LITTLE FRIENDS WHO HAVE GROWN THAT I HAVE KNOWN

MY HUSBAND AND I HAVE HAD MANY FRIENDS THAT STARTED AS BABIES AND ARE NOW EITHER GROWN OR TEENS. MANY OF THEM WE HAVE BABYSAT AND OR JUST LOVED FROM FRIENDSHIP. WE SEEM TO LIKE LITTLE GIRLS A LOT BECAUSE WE LOST OUR ONE AND ONLY DAUGHTER 25 YEARS AGO... THE FIRST HORRIBLE, PAINFUL EXPERIENCE IN OUR LIVES, AND WE LOST OUR OLDEST SON LAST SEPTEMBER 19, 2008 THE SECOND AGONY IN OUR LIVES.
THE CHILDREN WHO WE HAVE FRIENDSHIPS WITH HELP A LOT IN MANAGING THE PAIN OF OUR LOSSES.
ONCE MY HUSBAND WAS GIVEN THE EVIL EYE BY A WOMAN IN A COFFEESHOP BECAUSE SHE HAD NASTY THOUGHTS ABOUT HIS PAYING FOR A YOUNGSTER'S COFFEE I WAS THERE AS WELL BUT NOT IN HER SIGHT. THAT WAS A PAINFUL EXPERIENCE FOR BOTH OF US TO HAVE THAT KIND OF TREATMENT WHEN YOU ARE MERELY BEING KIND TO SOMEONE IT'S VERY HURTFUL.
IT WOULD CERTAINLY MAKE LIFE BETTER IF PEOPLE DIDNT JUDGE UNTIL THEY HAVE FULL FACTS.WE HAVE RAISED SO MANY BABIES TO TEENHOOD OR ADULTHOOD INCLUDING OUR GRANDDAUGHTER THAT WE LOVE MORE THAN ANYTHING. NEVER HAVE WE EVER BEEN THOUGHT OF THAT WAY BEFORE .
NOW I WANT TO TALK ABOUT SANTA FE, NM MY BIRTHPLACE. I LEFT WHEN I WAS 16 YEARS OLD THAT WAS IN 1952. WHILE I WAS THERE I SAW OUR LITTLE TOWN AS AN ADOBE HOUSED PLACE WITH ADOBE WALLS AROUND ALL THE HOUSES. I LIVED IN ADOBE HOUSES ALL MY YOUNG LIFE. THEY WERE VERY CONFORTABLE. WARM IN WINTER HEATED BY WOOD STOVES AND COOL IN SUMMER WHEN THEY BLOCKED THE HEAT SO WELL. I LOVED LIVING THERE . I USED TO SKATE ALL THE WAY DOWNTOWN AND GO TO TEICHERTS DIME STORE AND BUY 10 CENTS WORTH OF CANDY THEN SKATE ALL THE WAY BACK HOME ON ARROYO TENORIO STREET. EVERYTHING WAS RUN MAINLY BY THE NATIVES THERE HISPANICS AND INDIANS AND MEXICANS.
I SAY HISPANICS BECAUSE THEY CAME FROM SPANIARD FAMILIES THAT SETTLED THERE IN THE EARLY 1600'S OF WHICH MY FAMILY IS HEIR TO.
THE MEXICAN COMPONNENT WERE HALF SPANISH AND HALF INDIAN. TODAY , SANTA FE IS LIKE A GIANT ANTHILL AND THE POPULATION IS MAINLY ANGLO FROM OTHER STATES NOT NATIVES AT ALL. THE MAGAZINES ARE ALL WRITTEN AND DRAWN BY ANGLOS THE NATIVE POPULATION IS NEVER INCLUDED IN THE WRITING AND DEVELOPMENT AND HISTORY THEY DESCRIBE IN THE MAGAZINES LIKE THE SANTA FEAN AND THE NEW MEXICAN. IT IS A SAD THING THAT THE REAL PEOPLES ARE NO LONGER THERE TO DO THEIR OWN HISTORY . EVEN THE RECIPES THAT WE LOVED WHEN I GREW UP ARE CHANGED TO ANGLO LIKE FOODS. WE DIDNT EAT SHRIMP OR FISH , WE ATE A LOT OF FRESH VEGETABLES AND BAKED MEAT CARNE ASADA, AND REAL EMPANADITAS MADE THE WAY WE NATIVES MADE THEM. OUR ENCHILADAS WERE THICK AND MEATY AND DELICIOUS AND STACKED NOT ROLLED THE ROLLED STUFF CAME FROM HEAVEN KNOWS WHERE. AND THEY USE SUCH A SKIMPY AMOUNT OF CHILI ON THEM. WE LOVED GREEN CHILIS WITH FRESHLY COOKED BEANS IN AN OLLA. WE COOKED THEM ONCE A WEEK AND BY WEDNESDAY THEY WERE READY TO BE REFRIED AND VERY TASTY TOO. TORTILLAS WERE MADE FRESH 3 TIMES A WEEK. WE ATE MEAT BEEF ON SUNDAYS AND HAD CHICKEN FOR THANKSGIVING. FRIED CALABASITAS WITH ONIONS,GARLIC AND CHILI SEEDS WERE DELICIOUS AND MADE A MEAL IN THEMSELVES WITH BEANS AND TORTILLAS. MAKES MY MOUTH WATER AS I REMEMBER . I STILL MAKE THOSE NOW AND I MAKE ENCHILADAS AND TACOS THE OLD WAY WITH CUT UP STEAK AND FRESH LETTUCE AND TOMATOES AND CHEESE AND ONIONS AND GREEN CHILIS WITH A LITTLE VINEGAR OR FRESH LEMON JUICE ON THE VEGS. THEN A HOT SALSA IF THE GREEN CHILIES WERENT HOT ENOUGH. FRESHLY MADE SALSA ALWAYS.
