BajaNomad - What did Santa bring you ?

What did Santa bring you ?

Diver - 12-26-2010 at 08:29 AM

I had no idea how strenuous an Xbox can be.
I tried playing Kinect soccer against my 9 year old - don't do it ! :lol:

[Edited on 12-26-2010 by Diver]

bajalearner - 12-26-2010 at 09:16 AM

Santa sent me a 6 year old girl (Rocio) with a single mom who is working when she can but times are hard for her. I hosted them to our home and Rocio was delighted when my 12 year old son handed her a wrapped gift from under the tree. She was happy to open a new pair of jeans but I saw the smile of a kid who got clothing instead of a toy. My son opened a gift then Rocio was surprised when Tim handed her another wrapped gift. She asked her mom if she gets "an otra" gift. The the smile came when she found more clothes and toys. The last gift was hidden upstairs by Santa and when Tim brought a large wrapped gift that was labeled Rocio from Santa she tore into it and found a collection of 7 Disney dolls. The rest of the day was a dream for Rocio and her mom was very happy for her daughter.

We had some friends join us for the day and ate a turkey from the weber kettle with misquite flavor coals. umm umm good.

How can you top this Christmas? Well, I can...December 25th is Rocio's birthday. 7 Disney dolls for 7 years.

I drove Rocio and her mom to their home and helped carry the gifts inside. It was a dark, cold small home with no Christmas decorations.

Thank you Rocio for making my Christmas the best ever!

bajamedic - 12-26-2010 at 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajalearner
Santa sent me a 6 year old girl (Rocio) with a single mom who is working when she can but times are hard for her. I hosted them to our home and Rocio was delighted when my 12 year old son handed her a wrapped gift from under the tree. She was happy to open a new pair of jeans but I saw the smile of a kid who got clothing instead of a toy. My son opened a gift then Rocio was surprised when Tim handed her another wrapped gift. She asked her mom if she gets "an otra" gift. The the smile came when she found more clothes and toys. The last gift was hidden upstairs by Santa and when Tim brought a large wrapped gift that was labeled Rocio from Santa she tore into it and found a collection of 7 Disney dolls. The rest of the day was a dream for Rocio and her mom was very happy for her daughter.

We had some friends join us for the day and ate a turkey from the weber kettle with misquite flavor coals. umm umm good.

How can you top this Christmas? Well, I can...December 25th is Rocio's birthday. 7 Disney dolls for 7 years.

I drove Rocio and her mom to their home and helped carry the gifts inside. It was a dark, cold small home with no Christmas decorations.

Thank you Rocio for making my Christmas the best ever!

These are the special times that you will remember. JH

[Edited on 12-26-2010 by bajamedic]

woody with a view - 12-26-2010 at 09:19 AM

winner! ^^^^^^^^^^^

chippy - 12-26-2010 at 09:46 AM

A hangover after La Noche Buena.

nbacc - 12-26-2010 at 11:23 AM

A job well done!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

volcano - 12-27-2010 at 07:32 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Diver
I had no idea how strenuous an Xbox can be.
I tried playing Kinect soccer against my 9 year old - don't do it ! :lol:

[Edited on 12-26-2010 by Diver]

Money to build the final part of my cabana: a stone whale watch/sunset/sunrise watch tower...sending it down to have the older master Don Alvino's fine stone work done. :bounce:

[Edited on 12-27-2010 by volcano]

redmesa - 12-27-2010 at 08:42 AM

Another day of health and life for those dear to me. Oh and yeah! An itsy-bitsy baja dog landed in my garden on Christmas Day. Finally, one arrived that I could not ignore. She is a teeny tiny cutie. Off to the vet today with my puppy and Mike's Solo to get her a "stop the heat" shot. Nothing like a dog in heat walking through baja.

sanquintinsince73 - 12-27-2010 at 09:08 AM

Quote:

I don't care how hard you try, you cannot top this story. You are an awesome individual, Bajalearner!! Tell us about this family....por favor.

mcfez - 12-27-2010 at 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by sanquintinsince73

Quote:

I don't care how hard you try, you cannot top this story. You are an awesome individual, Bajalearner!! Tell us about this family....por favor.

