Burns Supper
Ajijic’s Burns Supper, held January 25 at the Real de Chapala Hotel, was a roaring success once again. Robert Burns, born on that date in 1759, would have heartily approved of his birthday party, haggis and all. Pipes and drums played while Phyl Gaskell directed her Scottish Country Dancers through their paces and then led the 230 guests with The Grand March to an elegant supper. The Address Tae the Haggis was warmly done by Master of Ceremonies Mike. Before the evening ended with the singing of Auld Lang Syne and a promise to meet again, the guests were well entertained by The Toast Tae The Lassies by Robbie Hutton, and The Response, which was ably done by Kathy Edwards. A Scottish singalong raised the roof. Niños Incapacitados would like to add a special thanks to Lou and Fatima Pecchia for their winning donation on the 50/50 draw.
Scholarship dinner-dance
Los Niños de Chapala and Ajijic (NCA) celebrates its 40th anniversary by holding its biggest fundraiser: the annual Valentine’s dinner, auction and dance at the Montecarlo hotel in Chapala, Saturday, February 11, 5-10 p.m. Slated is a fabulous buffet, a live and silent auction and entertainment by rock and blues band Mike and the Suspects. Free valet parking.
Tickets, 500 pesos, are available at NCA’s Bazaar in Riberas del Pilar. Call 765-7032, (331) 069-0084 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Open Circle
This Sunday, February 12, Open Circle celebrates the birthday of Abraham Lincoln with a presentation by historian-educator Dr. Michael Hogan from the American School Foundation of Guadalajara. Hogan will discuss Lincoln’s support for Mexico during his service as U.S. congressman and as president, 10:30 a.m. in the garden of the Lake Chapala Society.
Hogan is former director of Latin American Initiatives for the College Board, and is a special consultant to the U.S. Department of State’s Office of Overseas Schools. He has also been a Humanities Department head for 14 years in American Schools abroad. He’s an active member of three international historical associations and has published 24 books. His best-selling book “Irish Soldiers of Mexico” was the basis for an MGM feature film and two documentaries.
Immediately following Open Circle, attendees are invited to meet Dr. Hogan during a book-signing event for “Abraham Lincoln and Mexico” (2016) in the patio of La Nueva Posada in Ajijic.
Democrats Abroad
The Lake Chapala Chapter of Democrats Abroad (DA) meets Monday, February 13, 4 p.m. at La Bodega Restaurant, 16 de Septiembre 124. Botanas are served at 3:30 p.m. Of special note is the chance to send a postcard to your representative. On the agenda is an update on the emerging Indivisible Guide pushback, nominations for March 13 chapter elections, the 2017 movie series unveiling and information on the DA Mexico Annual meeting in Mexico City March 31-April 1.
Guest Speakers for this meeting are Tim Schubert and Dee Dee Camhi.
Schubert was a gastroenterologist in Tacoma, Washington, and is now the director of the Lake Chapala Center of Spiritual Living, which promotes community, meditation, expansion of awareness and personal healing and evolution.
Dee Dee Camhi began 2003 in Puerto Vallarta and moved to Ajijic in 2014. First a college administrator in a Boston area community college, then a training and organizational development specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital, she has been active in DA since 2007, became Chair of DA Mexico in 2009, and continues her service in DA Mexico as well as vice chair of Lake Chapala Chapter.
Both speakers are quite concerned about the direction the United States is taking and how to work toward combating President Trump and his racist, authoritarian and corrupt image.
Schubert will help members understand how to individually deal with their own difficulties in the current situation, while Camhi will offer a concrete way to address the issues.
Lakeside Progressives
The Lakeside Progressives will discuss an essay by Chris Hedges entitled, “Building the Institution for Revolt” at the Tuesday, February 14 meeting. John de Waal will lead the discussion.
An Internet forum called Ajijic Progressives is up and running on Yahoo Groups. If you have joined the Progressives’ Yahoo Group, you can post your comments on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. You can also email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. if you have any questions.
The Lakeside Progressives, a group of like-minded people looking for progressive solutions to political problems, meet at 4 p.m. on the second Tuesday of each month at the Peacock Garden Restaurant on Colon in Ajijic. The group’s Facebook page is Lakeside Progressives.
LCS seminar
LCS members are invited to attend the TED seminar entitled “We Need To Rethink Capitalism,” hosted by Gary Thompson, Tuesday, February 14, noon. According to hedge fund manager and philanthropist Paul Tudor Jones, corporate America’s focus on profits is “threatening the very underpinnings of society.” He knows what we need to do.
Legion events
American Legion Post 7 in Chapala hosts two more events this month: Tuesday, February 14 come with your loved one to enjoy “A Romantic Interlude” with the Rondalla Chapala. Social hour begins 2 p.m. and dinner is served at 3 p.m. The menu is roast pork loin, with gravy, mashed potatoes, vegetables, salad and chocolate cake. All for 200 pesos.
Tuesday February 28, the Legion hosts a Mardi Gas celebration with the social hour/DJ Howard beginning 3 p.m. and dinner served at 4 p.m. The menu is jambalaya with candied carrots, tomatoes vinaigrette, corn bread and Ice cream. Tickets are 175 pesos.
Neill James Lecture
This week’s Neill James Lecture features Phil Rylett, speaking on “Think Again – because once might not be enough,” Tuesday, February 14, 2 p.m.
We all suffer from biases in thinking, but none is potentially more disastrous than the Survivorship Bias. We tend to focus on success without realizing what we can learn from our far more frequent failures.
