Two Canucks create American Thanksgiving dinner in Mexico

Thursday, November 26th, 2009  

A few years ago, Frank Marcigliano, the principal owner of the Casa IxChel Hotel, asked if Lawrie and I could help him out with a small problem. He was going into the hospital for a hip operation back in the US, and needed someone to oversee the American Thanksgiving dinner at his restaurant on Isla. This was to be the inaugural turkey dinner for Casa Louisa. In our previous lives, Lawrie has managed three restaurants, and I have managed two hotels. How hard could it be? 

The first challenge was finding the necessary ingredients. A road trip to Cancun was required. Costco for turkey, pumpkin pies, and whipping cream. Sam’s Club for the aluminum roasting pans. Wal-Mart for gravy ingredients. Europea Wine store for cranberry jelly in the imported foods section. And the flea market for cranberry jelly ramekins and gravy boats. We searched all of the stores for sweet potatoes, yams, and possible Thanksgiving decorations for the tables. We came up empty. 

Two days later, we went back to Costco to pick up a terrific canvas banner to advertise the event. Then we put the call out to island gringo friends for spices and herbs for the turkey stuffing. Mary Simpson set Charlie over with sage and thyme. Harriet Lowe sent Richard on his motorcycle with three other necessary herbs. Hmmm, there’s a theme there. The women “sent” the guys on the errand. 

The second challenge was our lack of Spanish! Miguel, the hotel manager at the time, was very fluent in English and a great help when he was available to translate. The kitchen staff and most of the waitstaff spoke Spanish. Period. It is amazing how much can be communicated with sign language, demonstration of what you want (like charades), and laughter. The chefs had looks of perplexed concentration as they tried to understand the gringa. Then hollered, “Miguel!” and he hustled over to translate the instructions. 

The third challenge was measurements. In Mexico, as in Canada, the measurements and temperatures are metric, not imperial. All of the recipes and instructions for foods such as turkey stuffing or sweet potato puree were in imperial measurements. Again, the look of perplexed concentration from the kitchen staff, and I realized I would have to translate the measurements as well, English to Spanish, and imperial to metric, then metric to actual quantities – kilos of potatoes, bread croutons, onions, celery, sweet potatoes or yams – to be purchased. I must say I now have a greater appreciation for what goes on in a restaurant kitchen. 

This was the first time any of the staff had made a traditional turkey dinner, and it was fun to watch them learn the different dishes and techniques, make roast turkey, stuffing, gravy, and mashed yams. The idea of cranberry jelly caused a few raised eyebrows. 

“Why do you put marmalade on meat?” 

 “Because that's what our ancestors did.” 

The fourth challenge was getting the dinners out to the groups of guests – quickly. Fortunately, between Lawrie’s past experiences at busy restaurants in Canada, like Magnum’s at the Lakeside Hotel, and the Cellar Bistro at Hillside Estate Winery, he was able to show us ahead of time how to organize the turkey portions for quick plating. The guys in the kitchen were great! They had it down flat in two minutes. 

Lawrie was the sociable host and front-end guy, getting everyone seated, drinks ordered, and keeping an eye on the tables. I was in the kitchen overseeing the mayhem. 

We had so many reservations on the books that we had to scrounge up another turkey. We had a lot of fun working together, and that big glass of wine at the end of the evening was really wonderful! 

Happy Thanksgiving 2020 to all of our American friends. 

Cheers, Lynda and The Sparkinator

Lynda L Lock Author's Page

How would the 'Social Butterfly' cope with COVID isolation?

Lawrie - forever 18 

In the quiet of my Canadian apartment, I often find myself wondering how my husband, Lawrie, would have reacted to the COVID pandemic that has forever changed our world. As many of you know, he passed away in 2018 and didn't have to cope with the draconian restrictions of this new era of little or no social contact.  I think Lawrie would have found the changes frustrating. 

Lawrie was so sociable that he was affectionately nicknamed the social butterfly. The family joked that, like his mom, he could have a conversation with anyone, including dead ants (that's ants, not aunts!). He loved hugging, dancing, and being around people. These are now forbidden activities or, at the very least, frowned upon in our new world. 

We retired in 2008 to live full-time on Isla Mujeres mainly because we enjoyed the warm, friendly, and very welcoming Mexican culture. As retirees in a foreign country, we didn't have a lot of responsibilities other than a little house maintenance and a few chores, so we hung out with friends and family. Island life, or more specifically, tropical island life suited him perfectly! Sun, sand, shorts, and happy people.

At the Soggy Peso, making new friends

Lawrie and I enjoyed spending the majority of our time together. Still, if he had been forced into isolation for several months with only Sparky and me to talk to, it would have been an unbearable hardship for him. He loved to visit our favourite restaurants and bars on Isla Mujeres for a tasty meal and a beer or two, but more importantly, just to chat with other people. To listen to their stories. To get to know them a little better. 

I, on the other hand, can be a bit of a hermit at times. And I rarely make phone calls, partly due to the echo of my father's voice nagging at his four daughters and Mom for being on the phone too much. Dad passed away in 1968, but I still can't tune him out. Weird, I know, but every time I think about phoning someone, Dad's voice starts nattering in the background about the cost of long-distance calls. Thanks, Dad, for that little anti-social oddity in my character. 

Mature-teenagers at the Soggy Peso on Isla

Then, with the COVID pandemic, there is the mask issue. Lawrie had a well-groomed beard. Wearing a mask in a hot and humid climate would have been a nightmare for him. I can hear him grousing now. I would have had to invest in earplugs for me, and perhaps, for Sparky. But, Lawrie being Lawrie, would have found an upbeat way to manage the situation. He didn't have many unhappy days in his life.

In March of 2020, I returned to Canada because I wanted to be in a country where I spoke the language, knew how to get medical assistance, and would be closer to my family. Due to the COVID safety protocols, I typically only see my friends about once every two weeks. Sometimes it is for dinner out, or a cup of coffee, or a visit to one of the local wineries. 

At the Burrowing Owl Winery with friends

Writing my new mystery novel, sorting my collection of digital photos, or promoting my mystery novels on social media keep me busy and feeling productive. 

Most days I walk Sparky four times a day, except for the two days recently when he had intestinal troubles and needed to go out - now - every 90 minutes. 

It was a sleepless two nights, but I finally got his digestive system settled down again, and we are back on our regular schedule. 

Nostalgia Winery, Oliver

It's interesting to note the different ways people cope with isolation and seclusion. Some of my friends have become super productive, creating a pile of artistic work to combat the boredom. 

One of my writer friends has produced four novels since March 2020. He's a writing machine. Other friends keep busy with handicrafts or learn new skills. Some create food masterpieces and share them with neighbours, like me. I happily oblige and eat their delicious offerings. Some have lost weight, others have relocated lost weight. We all know fat cells have GPS, returning time and again to the same owner. The balance of weight lost and weight gained helps maintain Earth's place in the solar system. It must be true. I read it on Facebook.

Living in a country with a decent road system and being the happy owner of a proper car instead of a funky little golf cart, Sparky and I have been taking road trips to visit old friends, my step-son and his family, and my sister and her family. However, since the weather has changed and winter has arrived - a month early - my road trips will be curtailed for a few months. Planning short road trips for 2021 will give me something to look forward to. In the meantime, Sparky has discovered snow! He thinks it is very entertaining.

Sparky, running in the cold white stuff!

For some, the isolation is tedious. For others, it's manageable. How about you? What do you do to cope with the boredom and seclusion?

Cheers, Lynda and The Sparkinator

Grab your copy today!

Isla Mujeres Mysteries Books #1-3

Chasing the 'funnies' on a Sunday afternoon

I grew up with an abundance of reading material... what about you? 

My best memories of reading go back to when my three sisters and I were still all living at home, so probably late 1950s. Comic books like Archie, Blondie and Dagwood, Little Lulu, Richie Rich, Superman, and Uncle Scrooge were hot commodities to be traded between friends in our tiny townsite of Bradian. 

After finishing our chores, Saturday afternoons were free and clear to visit friends, trade comic books (some that were more prized than others and commanded a two-for-one price), and return home to devour our new reading material. However, our dad was also a big fan of comic books. We had to share with him, sometimes giving up the best ones for him to read first! 

