Saw you in the Ojo
1
Saw you in the Ojo
3
DIRE C TOR Y PUBLISHER David Tingen
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Victoria A Schmidt
Index... 22 COVER STORY “The Miracle Monarchs of Michoacán”: Neil McKinnon artfully shares the story of the Monarchs.
EDITOR EMERITUS Alejandro Grattan-Dominguez Tel: (01376) 765 3676, 765 2877 Fax: (01376) 765 3528 Graphic Design Roberto C. Rojas Reyes Diana Parra Morales Special Events Editor Carol D. Bradley Proofreader Jan Manning Theater Critic Michael Warren Book Review Panel Margaret Van Every Margaret Porter Clare Gearhart Roving Correspondent Dr. Lorin Swinehart
Sales Manager Bruce Fraser Carmene Berner 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 Send all correspondence, subscriptions or advertising to: El Ojo del Lago www.chapala.com elojodellago@gmail.com
8: The COVID Emergency: Francisco Nava, how the organization Poco a Poco gives thanks to everyone who has provided caring and even life-saving support to the indigenous people of San Pedro Itzican and surrounds. 12: Herbert Piekow returns with his stories on the varieties “The Truth About Pancho Villa”. 16: “Be Nice To Your Body” Margaret Porter shares her journey through curious maladies. 26: “Who’s Next?” Christy Wiseman shares her down-home wisdom about animal ownership. 38: “The Hitchhiker;” J.T. Dodds shares his prose on this story of hitchhiking. 40: “Splat!” Dr Lori Swinehart shared his view on the multitude of insects with which we share our world. 42: “COVID Yates,” John Sacelli shares an off-beat look of a version of expat life after COVID.
Photo by Katharyn R. Caldwell
COLUMNS THIS MONTH
6 Editorial 10 Mexican Grace 14 Vexations and Conundrums 18 Verdant View 20 Ramblings at the Ranch 28 Lakeside Living
44: In “An Investment in Time” Mel Goldberg takes us on a unique spin in investing.
34 Unsung Heroes
46: “A Mission to the Huichol” by Alan Pohl describes a group of people and their contributions to the Huichol.
38 Profiling Tepehua
Ave. Hidalgo 223 (or Apartado 279), 45900 Chapala, Jalisco Tels.: 376 765 3676, Fax 376 765 3528 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.
4
COVER IMAGE
VOLUME 37 NUMBER 9
El Ojo del Lago / May 2021
Saw you in the Ojo
5
COLUMNIST
Editor’s Page By Victoria A. Schmidt
M
y father worked in the insurance industry for his entire working life. He loved working in insurance because it offered financial protection for people when they needed it most. However, by the time he was about to retire, he hated what the insurance industry had become. Full disclosure: so did I. I first noticed the insipid insurance world, when my Grandmother had been in a near fatal auto accident when she was 73. Both of her ankles were nearly severed, and she had them rebuilt. As part of her rehab program she had to have special shoes made. Her insurance company denied it. I asked to look at it, and the reason it was denied. Pure bunk. I told her: don’t take “no” for an answer. We appealed and they did pay. When I met my husband he was suffering, and he had a lot of medical bills. Over $15,000. But he had a “Cadillac” insurance policy. Best policy available. I read the Explanations of Benefits for each declined payment, and again, found them to be pure bunk. My conversations with his insurance company went something like this: “I am calling about EOB #38720B12. Here you decline payment for the MRI on his right knee. You claim you have no referral number. Now, I’m not sure about you, but in what world does someone get up and decide to have an MRI and walk into a facility and actually get it performed without a referral number? So, you and I both know the referral number is out there, so let’s find it. No hurry, I’ll wait. I have all day.” They found the referral, and that was cleared off his charges. It took me a while, but I got every penny they were charging my husband dropped off his bill. It took a lot of time. It is a scam. Insurance companies are looking for any way possible to deny every claim. They put
6
El Ojo del Lago / May 2021
the people through so many hoops that eventually, some people just give up and pay themselves. Grandma didn’t think she had the right to appeal. It’s from a company, they know best. No, they know how not to pay out. They know how to wear people down. They know how to intimidate people. This month, I have, at a difficult time in my life, had to do battle with two companies. One was a car insurance company. The other is a medical insurance company. Now I am not talking about those poor agents who are caught between you and the insurance company’s main office. It is especially sad, that at a time when people are dealing with horrendous stress, major or minor injuries, are vulnerable and in need of the services they have paid for, they are denied. Or when a surgery must be performed, as with my husband, the company denies coverage. We are-- sick, dying people, broken by years of illness, worn by years of caregiving, and stuck within the insurance company’s avarice greed. My father is rotating in his grave. Insurance in the United States, is the last unregulated industry there is. I think it is time we take a look at it. Because everyone I know is affected by these companies. I feel sorry for the people who work for them, and the people who are forced to use them. [Correction: In last month’s editorial I told motorcyclists to pass on the right side. It should have read the correct side. In Mexico, they are supposed to pass on the left side, as a normal car would. And not pass on the right, or weave in and out of traffic or drive between the lanes.] Victoria Schmidt
Saw you in the Ojo
7
Poco a Poco gives thanks to everyone who has provided caring and even lifesaving support to the indigenous people of San Pedro Itzican and surrounds.
The COVID Emergency
W
hen we first heard about the pandemic, over a year ago, we held our collective breath imagining what would happen if COVID hit the villages we support. Wash your hands, wear a mask, use sanitizer, social distance, take vitamins, visit a doctor if you become ill. All of these were impossible to imagine in a place where soap is a luxury, families of 10 live in a single room, masks or any type of PPE is not available, and medical care is miles away and not affordable even if accessible. Add to this the fact that so many in the area have underlying health issues, especially the kidney disease. The picture was frightening. As soon as the pandemic was announced, the government shut down all of our programs except for our afternoon meal program (Community Kitchen) for 80 kids 5 days a week and our monthly despensa program that at the time was supporting 55 families. We maintained these programs, but also turned our attention to bringing thousands of masks, PPE, sanitizer and soap, and educational posters about COVID to the villages. It was the beginning of experiencing a tremendous wave of financial and material support from sources near and far. Soon after this effort started, an emergency arose that we had not anticipated. The government shut down all employment in factories, domestic labor and berry picking. Suddenly, many
8
villagers had no money and therefore no food. The numbers in dire need rose to 2000 families not only in San Pedro but also the entire indigenous area. We started to fundraise like never before to try to meet this need. Money flowed in and out at a rate we had not imagined was possible. We were bringing 7 tons of dry goods to the villages on a flatbed truck at a cost of over $5000 US every week! A team of 12 of the most mature brigadistas was organized, and they literally spent all day every day for 4 months loading, unloading, packaging and delivering a kilo of rice, beans, lentils, oatmeal and soya crunch to their neighbors in need. Four days a week these dry goods were loaded onto the back of 2 pick-up trucks that were then driven to 12 different locations where villagers waited in long desperate lines. As if this story was not dramatic enough, the next chapter to unfold occurred when COVID actually arrived in the village. We first learned of it when we began hearing stories of older people in the village dying at home because they could not breathe. There was no testing, no medical care and so there was no way to know for certain if this was COVID. But, of course, it was. This sad news inspired us to bring oxygen concentrators, oximeters and thermometers to the villages. Oxygen concentrators in particular became a point of focus and we scrambled to get one as
El Ojo del Lago / May 2021
soon as we heard that one was available. At the height of this crisis, we had 8 machines in San Pedro. Two of the older brigadistas began dressing head-to-toe in protective gear to go house-to-house to evaluate anyone who was ill. One such effort over a weekend found 22 villagers with COVID symptoms. We then gave everyone who was ill a package of medicine and vitamins suggested by a doctor familiar with treating COVID. Slowly what had been a crisis for many months started to lessen. Villagers returned to work and the number of despensas we were providing was greatly reduced. Reports of people with COVID symptoms and reports of COVID deaths went down. Families started to return oxygen machines. It is impossible to know exactly what the COVID situation is now, but it is clearly much better than before. Despite the hardships and strain of the months dealing with an overwhelming crisis, Poco a Poco has emerged strengthened, focused and ever growing! Our programs that were shut down during COVID have started again. Here is a list of what we are up to now and what we are looking to do in the future. Community Kitchens: As mentioned above, our Community Kitchen in San Pedro Itzican was a lifeline for many children and others during the worst of the pandemic. It continues and thrives serving about 80 children a meal 5 days a week. There is a dining area for the children with tables and benches. Recently we opened a new Community Kitchen in a neighborhood of San Pedro called La Pena. The food is cooked in our kitchen in San Pedro then driven about 10 minutes to a big open area in La Pena. Opening day 110 meals were served and the next day 150 meals were served. Looking forward, we want to build a simple roof structure in La Pena to provide some shade and an area where the children can sit and eat their meal. An estimated 70% of children in the area suffer from malnutrition which is a major risk factor for the kidney disease that is so prevalent in the area. So, providing children a healthy meal daily has a huge added benefit! It costs 6000 pesos (about $300 US) per week to operate both Community Kitchen sites. Children’s Activities: Before COVID we had an active and very popular activities program for the children in San Pedro who would come for a meal at our Community Kitchen. For an hour or so after their meal, the children would engage in outdoor activities such as soccer and also indoor activities such as drawing and crafts. We had to shut down this program during COVID, but we are gearing up to start again with the help of a wonderful group of young Mexicans leading the way!
We also provide; a Children’s Library, Kidney Despensa Program, Jewelry Making Workshops, Sewing Classes, Vivero, English as a Second Language, and Pizza and tortillas: Before COVID an enterprising group of 10 women decided to join forces to create a tortilla making business using our kitchen. They decided to make the tortillas the traditional way starting with corn that is soaked and then ground. Their business took off and they took out a loan to buy a grinder. Another group of women took on making pizzas and built a wood burning oven for that purpose, also at the Brigada office. The business is thriving, and the women are happy! Collaborations: When the food crisis hit San Pedro and we were scrambling to try to feed so many people, we reached out to FoodBank Lakeside for assistance and they responded immediately. They continue to support our Kidney Despensa program and we are eternally grateful to this wonderful organization! April 3, 2021 In Mexico all university students are required to volunteer for a community service activity for a certain number of hours before they graduate. Students can receive these credits only from sites that are officially registered with a university. Recently San Pedro has become one such official site with a top tier university in Guadalajara, Tecnologico de Monterey. Students are already working with professors to help San Pedro! Namaste Lake Chapala raises money and buys snacks for all of the children who receive an afternoon meal. Many of these children have very little to eat between the meals that we provide so this is a wonderful addition to our efforts! Community Center We have dreamed for years of finding a plot of land in San Pedro to build a permanent community center that would serve as a location for many activities that would make the future brighter for San Pedro. After much effort, we will buy a plot soon! The community center is being designed by students working with a professor at the Tecnologico de Monterey. The Center will include a small medical clinic, a kitchen with modern amenities, a dining area, a water filtration system, and rooms for workshops. We could not be more excited! We so appreciate the support we have received as we open up our programs again, expand and move ahead! Please go to www.pocoapocosanpedro. com\donate to help. Lake Chapala Charities provides a way for many charities in the area to receive a tax-deductible donation from the US. To donate to Poco a Poco please click on Brigada Estatal/ Poco a Poco. When we work together anything is possible!
Saw you in the Ojo
9
COLUMNIST
Mexican Grace This is a regular feature column inspired 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, with a Title and your name at the top to both victoriaAschmidt@gmail.com and loretta.downs@gmail.com. Photos are welcome.
The Enchanted Village of Ajijic Just Became a Little More Enchanted Anonymous
T
he Thirteen Stations of the Cross have been a fixture up the Ajijic mountainside from Calle Juarez Privada, just west of the end of Calle Colon, for a very long time. Where the first Station begins at street level, the last of the thirteen Stations stops well up the mountainside and a few feet shy of a wellconsidered open Shrine and is visible from downtown Ajijic.
