Reflections on the year 2022

Its always interesting to review our year as we write our final blog post of 2022. Many things were the same as prior years but of course we're different people every year. This year we're writing about the few things that defined our year and perhaps changed us in some way. I will write S when Susan is speaking and R when Richard is speaking.

R     We have listed 6 things that stand out for both of us. They include the following themes: Old and new friends, Libros para Todos, Exercise routines, Travel again, our HOA and creative endeavors. We will take a moment here to elaborate and record for our history purposes.

Friends both old and new

S    Number one for both of us is friends, both old and new. Our trips gave us a chance to visit with our old friends and catch up on the goings on, especially because we hadn't traveled much in the prior 2 years because of the pandemic.  We're always lucky and make a few new friends each year. (Unfortunately we loose a few as well.)

R    Not to mention names but since we have returned to our UU church new people have come into our lives. It is a cherished event whenever one meets like-minded humans. I always get more strength from people and it is always a joy for me . 

Libros para Todos

R     Our not for profit that was started almost 10 years ago has grown in size and is thriving. Our director has been very successful along with the many volunteers. What pleases me most is that our meetings are held predominantly in Spanish and the number of young children benefiting has more than doubled since it began.

S    I am so grateful that Libros para Todos is still going strong in Mexico. So many of you who are reading this post have supported this literacy program that we started 10 years ago. It has grown with Daniela Franco as its director and we are still involved behind the scenes as Board of Director members. I was able to attend a few of the summer camp days this year and witness the enthusiasm for learning and creativity of both the kids attending as well as the volunteers who help to make it happen. Our volunteer team has grown to include mostly Spanish speakers and it was a joy to attend a volunteer meeting in Spanish. (By way of comparison - when we began we were all English speakers and therefore couldn't really communicate well with the children.)

Exercise

S    Mostly new for me is Rocksteady Boxing - a special program for people with Parkinson's Disease. It is a national organization with great success helping us with strength, coordination, balance and large body movements. It is fun and exercise at the same time. While in Mexico I was able to find Janis who gave me personal boxing classes twice a week for the whole time I was there. 

R    Besides walking most days, usually over 3 miles, we both attend a gym 2-3 times/week. A new friend has given us his Nordic rowing machine. This device is a challenge but in time I hope to master it. I have been doing my juggling acts and practice almost daily.

Travel again and plans for the future

R    Finally we have traveled this year outside of the country. We returned to San Miguel de Allende for 3 months and will be returning again in 2023 to share our time with all of our dear friends and of course actively participate with our team, Libros para Todos. We traveled up north to Cape Cod for an adult Vogel reunion and to Long Island to be with my niece and her family and recently to Saint Augustine, FL to share time again with the Vogel clan and my cousins.

S    Having traveled a bit this year felt VERY good again. As you all know, we've had the travel bug for a very long time and felt a bit stifled for a while of no travel. Now I am back searching airBnB and airlines/trains websites getting ready for a trip in Mar/April to Spain and ending in Paris. We'll have a few car trips in the USA and then Mexico again from Oct-Dec 2023. 

Homeowner's Association - Volunteer

R    I wanted to meet my neighbors and I was elected to the board of our homeowner's association as the contract coordinator for our 56 home community. I have really enjoyed the process and meeting my neighbors, many for the first time. It has been interesting and rewarding. I will be continuing this volunteer job for the year to come.

S    I am very proud of all that Richard has done this year as a board member. His personality is perfect for working with others as he always brings joy to everything he does.

Creative endeavors

S    I found a new art practice which I hope to continue and perhaps expand. I have done online weekly classes along with a one month challenge of slow mindful drawing of repetitive patterns mostly from nature. (For more information see  https://mindfulartstudio.com/) I enjoy the calm, meditative act that this provides. I have also made a quilt which was auctioned and many placemats that we gave to Meals on Wheels as part of our UU Quilters project. This year we are making them again. It is great to be able to use my sewing and art gifts to give service to others.

R    For me, I continue to practice Tai Chi which can be considered an art form. It can take a lifetime to master.

Good bye charlie. 

S    We said our goodbyes to our friend charlie kast who left this world right after we headed to Mexico. We had been part of his "charlie's angels" team helping him in his last few months after his stroke. He was a very important person in our lives. I worked with him as he was the minister of our UU church during the 11 years that I worked there. We've been very connected to him during our retirements as well and looked forward to our time together. His greatest lesson for me was that it is OK to be me, whatever I am, without worry about pleasing others. He was a loyal friend who cared about others. He showed love and allowed us to show him love, especially in his last days. It was an honor to be one of his friends.

