My Friend, The Author

 

Manuel Ramos has published many books, but one of his first books is being republished and on Sunday, from 2-4 p.m. at Adobos in North Denver he invited his friends to share the good news. The Ballad of Gato Guerrero is about, as the Denver Post wrote: Luis Montez is back, grappling with a case of equally colorful characters and facing even more harrowing circumstances. 

This husband and wife team has been in my life for over forty years and I thank my lucky stars for having them in my life. He was an attorney at the Legal Aid Society of Metropolitan Denver (now Colorado Legal Services) until he retired and she was instrumental in bringing a Spanish speaking radio station (KUVO) to the Denver area. Both have received numerous awards and recognitions!

At the get together today, they treated us to chicken wings, wine, beer and pop. I noticed many of the people purchased delicious looking plates of Mexican food that is served at the restaurant. I was happy to see some of the people I used to work with and some I had not seen for many years. I would say we had a very mini-reunion of six people! We are all retired and finding our passion in whatever turns us on! The talk was remembering those we knew, children, grandchildren and great- grandchildren, and what we are now doing.

I have an original paperback of the book and I had the author autograph it. It's exciting to know famous people! Many years ago, I happened to have my camera with me, on or about 1994, and the author needed his picture taken for his book, so I am on the back cover as the photographer. That makes me feel proud and happy that I contributed something to the now famous author.

Photos above are from the party. Beginning with the original book, Flo and Jim, Jim and me; Linda, Gen and Gina with me, Manuel, Pocho Joe, (Radio Announcer), and newly weds, Christina and Will! A wonderful get together for a great reason and I am now looking forward to his next book!

"From the flashing eyes of dancers 

at a Chicano party to a wild fiesta in New Mexico 

The Ballad of Gato Guerrero is the lyrical and 

dramatic work of a gifted American mystery novelist."

Publishers Weekly

Senior Volunteer Fair

"By the time you are eighty years old

you've heard everything. 

You only have to remember it."

George Burns

I had to meet one of the travelers going to New Mexico to give her the itinerary and as I  walked in to the Apex center there were tables with lots of information set up all around the room. One lady came up to me and said, "Welcome to the 50+ Job and Volunteer Expo!" I told her I was meeting a friend and that I was not there for the event. She handed me a sheet of paper with all the exhibits and said, "If you stop at all the tables you will get free gifts, learn about Seniors Helping Seniors and you will be entered to receive a prize!"

My friend arrived and after our meeting we helped ourselves to the free refreshments and I decided to visit the many tables. At each table there was information on how I could volunteer or how to receive help. The agencies represented were, A Little Help, Community Table, Hope House Colorado, Orion Mortgage, Red Rocks Community College, Seniors Helping Seniors, Volunteers of America, City of Arvada Volunteer Opportunities, Developmental Disabilities Resource Center, Kaiser Permanente, Reading Partners Colorado. Roundup River Ranch and Touching Hearts at Home.  A couple of the information tables were something I could use and one I thought I might like to volunteer. Though I am already volunteering through my church,  I wondered if I should volunteer somewhere else.

At every table I picked up goodies: small blanket, playing cards, a couple of hand stress relievers, package clip, lanyard. 3 tote bags, tall drinking glass with straw, small ice/hot pack, jar opener, healthy trail mix snack, flashlight, 2 collector pins, coffee package, sanitizer, flash drive, luggage tag, 3 fountain pens, and 3 tablets for note taking. Lots of items that I may use or not use, but it is always fun to receive freebees!

What amazed me were the many young persons volunteering to help seniors. They were all cheerful and devoted to what they were doing. My thought was that it would not take long and they also would be attending a senior's fair. Much sooner than they ever imagined! I turned in my sheet showing I had visited all the tables and now I will wait to see if I win a prize!

"At age 20 we  worry about what others think of us.

At age 40 we don't care what they think of us.

At age 60 we discover they haven't been

thinking of us at all."

Ann Landers

A Chicken Fiasco

 

Kentucky Fried Chicken

What does one do when there are over 164 persons waiting to eat lunch and the chicken that has been paid for and expected on time has not even been prepared? Lwana, the lady responsible for getting the 300 pieces of chicken, for a great price, made a few trips to the Kentucky Fried Chicken eatery to spur the workers to get the chicken ready. If it had not been for her persistence I have a feeling the chicken would never have been prepared! Kudos to her! Evidently, the manager never told the workers about the huge order and they had no idea until she showed up to pick up the order. 