Known as the “Meditation Trail” to many, the pathway has long attracted dedicated residents who walk it for meditation reasons, for travelers who walk it given the trail is one of Ajijic’s popular tourist attractions, and finally, for hikers who simply like scaling the mountain but can do so in the company of the 13 Crosses, all of which have a sign attached to describe the significance of that specific cross. Over the years, many of the Stations have deteriorated and were very much in need of repair. Some
10
El Ojo del Lago / May 2021
of the cement pedestals to which the crosses were affixed had disintegrated and needed to be repaired and repainted. One of the stations was so bad that the cross was simply lying flat on top of the pedestal. In addition, the signs affixed to each Station were either faded, not legible, or had completely disappeared. For one Canadian Snow Bird who winters in the Lakeside area annually, he saw an opportunity to give something back to the local community for the kindness it extends to those who either visit here or come from abroad to live here. Thus, sponsoring the refurbishment of the Thirteen Stations of the Cross provided an opportunity to celebrate Easter and to give something back to the local community to ease everyone’s Covid-19 fatigue and to provide an additional reason to refer to Ajijic as an “Enchanted Village.” He was able to facilitate the renewal of this “Meditative Walk” by retaining the services of local residents to take on specific jobs to complete the bi-cultural project. The colors were strategically selected. The cement pedestals were painted a gloss black with a green streak running through. The black represents the darkness that fell upon the earth following “The Crucifixion.” The green streaks represent the diminished faith many experienced on that fateful first Good Friday as they pondered whether something miraculous might evolve from the Crucifixion, which is precisely what happened with the Resurrection and the proclamation that “He is Risen.” The color selected for the crosses was a radiant gold, reflecting the enormous significance of the Resurrection to humankind. The signs, painted by local artist, Sr. Jose Duran, are a bright white with the description of each cross written in red. Given the weight of all the signs, the Canadian asked a friend named Ron to help him out on Holy Thursday to complete the project by affixing the newly painted signs to the crosses. They headed up the mountain together. At the seventh or eighth cross, while the Canadian was attaching the sign to the cross with a plastic tie, he heard Ron exclaim, “Oh, my goodness, Jesus has just arrived.” The Canadian turned to see someone who looked like Jesus standing on the path below the cross he was working on. He thanked both of us for doing the job of repairing the crosses and the walked off. He
was only there for about fifteen seconds. No sooner had “Jesus” disappeared from sight than a thought crossed the Canadian’s mind that he should have taken a photograph of this peculiar rendezvous. In fact, with the passage of time, the Canadian became very self-critical for failing to do so given he was carrying a camera. What made the moment more significant is the fact that after the Resurrection, Jesus appeared before groups of people to show them that He had risen from the dead. He did this to ensure that multiple witnesses experienced His presence. In essence Jesus appears to prefer witnesses over cameras. Given this was the only time that Ron had participated in the project, this was the only time that there were two witnesses together. Whoever this individual was, he certainly created a memorable incident in the final moments before the project was completed. In appreciation: For the matter to move ahead it required the support of Sr. Juan Ramon Flores, Delegado Municipal De Ajijic. His support of the project was much appreciated. The sponsor simply wishes to be referred to as an appreciative Canadian who has wintered in this neighborhood annually for more than ten years. The refurbishment of these Thirteen Stations of the Cross is dedicated to the memory of the many individuals who have disappeared in Mexico over the last two decades. Wherever their souls might be, they are surely at Peace. Following upon that dedication comes a second one, a prayerful thought, one extended to the many loved ones who have had to live every day wondering about the fate of the loved ones who have disappeared, may they know that their loved ones have returned to their Creator and are at Peace. Photograph of the IV Station before and after being refurbished. The scroll on the IV Station proclaims, “Love one another as I have loved you”. _____________________________ Monuments and crosses painted by: Pago Barajas Local artist who painted the signs: Jose Duran Supported by Ajijic Municipal Delegate: Juan Ramon Flores Easter 2021 project sponsored by a grateful Snowbird
Saw you in the Ojo 11
The Truth About Pancho Villa By Herbert W. Piekow
H
istory is the relating of indisputable facts, these facts are usually subject to the interpretation of the researcher or writer. Ancient history is usually in the viewpoint of the victor, while more current history, such as WWII is subject to personal viewpoint of the historian, both mixing indisputable facts with local lore the perspective of the person retelling the events. History cannot truly be considered history until all participants are buried. Genghis Khan and his sons brought scholars and scribes along on their conquests to record the events. However, if one reads the same events through the transcripts
12
of those conquered, the battles are recorded differently, even when the outcomes are irreversible. Recently I read, The Story of MEXICO A Land of Conquest and Revolution, printed in 1914. Included was a chapter about Pancho Villa, who was still living when this book was written, and whom I have previously researched and written about. Usually, I read numerous articles and or books before writing anything about history. What made me stop and wonder were the different “facts” written about Pancho Villa while he was alive and what I´d read about in research. Pancho Villa died in a blaze of gunfire in 1922. In researching this article, I read at least
El Ojo del Lago / May 2021
six versions of how Doroteo Arango became the feared rebel leader known as Pancho Villa. Each story has an older man and Villa´s younger sister. In one version, Villa happens to ride home to find a man is trying to rape Villa´s twelve-year-old sister. In the book I just finished reading a local magistrate talked Villa´s sixteenyear-old sister into running away. Villa mounted his horse, forced a priest to accompany him and when they caught up with the eloping duo, Villa persuaded the priest, at gun point, to perform a marriage, thereupon the magistrate signed both his wedding certificate and his own death certificate. In my research I read articles that claimed Villa was married up to seventy times and each time he had a magistrate complete the marriage certificate, then burn the evidence of marriage. At his funeral there were twenty-two widows with children of various ages. It is indisputable that Villa led a violent and romantic life. After the murder of his sister´s husband Villa became a wanted criminal. He was a charismatic person who soon had a following of brigands. Originally, they roamed Northern Mexico taking what they wanted and distributing the remaining to widows and people in need, at least that is what the history books tell readers. Therefore, there must be some basis of fact. But what are the facts? Most of the history books do not tell the reader that Villa had from two to three sisters and the same number of brothers, these same books never tell what happened to his mother or his siblings. They differ on how Villa turned from wanted criminal to wanted rebel, or Revolutionary general of up to 14,000 men. The history books describe Villa´s bookkeeping as anything from he had, “a large black safe from which he pulled stacks of money, which he didn´t count.” To, “Villa printed his own currency which he generously distributed.” The same
book described how he would shoot merchants who did not accept his currency. What is the truth? Perhaps some version of both? Whatever the truths are, Villa was a charismatic leader of men. He may not have been educated however, it is acknowledged that he was intelligent and he understood how to lead, inspire and reward his followers. “He envisioned a new social order in which workers could organize in communes to be in charge of the economy, eliminating the need for the upper class. There would be no military, but workers would receive military training that would help them protect themselves...” Michael Konstantinovsky. Like a true Communist, Villa took apart large land holdings, like the Terrazas Family´s 5.000,000 acres with herds of horses, mules and cattle and distributed these among the people. He did end up with 120,000 acres for himself. Truly he was a romantic and historic figure, above average in height (although no book nor article gave his height), he weighed 180 pounds, he could ride, shoot and he certainly had an affinity for women. He did not drink alcohol, but allowed his men to drink, as long as they were ready to ride when he commanded. Although Pancho Villa had many enemies it was never proven who assassinated the farmer, general turned rancher, but the person responsible had executed a well-planned and public murder. The murderers rented a house in Parral, Chihuahua knowing that Villa would come to visit a former wife and child. Villa, who usually travelled with at least fifty men drove himself and several of his men. All telegraph lines had been cut and the local federal troops sent out on a bogus errand. Theories range from a vindictive husband or brother of one of Villa´s wives, or President Obregon, wanting to eliminate all possible presidential candidates. Pancho Villa, who had been one of the first to use planes in battle, who went from brigand to general and who knew the power of the press by giving interviews and participating in motion picture newsreels died in public and with mystery, just as he led his life. Both in public and with secrecy. It seems amazing that such a public figure, who died less than one hundred years ago, in the time of motion pictures and journalism, could still have so much mystery and uncerHerbert W. tainty about his life. Piekow
Saw you in the Ojo 13
Confounded By Covid Etiquette
M
anners were always drilled into me as a child. As I became older and entered the business world, I realized that courteous behavior became an unspoken attribute that bought far more points than the effort extended. Most people were not giving this subject a second thought as I bought thick etiquette books, then studied and referenced them often. Quickly I ascertained that friends
who took time to drop a congratulatory note to someone who got a new assignment or successfully completed a project were the people that others called upon for advice. Courtesy built trust and earned points. This week I read a brief online essay about Covid courtesy. The article only scratched the surface of concerns I had. It was just a few paragraphs long. I had broken stated rules, on more than one occasion, according to the author. (Hint:
Don’t pry into how someone got their vaccination faster than you did. Medical conditions are private.) I have started to notice how frequently I encounter social situations which cause me embarrassment or reticence on what should be a proper response. For example, as more people receive vaccinations, most people are still waiting for the arm prick to salvation. One must avoid gloating if they are already vaccinated. Masking is still an iffy subject, with some people resisting having to cover their faces as the case count decreases. I am told we will be masking for longer than we want. Asking someone to mask is a delicate matter. If you ask to socialize outside, you really show your level of concern. A group of friendly neighbors used to gather on Sunday nights in pre-Covid times. These meetings resulted in shared building news and answers to group issues, with an occasional spicy gossip item thrown in for good measure. Last week, after a year of no gathering, I received an email that caused me to freeze. Would my husband and I like to go down to the grill area (closely placed tables) and reunite again? I want to stay close to my building friends. I need to know what has hap-
pened while we were isolated. I checked the current CDC (Centers for Disease Control) online guidelines again, even though I can recite them from memory. Fully vaccinated persons can meet in small groups. There were seventeen email addresses on the invitation. Not small. How many of these people were vaccinated? I certainly am not going to do a survey. I sent a respectfully worded decline and requested to wait just a little longer until the vaccination rate has increased, and our comfort level is higher. We didn’t receive an invitation this week. Greetings are the new landmines. I see an unvaccinated girlfriend and hold my elbow out for a tap. She is a natural hugger who tends to run forward for greetings. She breaks through. Oh, God! Another safety rule is violated. How can this small, loving act result in such worry and regret? I pity those still working, no longer able to shake hands. I recall my now deceased dad teaching me to shake hands firmly and with eye contact, lest the person I was meeting would deem me a weakling, or worse, untrustworthy. I guess that critical character assessor may be gone. Covid has changed etiquette. I’ve been thinking about the lustful young, all masked and distanced. If they are seeking romance, a partner or even just some nice sex, they are terribly challenged. You can’t really kiss with a mask on. Do they inquire about Covid and vaccination status the same way people once had to delicately explore STDs? Grant them patience as this pandemic subsides. I want to send out a universal message that says, “Hang on! We are almost free.” I kiss my unmasked husband gratefully, glad I have a partner to get through this. In the meantime, I need to research how to throw a safe party to celebrate the decline of the pandemic, because I want to follow the small courtesies when I throw the Mother of All Blowout celebrations. Katina Pontikes
14
El Ojo del Lago / May 2021
Saw you in the Ojo 15
Be Nice to Your Body By Margaret Porter
L
ast year, an early bout with a “mysterious flu” and subsequent worldwide quarantine found me sleeping 16 hours a day to pass the time, and lolling around with a favorite cocktail otherwise. My mother once called me the laziest child she ever saw, which injured my pride because, when I was a kid, important events occupied me, things I was sure she’d never understand. Why, in the 60s and 70s, I fought the Vietnam War alongside GI Joe, with us falling in love, being married in Da Nang, baby to follow. Other days, King Arthur ditched that tramp
16
Guinevere and took up with me, a humble but beautiful servant and secreted daughter of a nobleman, baby to follow. I was so busy living the stories in my head that it was exhausting! Daydreaming was my problem and still is. Hand me a mop, and I will find a way to dance around it with Thom Yorke as the fur-kids lick up the mess. Still, here in the pandemic, with so many books to read and movies to watch, and the fact that a gardener still came around three times a week to handle things outside, the dust in the interior of my house and I got
El Ojo del Lago / May 2021
comfy. A few months in and indolence layered extra fat on top of the wine fat that had accumulated over the previous five years, layered on top of the cerveza fat from the five years before that, all of it marbled with fat that had accumulated during my 15-year love affair with chilaquiles, rojos, onions, cream, two eggs over easy. I have a niece named Kelly who’s a CrossFit addict, marathoner, snow skier, mother of a toddler, and advanced yoga enthusiast. I was whining about my expanding corpus, so she suggested that I do something about it. “Aunt Margaret, at least keep yourself limber,” she urged, reminding me of the yoga that I know how to do but, for whatever reason, do not. She sent a rather impressive YouTube of Jessamyn Stanley, an extra-large woman who teaches beginner to advanced yoga. From those, I put together a short routine and, after daily practice for a few weeks, I felt better. Step one toward being a better me was in the bag. That was until last October. While doing an extended ‘downward facing dog,’ I sneezed and became disoriented, so I stood up and suddenly felt a fluttering in my left ear. Within minutes, I’d lost the hearing in it and immediately began to flip ass-overteakettle toward the ceiling in a severe vertigo attack. I was in the hospital for three days and had several tests, then visits with neurologists and an ear, nose, and throat doc. No one knew what had happened. A small stroke near my auditory nerve might have been the culprit, but I had experienced vertigo years before, so it could also be the advent of Meniere’s disease, a chronic problem. The doctors put me on a medication and therapy regimen and told me to wait it out for a year to see how much hearing returned. Some of it has come back, low tones, but none of the wonderful high ones – bird song, a friend’s voice, song lyrics, children’s laughter, the bank of chihuahuas across the street – er, well, scratch that last one, which brings me to a conversation that I had with my counselor Kat after this event. I’d been seeing her after losing two beloved family members to untimely deaths. Kat is a warm-hearted truth-teller who dared to tell me, “You have an impressive imagination. But stop writing stories as you speak about these things, Margaret. Cutting through the drama aids clarity, which encourages acceptance.” It is a blessing of grace to find a counselor who will teach you how to get out of your own way as you stumble toward improved mental and physical health. Kat was compassionate when I
told her of my mysterious downwardfacing-dog incident. She suggested that I needed to meet my body wherever it is in the moment, including all disabilities, disappointments, and the things I frown at in the mirror. I was a bit confused. She explained: One of the hardest things we face as we age is to accept our body as it is today. Criticizing it with our complaints about its incapacities is not only unfair, but it also makes our physical state of being worse. We all cause some health problems by our choices, and we can choose to change our habits to improve upon the damage done. Some of it is no fault of our own, illnesses that capture us and won’t let go, which we must manage. Either way, our body has been altered, and how dare we stand there and criticize it just because it doesn’t work or look like it used to. We must embrace our physical deficits – even our fat – and do what we can to remedy things. But most importantly, we must get up every day and express gratitude to our body for always doing the best that it can as it carries us through this human life, because that is what it is doing. Our bodies want to work well. Adjust your attitude, bolster your spirit, and your body will respond in ways that might surprise you. It was a message custom-made for me. Lately, I have been talking to my deaf ear, congratulating it for what it can do right now, which isn’t much. But the other day la sordita was able to hear the overlay guitar on “Shine on You Crazy Diamond” through my Bose headphones. Thank you, Pink Floyd, for the layered sound! Then one night at two o’clock in the morning, my good ear, which is dutifully over-compensating, was able to hear a neighborhood couple laughing at whatever they were having a go-at, the wild things. I’m not sure which neighbor it was, as my working ear no longer has the directional balance of its temporarily deaf mate. Niece Kelly has also put me on a diet of greens, greens, and more greens. “Aunt Margaret. Honestly, you know? You live in the land of green things and abundant vegetables. You need three servings a day of greens alone, less animal, more beans, and legumes. Get with it.” And, she’s right. I’m down a few kilos, and it won’t be too long before I can throw this body a party for its accomplishment. Invitations in the mail after everyone’s vaccinated. Margaret Porter
Saw you in the Ojo 17
Verdant View W
elcome to Verdant View, your monthly column for everything “green” at Lakeside. In this monthly addition to El Ojo Del Lago publication, I will take you through Lakeside’s three cyclical seasons, highlighting gardening topics such as: • What grows where and when • Cutter ants; Love ‘em or Leave ‘em • Native Plants of the area • Medicinal Plants and their uses • Review of the Viveros (nurseries) of the area • Soil, The Great Communicator • The Shade Garden • Water at Lakeside • Seeds: Heirloom vs. GMO • Various Garden Groups of the area May at Lakeside is hot and dry. We have three seasons of growth locally and we are in the hottest and driest of the three, which runs from March
18
Francisco (Fco.) Nava through mid-June (St. Andres’ day). At this latitude the angle of the sun changes dramatically from winter to summer. Plants that were in shade areas in the winter can gradually be given full sun in the summer as the seasons change. So be careful to watch where the sun is hitting your garden and move plants accordingly or cover them to protect them from the harsh sun. Also remember to water them more during this time of year. Francisco (Fco.) Nava - Bio Gardener, teacher, organic-food grower, natural warrior against pests,
El Ojo del Lago / May 2021
helping make healthier towns by teaching garden Earth consciousness. Having been mentored by his mom, an earth mother, garden goddess, and also by his life partner, Bradley “Mulch” Mowers (co-founder of Los Angeles Eco Village—a part of the worldwide network of Eco Villages), Fco. was not born with a “green thumb.” He had to earn it by trial and error (many plants took the hit). Luckily, his mother was there to nurture the first plants back to health. Eventually, Mother Earth saw that Fco. was nothing if not tenacious and persistent, so after many years of learning, he was given his green wings, and so was born a love affair with our planet. Instructor of “Introduction to Gardening at Lakeside,” “Advanced Gardening At Lakeside” and “Gardening For Gardeners,” Fco. has been teaching in Riberas Del Pilar and Ajijic for five years now. He is also a garden/gardener consultant working to make gardening here a little easier for his clients and their gardeners. Fco. is retired, Mexican, educated at UCLA and Santa Monica College in California, where he also taught “Sustainable Architectural Design” and now resides happily in Ajijic and Chapala. Five years ago, Fco. started working with Poco a Poco San Pedro Itzican, a direct connect—volunteer group helping the humble towns
east of Mezcala. Working primarily in the 12 pueblos that comprise the San Pedro Itzican area, he has been primarily working to teach the people of San Pedro Itzican and surrounding areas how to grow organic food... something that seems to have been forgotten in these towns. This mission is imperative as the youth of these towns are suffering from high incidents of renal failure and are dying. Fco. believes one reason for this is poverty-induced malnutrition. One of these food growth programs is the Vivero La Esperanza project in San Juan Tecomatlan, just east of the Vista Del Lago fraccionamiento. The nursery/vivero was started to help grow organic food starters/plantulas for the home gardens of the people so they can boost their family’s nutrition. As people are stuck at home, they become aware of what access they have to green space, and there isn’t enough to accommodate their needs. Now more than ever people should be able to experience the grounding sensation of growing plants. Fco. offers services from his home “speakeasy” such as virtual and actual home visits and plant shopping dates, during which he accompanies clients to nurseries. He hopes to bring plants and wellness into the lives of the people at Lakeside.