Sort of folks I like too, such as bajalearner.
I concur...this story cannot be topped.
Wish we had more stuff like this to read here at the BN

5 Stars to bajalearner

Von - 12-27-2010 at 09:42 PM

A Literati~That i cannt figure out! lol~

Pish Tosh

Dave - 12-27-2010 at 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sanquintinsince73
I don't care how hard you try, you cannot top this story.

I got a Snuggie...Leopard print, designer model.

I doubt anyone could receive a more well-thought-out gift.

bajalearner - 12-28-2010 at 05:06 AM

"I don't care how hard you try, you cannot top this story. You are an awesome individual, Bajalearner!! Tell us about this family....por favor."

Ok, what I know about this family. When I started looking for rental houses in Tijuana early 2010, I called some listings and one of the people who answered was Rocio's mom Lizzeth. She helped me track down quite a few rentals and information. We became friends and I talk to her once in a while. I learned that Lizzeth was engaged to a policeman in Sinoloa and would marry him after her baby was born. She wanted to wait until after the baby was born because they bought a wedding dress but she wouldn't fit into it until after the baby was born. Tragedy struck when the father was killed in a car crash 2 weeks before Rocio was born. Lizzeth told me she had a hard time dealing with all this. She used a pshycologist to cope and still wonders why she was so unlucky. It's been 7 years and Lizzeth's world revolves around Rocio. She has not married since her man was killed.

My son and I occasionally invite them to places like the local fair, circus, movies and dinners. When we pick them up they are neatly dressed in their finest and both have smiles and great attitudes. Lizzeth works for a construction company running errands and odds and ends. That is why she answered my call for information on a rental. She also cleans houses and looks for better paying jobs but they are few and hard to get. She struggles but doesn't talk about that. They only come with smiles and bright eyes. She is very good to my son and my son loves them.
I wished them a happy holiday a few days before Christmas and learned they were not doing anything that day. That's how I came to invite them to our house for Christmas and Rocio's birthday. Lizzeth worked Christmas eve at a woman's house to help the woman prepare for her large family gathering.

People with birthdays near Christmas get shorted. This day we had a pilsbury cake mix for the birthday cake but because of all the food and a pumpkin pie, Lizzeth said don't make the cake. Rocio didn't seem to mind, she had a good day. It was a very good day for me.

While I was preparing some things in the kitchen, Lizzeth started cleaning...washing my cabinet doors, inside and out, on a chair in her nice Christmas dress. I told her not to worry about doing that and she said no it's no problem. By the way, my house is clean, she just likes to contribute. She's a good person.

If this was an isolated story it would be sad but it is common here and the interesting thing to me is that they don't consider themselves poor. They do what they can and feel lucky when they have enough or a little more. When people ask me why I live in Mexico, it is impossible to relate this kind of story. Americans don't understand it. They only view the people there as lazy or dangerous or... you fill in the blank. If you visit or live in Mexico, you know the story and probably have come love the people and culture as I have.

Something I remember about when I first met her, I saw Lizzeth was very happy to listen to music on a small inexpensive radio. I was surprised that she only had a small radio. I thought about the good job I had in California and remember buying bigger and better "stuff" whenever I wanted it. After I saw how content she was with the small radio I realized I could get by with much less too. I don't have to have the best radio to enjoy music anymore. It is a good lesson for my son.

I didn't intend to get on a soapbox and yell that I gave someone thing good. I only wrote to tell that I received a very nice gift this year.

