Reflection on a Monday

Today is Monday.
I've lived many, many Mondays.

Everyone seems to be waiting for Friday to arrive.
Counting down the days to the weekend.

Some Mondays I wished away,
but mostly I find Mondays refreshing.

The beginning of a week full of possibilities.
An entire stretch of time waiting to be filled.

I don't have to wait for Friday.
Today is Monday.

On the Road Again

It's been about six months since we made the drive from Canada to Mexico in our trusty Honda Civic. Thinking back, I remember the grey skies in Buffalo, the Ohio River stretching across the green fields  in Cincinnati, the neon lights in Nashville and the intensity of the summer sun in Texas. We were pretty impressed that our little Honda made the long trek south, considering it's getting up in years.

When we crossed the border into Mexico, we had all our paperwork ready but it turns out the processing time for our car was a couple days. We were very eager to get home and didn't feel like sticking around in Nuevo Laredo, so instead we applied for a 6-month permit. Mexico has fairly strict laws about vehicle importation, in order to protect their economy. At the moment, you can't import a car into Mexico any newer than a 2008 model. This wasn't a problem for us, as our Honda is a 1999. However, the actual importation is a bit tricky. Shortly after we arrived, the government restricted all car importations. So we waited... and while we waited for the ban to lift, the Honda sat parked on our street...patiently waiting too.

Hibernation is not the most ideal activity for a car. After about three months, we noticed the front left tire had become flat. We used one of those handy air compressors to pump it back up. It seemed to last about a week, and then the tire was flat again. The next time we tried to pump it up, the car coughed and gagged and struggled to start. After a couple tries, there was only silence and the battery was completely pooched. We didn't have time to find a new battery that day, and then life got busy and we forgot about the car for a little while.

As winter approached and the temperature dropped, we remembered the permit expiry date was getting closer. We had heard that if you cancel the permit before the expiry, you can receive your $200 deposit back and then you can renew the permit again for another 180 days. So we decided it was time to get the Honda back on the road. Javier found a beautiful new battery for the car and asked a friend to come over to install it and bring our car back to life. (Photo Credit: Javier Arizpe)

And last week I took the car to a shop on the highway to check out the tire.

It didn't take them long to find the reason for our flat tire... and thankfully they were able to patch it up. (Just threw a quarter in the photo for size reference)

As the expiry date for the permit is January 23rd, we decided to go a couple days early. You can only renew permits at the border, so we left early last Wednesday, headed for Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas.

The day was grey and rainy, and clouds covered the tops of the mountains.

Nuevo Laredo is about 230km from our home (or about 2.5 hours). The first stretch of the drive is through the mountains, and the rest of the drive is fairly flat.

We stopped for brunch at this colourful place along the way.

They had a delicious looking buffet, with a variety of traditional mexican dishes.

One of the most delicious things you can find in the north of Mexico are Tacos Mañaneros with Barbacoa. I like to add freshly chopped onion, cilantro and green salsa to mine.

We also shared a glass of Horchata - delicious!

Inside the restaurant, they had plenty of typical tourist souvenirs as well.

We finally arrived in Nuevo Laredo and found our way to the Vehicle Importation Building.

There aren't many signs so you need to ask for directions if you are planning to get there.

When we applied for our permit in July, the place was bustling with people. This time it was almost empty, with a handful of folks and no line-ups. We began the process again, waiting in various lines, making photo copies of documents, and signing papers. I was hoping it would be as simple as it sounded.... just cancel the permit and reapply. We found out that when you apply for a vehicle permit, you are only allowed 180 days exactly... which means, if you cancel a few days before the permit expires, then reapplying only gives you a "new" permit for the remaining days you already have. This means Javier was not able to reapply for the permit, or we would only get 5 more days. Thankfully, after some momentary panic, crossed fingers and a little patience (well, Javier was patient... I'm still working on that), we were able to transfer the permit in my name instead.

