It was a dark and stormy day... here in my Island home.

 

 Which must play a role in why my heart and mind is taking me to Mexico, taking my sun starved skin, my aching shoulder and hand and my fresh fruit deprived palate to the place where we have lived for the past 7 winters.   If we based our judgements on first impressions, we should call it paradise.  But we have become wiser after living in Zihuatanejo for as long as we have, and have learned that like all relationships, you should not judge a place by it's appearances alone.  Knowing our friends who are Mexican and reading both newspapers and social media sites, we know this has been another year of one crisis after another both socially, environmentally and economically in our winter home.  We have begun to realize that what Canadians fear and protest against is the norm in our Southern home...politicians who are corrupt, systems that no longer function and a people who live with no assistance from social programs or policies that ensure basic existence.  Together with police and enforcement agencies who are in fact some of the biggest threats to public safety, there is no expectation that life is easy for the residents of Zihuatanejo.  However, like our compadres, we will return hoping to once again live safely in our chosen winter getaway.  The irony is that the biggest reason we return year after year is not just the beauty of the environment, but the people who we have met and loved - the Mexicans of our city.

This year of 2014 could be labelled as "my change in life".  I clearly recall my now deceased Mother who used that phrase to encompass all things negative post menopause, and I have chosen to alter that perception.  I have consciously tried to redefine "change of life" to be the self determination to change aspects of my life in a planned for and positive manner.  So this year, shortly after our return from Mexico, when Gene suddenly developed an eye condition that precludes long periods of time away from expert ophthalmological care; we decided to re-invent our dual home experience as one of a home on the Gulf Islands and a home in downtown Victoria; and an existing home in Mexico playing an unclear role in our future. 

I have always known that living in Mexico requires good health and it is not a place where you can access expert care, at least not in Zihuatanejo, in a timely way.   We have enjoyed 10 years of adventure, and 6 years of escaping winter...will this be the last of it?   I don't know, and perhaps I don't really need to know.  As I have learned this year, things unfold as they should so we will visit Zihuatanejo, for a brief time before the end of 2014, return in the later winter for a longer period and experience "my Mexicanized life" with a new reality filter.  Is it forever...not necessarily: is it where I want to be during the dark and stormy days of a Canadian winter, we shall see!


But perhaps our biggest change is only a few days away.   At last we are to be "abeulos", grandparents, and the birth is coming soon.  This will be long distance grand parenting, but at least not for the 19 days we are scheduled to be in Ontario.   Amy and Patrick are having a baby and their lives and vicariously, our lives, are about to be changed forever.  Baby K as we affectionately call this gender unknown person who is one day post due date now, will be the beloved grandchild of the Suess/Kitchen/Murray families and his/her uncles and aunts will experience the true evolution of family.   I want Amy and Patrick to bring our new grandchild to Zihuatanejo this spring when we are en casa!  I know how my Mexican friends love children and I guess I want to "show off" our Canadian family to the people we know who value family above all else.  To Doraliz, our becando, her family and neighbours who wonder who this middle aged Canadian couple really are; to our staff at Casa Ceiba who cater to these childless couples who stray so far from their families; and to the people of my Colonia, La Madera...it's a chance for me to show them that, like their values, what matters most in life is family and hope for even more opportunities for the next generation.  To be with a grandchild who is loved and have their future be shaped by those of us who love them and will care for them for the rest of their lives and ours. 

So this week, we are packing up our country home.  Living closer to nature means paying attention to new aspects of home maintenance.  Our firewood has been carefully stacked out of rains harm, our well has been turned off, our garage, which will act as our greenhouse has been primed for the potential cold that could descend on our Island home, our rainwater catchment system is full to overflowing, our deer fencing has been elevated to protect the plants we added to the landscape and our birdfeeders are filled, attracting a great variety of songbirds that we love. 

We are leaving with the intent of returning for Xmas with our expanded family.  Leaving our home with the sentinels of the forest as guardians.  Dawn our neighbour and her boyfriend Michaels' carvings will serve as our home's guardian angels as we embark on yet another adventure.  Ojala the blessings of life continue! 


p.s. don't tell Cori he's staying in Victoria with Uncle Alex for this our first winter escape.  He will be repatriated to his native land in January!