In the ten years that I have belonged YAH, this has never happened. Our lunches are usually at the time stated or a few minutes off. This time, almost an hour passed until 200 pieces were done and the buckets placed on the serving tables. Luckily, those waiting to eat were understanding and when they went up for their plates of food, everyone seemed happy!

The afternoon had been saved by one lady who made a few trips to KFC, got the workers to prepare the chicken and was able to pickup the chicken. She mentioned she did not trust them to deliver because they were young, didn't seem to have good work ethics and might have gotten lost in delivering the chicken so she drove over to pick up the chicken. She did tell me that when the manager came in, he would not give her eye contact!

Even with the chicken fiasco, the luncheon was a huge success. The food was delicious, the people enjoyed talking to each other while waiting, birthdays were celebrated and the speaker gave an interesting talk on the Vocation Chalice. 

"The best comfort food

will always be greens,

cornbread and fried chicken."

Maya  Angelou

El Jardin

 I heard about the Mexican restaurant called El Jardin about three years ago. An article about the restaurant made me want to go there but the drive to Commerce City just seemed too far. Some of my friends went there quite often and they raved about the good food. Yesterday, after mass, I was invited to go to El Jardin and I gladly joined them. I managed to get myself into their huge truck and pulling myself up to the seat made me feel like a mountain climber. Once we were seated in the beautiful truck the Mexican music over the speakers made me want to dance. The music touched my soul with the Corrido sound and made me remember dancing when I was growing up!

It is a long drive though it only took about half an hour to reach the restaurant and what a surprise I got! The Spanish type architecture building is huge and beautiful. Lots of reddish-brown adobe looking walls with wooden decorations. I felt as if I had been transported to a Latin country! 

The inside was crowded yet, the service was good. My friends ordered the coolest bloody Mary's with celery and a skewer with an olive, cheese, sausage and shrimp. Not only did it look pretty, but I was told it was delicious! The margaritas passing by our table were large and looked yummy in the salt rimmed goblets. The salsa and chips were brought to the table and the tortilla chips were thin and crispy. The sauce was spicy! I know that many other Mexican restaurants have stopped serving chips and salsa and we have to order them separately, but not at El Jardin! The dishes that arrive at the table are hot and have a special touch, like a scallion draped across the food!

The only set back is the distance but my guess if we want to go to the restaurant we can car pool to eat the good food in a beautiful setting!

"Feeding the community for over forty years.

 Any plate will have your tastebud dancing."

El Jardin

License Plate Frustration

 The renewal card I received in the mail to renew my license plates had big red letters printed on the top. AVOID THE LINE. There were three ways to renew: on line, by mail or at a kiosk. I decided to renew on line.

Everything was fine until I got to my password. Since the password I thought it was, didn't work, I then changed my password. When I tried to continue,  I was informed that the password was not right. Heck, I had just changed it so why wouldn't it work? I tried my old password and it still didn't work. I was sent a number via my email to verify that it was me and that didn't work either. After fooling around for over half an hour I decided to call the number listed for help.

A voice informed me that I was calling outside Jeffco's business hours. I muttered, "Liar, Liar, pants on  fire," because it was 10:30 in the morning and the voice had said, "We are open between the hours of 7:30 a.m. until five p.m., Monday through Thursday. And the office did not seem to be open.

Should I apply by mail? Go to a kiosk? Or to go to a MVD office to renew. I will revert to the old way of renewing...go to the MVD office. But before I can go to the office I will need to make an appointment. I had already wasted time trying to do the easy renewal but it isn't that simple, especially if passwords are involved!

Tomorrow is  Friday so the office is closed and now I will have to wait until Monday! Personally, I would have preferred to wait in line like previous years, because nothing is as simple as it used to be!

Today, Monday morning early, I again called the MVD office and after waiting for about 25 minutes I actually got a person I could talk to and she tried to get me to renew over the Internet. I explained my problems trying to renew my plates and convinced her that all I wanted was to make an appointment and go to an office. When she said, "This is not the place you call to make an appointment. All you have to do is go on line and make the appointment,"  I told her about all my woes trying to renew.  She must have heard my frustration because she said she could renew my plates over the phone. After taking all my information she told me the fee was about three dollars more than what was on my renewal card. I asked why and she said, "Oh, that's the price when we use your credit card." I told her I did not want to pay the extra and she graciously gave me a date and time to be at the MVD office! The time spent on the computer and phone calls is longer than if I had been able to do it the old way and walk in to buy my plates! Go figure!

"Paying a specified rate

to renew my license plate

before the expired date

I may, in a long line, have to wait!"

