The Trampoline Store

This actually happened last Thursday, but amidst all the excitement over the weekend I forgot to write about it. There's a supermarket here, Kike's, that has a giant trampoline outside of it. Some of you might already be familiar with my affinity for jumping on/off anything bouncy. If you weren't, now you are. You can imagine, then, how often I'd like to treat myself to a bounce or two on Kike's tramp. Unfortunately, I'm not completely shameless, and I've only been using it if I happen to pass by there at night after the store is closed. This particular time I made plans with Nastja and Petra to go for a jump. It was my first extended jump. Because it sits there 24/7 open to anyone who might want to use it (namely little kids and me), it's not in great shape, but it's still a trampoline and beggars can't be choosers. Actually it's quite dangerous. The blue tarp-like cover for the springs is connected at only one point, so the rest is strewn across the black tramp surface. There are many gaps along the circumfrence where springs have broken over the years, some with over two feet of springless space. Twice, while all three of us were jumping simultaneously, I decided to land butt-first in the center of the tramp, at which point I connected with the ground below as it sagged under our weight. I was a little sore the next day, but no bruises. When Nastja and I had had enough, we threatened to leave Petra alone, who was bluffing to spend the night sleeping on the tramp. Instead of leaving, the two of us started to walk around the block to commence a surprise attack from behind. Around the second corner, however, we saw a pickup truck facing us from the end of the block with the high beams on. Standing the back were two men waving at something. Then the truck drove forward. We were half-rattled, half messing around, and sprinted back around the corner to hide behind some bushes. A few seconds later the truck rolled by at walking speed and we saw that the two men in the back were wearing full face masks looking around. After they passed we fetched Petra and booked it home. Of course they could have just been city workers fixing an electrical line or something, but it still seems a little sketchy.

MI VIEJA

If the new 58 year old volunteer is anything like the current 58 year old volunteer, Suzy, we are going to have a hell of a time the next two weeks. I don't know if I've mentioned Suzy before, but she lives here part time and volunteers daily at the daycare for a couple hours. She's from Austin, Texas, loves tequila, and has a house full of awesome Mexican trinkets. Last night she had us younger volunteers over to her house where her husband cooked a delicious meal, she taught us to play dominoes, and let me tool around on her ATV for a few minutes. As a mother herself, she knew how to take care of me: overfeed me and still send me home with leftovers. She grew up catholic and now despises organized religion. She also hates most of the older American women in this town, which only makes her cooler. She can hold her tongue but chooses to speak candidly because she knows it's funnier (i.e. denouncing religion at the table in front of the daycare founder who also teaches advanced theology online, then giving me a nudge, laughing, and saying she can't help it) and loves black comedians. She actually kind of reminds me of Gram... maybe the rest of the Wilmas, too... only a little more southern. Anyway, as strange as it may sound, on Saturday I'll be spending the day with her. The three girls are going to Guadalajara for the weekend and I'm staying so I can go to the soccer game in Mexico City on Sunday, leaving Saturday open. Our plan is to go to this enormous once-a-month sale at an old folks home, then check out some impressive church, then the afternoon will be mine to take the ATV wherever I want. It should be an excellent weekend.

Other updates:
I finally approached the doctors here about doing some more work for them. They were enthusiastic enough. One of them, Samuel, talked to me for an hour or so about high blood pressure, Mexican health problems, and the difference between school in Mexico and school in the States. Then he taught me how to take blood pressure, emphasized the importance of practice, and let me take the blood pressure of the next patient who came in. This should lead to more such lessons and increased time in the clinic.

Paolina, the little girl who used to scream at the mere site of me, is now my friend. As promised, because she warmed up to me I didn't trash the pictures of her and they're now up on my Photobucket page. I also organized everything a little bit so you can pick and choose what you want to look at pictures of. Specific trips, festivities (parades, fairs, etc.), daycare, and general life in San Miguel.

Hasta lunes