El Ojo del Lago - June 2020 by El Ojo del Lago

Saw you in the Ojo

 DIRE C TOR Y  PUBLISHER David Tingen

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Victoria A Schmidt

EDITOR EMERITUS Alejandro Grattan-Dominguez Tel: (01376) 765 3676, 765 2877 Fax: (01376) 765 3528 Graphic Design Roberto C. Rojas Reyes Diana Parra Morales

Index...

FEATURE ARTICLES

COVER STORY

Dr. Lorin Swinehart examines the existential effect of the relationship between dogs and their human companions.

Proofreader Sally Asante

Book Review Panel Margaret Van Every Margaret Porter Clare Gearhart

ADVERTISING OFFICE Av. Hidalgo # 223, Chapala Mon. thru Fri. 9 am - 5 pm Sat. 9 am - 1 pm Tel. 01 (376) 765 2877, 765 3676 Fax 01 (376) 765 3528

Pag. 22

6 Editor’s Page

34 NINE TENTH’S OF THE LAW

12 Bridge by the Lake

35 IT’S VIRAL Monty McDonnald, shares a script-like presentation of a couple’s morning coffee.

37 WHY I THINK I SHOULD GO TO HEAVEN Pursuing a humorous point of view, William Franklin explains why he thinks he should go to heaven. Do you agree?

PRINTING: El Debate El Ojo del Lago aparece los primeros cinco días de cada mes. (Distributed over the first five days of each month) Certificado de Licitud de Título 3693 Certificado de Licitud de Contenido 3117. Reserva al Título de Derechos de Autor 04-2011-103110024300-102 Control 14301. Permisos otorgados por la Secretaría de Gobernación (EXP. 1/432 “88”/5651 de 2 de junio de 1993) y SEP (Reserva 171.94 control 14301) del 15 de enero de 1994. Distribución: Hidalgo 223 Chapala, Jalisco, México. All contents are fully protected by copyright and may not be reproduced without the written consent of El Ojo del Lago. Opinions expressed by the authors do not necessarily reflect the views of the Publisher or the Editor, nor are we responsible for the claims made by our advertisers. We welcome letters, which should include name, address and telephone number.

Herbert W. Piekow shares a review of Claudia Long’s latest book extolling Claudia’s ability to weave a story of mystery, history and family relationships.

LAKESIDE LIVING

Send all correspondence, subscriptions or advertising to: El Ojo del Lago http://www.chapala.com elojodellago@gmail.com ojodellago@prodigy.net.mx Ave. Hidalgo 223 (or Apartado 279), 45900 Chapala, Jalisco Tels.: (376) 765 3676, Fax 765 3528

El Ojo del Lago / June 2020

COLUMNS THIS MONTH

Dale Hoyt Palfrey shares the history of Mexico’s rich history of what has become part of the world’s great obsession with this chocolate.

Theater Critic Michael Warren

Sales Manager Bruce Fraser Carmene Berner

8 Cover by Doug Rohrer

28 LONGEST LOVE AFFAIR

Special Events Editor Carol D. Bradley

Roving Correspondent Dr. Lorin Swinehart

COVER STORY

VOLUME 36 NUMBER 10

10 If Our Pets Could Talk

14 Welcome to Mexico 16 Mirror to the Universe 18 Profiling Tepehua 22 Lakeside Living 26 Mexican Grace 32 Vexations & Conundrums

Saw you in the Ojo

COLUMNIST

Editor’s Page Thanks For The Memories By Alejandro Grattan-Dominguez

It is with a sad but grateful heart that I advise our wonderful readers and writers that because of eyesight problems, I must bring my 25-year tenure as the Ojo’s editor to a close. It has been a joyous ride, made possible by Richard and David Tingen, to both of whom I extend my deepest gratitude for their professional support, as well as their friendship. I also want to thank Victoria Schmidt, my close associate and friend, who will now take over the editorial reins of the Ojo. She has long been my trusted associate, both at the Ojo and with the Ajijic Writers’ Group, and prior to coming to Lakeside was a lady with many and extensive professional accomplishments. Finally, I want to thank Roberto Rojas, the Ojo’s production designer, for his unstinting professional support and unflagging

friendship. In this deeply troubling worldwide moment, I’ll close by wishing our beloved little community the best of luck. AGD

From Victoria~ This is where I get to say hello in my new capacity as the editor-in-chief of El Ojo del Lago. I am both honored and humbled that Alejandro GrattanDominguez and David Tingen have entrusted me with what has become the go-to magazine for Lakeside’s oldtimers and newcomers alike, and will

do my best to guide this publication in a similar manner as Alex has for the past 25 years. In addition to writing for the Ojo for the past 13 years, my background includes editing a publication which won a national award, and prior to that I acted as editor or was on the editorial staff of three other publications. I also worked as a speechwriter for several individuals who held state offices in their corporations in Minnesota.

El Ojo del Lago / June 2020

Saw you in the Ojo

JACK: A DOG’S STORY A Farm Dog’s Heroic Act Suggests Existential Dilemma Dr. Lorin Swinehart

lbert Einstein once observed that the only true question is whether or not the universe is a friendly place. Looked at another way, the ultimate dilemma concerns the meaning of life or even whether life has any meaning at all or consists of nothing more than happy, or unhappy, accidents. In my own case, that question includes whether an Airedale puppy who was born many, many years before I was to see the light of day entered the world by simple happenstance or by some vague but preconceived plan. The pup’s name was Jack. I never met this Jack. Dogs tend to prefer short, simple names of one or two syl-

lables for themselves, so there were more than a few Jacks in my life. There was Jack, my grandpa’s favorite hunting hound, who was killed by a lightening bolt one summer day. There was Jack, a mixed breed, part boxer, part German shepherd K-9 dog who accompanied a friend who served the National Park Service as a law enforcement ranger. There have been other Jacks. The Jack I have heard the most stories about was a very big dog, an Airedale who stood nearly hip high beside my dad, with whom he shared many an adventure during the long but all too short years of his life on my grandpa’s 72-acre farm in rural Ohio.

El Ojo del Lago / June 2020

Over the years, my dad shared many stories of the deeds of Jack. Jack had an Airedale’s temperament. His was a fiery Celtic personality. He was determined to protect the farm and his small rural human family from all interlopers. He was instant bonecracking death to the slithering blacksnakes that often secreted themselves beneath wheat shocks and under the rocks in the stream that bisected Grandpa’s pasture. He also served as a one-dog army to control the groundhog population. On one occasion, enraged when one angry groundhog sunk his sharp teeth into his sensitive nose, he grabbed the unfortunate creature and proceeded to methodically crush every bone in its body with his powerful jaws. Jack considered it his duty to herd the cows each evening at milking time. The cows, even the most stubborn among them, soon recognized that Jack was all business, that if they balked or lingered, he would nip at their heels until they complied. One recalcitrant bull attempted to outmaneuver Jack by abruptly wheeling and heading off into the pasture. Jack locked onto the unfortunate bovine’s tail and drove him, bellowing in pain and outrage, straight into the barnyard. Perhaps Jack’s greatest deed occurred one day in the swamp behind Grandpa’s house. My dad was very young at the time, perhaps under the age of twelve. While exploring the water-soaked ground beneath the canopy of willows and sycamores, Dad accidentally slipped into a watery muck basin, a pool of black mud with all the substance and the menace of quicksand. Each time he moved, attempting to extract himself, he sank deeper. In a panic, he called Jack, who charged to the rescue. Jack locked onto the sleeve of Dad’s jacket. Dad grabbed a handful of the big dog’s thick fur, and Jack tugged with all his strength until Dad was able to drag himself away from the downward pull of the muck and mire.