But the real fun happened on Sundays. The Vancouver Sun always arrived in our town a day late. The travel time between Vancouver and Bralorne was twelve hours of hard driving, so getting the newspaper, pre-television, pre-internet, was a big deal. 

The thick weekend paper would hit the front step, and the chase would be on with my long-legged father running up and down the streets holding the Saturday 'funnies' hostage while his four daughters pelted after him. We hollered and laughed and yelled like banshees. 

Some of the neighbours would cheer on Dad, others would be rooting for one of his daughters to snatch the prized weekend funnies out of his hand. 

Being the youngest and the shortest, I never had a chance so I resorted to subterfuge. I would hide in the one and only bathroom in our company-owned home. Dad would return triumphant and dash into the bathroom, the only room in the house with a locking door, and ta-da, there I was ready to claim my share of Donald Duck, Little Abner, Henry, Jiggs, or Nancy. 

Sometime in the mid-1950s, when I was four or maybe five, my parents purchased an extensive collection of sixteen encyclopedia-sized books from a traveling salesman. 

The series started with nursery rhymes and progressed to more complex stories, intended for readers at a grade twelve level. 

I don't remember what the series was called, but I do remember the spines of the books ranged from light blue to deep blue to dark green as you progressed through the stories, gradually reading more and more difficult material. 

Then, when I was nine, my dad gave me his copy of the Springhill, Nova Scotia, mining disaster. On October 23, 1958, there was a 'bump,' a shift in the earth that resembled an underground earthquake. 

It killed 75 men and trapped 99 more. By November 1st, 1958, the last of the survivors was found. After that, the search only recovered bodies. 

So, yeah, a little light reading recommended to me by my dad.

My next conquest was all of the Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Trixie Belden novels ever written, plus Little Women and Little Men. By the time that we moved from that tiny mining town in 1961, I had blown through all of the reading material in our house. 

When we moved to a larger city, Chilliwack, BC, Dad introduced me to the concept of a library and being able to choose whatever I wanted to read. My favourites included the entire Zane Grey collection of western novels and anything written by Farley Mowat.

My voracious reading habit has followed me throughout my life. 

Fortunately, both Lawrie and I shared a passion for reading, and for the most part, read the same authors. Occasionally, I veer into historical novels, and he would find a thriller series that interested him.

When Lawrie and I moved to Mexico in 2008, we made the switch to electronic readers. Books in English were difficult to find, and books in English that we hadn't already read were a rare find. 

Our reading habit became quite costly. We typically ordered an e-book a day from Amazon and devoured it before bedtime. 

Now, I live across the street from a fabulous public library. I can indulge my passion freely.

What are you reading today?

Cheers 

Lynda, and The Sparkinator

Murder and mayhem, revenge and romance on a tiny island off the coast of Mexico! 

Grab your copy today! 

The second anniversary - Widowhood 101

In Paris, 2012

It has been a rough few days leading up to September 3rd, the second anniversary of Lawrie's passing. My emotions have been like a ride on a soon-to-be-condemned roller-coaster. Up, and down, and slamming sideways around the corners.

Over the past two years, I have made some progress in managing my grief, although the special occasions continue to be a problem. Halloween was our favourite fun celebration, and Christmas. Other dates, such as the anniversary of when we moved in together, our wedding anniversary, my birthday, and Lawrie's birthday, continue to haunt me. 

San Miquel de Allende

I also made some life-changing decisions this past year. First, I sold our home on Isla Mujeres to a very nice couple from Wisconsin. Then, Sparky and I moved to San Miguel de Allende in December 2019. San Miguel is a beautiful colonial city in the mountains north of Mexico City. It is a paradise for writers, artists, and historians. I thoroughly enjoyed exploring my new surroundings, camera in hand, for hours at a time. It seemed to be the perfect place for me to heal. 

But the world had other plans. COVID-19 arrived in North America, creating economic and emotional hardship for millions. As a new arrival to San Miguel de Allende, and without a strong support base like I had on Isla Mujeres, things could get a bit tough. So, I packed up my few belongings and returned to Canada on March 20th.

For five weeks, my best friends since elementary school days, let Sparky and me live at their house in the Vancouver area. Their two doggies played with Sparky, while the three humans tried to remain sane during the lockdown. We entertained ourselves with good food, wine, and numerous 'remember when' stories from our high school days.

