthor (both are geographers) of a book, Geo-Mexico published a little over a year ago. It’s a fascinating book which I read in just a few days. Much of his statistics are in the book, but he did update some in the presentation. He was pointing out how significant Mexico is in the world in terms of size and diversity of its economy and of its population, its diversity in languages, animal species, climate zones, cultural aspects, etc. It has made enormous strides in many areas in the last 20 years or so. Since its meltdown in 1994 when it required a $48 billion bailout (completely repaid earlier than the terms), Mexico’s governments have been very careful in managing its finances; it is coming out of this recession faster and better than the US--in fact not unlike Canada. It is certainly no longer accurate to think of Mexico as a 3rd world country, although some of the native people still live in 3rd world conditions (as indeed there are pockets in Canada and the US). It is only a couple of years behind the US in terms of life expectancy (a huge jump from earlier in the 20th C), but is also 2nd in the world behind the US in terms of adult obesity! He pointed out (he’s an American) that based on last year’s statistics, an American is 25 times more likely to die in traffic in the US than in visiting Mexico. Furthermore, as long as they don’t visit or connect with drug gangs, their chances are further greatly reduced in Mexico. The ignorance of people NOB (north of the border) is truly astonishing; I know from myself before I came here.
I am leaving for Windsor, Ontario on Thursday (Nov. 24th) to visit with my family there. Dad seems to be having problems with balance and has fallen several times in the last 2 or 3 months, one requiring 6 stitches for a cut on his head and another requiring an x-ray on his hand. He is 95 now and in other ways his physical health is pretty good. As last year when I went at the same time, I shall be there for Rosemary’s birthday on the 27th. I return on Dec. 1st.
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