Sooner or later, all stories come to a sad end. One day, after Jack had become a very old dog, he lay his head in Dad’s lap and went off to, as it was always explained to me, “The place where all the good doggies go.” Had it not been for the loyalty and determination of a dog that I never met, who lived and hunted and served his humans all those long years ago before there was even the slightest suspicion that I would someday enter the world, I would not be penning these lines. A cosmic dilemma looms behind the story of Jack, a question of what combination of factors causes each of us to be who we are. Each of us a random collection of genes and historical chance, like a toss of the dice or a handful of joss sticks, or are other forces at work? And, what of the soul, the person I think of as me, my consciousness, the life force, the essential self? That question has preoccupied some of the wisest of minds throughout human history. The wisdom of the ancients leads me into even greater befuddlement. Plato, for instance, recognizes the concept of the soul and speaks of reincarnation, that after death one’s soul drinks from the waters of Lethe, forgetting everything of the past life before being reborn into another body. Aristotle seems more agnostic on the subject, questioning the very idea of the soul. St. Thomas Aquinas teaches that the soul is that which animates all living things, that which causes living beings to be alive, that, therefore, all living things possess souls, in fact, are souls. The Old Testament prophet Jeremiah quotes God as saying, “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you,” suggesting that one’s soul is pre-existent to one’s physical entry into the world, a concept seemingly related to my question. In Ephesians 1:14, St. Paul echoes the Old Testament prophets, suggesting that the soul not only endures forever but has been forever. My only certainty is that had it not been for the heroic act of a farm dog named Jack, the person I know as me would never have been, or, that the soul I consider to be the basic me, the core of my being, would now be the energizing life force of a different person with a different name and a different physical presence, while the DNA making up my physical self would be scattered among other indiLorin Swinehart viduals.

Saw you in the Ojo

If Our Pets Could Talk By Jackie Kellum

une is warmweather time, and there are two major things you need to focus on in the care of your pets. First, provide full-time access to fresh water so he does not get dehydrated and over-heated. Second, be aware of fleas and ticks. You should check your dog regularly for ticks and fleas. Ticks usually lurk between toes, inside the ears, “armpit” area, and around the neck. If you do find a tick attached to your dog, remove it immediately and carefully, making sure to get all parts of the tick’s body from the skin. The simplist way to remove it is using a tweezer, placing it as close to the skin as possible, pulling upwards with a steady, continous motion. Do not twist or jerk it as it may not remove the whole

tick intact. Flush the ticks down the toilet. Fleas are like vampires; adult fleas feed only on blood. The flea spends the majority of its life off the host animal, except when it needs a “transfusion.” The female lays her eggs in the home environment, including your pet’s bedding. It takes only about a week for the eggs to hatch. One pair of adult fleas can cause three stages of offspring—egg, larva, and adult—to be present in your home for almost two years! Controlling the environment involves thorough cleaning and washing your pet’s bedding

El Ojo del Lago / June 2020

and tumbling the wet bedding in a hot dryer. Fleas congregate, usually around the neck in cats, and on the lower back and belly in dogs. If no fleas are visible but the animal is scratching, inspect carefully around the base of the tail. If you find small black particles embedded in your pet’s hair, place a few of them on a damp paper towel, or put a damp paper towel on the tail area. If the paper turns red, that’s flea feces. You’ve got fleas! A “natural” homeopathic control route may include herbal sprays, shampoos, and flea collars whose odors repel fleas, but do not kill fleas. There are many herbal pet shampoos available incorporating essential oils of eucalyptus, citronella, rosemary and wormwood, pennyroyal, or other flea repellant oils. There are commercial anti-flea products that come in a liquid form as a monthly back-of-the-neck application, or oral tablets that slow release over a few months’ time. There are some very basic and important things to keep in mind when using such products; their purpose is to kill parasites by “poisoning” them. This occurs by the product’s absorption into the ani-

mal’s system, including vital organs like the liver. Discuss with your vet what flea/tick control product is best for your pet. Products like K-9 Advantix monthly application and Bravo flea spray are to be used only on dogs. They are highly toxic to cats. There are no anti-flea products intended to be used on kittens or puppies eight weeks of age or younger. Doing so can cause deadly results! If they are young, give them a bath, using Dawn dish detergent, leaving a thick lather on your pet for 10-15 minutes to “drown” the fleas. Be careful not to let small puppies or kittens become chilled or overheated, and don’t bathe them more than once weekly. A quick reminder: make sure you dog has an ID on its collar at all times, so if he gets out he can get back to you more quickly. The tag should include his or her name and your current phone number. It is also advantageous to have “Recompensa/Reward” on the tag, also. Jackie Kellum

Saw you in the Ojo 11

COLUMNIST

BRIDGE BY THE LAKE By Ken Masson

t has been said that nothing is certain except death and taxes, but the aspiring bridge player would do well to add to these the maxim that each player is dealt 13 cards. The backbone of good card play, both offensive and defensive, rests on this simple truth. Take this case where West leads the king of diamonds against four

El Ojo del Lago / June 2020

spades. Declarer wins and plays the ace and another spade, losing to the king. West tries to cash the queen of diamonds but declarer ruffs. South enters dummy with a trump and tries a club finesse, losing to the king. If West, eyeing dummy’s clubs, now gets panicky and leads the ace of hearts because he is afraid South will discard his heart losers on dummy’s clubs, he hands

declarer the contract. West may make this play because he thinks the only chance to stop the contract is to find East with the king of hearts. However, this reasoning is unsound, to say the least. West should return a club instead, because this cannot cost him the contract! West has all the information he needs to make the club return completely safe. He knows South started with exactly five spades and one diamond, leaving declarer with seven cards in hearts and clubs. If South has two clubs, he must have five hearts; if he has three clubs, he must have four hearts; if he has four clubs, he must have three hearts. In all of these cases, South cannot escape any heart losers he has. Consequently, West’s only correct action is to return a club at trick seven and let nature take its course. The danger that South’s heart losers will somehow disappear is more imagined than real. Questions or comments: email: masson.ken@ gmail.com Ken Masson

Saw you in the Ojo 13

COLUMNIST

By Victoria Schmidt

Farewell

remember my first day in Mexico. After driving all day, we—our nephew, who came along to help with the move, my husband, two cats and a dog—reached San Luis Potosí. Initially our reservation was at a USA run hotel run by a USA company, but they wouldn’t allow pets. We were referred to a Mexican hotel where they even graciously helped us set up our kitty litter box and volunteered to walk our dog for us. We stayed in a lovely hotel. My husband ordered room service. I was so exhausted, I fell asleep after taking the first bite of my sandwich. That was our first taste of the graciousness of Mexico. The next day, we rolled into Ajijic, hit a large pothole, and our electric van door opened up and wouldn’t close. This was how we arrived at our rental property in Chapala. I was so excited, I found myself thrilled with every new sight. My husband and nephew made quick work of scouting our neighborhood and found several tiendas. My husband was thrilled he could just walk down the block and score all kinds of treats and sodas.

El Ojo del Lago / June 2020

Shortly after arriving, I started attending the Ajijic Writers’ Group, where eventually Alex GrattanDominguez, who was then the editor-in-chief of El Ojo del Lago asked me to write this column. It has been a joy sharing my internal journey of my life in Mexico. I fell in love with this amazing country, the culture, the people, and that love continues to grow to this day. But this is my last Welcome to Mexico column. As Alex resigned his position and retired at the end of April, he and David Tingen, the publisher of this magazine, asked me to succeed Alex as the new editor-in-chief. I have accepted, which means I’ll still be working with El Ojo, but in a different capacity. It is my hope that my love and respect for Mexico and the richness of the expat community will be seen throughout the pages of this magazine and that working together with the writers at Lakeside we can continue to enrich the lives of our entire community. Victoria Schmidt