Saw you in the Ojo 19
COLUMNIST
RAMBLINGS FROM THE RANCH By Carolyn Drummond-Hay
Life after Mexico
S
traying down my Mexican memory lane to the moment in 2016 when I visited The Ranch and asked Syd which dogs had been there the longest. She pointed to a white blur, saying he’s been here 5 years. Syd tried to interest me in other long term residents but I knew which one would go home with me, in spite of being called Smokey Joe! First I changed his name to Bebe which really reflected his barking skills. He is still a baby, even at the age of nearly 13. We moved to the outskirts of Ajijic, then again further away into the Southern part of Mexico, with us was his companion Paloma, rescued from a non-paying guard dog job. Bebe and Paloma were now a team.
20
El Ojo del Lago / May 2021
Paloma managed to enjoy every minute of her freed life until the age of 14. The week after her death Bebe and I packed up and made our escape back to north of the border to get away from the cohetes. On the way, we had a tire blow out near San Luis Potosi, throwing our car around to face four lanes of oncoming traffic, on a bridge with no shoulder. Bebe remained his calm self, trusting me to resolve the issues before heading over the border the next day. Bebe clearly missed Paloma as
much as I did so we kept our collective ears open for the right addition. A neighbor had a friend who rescued and had no idea how to manage her. Once again Bebe had a partner, a mini -Aussie Shepherd we call Walna. She is his best friend. Bebe and I are aging but still active and Walna runs rings around us both. We miss visiting the Ranch and Syd, but not the cohetes! To learn more about volunteering or to donate please go to theranchchapala.com or email us at adoptaranchdog@outlook.com.
Saw you in the Ojo 21
The Miracle Monarchs Of Michoacan By Neil McKinnon
I
shiver involuntarily in the warm sun as the spirits of millions of dead Aztec warriors silently surround me and tease my face with the gentle brush of their passing. In the quiet mountain glade only a faint murmur hints at their descent—a brief, near imperceptible, flutter against the background rustle of a mid-afternoon breeze inspiring tremors in lofty pines. Their presence intimidates me. I think of generations ritually sacrificed who now, brilliantly garbed in their dazzling war robes, are returning to earth to sip nectar from the depths of radiant flowers—placed there by the gods so that the souls of these long-ago war-
22
riors can once again repeat the cycle of life to death and back again to life. Here, at 3050 meters, near the village of El Rosario, in the high mountains of Michoacan in West Mexico all is plausible. The pre-Hispanic belief in butterflies as the spirits of departed heroes makes complete sense as does the Aztec cosmology that associates butterflies with fire and movement—perfect proxies for the sun. We have come here to witness one of the great miracles of the world— the annual gathering of Monarch butterflies before the spring start of their 2500-mile trip to Canada and the northeastern United States. Now with the sun’s rays intercepted at all angles
El Ojo del Lago / May 2021
by millions of fluttering bright orange and black wings we stand wrapped in a warm, hypnotic kaleidoscope of crisscrossing shadows, immersed in the dizzying wonder of the annual spectacle. For three to four months every winter the Monarchs cling to every greygreen branch in these mountains. The trees bend under the masses clustered in near-hibernation, bowing in homage to their burden of butterflies. In somnambulant stupor they wait for the spring sun, showing only their drab underside to the world. Then the vernal rays penetrate the forest crown. The lifeless aggregate starts to quiver. Struggling off camouflage shrouds, millions of dormant butterflies begin to absorb the energy of Aztec souls through their solar panel wings. A random fluttering begins. Soon fire from the sun infuses their radiant wings and in a blaze of golden brilliance the transformed souls of the ancients rise over the cool forest floor. They whisper past us—a purposeful stream down the mountain. Once again noble warriors, infused with the power of the sun, are transmigrated from a distant past to a new generation. Indeed, they are the embodiment of the sun. Each, who has made this journey through countless generations, pulses with the fire of life—a fire needed for
the odyssey that will eventually return their great-grandchildren to this Olympus here at El Rosario—a cycle that mimics the birth and death of the earth itself. Fluttering upwards, surfing on the wind, sipping nectar and, above all, mating and creating new generations, these winged warrior’s journey steadily north until, in April, they find their destination. There, they again participate in the endless loop of life—butterfly to egg to larva to chrysalis and back to butterfly. Toward the end of summer, the spirits begin to long for their ancestral home. Slowly and inexorably the Monarchs amass, and the journey south begins anew. By November more than 100 million will alight on the same trees on the same mountain their forebears left some eight months before. A pre-Hispanic poet said, “they are flower songs; they are butterflies of song.” Another said, “Sweet-smelling flowers are scattering among the butterflies. All come from the region of mystery.” A butterfly lands ever so lightly on my cheek. I feel its wings caress my eyelash and I think of the whimsical idyl... of the flowers scattering among the butterflies and it seems that the ancient poet had dreamed conversely. With the gentle velvet touch on my face, I watch the Monarchs scatter from this region of mystery, each truly a song to the flowers. The Ancients believed in the birth and death of the earth itself—an endless cycle. The Monarch lives its cycle, and we live ours beneath a circling sun. From life to death and ashes to ashes the roots of all living things are tied together—interlocking spirals revolving through eternity. Neil McKinnon The End
Saw you in the Ojo 23
Venustiano Carranza By David Ellison
V
enustiano Carranza, a wealthy landowner, was the most conservative of revolutionaries after Porfirio Díaz’ long regime. Nonetheless, he would inadvertently enable a constitutional transformation that not even his liberal allies-turned-opponents could have imagined. Carranza was tall, impressive, even imposing, but lacked both humor and charm. Still, he believed that he alone could restore stability in Mexico, hoping to follow in the footsteps of his idol, Benito Juárez. Carranza gave Francisco Madero tepid support when the latter called for insurrection. But he became the revolution’s nominal leader after Victoriano Huerta had assassinated Madero to become dictator. When he and his forces exiled Huerta, however, Carranza failed to convince fellow revolutionaries Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata, who both demanded dramatic, comprehensive change, that he should continue to lead the country. Nonetheless, after one of his generals, Álvaro Obregón, crushed the hitherto undefeated Villa, and another one cunningly assassinated Zapata, Carranza emerged as the last revolutionary standing. Thus, Carranza gave the first of his three, major gifts to Mexico: peace. After ten chaotic years of wanton bloodshed, the Mexican Revolution was finally over. And when Germany, with its infamous Zimmerman Telegram, suggested that Mexico take sides in WWI, he refused. He knew his country had suffered enough. But, what to do about the imperialistic United States that had already in-
24
El Ojo del Lago / May 2021
vaded Mexico twice during The Revolution? As president, Carranza countered the Monroe Doctrine with his own Carranza Doctrine: “...equality, mutual respect for institutions and laws, and the firm and constant will never to intervene, under any pretext, in the internal affairs of other countries….” So, when the US threatened to seize the Tampico oil fields, Carranza vowed he’d burn them to the ground first. Carranza defended Mexican sovereignty with steely courage, his second great gift. Finally, Carranza called for a convention to amend The Constitution of 1857, ratified during La Reforma. To his horror, the delegates instead crafted the amazing Constitución of 1917, which codified sweeping social, economic, land and religious reforms. (Villa and Zapata had their way after all!) Although Carranza simply chose to ignore most of them, one of his successors, Lázaro Cárdenas, would not. The Constitution of 1917 was and is an astounding legacy, no matter what Carranza thought of it. Carranza did honor, though, the hard-won tradition of no-reelection (which Díaz had repeatedly spurned, igniting The Revolution). Carranza chose not to seek another term as president. Unfortunately, he also decided to support a civilian to replace him instead of his faithful general, Obregón. That was his undoing. Obregón—spurned, furious—simply used his army to take what he believed to be rightfully his. And, as Carranza fled the capital, he died—either by assassination or suicide, the circumstances remain unclear. Poor Carranza! He deserved a better end. But at least Mexico has named a lot of city streets in his honor. This is a selection from Dave’s forthcoming book, Niños Héroes: The Fascinating Stories behind Mexican Street Names.