E. Moscoso

At 1:45 p.m. I entered the motor vehicle department and noticed that it was crowded with people. The benches were filled by waiting people. So why have an appointment? The guard took my name and sent the information to my phone that would alert me to which window I would go. My thought was since I had an appointment I should get waited on right away. Before I could sit down I heard my number of 1031 called, so I was taken care of right away without any waiting. That was a good thing. When it came time to pay the clerk informed me that if I used any card to pay, it would be around three dollars more. Since I did not have any cash or checks on me, I ended up paying the extra money. If I had known I would have had the phone lady register me. I don't know if it's me and my age or if things are just more difficult in 2024! The good thing is that I will not have to deal with the Jeffco Motor Vehicle Department again for one whole year!

Mexico in my Back Yard

 Today I felt as if I returned to Mexico. I had to get my emissions tested and the majority of employees working at the garage were Latinos.  Being in the area of a Walmart I drove over just to exercise by walking in the store and maybe find a bargain. As I entered the store I got a strange feeling that I had been there before. The store was exactly set up like some of the Walmart's in Mexico. I remember being in Mexico and going to the grocery store and entering into the fruit and vegetable section.  The bakery was also in an L shape though there weren't any trays to help myself to the bolillos or sweet rolls like in Mexico. I did not hear Spanish being spoken, and there weren't as many Mexican products, yet that feeling of Deja vu overwhelmed me. It was enough to give me a feeling of nostalgia of my visits to Mexico. In a couple of Walmart stores, it seems as if the majority of employees are Spanish speaking and this also gives me a feeling I have returned to my favorite vacation place!

Hearing Spanish spoken does not bother me, though some of my friends have commented they don't like to hear it in the United States. I am glad I speak English and Spanish and sometimes, in the past, I have interpreted for someone having problems understanding or unable to speak English. Knowing two languages is definitely a plus. Yesterday I had that feeling I was shopping in Mexico!

"Deja vu, that eerie feeling

of experiencing something

you've already lived through."

Internet

A Funeral

 It seems that I attend funerals more often than ever! Is it because of my age or are people dying faster than I remember. Today the funeral was at the Shrine of St. Anne for a friend I knew.  I met her through another friend and she joined us on a couple of trips I planned. She would also have the Blessed Mother statue visit her home where I attended and met other Italian friends. I would also run in to her at the annual church bazaars.

Clara Lombardi

 June 9, 1944 - March 29, 2024

I heard that she had Alzheimer's, that she wasn't doing well, how she had changed physically and then a few days ago I heard she had passed away! This morning I walked into the church and was amazed at all the flowers around the altar. Never I had I seen such huge arrangements of roses and carnations.

The mass was beautiful, the people all seemed to know each other, the eulogies were poignant, and the music lovely. At the Our Father, the priest had all of us hold hands by stepping into the aisle and holding the person's hand on the other side of the aisle uniting everyone! At the Amen, he had us lift our arms and it was quite a moving sight to see arms outstretched to heaven as we held hands. Not since Covid hit, had I seen everyone in the church holding hands!

Thinking about my encounters with Clara I felt that she was gone too soon. I wondered how everyday is precious because we never know when we will be called to join those that have gone before us. She was a fun loving person who found humor in many things and laughed out loud when something struck her funny! On one of our trips I remember having four Italian ladies come to my room to pray the rosary and drink wine! I will always have fond memories of her. A St. Anne parishioner leaned toward me and said, "I don't believe she will go to purgatory, but she will head straight to heaven because she was such a kind, sweet and loving person."

In her remembrance folder I noticed that the family requested that instead of flowers, to consider donating to the Alzheimer's Association. I don't think anyone listened! 

"Real loss occurs when you've loved

 someone more than you love yourself!"

Unknown

Divine Mercy Sunday

 Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and  confessions on the first Sunday after Easter in following the words of St. Faustina. She was a firm believer in Christ's mercy and at one time was instructed by Jesus, "I demand prayers from you, deeds of mercy which are to arise out of love for me. You are to show mercy to your neighbors always and everywhere."

Around 1935, Maria Faustina Kowalska had a vision where it was revealed to her a prayer that our Lord wanted everyone to say: The Chaplet of the Divine Mercy. When prayed he would bestow many graces on those reciting it. One of the promises was "even if there is a sinner who recites this chaplet only once, he would receive grace from My infinite mercy."

The Chaplet can be said on the rosary beads and the repetition of  "for the sake of His sorrowful Passion, have mercy on us and the whole world." The picture shows Christ with one hand on his heart and rays of white and red to represent the blood and water representing His mercy. Say three times,  "Oh blood and water, which gushed forth from the Heart of Jesus as a fount of mercy for us, I trust in you."