Saw you in the Ojo 15

Mirror To The Universe By Rob Mohr

Creativity and Consciousness

“

reativity craves the process.” (Writer, Elizabeth Gilbert, (1969- ) “Creativity originates within the spiritual realm, the collective consciousness. And where mind is in a different realm than the brain, which is a receiver, not a source.” Neuroscience, Candace Pert (1946 – 2013) Creativity begins from a thought or intent, but where does that thought come from? Newtonian physics would say, ‘from the brain,’ but quantum physics indicates that thoughts are vital energy present within our ‘mind’ as an interrelated part of universal consciousness. This quantum mind, through dynamic transformation, unites the cosmos with input from every cell in our bodies, our emotions, our senses, and our genetic consciousness. Within each of us, our unified brain/body processes and stores a stunning 90,000 thoughts each day and creates new analytical frameworks with unlimited creative potential which links the universal with the personal. Humanity’s ability to sort and understand these associations and linkages creates today’s reality and shapes our tomorrows. We control our future. As children, we are all naturally curious about everything we encounter. This gift of creativity is gradually taken from us by pre-packaged education, and parents’ and teachers’

desire to limit complications created by creativity which seeks to overturn the status quo. Creative insight results from seeing associations, and links between thoughts, emotions and senses that compartmentalized thinking misses. A creative mind reaches outside of itself, and asks deeper questions that open up new ways of being in, and seeing the world. The mind, through this mysterious, evolutionary process, sees a potential pattern among random thoughts, emotions, sensations or events. The result forms a previously unseen and unknown understanding evinced as art, science, or construct. Ultimately, the creative process, from preparation, incubation and production, consists of multiple interactive transactions that occur within both conscious and unconscious states. Ideas, unsought, rise up in clouds with multiple parts that unify to become a new whole. When the thought cat appears (think cat before you go any further) a cuddly, fur covered animal materializes – or in a more creative vain, claws and sharp teeth, which link with power and ferocity, and finally an anthropomorphic being – a cat woman, or a Maya, Jaguar King. This unique capacity, conditioned observation misses, defines creativity. For a writer this is apparent when they use metaphor, symbol, allusions, and

emotions - love, hate, fear, or compassion. And through their word choice, phraseology, word association, and novel structures which create new ways of seeing the world and human life. What exists is what we imagine exists, which becomes more real than reality. Human creativity is distinct from intelligence which can be measured with an IQ test. Unexpectedly, high levels of intelligence seem to put restraints on the level of freedom essential for creation. And, attempts to measure levels of divergent thinking have proven inconsistent, which leaves what a person produces as the only definitive measure of their creativity. Curiosity and inquisitiveness remain the primary point of entry. While the arts, because of their emotional impact, have unique power to penetrate the core levels of our being and alter our understandings and engagement strategies with the world. Creative understandings empower escape from our blindness and widen our circle of compassion to embrace all of life. Reflective openness to the unending flow of thoughts, trusting insights, accepting periods of random silent thought, focus on associations and links, metaphorical visualization,

noticing variation on themes and abstractions of reality, work together and strengthen our creative insight. Creativity reaches below the surface of our conscious mind into the primal – the universal – the substrata where we see past the limitations of the status quo into a future where humanity dances across frontiers that have too long bound us. Recognition that we and everything in the universe, including our thoughts, are made of waves of energy, is a giant step into humanity’s evolutionary future. Creative breakthroughs change mind sets, power structures, relationships and our behaviors. As we make space for the possible, for new worlds, new realities, something profound happens where all of us can discern the paradigm of top down command and control which propagates violence, disunity, racism, and hate has no binding force in a universe where all of life shares a common parent and a common existence. Thankfully, “Quantum physics proves that everything is energy.” Physicist, Niels Bohr (1885 - 1962) Rob Mohr

Yesterday is Sevilla had I known how it would be – when the government mandated closure when trains buses aircraft became containers for a deadly virus, my voice was but a whisper, my touch soft as we walked the empty streets the restaurants and museums shuttered the ancient space where we ate yesterday, vanished the beer we drank in that little place the day before, locked away the heavy wooden door of the Almacen, barred. The ancient walls filled with paintings, inaccessible

Signs a culture was dying as around us the streets held their mouths tight, the heavens shuddered with questions, as this once living universe grew silent, we turned away and cried.

By Rob Mohr 16

El Ojo del Lago / June 2020

Saw you in the Ojo 17

COLUMNIST

PROFILING TEPEHUA By Moonyeen King President of the Board for Tepehua

moonie1935@yahoo.com

rom Lake Side to the Barrios there have been ‘ordinary people doing extraordinary things’! This author is carrying a few years, and through that time has been through two wars, and one Martial Law uprising...and a few pandemics in-between. Every time, ordinary people rose to the occasion with extraordinary courage and compassion. And so it is here. From the front-line care givers, to those spurred into action to feed the hungry and get potable water to the poor. The women of Tepehua have been no less extraordinary. Women who face poverty every day now face a different beast - they face hunger. But with determination, they feed and protect their families and those around them. Large food companies in Guadalajara donated a food warehouse of beans, rice, sugar, salt, lentils and other miscellaneous foods to the Tepehua Center, and others at Lake Side have set up food banks and obtained private donations of food and money to feed the hungry, the drive was on. The women of Tepehua spent 6 hour shifts every day packing up

El Ojo del Lago / June 2020

dispensers, giving out the dispensers every week armed with masks and gloves...and people kept coming out looking for help. All pandemics create other problems just as difficult as the disease itself, like malnutrition which causes weak immune systems making people vulnerable to disease. A nasty cycle of events. Especially at risk are those in their pregnancy or who have just had an infant. Most at risk are the teenagers whose young bodies aren’t ready for a baby and the many premature infants born with no incubators. Or the old and shut-ins who have no idea where to turn for help. Monies donated are their life line, supplying basics and nutritional foods, supplying the special needs of the mother and infant. All people are vulnerable in poverty. The Tepehua Free Medical Clinic has stayed open, and we are pleased to report no more patients than usual and certainly no victims to the pandemic. By the time this goes to print the Lake Side area will be opening up, children going back to school in the last semester of the year, Village bells and fireworks have begun to wake up the village again around seven a.m., and it is as tho’ the world is waking up from a sleep. This author urges you to maintain vigilance and keep to distancing as much as possible, avoid crowds and wear masks, this pandemic is not over...it will have to wear itself out. The Tepehua Team thanks all those extraordinary people for the chance they took to ease the burden of others. Thank you all for the donations, and to those who donated monies to keep the little Tepehua Treasures nickle and dime store from going belly up by paying three months rent for them. Extraordinary times. Extraordinary people.

Saw you in the Ojo 19

A Fountain Overflowing By Carol Kaufman

or five straight days, rain poured down in a small pueblo tucked high in the green tinted mountains of central Mexico. Rivers of water flowed down cobblestoned streets like currents racing toward the lake. Villagers stepped over, around and through puddles the size of little lakes, bundles of goods wrapped tightly in their bronze arms as they hurriedly made their way to the shelter of their casitas. Stuffed securely in her red woven basket, Lupita had her newly purchased maize, beans, chilis and cilantro, hopping over puddles as the rain water soaked through her thin leather sandals. She had a midday meal to

prepare for her husband, Pancho, and their six hungry children. Just days after turning 17, Lupita married Pancho. Soon after, a baby was growing inside of her. Pancho would put his ear to her belly and say how he could hear the baby’s heartbeat, which would make Lupita smile. A good Madre I’m going to be, she’d say to herself as her belly grew and grew. If it was a girl, they would name her Marisol. Passing through the central plaza, Lupita glanced up at the large fountain where birds were splashing and chirping in the rising waters. This image—how the ancient stone fountain was close to overflowing—stopped

