Packing

I'm packing. Packing to move to Ensenada. Did we find a new home? Nope. Do we have any leads? Nope. But I'm packing anyway. I have alot of knicky knacks, so I'm packing them up. Also have alot of photos in frames, small frames and medium funny shaped frames that have been om the shelves. Oh and the 3 shelf thing that Everardo built when we moved in here is already taken apart for transport as is my Elliptical- although it didn't all quite fit in the box it came in, one large pole shaped piece is gonna have to ride on top.I think we're 2 weeks (at least) away from our next trip. At this point it will just be us in the car- taking the car to make sure it can make it; we considered a pet friendly motel so we could take Sam, but it looks like he'll stay here again. Probly better to just say we have a dog- most people are too concerned about that- but when they see Sam they think he's sooo big. He's not really that big, he's a lab but has pretty short legs...ok a little bigger than medium...

Everardo told me "start packin' baby", so I did. We sorta had a little rough patch a few days ago regarding our intentions to get him a visa for the U.S. The fact is we gather info and then don't do anything. We had decided that once we hit 2 years married we would start the process. We lived together a year before we were married so we just got to 2 years this summer. I had the phone number of a lawyer in northern Cal, but it is always a msg machine and the guy has never returned our calls, and we've tried calling at different times of day. Then I got the number of the lady who recommended this lawyer to me when I was in Cal in April, and she only speaks Spanish, and after months, we call and it's the wrong number. I have the right number for her now, but Everardo had a really good idea about lawyers so now that's on hold. He had gone to see a lawyer here who was going to apply for a tourist visa, but then a lawyer I had emailed to for a consultation said apply for tourist and then perm was not a great idea. Well in the Mexican way, this lawyer has never gotten around to completing the documentation, and now we don't want him to- Oh and this was not the "really good idea".

The really good idea was to get a lawyer, in the states, but close to the border of Calif since we're moving to Ensenada- one in San Ysidro or San Diego. That way I can easily go and see him if need be. I found LOTS of immigration lawyers in that area (imagine that ha ha) and so tried to pick someone just on how I felt as I looked over their ads, names, and gimmicks...."we work for YOU!!"...Stuff like that. Anyway I picked one and sent an email but haven't heard yet. So I'll give it a few more days and then send a follow up, maybe a phone call. If that doesn't illicit any response...I'll go back to my magic 8ball and choose another name. Just being married is not enough; we have some other issues...so my guess is it will be expensive. But I just want to hear it's possible, I want my sweetheart to be able to visit his family, his daughter. But we know it could be an uphill battle, and we'll just see how it goes. But yeah my thing is- if you don't start, you for sure won't finish..So stay tuned for news on that.

Sam knows something is up- did I say he's the smartest dog in the world? Oh and the sweetest. He's all clingy and stayin' close. He's gonna hate when we leave again and he stays home; especially with so much of our stuff packed (or will be by then), and since that nite last week when he was way down the road, I'm kinda worried, but the neighbor knows and I think she'll be really careful, and Monica will house/dog sit and I trust her. In fact the neighbor would be very happy if we gave her Sam! WHAT??? Yeah apparently she said it would be good if we left him here when we go...oh and her 5 yr old boy, who was deathly afraid of him when they moved in, is not bringing him inside their house ha ha!! But he's also 5 and tortures Sam by driving him crazy. Anyway doesn't matter- Sam is our family- he goes where we go- of course! And our intention is a nice yard for him, maybe even grass!!

A short trip, and hopefully a cheaper motel than last time, and only Mon-Fri...could be sooner than later- he's been happily surprised by how fast- how much I've packed in 2 days...when we had that "rough patch" we were saying things like FINE- we won't move until we have this resolved one way or another...seems like moving is more important...and went down hill from there. So for the rest of that day I was wondering what we were going to finally decide..what we would agree on. Were we going to stay here? If I had to do that to prove what he needed was the most important thing, then so be it. I said we'll stay. I'm probly not explaining it right, or well, and well details of an argument that had it's ups and downs over a few hours; some talking, a little uncertainty-fear, much muttering, changing of minds and positions, well we worked it out. Our fights have become...well..less, I mean we disagree, but rarely scream and yell...and never walk away. We might retire to our respective corner, or make a meal or something, but we stick together, and we work it out. That is a process that gets developed over time, and I'm happy to say we're good to each other. Much later that evening I thought he was working on the car..yes folks he's a mechanic too...anyway he was outside and I heard some noises...then he called to me and I saw he was dismantling the elliptical! And that's when he said "Start packin' baby"...