Since we were so close to the border, we crossed over to the US side to visit Laredo. 

We discovered a Guitar Centre in town and enjoyed browsing through the selection of instruments. Here is a shot of some nice looking bass guitars.

It was getting late into the afternoon, and Javier suddenly developed a migraine, so we decided to head back home. Crossing the border was pleasantly simple this time (without a giant trailer).

It was very foggy on the way back, and the mountains were still hiding behind the mist.

We were on the last stretch of the highway, when we suddenly noticed red and blue lights flashing behind us. I've only ever had one speeding ticket in my life, so I'm not used to being pulled over. We stopped on the side of the road. The officer was smiling when he approached the window, and explained that our tail lights were out. Javier got out of the car to talk with him, and then came back to say that the officer was going to take my license with him to a police station to prepare a ticket. This seemed unusual and unnecessary so I panicked and told Javier that he can't take my license away, mostly because I didn't want to have to figure out how to find to the police station later. I got out of the car to try and explain this, but decided to listen in on the conversation first. Javier was very polite and respectful, explaining that we had just renewed our permit and we were almost home. I guess the officer decided to give us a break, and after a few minutes we were on our way again, thankfully with my license in hand and no ticket.

The next day, I was determined not to let the brake lights stop me. I knew the lights were working fine before, and Javier thought we probably just blew a fuse. I don't know much about cars, but I did a little research to figure out if I could fix the problem myself. After a quick search, I found the fuse panel and figured out which one linked to the brake lights.

Conveniently, the fuse panel includes a spare 7.5 fuse... so it took about 2 minutes to make the switch. Now I'm sure my mechanic friends would laugh about this simple problem, but after taking care of the problem myself, I felt on top of the world! Thanks to Google and my pliers for the inspiration! (and to Javier, who later told me that he was the one who put the spare fuses in the box!). 

Christmas Eve

Monterrey, Mexico - Today is December 24, 2014 and there is not a snow flake in sight.  The temperature dropped to 12º Celsius today, so the air is fresh but not quite crisp. Despite the plethora of Christmas decorations on every street corner, the aisles of red, green and white in the shopping malls, and the relentless carols on every radio station.... well, there's just something special about snow on Christmas. Some of my favourite childhood memories involved bundling up with heavy coats, mittens, hats and scarves (until you can barely move) and waddling your way through an open field of glistening snow; hearing only the crunch under your boots, an echo of the wind, and the sound of your own breath behind a now moist scarf. I remember playing outside for hours with my siblings, building giant snow forts, making snow angels, and skating on the dark ice of the pond, barely noticing the cold. The best moment was bursting back into the house, peeling all the sticky layers off, and snuggling beside the fireplace with some hot chocolate. Nothing quite beats that feeling of your cold, red cheeks merrily thawing as you listen to a fire crackle. Well.... almost nothing. I have to admit, the feeling of warm sunshine on my face is just as delicious. And so here I am enjoying the sunshine, with plenty of happy memories of snow and twinkling lights.

One of my favourite Christmas albums is Sarah McLachlan's Wintersong. You can listen to the title track here. She released the album in October 2006, and every Christmas I dig up the disc. The whole album has a peaceful and reflective feeling, and no matter what's going on around me, it makes me slow down and breathe. I decided it was the perfect accompaniment for baking some Christmas cookies. Check out this sneak peak.

Here's my recipe:

Christmas Gingerbread Cookies

Dry Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
3 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
(I used freshly grated nutmeg - Yum!)
1/4 tsp salt

Wet Ingredients:
1 egg
6 Tbsp butter (softened... leave it sitting on the counter the night before)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup molasses
2 tsp vanilla

Throw all the dry ingredients into a bowl and mix them well with a fork.
In another bowl, beat the egg, butter & sugar until smooth. Add molasses and vanilla and mix well.
Slowly add the dry mix into the wet mix, stirring with a wooden spoon until well combined.