Fortunately, son John and his family live nearby, and I was able to sneak in a few visits during the lockdown, and more regularly since the rules have loosened up a little. It's fun to spend a bit of time with an adult granddaughter and two grandsons. Where have the years gone?

Naramata Bench, Okanagan, BC.

In late April, I decided to move to the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia, where we had lived for many years before moving to Isla Mujeres. It's peaceful and beautiful here. Vineyards. Orchards. Lakes. Rivers. And people who remember both Lawrie and me. The transition was easier, and my heart has been slowly mending. I am finally able to savour a cup of coffee on my own and listen to music without turning into a mess. 

In the meantime, I kept writing and self-published three more novels: Temptation Isla, Terror Isla, and Twisted Isla. I am now working on the next idea. Writing keeps me from endlessly obsessing over my loss.

But then something happens, and my emotions run amok again.

A very nice man, whom I only knew tangentially, recently died from a rare bone cancer. He and his wife were happy together for twenty-one years, and now she is a widow. Her grief has sharpened my grief.

And, more recently young woman that Lawrie worked with years ago at Magnum's Restaurant in Penticton wrote to tell me of her chance encounter with him in April 2018 at the Penticton Regional Hospital. 

We had returned to Canada to double-check the medical diagnosis, and the specialist had just informed Lawrie that he had only a few months to live. The young woman was on her way to visit a family member in the hospital and accidentally got off on the wrong floor. She didn't know we were in Canada, or that Lawrie was sick. When she saw him, she stopped to chat, and he told her why he was there, sitting in the hallway of the hospital, contemplating life.  

This is part of her email to me, "When we were finishing up the conversation, I asked the woman at the desk where the room I was looking for was, and she told me I was on the wrong floor.

Lawrie and I just looked at each other. I said, "Well, I guess that it was meant to be."

He said, "Life's funny like that, isn't it?"

Had I not followed another nurse off the elevator that day, I would've never seen him or known he was ill. I was so unbelievably grateful for that serendipitous moment."

The young woman went on to tell me of the good memories she had of Lawrie as her boss and her friend. How he had been a strong and positive influence on her life. Lawrie told her that he had had a very full life and had no regrets, and how much he loved me. Stories like this are treasures.

My Widowhood 101 posts have connected me with others who are also suffering and just want to chat. It's good to talk and not keep the pain bottled up inside.

The downside is, my frankness rips open the partially healed wounds of others who love Lawrie and miss him.

It's difficult.

Lynda

Sparky and Lawrie, Isla Mujeres Mexico

Dirty clothes and forbidden activities

"The dirty laundry" became the whispered subject of ridicule among the local businessmen and their wives in the late 1800s.

The Dirty Laundry Vineyards is a short drive from the original laundry business, which was located near the steamship wharf in Summerland. The back story is so intriguing that no one cares that wine and wine touring were not a 'thing' a hundred or more years ago.

Brought with thousands of his countrymen from China to Canada to do the back-breaking labour of laying the CPR railroad tracks, one man soon realized the work was akin to forced labour. He left to start his own business, a laundry service for the many single men working in the area.

Some would agree he catered to a niche market.

The upstairs waiting room at the laundry in Summerland, BC, was a place where the working men could get their clothes cleaned and enjoy an illicit drink, play a game of cards, or spend time in the company of a woman. 

The consumption of alcohol was frowned upon by the upstanding citizens of the day and had to be purchased from the Hudson's Bay Company in Vernon, then shipped 60 miles south to Summerland on the lake steamers. The trade supplied the local men, plus the fur traders, cattlemen, goldminers, and railway labourers. The Sunday-school children of the time were taught to recite this odd little ditty;

"We don't like tobacco, and surely we think that all those who use it are more apt to drink." 

My friend Sharon Hickey and I popped up to the Dirty Laundry Vineyards on a warm Friday afternoon for pizza and wine on their outdoor patio. With the COVID-19 protocols enforcing social distancing between tables, the restaurant was busy and had a waitlist of guests. We didn't have to wait too long, just enough time to browse the fun merchandise in the company store. 