Saw you in the Ojo 25
Who’s Next? By Christy Wiseman
M
y son is very patient and took his time in finding his life’s partner. Finally he met THE ONE and proposed, with one request. “I want a dog.” It seemed a simple request as he owned a house with a nice, fenced back yard. “Well,” said she; “I do love you and want to marry you, but I have two cats.” This took some negotiating, but finally they came to an agreement that when both cats died, he could get his dog. For years I was the proud grandmother of two grand kitties. Over the years, I visited and helped them welcome first a daughter, Reagan, followed by a son, Carson. The cats remained healthy, but one eventually died. I’m sure my son missed that cat, but it was a double-edged sword as there was one cat left and after all, a deal is a deal. This last August I went to visit and the cat, Annika, was closely watched by four rather eager people. Cats can have long lives, but this cat didn’t seem to look geriatric, didn’t require special attention and didn’t seem to be in any hurry to cross the river Styx. Her housemates (my son, his wife and their two children however, seemed eager for that move.) Annika’s main interest seemed to be napping. Just how old was she, anyway? Each family member thought when Annika would choose a new spot for her nap that just maybe she was going there to die. The interest in that theory had become almost obsessive. “Where is Annika?” “Maybe Annika is dead. We have to find her body.” They always did. She always stretched, showed her annoyance at being disturbed and went back to sleep. Her favorite place seemed to be on my pillow. Was she getting ready to die? No such luck, but they feel she bears watching... To figure out a cat’s age, “a one-yearold kitten is developmentally the equivalent age of a 15-year-old human, and the physical maturity of a two-year-old cat is roughly equivalent to a 25-year-
26
El Ojo del Lago / May 2021
old human.” After that you add 4 years for every year so Annika is at least 24 human years which would make her 113. Damn, no wonder she sleeps so much! Surely that’s a sign she’ll die soon. The vigil continued; so did Annika. Finally the day came when Mark wanted to re-negotiate. “Honey, the ‘men’ in this family need to have a dog — no make that two. We’ve been patient. Annika is not going anywhere and our daughter Reagan has her horse and you have Annika. Carson and I want our dogs. Carson will be in high school soon and then off to college and its only fair that he have a dog while he is here to enjoy it. He wants a French Bulldog and I want a Berniedoodle.” He had been very patient. And so it came to pass… The Berniedoodle arrived. It was seven pounds and so cute and everyone loved it. Everyone, with the exception of Annika who simply tried to avoid this obvious interloper. Mark soon seemed exhausted as he had been given the task of training the pup; so he had to get up every hour to let her out, until he finally got her trained to hit a little rope to ring a bell when she wanted out. Very clever and soon he was looking rested again. Then along came the little French Bulldog and Carson began the training of his new family member. It is now six months later and the dogs are growing and seem to love one another. The horse is definitely totally Reagan’s and is boarded away from the house. And Annika? If she could talk, I think she would be saying, “Die? I can’t die. I am needed to oversee all these new folks, besides I heard the big folks talking and they were saying Grandma is coming again soon and you know, she is getting old. Just how old is she anyway? Pretty old for a human. I want that pillow in the guest room to be all mine. When she dies it will be. She bears watching.” As for me, I’m ready for another nap. Christy Wiseman
Saw you in the Ojo 27
Carol D. Bradley
Email: cdbradleymex@gmail.com Phone: 33-2506-7525 “I am certain of nothing but the holiness of the heart’s affections, and the truth of imagination.” -John Keats The Lake Chapala Society hosts Open Circle every Sunday at 10AM, a popular community gathering in Ajijic, to enjoy a diverse range of presentations. For more information and to make reservations, see their website: opencircleajijic.org. In order to follow State of Jalisco safety precautions, the presentations will be on the south lawn, close to the gazebo, the entrance will be by the side door on Ramón Corona, chairs will be socially distanced. Gate opens at 9:30. During this period, we recommend bringing a hat and bottled water, and please remove containers upon departure. Attendance is limited to 80 persons, please make your reservation if you want to attend https://opencircleajijic.org/reservation_form.php Use of masks is mandatory and temperatures will be checked on entry. May 2nd, Michael Reason A Melody for Change Throughout history music has often reflected social and political change. However, since the beginning of the 20th Century and the advent of recorded sound, music has become a catalyst for change. Pianist and conductor Michael Reason will lead us on a journey to discover how music has become a driving force in shaping the world for the past 100 years. After leaving music college, Michael worked on numerous theatrical productions as Music Director in England during the 1980s and emigrated to Canada in 1991. Since then, he has had a highly successful career as a professional orchestra conductor working with orchestras across Canada, Mexico, Europe, and Asia. In addition, he has held the position of Music Director for the Prince George Symphony, the Niagara Symphony, and the Hamilton Philharmonic in Canada. He now lives in Ajijic where he helped found Michael Reason the Lake Chapala Community Orchestra in 2018 and has assumed the roles of conductor and artistic director. He is also the Music Director for the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Riberas. May 9th, Kat Miller That Aging Thing With age we can see our life as from a great altitude taking in a panoramic landscape, with a deepening sense of how everything is connected, including all the losses. From here we can harvest the wisdom gleaned from our lives. We can also discover inner peace, love, compassion, and gratitude at the heart of our lives. We are all going to die, all of us. This terrifies most of us. When we make peace with death, we have a deeper appreciation of the ordinary small moments, surprisingly experiencing causeless joy, while also finding the magnificence of life ever more obvious. Join Kat for some ageist repudiation and reflections on how to live this stretch of life unimpeded by fear. Kat Miller, MA, currently has an active therapy practice in Ajijic, as well as out of the country. This is her 4th presentation at Open Circle. Kat Miller May 23, Ed Tasca Gun Violence Ed Tasca, local humor writer, novelist and playwright, will deliver a presentation, both comic and serious, on the complex story of gun violence, focused mainly on U.S. lust for
28
El Ojo del Lago / May 2021
possession of firearms and the psychology of their misuse, beginning with the U.S. Constitution’s 2nd Amendment. It includes a discussion of the psychopathology behind hyperrage and gun violence, regardless of race, nation, religion or culture. And offers a view of the mental health awareness and treatment requirements that can help identify and treat those who act out violently using firearms, from pistols to militarygrade weapons. Because of the controversial nature of the subject, Ed asks that you bring questions only, and check all guns at the door. ART, Ajijic Readers Theatre, at Lakeside Little Theatre on The Angel Terrace presents MARJORIE PRIME by Jordan Harrison. Ed Tasca Show Dates - May 28 – 30, 2021. All shows at 4pm, tickets 150 Pesos Directed by Lynn Gutstadt Staged by arrangement with Concord Theatricals. A futuristic story surrounding the love and tragedy of a deeply committed family and the themes of loss and memory. This 2015 Pulitzer Prize finalist asks us about the limits of our interaction with technology, and how we shape and retain our identities in a world where artificial intelligence can be more reliable than our own memories. It is also a wonderfully moving, human drama about the fear of aging and obsolescence, and our inability to let go of the past. Tickets can be purchased and paid for by credit card at lakesidelittletheatre.com or by visiting LLT’s box office Wednesdays and Thursdays, 10am to noon or one hour before showtime on performance days. Covid 19 protocols will be in place, including socially distanced seating on the Angel Terrace and mandatory masks. Taking and Giving Direction, the newest workshop presented by BRAVO! and Bare Stage Theatres, under the tutelage of Bernadette Jones, will begin on May 7th and there still may be room if you want to develop your craft. Bernadette brings decades of professional experience to share with our local actors and directors interested in furthering their theatre arts endeavors. Her ability to communicate is almost magical, according to those who took her last workshop, which introduced acting techniques through monologue work. Students praised her with statements like; “Thanks again for taking time and care to help me develop as an actor”; “I really enjoyed the whole process.”; “I have learned a lot from this workshop and I very much enjoyed working with you”; and “As an observer, watching her directing the actors and watching the actors ‘take’ her direction was beyond fascinating.” This is a wonderful opportunity to raise the bar for our local theatre community. When our theatres are open, all scenes will be showcased along with the work of the actors in the previous Monologue Workshop given by Bernadette. Each class will be 2 hours / 1 day per week. (16 hours total) via Zoom. Start date will be May 7 – June 25, 2021 (Fridays 11:00 am – 1:00 pm) Class size will be limited to a maximum of 8 actors and 4 directors. The fee for this exciting workshop is 3,200 pesos but register by May 1st and pay the ‘early bird’ price of only 2,900 pesos. Register NOW online via mymytickets@gmail.com or roswilshere@gmail.com. Payment will be arranged individually. See our Facebook Page for more information and updates; https://www.facebook.com/ barestagetheatre2018 ***The total fee will be donated to help with rent for The BRAVO! and Bare Stage Theatres. Musical Theatre Alive and Well in Lakeside! The performing arts have become very dormant worldwide over the past 12 months. Closely packed theaters and concert halls are not conducive to pandemic safety. However, many organizations and individuals have used the situation to discover new and safe ways of presenting plays and music. Michael Reason certainly falls into that category. As the conductor of the Lake Chapala Community Orchestra, he was able to present 2 chamber orchestra concerts last Fall. The chosen venue was the Unitarian/Bare Stage venue in Riberas which is open on 2 sides providing excellent airflow. With socially distanced seating, 50 people were able to enjoy live music at each of the four performances.
Saw you in the Ojo 29
Reason has now turned his hand in creating a new Broadway revue featuring three of Lakeside´s most talented performers. On May 20, 21 and 22 area residents will get the opportunity to experience Back to Broadway with Amaranta Santos, Laura Medina and Doug Voet in a carefully designed show featuring songs from hit musicals such as A Chorus Line, Kiss Me Kate, Wicked and Follies.
“Before I had a career as an orchestral conductor in Canada I spent many years as a theatrical Music Director in England” says Reason. “Creating this revue is taking me back to my roots” What will make this revue different and exciting is that instead of just a piano accompanying the singers the audience will experience the songs as they were meant to be heard – with a full Amaranta Santos, Doug Voet and Laura Medina orchestra! “As much as I would like to have a real live orchestra, we can´t due to pandemic protocols. Instead, I have arranged all the songs for a virtual orchestra!” comments Reason. “The results are backing tracks that sound just like the real thing!” All of the performers have extensive backgrounds in musical theatre especially Doug Voet who played Joseph in the original Broadway production of the Lloyd Weber/Tim Rice hit show “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.” With many people Lakeside now having been vaccinated more of us will be comfortable getting out and, once again, enjoying live performances.
30
El Ojo del Lago / May 2021
Performance dates are Thursday May 20, Friday May 21 and Saturday May 22 all at 4pm. The venue will, once again, be the Unitarian/Bare Stage venue at 261 Hidalgo (Carretera) in Riberas and full pandemic precautions will be adhered to including wearing of masks etc. Tickets are $200 pesos and there are only 50 available for each performance. Reservations must be made in advance by emailing mjrmusic01@gmail.com. Please state the number of tickets required and the date. The Ajijic Writers Group is soliciting submissions for a new regular column in El Ojo del Lago. It will be a human-interest column focused on the Mexican unsung heroes and behindthe-scenes workers that make our lives here more pleasant. It will be to feature their contributions, life histories, challenges, difficulties they overcame, and so on. The working title at this time is “Unsung Heroes.” The column will not be one-person’s column. Each month’s featured personality would be written by a person familiar with the subject, a favorite maid, gardener, waiter, taxidriver, medical assistant, bartender, or mechanic. We would like to test this idea from April’s issue through December’s. If it works, it would continue indefinitely. Potential topics include: Juan, the waiter - Lily, the manicurist - Diego, the plumber - Elena, the taco maker, etc. Submissions would be 700-900 words and in publishable form and would include a hi-resolution photo of the subject. Scheduling for publication will follow. Contact: VictoriaASchmidt@gmail.com El Gato Feo Café will be re-opening soon at a new location: 16 de September #18, a short distance down the block from their old location. They will, once again, be hosting readings by local writers and have a bookcase for book purchases of many local authors. Stay tuned here for more information when a schedule for re-opening and readings is published.
Saw you in the Ojo 31
The Long-Long Line By Bernie Suttle
T
here is an old saying, “In the land of the blind the one-eyed man is king.” During this time of COVID my quest is for some “one-eyed” truth. My wife and I have been stuck in Ajijic for over a year wanting to return to our Shell Beach, California home. We are Americans of Canadian ancestry and are therefore planful people who want “for sure,” not “maybe.” I heard that the Brits have a vaccine that only requires one jab. (We Americans call it a shot.) The Brits are still smarting over the Concord cheer, “The shot heard round the world.” Is that why they call it a jab? “The Jab heard round the world.” That sounds silly.
32
Initially we were confused by the mistaken thought that we would have a choice of vaccines but we forgot we were in Mexico and that one would be chosen for us. It was to be the Chinese Vaccine. We were happy to get it. The night before the day of the shot we were entertained by a streaming of the city council meeting from our California hometown, Pismo Beach. They discussed planning of water reserves for possible, future shortages. We noted how planful this was compared to the Mexican way. The shots (or jabs) were to be given at the Ajijic malecon. Our bilingual daughter would go early to save a place for us. It seemed like a good plan
El Ojo del Lago / May 2021
to save us from a long wait in line. We got there with our folding chairs about 10:30 a.m. The lady behind us told us, “We got here at five a.m. and haven’t moved an inch since.” We decided it would be best to take the hint from our Mexican friends and try to enjoy the process. For the Mexicans in the crowd this was to be a fiesta to be enjoyed like everything else in their lives. They visited old friends and soon-to-be friends in line making plans for get-togethers after the shot while the Gringos stood like they were on a one-way trip to Auschwitz. The Brit behind us exclaimed, “The line is so long I can’t even see where it begins.” She asked the Señora behind her, “Can you see the end of the line?” The Señora responded, “There is no end. Why do you care about what is behind you?” Looking forward I spied a Pittsburgh Steelers, souvenir, picnic cooler. I had no doubt it was filled with bottles of Corona beer. I imagined the cooler was set in our path as a place-saver for a beefy, Steeler defensive tackle. I knew I was mistaken when a beautiful Señorita came up to the cooler bag, opened it and had a drink of water from the jug inside. “Hi,” she said, “I’m Rebecca Ramirez. I’m here to assist the people in wheelchairs.” She gave us a
broad smile and exclaimed, “Isn’t it a beautiful day?” Joan and I admired her bi-lingual skills, her continuous smile and her charming, delightful company. I wondered if she continued to smile like that even when she was asleep. For those of us who had been in the military and had experience with a large number of people being serviced by a small number of specialists we were prepared for the “Hurry-up and wait” pace. We enjoyed the Rose Parade atmosphere as we had on January Firsts in Pasadena, California. Happy crowds, vendors selling BLT’s, apples, bottled water and bubble wands. It was a fiesta. After four hours in line we were moved en masse into large tents. A soldier dressed for combat, armed with a submachine gun and other lethal weapons stood partially hidden in the shade of a tree. His half-lidded eyes continued to scan the line. His presence assured the Canadians that order would be maintained. We were briefed regarding this last phase and the purpose of the whole, damn thing. They gave out numbers. Mine was 38. We waited, seated in a row of folding chairs still hoping to get shot. Our long wait was rewarded when our shots were professionally administered by a doctor-led team of three experienced medical assistants. We were so happy, almost giddy. At the end, Joan said, “I wish that they would have given us a certificate of completion or a merit badge we could flash. We have accomplished something akin to the evacuation of Dunkirk.” Our COVID-shot day ended with a perfect conclusion. We saw our new friend, Rebecca seated on the Pittsburgh Steelers cooler keeping herself busy with her Smartphone. As we walked to the waiting car, Rebecca, still smiling, softly wished us, “Que vaya Bernie Suttle Bien, Señores.”
Saw you in the Ojo 33
Unsung Heroes By Tom Nussbaum tomnussbaum005@gmail.com
(This article is intended to be the first monthly column spotlighting the working-class heroes among us, our Mexican neighbors who work hard, made our—we emigrés, expats, snowbirds, and undefined adventurers—lives more enjoyable.)
