Golden Friendship

Yesterday we attended the celebration of a Golden Friendship. Some married couples are blessed by celebrating a Golden Wedding Anniversary. Other couples, married or not, are blessed by celebrating fifty years of friendship, love, and sharing a life together. Such was the case of Gayla and Bertha at yesterday's fiesta.

Living in a small, provincial, mountain town in Mexico, you don't keep many secrets. I don't know what the locals thought of two old-maids living together when they moved to the village twenty-five years ago. However, Gayla and Bertha have left their marks on the natives.

Gayla has spent her years teaching the Mexican women to cook Gringo style. There was a time when nobody living here would eat broccoli, okra or butternut squash because they had never heard of them. Gayla planted a vegetable garden and taught them to enjoy vegetables other than beans, tomatoes and chiles. Her pastries became legend, and in turn, she learned the tricks of the Mexican kitchen.

Bertha taught English to the young boys and girls.. Many of them have grown up, married and have children of their own who lerned the English that she taught the parents. Bertha is handy with a hammer and a saw. She also knows about mixing cement and building fireplaces. Their ranch home has expanded over the years to included six private suites, a great room where we dined yesterday. There is also a hot pool and a lap pool.

Mariachis entertained us with their music for three hours while we dined on Pico de Gallo, Guacamole, Chiles en Nogado, Gourmet Pozole prepared by Gayla.

May all your friendships be as warming as Gayla and Bertha's, and may you celebrate your Golden Friendship/Wedding Anniversary also.