The restaurant concept is self-serve, with one kiosk for ordering freshly made pizza, another for beer, and a third for wine to enjoy with the food. The view from the patio overlooks the vineyards, the remnants of the Kettle Valley Railway, and Okanagan Lake. The food was great, the atmosphere relaxing, and the wine good. 

My semi-famous pooch, Sparky, had to stay home and sulk in the cool comfort of our air-conditioned apartment. 

The YouTube video posted on The Dirty Laundry Vineyards' webpage has a fun mention of the morals of the late 1800s. 

Have a look!  https://www.dirtylaundry.ca/our-story

An afternoon at the Dirty Laundry is a pleasant way to spend a few hours chatting and sipping wine. We didn't see any women of ill repute, but we did notice a suspicious amount of lacy lingerie hung out to dry.

Cheers, Lynda & The Sparkinator

Murder and mayhem. Revenge and romance. 

Available in online book stores

Ruby Blues. Yummy wines and doggie friendly!

Woof! Woof! This is Sparky. My hooman and I have been exploring different places in the south Okanagan Valley in Canada, and we have found some wineries that are very doggie-friendly. Yesterday we visited Ruby Blues Winery at 917 Naramata Road in Penticton. 

One of the owners, Prudence Ruby Mahrer (now you know where the name Ruby came from, right?), personally came out to greet me and give me a big squishy hug. Even though my hooman has known Prudence and her hubby, Beat, for twenty-five years, my hooman only got a socially acceptable COVID-19 air hug. 

Prudence, and The Sparkinator

I got a big hug, was offered a nice dish of cool water, and was invited inside the wine shop. I really like Prudence.

We have another friend who also works at Ruby Blues Winery. 

Her name is Sharon Hickey, and she helps customers sample the different wines and tells them things like, "Red Stiletto is an easy-sipping red wine that pairs well with salmon or lamb chops." 

Well, I love salmon and lamb chops, but my hooman says I am not allowed to drink. She says the wine is for her to share with her friends. Humph! I thought I was her bestest friend.

We met some other people at the winery who were excited to hear that I am famous, the star of the Isla Mujeres Mystery novels. 

Oh, and they were sort of interested to speak to my hooman who writes about my adventures. She has to do the typing because I can't use a keyboard very well. I am just a two-toed typist.

My hooman also says that if you like yummy wines that are only available from the winery, you should visit Ruby Blues on the Naramata Bench in Penticton, or you can order from their website:https://www.rubyblueswinery.ca/. 

Just in case you were wondering about the behind-the-scenes guys, Beat Mahrer creates magic by growing delicious grapes, and Blair Gillingham is the talented winemaker.

My hooman bought the special deal of six bottles for $100.00 and is now entered in the monthly contest to win more wine. 

Personally I think she should be entering contests to win me a piece of steak!

That's just my opinion

Woof! Woof!

Sparky, aka The Sparkinator

~

Murder and mayhem. Revenge and romance. 

Twisted Isla, Book #6 of the Isla Mujeres Mystery series, is available on Amazon in e-book or paperback format. Grab your copy today!

 

COVID-19 has blown out our birthday candles

Val and grandkids on her 65th birthday

It is a birthday celebration! Time to blow out the candles on a fancy birthday cake, gently spraying the cake with our saliva and germs. 

And in some cases, we moisten the cake with the combined saliva and germs of other family members or friends who are celebrating on the same day. 

The late-night musings of my overactive mind.

It really is an odd custom, but until COVID-19 came along to dramatically alter our world and our lives, no one even gave it a thought. It's what you did. Make a wish and lather your birthday cake with your germs.

Val and family, celebrating her 75th

Or in the case of some children's parties - particularly in Mexico - the kid's face is shoved into the cake, then the remains are served to the guests. 

Yum; skin cells, eyelashes, and assorted fluids.

Searching back through my collection of photographs, I found lots of fun memories captured in time. 

One of my all-time favourites is a rare photo from my third birthday and my oldest sister, Valdine, helping me blow out my candles. 

I was the fourth and last daughter. By the time I came along, Mom and Dad were so over the photo-taking mania. Hundreds of photos of the oldest child, a little less with the second baby, even less with the third youngster, and practically non-existent with the last kid. Lynda who? 

