Where Did Mexico's President Go? VIDEO UPDATE

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UPDATE - The president has reappeared in a 60-second video.  He is shown his national palace in the Zocolo in Mexico City.  Walking slowly and obviously feeble he says he wants to show that he is in good health to avoid any rumors. 

We haven't heard a thing from the Mexican president other than his announcement that he tested positive for COVID.  That was last weekend.  His interior secretary has been handling his morning diatribes but refuses to answer any questions about his health other than saying he is doing fine.

You would think we would see a short video clip of him waving to his fans, a short word either via tape, radio or in writing.  Not a peep.

Is this a hoax to play on Covid?  He's been known to do this type of thing on a couple of occasions.  Last month he said he was giving up his morning sermons but then the next day said he was just joking.

I much as I don't like the man, his administration, cabinet, and party, he is Mexico's president and it would be a tragedy if something happened to him.  Mexico would be thrown into chaos having his interior minister take over for two months while the senate attempted to make a decision for a new president.  

We're all waiting.  So, I guess it is fair that he would say that COVID is real.

The Good, The Bad, and The Truly Ugly

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Taken January 27, 2021, at 10 p.m. with a Canon EOS Rebel T6 250mm zoom lens.  Full moon 99%.

It appears we are making headway here in Mexico.  Mexico has ordered 20 million doses of the Russian Sputnik V vaccine although it still hasn't passed approval by COFEPRIS (Comision Federal Por La Protección Contra Riesgos Sanitarias) the Mexican FDA.   The other good news is that Nuevo Leon may be the site of a vaccine manufacturing plant along with the approval of our state-sponsored purchase of a vaccine still to be announced.

The truly bad news is that INEGI (Instituto Nacional de Estadistica y Geografía) statistics and geographic information, published a census and statistical data report outlining deaths in Mexico.  Between January and August of 2020, 683,000 deaths were recorded in Mexico.  More than any other year in the history of recorded statistics with the exception of one specific period.  What was that period?  The Pandemic of 1918.  That tells us that the majority of the deaths during this period are COVID-related.  INEGI stated that there were 45% more COVID deaths than officially recorded as those deaths were not in hospitals.  That's a show of how many people were not treated in hospitals and confirms what I have said over the past few months.  People were either afraid to be hospitalized or they were told to stay at home because there were and still aren't any beds available.

Several months ago when the news was reporting a lack of beds in hospitals it got me thinking and I have been doing some research to understand how that can happen.  There are different methodologies for hospital planning and construction.  The bottom line is that both public and private facilities are not based on other businesses, if you build them people will come.  It's about statistics on common illnesses, cancer treatments, disease and outbreaks along with population concentrations in specific areas.  There lies the theory.  COVID was unexpected although epidemiologists and virologists had said that something was happening years ago.  How bad is this coronavirus and how many people are dying?  Enough to tell us that based on hospital construction and the number of hospitals and beds, it's more than was ever planned based on statistics.  I guess my point is that the virus is a real killer and the 2 million recorded COVID deaths plus all those in treatment on ventilators, is much more than we can handle.  Hard to believe though that some people believe it's just like the common flu and the death rates are normal.  Time and history will tell us the truth.  People do not have to die.  Bottom line.

The rv is ready to roll.  I finished the reinstall of the original toilet.  It leaked a bit and I found that the cone washer was missing.  Bought one at Home Depot and worked great.  I also replaced an exterior tail light bulb that was not flashing only working in brake mode.  I also installed the LP tank tray.  You may remember I had a guy make a new one and I bought the rod that is used to hold it into place.  I put it off as I hate to drill holes in things.  I did it anyway using tapping screws and it worked just fine.  Then, the new hole in the side of the trailer made by the guys cutting the trees.  I put a solid wall socket cover over it for now until I find someone to do the fiberglass.  I may just leave it that way, it looks like it belongs there.  

A nephew's MIL in Cincinnati received her vaccine yesterday so I imagine that my oldest brother living down the street will be able to do it soon as well.   

With Mexico's president at home with COVID, his secretary of the interior has taken his place in his morning two hours history courses.  She refuses to answer any questions about his health or the current state in Mexico of COVID.  He may be sicker than we think or are being told.  Several members of his cabinet have now tested positive along with politicians he met with in northern Mexico last week.  