El Ojo del Lago / June 2020

her. Which drop, she thought, would be the one that sets the fountain to overflow. Which one thing would set her to overflow, toppling from the strain of her hard life in the pueblo she had known since a child; where Mirasol, her firstborn, died in childbirth and was buried in a makeshift cemetery a short walk down the dirt road. Her heart continued to ache for baby Marisol; a being that never experienced the light of the glorious Mexican sun, heard the church bells chime, or tasted her Madre’s sweet milk while wrapped in warm embrace. As the rain continued to pour down, Lupita, drenched through and through, continued her hypnotic gaze into the fountain. Perhaps she could witness that one drop, that flowing water cascading over the edge into the forming puddles. Fascinated, she thought that if only she could endure a bit longer, while the birds continued their bathing ritual before taking flight to their homes in the nearby trees, their babies awaiting their safe return. Sighing, she took a last glance at the fountain before heading homewhere Pancho and her children were waiting for her. Because of the relent-

less rain, Pancho’s gardening work came to an abrupt halt some weeks ago. To fill the hours, she’d watch him putter about the casita looking for things to do to occupy his time. All the while she would pray for a clearing of brilliant blue; clouds that would turn from dark to white. Realizing that she was late, Lupita quickened her pace despite being wet, achy and exhausted. I must get to work, she thought, preparing the tortillas so that the meal will be ready before siesta time. This was a ritual she knew well and performed daily since she was 12. Her tired madre, with her constant limp and achy back, relied on Lupita and her three sisters to help out in the kitchen and with the daily chores. This is why, from a young age, Lupita knew the ritual of buying bags of maize at the outdoor market, mixing the powder with the right amount of water, then turning the gooey mixture into rounded tortillas. Working diligently over the hot coals in their tiny, dirt floor hut, her Madre taught her all she needed to know to be a good daughter and, eventually, a good wife. The rain continued its steady falling rhythm. Lupita’s shoes squelched as she walked. These shoes are of no use, she thought. I’m better off without them. Stopping, then bending over to remove her shoes, she dropped her red woven basket, the contents falling in slow motion into a large muddy puddle. Crying out, she knew there was nothing at that moment she could do as the maize, beans, chilis and cilantro floated away, heading downhill in a river of brown opaque water. Still bent over, she put her head in her hands and wailed. She then remembered the fountain. Raising her eyes upward, she clutched her empty basket, wiped the rain from her lined cheeks and thought: this is the drop that overflowed the fountain, my fountain.

Saw you in the Ojo 21

Carol D. Bradley

Email: cdbradleymex@gmail.com Phone: 33-2506-7525 “The world is violent and mercurial – it will have it’s way with you. We are saved only by love – love for each other and the love we pour into the art we feel compelled to share: being a parent; being a writer; being a painter; being a friend.” Tennessee Williams When I have to go out, I drive around Lakeside, fogging up my glasses as I breath through my mask, dashing to as few stops as possible, passing closed doors of our music venues, restaurants, theaters, bars and nightclubs and it makes me profoundly sad. Sad for the thousands of our friends and neighbors struggling with closed businesses and lack of work. Then I see faces, smiling at me through their eyes-their mouths covered with masks, small shrugs as we all pragmatically acknowledge, this is part of life and we will get through this seemingly never-ending crisis together. At my deadline, we are going into our third month of quarantine/lockdown. For all of us who are sheltering at home, with families, with a partner, or alone, from us at Lakeside Living and all of our many artists, actors, directors, producers, writers, musicians, chefs, cooks and servers who make living Lakeside so wonderful, stay strong and take good care. We will be back with gusto! CDB Our popular Open Circle presentations have been suspended, here is their usual inclusion in Lakeside Living for your information: “The Lake Chapala Society hosts Open Circle every Sunday at 10AM, a popular community gathering in Ajijic every Sunday morning to enjoy a diverse range of presentations.” For more information see their website: opencircleajijic.org. Until we can assure the safety of our audience, Open Circle is continuing to suspend Sunday morning live presentations in the LCS patio. In the meantime we invite you to enjoy favorites from 2019 via our YouTube video channel, available through opencircleajijic.org. The following are blurbs in no particular order for what’s up in the month of June. In addition, you can access Todd Stong’s written report on Lake Chapala and the Surrounding Communities, Part II Children’s Kidney Disease in the Lakeside Villages. The Rise and Fall of a Foreign Retirement Community in Mexico Presented by David Truly Mexico has a long history as a popular destination for often eccentric foreign retirees and expats. Recent changes in the socio-political climate and the influx of aging Baby Boomers, however, have resulted in a migration trend that has exerted significant pressures on both the natural and socio-cultural fabric of some retirement destinations. Private and public agencies now aggressively promote retirement migration to enhance Mexico’s tourism development initiatives. Dr. Truly offers an overview of recent studies that reflect some of these changes in the Lake Chapala area and the role of the foreign and Mexican communities in this transformation. A brief review of tourism and retirement research will shed light on the unique nature of this community and its fragile existence. David Truly has a PhD in Geography and has studied retirement migration to Mexico since 1997. Formerly a professor at Central Connecticut State University, he has taught at the Universidad Autónoma de Guadalajara and has conducted numerous studies on Senior housing and health care throughout Mexico. He is currently living in Austin, Texas. BOOM! The Next 10 Years! Presented by Ken Corbin • Ken Corbin will discuss the exciting trends on the horizon including how: • artificial intelligence will DRIVE our personal experience • live interaction will EMBRACE social media • Generation Z will outnumber Millennials and become THE generation Ken Corbin Ajijic resident Ken Corbin averages 30 weeks a

year traveling throughout North America and Europe. A 3-time recipient of Professional Speaker of the Year Award, he’s addressed over 2,000 organizations. Ken has an MBA from the University of Michigan and is a former advisory consultant to The American Graduate School of International Management. He’s on the board of trustees of Habitat for Humanity and is a Certified Management Consultant. Author of eight books on sales growth and personal and business management, his newest audio book is Selling the American Dream of Home Ownership. Mexican Grace Presented by Open Circle Audience Members In honor of Mexican Independence Day, Open Circle presented a special tribute to Mexico and its people last September. For this presentation, some of our audience members shared their personal Moment of Mexican Grace. Open Circle offers this program as a thank you to this country for the generous embrace that has welcomed us. We are grateful for all our host country has given us: its music, art, healing, and all the riches that a culture with heart can offer. The rings in the water expand to all shores. In the unfolding wake we are reminded of how our lives are enriched Breaking Children out of the Cycle of Poverty Presented by Rich Clucas Located in Compton, an impoverished, crime-infested area of Southern California, Tomorrow’s Aeronautical Museum (TAM) uses airplanes to help children avoid gangs and escape poverty. Children as young as seven are taken for a flight and given the controls of an airplane. The shock of having flown an airplane–something so far from their concept of what is possible – they begin to understand that they can be or do anything. Using consistent messaging and targeted mentoring, the program guides, motivates and inspires the students. TAM participants excel in school, become doctors, gourmet chefs and airline pilots. The lessons from TAM can be applied to students anywhere to help them achieve their dreams. Clucas spent 40 years in marketing communications, advertising and public relations. He holds a Masters degree in Communications and a Masters and PhD in Education. After Naked Stage closed (Lakeside’s reader’s theatre for 10 years), Artistic Director, Roseann Wilshere and the committee of Bare Stage Theatre, stepped up to fill this gap. For the last year and a half, we have run a very successful little operation in our Riberas del Pilar location. It was fortunate for us at Bare Stage Theatre that the community had so enjoyed this form of entertainment previously, that they flocked to our performances. And thanks to a mix of popular comedies with occasional classical drama pieces thrown in, shows began to sell out. First it was the Sunday performances and more recently, both Friday and Saturday afternoons were selling out as well. In normal times, Bare Stage Theatre performed on the last full weekend of the month on Friday, Saturday and Sundays at 4 pm. The quality of the performances for our small community theatre had been phenomenal and ‘the talk of the town’ before we were forced to close when the COVID-19 Pandemic hit. We miss our audience and we miss being creative so…we have begun to plan “play readings” online for free for our patrons from now until the quarantine is over. Of course, we must still pay rent and know that things are going to be hard but we feel the need to reach out to our fans and let them know that we’ve not forgotten about them and their need to be entertained. Thanks to the Zoom format, our “Coming Soon”, venue will be our Bare Stage Theatre Mexico FB page, www. facebook.com/barestagetheatre2018/. For play schedules, please ‘Like, Follow & Share’ our Facebook Page and we’re here to address any questions - send us an email at barestagetheatre2018@gmail.com. Our final wish is that all of you stay safe and healthy and we hope to see all of you again soon. Andrew McKechnie is long time bass Andrew McKechnie

