ARRGH the DMV on a hot day in Mexico!!??

The heat,of course, continues. Did I say it makes me crabby? I think hubby would call that an understatement ha ha. But add heat to frustration...not good coming from me. Yesterday was run between computer places day. The afternoon before is when my laptop suddenly went dark, and so my first trip began. I went from place #1 to place #2 for a second opinion and ended up leaving the laptop overnite. They told me they'd try to call me before 6:30 pm but I understood that meant tomorrow, so the next morning I waited until 10am (they open at 9), and went in. She looked up and said- oh I was just about to call you- yeah sure I thought...and she told me this big long story about they thought it was the motherboard but there's a tiny chance it's the processor (which is not on the board). Anyway she was going down to Hermasillio this weekend and could see if they had one down there (they didn't have one there to test it), and she'd be back Tuesday. Hmmm well now I already owed 150 pesos to hear what place #1 told me for free. Then I'd have to pay for this additional testing, and wait a week to do it...so I said no, thank you, I'll take it now. Well I had to come back in half an hour for it, so we went to breakfast. When we came back...

So the woman speaks perfect English but when we go back and this time Everardo comes in, they start speaking in Spanish. I can follow at first but she spoke really fast, and so I got lost, and stopped them to ask what they were saying. Then they went back to Spanish....uh oh, my sweaty crabby brain started to get pissed off. This was my computer, I had been handling the business regarding it, and suddenly I cannot understand or make any decisions cause I have no idea what's being said. That lack of control can get to me, even though I know I'm in a country where I'm still struggling with the language...but I'm frustrated and hot, so I start to lose it. Oh- and I asked for the case, and she looked surprised, went to the back, and returned with it, saying, in English- well they said you left it on the chair...ahhh ok thanks. So they return to Spanish and I'm just standing there while they have a loud antimated conversation. Arrgh! So I turned around and walked out.

Everardo comes out a minute later and says, as I slam the car door- what's wrong? Wellllllllll I say...she speaks perfect English-why did you have the whole conversation in Spanish, effectively leaving me out (and I was thinking- and then you were in charge...). He just shook his head...At place #1 the guy is American and his wife (or girlfriend) who works there, too, is Mexican, so the conversation was in English. I just want some control over the things that are about me, if I can.

Ha ha forward to today. I get up at 8:30 but get dressed right away cause we're gonna get my Sonora drivers license. Everardo gets up earlier, so he was ready..and had made me coffee (love this man- even when he pisses me off). We think go early and finish it, then have the rest of the day. Did I say ha ha?? First to the bank cause we know we're gonna pay...ok then stop at the Red Cross where they ask you if you're allergic to anything (& in case I forget, they asked that at the DMV too), and you do and eye test...ha ha it's on the wall behind the guy's desk, and when he got to the really small lines, he "helped me" when I said P instead of F.. .more than once...ha ha ha ha. Then he asked my height and weight (of course I lied about my weight), took 200 pesos from me and gave me a small receipt like document. Of course there was conversation between the guy (maybe he was a doctor) and Everardo about the weather, the beach, working on the beach...I understood most of it, but of course was hot & sweaty so was irritated....I answered all his questions in Spanish, but he looked every time to Everardo to repeat the same answer.....

Ok off to the DMV. Now, in Playa Ventura, the "dmv" was a small office (room) in a small building that had other businesses in it. We gave a guy 200 pesos for each of us, he snapped our pictures and then we chatted while someone made up the licenses. Everardo's was for 4 years, but mine only 1 year because I had a 1 year temp residency card. When we got here, Everardo changed to a Sonora license right away because we bought a car here in his name and so he had to have it. He went to the Red Cross, had his eye test, went to the dmv, paid...I think 1000 pesos....and got his license. Oh- and somehow I thought the Red Cross was for a blood test, but no, just filling out the particulars, and the silly eye test. So, they tell us that they are going to call Hermisillo (state capital I think) to confirm that me having a Guerrero license would "make it ok" . Ok for what? Of course the conversation took place in Spanish. They also said we needed the original phone bill, not a copy, so Everardo went home and got it while we waited for the call. Then a man called me up to the window and asked if I wanted a special license. I said no, just to drive my car. He said ok, pls wait. Then Everardo came back and they told him I could only have a "special temp license", but it wasn't clear if I would be legal to drive either of our cars because they were not in my name. Now I was pissed off. We followed all the rules, did everything right.

We changed the license plates from Guerrero to Sonora, and Everardo changed his license. Changing those plates wasn't cheap. I got my new Temp resident card, which allows me to live and work here in Sonora- but not drive? Everardo got mad too, and then we waited to talk to the head guy there. Wait and pay wait and pay- the Mexican way. So he tries to tell Everardo that it doesn't matter that we had licenses in Guerro- every state is different, and he says..well you gave me one! Then Everardo talked about my immigration card and the guy said well that's Federal...blah blah blah....and of course it was in Spanish, and as it got heated I got lost (again). Ha ha Everardo called him a racist. Anyway they both calmed down and they guy said I had to take an exam at the police station. I said a driving test? Ok no problem. "oh no!" he exclaimed- not a driving test, just answer a couple of questions like identifying a stop sign. OH! So it's just about more money! Of course Everardo had to say that ha ha...It was kinda funny cause usually he's the most patient guy I know- I'm the one who gets frustrated....

So- we go to the police station to sign up for the test which is on Wed and Sat. But they say pls pay us $150 pesos, and come right in. We chatted with this guy (in Spanish) about the weather and how tattoos always have a message. Then he looked at my California license (no interest in the Guerrero license), and he stamped a piece of paper and told us to have a nice day. Oh and while we were waiting to talk to this guy, a man who had to be 100 years old in a police uniform walks by us and has this huge pistol on his hip- it looked as old as he was....not that was scary ha ha. It was like a cowboy gun.

Ok back to the dmv. Every time we go to another place the outside heat hits you like a brick. I have been completely soaking wet and then dry about 5 times and this is before noon.  I forgot to say- as soon as we pulled up to the dmv-the first time- and I saw this beautiful big cement and glass building, I knew it wouldn't be as easy as Guerrero....these guys will want lots of pesos and fill out lots of pieces of (useless) paper. So, we go back in and this time someone is at the "reception podium" and we tell her what we want. She looks at all our papers (again), tells us to take a number and goes off to make copies. I get called about 15 minutes later to the window where we started a couple of hours earlier, and the lady typing in my info tells the woman she called over to translate how we were mad when we were there earlier.....of course she was the one who had decided to make the Hermisillo phone call- which I never heard the result of...anyway I could understand her ha ha, and you should have seen her face when I started answering the questions in Spanish! ha ha ha haha

They asked me about allergies, if I wanted to describe my tattoos in case they could be used for identification- I looked at the English speaking one, and she says, "well in case of emergency...if...if..."I started laughing and said "if" and I drew my finger across my neck.....Oh and they asked me my blood type. Do people know their blood type? So I said B...B positive. Then asked if I wanted to be an organ donor? In Mexico- don't think so. I don't want them in a hurry for any body parts when I'm on the table....

So, in the end I got my license. They said only for 2 years because your immigration has to be renewed in 2 years...( I thought- arrgghh you think I'll be living here in 2 years!!! I so hate you all) but that was only thoughts..oh and then they said..$580 pesos please. wait and pay wait and pay. But I  will say this- this dmv was JUST LIKE the dmv in the states! ha ha

So now I'm home, and the laptop guy just called- I dropped it back off after the dmv for him to look at the hard drive again for the Rosetta Stone password because he said it came up when he looked at it. So he just called and said, hmmm it's not there. Shit! So I can go pick it back up...and he say....$pesos please!!!

It's 3pm and oh soooo hot outside.....but it won't start to cool off before about 7pm so I might was well just go down there...well maybe a small nap first...and maybe try to find out my blood type ha ha!

Hmm today's Mexico fun fact- I wish I would have had one of these today.....
One unusual Mayan weapon was a “hornet bomb,” which was an actual hornet’s nest thrown at enemies during battle.

Perception

The heat is killing me. When the slightest breeze comes up I thank the heavens. I never said "Thank God for the wind" before living in Mexico. It's hot all day and all nite. And yes, in Playa Ventura is was the same, all year round, but somehow- it's different.

I think maybe it's different because here I have to interact with people, with traffic, with gates, with stores, did I mention with people? The sand, the dirt that's always in the house, in my hair, in the air...the floor always sounds scratchy when you walk on it with shoes (usually flip flops unless were heading out to work out...), well of course that's not just wind, it's doggy feet. In Playa Ventura I was hot, sweaty wet all day long, but there were no people, so I sweat in the hammock until I couldn't stand it and then walked down to the beach. Here the beach is a card ride. Down there even a trip to the store meant the next town so with the ac running you got to cool off. But I could basically wear almost the same thing every day, well alternating tank tops cause I was always walking into the ocean whether I had a swimsuit on or not....I never bothered with makeup and I cut my hair short. It didn't matter that I couldn't sleep at nite cause it was so hot, cause I always took naps during the day...and there was always at least a small breeze coming from the ocean, a little water in the air...

Here is like real life ha ha!! There are people everywhere, and I actually have commitments, not huge ones, and except for teaching English, the commitments are to myself; aa meetings, zumba, Spanish class. And I don't go to the beach every day either. We go at least once a week, but that's alot less than couple a times a day. After we work out we usually stop at the house and get the doggys and take them for a ride- sort of a big circle- out a ways and then come around down by the beach...sometimes he gets out and walks down to the beach for Sam to take a quick run...Lucky tries to keep up- since I got new shoes for zumba I stay in the car for this part, it's only about 10 minutes, and we don't always stop, just when they haven't been out all day.

Tonite after zumba, and Poppi jogging, we grabbed the dogs and went for our ride. We were both really hot and sweating so Everardo stopped at an OXXO to get us some cold water. As he came out a guy was walking up with a basket of something. I saw him only out of the corner of my eye, cause I was watching this young dad trying to get his kids to look at the really big dog (Sam) and the tiny tiny dog (Lucky) sitting in the back of the truck...the kids were laughy scared and wouldn't come close. People are always very impressed with Sam and stop to look at him. So in the basket were these plastic bags with this bread that had pineapple in the middle. Sort of like a turnover, and they were 4 for 20 pesos....so Everardo bought some and some other people getting into their cars did as well. People sell everything here!

I was noticing in the window of the Oxxo that at the back wall they had a shelf marked "frutas & verduras" (fruits and vegetables) and had bananas, apples, some zuchini, tomatos- it cracked me up cause the day before I noticed they carry hard liquor. This Oxxo is basically 7-11 in the united states. But they have everything!

It's midnite and still really hot so I'm putting off going to bed. Everardo is running a drill anyway that's twisting copper wire together so he can make something. The other day he made a couple of lizards- really cute with colored beads for eyes. I'm using a new-new to me- so used-laptop we had to buy today. Yesterday a power surge blew my motherboard. We still want to fix it, but at this moment it looks like I have to buy a motherboard in China and ship it to the my friend in Tuscon, then they'll bring it down...yeah today was fun going back and forth between 2 computer places to see what each thought, then making a decision- which now of course I'm doubting- I coulda just shared his laptop...but no- this laptop was $300 and came with Windows 7, Microsoft office 2013, virus programs, and he got everything off my hard drive- except Rosetta Stone, so it was a good deal. It's a Dell which I like, it's about a year old. Well I found a motherboard for $118 new and free shipping so I'll proby order it tomorrow.

Yeah so I called my friend to re-borrow Rosetta Stone cause they left tonite on a 3 week vacation. She graciously brought to work with her this morning and I went over and picked it up. Unfortunately for me I didn't try to install it until tonite, and guess what- the password (activation code) is on a little card, and it's not in the box!!! aaarrrggggggghhhhhhhh!!!!!!! So tomorrow I'm gonna go back to the computer place with my broken laptop cause he could see it on the hard drive; he actually said it showed the password- so now I want it. When it's hot, the frustrating stuff is SO much more frustrating.

And it's quiet out during the day here now. People are staying indoors cause it's just too hot. Once the sun goes down they start coming out. One more month I keep hearing....but man I am a crabby bitch in the heat!
I never used to drink cold water from the fridge, I liked room temperature. Now we keep a huge pitcher in the fridge and ice cubes up top. This started in Playa Ventura- unless it's really cold it just doesn't quench your thirst. There's all these guys who push carts or have carts connected to a bicycle filled with popsicles- I bet they're getting rich right now. People who live here who have any money are gone on vacation in search of cooler weather. But most people who live here- well on this side of town, well we're all here suffering together! As Poppi says...suffering in paradise. The park in shade is just so hot. Sam doesn't want to chase the ball, but it's still nice to roll in the grass.

Well I almost said no fun fact tonite, but I just found that website real quick, so I hope this isn't a repeat..
Mexico City has the highest elevation and is oldest city in North America. It is also one of the largest cities in the world

Free zumba in the park

Free zumba in the park- Monday thru Friday. And now I find out that it's also free at 2 other parks here. How cool is that? I was reading info about Ensenada this weekend, and saw a forum post saying oh everyone come to zumba- it's starting up again and it's only $300 U.S. a month!! $300 a month! Not pesos, dollars! And here it's free in at least 3 parks, 5 nites a week. And I don't know if they have it any other time of day, although with the weather here, unless it was very early in the morning I doubt it's at any other time.

It is kicking my butt. I forgot that the second day after no exercising for 2 weeks is MUCH more painful than the first. I thought I was gonna collapse tonite. I am deader than dead. An when it was almost over, I hear some woman yelling out she wants the cancion (song) that "she" likes. I turn around and she's pointing to me- no no not that song at the end! It's a tough one, kicking the entire song with this drum beat boom boom boom. Ha ha I was barely breathing. But I tell you there's got to be 30-35 women out there now, and when I left 2 weeks ago we were at about 20. When this teacher started coming consistently there were about 8 or 10 of us. I am still the only American or English speaker, and I still stand up in front or the second row. I do that so I can see what she's doing...but man yesterday & today I was huffin and puffin. Give me thru next week and I'll be back up to pushing hard thru the whole class.

I bought a hula hoop this weekend while the girls were here, actually they found it in a store I didn't go in while they were buying inflatable inner tubes for the beach. My daughter took pictures and posted on facebook me, in a long tie dye shirt (over my swimsuit) in a parking lot trying to hula hoop. Hmmm could I ever do it? Well I can't now. I bought it to try and get the hip shaking, butt rolling moves they do in zumba to some songs. I mean, we wear a scarf around our hips with the little plstic sequin things that make noise when you "shake it". But it's like belly dancing! And our teacher- man she can shake it!

But you know, free zumba in the park at nite, it's such a cool thing to do. I don't know who's sponsoring it, I thought the city, but maybe I'll try to find out who. I see a couple of other zumba classes for money advertised, and we have a newspaper online called Rocky Point Times and another site call Rocky Point 360 that talks about everything that's happening around town, but I haven't seen this mentioned. Like I said, I'm the only American out there. I thought of sending something to both sites, but maybe I shouldn't, maybe it would get too big. The class is growing fast enough on it's own. And next week I'm gonna try the other place where my teacher teaches after our class, but will soon be teaching there only. If it turns out to be at 7:30 pm, that will be great! And I'll see if I'm the only English speaker there as well. Stay tuned- let you know!

My lower back, shoulders, calves, ok everything is aching right now, I just took an ibuprofin, luckily they sell the 800mil over the counter here- in the U.S. I think 200 is the highest you can get without a prescription, but everybody just takes more....I did sleep better last nite and hoping for the same tonite.

I also confirmed starting Spanish Sept 16 with 2 other students just about 2 streets over from us. And something kinda interesting; I noticed that both yesterday and today I was better with Rosetta Stone, I mean I could really hear and understand better, so maybe taking a 2 week break from that was a good thing. I'm on level 5, which I think is the last level. Probably when I'm done I'll go back and do pieces from all the levels for review... it's a pretty cool program, I like how it works. I would definitely recommend it if you're looking for a language learning program, but like all programs, or all new languages, you gotta practice practice practice, all the time, every day.

Ok back to the exercise, I think there must have been 300 people just on the track tonite, then a soccer game in the middle, people watching that, and the peewee games at the far end. In Mexico people congregate, people get together, for celebrations, for fun, for nothing, and for exercise...and on the way home I see people all sitting outside their houses, chatting with friends and neighbors, and it feels comfortable. I like it. Viva

Mexico fun fact:

Mexico City is built over the ruins of a great Aztec city, Tenochtitlán. Because it is built on a lake, Mexico is sinking at a rate of 6 to 8 inches a year as pumps draw water out for the city’s growing population.

Restarting....

I feel great! I just got back from Zumba...after 2 weeks of no exercise- wow- yes the aches & pains are already setting in. But today I restarted. I worked with Rosetta Stone on Spanish this morning, and found out we are restarting Spanish class for sure in Sept, probly on the 16th. Funny thing- while I was gone, the zumba class changed from 7-8; it moved up to 6:30-7:30- well this is bad because the new Spanish class is Mon & Wed, 5pm -6:30. So I decided, well ok, I'll just wear my work out clothes to class and leave 10 min early. (every time) Then I got to zumba and found out the teacher is leaving after this week to teach another class, in another park, from 7:30-8:30! Perfect!! I'll just change classes with her, then I have an hour between Spanish & zumba! Man I love it when things work out.

Because I want to do both. Learning Spanish is very important to me and I get better all the time. I also LOVE this free zumba class, and I can feel my body changing, and that inspires me to make better food choices. The two were about to bump into to each other and I was not willing to give up either. And then I hear about this change...not sure exactly how it will work out- I could stay with the 6:30 zumba on the days I don't have Spanish class- if I like the new teacher...or just switch to the later time...again I find myself in a place where all my options are good.

Everardo loves working out as well. When I met him, he was homeless, but he had a gym membership. I would drop him off at 24 hour fitness and he would work out for hours, take a shower, and head out to his spot. He was kinda homeless by choice. He was spending his time between the alano club going to meetings and the gym. The place where he stayed, under a bridge, was a little community, and he fed those guys alot of the time. Some were trying to get sober and he tried to support them as well. He's an amazing man, I find this out more and more all the time. He feeds guys here, too- the ones that show up on the trains, passing thru, usually trying to go to the U.S., where they think they will find jobs, a better life, the ability to take care of their families. But I digress- he loves working out. Tonite I think he jumped rope for 45 min straight! He runs and he does push ups & sit ups, pull ups...oh yeah I love to watch when he does these crazy pull ups, behind his shoulders...I do love men's muscle arms.....oooops slippin' again.

Anyway tonite after zumba a guy came up to me, and it halting English, asked me if I could help his wife with an interview in English. Of course I misunderstood and thought she needed help answering some questions- he said she just had 8-10 questions. Anyway I said sure. Everardo walked up then and he translated, and we said sure, when? Right then- oh ok- where? Right there, she was across the patio, and very pregnant. So it turns out she's in school and has an English class and wanted to interview me! oh..duh. So she asked me a series of questions and her husband filmed it. The really REALLY cool thing was- it was exactly the questions I taught in my class to the students to talk to their neighbors who are American or tourists they see or come in contact with!!!! I mean EXACTLY!
What is your name, are you here on vacation, what is your favorite thing about Rocky Point, do you like Mexican food, what is your favorite dish!! I was so happy to help her...and truly because I received affirmation about what I was doing.

So it was an awesome day. I feel good and good about myself. People at zumba asked me where I've been. It's not quite as hot tonite as it has been. We went to a meeting this morning and there were visitors and a newbie and it was a good meeting. We ate cheese and crackers later- the cheeses we bought while the girls were here (I shoulda sent it with them) a fresh cheese, very wet and kinda rubbery, and a harder cotija cheese, more dry and crumbly- also fresh. Now Poppi just brought us a little bit of beans mixed with a little fluffy rice topped with the crumbly cheese and a couple of tortillas. Perfect. Not to much, or too filling, a little protein from the beans a little carb from the rice and a little taste from the cheese. The perfect re-filler after a hard workout. I know tomorrow I'm gonna wake up in pain ha ha. Poppi told me to go easy with zumba tonite and I said of course, and then I pushed hard. Yeah I never learn. But man it must be the endorphins!! Cause I feel so good! I'm not thinking about how hot it is, or the sand sand sand...and hot it's gonna be this hot and hotter until the end of Sept...if I have zumba and classes to look forward to, then I'm good. And the class I teach also starts mid Sept, and you know what? If that doesn't continue to be a good thing, I can teach here. People have asked, and I mean people who could afford to pay 50 or 100 pesos...maybe I could charge those who can afford it, and keep it free for those who cannot....hmmm something to think about.

Well I'm dying to know how my daughter's first day of school for the medical assisting program went, but she's not answering her phone...aaarrgghhh. I hope her day left her feeling as great as I feel right now. We've been here in Puerto Penasco almost 10 months, it went by fast. It's very different than Playa Ventura to be sure, but of course any town/city bigger than 1000 people would have been very different. Maybe we stay here, but next year take a trip in August ha ha. Maybe down to Playa Ventura, or if the house sells before that, to Michocan (Morelia) to see Everardo's family. Oh but in July we'll be in northern Calif to see my beautiful daughter get married! Yep life is gooooood! Viva!

Mexico fun fact:
Mexican children do not receive presents on Christmas Day. They receive gifts on January 6, the day on which Mexicans celebrate the arrival of the Three Wise Men.

Did I say I don't have cancer?? I DON'T HAVE CANCER!! YIIIPPPEEEEEEEE
When I heard my results from my doctor, I actually started crying. I was with my older daughter and she started crying, too. The doctor called me himself, and it was only Thurs, 2 days after my little procedure, and at the time they promised to expedite the results- but yeah I heard that before- right? But he called me himself. Drewy and I were sitting outside a tiny cafe called Hallie's, waiting for our table and for Halla, who showed up minutes later. The relief was so huge- I think maybe I had been holding my breath for 2 weeks! I know "future tripping" is always a mistake, and yet I indulged in it constantly while waiting for the procedure and the results. If I had cancer-again- what did that mean? That I was a carrier? That I would just keep getting it in different areas? That I really might not get to watch my girls live their lives, fall asleep on my husband's shoulder, be a part of....? But it didn't happen, I'm clear, I'm good. I am not cancer susceptible! Did I say yipee?

So yes I'm a bit emotional right now. Happy to be healthy and excited to get back to zumba tomorrow, so my home Spanish lessons, to teaching English, and now to start with a group Sept 2 for Spanish lessons- with the teacher Laurie I had for a few weeks before the summer started.

I also miss my daughters, and am of course, AGAIN, thinking about where I want to live. But have come back to that middle ground of right here right now, we're good. I still want to check out Ensenada, but I promised myself last nite not to bring it up again for awhile. I know the heat is killing me, pushing me into the ground, and this morning my friend Pam remarked that in a few months it will be freezing cold. Hmmmm I think I've had enough of this f***ing desert ha ha. Yeah so much for I'm good for now. But it's evening- still really hot, but the ac is on in the bedroom- yeah that's the only place we have it- a mini split, with a fan at the door sucking it out here to the living room. And we're going for ice cream in a minute...maybe the last time for a while since we're both getting back to our exercise regime tomorrow. I love my husband, he knows me so well, he made me my favorite breakfast this morning, and we took a late nap in the ac this afternoon. I do want to stay in Mexico for now, maybe at least another year; if we go back I'll have to work- and I don' wanna!! Another month and it's supposed to be beautiful here, nice and warm, but not deathly hot like right now.

We started watching this series Breaking Bad, they just started it with the first season and it's on every nite at 10pm, even weekends, so it should go quick, but ha ha gotta go get ice cream before that. And it's so hot we're starting to stay up later again like in Playa Ventura, so it should be an interesting month. So this is a short post. I am happy, relieved, in love, loved, missing my kids already, but still holding the memory of them here; they loved Lucky, our newest member, and he really perked up with them. Sam of course was so happy they were here, and he swam more than they did at the beach. Hopefully next time they come to visit they'll bring Elena with them and I know Everardo will be sooooooo pleased. He loves my girls and always tries to be sure they're happy when they're with us, but to have Elena here as well...well wouldn't that just be icing on the cake?

I know I forgot the Mexico fun fact yesterday...but here's a new one:

 The red poinsettia (which the Aztecs called cuetlaxochitl) originated in Mexico and is named after Joel Roberts Poinsett, the first United States ambassador to Mexico (in the 1820s)