The weather has improved and is getting warmer but with chilly nights and early mornings.  Fine with me.  It appears that the trees are already budding and the grass is ready for its first cut.  We've been cooking up a storm and you many have seen my loaf of bread that I posted on Facebook.  The pic is a bit fuzzy but you get the idea.  It's called sponge bread and it not only tastes great but makes for good toast and grilled sandwiches.  

There's Always Something Good (and Bad) That Comes Out Of Everything

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First off, positive thoughts for our friend Brenda.  Brenda is a well-known photographer who covers cultural events here in the state and beyond, mostly theater and dance.  She has been intubated and hospitalized with COVID for several weeks now.  Here three children are being cared for by family, all three have COVID.  

Yesterday I ventured out into the world not sure of what would be. I decided I should take all the precautions and the ones that I normally do. This is my attire for grocery shopping. I haven't been for some time in person and ordering online was not getting us all the detailed items we needed. Off I went, out into the cold and dreary world of COVID where the only communication is a raise of eyebrows or a gesture with the hands. It's mysteriously quiet these days, no hellos, go ahead, or not even a short "howdy-do". On Thursday our national secretary of health said no state would be allowed to buy vaccines on its own. Oh shit, the roller coaster ride again. On Friday during his 2-hour diatribe, the president reverses the decision. This government has become quite comical, to say the least and has kept me entertained for months. What better viewing than a Pinochet-styled dictator who has no control, stumbles on his words and has been proven to be a bit senile. So now, states are on road trips visiting different countries and pharmaceuticals around the globe. Our great state of Nuevo Leon is off to Russia and is confirming a deal for 2 million vaccines. Monday or Tuesday we'll know more results of the race similar to "It's A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World". Wait, I may have put too many "Mads" in the title but that makes it even more fitting.

With the end of winter and the warmer weather arriving now, we made the decision to have our trees and shrubs cut back. The good, the bad, and now the ugly. A crew came full guns swingin', the boss, seven men, two enormously long ladders, and three chainsaws. It was a massacre. They worked every day all day for three and a half days. Needless to say, it was a marathon and the place was looking like a hurricane had hit. Today was the last day and they came to clean the palm trees. I had been cleaning out some drawers in the kitchen and came across an item for the trailer. I walked out opened the trailer door. I could see straight into the bathroom and saw light through the wall above the sink. Oh My God! A limb had hit the trailer and busted a small hole right in the side of the trailer. It's the size of an electrical outlet in length and about 4 cm wide. The inside looks much worse than the outside. They weren't going to tell us. We called the boss and we are waiting for a resolution.

I've decided to try some of those wacky Facebook video recipes and see what kind of bread we come up with this week.  It looks like the U.S. is back on course and it will take a couple of decades for the country to regain its reputation.  Oh the damage an individual can do.  Now you know why I am so concerned about Mexico.

While cleaning out those drawers, I found some old CDs.  I put them in and found some great rving pictures from 2002 to 2004 before the blog.  This is our Trailmanor 3326 hard-sided folding trailer.  It was fab.  I don't know why we ever went to a standard travel trailer.  I think it was the "pop up" stigma.  We pulled it with my best SUV ever, a 98 Nissan Pathfinder.  We finished that Pathfinder in 2007 with 465,000 Km.  A V6 with lots of power.  It was a swell looking car to boot and very comfortable.

This was a Christmas trip we had taken that led us to Fort Davis, TX.  We took a lot of hiking shots and one that I found shows Juan sitting on a ledge.  While reviewing the pictures today, out in the distance I saw a speck.  I think I found another UFO.  I'll post it this week. It's not one of the weather reconnaissance balloons tethered along the border. 

The Poor Come First (And Some Pictures)

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🔅🔅🔅 There are some pictures at the end if you want to skip this first part 🔅🔅🔅

It's going to be one of those posts and you are free to leave now.  The campaign slogan for our current socialist dictator has been "primero los pobres" (the poor come first).  We need to take care of the poor through temporary financial support, education, and jobs.  Agreed.  

But think about this.  The plan for COVID vaccination distribution is first to the poor in remote rural areas.  Hmm, does that sound right?  Well, it is the plan.  Even though the incidence of virus and transmission is very low in rural areas and extremely high in concentrated areas such as Mexico City, Monterrey, and Guadalajara, we are going to work from the outside in.   The current unofficial death toll from COVID is 300,000 and 140,000 officially, and we know that the virus is spread in concentrated areas such as cities, those areas will come last.  