Continued on page 24

El Ojo del Lago / June 2020

Saw you in the Ojo 23

Lakeside Living player and is currently sharing his talents at some of the Open Mic events, and with Mike and The Suspects. Ah... the arts along Lake Chapala. When one takes the time to really look at all the talent here at Lakeside, we can truly say “there is something for everyone”. Today, let’s have a look-see at the musical talent that many of us enjoy. From Mariachi, Karaoke, Open Mics, Country, Rock, Blues, Dance Groups, or single talents, we are truly blessed. But, for a moment, let’s step back and look at how the musical folks dedicate their lives for our musical entertainment. Being a musician is truly a gift. Along with that gift is a commitment to thousands of hours (many years) learning the musical craft. And let’s not forget the constant upkeep, upgrading of instruments and equipment. Many of our talented players here at Lake Side are Full-Time musicians and rely on bookings to earn a living. How they earn that living comes in different forms. There are many venues between Chapala and Ajijic that hire bands for an evening show. Depending on the time of year, venue, and genre of music. Venues may have a cover-charge that helps draw a solid caliber of players (ya get what ya pay for). Now, you must understand, musicians spend an incredible amount of time practicing, picking songs, and many many hours learning and rehearsing to get it right so a good show is there for your listening and dancing pleasure. Once the gig is booked, there are many hours beforehand setting up and doing a “sound check” LONG BEFORE the first person comes into the venue. And after a GREAT show performed for you, there are more hours spent breaking down, packing, and going home LONG AFTER you’ve gone home. And for the artists that are perhaps a single act or duo, they may travel from place to place during the day or early evening. The difference for these good folk is that they rely solely on your generosity by way of a Propina (TIP) for their efforts. So, if it’s a cover charge or a nice TIP, please take a moment to reflect and appreciate the efforts that the musicians put into their talent to bring some musical joy into your day. As it is said “music is a universal language”. Listen, smile, dance and enjoy. And PLEASE, do offer something to recognize their talent, time, and efforts. -Andrew Mike and the Suspects: l to r, Chris Cuevas-Guitar and Vocals, Rod Struss-Drums and Humor, Andrew McKechnie, Mike Fortier (seated)-Vocals. Missing from photo-Daniel Cordero-Keys and Vocals.

El Ojo del Lago / June 2020

Saw you in the Ojo 25

Mexican Grace This is a new regular feature column inspired by the September 15, 2019 Open Circle presentation of stories that manifest “Mexican Grace.” El Ojo is looking for more anecdotes that relate the many encounters, initiated by expats or locals, that exemplify the special forms of mutual giving and receiving that define the Mexican Grace that brought us to this unique paradise--and that keep us here. Please email articles of up to 900 words, typed in Times Roman 14-point font with a Title and your name at the top to both victoriaAschmidt@gmail.com and loretta.downs@gmail.com. Photos are welcome.

By Barry Keith

y wife, Jo-Ann, had an experience while living on the coast, in Melaque, for a few months. She had developed some symptoms of bronchitis so went to a clinic near her hotel. There she met a team of young doctors and a dentist who had recently teamed up to open their clinic. She was prescribed some medication and went back to her hotel. However, that weekend while attending church she began coughing seriously enough that someone offered to take her to see the doctor for help. They took her to the same clinic, and the doctor on duty that morning said it was serious and that she needed to go to a hospital in Manzanillo to be cared for. Jo-Ann resisted, not wanting to go to a strange place where she knew nobody, and she not fluent in Spanish. The doctor was adamant, and said that he would go with her

El Ojo del Lago / June 2020

in the ambulance to see that she got checked into the hospital. So she agreed, and an ambulance was ordered. Not only did the doctor accompany her in the ambulance, but the clinic’s dentist followed the ambulance in his truck. I had learned from a previous time when Jo-Ann was in hospital in Guadalajara that it’s not uncommon for a family member or other supportive person to stay with the patient and a couch or cot is provided for that purpose. Her doctor stayed the night with her, while the dentist slept in his truck. And the next morning the dentist drove the doctor back to Melaque. That’s Grace, and an example of the kind of treatment our hosts in this country extend toward their guests. We so appreciate the opportunity to live in this beautiful country.

Saw you in the Ojo 27

The World Longest Love Affair By Dale Hoyt Palfrey

t began nearly five hundred years ago. Shortly after arriving at Tenochtitlán in the fall of 1519, Hernán Cortés and the conquistadores were granted an audience with Moctezuma at his breakfast table. They found the Aztec ruler sipping an exotic drink called chocolatl (derived from the Nahuatl words xoco, bitter and atl, water). Made from ground cacao beans boiled in water, flavored with vanilla and other tropical spices, and chilled with bits of snow from nearby mountain tops, the pungent beverage was, the Spaniards reported, “of a very exciting nature.” Chocolatl was esteemed as an

invigorating refreshment and its consumption was permitted only to those in the highest echelons of Aztec society. While there were different recipes for preparing chocolatl, calling for various spices and types of cacao, all required beating the concoction until a thick, nearly solid froth formed on the top. The drink was served in a xícara, an elaborate, gold goblet on a base covered with jaguar skin, accompanied by a tortoise shell spoon for eating the toothsome foam. Medicinally chocolatl was used to alleviate abdominal pain, as an antidote for poisons, and as a medium for administering other reme-

El Ojo del Lago / June 2020

dies. When made from green cacao the drink was considered a potent hallucinogen and aphrodisiac. Chocolatl and cacao also figured in certain religious ceremonies. The cacao tree, a small evergreen of the genus Theobroma -Food for the Gods- thrives in Mexico’s wet tropical regions. The tree’s fruits, when ripe, are 6-14 inch red pods containing a mass of pulp and 25-50 bitter white seeds that turn brown when exposed to the air. A pound of cacao averages about 200 beans. Cacao was a highly valued commodity in Pre-Columbian Mexico. The great lords of the Maya culture cultivated large cacao plantations. They exchanged their crops for feathers, jade and other precious goods in the principal commercial centers of Mesoamérica. The buying power of cacao was such that a dozen beans more than suff iced to purchase a slave or to procure an evening of pleasure with a prostitute. Moctezuma, who ruled a vast tribute-state, collected huge quantities of cacao twice a year from vassal communities. Aztec consumers often used cacao as currency for making purchases in the bustling tianguis (market place). Some historical accounts refer to rogues who counterfeited cacao beans from avocado pits and doctored inferior grains to increase their value, though they risked severe punishment if caught. Cacao and the other exotic ingredients for chocolatl were among the New World treasures Cortés sent back to his sovereign, Charles V. The Spanish took a great liking to the Aztec drink, especially once they discovered that the addition of sugar made it far more palatable. Dubbing it chocolate, they jealously guarded the secret of its preparation from other Europeans for three quarters of a century.

During this period, according to one account, British pirates captured a treasure-laden Spanish ship and promptly tossed the entire load of cacao overboard, mistaking it for sheep’s dung. By 1606, however, the ltalians were quaffing chocolate, followed in short order by the Austrians and the French. In the 1650’s an enterprising Frenchman devised a method for milling cacao into solid cakes, which simplified the preparation of chocolate. He opened a specialty shop in London to sell this novel product though, at 10 to 15 shillings a pound, it was a luxury only the rich could afford. Well-heeled Europeans soon flocked to fashionable chocolate houses in London, Amsterdam and other continental capitals. The English, circa 1700, further improved chocolate by adding milk to the drink. Finally, in the mid19th century, the Swiss invented a blending process that permitted the creation of chocolate candy. Around the globe people of all stations now consume chocolate in myriad forms and astonishing quantities. The US spends nearly a billion dollars annually on cocoa imports. Chocolate remains an important staple here in Mexico. It is used to make a wide array of confections and is a key ingredient of the piquant mole sauces of Puebla and Oaxaca. Hot chocolate, a popular accompaniment to a light evening repast, is traditionally whipped until frothy with a molinillo, a ringed wooden beater invented by the Aztecs. The definitive recipe for preparing this classic Mexican beverage may be found in chapter nine of Laura Esquivel’s delightful romantic novel Like Water for Chocolate. The world’s love affair with chocolate is one that is likely to last forever for, as one recent ad put it, “To some chocolate is as good as love. To others it is better.”

