I'm Thankful

Thursday, November 27, 2008 Posted In , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , Edit This 2 Comments »
For the Saviour and His undivided attention.
For every morning that has no earthquake the night before.
For a great husband who puts up with me and pays for my dental work.
For kids who will feed me when I'm old and pay for my dental work.
For kids who still give their mother kisses before leaving for school.
For kids who do stupid funny things that I can blog about.
For kids who cook dinner occasionally.

For kids who give back rubs.
For hummingbirds.
For laptops.
For jello and ice cream and other soft foods.

For hot water and soap.
For pot plants.
For health and optimism.

For toilets that flush themselves.
For Moroni.
For paper bags.
For garlic and salt.

For people who consider me their friend.
For knitting needles.
For visiting teachers who bring dinner.
For seeds.

For a GPS named Rachel.
For a worldwide family.
For organic shampoo.
For grass and lawn mowers.

For ancestry.com.
For emergency rooms and patience.
For access to information.
For faith and gratitude.
For toothbrushes.

For Hallmark e-cards.
For bridges and roads.
For pink pyjamas.
For treadmills that you can hang stuff on.
For sales at Kohls.
For fossil fuels.
For matching socks.

For red nail polish and swivel chairs.
For self-deprecating humour.

For mothers who blog.
For park swings and waterfalls.
For Lady Godiva chocolate.
For the colour blue.
For choices.
For cold weather and rain.
For kitty litter.
For digital cameras.
For when the trial is over and I can breathe.

For repentance and mercy.
For 80s music.
For wet wipes.

For supermarkets and shopping carts.
For good literature.
For pain relief.
For lessons learned.

For ROFL.
For paying the electricity bill before disconnection. Just.
For Temple work.
For blue jeans.
For CAPITAL letters.

For garage door openers.
For green cards to get out of Tijuana with.
For school.

For a full moon.
For BYU tv.

For people who look after my children while I'm away having fun.
For bicycles.
For eyebrows.
For table tennis.
For scrambled eggs.

For uninterrupted afternoon naps.
For people who teach me something without knowing it.

For Cheryl.




Mexico Rocks!

Thursday, November 20, 2008 Posted In , , , , , , , Edit This 0 Comments »
I was nominated "chief haggler" when we went to Mexico today. I was doing a grand job of bargaining with the street hawkers but my conscience pricked me a bit when I talked one man down from $27 to $6 for a pair of sterling silver necklaces. I wondered if he was walking away muttering angrily because he didn't get to scalp me or because he was felt like he was scalped. Whatever the reason, I felt bad that maybe I had paid too little... or not..?

These feelings did not last long. My sister-in-law and I walked down Avenida Revolucion looking for a dress for P. One man stood out in front of us, (as they do) opened his arms wide and boomed, "My turn! You come to my shop! Everything only $2! Come in!"
So, we obediently followed him in and found a pretty little dress that P tried on. "Is it really only $2?" we asked.
"Of course! Everything is $2! Look around! I have lots of lovely things!"
Wow... ok.
Then we go to pay for the dress. "That will be $24."
WOT? "You just said everything was $2!"
"I did not. I said that everything was $2 OFF! You did not hear me."
To her credit, S didn't call him a very bad name, but instead walked toward the door telling him she didn't want the dress anymore.
I, on the other hand, was incensed! "You (sir) are a LIAR (and a cad)." Then we left pretty quickly with him still trailing us with offers of reduced prices. "My brother next door will sell you the same thing for $4 more... where are you from? ahh, you are my neighbour... I remember you! Come on... come back!"

I know that times are tough but resorting to such tactics creates bad feelings between vendor and customer and taints all the honest vendors (if there are any?). However, it is true that Tijuana is a unique place where locals bend the rules and think of interesting ways to part you from your money. According to some people, this adds to it's appeal.

In the end, we bought a lovely dress for $7 in the marketplace. We felt good about the price and the girl who sold it to us was happy enough. A bargain.

What I learned from this: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is (obviously I need to learn this more than once!) and "No. Gracias." is the best response even if you have to say it more than twenty times to the sad faced man who has followed you, pleading, for the last three blocks.