Use your hands to form a ball of dough, wrap it with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for 2 hours.

Preheat your oven to 375ºF (190ºC). Roll out the dough on a floured surface to 1/4" thickness.
Use an assortment of cookie cutter shapes to cut out your cookies.

Place on a baking sheet (fitted with parchment paper). Bake for 8-10 minutes.

Remove cookies from baking sheet and put on cooling rack to cool.

You can serve them up plain, or you can add a little frosting to jazz them up.

Quick Frosting:
1 egg white
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup icing sugar

Beat the egg white with an electric mixer for about 4-5 minutes until stiff peaks form.
Add vanilla and mix. Slowly add the icing sugar, beating for another 3-4 minutes until glossy.
To decorate, use a piping bag (or a ziploc, with the tip cut).

I also used some silver dragees to add a little sparkle. You can find them at most grocery stores or perhaps a bakery. I was surprised to find them at our local HEB down the street.

Baking Christmas cookies is even more fun when you do it together. Here is my nephew cutting out cinnamon stars to bake in the oven. He's a pro!

The Cinnamon Stars comes from my Dr. Oetker "German Baking Today" cookbook from my mum. (It's a must-have!). The cookies are gluten-free and extremely delicious!

Here is the recipe. We found the dough a bit sticky, so we added an extra cup of ground nuts. After most of the stars stuck to the counter, we decided to just made little balls (much easier to make and much easier to eat, too!)

We also made these "No Bake Chocolate Chia Power Balls" from The Honour System. 
They were also extremely sticky, and I was very happy to have help making these! My mother-in-law mixed the dough (she recommends a wooden spoon as it gets very tough to stir) and my sister-in-law helped to roll the balls (she suggests washing or wetting your hands every so often, to avoid getting your hands too gooey).

Another lovely addition is chocolate coated dried apricots, inspired by my sister. They add a beautiful bright colour to the plate, and they're easy to make. Just melt 1/2 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips (or baking chocolate) on the stove-top, and dip the apricots in to coat them. You can use a double-boiler or small metal bowl, over a small pot of lightly boiling water. Be careful to avoid getting any water droplets in the chocolate, or it will harden/seize. 

Lay the chocolate-coated apricots on a plate covered with wax paper or parchment paper and leave them in the fridge for an hour or until the chocolate is set.

Merry Christmas from our family to you!

South to North...Day 12: Nuevo Laredo to Monterrey!

DAY 12

Thursday, July 24, 2014
Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico to Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico
Weather: Sunny, 39 celsius (HOT!)

Breakfast was delicious, with fresh fruit, toast, refried beans, eggs and cheese. There were several military personnel staying at the hotel and I captured this photo through the window.

We hit the road headed for Monterrey.  About 30 minutes into the drive, we arrived at a checkpoint. I pulled up to the window and handed over our passports. The guard looked at the documents and then looked back at me, saying that I'm missing something. I explained that I already have a visa in my passport, but he insisted that we can't cross without another document that I was missing. Javier was driving the truck behind us and was watching the exchange. After some discussion with the guard, we realized that we had to turn around and head back to the border again, in order to get a Visitor's Tourist Visa (the small form that you usually get on the plane when traveling to Mexico). To save some mileage, we parked the truck at an Oxxo on the highway, and Ricardo stayed with Javier's uncle, while Javier and I headed back to the border in the Honda. I finally realized why I should have gone through the declaration line. After 2 hours of waiting in line, filing out forms, making photocopies and an unexpected payment of $200, we finally left the border for a second time. 

The drive between Texas and Monterrey is stunning. The landscape is relatively flat at the beginning and eventually you start to see the mountains creeping up from the green, growing steadily as you get closer and closer. 

It was a good thing we had the truck, as the Honda struggled on some of the inclines. 

We approached the city from the north, and the traffic gradually picked up. 

I'd forgotten all about the traffic in Monterrey. Sigh.

