Sunday, January 14, 2018

clowning with age

Happy birthday to me.

This was not going to be an essay about me. Not that I am above doing such a thing. Most of the words that appear here exist exclusively in my head.

But, this essay should not be about me because I have a far more important announcement. The rest of my family is here.

My mom (Marilyn), brother (Darrel), and sister-in-law (Christy) arrived on Saturday afternoon to stay an indeterminate number of months. However many it is, it will not be long enough.

The fact that today is my birthday made their arrival even better. Or, is it the other way around? Whichever, I am glad they are here.

To celebrate this rather oddly-numbered birthday, we went to one of my favorite places in Barra de Navidad -- El Manglito. It has a great view of our lagoon. And good food. I indulged in a favorite. Chicken molcajete.

And, like all good meals, this ended with a round of "Happy Birthday" played by the band, and a cake with a Roman candle served by a clown. What could be more fun than that?

Our dinner put me in high spirits. Well, high enough to divert me from writing an essay that I think about how our days are numbered each week when I fill my medication dispenser. That would be an essay for an old man.

But this will be my last outing for a few days. I volunteered to participate in the cultural awareness classes sponsored by our church in Villa Obregon. Two years ago, I talked about the creation of the Mestizo myth that offered Mexico an opportunity to create a unifying national identity. This Thursday (the 18th), I will update that lecture with some of the issues that were left undone in forging a Mexican national identity.

If you are interested in attending, it will be at 5 PM at the Costalegre Community Church in Villa Obregon. I look forward to seeing you.

Until then, the Mexpatriate theater will be dark.  


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