Yuma, Wedesday morning and sound of Marine Jets overhead, day after Laura’s first major dental surgery

I had a good sleep.  After being in Los Algodones for the day we were exhausted .  Laura had 4 root canals and a couple of extractions. She was in the dental chair for 2 hours and will return on Friday for crowns.  I went off to my favourite outdoor cafe, a kind of Starbucks like creation, in the Mediplaza with the black and happy white bull statute. We’d stopped a Sol Optical for me to select a couple of pairs of glasses before Laura’s dental appointment. I returned the St. Thomas Dental Center an hour later and Mara said it would be another hour.  I went off to a different cafe , had a cafe latte and a blue berry muffin.

Laura was done for the day, hardly able to speak, her mouth frozen and her face rather puffy from the multiple injections of anaesthetic.  She was looking quite shell shock.  

At Sol Optical my glasses were ready and perfect as before.  Such a delight!

We only had to stop to pick up anti biotics and anti inflmmatories pain meds at Trury Pharmacy.  Then it was the US border and customs gauntlet.  Laura has such difficulty seeing and becomes anxious with authority.  She said it was quite overwhelming because she said she’d just been for dental work and he kept asking what she’d brought back and she hadn’t. I had.  I had the belts for the nephews and jewelry for the nieces and glasses.  When it was my turn the grumpy young man didn’t care for my receipts for the glasses and antibiotics but sent me with my pack sack for scanning.  The girl there found my satelittle phone and complained about my open Advil. I felt a little stupid since i know not to carry open meds across borders but « Ididn’t get that in Mexico. that was in my bag when I went. «   She was quite surprised with the Iridium phone as was I having forgotten I was carrying it. I must remember to check my bag before crossing. It wasn’t the airport so they weren’t concerned about the Swiss Army knife I’d forgotten I had in the bag or the leatherman on my belt. I just think they were grumpy that day and a reminder to be less casual for us.  

Laura and I returned to our home with a little thoroughly pleased with having protected the place all day and now being relieved of duty.  I took him for a walk in the desert later at use.  

I was reading my Vietnam war novel quite surprised at the French war with the Viet Minh after the Japanese were expelled.  Ho Chin Min was a complex character like Mao but more nationalistic and less ideological .  Great revolutionary guérilla fighters like Chequevera and the Geronimo. 

The sky is beautiful here. Such colours and amazing light cloud formations.  I love seeing the sun rises and sunset.  We had a sprinkling of rain one evening but otherwise it ‘s been hot and dry.

I was reading Corinthians and Paul was talking on about ‘sexual immorality’.  I could have stopped there and thought myself a sinner for masturbating in the past but I read on and Paul was upset about a man marrying his father’s wife.  Not his own mother but a wife.  It reminded me that Deuteronomy of the Old Testament was a tribal testimony to healthy living for individuals and community in the day and that St. Paul’s teachings were applicable for the time. He gives advise on slaves and women which might have been the best in the day .

I study the Bible beginning with Jesus’ KEY, Love God and Love your neighbour as your self.  That’s the essence of all scripture as he teachers. Next come his own words.  After that there are the interpretations and commentaries all of which comes under the heading of the Great Kahunna comment which was ‘Jesus had nothing to say about women in business suits. ». 

I most enjoyed a book I read by a brilliant British old school internist who went through the Bible looking at the advice given in the old and New Testament as health care and psychology of benefit to the day. It really was cutting edge teaching like modern medicine.  The wisdom of the tribe was so evident to this Christian medical men but today the teachings are not the sole arbiter.  The teaching of Jesus is still ‘core’ spirituality.  Love God.  I am the son of God.  He is risen. 

This life is a sojourn, a journey. Each day begins and it is a new day.  My purpose is to know God and serve God.  I like to think of Adam naming in the Garden.  I like to explore. I like to imagine Jesus with his disciples delving into the philosophy theology and meaning of life.  Relationships.  

We were so tired that Laura climbed into bed at 730 having taken her meds and antibiotics and I joined her watching several more episodes of Lincoln Lawyer in the comfort and cocoon like bed room .  I enjoyed being with Laura who cuddled and listened more than watched the Lincoln Layer drifting in and out of sleep and asking me what had transpired. I was reminded of the couple of years I spent a lot of evenings in her studio apartment with her cat Tiffany lying on her big bed to watch the big screen tv I’d bought her. She’d made elk hash from the elk I’d shot half of which I kept in the little freezer I’d bought to store it in her kitchen.  I was staying on the SV GIRI at the time and Gilbert was adorable.  Now we don’t let Madigan up on the bed though he’s learned to jump up from the stool so no stool at the bottom of the bed.  He chews pills and blankets so I simply don’ want to have my comforters shredded. Maybe when he’s older and has lost some of his less appealing behaviours.  He’s actually not been chewing on anything untoward this trip so he’s improving. It happens when he’s anxious or bored.  I rather like having my space too. He has the kitchen and salon and the couches, table, floor and  under the table. 

We’re up having coffee and listening to a couple of fly overs by the Marine Jets.  They’ve a base here and we hear them a couple of times a day. Not a lot of flights and usually so high up I can’t see them.  

I don’t know the names of the trees and plants and am making an effort to learn them. Every once in a while I reflect on the strangeness and alieness of this world I’m in now.  Laura is comforting as a beautiful known.  I have moments though when I walk Madigan into the desert that I think I could be on another planet.  Theere’s so much in the environment that is strange.  Cacti world.  I loved having a terrarium as a child and here I am now as an adult walking about in that world. It was like when I was scuba diving and felt I’d entered the child hood aquarium world’s I had.  

So much is perception,  Mexico is busy with all the salesmen and the hustle.  It’s ‘disorderly’ according to my ideas of ‘order’.  The streets aren’t paved and the side walks have vendors and there’s billboards advertising dentists everywhere.  That’s why I like the peace and calm of the coffee shops.  

I am grateful.  I’ve prayed and meditated a while this morning. I have work later this day.  I’m very refreshed from sleep and thankful for the good night. I think I turned off Lincoln Lawyer at 1030 as Laura was asleep and the main story we’d been following had concluded though future shows seemed to be there to tie up side tales. Michael Conolly.

Thank you Jesus!!!