Last templum in Baja

This is my last week in Baja.  Next week I head to Paris. So I am now counting down the last time I do things. For example, Friday was my last eyebrow tinting. Today was my last walk to church (templum). I put some pictures below. Church bells ring telling people church is starting now. The bells ring half an hour before the service and again 15 minutes before the service and finally a minute before the service. That tells people when to start walking to church. I usually head out at the 15 minute warning. The workmen finished laying bricks in the new sidewalk. Now when I walk home arm-in-arm with the neighbor néni we don't have to walk in the street!

Yesterday was my third to last fry bread at the piac. Wednesday will be my second to last, and Saturday will be the last. I could get langos at a shop on the Sugo canal, but that's not near as fun as going to the bazaar. The sights and sounds, smells of fresh flowers fruit and veggies, people of all descriptions, sellers calling out to passers by, baby chicks and ducklings peeping, kids eating ice cream, it is all rich and full of life.  I love the piac! 

I expect my last pedicure this week. And last visit with neighbors and friends. I hope we will to to Fiszt to see cousins. If we go we will take the bus. My husband told me what hard workers they are, and how picturesque was the town when he last saw it. The cousins came to the funeral, and we're very kind to me, inviting us to visit. I am looking forward to it!

I finished my mending, and will ask if there is anything else I can sew in these last few days. I haven't had many chores while my husband's sister is off work. She fees the animals and does the marketing. I do my laundry, clean the floors, help with the weeding and mowing. But she is a busy gal, taking care of dozens of things, and there's not much left for me to do. She will return to work a few days a week after I go home. She is basically retired now, just working a bit for extra pocket money. 

I think I understand a bit about how retirement and healthcare works here. I think that folks get a small pension when they retire. Everyone has basic health care and can go to the doctor whenever needed. There can be a long wait for major services. So people also pay privately for services that they need fast, or for specialties. For instance, I understand that many women get private pay services for gynecology and for delivering babies. Gals will save up money in order to pay. A doctor can have a career in a state hospital and a private practice at the same time. When a dog bit me I went to the hospital emergency room for treatment. I received treatment free of charge. Thankfully it was a minor injury. I don't know what it would be like if I needed stitches or surgery. Please, I don't want to find out! The pharmacies here are pretty cool. It's almost like going to see a nurse. You walk in to the shop, tell the white coat clad service personnel about your problem. Then he or she gets the medication you need. I was bitten by some kind of insect and my face swollen  up like a balloon overnight. I took a Benedryl in the middle of the night. The next morning we went to the pharmacy and the pharmacist gave me a stronger medication. It knocked me out! Note to self: take prescription antihistamine on my next trip. Benedryl is good, but my reactions are pretty strong and Benadryl only takes the edge off, I need something stronger. I hope that was my last allergic reaction in Baja!

What else is last? Today's lunch was the last meal together with my husband's sister and niece. We ate outside, it was sunny and breezy. I said grace, and started tearing up as I spoke. Afterward, Frank's sister hugged me, we both cried a bit. We agreed that it is sad that I only have one week left here. I will treasure every moment. Even the difficult ones wherein I can't make myself understood. Or when I don't understand someone else. That is most moments! Really, this language is wickedly difficult to learn! I know lots of words, but the endings are all twisty and turn-y. I recognize lots of root words, but with the multitude of suffixes I feel like the words all swim around in a big cauldron, swirling together and making no sense. I know that that is a piece of meat, that is a carrot, and that is pasta. But I don't know their relationship to each other so I don't know what kind of stew it is. I am positive that my niece told me that the gym is closed on Sundays. But yesterday she said, "no, it is open in the evening." Most of the time I just say, "ok," and follow along like a little duck after its mother. This will not be the last week of that! When I get to Paris I will follow my other niece around like a little duckling! The rest of the meals this week will be just me and my sister in law. She cooks like crazy and I look forward to her home fries. They are the best fries I have ever had. I think I already said that, but they are so swesomly crunchy on the outside and tender and buttery on the inside, that I have to say it again. I will be sad to eat my last meal of home fries!

Here are photos of my last walk to templum in Baja.