The streets started to look familiar, and eventually we pulled up to the house. Finally home!

It felt so good to arrive to a full house and Mango Nadas!

Although the trip took a little longer than expected, it was an incredible experience that I'll never forget. We are so thankful to the many people that made this journey possible... friends helping us with last minute moving and keeping us sane during a stressful time, Ricardo for being so patient with us both, our great hosts in Nashville & Dallas, our new friends/mechanics/life savers in Dunkirk, and our families and friends for support and prayers for a safe trip. Here's to wonderful memories and new adventures on the horizon!

Much love xoxo
Rosalie

South to North: Day 11... San Antonio, TX

DAY 11

Wednesday, July 23, 2014
San Antonio, Texas, USA to Nuevo Laredo, Tamaulipas, Mexico
Weather: Sunny, 36 celsius

After breakfast, we headed to the lobby of the hotel to check out. I noticed this good luck horseshoe above the door and it reminded me of my friend Nicole.

Back on the 35 South, we saw signs for Laredo and set the map for UPS Frieght location. The distance between San Antonio and Laredo is about 155 miles or 250 km. Typically it should take about 2.5 hours, but it took us around 3.5 hours.

There were several of these signs posted all along the highway. 

We finally pulled into the UPS terminal just before noon. The temperature outside was a sweltering 38 Celsius by now; just standing outside under the sun made the sweat pour down our backs. We headed into the office (with air conditioning) and asked about our shipment. The friendly guy in the office located the two skids right away, but we had to wait until they finished their current orders. 

Meanwhile, we pulled the car around the back behind the shipping area and started unloading the trailer to make room for the rest of our things. We took turns going back into the office to cool off. About an hour later, the guy on the fork lift brought down our two skids and dropped them off in the gravel yard beside the car. It took an hour to load everything back into the trailer. We realized that it would probably be a struggle for the Honda to carry the full trailer up the mountain roads between here and Monterrey, so Javier called his uncle to ask if he could come meet us in Laredo with his pick-up truck. By the time we were finished loading the trailer, my head felt like it was going to explode and I couldn't concentrate anymore. If you've ever had heat stroke before, you will know what I'm talking about. It's hard to tell in this photo because of the light in the bathroom, but I looked like a tomato. Although I'm smiling in this photo, I was feeling pretty grumpy at that point.

I went back into the office and Javier bought me a Coke from the vending machine. 
The guys went to find some lunch while I sat on the floor in the office to cool down. 

While we waited for Javier's uncle to arrive, we sat in the UPS staff room, eating lunch and watching Joan Jett on TV.

We were anticipating that the border crossing would take a while, so we wanted to get on the road as soon as possible. Javier's uncle arrived with his truck around 5pm, we hooked everything up and headed for the highway.

Javier drove the truck with his uncle and the trailer in tow, while I followed behind in the Honda with Ricardo. I watched as Javier headed for the declaration line-up, and for some reason, I thought that since I wasn't carrying the trailer, I didn't have anything to declare (complete forgetting that I needed to declare myself and the car!), and breezed through the "nothing to declare" line, crossing the border in about two minutes.
Once across, we suddenly realized that the paperwork for the trailer and importation was in the Honda. After some phone calls and driving around in circles, we managed to get the papers to Javier. Despite having all the paperwork ready, Javier had to unload everything from the trailer by himself, to show the border officials, and then pack it all again. 

I felt very frustrated that I'd made the mistake of taking the wrong line, as it took two hours for Javier and his uncle to make it across the border, while Ricardo and I waited helplessly on the other side. (Spoiler alert: We didn't realize this mistake would cost more time tomorrow!)

It was getting dark by now, and we were 2.5 hours from Monterrey.

We decided to find a hotel for the night and drive the last stretch tomorrow. We found a Holiday Inn just off the highway, ordered some pizza for dinner, and called it a night.

Keep reading to find out what happened on the last day!