Saw you in the Ojo 29

Peace Of God By Nancy Greenheart

Are you willing to give away all your fears Accumulated through these many years? Do you fully know you can make the decision? You do not have to hold on to the confusion. Ask the Whole Holy Spirit for wisdom how To give It all your troubles and allow The Peace of God to be your tranquility. Choose not again the trap of irritability. Fear not that you will ever be abandoned again. Old frustrations and patterns have no gain, And only block the flow of Peace, and true sight You can have for asking Spiritâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Insight. With gratitude for Loving Oneness given, You can see a new view here of Heaven. No one can take what you have received. Know your true identity; Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s child retrieved.

El Ojo del Lago / June 2020

Saw you in the Ojo 31

UPDATE FROM THE COVID-19 FRONT

fter about six weeks in self-isolation in the U.S., hidden away from everyone and everything with my husband and our host, I can report that there is increased anxiety, no matter how nice a place you land in. We share our mornings with cows and horses, in a bucolic setting. Yet, every time I crave Mexican food and a perfect margarita, I am reminded the restaurants are closed. When I miss my

friends, I recall I can’t see them right now. I long to get dressed up, wear pretty shoes, and go out. One gets a quick slap-in-the-face about what matters. COVID-19 claims victims indiscriminately across the entire socioeconomic spectrum. While there are definitely some populations more at risk, no one is outside the virus’s reach I live near a Target store in Houston. After we returned here, I noted lots of

El Ojo del Lago / June 2020

customers shopping, unmasked, despite the fact masks are mandatory in this city. If the restrictions were enforced, an awful lot of people would be fined in this store alone. Yet I don’t see anyone making an issue of it. Believers vs. Non-believers. Tomorrow masks won’t be mandatory. And leadership? No wonder there’s so much confusion as to what to do and when to do it. Directives are everchanging, and the insinuations of the president frequently conflict with directives from state governors and local mayors, each state operating like an independent country. My husband and I are the ultra-careful people. We stay isolated except for urgent medical needs or drive-in banking. Groceries are delivered. We are fortunate to have masks, gloves, sanitizer, spray disinfectant. But even these can present risk: My mask cut my eye when it slipped up on my face. These are the issues we deal with. My son’s work is construction management, deemed essential, as though he is doing brain surgery. When I asked if they were working on hospitals, bridges, schools, I was informed most all of his construction jobs were deemed “essential.” I sadly informed him he would have to isolate for 14 days before we could see each other. He didn’t act crushed. There was no pleading or persuasion for an exception. The Plague Truth is brutal. Still, we attempt humor, as macabre as it sometimes is. My husband knocked on the door after a drive-up bank visit. I asked who was there. “The Virus,” he responded. Side dramas of life continue. Here, a short list: • Our host in isolation was called by her doctor’s office to say she may have been in the examining room right after a COVID19 patient and that she should quarantine 14 days. We were already there at her ranch with her, so we held our breath, kept distance, and hoped. Days later, the office called with the great

news the patient had tested negative. Joy! • Just as my friend was driving up to drop off emergency groceries, her 95-year-old grandmother suffered a massive stroke. My friend beat the ambulance workers, who arrived in near-HAZMAT suits, and informed her she could neither accompany them to the hospital, nor go in with her grandmother. The new way. She signed forms and we waited anxiously until her grandmother was back at home, due to the miracle shot which was administered in time. Gratitude! • We had a sick dog and a wounded horse on the ranch. The vet made a personal call to treat the animals. Afterwards, he came up to the house to report on medical issues. We pushed our chairs back six feet and welcomed his human companionship. That was an exciting “happy hour,” with intellectual outside company. The 17-year-old arthritic dog was running around like a young Arnold Schwarzenegger. I wondered if steroids were involved in its treatment. I realize I may not succeed in the COVID-19 future because, many of my age group enjoy social media, it’s never caught on for me. So, while others are raising a glass during a Zoom cocktail hour, I’m avoiding mirrors—not to mention cameras—because of the gray skunk stripe in my hair (no hairdressers). I’ve also applied no makeup since isolation began. So I leave Zooming and FaceTiming to my friends. Continuous illness and death numbers tally on the daily news. It’s awful. I don’t know when I can return to my beloved Mexico, where COVID-19 arrived later. How long can we stay in this suspended isolation, masked, gloved and alien to our former selves? That is the six feet under question. Katina Pontikes

Saw you in the Ojo 33

The Ojo Crossword

Nine Tenths of the Law By Herbert W. Piekow

ACROSS 1 Speed 5 Dalai __ 9 What a horror movie is 14 City in Yemen 15 Asian country 16 Record ________ 17 Remain 18 Tinge 19 Infant’s disease 20 Feather Scarf 21 Neurological disorder 23 Asian bird 24 Asian country 26 Lick 28 Before (prefix) 29 Reduce (abbr.) 31 Radon 34 Comprehensive view 37 From Czech Republic 39 Flower jar 40 Statute 41 Pretentious 42 Assumed name 44 Puritans 47 Beverage 48 Black 50 Neither’s partner 51 Energy unit 52 Warns 56 Withstand 59 Spread out on the couch 63 Long time 64 Express emotions 66 Cab 67 Big hairdo 68 Vetoes 69 Competition at the Greek games 70 Currency 71 Secret meeting 72 Made music vocally 73 Between walk & run

DOWN 1 Spiritual leader 2 Sayonara 3 Chest wood 4 Vane direction 5 Smaller 6 Opera solo 7 Tail-less cat 8 Negative (prefix) 9 Pouch 10 Walk noisily 11 Aptly 12 Dilapidate 13 Young Men’s Christian Association 21 Air (prefix) 22 Loose gown worn at mass 25 Sleep disorder 27 Circle part 29 A source pipe (2 words) 30 Sob 31 “cootie” 32 Doings 33 Mousey 34 Pallid 35 Land mass 36 Dog food brand 38 Belgian Congo 39 Basin 43 Put 45 Chewing 46 Dinner bread 49 Public transportation 51 Computer memory units 53 Relate 54 Chest 55 Hooter 56 Slight hollow 57 Moslem ruler 58 Tricky 60 Parent groups 61 Prego’s competition 62 Neuron end 65 Time zone 67 Clever

El Ojo del Lago / June 2020

ine Tenths of the Law is a novel of family secrets, survival, sisters and an heirloom menorah stolen during the Holocaust. This 223-page novel by Claudia Hagadus Long will not disappoint. Instead it will entertain from beginning until the final page. On page one Zara, one of the story narrators, begins, “... I´ve followed my husband, Sam ... to New York City, I´ve really come... to find my mother. She´s been dead for three years ...” Zara, like the author, is a labor lawyer from the Bay Area. She thinks her husband is having an affair. Her sister Lily lives in a NYC suburb. “Lily´s a middle-school teacher. She´s far taller, far more buxom, vastly more stylish ...” Like many sisters, there is a bit of sibling rivalry. Both sisters are educated but that is the end of their similarities. Their dead mother, the beautiful Aurora, was a teenager when the Nazis invaded Poland and looted the family treasures, which included an enameled heirloom menorah, which turns up in the Jewish Studies Museum in Manhattan. Aurora never tells her daughters how she survived the war years, but the reader slowly learns how a young woman survives when one is determined to live, “too beautiful to kill,” and intelligent. When Lily and Zara discover the family menorah in the museum, they scheme to get it back, but find the exhibition has been dis-

mantled. The director, whom Lily later dates, is not who he claims, a number of pieces from the loaned exhibit disappear before being returned to the lender, then the secretary´s partially nude body is found while two suspects have purpose, means and alibies. This short novel has it all: a ghost, two competitive Jewish sisters, a valuable stolen menorah, a litany of suspects, and a husband who disappears for long periods of time. All that and Nine Tenths of the Law is well written. My suggestion is buy yourself a copy because possession is ninetenths of the law. Publication date is April 2020, so you probably can´t borrow it from anyone. Herbert W. Piekow

