Around the House and Around the Neighborhood

I was sitting in the van when I heard the familiar whistle. The knife sharpener was coming down the street on his bicycle. Thankfully we needed some knives sharpened, but even if we didn’t I wanted the experience of seeing this guy do his craft. So out of the van I came to strike the bargain and go inside for the knives. Three knives - $5 – and sharp too – not a bad deal.

After two policemen were shot and killed last week on a major street near our home, we were a bit leery when the riot police showed up on our street corner five days later. “What’s up?” we wondered then settled in to watch. They remained though the night and into the next day armed with their riot gear. Finally, things began to take shape as a chain link fence went up on a vacant lot near the cemetery. We learned that there’s a little………..mmmmmm…………disagreement. New housing is being built, but the community wants the cemetery expanded instead. Now that was a new Christmas adventure for us.

Last night we kept a Mexico Christmas tradition alive. First we went to the Christmas program at Puebla Christian School and then on to Costco for big berry sundaes. We sat in the outdoor food court, enjoyed our ice cream, shivered, then went back to the van and turned on the heat. That’s as close to winter as it gets. Can’t wait to try the same thing next year at the Dairy Queen in the driving snow.

Today is an end of an era – Daniel’s last day of school. What started out as A,B,C….1,2,3 ended in logic and worldview. I’m sure he is thrilled to have completed this leg of his education…I’m not so sure about mom. None-the-less we celebrated with a round of pizza and frappuccinos (or in my case a toffee nut latte) to commemorate the rite-of-passage.

Check out the girls in the video below: