I knew I was taking a chance.

Putting Christmas decorations way out front by the road but I wanted to give the people driving by and walking by on the wonderful sidewalk an opportunity to enjoy or smile at them. It is a bit of an unusual display. I decided it was worth the possibility of having everything disappear.

Let me try and explain. I am not a showy person and I don’t have a lot. But, what I do have is much more than what a lot of the people here have. They look at me and think I must have money, I have moved from another country to live here. Everything I have is made in another country. The things I consider a normal part of my life they consider luxury.

I have lived in La Cabana for 15 months. In that time I have greeted every person I encounter, handed out cookies, handed out jelly and fruit, planted flowers, adopted animals, kept the music down, had parties and just tried to be a good neighbor. I have bought baskets from two basket makers and tried to buy at the pulparia. Bought from the Saturday fruit man. The ICE guys all wave at me and young people have even walked with me after dark in the rain to make sure I get home OK. Neighbors have given me rides to town. I have worked at fitting in and letting them know I am safe so that I am. After all I am an old lady alone in a foreign country with language difficulties.

Now, this area especially, is not high crime. But, petty crime is prevalent all over because others have so much and they have so little. They see what is available online and they want some too. I get it. I may not like it but I get it. Chances are good there will be no punishment for petty crime. Therefore locks and barbed wire and security. Barking dogs, lights, whatever it takes to give an appearance of security.

So, I knew I was taking a chance with the decorations. Everything on the gates and fence are on the outside. Big shiny colorful globes hanging in an area that after dark I can’t see. If you check, the gates are latched but not locked. I hoped that my time and reputation here would protect me and my things but I am not totally naive. Life is life.

I went out this morning to check everything and not one tiny teeny thing has been moved. I found

Greetings from Rio Macho

 one plastic flower on the ground but I am sure it just came loose so I reattached it. I am smiling. I can’t see yet but I am smiling. I hope the decorations continue to delight people.