How Cute!

My teenage neighbor did this collage because she is already missing Opie. She calls him Señor Morales since his father's name is Carolino Morales. I think it is a cute collage.

Leaving Reynosa with REAL FIREWORKS!!!

Today was my day to finish up bringing things from Reynosa over to Raymondville and to clean the Reynosa house. Well, I started out fine and got to the international bridge.....and found it surrounded by police cars, flashing lights, and police redirecting traffic away from the bridge. The police said that a group was having a demonstration in protest of high diesel prices and a high military profile. I drove to McAllen to the post office to get all my junk mail and then back to the bridge. By 11 a.m. it was open and I crossed. However, when I arrived on the Mexican side, there was a very, VERY high military presence. That happens, so I went on to my house, swept two bedrooms, put a folding table and a chainlink fence gate into my van......and my neighbor Lupita came out to tell me that there were shootings in Reynosa. Well, by then, the traffic was at a standstill, the city of Reynosa was closed off by the military, soldiers with rifles and face masks were ALL OVER. Several schools were in danger....and although I do not know for sure, it sounds as if a couple of students were killed. The soldiers were escorting kids out of the schools. The federal police were trying to arrest a new leader of the Gulf Drug Cartel, according to what I have heard. And, I heard that at least 6 people died. By 2:30 p.m., the traffic started to flow again and I decided that instead of staying to work in Reynosa, I should come back home. I had to go through three military check points to get to the Mexican border...and then all was quiet on the US side. I am safe and that is great. However, I didn't get any cleaning done and will have to go back on Thursday to clean and Saturday to turn in the keys. Pray that the bridge is not shut down again and that there is no violence. What an explosive way to end my years of living in Reynosa. REAL FIREWORKS!!!

PTL!

With much relief, I can say that the moving van with my furniture made it across the Mexican border into Texas today! Yes, I still have a lot of cleaning to do at the Reynosa house and there are things to finish up. Yes, the house in Raymondville is full of boxes and bags and even stacked furniture. But this was a big step and I am so thankful.