In addition, the vaccine is being distributed first to health care workers; doctors, nurses, and hospital staff the private sector is not going to receive the vaccine under that umbrella but will be vaccinated based on age and physical condition.  Keep in mind that private hospitals agreed to take all non-COVID surgeries and any COVID overflow from public hospitals.  It's not as if they provide exclusive service to the rich.

Another example of how the president sees not only the pandemic but how the country should be run.  He has also denied any stimulus for big business not taking into account that without big business there will be fewer taxes paid and increased unemployment.  He refuses to recognize the formal economy and continues to praise the "so-called" underdogs of Mexican society.  Such a vengeful person. 

A senator from Nuevo Leon has made a statement that rings very true with most Mexicans.  "In the north, we have hard workers.  In the central part of the country we have the bureaucrats and government administrators, and in the south, those that prefer to rest".  And that my friends, is the truth about Mexico.

Now for a picture of a delicious banana bread, I made this week.  I combined whole wheat and regular flours which made it meaty yet remained soft.  It wasn't super sweet using just a bit of honey but the cinnamon on top and setting overnight really did the trick.

Came across a picture of these two rats.  I sure wish they were around now, we could use a little catnip mischieve.  They were definitely a pair.  I still can't believe Little Bit lived to be almost 20 years old.  He was such a great pet, my shadow for all those years.   But, if we want to travel in the near future we can't have pets.  Maybe when I'm old and gray and can't drive anymore I'll have a lap pet.

The picture was taken at Barra del Tordo.  If you weren't reading the blog then, you can see what it was like by clicking here Barra del Tordo  Those were good times, so carefree and fun.  We had the place to ourselves almost everytime we went.  That was then, this is now.

Counting Down The Days or Is It The Weeks?

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The year has started and it really was with a bang.  The capital being invaded.  Who would have ever thought that would happen.  

I am learning new things about our camera we bought a few years back.  I was finally able to figure out how to take a close up of the moon and get some crater views.  It worked!  I still want to get closer and it is just a matter of practice.

I had made enough pizza sauce to make another pizza and had it in the freezer.  I made another pizza and it was delicious.  So delicious I doubt we will buy a pizza again unless we are in a good Italian restaurant.

The virus has stopped a lot of activities.  One for us were the buyers of our land in Allende.   The family came down with COVID and the husband is still recovering.  No social medicine so they are paying out of their pockets.  Probably they will have to get a second on their home.  Good thing Lolita is allowing second loans during COVID.

We've been hit so hard by the virus that we are in weekend lockdown many of which people are being picked up and jailed while shutting down weddings, social events, and neighborhood parties.

I just posted on a YouTuber's video.  They are galavanting around in Arizona which as of two days ago is a major U.S. hot spot.  Big events and parties between nomads, rvers, and vanlifers.  Quartzsite is still drawing lots of people, maybe not the mega crowds but I guess if you are in a motorhome you are immune and so are the people you meet up with.  Funny how people think.  One famous nomad couldn't understand how they could shut down public restrooms and showers and put up a porta-potty.  Simple!  People are standing next to each other, showering, coughing, hawking, blowing their noses, talking, brushing their teeth, and that S--- is going everywhere. With the porta-`potty it's one person at a time and as the person exits you wait a few minutes in hopes the droplets hit the ground before you enter or at least the risk is highly reduced.

We're still on the same stay at home rules.  I may miss out on a lot, like maybe a year, but after I'll be alive to live a few more.  We are supposed to get our vaccines at the end of March.  That said, one of the mayors in Monterrey (we have nine municipalities in one city and each is independent) said he wants to buy the vaccine for everyone in the municipality.  As I have said, the 10 northern states have formed an alliance against the federal government.  Now the word is spreading and they are thinking about not waiting for the bureaucracy of the federal dictatorship and we'll just pay for it out of our state pockets.  

Total deaths today in Mexico is 133,000 with the highest numbers recorded in the last three days.  Same in the U.S. 336,000 and we were warned about the holidays.  But, I guess a couple of million dead people don't matter as long as you don't it.  Right?