H
is name Flores means flowers and appropriately he works at a restaurant with a floral name, The Blue Rose. He waits tables there. But he also bartends, an oddity since he does not drink. He is a complex man, a contradiction. This becomes obvious once one learns the story of his life. Few of Juan Flores’ regular cus-
34
tomers and fans, however, know the details of his history or about his courage and determination. Flores, who was born in the Chapala area, is the youngest of his father’s 17 children. Although a naturally intelligent and curious person, Flores stopped attending school at 16. But he didn’t stop learning and the next level of his education took place in the United States. How he got there is a tale of a whim—some may say a foolhardy one—then persistence. After leaving school, Flores flew to Tijuana where he tried to cross the border on his own to visit relatives north of Spokane, Washington. This was intended to be a short-term visit,
El Ojo del Lago / May 2021
an impulsive naïve teenager’s lark. But this attempted border crossing failed. “Then I met a kid who had an uncle who knew a coyote and we found him. So, for ten days or so I took care of a 15-year-old while we waited for an opportunity to cross,” Flores recalls. “I even had to save him from some older guys who were punking him, bullies.” During that time, several attempts at crossing were made, but Flores, his youthful naiveté driving him, was not greatly concerned with the risk, danger, and legal issues in this endeavor. “I thought of it as an adventure. Besides, I was more worried about getting food and surviving a few cold desert nights.” While he did spend nights in the desert, he spent several in the “comfort” of basements to which he had been led by men who promised help in the crossing. But once in the basements, Flores and several other wannabe border-crossers, were locked in and they became aware armed guards were protecting the houses from police and military. The uncertainty of this situation, the true intentions of these men, and the risky situations were obviously scary, according to Flores. The fifth attempt to cross was successful. “The 15-year-old and I crossed together with a group in a truck. When we finally saw the lights of Los Angeles, I knew we had made it.” Flores contacted an uncle who picked him up. After spending a few days in L.A., Flores’ uncle drove him to Las Vegas, giving this small-town Mexican youth a first-hand impression of the US based on two atypical major cities. Once in Las Vegas, he connected with his brother who had driven from the Spokane area. Together they drove north and when they reached the brother’s Northeast Washington home, Flores began to help out in the family’s Mexican restaurant. This is where he began learning the restaurant trade. It was also where Flores learned the differences between
the economic systems of the US and Mexico. His eyes were opened. His intended “visit” became longer than originally conceived. Flores also began to learn English soon after arriving. This was done by listening to Americans in the restaurant, watching TV and movies, and taking classes at a nearby community college. Pay from his restaurant work was sent to his parents back home. Two years later, with English conquered, Flores moved to Spokane, worked in other restaurants, and had his first serious girlfriend. A few years later, his parents came north for a visit and a joyous reunion was held. But before he knew it, Flores’ planned short visit, that teenage lark, had become nine years; four years had passed since his parents’ visit and Flores felt it was time to visit them. “After nine years, I thought I’ll go home for a vacation,” Flores explains. “But once I got there, I stayed because I realized my parents needed me. They were getting older.” He still lives with them on the family property near Chapala. He also has three dogs. Since his return to the ChapalaAjijic area, Flores has bartended and waited tables at several eateries and has developed a loyal following. He also performs those duties at many private parties and events. Flores does not have much free time, but when he does, he runs and romps with his dogs, rides his bike, and goes to the gym. Reminiscing about his adventuresome past, a more mature Flores says, “As an older, wiser man, I look back on what I did at 16, and I think I could not do that again.” When one learns a bit about him, Juan Flores is not just a charming bartender and waiter and an attentive, detailed professional, he, as his name implies, is a flower, continually growing and reaching toward the sun. He is an intriguing person with a story and a past, as are all of our native neighbors. Some of us occasionally forget this and take these hard-workers for granted, making assumptions about them and minimize how their contributions improve our lives. They make our existence here better, happier, and more pleasant. They, like Juan Flores, are interesting individuals, complex humans, who have overcome difficulties and survived. They deserve respect, appreciation and our thanks. We should never forget that. Tom Nussbaum
Saw you in the Ojo 35
The Hitchhiker
“The meaning of life is just to be alive. It is so plain and so obvious and so simple. And yet, everybody rushes around in a great panic as if it were necessary to achieve something beyond themselves.” —Allen Watts Without a road map or a compass Devin never looked back, for littered along the way in the shadows of memory: the dead leaves of winter feeding a skeleton of roots, hot embers grown cold in the failing light of autumn, footprints in sand left to rip currents, the undertow of a wave of summers all stemming from the luck of the draw in the cutting of the umbilical cord. For an Irish patronymic poet Devin needed more than a turn on a carousel, and crossroads leading to the same conclusion—a budding lust for discovery beyond going nowhere was never enough. The On Ramp: Taking the on ramp for Devin, an androgynous composite of a bard in search of a poem, turned seasons into years of long and lonely hours along a jumbled maze of interstates, expressways, freeways, and byways. The hitchhiker with a thumb to rival Robbins’ Cowgirl With the Blues, Kerouac’s Beat on the Road; stopping only when the daylight rides were mirages keeping their distance, and in the dark of midnight the headlights red cat eyes that streamed past a shadow hugging a gravel shoulder with an arm outstretched. At times, interminable times, the lone figure tripping on a pathway that gripped his soul was left spinning on a spider’s web, carried on a thermal rise without a solid connec-
36
tion, black ice on a winding road with no turnarounds, on an Al-Sirat journey spanning ocean to ocean, all the while old women sat on the shoulder of time spinning the threads of human destiny, predetermining who passes by, who gets the long ride. Devin never looked back aware waiting long enough something was bound to happen, the inevitability of a resolute star travelling on a one-eyed Ozark moon road weaving like the broken thread of the third fate in a fixed order of the cosmos, where destiny is responsible for everything. The Open Road: On the long haul through gangs of neon roads, seeking out the hidden locations of Kennaquhair, hiking along the twisted strands of Saturn’s taillights vanishing into starless nights and Mojave skies, it was all about the music: Johnny Rodriquez “Ridin’ My Thumb to Mexico,” The Dead on a “Black Throated Wind,” Marvin Gaye on a “Hitch Hike,” from St. Louis to L.A., Joan Baez singing “The Hitchhikers Song.” For Devin there were no roadside love songs, no sad songs, no hallelujahs, only the vastness of the open roads that never stopped, like permanent migraines slipping into fog, forgotten roads, mother roads snaking around empty ghost towns of untold stories, promised lives left on dead ends, treacherous roads shaking like a wil-
El Ojo del Lago / May 2021
debeest’s tail pointing everywhichway, roads where darkness approaches from all angles, roads that wander aimlessly like a child’s magic marker. All roads leading to a point of transition in time from one transition to another; through the final red hue of autumn leaves and the ascension of the ground hog, to the last truck stop and the next. Thumbs Up: Devin evolved into a tiedye flower child dressed in beads and bellbottoms, at times Hermaphrodites playing the love of life and freedom scene. As life drove by wearing bumper stickers, “Make Love Not War,” “If it Feels Good Do It,” “Keep on Truckin,” Devin thumbed along through the fog of intimacy and passion, avoiding negativity; at times a daughter of delight, the son of raving ones, a psychopomp guide to the afterlife, a butterfly never to return to the cocoon, dancing down the rabbit hole searching for what would bury the unforgivable, finding temporary refuge in a side road diner, a truck stop sanctuary always with one foot on the ground. Devin experienced the intimacy of stopping now and then, stepping off the highway to explore the pleasures of fellow travelers, a reprieve of wanderlust, soaking up the sun on a playground of self-discovery, tasting a bear’s find of a bee hive, an inside view of the world looking out through a storm window— until—inevitably blinded by the headlights of oncoming with no intention to slow down, pull over and give the hitchhiker a second glance, Devin was going nowhere. Thumbs Down: Thumbing America through spacious skies, amber waves of grain purple mountain majesties above the fruited plain here, there and back again, had a way of sugar coating the shame and pain. Devin, the Ó Damháin’ of wishful thinking followed the yellow brick road thru open Doors “like a dog without a bone,” a “rider on the storm,” thrown into the dark side of the American Dream, one foot firmly planted, head in the clouds, the white washed phantasm swept by amphetamine speed, no limit signs crystalizing
as the fog broke down and cried. There was no turning around for Devin crossing over a bridge to nowhere— END OF THE WORLD billboards in cornfields, braille mile markers, neverending traffic circles and monochromatic stop lights flashing white. Devin stepped off loose gravel into a culvert of Democracy, a sad song, waiting for a caravan of nightmares to run its course, while the brotherhood of sorrows drove past on a trial of tears: a scourge of hatred, a denial of soul, a squander of caring, a wanting of understanding, a revulsion of empathy, a pandemic of greed, all offering rides to the nearest comfort station. The Off Ramp: Daylight and darkness power played the fiddle while those at the top of the world fed on moon dust, while the children in the dustbin, the unlearned, scarfed on the hot air of burning rain forests, diddled in the ashes of a changing highway to heaven, for the laws of the road had changed forever, never knowing when the sky might break loose, and over mountains, out of the blue, a torrent of temptation and fury leaving him hiking for sanctuary. Having weathered frog stranglers, gully washers, post-holing in deep snow, left to the elements Devin had huddled under overpasses, train bridges’ hunkered downwind of sandstorms and snirts, heltered from burning asphalt hotter’n a blister bug in a pepper patch seeking the sanctuary and shade of a Joshua Tree, a fence post. The horizon under construction, Devin aimed to hitch a ride on a rocking chair on a weathered porch taking the off ramp with thumbs down, ditching the Rand McNally road map, and the cruiser compass in a culvert by the side of the road, settled in a trailer park in a bypassed town, off the vestiges of the decommissioned Mother Road. Re-tired now with no place to go that Devin hadn’t left behind, satisfaction came with having gained a little wisdom with both feet firmly planted in the gravel of fulfilment for leaving the road travelled litter free for the next hitchhiker to thumb down the road.
Saw you in the Ojo 37
COLUMNIST
PROFILING TEPEHUA By Moonyeen King President of the Board for Tepehua
moonie1935@yahoo.com
T
he Tepehua Community Center is breaking ground for the barrio´s first Communal Toilet. It will be situated at the back of the Center and its purpose is to stem the flow, literally, of the ‘open defecation’ in the area. The ideal solution of course would be to supply each home with access to the City sewer lines and a tinaco to hold the water. It is a vast undertaking with 50% of the 7,000 villagers living under the poverty line (most of the homes are just lean-to shelters). The health risk of ‘open defecation’ knows no bounds, not just for the people and especially the children through polluted water and human waste, but for the rainy season run-off that finds its way to our drinking water via wells. As a pilot program, Tepehua is building a small double unit, his/hers and a small place for children in the Mother’s area – a miniature toilet and low sink that fits their world, and ‘how to’ cartoons for education on the walls. Sanitation, like everything else, has to be taught. The communal toilet will be maintained by the Center and, if all goes well in 2021, will be a blue print to sell the need for communal toilets to the private sector and to the local Government. The source of the problem, which is poverty, is going to take a little longer to eliminate. This is not only a problem in developing countries; in developed countries and large cities, they forget to address the call of nature, and if it calls to you, you have to run into a store to buy some-
38
El Ojo del Lago / May 2021
thing you don’t need then ask if you may use their toilet. Meanwhile, after the visit by this column, the world of alcohol and drugs has suddenly blossomed into positive activity. The addict we thought had slid back down the rabbit hole forever has emerged again, and this time he brought out other addicts - 5 men and 5 women determined to create their own House of the Rising Sun here in Tepehua. Another chance at life, it is called Grupo Victoria. The Tepehua Center is helping them set up with blankets, food, other staples and basic needs and enthusiastically helping them hold dreams in their hands. They are living in a very small house and are fixing it up as they go. You may wonder how ten adults with a major problem can share one small space where there are no rooms as such, just a stove that indicates a kitchen and...yes...a toilet with a privacy wall. When fighting addiction physical needs as men and women are eliminated by the greater need, so you turn to each other in a different way, like shipwreck survivors, clinging to the hope of a distant shore. You solve one problem at a time, one day at a time, one step at a time! If only one of this group stays above ground, it will have been worth it. Until this year, a priest ran a small rehabilitation center for men in his home (approx. 20 persons). It was free, but the good Father died this year and it has been taken over by one of the inmates. It is called Grupo Serenidad in Chapala. This organization needs help too. The same basic things especially food, men’s clothes, blankets and medication. We all have the capability of addiction, but some have more control than others. Find it in your heart not to judge, but to reach out and help because you have only worn your shoes. You have never trod the path of another. Contact Moonie’s e-mail for information about how you can help. Should you wish to visit the establishments, you can be shown the way. Elliot, the poet, states that Spring is the cruelest time of the year, as sap rises and hopes soar and the sun makes promises it forgets to keep. This Spring will be different, there will be promises kept and hopes fulfilled. Be part of it.
Saw you in the Ojo 39
SPLAT!
The Weird And Wonderful World Of Insects By Dr. Lorin Swinehart
W
e have all had it happen. We have been driving down the road on a warm summer day, when suddenly a behemoth of an insect splatters all over the windshield, always leaving behind an ugly yellow gob of insect goo. Later, it will take all of the latest glass cleaners, abrasives and detergents as well as a purgatory of elbow grease to remove the offending bug’s mortal remains. With regard to man’s relationship to insects, some we love, like honeybees, fireflies, crickets and monarch butterflies. Others we fear, like the tsetse fly that can transmit sleeping sickness as well as the dread Aedes aegypti and Anopheles gamblae mosquitoes that transmit yellow fever and malaria. Most, we just prefer to avoid, like wasps, hornets and the pestilential chiggers. Some have even been known to chew large holes in winter garments left in storage over summer months. Others, given sufficient time and opportunity, gnaw down entire wooden structures. They surround us, these strange creatures with multiple eyes and exterior skeletons. In her new book Buzz, Sting, Bite: Why We Need Insects, Norwegian entomologist Anne SverdrupThygeson explains that for each and every human alive on earth today there are 200,000,000 insects, 1,000,000 of them ants. She tells us that they predate man’s estimated 200,000 years on
40
earth. They were here to torment the dinosaurs, the great hairy mammoths and all of man’s primate predecessors. While the world of insects can be mysterious, amazing, pesky, even dangerous, the theme of Sverdrup-Thygeson’s book is that we humans could not survive without them. Apologies to any entomophobes who may be reading this. We all have our phobias, but each insect occupies a vital niche on the food chain. On the surface it would seem that there are good bugs and bad bugs. Perhaps our perilous experiences with the so-called bad ones is a consequence of humans taking up residence in places best left alone, swamps and wetlands, humid rain forests and seething tenements. Nevertheless, SverdrupThygeson argues, if all insects vanished, humans would not be far behind. Pollination is vital to the successful growth of food plants that humans could not live without. The first beneficial insect that comes to mind is the lowly honeybee. The labor of honeybees provides us with redder strawberries and tomatoes, juicier melons, cucumbers, apples and berries. Of course, they also provide one of nature’s most commonly known sweeteners, honey, much beloved by humans and bears alike. While we benefit from the labors of our fuzzy honeybee friends, most know little about them, that, for instance,
El Ojo del Lago / May 2021
they can see ultraviolet light. Karl von Frisch in his book Man and the Living World explains the method used by honeybees to communicate with one another. A scout bee sets out in search of nectar and pollen, then flies back to the hive with the results of her journey. The bee communicates the new information by means of a figure eight dance pattern. Her shaking and buzzing tells other bees the distance to her find. By aligning her body with the direction of the newfound food relative to the position of the sun, the bee signals the way to the location. A round dance communicates to the hive that the food is nearby. A sickle shaped dance alerts the others that the food is more distant. The list of items that are derived from insects is a lengthy one. For instance, we derive such items as shellac, varnish, paint, jewelry, dyes, tooth fillings, perfume, glue, cosmetics, perfume and insulation from the lowly lac insect which proliferates in southeast Asia. When fruits and vegetables are rinsed in the supermarket, some, like apples, are re-waxed with a substance derived from the lac bug. The New Testament tells us that St. John the Baptist survived in the wilderness on a diet of locusts and wild honey. Most of us would regard locusts as a repulsive entree. Yet, an estimated quarter of all the humans alive on earth at this moment include insects in their diet. Grasshoppers and locusts can be a much-desired source of protein among a human population deficient in that vital element. While many insects, like the honeybee and the lac, are beneficial, others routinely perform acts that would make Hannibal Lector blanche. In her Pulitzer Prize winning book Pilgrim at Tinker Creek, Annie Dillard shares her experience of watching a live frog implode into lifelessness as a water bug sucks its entrails out. Most of us have heard of the female praying mantis crunching off her mate’s head while in the middle of copulation. Empathy, it seems is a missing quality in much of the insect world. Perhaps the most pernicious insect threat to humans is provided by the common house fly. The humble fly cannot consume solid food because they lack teeth. And so, they exist on a strictly liquid diet. When a fly lands on your Big Mac or your morning corn flakes, it dissolves its food with its digestive juices, at the same time regurgitating part of what it has eaten previously, like a road apple or a cow patty, bacteria and all. That house fly is the source of numerous discomforts that plague mankind. While horse flies are a nuisance to our equine friends, they are less a threat to humans. There is even a Beyonce horsefly, named after Beyonce Knowles.
Entomologists studying horse flies decided that their rumps resemble that of the famous singer. No one knows what she thinks of such an honor. Many insects impress us simply as pests. No one who has ever experienced a mayfly hatch in locations like the Great Lakes can be made to understand how massive such a phenomenon can be. The summer skies are usually darkened for weeks by clouds of mayflies. Streets are covered with them, and vehicles have been known to slide through intersections, causing collisions, because the mayflies have rendered streets and roads so slippery. Anyone who has suffered mayflies down their shirt collar on a hot summer afternoon, may find himself wishing for the death of the entire species. However, the humble mayfly provides songbirds, ducks, geese and fish with a banquet. Then, too, if one examines a mayfly under a magnifying glass, it becomes a thing of beauty. It is most fitting that Sverup-Thygeson’s book has appeared now, as the return of the Brood X 17-year cicada looms before us. One cannot imagine the life of such a creature, existing underground in darkness for seventeen years before emerging only to reproduce and die. Soon, these strange creatures will emerge from their subterranean existences to rise in clouds and whir their way for weeks on end across the American midlands. We humans take our insect friends all too often for granted, as we do most of our fellow creatures. And yet, even those we find most obnoxious fill a vital link in the chain of life. Those whom we regard as pests are often eliminated through the use of insecticides. A substance used to eliminate one insect may just as likely kill off others, leading to the current sharp decline in the honeybee population across North America. The culprit is neonicotinoids which affect the immune systems and navigation systems of bees, including honeybees. Neonicotinoids are banned in many countries. It may be that insects serve as the proverbial canary in the coal mine, much as frogs and other creatures that are most sensitive to disturbances in the biosphere. Neonics are vigorously promoted by agrochemical corporations and are, as a consequence, one of the most widely used insecticides. Nearly half of the US population has now been exposed to one or more neonic chemicals. They appear in such popular fruits as apples and strawberries. Neonics may affect brain and heart development in human fetuses. In addition, Neonics have been linked to declining songbird populations and to deformities among wild deer. And, of course, they contaminate the water supply. Neonics have been banned by
the European Union, but the US Environmental Protection agency has yet to consider a similar ban. One can take heart that efforts are being made to protect some of our most important insect species. Recently, the Natural Resources Defense Council has filed suit with the US Fish and Wildlife Service insisting that critical habitat be designated for the rusty patched bumble bee, an essential pollinator. Currently, an estimated 87% of the members of that species are gone. Other threats to insect populations include global warming, light pollution, land use and the introduction of exotic species into environments where they compete with native species. Few would argue that the elimination of disease bearing bugs is anything less than a boon to humanity. However, since the end of World War II, mankind has been involved in a global chemical experiment with all too little concern for ultimate widespread consequences. Presently, it is estimated that one fourth of the world’s insect population faces extinction. It could be that a new interpretation of the natural world that surrounds us is overdue, perhaps one that encourages biophilia, a concept originating with Harvard biologist E.O. Wilson that promotes an intimate connection with
nature’s creatures, similar to Dr. Albert Schweitzer’s concept of reverence for life. Keeping in mind that whatever affects one species affects all species, whenever we seek to interrupt the food chain, we should do so with humility and sensitivity, in the words of Kierkegaard, “With fear and Trembling and sickness unto death.”
Lorin Swinehart
Saw you in the Ojo 41
COVID Yeats John Sacelli
H
ere is my own version of what I think we might come to expect post COVID. It is based on a memory of my college years. For the last two of my undergraduate years at Yale, I lived in a private home next door to the secret society Skull and Bones, from which the Bushes and their cohorts plotted the New World Order. Our own congregation of characters was of a different order. I recall once asking our landlady, “Mrs. Yeats, how did I ever get a room here? Cheap, great view, next to campus, after the semester had already started, free food in the kitchen.” At five in the afternoon, still wearing her seven-tiered black nightgown, Mrs. Yeats turned to me and replied, “Naturally, I have numerous inquiries, but I only rent to someone if, when I first meet them, I am quite sure they’re mad.”
42
Mrs. Yeats was embroiled in an eccentricity contest with Miss Blackhead, the daughter of the prominent philosopher-mathematician—who was known for appearing in public with two parrots in her hair—triggering Mrs. Y’s competitive instincts in ordering a Bengal Tiger shipped to New Haven, which she intended to keep in her living room. (The tiger was intercepted and sent to the zoo.) Other Mrs. Yates stories included The Dinner Party: “Mrs. Yates, what is in this
El Ojo del Lago / May 2021
delicious stew?” “Rabbit.” “Oh, wherever do you find rabbit in New Haven?” “I have close friends at the cancer lab.” The Aluminum Ladder: Concerned that it might rust, Mrs. Y had asked permission to leave it standing from the base of our house leaning against the second floor of the Episcopal Ministry next door (on the other side from Skull and Bones). One night, for reasons no one has ever attempted to explain, Mrs. Y decided to climb the ladder, arriving at the second floor bathroom window just as her pastor was stepping out of the shower. There was a brief moment of silence as the two stared at each other, until Mrs. Y, never at a loss for social aplomb, exclaimed, “Oh, so this is your bathroom!” One of our house members—I’ll call him Dr. Braun—was out of a job. He had started off teaching at Harvard, then lost a series of positions, most recently at Southwestern New England State Teacher’s Junior College, for undue attention to his freshman male students. Unable to pay the rent, Mrs. Yeats had allowed him to live rent-free. The longer he stayed for free, the ruder he treated her. Mrs. Yeats consulted her counselor, who explained to her that Dr. B was suffering from lack of self-esteem. So Mrs. Y decided that he might feel better if he owned the house, and she paid him rent. So she sold it to him for a dollar. Following which he kicked her out. Which was how it came about that, from my second floor window, I almost dropped a typewriter on her head when I became aware of a dark shadow trying to sneak into the house at 3:00 am. (A house consultation was held, at which Dr. B, at the insistence of the rest of us, agreed to sell the house back for the original dollar, and further to pay Mrs. Y a dollar a month rent until he found his next job.) Dr. Braun was a close friend of—I’ll call him Professor Wissenwass—the chairman of the German department at Yale. For my 9:00 am German Lit class I was used to listening to Herr Dr. W, erect, genteel, aristocratic, share tales of
the masters. At 9:00 pm or so I was also used to listening to him and Dr. B in the living room of the house. I believe the phrase is “drunk as skunks.” On some pretext or other we held a weekend house party. Some 50 people, but a privileged inner core of maybe a dozen of us rambling on in German. Dr. W was seated in an old rocker with an open gallon of Gallo Red in his lap. Farida, my girlfriend at the time, whose parents had been in the diplomatic service and who spoke seven languages fluently, was belting out dirty German drinking songs, one verse of which caused Herr Dr. W to laugh so hard and rock so violently that his chair toppled back over on top of him. There he was, topsy-turtled, his arms and legs caught in the slats, the gallon of Gallo Red glugging down on top of him. I had a moment of inspiration: “Herr Professor Doctor Wissenwas, darf Ich frage (may I ask), in light of the evident grace, beauty, vitality and erudition of this charming young woman, who has just shown herself capable of overturning the values of the preceding generation—namely yourself—what do you think of the future of the younger generation?” Wine-drenched, still on his back, Dr. W become quite still and answered with the same precise, though somewhat more Germanic, diction which he displayed in front of the class, “YOU .. VILL . . MUDDLE TRU . . CHUST AS VE ALL HAFF!” And so I expect humanity, for whom the Earth has prepared resources for millions of years, and which has struggled to stand upright for hundreds of thousands of years, to seek the stars, to “muddle tru” its present crisis and go on doing what we do best: pile our triumphs on top of our follies, rock back and forth between elation and despair, stumble, trip and soar, scatter into shards and then redeem and renew our common quest, to follow the dream, to reach and search in the endless starlit attempt to find out who we are.
Saw you in the Ojo 43
An Investment In Time By Mel Goldberg
R
on Bates, a balding fortyfive year old accounting clerk, walked down the polished black marble hall, looking furtively at his reflection. His reflection smirked at him, as if to emphasize his receding chin. Working as an accountant for ten years, he had recently begun to find it boring. He did not hate his job, but he had become inured to the prospect he would never advance beyond Grade Five. Higher positions, Grades Six through Ten, always went to younger men. He had tried to look younger than his years, trading his thick glasses for electronic contacts and spending six months’ salary for a full-head hair transplant. Ron Bates accepted that he was weak. After one of his colleagues died, he left work early and took the peoplemover to a downtown building sided with gleaming artificial red and gray marble. Standing outside, he looked up at the luminescent incised name: FIRST TIME BANK. He shuffled into the cavernous room and shivered for a few seconds, enveloped by the cold austerity of the tile room. He shambled hesitantly to a transparent cubicle and sat down. The screen brightened and a pleasant feminine voice responded. “Good afternoon. Welcome to the First Time Bank. Do you wish to make a
withdrawal or a deposit?” “I’d like to make a deposit. Someday I or a member of my family might have a problem and I’d like to be protected.” “Thank you, Mr. Bates. Please touch the space indicating the number of years you wish to deposit. You may deposit between five and twenty years.” “Twenty is a long time. Do many people deposit twenty years?” “That is privileged information. Each person may deposit between five and twenty years.” Bates touched the number five. “Please be aware of the following conditions: First, you must appear in person to redeem your years. First Time Bank cannot be responsible for any unforeseen consequences. If you agree with these conditions, these years will be immediately deducted from your current time. If you understand and agree with these requirements, please touch YES on the screen.” Bates looked around. He tried to think about unforeseen consequences. What could possible occur? He touched YES. The voice continued. Do you wish another transaction? If not, you may stand to terminate this session.” Bates stood. The screen went dark. He smiled as he walked into the crowded street. He felt he had made a wise investment. He had protected his family. He laughed out loud as he stepped off the people mover and into the street. So I jumped from forty-five to fifty. I still feel great. I’m in good health. What could happen? Above, an air taxi landing on a roof struck a cement ornament and sent it hurtling toward the ground. Bates looked up, eyes wide. The ornament struck him and he fell to the pavement. As darkness pulled a shade over his eyes, he heard a pleasant feminine voice. “Unforeseen consequences.” Mel Goldberg
44
El Ojo del Lago / May 2021
Saw you in the Ojo 45
A Mission to the Huichol By Alan Pohl
Becca Pohl providing sewing instruction
T
he Huichol, or more properly Wixarika, are an ancient people group who live high up in the Sierra Madre Mountains. This was our second visit to the village of La Laguna, situated at the north west tip of Jalisco, in four years and we were privileged to be invited. We were only invited on the first occasion because of donations of medicine and feminine hygiene kits we made to someone who already had ties to the community. Our group consisted of three Chapala Rotary members, myself Alan Pohl, my wife Becca, and Carlos Cerda. As well, Carlos’ wife Lulu accompanied us, as did Rachael from Vancouver Island. Both Carlos and his wife are local dentists and volunteered their time and expertise to treat over 30 patients, as well as teach the community about dental hygiene. Teaching is so much more fun with an engaged audience like we had. They listened
intently and laughed at Lulu’s exaggerated expressions and actions and mimicked how to brush correctly. When Becca and Lulu taught about menstrual cycles and the use of the reusable hygiene kits, the young ladies were engaged and giggly. After a long day of working, as we walked the short distance back to the family we were staying with, we passed the sports fields that were always filled with all ages of children playing endless games of soccer and volleyball. The air was filled with sounds of laughter and cheering as they ran and jumped. The girls playing hard in their long flowing skirts giving color to the scene. There are so many needs in this remote community and we were able to narrow them down through the help of a young lady named Erika, the daughter of the village Shaman. By her advice we brought a van full of medicine, dental supplies, educational supplies including desks and stools for classrooms, sewing machines and fabric used to make clothing, Bela Femenina reusable hygiene kits, and a great amount of food for despensas. Erika, who will soon be the village nurse, was instrumental in helping us be sensitive to their culture and their needs. A huge thank you must go out to Doctor Ibarra Jr. for his kind donation of medicines, also to Carlos and Lulu who donated a great deal of dental supplies and even more hard work, to Rachael and her willingness to help wherever needed, and to Sunrise Chapala Rotary and the many individual supporters who helped fund the trip. The people of the village were so grateful and we were overwhelmed by their kind-
Carlos and Becca providing dental treatment. ness and the spirit of joy that exists among them. They even held off an annual ceremony for one week so that we could participate in it with them; a great honor. We didn’t stay up all night dancing around the fire drinking with them Tejuino, a fermented corn liquor, but we held in as long as we could and then rejoined them in the morning for the sacrifice of two animals. The beauty of the village nestled among cliffs on the top of a mountain is breath taking. Just going for a short walk amongst the pines with a view across the valleys for miles and miles is enough to sooth the soul. It’s hard to explain the impact that being so intimately welcomed into such a closed people group has on you, but if you were to ask any of the five of us who went we will each tell you a special story and how we long to go back as soon as we can.