The three o'clock service was solemn and quiet and I was surprised to see so many persons lined up for confession. I almost got in line but didn't and when I looked up my blog of previous years I noticed that in 2016 I had wanted to go to confession but didn't. Almost identical feelings then and now. Maybe next year I will be brave enough to confess my sins to a priest!

"Give thanks to the Lord for he is good.

His mercy endures for ever.

Your sins are forgiven, go in peace.

Thanks be to God."

Confession ending.

Summer Vacation from Gambling

 

There was a time when a bus was available for free to take gamblers to Blackhawk for a day of gambling. At that time there would be 50 or more people headed to the hill. 

After covid came along the casino decided they would not supply the free bus but would pay a portion of the fee and the gamblers would pay the rest. I began charging $15 and that lasted for a couple of years and the gamblers were happy with the fee but it made more work for me. When I was informed that the fee was going up, I then began collecting twenty dollars.

A few days ago, I received a call from our usual bus company, Colorado Coach, that the fees for the bus had gone up again and now he would have to charge more. He was filled up on the dates I wanted, and I had to plan our trip for the only day he had open on his calendar. Two negatives; more money and dates not available.  I had to make a decision to charge more, go on dates he had available or to discontinue going to the hill by bus. Since summer is a busy time for many with school being out and people going on vacation, I thought it would be a good time to suspend the trips for the summer. May, June, July and August we would save our money and possibly begin the trips in September! When I announced the idea on the bus, many did not like it, but when I explained that there were too many conflicts with me or the bus schedule, the idea of no summer trips was accepted!

When August rolls around I will investigate if anything has changed with the fees and possibly begin the trips every other month in the ending months of 2024 and next year! One thing I did do, is reserve the bus for New Year's Eve so we can go up to celebrate on December 31st at noon to bring in the new year! 

"In gambling the many

must lose in order that

the few may win!"

George Bernard Shaw

A Cluttered Area

 Every time I plan a trip with forty or more people, my kitchen table is topped with paperwork. The front room becomes a place for an assembly line as I place the papers showing the places we will visit on our trip! The packets are then placed in a folder to be given to the travelers so they will know where we will be, the times involved, and tidbits on each place we will visit.

When I worked at the Archdiocese of Denver at Centro San Juan Diego, I planned yearly trips to New Mexico and three to Mexico City to Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine. At Spirit of Christ Catholic Community, I have arranged several trips to New Mexico, Branson, Mt. Rushmore and San Antonio, Texas. What I love to hear from the travelers when we return is, "When will you plan another trip and where will we go?"

Below is a picture of my kitchen table and my couch with the assembly line of papers!

Once the paperwork was organized and removed from the couch, I once again filled the couch with items needed for a meeting I would have before we go. Name tags, informational sheet, bags for every traveler, folders, and treats were now on my couch! The gray bag has a quote from St. Pio, pray, hope and don't worry. Every year when we take a trip I give the travelers a bag because it is something useful and it saves a dime at the grocery store!

I did not know much about Padre Pio and learned through the Internet that he entered the Capuchin Friars Order when he was fifteen-years-old. He bore Christ's wounds (stigmata) most of his life but at his death no scars were present.  

Tomorrow most of the paperwork will be out of my house and into the traveler's homes! My prayer is that they do not forget to bring the necessary items on the day we leave on our pilgrimage! I will try to follow Padre Pio's advice that is on the bags because worry does no good! He died at 81, though his life  mission was to have Christians recognize God in all things and to desire above all things to do the will of God. On this pilgrimage he is a good saint to follow his path.

"Prayer is the best

weapon we possess,

the key that opens 

the heart of God."

St. Padre Pio

Adopted By A Kind Family

 My family is in California and if they don't fly to Colorado or I don't fly to California, I will spend a holiday by myself. Luckily, a family invites me to spend the holidays with them. On Sunday I prepared Guacamole, a fruit dessert I can eat, and a bottle of Chianti to take to the Easter dinner. When I arrived, the table had deviled eggs, veggie platter, cheese and asparagus, a green bean and garbanzo salad, and I added my Guac and pita chips. The people sitting around the table were nibbling on the feast and this was before the main meal of ham with glazed whole carrots, a potato casserole, meatballs and sausage in a delicious sauce, raviolis, and a mixed salad. If we had room for dessert there was my almond flour/monk sugar blackberry dessert, fruit salad, fancy cupcakes, cream puffs, cookies and cake! The meal was enjoyed with wine, and I had a glass of Chianti in memory of my youth when we would drink it whenever we had an Italian meal! I seldom drink wine because I seem to be allergic to the sulfites in wine, though I really enjoyed my glass of Chianti! The hostess remembered drinking it when she was growing up, so we drank to our memories!