WHEN I WENT BACK 13 YEARS AGO, SANTA FE HAD NO MORE ADOBE HOUSES EXCEPT FOR THE OLD ONES. THE NEW HOUSES WERE MADE TO LOOK LIKE THE ADOBE ONES BUT THEY WERE FAKES ALL OF THEM. AND MOSTLY LOOKED LIKE ALL THE NEW HOUSES IN PHOENIX TILED ROOFS AND PLASTER WALLS AND SHEET ROCKED INNARDS. NO VIGAS OR VEGAS. EXCEPT FOR THE MILLIONAIRES WHO SWOOPED IN WITH THEIR MONEY AND STUFF. MOVIE STARS AND NEW YORKERS AND ALL THOSE ANGLO PAINTERS.
ANYHOW IM NO LONGER IN LOVE WITH SANTA FE IT IS COMPLETELY CORRUPTED BY THE ANGLO POPULATION. SO I DON'T CARE TO LIVE THERE EVER AGAIN. BUT MY HEART ACHES OVER MY LOSS AS WELL. IF THERE ARE OTHER DIMENSIONS I HOPE MY REAL SANTA FE LIVES ON IN ONE OF THEM EXACTLY AS I REMEMBER IT. WITH THE STREETS ALL SO AND EVERYTHING IN WALKING DISTANCE OR SKATING DISTANCE. I REALLY LOVED THE ST. FRANCIS CATHEDRAL AND ALL THE YEARLY PROCESSIONS AND ACTIVITIES OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. THE ZOZOBRA BEFORE THE FIESTA WAS A NOT THE GIANT OF THEESE DAYS IT WAS AS BIG AS A MAN MAYBE A BIT LARGER BUT NOT THE HUGE MONSTROSITY IT IS TODAY AND THE CROWDS WERE IN THE HUNDREDS NOT THOUSANDS AS IT IS TODAY. HTHERE WERE NO OFFENSIVE DRUNKS IN MY FIESTAS AND EVERYONE HAD TO HAVE A COSTUME FOR THE FIESTA NO MATTER HOW POOR WE ALWAYS MADE IT. BROOMSTICK SKIRTS AND BATISTE BLOUSES WITH RIBBONS ON THE ARMS AND NECK. WE LOVED THEM. AND THE CONQUISTADORES RODE IN WITH ALL THEIR FANCY OUTFITS ON BIG HORSES. AND MARIACHIS AND DANCING LADIES IN BEAUTIFUL COSTUMES PASSED DOWN FROM THEIR MOMS WITH ALL THESE SPARKLY OUTFITS. EVERY LITTLE GIRL WANTED TO GROW UP AND DANCE LIKE THEM.
MANTILLAS MADE WITH LACE ON HUGE COMBS ...BEAUTIFUL. MY ANCESTRY IS SO COLORFUL. I LOVE MY CULTURE TOO BAD ITS BEEN TAKEN OVER BY FAKES. ANYWAY I STILL COOK THE OLD WAY FOR MY KIDS AND ITS THE ONLY REAL FOOD THEY KNOW. NO RESTAUARNT CAN COMPARE WITH MY HOME COOKING. AND I LOVE TO MAKE IT.
I WILL MAKE SOME FOR CHRISTMAS AND DIETS BE DAMNED!!!





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