on the road to mexico

By the time you read this, I will be in the air on my way back to Melaque. 

After being gone for 45 days.  The last ten in Oregon.

Visiting with family and friends trumps about any other activity.  And, even though this was a rather rushed trip, I was able to spend more time visiting than shopping for things to take back to Mexico.

I have noticed on each trip north, the urge to act like a consumer mule diminishes.  The Costco thrill is no longer there.  (On the other hand, there were no cherries to woo me to the dark side.)

Even when I am tempted to raid the cheese case at Whole Foods.  What can you say about a society that sells cheese made of sheep milk from a remote Croatian island?  At $20 (US) a pound.

Or Safeway with its deli case of freshly-made pet foods in tiny containers looking as if a feline tapas bar had just opened in town?

I know something is up when visiting American grocery stores seems even more exotic and foreign than walking through Cairo.  Or Morelia. 

And I purposely stayed away from Fry’s Electronics.  Addicts need to exercise their own aversion therapy now and then.

That gave me time to spend with my mother, my brother, and his family.  Conversing.  Laughing.  Eating (of course). And wandering around his ranch.

Bend can be sunny and warm in May.  It wasn’t while I was there.  Overcast and a bit cool.  But perfect for me.  I am about to return to heat and humidity where crisp mornings will be a mere memory.

On my last night in Bend, we went to dinner at one of my sister-in-law’s favorite places.  Zydeco.  With a distinct Louisiana spice.

Best of all, it was a way to celebrate a late Mother’s Day dinner.

I then spent an evening in Salem helping my friends John and Jana celebrate their 42nd wedding anniversary.  With anecdotes.  And a bit of philosophical musing about where America may be heading.

But it is now time to get back to Mexico.  We will see what hurricane Bud has to say about that.