46
El Ojo del Lago / May 2021
Saw you in the Ojo 47
The Ojo Crossword
ACROSS
DOWN
1 5 9 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 21 23 24 25 28 31 32 34 36 37 38 39 41 43 44 46 48 49 50 53
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 14 20 22 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 33 35 40 41 42 43 45 47 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 59
57 58 60 61 62 63 64 65 66
48
El Ojo del Lago / May 2021
Dupes Tiny spider Dueling sword Orange juice content Lady’s title Manner Decorative needle case Speak without preparation __ and span Tenaciously Confiscate All right Island Post __ Remove a light bulb Musical composition School assignment Lighted sign Short-term memory Family Regret What a clock tells Fork prongs Am not (slang) Hall of fame pitcher Plants Takes food Panda Con (2 wds.) Sing a song a ____ (without instruments) Hold it there Cheek make up Billions of years Ethiopian money Goofed Vexation Accustomed Vale Tint
Hurried Motor vehicle Bung Faucets __ in love (head over heels) Lazily Thai Ambassador´s office Not western Insect in a cocoon Little Mermaid’s love Every Lady’s title Stretch to make do Tender loving care Silly Greatest amount Visual Gin __ Mistreating Spooky Injury Furs Earns Cornea (2 wds.) Taught Flowed out slowly Informed Rowing tool Chart Doughnut-shaped roll Northwest by west American state Ripped Helix Comedian Jay Cut of beef Stake Miner’s goal
Saw you in the Ojo 49
Service
* ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS Pag: 42
- AXIXIC SPRING CLEAN Tel: 33-1075-7768 - PROFESSIONAL WINDOW WASHING Tel: 765-4507, Cell: 333-454-4625 - STEAM CLEAN Tel: 33-2385-0410
* ANIMAL CLINICS/PET SHOP - CLINICA VETERINARIA SAN ANTONIO Pag: 07 Tel: 376 766-0808 - LAKESIDE FRIENDS OF THE ANIMALS AC Pag: 19 Tel: 376 765-5544 - MASKOTA’S LAKE Pag: 20 Tel: 376 766-0287, 33-3448-2507 - PET PLACE Pag: 35 - PET SITTING Pag: 44
Pag: 41
* ART GALLERIES/HANDCRAFTS Pag: 07
Pag: 09
- AJIJIC DENTAL Pag: 09 Tel: 376 766-3682, Cell: 33-1411-6622 - DRA. ANGELICA ALDANA LEMA DDS Pag: 06 Tel. 376 765-5364, Cell: 33-1351-7797 - CHAPALA DENTAL CARE Pag: 33 Tel: 376 765-5584, 376 766-3847 - MOJO DENTAL - Dra. Cristina Barreto Tel: 376 688-2731 Pag: 43
Pag: 11
* ELECTRONICS/ TECHNOLOGY Pag: 11 Pag: 34
Pag: 41
Pag: 16
* FISH MARKET - COSTALEGRE Tel: 376 108-1087, 33-1173-6144
Pag: 42
* FUMIGATION Pag: 11
Pag: 35
* BOUTIQUE / CUSTOM SEWING Pag: 06 Pag: 39
* HARDWARE STORES - FERRETERIA Y TLAPALERIA GALVEZ Tel: 376 766-0880, 387 763-0341 Pag: 54
- FUMIGA Tel: 376 688-2826, Cell: 331-464-6705
Pag: 40
* GARAGE DOORS OPENERS - AUTOMATIC GARAGE DOOR OPENERS Pag: 10 Tel: 376 766-4973, Cell: 332-213-8933
* GARDENING - GARDEN CENTER Tel: 376 765-5973 - RAINFOREST Cell: 331-241-9773, Tel: 376 766-4534
* CANOPIES - LONAS MEXICO
El Ojo del Lago / May 2021
Pag: 14 Pag: 30
Pag: 13
Pag: 47
- RAINBOW NOTARY & NUPTIALS Tel: 904-333-7311
Pag: 31
- MAQUINARIA Y HERRAMIENTAS PROFESIONALES Tel: 387-763-1232, Cell: 33-1892-2142
Pag: 30
* PAINT - QUIROZ-Impermeabilizantes Tel: 376 766-2311 - QUIROZ-Pinturas Tel: 376 766-2311
Pag: 47 Pag: 32
* PHARMACIES Pag: 37 Pag: 45
Pag: 34
* REAL ESTATE
* LEGAL SERVICES Pag: 37 Pag: 31
* LIGHTING Pag: 34
* MALL / OUTLET - CENTRO LAGUNA Tel: 376 766-5514
- D.J. HOWARD Tel: 376 766-3044
- FARMACIA MASKARAS Tel: 376 766-3539 - FARMEX Tel: 376 765-5004
* INVESTMENT
- L&D CENTER Tel: 376 766-1064
Pag: 03
* OUTDOOR EQUIPMENT
- HEALTH INSURANCE Pag: 15 Tel: 376 766-0395, 1-888-449-7799 - HECHT INSURANCE Tel: 376 109-1694 Pag: 42 - LAKESIDE INSURANCE - EDGAR CEDEÑO Cell: 33-3106-6982 Pag: 22 - PARKER INSURANCE SERVICES Pag: 13 Tel: 376 765-5287, 376 765-4070 - PROTEXPLAN U.S. Toll Free 1-800-608-5743 Mexico Toll Free 01-800-681-6730 Pag: 26 - TIOCORP Pag: 12 Tel: 376 766-4828, 376 766-3978
- FELIPE GONZÁLEZ-Atorney at law Tel: 33-1862-6230, 33-1073-8553 - SOLBES & SOLBES Cell: 331-520-5529, Cell: 333-676-6245
Pag: 06
* NOTARY SERVICES
- M.D. CARLOS ALONSO FLORES VALDOVINOS Tel: 376 766-5126, 376 766-4435 Pag: 11
- INVESTMENT Tel: 387 763-0782
- BEST MEXICO MOVERS US/CANADA: (915) 235-1951 US Cell: (520) 940-0481 - LAKE CHAPALA MOVING Tel: 376 766-5008 - STROM-WHITE MOVERS Tel: 376 766-6153
* MUSIC / THEATRE / EVENTS
Pag: 02
* MEDICAL SERVICES - STEREN Tels. 376 766-0599, 376 766-0630
Pag: 37
* BEER & LIQUOR STORES
50
Pag: 38
Pag: 29
* BED & BREAKFAST
- LA BELLA VIDA Tel: 376 766-5131 - SO CHIC BOUTIQUE Tel: 331-762-7838
Pag: 39
* CONSIGNMENT SHOP - TEPEHUA TREASURES Tel: 376 763-5126
Pag: 13
* INSURANCE
DENTISTS
* BEAUTY
- BETO’S WINE & LIQUOR Cell: 333-507-3024
Pag: 03
* COMPUTERS - LAKESIDE - CompuShop + Repair Tel: 33-2340-7501 / 376 668-1354
Pag: 23
* GRILLS - NAPOLEON Tel: 376 766-6153
EMERGENCY HOTLINE 911 CRUZ ROJA 376 765-2308, 376 765-2553 FIRE DEPARTMENT 376 766-3615 POLICE Ajijic 376 766-1760 Chapala 376 765-4444 La Floresta 376 766-5555
* MOVERS
* HEARING AIDS
* COMMUNICATIONS
Pag: 06 Pag: 20
* BANK INVESTMENT
- CASA TRES LEONES Cell: 331-350-6764
Pag: 36
- CESAR AGUILAR Pag: 43 Tel: 333-393-4991 - COMFORT SOLUTIONS Pag: 39 Tel: 33-1228-5377 - GENERAL HOME SERVICES - Amancio Ramos Jr. Cell: 331-520-3054 Pag: 12 - PISOS & AZULEJOS Pag: 42 Cell: 331-250-6486 - SIKA Pag: 10 Tel: 376 766-5959 - WARWICK CONSTRUCTION Pag: 32 Tel: 376 108-8754, Cell. 331-135-0763
* BAKERY
- CHRISTINE’S Tel: 376 106-0864, 376 766-6140 - EDITH’S Tel: 33-1310-9372 - GLORIOSA Tel: 376 766-3372 - NEW LOOK STUDIO Tel: 376 766-6000, 33-3950-9990
Pag: 26
* CONSTRUCTION
- MULTISERVICIO AUTOMOTRIZ ESCALERA Tel: 376 765-4424, 333-440-2412 Pag: 44 - R&R-Car Solutions Tel: 33-1804-8070 Pag: 45
- INTERCAM Tel: 376 766-5978, 376 766-4055 - MULTIVA Tel: 376 766-2499
Pag: 33
- TRANSITIONAL DIRECTIONS - Life Coaching Tel: 376 766-2928, +52 331-435-7080 Pag: 13
- ISHOPNMAIL Tel: 376 766-1933
* GOLF - ATLAS COUNTRY CLUB Tel: 33-3689-2620
Pag: 41
* AUTOMOTIVE
- LA VIE EN ROSE
Pag: 30
* COACHING
* ANTIQUES & FURNITURE
- DIANE PEARL COLECCIONES Tel: 376 766-5683 - GALERIA ALFREDO Tel: 376 766-2980 - LA BELLA VIDA Tel: 376 766-5131 - PENTHOUSE GALLERY
DIRECTORY
CLEANING SERVICES
- EL OJO DEL LAGO Tel. 376 765-3676
- GALERIA ALFREDO Tel: 376 766-2980
directory.chapala.com
Tel: 376 766-0045, Cell: 33-3956-4852
* ADVERTISING / DIRECTORY
- ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS Cell: 331-219-6897
EMERGENCY NUMBERS
- ALTA RETINA - Dr. Rigoberto Rios León Ophthalmic Surgeon Pag: 20 Tel: 376 688-1122, 376 688-1343 - DERMIKA Pag: 13 Tel: 376 766-2500 - DR. BEN - CERTIFIED PLASTIC SURGEON Cell: 333-105-0402 Pag: 15 - DR. FRANCISCO J. REYES ESQUIVEL PhD Surgical Oncologist Tel: 376-766-2500, Cell: 331-110-7351 Pag: 32 - DR. GABRIEL HERNANDEZ NUÑO Tel: 376-766-5513, 333-813-3493 Pag: 45 - DRA. CLAUDIA LILIA CAMACHO CHOZAOphthalmologist Tel: 33-3403-3857 Pag: 18 - PLASTICA LIFT Pag: 35 Tel: 376 108-0595, 376 688-1820 - RIBERA MEDICAL CENTER Pag: 25 Tel: 376 765-8200 - SCLEROTHERAPY-Dra. Patricia Estela Jimenez del Toro Cell: 333-808-2833 Pag: 45 - SKYMED Cell: 333-661-3402 Pag: 31 - UNITED AMBULANCE SERVICES Tel: 376 688-3315 Pag: 27
- AJIJIC HOME INSPECTIONS Tel: 33-3904-9573 Pag: 47 - AJIJIC REAL ESTATE Tel: 37 6766-2077 Pag: 17 - BAUERHOUSE PROPERTIES Tel: 33-2164-5301 Pag: 19, 43 - BETTINA BERING Cell. 33-1210-7723 Pag: 21 - BEV COFELL Cell: 33-1193-1673 Pag: 36 - CIELOVISTA Tel: 33-2002-2400 Pag: 05 - COLDWELL BANKER CHAPALA REALTY Tel: 376 765-3676, 376 765-2877 Fax: 765-3528 Pag: 56 Tel: 376 766-1152, 376 766-3369 - CONTINENTAL REALTY Pag: 33 Tel: 376 766-1994 - CUMBRES Tel: 33-2002-2400 Pag: 05 - EAGER REALTY Tel: 333-137-8447 Pag: 24 - FOR SALE BY OWNER Tel: +1 720-984-2721, +52 33-1395-9062 Pag: 47 - FOR SALE BY OWNER Pag: 45 Cell: 331-352-1339, 376 766-4364 - LAKE CHAPALA REAL ESTATE Tel: 376 766-4530/40 Pag: 55 - MATTHEW DAVID Tel: 331-882-9521 Pag: 48 - RAUL GONZALEZ Cell: 33-1437-0925 Pag: 03, 41 - ROBERT CASTELLANOS Cell: 331-711-5105 Pag: 46 - ROSEMARY BUTTERFIELD Cell: (332) 204-1011, (919) 349-3902 Pag: 39 - SANTANA RENTALS AND REAL ESTATE Tel: 315-351-5167, 315-108-3425 Pag: 45 - VISTA ALEGRE Tel: 33-2002-2400 Pag: 05
* RENTALS/PROPERTY MANAGEMENT - COLDWELLBANKER CHAPALA REALTY Pag: 48 Tel: 376 766-1152
- FOR RENT Cell: 333-667-6554 Pag: 34 - FOR RENT Pag: 38 Cell: 33-1115-6584 - FOR RENT Pag: 44 Cell: 332-608-7128 - SANTANA RENTALS AND REAL ESTATE Tel: 315-351-5167, 315-108-3425 Pag: 45 - VILLAS DEL SOL Pag: 47 Tel: 376 766-1152
* RESTAURANTS / CAFES /BAR
Tel: 33-1402-4223
Pag: 42
* SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS - LOS NIÑOS DE CHAPALA Y AJIJIC Tel: 376 765-7032
Pag: 51
* SPA / MASSAGE - GANESHA SPA Tel: 376 766-5653, Cell: 331-385-9839
Pag: 22
* SOLAR ENERGY - AJIJIC TANGO Tel: 376 766-2458 - GO BISTRO Cell: 33-3502-6555 - HUERTO CAFE Tel: 376 108-0843 - LA TAVERNA Tel: 376-766-2848 - MOM’S DELI & RESTAURANT Tel: 376 765-5719 - YVES Tel: 376 766-3565 - ZARANDEADO PERO FELIZ
Pag: 54
Pag: 37
Pag: 07
* TAXI / TRANSPORTATION Pag: 24 Pag: 08 Pag: 03 Pag: 14 Pag: 47
* RETIREMENT/REST/NURSING HOMES - ALICIA’S CONVALESCENT Tel: 376 766-1194, 376 766-2999 - CASA LA VIDA REAL Cell: 33-2174-1180, 33-1629-9219 - CASA ANASTASIA - Care Home Tel: 376 765-5680 - CASA NOSTRA-Nursing Home Tel: 376 765-3824, 376765-4187 - NURSING HOME LAKE CHAPALA S.C. Tel: 376 766-0404 - SACRED HEART - Nursing Home Tel: 331-027-1501 - VIDA BELLA SEÑIOR RESIDENCE Tel: 376-765-4000
- SUN QUEST ENERGY Tel: 376 766-6156, Cell: 333-117-9126
Pag: 14 Pag: 41 Pag: 35 Pag: 33 Pag: 31
- OMAR MEDINA Cell: 33-1281-2818 - TAXI-Arturo Fernandez Cell: 333-954-3813
Pag: 51 Pag: 22
* TREE SERVICE - CHAPALA TREE SERVICE Tel: 376 762-0602, Cell: 33-1411-0242
Pag: 20
* TOURS - CHARTER CLUB TOURS Tel: 376-766-1777
Pag: 07
* WATER - TECNO AQUA Tel: 376 766-3731, 376 688-1038
Pag: 44
Pag: 43 Pag: 32
* SATELLITES/ T.V. - AJIJIC ELECTRONICS S.A. DE C.V. Tel: 376 766-1117, 376 766-3371 - SHAW SATELLITE SERVICES
Pag: 45
Saw you in the Ojo 51
CARS
FOR SALE: Honda Odyssey EX L, American Plates. 88,000 miles. You drive back to USA. Insurance provided. Car located Lake Chapala Jalisco area. $ 8,000 dollars FOR SALE: Toyota FJ Cruiser (Mexican Plated), Year: 2009, MIleage: 80,000, Automatic, 4 x 4 with assisted modes, Price: $315,000.00 pesos, Excellent Condition, Cell: 33-1424-1667 FOR SALE: 2019 Suzuki DR650 For Sale. Jalisco plated, 118,000 pesos, 13,000 km (8600 miles) New tires - Motoz Tractionator GPS (Rear is installed, front is not) Extras, Skid plate - B&B Offroad Engineering. Rear shock - RaceTech Gold Valve kit and spring (7.5 kg/mm). Forks - Cogent Dynamic Drop-in Cartridges (DDC’s) and springs (0.52 kg/mm). DynoJet carburetor jet kit. Seat Concepts low seat. Rear rack. Tank bag. LED light bar. Large tool carrier tuve. Warp 9 levers. Cell phone holder. 2 USB charge ports. Tachometer and hour meter. Magnetic oil drain plug and oil filter magnet. Two spare 14-tooth front sprockets. Original owner. Michael 331 874 4484. No hablo español, así que use WhatsApp para que pueda traducir su mensaje. WANTED: I am looking for a cover for a Classic VW Beetle. jmm46@gmx.com FOR SALE: Jeep CJ5 1976, Rebuilt motor, trans, and transfer case. new brakes holley demon carb new suspension y mucho mucho mas. $150,000 pesos. Send PM. FOR SALE: VW Combi. Mexican made/plated, 1982, in running condition. Tires are good, just had new front bench seat & retractable seat belts put in. New front wheel bearings & brake lines. 65,000 pesos. For more info call Barb 332-211-6209
