March 2020 Newsletter

LIFE IN MEXICO

UNWANTED GUEST COMES FOR A HOLIDAY

A bustling Manzanillo beach

Although Mexico has has not suffered as badly as other jurisdictions, restrictions to control COVID-19 are now falling into place

Our home state of Colima, for instance, has recommended that citizens avoid all unnecessary movement and stay at home. Trips for food, medicine and aid to others are allowed, but gyms, bars and theatres are either closed or discouraged destinations.

So far, people have been fairly obedient.  Normally, Mir-a-mar beach is filled with hundreds of swimmers and sun-bathers enjoying the sunny, warm weather. As you can see in the photo taken by Fred Taylor on March 21, however, the beach is largely deserted. As my father used to say, you could fire a bazooka and not hit anyone!

Most Canadian and US residents have returned home, but, obviously, Mexican beach-lovers remain. The test will come in a few weeks with the start of Easter weekend. This is the most popular holiday of the year, with families from Mexico City and Guadalajara flocking down to party.

I have heard that authorities are restricting movement along major highways into Manzanillo to residents and workers only. This should dissuade tourists, but if the situation gets too crowded, the police may have to close the beaches to everyone.

Only time will tell. In the meantime, stay safe!

FAVORITE RECIPE

LAMB SHANKS

Melt in your Mouth

This is the perfect recipe for a Sunday supper! You can find the shanks in the frozen meat section of most grocery stores year round, or pick some up from your local butcher in season. It is literally a one-pot meal that’s easy to make and very delicious!

INGREDIENTS

2 lamb shanks, scored

1 T olive oil

1/2 cup of flour

1 Tsp of chili powder

4 shallots, whole, peeled

4 garlic cloves, whole, peeled.

1/2 cup wine

1 cup chicken broth

1 t rosemary

Salt and pepper

DIRECTIONS

Heat oven to 450 F.

Place an iron casserole pot on the stove and turn to medium. Brown the shallots and garlic in the oil.

Dust the shanks in a mix of flour and chili powder then brown in the oil. Season with salt and pepper.

Pour in wine, broth and rosemary.

Place casserole pot in oven uncovered for ½ hour.

Cover the pot and turn oven down to 350 F. Let cook for 2 ½ hours.

(Optional: you can add diced carrots and potatoes with one hour left to go.)

Remove pot and allow to cool for 15 minutes.

Remove lamb and vegetables to a serving platter, then make gravy using 2 Tsp of reserved flour/chili powder mixed in ½ cup of broth.

Serve with mint sauce or jalapeno jelly.

FREEBIE!

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RICHEST DOGS & CATS

This is an excerpt from the newsletter I write each month in support of Friends of Mexico Animal Welfare. Check Friends out at https://www.fomaw.org

Grumpy Cat Ready for the Cameras

Pets can’t inherit or own property or money directly, but they can benefit from a loving former parent through a trust. They can also earn funds on behalf of their owners through acting and internet promotions.

Here’s a list of some of the world’s richest cats and dogs.

Gunther IV.

When Countess Karlotta Libenstein of Germany died in 1992, she left over $100 million to her German Shepherd, Gunther III. Her trustees eventually more than tripled the money, and when Gunther IV was born, he became the world’s richest dog, with an estimated $375 million in biscuits.

Grumpy Cat (officially Tardar Sauce)

Grumpy cat is considered to be the world’s richest cat, earning its owner, Tabatha Bundesen, an estimated $100 million through endorsements and promotions (a figure which Bundesen denies). The tiny feline burst to fame in 2012, when a photo of her famously unfriendly features went viral on social media. Grumpy passed away in 2019 at the age of seven, but she lives on in countless memes!

Olivia Benson

Olivia is owned by Taylor Swift and was named after the singer’s favorite character on Law and Order: SVU. It is estimated that the white Scottish fold cat has earned over $97 million through social media and ads for Coke and Keds shoes, placing it on par with Grumpy Cat.

Tommaso

Tommaso is a black cat with a lucky streak. After wandering into the home of Italian property magnate Maria Assunta, the four-year old stray soon became the prime object of her affection. When Assunta died in 2011 at the age of 94, Tommaso inherited the equivalent of $13 million. The money is held in trust by Assunta’s nurse, Stefania.

Trouble

When real estate and hotel tycoon Leona Helmsley died in 2007, the ‘Queen of Mean’ left $12 million to her Maltese, Trouble. A year later, a judge deemed the amount exceeded what was necessary to care for the dog, and order the inheritance reduced to $2 million. Trouble died in Florida in 2011.

Conchita.

When socialite Gail Posner passed away in 2010, she left $3 million in trust to her Chihuahua. During her life, Posner treated Conchita to lavish gifts, manicures and lunches at extravagant restaurants. Her son sued the estate, claiming that the trust was foisted on his mother by greedy house servants.

MOVIE REVIEW

Self Made

Starring Octavia Spencer

Produced by Netflix

The four-part mini-series, starring Oscar-winning actress Octavia Spencer (The Help, 2011), is based upon the life of Madam C.J. Walker, an African-American woman who became the first black, self-made millionaire in America.

Born Sarah Breedlove in 1867, she began making her own line of cosmetics and hair care products aimed at black women. She founded the Madam C.J. Walker Manufacturing Company (named after her third husband), and her products became a by-word for quality and beauty in the African-American community.

The plot revolves around the feud that is generated between Sarah and her arch-nemesis Addie, a fellow cosmetologist who lays claim to the former’s innovations (and men). In addition, Sarah must fight discrimination against blacks and misogyny toward woman as she muscles her way through the male-dominated business world.

The result is a highly-entertaining soap-opera with a social message that will resonate with its contemporary audience. I highly recommend you watch Self Made.

BOOK REVIEW

A Distant Mirror

By Barbara Tuchman

Tuchman, a Pulitzer-prize winning author, wrote A Distant Mirror over 40 years ago. The historical non-fiction chronicles life in 14^th century Europe, covering a wide range of topics, including the Battle of Poitiers, the 100-Years War between the English and the French, and the Catholic Church split that resulted in a papacy in Avignon.

Scintillating stuff, I know. But her eloquent style of writing and ability to make historical characters leap off the page makes the book a fascinating and informative read. And, at 600 pages of densely packed prose, it makes an excellent diversion when self-isolating!

There is another aspect that makes the book relevant. A great deal of the narrative is dedicated to documenting the Black Death, the bubonic plague that wiped out as much as half of humanity between 1348-1350. The panic and desperation of Europeans during the pandemic reflects the situation in which the world now finds itself in today. After a span of over 600 years, far too much of human folly remains the same.

I highly recommend you read A Distant Mirror.