December 2013

Child Of The Month By Barb Corol   This pretty little girl is Ambar Yissel. Ambar, age 10, has been diagnosed with Polyarticular Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis (PJRA). The polyarticular type, more common in girls than in boys, affects five or more smaller joints (such as hands and feet) and usually both sides of the body.  It […]

10th Annual Lake Chapala Writers’ Conference —Bigger & Better Than Ever By Harriet Hart   The Tenth Annual Lake Chapala Writer’s Conference will be bigger and better than ever. We’re trying out a new venue, the Hotel Danza del Sol, with its spacious meeting rooms, generous parking lot and excellent dining room. There will be

Where Were You In 1958? (You should have been in Ajijic!) Courtesy of Kay Borkowski   MEXICO CITY (AP)-Feb. 2, 1958—Worried about retiring on that pittance of a pension? Well, perk up! You can live in Mexico for as little as $50 a month! On $90 a month, you can even have a servant. On

“THANKS, BUT NO THANKS” By Marilyn P. Davis   She was usually the first one to greet my arrival and always with a big smile. But this morning I was sitting by the fire, drinking my first cup of coffee, before I saw my goddaughter. Immediately I knew something was wrong. Her face was sad.

Profiling Tepehua By Moonyeen Kingmoonie1935@yahoo.com   Despite a concentrated effort to crack down on pedophiles in both Mexico and the US, child prostitution continues unabated, especially in Mexican tourist towns like Acapulco, Cancun, Puerto Villarta, and most major cities. Most of the tourists who pay for sex with children in Mexico are, Americans, Canadians and

OH-MAMA-CARE By Henri Loridans   My wife has established a home regimen which includes an abominable evening diet which she programs to be ready to serve one hour after my evening toddy; not enough time for even a mild buzz. The supper will be mostly fresh vegetables (the pricey organic kind), and a tidbit of

Famous (Or Infamous) Rejection Notices   (Published as something of a seasonal gift to Lakeside’s many talented and hardworking writers, to keep them from getting discouraged at this reflective time of year.) 1. Stephen King Mr. King received dozens of rejections for his first novel, Carrie; he kept them tidily nailed to a spike under

ART HESS—the Dog Guy A Profile by Kay Davis   Do you want a dog that jumps up on people? Do you want your hand bitten if you reach for the food dish? Some dog owners bear bruises or scars on their arms from well-intentioned animals. Other owners may have been pulled down the street

SWINDLERS By Margaret Van Every     You want to think you nailed a bargain— swindled the Incan or Mayan, the ignoramus by the side of the road who haggled away his country’s patrimony for a pittance and never knew it. You pride yourself in thinking you’re the master swindler, prizing your purchase more for

PEPPERMINT REVERIE By Tom Eck   It had been a horrendous shopping day, not to be unexpected just two days before Christmas. I don’t usually don’t delay my Christmas shopping, but this year was different. Jenny, my wife of 35 years, my confidant and my love was no longer with me. In March, she had