Trip Cancelation

Since Sim could not go to Kenys due to his injury, I decided also not to go on the trip since I should be able to get my money back since he is my traveling companion. So you don't need to worry about my getting blown up in Nairobi.

FU on Sim:  Sim developed pneumonia and was hospitalized.  He is in the ICU and was on a ventilator for 4 days.  All of his vital signs have improved now but he will probably be in the hospital for another week.  Looks like a long road to recovery.

Here's a cute pic of the boys.

SMA 2019

Sim and I just returned from a week in San Miguel de Allende (SMA) visiting Sim's daughter, Lee. The weather was lovely in the day but a bit chilly in the night. Sim's second daughter, Laura, also came to visit. Lee, Laura and I went to Lee's exercise class a few times. We just had to follow the instructor's steps to funky music. I think I can do that at home because Alexa will play a funk radio station if I ask.

We had some nice food and especially nice pastries and bread from the French bakery Panio. Their Cereales bread was a rustic hand loaf with black and white sesame seeds inside and out. We all got pedicures at the local mall. We did lots of sightseeing and opportunities for local shopping. The last day we went to Atotonilco which is a small town with a Mexican Baroque church about 15 miles outside of SMA. We flew in and out of León which is a 2-hour drive from SMA. We were there over Epiphany (Three Kings Day) so there were lots of decorations including huge crèches. At night Sim and I would stay in bed (which was warm) and watch pirated DVDs. We enjoyed I, Tonya, Black Klansman, and the following documentaries: GI Jew, RBG, and Gilda. 

I especially enjoyed seeing Emily CD's large mural at the Saturday market. She was ML's college roommate for 3 years at MICA. I'm sorry I missed seeing her as she was out of town.

Planes were all on time but it's a long traveling day.  It was all difficult for Sim who was suffering from some bruised ribs due to a fall out of bed around New Years. While the wheelchairs at the airports were invaluable, they kept changing gates after we were deposited at the original departure gate. It was hard to find staff to push him to the new gates. Sim will not be able to accompany me to Kenya next week. The 14-hour plane ride from NYC to Nairobi would be too difficult.

Rooftop cocktails from the Rosewood

Laura and her fancy cocktail

Huge tree decorated with tin angels in the square

Mural by EmilyCDart

Lee and me at the fountain in SMA

Laura admidst the huge puppets

Churros and chocolate

Three Kings Cookie

Decorations in the Jardin

The Parraquia all lit up

18th C church in Atotonilco

Nave at Atotonilco

Large creche on the high altar

Private chapel at Atotonilco

Painted native wooden sculpture of a reindeer made about 70 years ago
 in the state of Guerrero, hanging in my kitchen

A New Year

Here we are in 2019, amazing!! Let's hope it will be a year of peace and happiness. I hope things improve politically, humanitarian, and economically. Off to Mexico, Kenya, and Israel before Spring comes. Da girls just had their annual check-up. Vet recommends $1,000 worth of dental treatments - that's not going to happen. Had a brunch here on New Year's Day but half the folks didn't come. Menu was slow cooker black-eyed peas, smoked trout schmear, smoked salmon, cream cheese, and bagels, cornbread, blanched veggies with tonato sauce, cheese blintzes, fresh fruit, and chocolate-cherry gluten-free brownies.

My DNA results arrived -no surprise: 58% England and Wales, 38% Scotland and Ireland, 2% France, and 2% Norway. Names of over 1,000 4th cousins that I do not know.