R    During the past year many dear friends have passed. I’m trying to get my head around this occurrence in life which is not an easy task for me. I will mention one person, charlie kast and many of you will know who I mean. He was not only my close friend but a mentor in so many ways. I miss him and others every day and will always keep them in my heart felt memories.

We wish you a peaceful and healthy NEW YEAR and look forward to seeing you all in the coming year.

Sending love,

Susan and Ricardo

"On the road again" ... back in Mexico

It sure feels good to be traveling again and here we are, back in San Miguel de Allende, MX after nearly three years in North Carolina. The world of travel for so many of us was at a standstill and it feels good to be out and about in another place. In the early part of the year we were invited to house sit and we feel lucky to be here in this beautiful home, in a beautiful city.

What's the best part???? I think the fact that we have reunited with so many of our friends that we haven't seen in so long is number 1. Then of course, the culture differences, the great weather, the warm and happy Mexican people, the colors and the food are all important to our lives here. I can't help but make comparisons to our lives in the USA though I always try to remind myself that comparisons, for me, tend to make me want to see one option as bad compared to one good. This is, of course, is not true. There are many shades in between.

What have we done in San Miguel for the last several months. Our stay will be 3 months total with 2 weeks left right now. I knew we had many friends here but until we really made plans to see everyone I had no idea how large our community was/is. We have spent time nearly every day with one or two friends having a meal together. We have been coming to San Miguel since 2000. The first few years were short trips and then some for several months until our retirement in 2009 when we began to be here 6-8 months/year - always coming and going. In that amount of time, one can make many new friends. Because of the pandemic there were nearly 3 years when we didn't see these friends so this was the perfect time to reunite. A benefit was a chance to sample many of the new restaurants that have sprung up in SMA over the last few year - and several are vegan only! 

We spent our time doing our usual activities; walking everywhere (carefully on the cobblestones!), yoga for me, tai chi for Ricardo, boxing for me, a new little mindful drawing art project of tiny repetitive pattern drawings, reading, watching a Netflix series nightly and as always, joyfully sharing our time with each other. 

Very important to both of us was reconnecting with our project "Libros para Todos". I was able to attend the creativity summer camp that was held in Dolores Hidalgo and in San Miguel and witness some of the art, poetry and theater sessions. We also attended a volunteer planning meeting for the upcoming months and were so proud to see the enthusiasm and dedication of this team. The meeting was in Spanish with some translation in English which was in contrast to the early days when it was mostly expats who were involved. Having native speakers enables us to do much more with the students to support their love of reading. To all our family and friends who are reading this blog post - we thank you so much for your support of this program over the years.

The weather here has been great. We arrived at the beginning of the rainy season meaning short rain storms many days but rarely more than one hour and in a short time it all dries up. The rain is mostly late afternoon or early evening so rarely affects our daily activities. Temperatures have been mostly in the 70's. 

For me, it has been a pleasure being out of the USA to listen to a bit less of the politics and to not feel the divisive energy that exists there. To be honest, we don't follow Mexico's politics and there are surely issues of differences here too.

So now it is time to leave "home" to go "home". Home, as I have written before is where we are and though all our belongings are now in NC, I think I will always have some of my heart in Mexico.

Thank you for traveling once again with us. We have some tentative plans for the coming year so we hope you join us on these upcoming adventures.

Here are thoughts from Ricardo:

After too long, we returned to our second home here in San Miguel de Allende, Mx. Now we are finishing our third month taking care of friend's precious home here in Colonia Guadiana. The home has more comfort than needed. In the past we have had several visitors from up north visiting but this time it's been just Susan and me.

For the first time we see ourselves and our dear friends getting older and beginning to live life with more care and caution. For example, the streets are cobblestone which creates a beautiful atmosphere but now we walk keeping our eyes open, always in front and being more mindful.

SMA has changed since we first arrived here over 20 years ago. The pueblo has become a wedding destination on weekends and a weekend getaway for many wealthy Mexicans. The expat community remains but due to online workers there are more young families looking for the alternative experience for themselves and for their children.  All of this brings in more traffic and congestion along with more demand for resources but on the other side, better restaurants and medical care etc. which has increased significantly. All of this keeps this place very very close to our hearts.

Like our permanent home in Carrboro we have many dear friends which has kept us joyfully occupied sharing our time with them and many new acquaintances.  Our lives are rich with many wonderful people here as well as other places in the world that we frequent.

The non-for-profit that Susan started 9 years ago is still flourishing and helping young children experience the love of reading and other good habits to help fulfill and enrich their lives. I’m so proud of her and our director Daniela along with the volunteers that continue to benefit up to 1000 children every year.

I will sign-off now as we get ready to return back to our home in North Carolina.

Sending love,
Ricardo