My 3rd birthday with my sister Val

This weekend, we are celebrating my sister's 80th birthday, in a socially responsible way, outdoors in my niece's large yard. I am looking forward to visiting with nieces and their spouses, great-nieces, and great-nephews, plus our combined collection of doggies and one very large cat. 

But late last night, I got to thinking. What about her birthday cake? How is my sister going to handle that one? 

How do you blow out candles wearing a face mask? And who would want to eat a cake that has been decorated with germs? And if you don't blow out the birthday candles, do you still get to

Thomas the Cat, on his 16th birthday

 make a wish? It's a conundrum. 

If I owned a birthday candle manufacturing company, I would be very worried about the future. 

The colourful paper plates, napkins, and balloons will probably have a future in our post-COVID-19 lives, but birthday candles? I think they will, in time, disappear from the retailers. Retailers can't afford to stock an item that no one wants. COVID-19 has blown the fun out of life.

Happy 80th Birthday to my sister Valdine, with love from your annoying baby sister. I am so pleased that we can still infect our birthday cakes together. 

Val on her 50th birthday

~

New, new, new! 

Twisted Isla, Book #6, Isla Mujeres Mystery series

Grab your copy today - here's the Amazon link for e-books or paperbacks.

Grab your copy today - just click on this link

Two countries, four cities, four months ... time to settle down

Isla Mujeres, December 2019

It's been an unsettled few months for Sparky and me, and my writing schedule has suffered greatly. 

My current work-in-progress, Twisted Isla, is two months behind on my self-imposed launch date. It's time to get back to my daily writing routine.

In December, the sale of our Isla Mujeres house was completed, then I packed up my three suitcases of possessions and Sparky and I flew away to a new adventure in San Miguel de Allende. It's a beautiful colonial city located in the heart of Mexico. 

Sparky and I, leaving our Isla house, 2019

Thankfully, my good friend Eileen Regn had room in her heart for Boo the Cat, a sweet semi-feral stray that wanted to live with us, but strictly on her own terms. I couldn't imagine trying to relocate her to a new city. 

San Miguel de Allende, December to March 

From mid-December to mid-March, Sparky and I enjoyed exploring the history, the colour, and the culture of San Miguel de Allende. 

I was beginning to find new friends and new interests. In early March, our Isla friends, Julie, Robin, and Anna, came for a visit. Life was good. The sun was shining and I was busy writing. 

And then the emails from the Canadian government started. Return to Canada, now. We are expecting a worldwide pandemic. 

Well, hell! 

So, I packed up my three suitcases of possessions and my pooch and flew back to the country of my birth. Thankfully, good friends that I have known since elementary school days had an extra bedroom where Sparky and I could hide out and do our two-week isolation after returning to Canada from Mexico.

Then, the whole world went into self-isolation, quarantine, and social distancing. Life became weird. 

Sparky in Surrey, BC - new raincoat

By the time five weeks had passed, I decided that even though my friends were encouraging me to continue living with them until the world sorted itself out, I just couldn't do it. I needed a place to rattle around on my own with my demanding, neurotic dog, and to concentrate on writing again. 

Sparky and I, plus my three well-traveled suitcases, took up residence in Summerland on April 28th. It's a new building with a view of the mountains. 

It's interesting trying to find furniture for an empty unit during a pandemic. The first four nights, I slept on a foam mattress on the floor. Now I have a bed, a sofa, two chairs, plus a tiny table. It's a start. I have discovered online shopping, and the FedEx delivery guy and I are on a first-name basis. 

My bed, some assembly required.

I feel guilty about spending a little money when so many people are struggling to put food on the table, but sleeping on the floor when I am 69 and a bit years old is too darn difficult. 

I am enjoying being back in Canada, but frequently, Lawrie's favourite complaint comes to mind. "Canada has so damn many rules," he would grouse when we returned to visit with friends and family. Every. Single. Time. 

He's right. It's a funny adjustment to be back to the Canadian way of thinking. 

As for my writing, today is a chilly and rainy day. It's a good day to get back to writing Book #6 of the Isla Mujeres Mystery series - Twisted Isla.

Stay healthy, my friends. Hopefully, we will soon see the end of this isolation. 

Cheers, Lynda and The Sparkinator

Sparky, checking out his new country.

Book #6 of the exciting Isla Mujeres Mystery series - coming soon!