Week #5, December 20 - 26, 2020

 Week #5, December 20 - 26, 2020

Wow, this has been a week with lots of delicious food, food everywhere - I should call it the Food Post LOL!

As mentioned in a previous post Chef Mauricio loves to cook and Sunday BBQ's have been his family custom. We are happy that he is including us in on some of his specialty cooked Sunday feasts.

The meal is served early in the day - mid afternoon so today we started with Mimosa cocktails (Champaign and orange juice) along with botana's (appetizers).

 

Beef Brisket was the meat of choice this Sunday  He used Carbon (Charcoal) and added some wood to add an extra smoked flavour and cooked over a very low heat. 

While the roast was cooking slowly,

the left over fat from the roast was rendered down to be used as a coating later,

and a banana leaf was prepared to wrap the meat during the final phase of the cooking process.

The prep work for that final phase is being done here.

While all of this was happening Claudia and I basked in the pool in the shade from the hot sun with a refreshing beer in hand. The smell of a delicious roast, a beverage close by, the relaxation of the pool and that hot sun -   Heaven ! Oh how I love this place.

Mauricio also cooked mild flavoured sausages to go along with the beef and the normal Canadian style vegetables accompanied this memorable meal.

Allan found another project to work on this week, the cement plaster wall covering has loosened on parts of the back wall of our laundry bodega so he chipped that off for later repair and painting.

We made a trip to a hardware store close by for handyman supplies, beside it is a little shop that provides plastic bags, paper bags, plastic serving domes for party supplies, chicken, etc., Styrofoam cups and lids - I guess take out supplies basically for restaurants and stores. This is where Claudia shops for her supplies for the deliver of her pantries. You will see a mat on the ground in front of each store, you wipe your feet here in disinfectant solution and then step up on to the cement step, stand in front of a rope, clean your hands with sanitizer then place your order to the masked attendant.  Everyone is very COVID conscious.

Pigeons are a common site everywhere,

                         but horses, not so much in our area. This fellow must have been just in for a visit with his rider as we didn't see him on our street before or after.

Blossoms are plentiful on the trees this year,

and the fruteria Chulim still has its wall painting.

Claudia is always on a mission and that mission is to serve others. She took it upon herself to provide a hot Christmas meal to a number of local needy families. Once word of her plan reached the ears of those more fortunate within Puerto Morelos and those who love Puerto Morelos as their second home, the needed funds were soon donated to her. 

The monies provided her with pet food,

                                                   …..and food items needed for the hot Christmas Dinner.

Three vehicles were needed,

along with 8 volunteers to accompany those vehicles and deliver the food.

Our group of volunteers met at Claudia's house 

and were each provided with a name tag to wear during the delivery time.

The chickens were prepared and cooked at El Ray del Pollo, here in our community on Calle Chaca.

Their package consisted of a full BBQ chicken, rice and salsa, all of which was provided to our project at a reduced rate specifically for the purpose of the Hot Christmas Dinner packages. What a blessing.

Added to the dinner from El Ray del Pollo, were hot baked potatoes and a lovey salad. Some people were given blankets and uncooked potatoes and apples depending on their individual circumstance. Again everyone was screened by Claudia prior to the distribution on all donations.

AND of course, there was candy for the children!

The previously selected families were very grateful and surprised. They were asked to be at home when we came by to receive a Christmas Pantry but they had no idea of what would be in it.

Some, such as this man, were able to say thank you in English - that moment was very moving for me. He and his mom appeared to have very very little in their home.

The coldest time of year in this part of Mexico is now, night temperatures have been down to 16 degrees already  this winter. If people don't have a warm blanket the nights can be long and very uncomfortable, think of yourself sleeping with no blankets when the weather has dropped by 16 degrees - on Manitoulin that could be down to 8 C degrees or more - Now think of trying to sleep at that much drop in temperature with no windows, doors, an incomplete roof and partial walls in the house you are trying to sleep in. It would be rather chilly. 

Thankfully Claudia was able to get  good heavy blankets at a reduced cost. Oh, God is good!

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Children gathered quietly and politely to receive their candy.

                                          

The pets were not forgotten, each family was asked to show their pets to receive a bag of the appropriate food, whether it be a cat, a dog or a puppy. 

 

Believe me, there are so many animals and many are  malnourished because the people can not afford the sterilization and food needed. A viscous circle.

Claudia's Christmas Eve Food Pantry fed 40 families with a hot meal, 20 of those families received blankets and the extra raw potatoes and apples, 110 children received candy and over 250 pets spent Christmas Eve with a full tummy.

This is a copy of a comment left on facebook by Sharon Churman, one of the volunteers:  Proverbs 14:31 (NIV)

“He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.”

It’s been a humbling Christmas Eve. We went to the Invasion area of our town. The ones with the least. So many sweet residents. The children were very well behaved, clean, with lots of smiles, and many gracias.

Because of our friends that organized this, they handed out 40 chicken dinners (baked potatoes and a lovely fresh salad) apples, candy for the kids, dog, puppy and cat food and warm blankets. COVID puts these hard working people out of jobs and NO or very very little relief from the government.

Later that evening we had Claudia and Mauricio join us for our own Christmas Eve feast of spiral ham, turkey drum sticks, stuffing, scalloped potatoes, glazed carrots, Christmas cake and Christmas carrot pudding with brown sugar sauce.

As you can see in the upper left corner of this photo we had a virtual visit with Claudia's Mom, Sister and a family friend. All in all it was a very successful and satisfying day.

Christmas Day Allan went to work in the kitchen again,

to prepare for Christmas Dinner guests and good friends Maurice, Susan,

Gaston, Louise and Foxy for Christmas Dinner. It was another enjoyable day - life is good.

I am sharing this YouTube video of Waltzing Water as my New Year's gift to you - enjoy and let's pray that 2021 is a better year for the world - Wishing each of your and your family a joyful, healthy, prosperous, and the happiest New Year ahead. God Bless!

Until my next post, stay healthy, stay happy, stay safe and keep smiling.