It’s Viral By Monty McDannald

ay and wife, Shirley, are sitting in their kitchen having their morning coffee. RAY: Boy, our IRA took a big hit yesterday! SHIRLEY: I told you I don’t want to talk about that. It makes me very nervous. RAY: What do you want to discuss? SHIRLEY: I would say politics, but that makes me sick at my stomach. I would have to take an anti-anxiety pill afterwards. Maybe my struggles with my family farm, but I know you’re tired of hearing about this obsessively. RAY: You’re so right. How about we talk about the COVID19 virus situation? I read there have been a lot more cases in America. We need to plan for the worst. SHIRLEY: I read that those over 60 years of age, like us, are more susceptible, especially those that have had pneumonia or a compromised immune system. I think the odds are that one of us won’t make it; I think that would probably be me. RAY: That’s ridiculous. I’m ten years older than you and have had many more health issues. SHIRLEY: But I have really dogged my body, and I worry a lot more than you do. RAY: Honey, can we talk about something else? SHIRLEY: I want you to promise if the worst happens you won’t give away my things to the first person that you take up with after my funeral. The idea that someone else might be wearing my dresses, shoes, purses, or jewelry makes me nauseous. I want my sisters, and a few select friends to get these items. RAY: You know your sisters aren’t that close to you, and, anyway, they don’t wear your size. You won’t be here, so I’ll have to do whatever I think is best. Also, a man my age would have trouble meeting women and a few gifts might help in my search. Can we quit talking about this? SHIRLEY: Sweetheart, you are still nice-looking and have plenty of money, so you’d have no trouble meeting women. They would be lined up outside your door with food and other enticements.

RAY: I sure hope this doesn’t happen. I’ve always felt I would die first. Our plan was for you to take care of me in my old age. SHIRLEY: One more thing while we’re on this subject. After my cremation, I want my ashes sprinkled on a tree planted in my honor in a park in some low- income area where the residents can enjoy it. RAY: That’s crazy! I agree about a tree and maybe even a nice park bench and plaque in your honor, but I want to have it near where I live. I hope to sit there reminiscing about our love and the great times we’ve had together without worrying about getting mugged. And, who will water the tree? SHIRLEY: I guess you will have to install a sprinkler system. I like the idea of children running through the spray, frolicking like in a water park. RAY: This has gotten too complicated. Why don’t I just put a plaque on the ground and throw your ashes on top. SHIRLEY: Forget it! Bring me another cup of coffee and change the subject.

Saw you in the Ojo 35

Spring Cleaning It’s that time of the year when I want to come clean and turn into a virtual sorting machine. I’m emptying closets and clearing out shelves. Disposing of all of my former used selves. Keeping the best of me. Tossing the worn. Keeping the new me that’s daily reborn and discarding the jaded, the bored and forlorn. I’m renouncing old habits and starting anew. I’m not limping along in my regular queue of things to accomplish and deeds I must do, and I’m making a list of things I’ll eschew— things that inevitably make me blue— politics, violence, things all askew that have turned our whole planet into a zoo. I’m making an outline to use as a guide with all the things that I’ve certified will make my life better and straighten it out. They’ll make me happier, without a doubt. Troublesome people I’m going to avoid. Life is too short to spend it annoyed. What is life for if not to be enjoyed? I’ll go on a diet and I’ll become svelt. Shorten my hemlines and tighten my belt. I’ll take all the tactics I’ve learned in this life as daughter and student and girlfriend and wife and put them together into a rich stew of what I have vowed that I’m going to do. Then tackle my life with this new retinue. Or else I’ll stay home and not worry about having a gorgeous body to flout. I’ll cook puddings and pastries and share them with friends, put on a few pounds without making amends. Taking more time to stare at the birds. I’ll do fewer shoulds and do more absurds— cavort with my art and play with my words. Consort with the dogs and cuddle the cats. Issue fewer “No’s!” and give way more pats. Since this is my life and I am the boss of it, I’ll make a vow to get rid of the dross of it. Clean out the dreads and stock up on the wants. hang out at all of my favorite haunts, believe what praise comes and ignore all the taunts.

Judy Dykstra-Brown

El Ojo del Lago / June 2020

Why I Think I Should Go To Heaven By William Franklin

ot everyone gets to go to Heaven. Some go, some stay home. Since Wuhan I’ve been working on my eligibility and I think I’ve made real progress. For example, since I no longer can go outside, I feel like I’ve cut my sins in half. And while shut in I watched that show on Netflix called The Keepers about those priests at a girl’s school. After watching that I realized I had no idea how really good I was. If you haven’t seen it, well, it’s unspeakable what a certain hot shot priest did to the one nun who called him out for his badness. Next to that guy, I’m good. And I think I should get to the promised land before Richard Nixon gets to. He kept the war going so he could get reelected. Imagine getting GI’s killed for votes. If he’s sitting in a kind of celestial halfway house waiting for his chance, he should wait a little longer. I think John Brown of Harper’s Ferry fame should get in before I do. Stalwart he was and he knew a good thing when he saw it and like Bernie, he wouldn’t compromise. Yep, if John Brown bounces in before me, I’m all right with it. That he was considered a trouble maker in his day, well hell, so what? He actually believed in biblical tenets, much more than I do and way more than a couple of priests I watched on Netflix. I think Yang, the candidate, should maybe get in before I do. He came up with the idea of a thousand Yankee dollars for every American and he ran for president on it while people shrugged. A thousand monthly in every pocket seems like a good idea now. Yay for Andrew Yang. He deserves every Heavenly break out there for being prescient. I can’t believe how guilt-free I’ve felt these last weeks of doing nothing. I grew up with a workaholic mom who made me feel guilty if I

wasn’t working in some cornfield every day after school. That we didn’t have a cornfield made no difference. I was not to be idle. Those were the days when parents didn’t trust TV and would ration it. You couldn’t watch all the Milton Berle you wanted or stay up late all the time for the Steve Allen show. The symbolic, ever present, ever demanding cornfield was waiting to be tended somewhere. Now, watching TV is our civic duty. I’m finally fitting in. In the new world, which we’re starting, it’s not going to be great for Boomers. Until there is a vaccine, people like me are going to be stuck watching Better Call Saul over and over with some Weeds and Breaking Bad and Ozark and all that thrown in. I won’t be doing the Twist out in public anymore and no more jitterbugging at reunions. Young people and folks with exposure immunities will keep the world turning and my generation will have to lay low. Though the mind doth make heaven hell still, I didn’t really want to see all these wonderful surfing, volleyball playing, partying young people as Corona threatens every time I go to the store. This may be the first bullet my generation isn’t able to finesse. Yikes!

Saw you in the Ojo 37

Service * ADVERTISING / DIRECTORY

Pag: 36

- BIO MAXCOTA Tel: (376) 762-1486, Cell: 332-115-0076 Pag: 12 - CLINICA VETERINARIA SAN ANTONIO Pag: 08 Tel: 766-0808 - LAKESIDE FRIENDS OF THE ANIMALS AC Pag: 13 Tel: 765-5544 - MASKOTA’S LAKE Pag: 14 Tel: 766-0287 - PET PLACE Pag: 06 Cell: 333-1964-150 - PET FOOD AND GROOMING Pag: 24 Tel: 766-3062

- TEPEHUA TREASURES Tel: 763-5126

Pag: 31

- COMFORT SOLUTIONS Tel: 33-1228-5377 - LETSA - Roofing Coverings (33) 3687-0188, 33-1011-3622 - MARBLE & GRANITE Tel: 766-1306 - PISOS Y AZULEJOS DE LA RIBERA Cell: 331-250-6486 - SIKA Tel: 766-5959 - WARWICK CONSTRUCTION Tel: 765-2224, Cell. 331-135-0763

- CHAPALA DENTAL CARE Tel: 765-5584, 766-3847

- STEREN Tels. 766-0599, 766-0630

Pag: 33 Pag: 12 Pag: 16 Pag: 32

Pag: 32

Pag: 09

- CALLI Tel: 766-5922

Pag: 31 Pag: 27

Pag: 35

* BOUTIQUE / CUSTOM SEWING

Pag: 33

Pag: 31

* MALL / OUTLET - CENTRO LAGUNA Tel: 766-5514

* GARDENING

Pag: 06

Pag: 20 Pag: 24

* GRILLS - NAPOLEON Tel: 766-6153

Pag: 12

* MEDICAL SERVICES - DERMIKA Tel: 766-2500 Pag: 09 - DR. BEN - CERTIFIED PLASTIC SURGEON Tel: 766-4871, Cell: 333-105-0402 Pag: 17 - DR. HECTOR G. MIRAMONTES - SPECIALIST IN COSMETIC SURGERY Tel: (332) 203-6398 Pag: 11

