Cactus and Succulent Club - Show and Sale

Jonna and I are members of a local cactus a succulent club 

-La Asociación Yucateca de Cactáceas y Suculentas- 

  

It works out doubly well for us because in addition to learning about cactus and succulents we get to practice our spanish.  

The Club is made up of mostly mexicans, and the language of the club is spanish.  

It's really good for us during the presentations because the talk is more moderated; slower, more pronounced.  

But OMG, when it gets to the QnA part, and during the breaks, we both struggle trying to keep up.

The 'Club' is hosting a Show, Sale, and Exhibition of cactus and succulents.   

It will be held the 25, 26, and 27 of November at CICY 

(Centro de Investigación Científica de Yucatán, A.C.)
Calle 43 No. 130, Colonia Chuburná de Hidalgo CP 97200, Mérida, Yucatán, México; 

which is up by the Chedraui North - across the highway from the Gran Plaza mall.

you can email the Club at -  info.asycs@gmail.com

http://www.cicy.mx/ 

http://asycs.weebly.com/ 

map here

Hope to see you all there!

Buses and Bus Terminals of Mérida, Yucatán

Friends John and Jane have a blog, several blogs actually, and now quite a few books out there as well.

You can access all their stuff through this blog link

One of the things they've posted about, and have recently updated is about taking buses and colectivos here in Merida and the surrounds.

They have put together a very concise listing of bus stations and destinations, along with photos of the stations.

This is Must Have info, you should bookmark this for future reference.

In Other Words: Merida - a literary magazine

There are a lot of Writers here in Merida!  

Some of them wrote before they came here, others have found the time since coming here to write.

As you can tell if you have been reading my blog for a a while, I am not a Writer.  I can write, but I am not a Writer.

A Group of local Writers have recently started a new online literary magazine called  

In Other Words: Merida

check it out!  

and if you too are a Writer, they are inviting you to participate.

Manguera - what this word really means!

OK, so I have these 2 dogs, one of whom is still a puppy, doing all the standard puppy stuff....Which has included chewing the end off the hose so many times that the hose no longer reaches the netherlands of the back yard!

The bamboo out back has been especially hard hit by the lack of watering - so to rectify that situation, and until I design and have installed a sprinkler/watering system we bought one of those huge clear plastic pvc tube hoses that "everyone" (kind of like saying "they") says is the best

I can only think that the people that recommend them do not do their own watering.  

OMG, that thing is killing me, it's like wrestling a 30 ft python, or at least what I imagine wrestling a 30 ft python would be like

It is heavy and unwieldy (is that a word?) and I end up soaked head to toe.  But man o man does it put out the water!

Here in Merida they call a hose a manguera, I don't know what they call it in the rest of Mexico. 

OK, so let's look at this word - Man Guera - Man, self explanatory (well in English it is),  and Guera which means war or fight in Spanish...

So what this means is that a MAN is supposed to be FIGHTING with this hose, Not Me!

Thought for the Day!

Life is not the way it's supposed to be... It's the way it is

It's the way we cope with it that makes the difference.

I saw this somewhere recently, 

can't remember where, and don't know by whom!  

regardless, me likey!

Birth of a New Tradition

My mom recently sent me an email, actually a SPAM email as it instructs you to send it to all your friends.  I was taken with part of the underlying content.  That of supporting local business.  This particular email is aimed at slamming foreign made goods, particularly Asian made goods.  But the underlying concept is GREAT!  

Instead of buying mass produced and imported goods, support your local businesses, even though many Chains, whether Grocery, Restaurant, Mechanic, Beautician, or Department Store go a long way toward support of,  and employ many in your community, perhaps your local small business owner can use your help too!  It doesn't matter if you live in North Carolina as she does, or in Ecuador, or Bangladesh, or Merida Mexico as I do.  Buy from and support your local community.  

Tis the season.  

 

I am including most of that email message here should you care to read!  It could be quite generic if you replace Asian and China or Chinese with Foreign Made, and American with My local Community.  I like the underlying message.

Christmas 2011 -- Birth of a New Tradition

As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into high gear to provide Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods -- merchandise that has been produced at the expense of American labor. This year will be different. This year Americans will give the gift of genuine concern for other Americans. There is no longer an excuse that, at gift giving time, nothing can be found that is produced by American hands. Yes there is!

It's time to think outside the box, people. Who says a gift needs to fit in a shirt box, wrapped in Chinese produced wrapping paper?
Everyone -- yes EVERYONE gets their hair cut. How about gift certificates from your local American hair salon or barber?

Gym membership? It's appropriate for all ages who are thinking about some health improvement.

Who wouldn't appreciate getting their car detailed? Small, American owned detail shops and car washes would love to sell you a gift certificate or a book of gift certificates.

Are you one of those extravagant givers who think nothing of plonking down the Benjamins on a Chinese made flat-screen? Perhaps that grateful gift receiver would like his driveway sealed, or lawn mowed for the summer, or driveway plowed all winter, or games at the local golf course.

There are a bazillion owner-run restaurants -- all offering gift certificates. And, if your intended isn't the fancy eatery sort, what about a half dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast joint. Remember, folks this isn't about big National chains -- this is about supporting your home town Americans with their financial lives on the line to keep their doors open.

How many people couldn't use an oil change for their car, truck or motorcycle, done at a shop run by the American working guy?

Thinking about a heartfelt gift for mom? Mom would LOVE the services of a local cleaning lady for a day.

My computer could use a tune-up, and I KNOW I can find some young guy who is struggling to get his repair business up and running.

OK, you were looking for something more personal. Local crafts people spin their own wool and knit them into scarves. They make jewelry, and pottery and beautiful wooden boxes.

Plan your holiday outings at local, owner operated restaurants and leave your server a nice tip. And, how about going out to see a play or ballet at your hometown theatre.

Musicians need love too, so find a venue showcasing local bands.

Honestly, people, do you REALLY need to buy another ten thousand Chinese lights for the house? When you buy a five dollar string of light, about fifty cents stays in the community. If you have those kinds of bucks to burn, leave the mailman, trash guy or babysitter a nice BIG tip.

You see, Christmas is no longer about draining American pockets so that China can build another glittering city. Christmas is now about caring about US, encouraging American small businesses to keep plugging away to follow their dreams. And, when we care about other Americans, we care about our communities, and the benefits come back to us in ways we couldn't imagine. THIS is the new American Christmas tradition.