We routinely overlook the lessons of failures, which then disappear from sight. In this talk, Rylett will examine some of the consequences of this bias and how many lives have been saved by recognizing it. Tomorrow, it may be your own life you are saving. Note: this talk is being repeated by popular demand.
Rylett spent his working years before retirement developing a state and federal breast cancer screening program for under-insured women in California. After recently hearing (and complaining about) a presentation on breast cancer where this bias was dangerously evident, he was asked to develop a talk on survivorship bias.
Free Genealogy classes
Trace your family tree with individualized support in a class aimed at beginners. The first class is Wednesday, February 15, 1 p.m. The group will determine the time and frequency of other meetings from there. The class will be held at The Latter Day Saints Church, San Jorge 105, in Ribera del Pilar (across from Mom’s Deli). If interested, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call Fran Murphy, 766-0067.
Legion supports DIF
American Legion Post 7 is supporting the Chapala Family Development Agency (DIF) abused women’s shelter by providing a donation box for non-perishables at its headquarters. Bring in your donations and leave in the box for pickup and delivery.
If you feel moved to make a monetary donation, give it to Post Adjutant Vince Britton or it can be left with the duty officer or bartender.
New Friday Market
Trunk Junk, Take-Out & Treasures is a new Friday Market held at La Huerta Eventos in West Ajijic from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., beginning Friday, February 17. Household/yard sale items and live plants will be sold out of autos parked in front and inside vendors will offer cakes, pies, buttermilk biscuits, cookies, gourmet international meals to go, fresh produce, arts, crafts, health supplements, clothing, leather handbags, silk scarves, costume and original jewelry, frozen choice meats and sausages, custom lamps and vases, homemade cheeses and chocolates.
La Huerta is an easy access party hall so all are welcome. Check out their Facebook Group: TT&T Ajijic for a peek at the items being offered. Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
LCS Bus Trips
The Lake Chapala Society (LCS) is taking lakesiders to Guadalajara’s 475 anniversary Festival of Light (GDLUZ) on Friday, February 17. The trip is billed as a cultural and artistic event that will dazzle your senses. The city will be dressed in gala affair, a dazzling event that will illuminate the historical center of the state capital with light and color. There is room for 19 passengers. Cost is 450 pesos for members and 550 non-members.
Wednesday, February 22, LCS heads to the crafts suburb of Tlaquepaque, where you’ll find upscale retailers and fine dining in an historical architecturally significant, pedestrian-only zone. Cost is 350 pesos for members and 450 pesos for non-members. The bus will leave promptly at 10 a.m. from the sculpture in La Floresta. Sign up for both trips at the LCS office.
Community pet care
Companions and Compassion is a group dedicated to the spay and neutering of dogs and cats in Jocotepec. Each clinic spays and neuters approximately 100 animals, including street dogs, cats and pets of the disadvantaged villagers that need the most help.
The group’s annual Spay-ghetti No Balls dinner is held Saturday, February 25, 5-10 p.m. at the Raquet Club terraza. An all-you-can-eat spaghetti dinner (vegetarian or Bolognese), salad, garlic bread and dessert is offered for 300 pesos, all of which goes to the cost of the clinics. Dana Douin will give a performance as Neil Diamond.
For tickets call Gail, (331) 325-6227, Dee, (387) 761-0041 or go to Diane Pearl or the Raquet Club office.
Personal Enrichment
Memorable Moments in Mexican History: A Sweeping overview is the final seminar in The Lake Chapala Society’s Personal Enrichment Program, February 27 to March 3, 1:30 to 3 p.m. daily.
Ph.D. Daniel Grippo leads the course, which aims to provide attendees with an understanding and appreciation of the richness and complexity of Mexican history and culture and the basic tools necessary for evaluating sources of information. The course fee is 480 pesos.
Buddhists
The Heart of Awareness Buddhist Sangha offers meditation opportunities several times each week.
The Sangha’s regular meditation and teaching session is Wednesday when the center is open from 3:30 pm, and the formal program goes from 4 to 6 p.m.
Wednesday, February 15, the presentation after silent meditation will continue with a reading and discussion of various Buddhist perspectives on current events.
Hour-long silent meditation periods are offered Sundays and Mondays from 9 to 10 a.m. and Thursdays from 11 a.m. to noon. The hour includes sitting and walking meditation.
The Heart of Awareness is grounded in the teachings of the Buddha as preserved in the Theravada/Vipassana tradition. Prior experience or affiliation is not required. The sangha’s location is at Guadalupe Victoria 101 in Ajijic. For further information, visit www.heartofawareness.org, or call Janet Reichert at 331-043-4669.
Support groups
Professional counselor Valerie Rhoda offers and directs four distinct free support groups in English at Lakeside. She has extensive group experience.
The Women’s Cancer and Life Threatening Disease Support Group meets the second and fourth Monday of each month from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. It is open to people in treatment and recent survivors.
The Caregiver Support Group meets on the second and fourth Wednesday of the month, from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Being a caregiver can be an overwhelming responsibility. This group serves to help relieve some of the stress, provide ways of coping and taking care of yourself.
The Grief Support Group meets on the second and fourth Wednesdays from 2:30 to 4 p.m.
This group is for people who have lost a life partner or a parent or child. Through a circle of support, the group will focus on the roller coaster of emotions experienced and ways to positively harness those emotions towards creating a new life.
The Separated/Divorce Support Group has formed to assist in the process of reclaiming oneself. Meetings are on the second and fourth Fridays of the month from 11:15 am. to 1:15 p.m.
For more information contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., 766-4522.