- BEST MEXICO MOVERS US/CANADA: (915) 235-1951 US Cell: (520) 940-0481 - LAKE CHAPALA MOVING Tel: 766-5008 - STROM-WHITE MOVERS Tel: 766-6153

* COACHING

- M.D. CARLOS ALONSO FLORES VALDOVINOS Tel: 766-5126, 766-4435 Pag: 11

- TRANSITIONAL DIRECTIONS - Life Coaching Tel: 766-2928, +52 331-435-7080 Pag: 12

* INSURANCE

* COMMUNICATIONS Pag: 03 Pag: 27

- HEALTH INSURANCE Tel: 766-0395, 1-888-449-7799 - PARKER INSURANCE SERVICES Tel: 765-5287, 765-4070 - PROTEXPLAN U.S. Toll Free 1-800-608-5743 Mexico Toll Free 01-800-681-6730

El Ojo del Lago / June 2020

Pag: 03 Pag: 12

- D.J. HOWARD Tel: 766-3044

Pag: 08

- MAQUINARIA Y HERRAMIENTAS PROFESIONALES Tel: 387-763-1232, Cell: 33-1892-2142

Pag: 34

- QUIROZ-Impermeabilizantes Tel: 766-2311 - QUIROZ-Pinturas Tel: 766-2311

Pag: 35 Pag: 14

* PHARMACIES - FARMACIA EXPRESS II Tel: 766-0656 - FARMACIA MASKARAS Tel: 766-3539 - FARMEX Tel: 765-5004

Pag: 24

- JOSÉ MARTÍNEZ RUBALCAVA Tel: (376) 688-2683, Cell: 332-255-2040

Pag: 13 Pag: 09 Pag: 18

EMERGENCY HOTLINE AMBULANCE - CRUZ ROJA FIRE DEPARTMENT POLICE Ajijic Chapala La Floresta

066 765-2308, 765-2553 766-3615 766-1760 765-4444 766-5555

Tel: 766-1994 - CUMBRES Tel: 33-2002-2400 - JUDIT RAJHATHY Cell: 331-395-9849 - LAKE CHAPALA REAL ESTATE Tel: (376) 766-4530/40 - LORI FIELSTED REALTY Cell: 331-365-0558, 765-2223 - RADISSON BLU Ajijic Resort, Spa & Residences

Tel: 766-4525, Cell: 332-255-5972 - RAUL GONZALEZ Cell: 33-1437-0925 - VISTA ALEGRE Tel: 33-2002-2400

Pag: 17 Pag: 43 Pag: 25 Pag: 23 Pag: 03 Pag: 05

* RESTAURANTS / CAFES /BAR - AJIJIC TANGO Tel: 766-2458 - ELEGANTE Tel: 766-1066 - GO BISTRO Cell: (045) 33-3502-6555 - MOM’S DELI & RESTAURANT Tel: 765-5719 - SIMPLY THAI Tel: 766-4767 - YVES Tel: 766-3565

Pag: 42 Pag: 29 Pag: 03 Pag: 07 Pag: 31 Pag: 18

* RETIREMENT/REST/NURSING HOMES - LA PUEBLITA Tel: (376) 688-1705 Pag: 25 - NURSING HOME LAKE CHAPALA S.C. Tel: 766-0404 Pag: 21 - VIDA BELLA Tel: 765-4000 Pag: 10

* SATELLITES/ T.V. - AJIJIC ELECTRONICS S.A. DE C.V. Tel/Fax: 766-1117, 766-3371 - SHAW SATELLITE SERVICES Tel: 33-1402-4223

Pag: 11 Pag: 35

* SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS - LOS NIÑOS DE CHAPALA Y AJIJIC Tel: 765-7032

Pag: 36

* SOLAR ENERGY

Pag: 25

* TAXI / TRANSPORTATION - OMAR MEDINA Cell: 33-1281-2818

- AJIJIC HOME INSPECTIONS Tel: 33-3904-9573 Pag: 18 - AJIJIC REAL ESTATE Tel: 37 6766-2077 Pag: 19 - BETTINA BERING Tel: 766-1049, Cell. 33-1210-7723 Pag: 15 - CIELOVISTA Tel: 33-2002-2400 Pag: 05 - COLDWELL BANKER CHAPALA REALTY Tel: 765-3676, 765-2877 Fax: 765-3528 Tel: 766-1152, 766-3369 Fax: 766-2124 Pag: 44 - CONTINENTAL REALTY

Pag: 05

- COLDWELLBANKER CHAPALA REALTY Tel: 766-1152, Cell:(045) 331-386-7597 Pag: 28 - FOR RENT Pag: 32 Cell: 333-667-6554 - FOR RENT Pag: 20 Cell: 33-1115-6584, 33-3196-9679 - VILLAS DEL SOL Pag: 37 Tel: 766-1152

- SUN QUEST ENERGY Tel: 766-6156, Cell: 333-117-9126

Pag: 30

Pag: 27

* RENTALS/PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

Pag: 26

* REAL ESTATE

* HEARING AIDS

Pag: 26

Pag: 06

* PUBLIC ACCOUNTANT

* HARDWARE STORES - FERRETERIA Y TLAPALERIA GALVEZ Tel: 766-0880, Fax: 766-2440 Pag: 42

* CLEANING SERVICES

Pag: 02

* PAINT

- AUTOMATIC GARAGE DOOR OPENERS Tel: 766-4973 Pag: 14

- GARDEN CENTER Tel: 765-5973 - RAINFOREST Cell: 331-241-9773, Tel: (376) 766-4534

Pag: 30

* OUTDOOR EQUIPMENT

* GARAGE DOORS OPENERS

Pag: 27

* CANOPIES

- L&D CENTER Tel: 766-1064

Pag: 35

* BEER & LIQUOR STORES

- ISHOPNMAIL - MACDONALD SERVICES Tel: 415-121-9266

* LIGHTING

* MUSIC / THEATRE / EVENTS Pag: 37

* FURNITURE

Pag: 21 Pag: 24

Pag: 25

* FUMIGATION - FUMIGA Tel: 688-2826, Cell: 331-464-6705 - MOSQUITO CONTROL Cell: 331-498-7699

Pag: 35

* MOVERS Pag: 21

* FISH MARKET

Pag: 07

* BEAUTY

- STEAM CLEAN Tel: 33-2385-0410

Pag: 33

DENTISTS

- COSTALEGRE Tel: 108-1087

* BANK INVESTMENT

- LONAS MEXICO Tel: 766-0045, Cell: 33-3956-4852

Pag: 14

Pag: 37

* LEGAL SERVICES - SOLBES & SOLBES Tel: 331-520-5529, Cell: 333-676-6245

* ELECTRONICS/ TECHNOLOGY

- MULTISERVICIO AUTOMOTRIZ ESCALERA Tel: 765-4424 Pag: 30 - ZAINO MEXICO Tel: 387-105-0175 Pag: 31

- SO CHIC BOUTIQUE Tel: 331-762-7838

Pag: 24

Pag: 20

* INVESTMENT - INVESTMENT Tel: (387) 763-0782

Pag: 08

* AUTOMOTIVE

- BETO’S WINE & LIQUOR Cell: (045) 333-507-3024

Pag: 37

* CONSTRUCTION

* ART GALLERIES/HANDCRAFTS

- CHRISTINE’S Tel: 106-0864, 766-6140 - CRISCO SALON Tel: 766-4073 - EDITH’S SALON Cell: 33-1310-9372 - GLORIOSA Tel: 766-3372 - NEW LOOK STUDIO Tel: 766-6000

- TIOCORP Tel: 766-4828, 766-3978

* CONSIGNMENT SHOP

* ANIMAL CLINICS/PET SHOP

- INTERCAM Tel: 766-5978 - MULTIVA Tel: 766-2499