COMPUTERS FREE: No longer working on PCs for a variety of reasons.TV, sound card, 3 SCSI controllers/w interior cables, terminators and HDD adapters, even the user manual. 3 modems, various cables, DDR2 laptop memory, Palm charger, Satellite beeper, writing tablet, Firewire card and cable, PCMCIA cards. Prefer to give the whole box away at once but If there is something you are looking for feel free to contact me here IF you know what you need. I won’t research if what I have will work with your PC BUT most accessories will work with most machines. I also have a small quantity of various items which I will donate to a worthy cause or sell to an unworthy one. FOR SALE: Mac Mini 2014, 500 gbs SSD (fast boot), 4gbs RAM, Intel i5, UHD 4K, Magic Mouse 2 and Magic Keyboard 2 (Spanish) included. Will set it up for you if you need help, 13,000 pesos. FOR SALE: Mac Mini 2012 Upgraded, Selling this great Mac Mini 2012 I just upgraded, it has an i7 Processor and it is working perfectly. Running MacOs Catalina. English Keyboard and mouse (wireless) included with the purchase for free. (also, free rechargable batteries from Steren). Will set it up for you if you want, all you will need is a monitor or a TV with an HMDI connection. Price is 13,000 pesos. FOR SALE: Never used HP US keyboard $40. 376 766-1155
GENERAL MERCHANDISE FOR SALE: Aquaglide multi sport inflatable kayak sailboat. Very cool setup for 14k pesos. Call 387-761-0570. FOR SALE: Nice Set Of Vintage Dishes/Plates/Bowls/Stoneware. Here’s a great set of vintage stoneware. Nice quality. The set consists of 10 large din-
The Ojo Crossword
52
El Ojo del Lago / May 2021
ner plates, 11 smaller salad plates, 11 soup/cereal bowls, and one large serving platter. All are in excellent condition and super clean! $800/pesos for the whole set. Price is firm/non-negotiable. Located in West Ajijic. Please email for quick response or call/text anytime between 8am - 8pm to 332 921 6096 and Whatsapp too. FOR SALE: Four custom steel garage doors. Two years old. 139 x 237 mm each. Selling as set. 10,000 peso OBO. FOR SALE: New walker with double brakes and seat. I have new walker with double brakes, seat and storage under the seat. Folding. My husband past away couple days after i purchased the walker. Never been used. I paid 3,800 pesos, sell for 3,300. Call 376-76-52-376 FOR SALE: BRAND NEW! Two Large Samsonite Spinner Suitcases. Here’s two BRAND NEW (never been on a plane) travel suitcases we just brought down from the U.S. Large size (checked luggage, not carry-on). Both are spinner types, so they are super easy to walk with and have retractable carry handles. All the quality you’d expect from Samsonite with all the bells & whistles. One is maroon & the other one is black. The black one measures approximately 31 inches tall by 19.5 inches wide by 11” deep (expands by a couple of inches to 13”). Extra clean from a smoke-free/pet-free home. $2000 pesos EACH (firm/non-negotiable). Please PM for quick response or call/text anytime between 8am - 8pm to 332 921 6096 and Whatsapp too. FOR SALE: Really Nice Techline (High-End) Office Desk, We just brought this desk down from the U.S. and unfortunately it’s just too large for the space we have. Perfect condition with optional pullout keyboard tray included (not shown). All hardware is included. It’s very heavy duty (commercial grade) and made out of sturdy MDF. The top is a speckled granite-look surface. Made by Techline in Michigan, USA. Comes apart into several pieces for storage or moving. It measures 6 feet long and 6 feet wide, 24 inches deep, and 29-1/2” tall (standard height). I $3,000 pesos (firm/non-negotiable). Please PM for quick response or call/text anytime between 8am - 8pm to 332 921 6096 and Whatsapp too. FOR SALE: Sony 2 channel stereo receiver-Bluetooth, Onkyo 6 disc CD changer, both 3 months old--2 Bose speakers--all attachments included. Paid $ 400.00 us--plus Bose speakers included in price, as the Bose speakers are from our built in surround sound system. Amazing sound quality. If you are looking for tone-quality-volume, this is a perfect set. To hear-or see ,we are in Vista Allegre---331-763-5597. We are relocating. FOR SALE: 2 Tennis racquets for sale in like new condition/Head Radical Microgel and a Babolat Drive G Lite starting at only $2300 Pesos.,Each racquet includes a racket cover. Up for sale are 2 in like new condition tennis racquets. Hardly used, maybe 1-2 games per racket if at all. $3300 pesos for the Babolat Grip Size 4 1/4, $2300 pesos for the Head Grip Size 4 1/8.The Babolat Drive Lite
racquet is a very powerful but yet very lightweight racket. Ideal for seniors or juniors that need a light racket with a powerful swing. Babolat is known for great rackets. Stringed at 55lbs with a great string the Babolat RPM 17 black, gives you a powerful swing The Head Radical Microgel Oversized racquet stringed at 57lbs with a quality string Head Sonic Pro white 16, gives you great control but best of all eliminates an elbow tension. This racket was voted as one of the most elbow friendly rackets with a stiffness rating of 57. This racket is ideal for seniors or people suffering with elbow issues or that will have elbow issues and overall is a great racket. Please let me know if you have any questions. Send PM. WANTED: Wanted used larger tv to teach with at Have Hammer Will Travel AC woodworking school.Need larger tv for classroom lessons to teach woodworking students and CAD. Can help you uninstall and pick up. One video lesson is worth a thousand words. Please help the boys and girls at our school. Hopefully it has a hdmi port. Need dumb tv. Thank you for helping the students . ANY SIZE TV WILL WORK. WE HAVE A SPACE FOR VERY LARGE TV IN SHOP. WE NEED TWO SMALLER DUMB TV,S FOR OUR CAD classroom about 32 to 40 inch. 376 766 1860 home phone. Or shop 376 766 4830 School is in Riberas next to S&S auto , mountain side We have 55 inch but now but it has slightly cracked screen. You take what you can, still you get something better Wayne. FOR SALE: TV Cabinet, 38” wide, 25” deep, 52” tall. Opening for TV is 32” wide. Front doors wrap around to the sides. $3500 pesos in Riberas, Can deliver. FOR SALE: Motomaster 400W mobile power inverter, 12v dc to 115v ac, 60Hz. 800 pesos 766-2722 FOR SALE: Chime Tone Intercom system, older, brand AI Phone, for 2 doors, comes with manuals. Free for pick up 766-2722 FOR SALE: Communications Short Wave Receiver - ICOM-R75. This radio is about as good as they get. It comes with the AC power supply and DC power cables. Satisfaction guaranteed. 7,500 MXN. This short wave receiver covers AM, AM/FM, FM, USB, LSB, RTTY, S-AM, CW Frequency Range: 0.03 to 60.000 MHZ. Send PM. WANTED: I’m looking for used Earth Boxes. Please let me know if you have some for sale. gradford4019@gmail.com FOR SALE: Nearly NEW Top-OfThe-Line Air Purifier - Two Units Available. Originally cost $1,500US ($60,000 Pesos) each and worth every penny!! You will not find a better air purifier ANYWHERE! Almost new, in service for only two months. Great deal at $12,000 Pesos EACH. Each unit comes with extra filters for years of use!! We have two units available. $20,000 Pesos for both. Please CALL 332 921 6096 between 8am-8pm You can also text the above number on whatsapp. FOR SALE: Coleman Gas Lamp 275 With Case, Funnel, and Mantles. Very good condition 800 MXN. Send PM.
FOR SALE: Like new, used only a few hours but no longer needed. Model XP4850EH, powerful and economical, runs on gasoline or propane, has electric starter in addition to pull cord. 120V and 240V output. On wheels for easy portability. 10,000 pesos. Phone 376-688-1094 or email ajcastleman@yahoo.com FOR SALE: Fat Tire Bike Fenders. Ordered wrong size from the US and can’t send them back. New with mounting hardware. 4” X 26” Black. 500 MX. FOR SALE: Crystal Chandelier, Vintage, Luxury. Would be incredible for a large entry. Size is approx. 48 inches wide by ----tall. Asking 1,900.00 dollars or best offer. Serious inquiries only. Can send pictures upon request. FOR SALE: Set of 4 martini or margarita glasses. Perfect condition, gorgeous shade of chartreuse or pistachio green. Perfect fir special desserts also. $35 US 376 766-1155. FOR SALE: Toilet seat extender. 5in high with handles and easy lock. Used like new. $1100 MXN. Call 331 065 9193 FOR SALE: Set of 8 cobalt blue stemmed water or wine glasses. $75 US. Perfect condition. Set of 8 grass green wine goblets, perfect $50 US. Set of 4 grass green margarita-martini glasses $35 perfect condition. FOR SALE: Day of the Dead Catri-
na Dishes. Set of 8 brite red and white Catrina plates and pasta bowls. Coordinating fruit/dessert plates and serving pieces also in red and white, 6 mugs and 4 espresso cups. Priced from $5 to $30 each depending on pieces. Dishes and pasta bowls sold as set. From Sandrina’s in Bucerias. marybragg47@gmail.com FOR SALE: Beautiful Mexican tiled round table Measures 102 cm across by 44 cm high. 3500 pesos, can deliver. FOR SALE: Pro-Form Pro 1000 Treadmill in excellent condition. Folds up. Has built in fan. Manual included. Inclines and includes preset programs. Three years old. Bought it for 25,000. pesos. Selling for 18,000. pesos. FOR SALE: Beautiful dining table and 8 matching chairs. Large table is 63x63 inches, clean lines, dark wood. Chairs are upholstered in dark brown Naugahyde. In excellent condition. Must sell because it is too large for our apartment. $12.000 pesos OBO. Call to come see: 33 34 83 9200. FOR SALE: 2 hobby life jackes-one womens-other mans. Us divers snorkel. Fins-one pair womens- size 6 1/2-8 . Us divers googles womens-pacifica. Original safety dive float with flag. All fits in bag and for storage a hefty crate. All items for sale at a great price were bought in hawii at Costco. Contact norm at 331 431 7264,
1,000 pesos. FOR SALE: Roche CoaguChek XS Meter for checking the INR value (International Normalized Ratio) from a drop of capillary whole blood - simple, precise and reliable. Item only used a few times. 500 pesos. 376-766-4389 or 333-1160996. FOR SALE: 4-Feet Satellite Dish. Available for pick up only, located in Ajijic. For more info call me at 3221499217 It includes everything necessary to install it WANTED: We want your used tool batteries, that have gone dead, and battery chargers you no longer use., That are sitting around your workshop. We will be teaching the students to rebuild battery packs soon, New batteries are so expensive. Please also consider donating that tool you no longer use because the battery is dead , and the battery pack to expensive to buy to fix it. We need four used battery powered drills for the students, by helping the environment and rebuilding your old battery pack, we can get the tools we need. Specially the names Dewalt, Milwaukee, Makita, etc. Pleased drop them off at the Have Hammer Will Travel woodworking school. 376 766 4830, next to S&S auto in Riberas del Pilar. FOR SALE: Original Prada Shoes, size 24.5 Mexican, Only 1 time was used,
price $3,000 pesos. Call Alma 331-0053109 FOR SALE: Individual Brass Headboard, Price $2,200.00 pesos. Call to Alma 331-005-3109.
Saw you in the Ojo 53
54
El Ojo del Lago / May 2021
56
El Ojo del Lago / May 2021