[Edited on 12-28-2010 by bajalearner]

nbacc - 12-28-2010 at 06:58 AM

Love your story. When we return from visiting Mexico we enter our house and look around and say "wow, we have alot of stuff". When we are in Mexico at our house we live with very little. It brings you back to earth and makes you realize how much you don;t need to be happy". Good job. Nancy

Happiness and imagination.

mazda - 12-28-2010 at 07:34 AM

Happiness and imagination........ :coolup:

durrelllrobert - 12-28-2010 at 11:02 AM

can't tell you but I got it twice and the first time was in the shower :lol:

talk about happiness and imagination

[Edited on 12-28-2010 by durrelllrobert]

mcfez - 12-28-2010 at 11:07 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by mazda
Happiness and imagination........ :coolup:

This is good.
You hit it on the nose Mazda.

Imagination is the key to forward in life.

BajaGeoff - 12-28-2010 at 11:44 AM

Thank you for the touching story bajalearner!

Marc - 12-28-2010 at 07:17 PM

A huge hangover :barf:

Udo - 12-28-2010 at 08:50 PM

Santa brought me a RIDGID pressure washer and a mountain bike.

bajabass - 12-29-2010 at 05:40 AM

The best present ever!!! I made it to La Paz Christmas Eve, and was able to spend it with my wife. Now to get situated, so I can use my second, self-bought present, and take the Triumph 17ft center console out for a test run!!! :biggrin:

Russ - 12-29-2010 at 06:09 AM

Happy to hear you Finally made it! That 17 footer is a real jewel for it's size. We expect some outstanding fish reports now. I'm a big baby when it come to getting up & out in the cold. I haven't figured out how to launch alone without getting wet .... yet. Maybe take Bubba out for a surf fishing expedition.

[Edited on 12-29-2010 by Russ]

bajabass - 12-29-2010 at 07:27 AM

There is a nip in the air! Sitting on the patio, watching the sunrise over the city, a steaming cup of coffee, I'm retired, I'll wait till it gets a little warmer!!! NOT! Installing the new T-top and rocket launchers today, fish in the morning tomorrow!!

BajaBlanca - 12-29-2010 at 07:44 AM

my best gift was being able to spend the evening with my MOM in san diego. she makes it all worth it.

but the story above definitely takes the cake !! it is beautiful.

having the bike club kids stop by yesterday - one by one - to get their gifts was great fun too.

bajamedic - 12-29-2010 at 10:37 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by bajabass
There is a nip in the air! Sitting on the patio, watching the sunrise over the city, a steaming cup of coffee, I'm retired, I'll wait till it gets a little warmer!!! NOT! Installing the new T-top and rocket launchers today, fish in the morning tomorrow!!

Sounds like suffering to me :bounce:

This my view from my office window, here in sunny California. JH

[Edited on 12-29-2010 by bajamedic]

bajabass - 12-29-2010 at 10:56 AM

Looks like you are in need of some Baja medicine!! I remember winters in Michigan, faintly, Gracias Dios!!!

Curt63 - 12-29-2010 at 02:20 PM

Like Dave, I got a snuggie too! Mine is a black tiger stripe model.

Ideal for watching movies on a cold evening with a big bowl of popcorn

....the simple things

LancairDriver - 12-29-2010 at 02:45 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Udo
Santa brought me a RIDGID pressure washer and a mountain bike.

Udo that mountain bike will come in handy to get around that road washout near Running Springs that I saw on TV this morning.

shari - 12-29-2010 at 09:04 PM

Christmas in asuncion was lovely...warm breezes, sunshine, family and friends (burros & dogs) great food, music and dancing....the gifts of love.

but my special gift this year was having little Izaak smile at me...here he is with his new International gold reel from Surfdoc!

DSC07159.JPG - 50kB

24baja - 12-30-2010 at 03:29 PM

Our 2 sons, daughter-in-law, and granddaughters, brett a guitar and me a kindle3g for baja!! Whoop Santa was good to us!

bajadock - 12-30-2010 at 03:44 PM

No gifts from Santa and I like it that way. I am thankful for my gifts of health and a few friends. Hope Nomads have theirs.