Four in the family celebrated their birthdays and we all sang a disjointed Happy Birthday as they sat in front of their individual birthday cakes. What a lovely and special Easter I had, and I thank the family for inviting me!

My two friends and I sat and talked as we listened to the younger people talk about things we know nothing about. Usually about the latest concerts and singers! Those younger than me but older than the teens talked about movies. The men watched a sports channel with basketball and golf.  Everyone was happy!

Easter was special this year, beginning with mass where I saw some of my friends, to being with friends and eating delicious food! I could not have asked for anything more. I love my friend's family because they treat me as if I am a member of their family. 

"A true friend is someone who thinks

 you are a good egg, even though he 

knows you are slightly cracked."

Bernard Meltzer

A Perfect Good Friday

Can the remembrance of Christ dying on the cross be called "perfect?" Maybe not, but I found this Good Friday to be moving and beautiful. At noon, there were items used in the crucifixion, followed at 2:30 by actors portraying different people present at Jesus' death on the cross; soldiers, Barabas, Mary Magdeline, Mary the mother of Jesus, Pontius Pilot, plus others. Each told about his or her feelings during the passion. At 3 p.m. the church had the most people present to see the priests and deacons prostrate themselves on the floor in front of the altar.

The wooden cross was brought in surrounded by altar servers and deacons, many prayers were sung, adoration of the cross by everyone present and a collection for the upkeep of the Holy Land. After communion we all left the church in silence.

Some of things I noticed that were different: None of the statues or cross were covered by a purple cloth. In the past, as the cross was brought in there is a prayer and one arm of the cross in uncovered, then the other and finally the complete cross is uncovered, but not this time.

I remember the adoration of the cross used to be a helter-skelter mess with people bumping into each other with no direction, though last year it was a bit more controlled and this year it was done in an orderly manner with each section moving in to kiss the cross. It took longer, but there weren't any jams or confusion.

The choir in red looked striking and sang beautifully! There was a lot of kneeling and standing, almost like doing exercise!

When I left the church without speaking to anyone the clouds were gray and it was sprinkling so I felt it was very appropriate for Good Friday.

Holy Thursday was the washing of the feet and I watched on my laptop. Christ humbled himself by washing the feet of his apostles. The priest washed the feet of some of the parishioners. Food for the food bank was placed in front of the altar and I counted over fifty bags. That was beautiful to see, and I couldn't help but think that Spirit of Christ Catholic Community is a very generous church.

"Unless there is a Good Friday in your

 life, there can be no Easter Sunday."

Fulton J. Sheen

Easter Sunday

 

Leaving the house before sunrise to make it to the seven o'clock mass, I wanted to get to the church before the crowds! Easter on Sunday gets packed and, in the past it was difficult to find a seat if you were late.  White lilies filled the church and a favorite priest would be celebrating the mass. I saw him come into the church holding his garments in one hand and his father in another. A sadness came over me at the thought they probably missed wife and mother since she was no longer with them.

The choir consisted of the pianist and three persons, yet the music sounded beautiful.  The homily, we were told, was written for nine year olds, but I found it to be one of the best homily I have ever heard. I will paraphrase what I remember:

        When I was walking near the Cathedral in Denver, I happened to see a

        tiny caterpillar walking along on its sixteen tiny legs. It walked through

        the grime, dirt, alcoholics, homeless, filth until in came to a drain spout. I

        watched it crawl into the spout. Days later I looked in the spout and saw

        where it had wrapped itself up into a cocoon. After time went by, I again looked

        and saw a butterfly trapped behind the screen. I managed to remove the

        screen and out flew a beautiful, colorful butterfly.

The analogy was when we die we are not gone, but changed into something more beautiful than when we were on earth. The screen represented a life without God, but once we returned to God by removing our sins, we would evolve into something better.

I liked how the priest gave an example of taking his father to see the this mother's tombstone and he said, "Dad, wouldn't it be nice that the tombstone could be removed and Mom would come out to greet us and we could hug her and kiss her?" Many in the church were wiping their eyes because we all would love to see those who have gone before us!

What I took away from his homily is that someday, "heaven" is a place where we will be at peace!

"A caterpillar dies so the butterfly can be born.

 And yet, the caterpillar lives in the butterfly 

and they are one. So, when I die, it will be that 

I have transformed from the caterpillar of earth

to the butterfly of the universe."

John Harricharan