So the next day I started and then more today. I am going to do a big push for the next 3 days (Fri, Sat, Sun) and then see where we are. Hey pretty soon I'll be posting from my third destination in Mexico. South, north and now west....Yeah and with my luck this will be a record breaking cold and rainy winter there ha ha!! It certainly rained forever in Playa Ventura, and when we got here were told it was much colder and rainy than usual....so...
Anyway I pushed too hard at zumba and pulled something in my back....it's something I've had before, down the side, kinda behind that plate coming down from the shoulder- so any way I sit hurts, and breathing deep is not an option. But like I said, I've had it before so I know I need to stretch and basically wait. The thing is tomorrow nite is when all the groups get together at the malecon for the final charity event and we have headbands and sashes...tonite I couldn't finish the class, but partly cause I want to be sure and participate tomorrow nite. I just didn't swing my right arm. I can't pick up my water bottle from the ground with my right arm without wincing...so after tomorrow nite I'll take it easy all weekend and see how I feel on Monday. So I can pack, but not carry. I was gonna take a pain pill tonite, but since for 5 days I'm taking something else, well I'll just take an aspirin...

Yeah I had this heat rash since July...because of where it is and the fact that I know someone else who had it, I figured it was just from the heat. But this week has really cooled down, and last week, while still hot, the humidity was starting to lift, but my rash and itchy-ness didn't let up. So yesterday I finally caved (after Poppi telling me for a couple of weeks to go) and we went to the doctor- my buddy at the pharmacy. He took one look and said....ok he said something really fast in Spanish but I got "allergy"...and he said I was allergic to something, could have been the sun, a plant..the bugs that were biting now....anyway he gave me 2 pills to take for 5 days and some cream...the tiny red dots are still there, but not as itchy...well and it's only been 24 hours. Oh- and every time they give me medicine I google them...and they for allergic reactions that cause itchy rash...and it is normal for them to be prescribed together (one is prednazone-spelling and the other I forget and am too lazy to get up and look- it started with an L) But I don't want too many things in my system at once...and since I already take the arimidex- one more year only!! So not pain meds for me. Pretty funny for a woman who used to drink like a fish and back in my 20's would take whatever was being handed out at a party...but 30 years since that and 12 since I've had a drink....well now I worry about what I ingest...

Well it's midnite so time to sign off....

Mexico fun fact:
Shells and stones on the Aztecs' ritual blades symbolized the faces of the gods for which the sacrificial hearts were intended. They would sacrifice between 10,000 to 50,000 victims per year. Under the rule of Montezuma II, 12,000 victims were sacrificed in one day.

Too funny not to share right away!

So this may be a short post unless other thoughts occur to me, but....soooo funny!!!!!!

I think I posted yesterday about a guy on the web forum about Baja and Ensenada in particular who sent me a msg and said he's be happy to have coffee with us and talk about Ensenada. I though that was very nice, told Everardo about it, and answered the guy with thanx and told him I'd let him know when we were coming. ok. Well there's actually 2 web forums I've been reading, one is called "talk baja" and the other is called something like "baja nomad". Talk Baja is the one were I registered so I can post comments and/or questions and so is where I chatted with this dude. The other site, I hadn't registered yet so could only read what people are posting. I had tried once or twice previously and again last nite to register but it kept saying they had the maximum requests for the day so pls try in 24 hours. So a little while ago I was reading on both sites and remembered- oh yeah I should try and register in the morning- but if it gives me that msg again I'll try to contact the administrator cause maybe something's wrong.

So I tried it and got registered. I use the same user name on all three- oh crap- all four sites I'm now on, one is the Mexico Expat forum I've been following since we moved to Mexico, altho' not as much once we left Playa Ventura....I just go on about one a week to see if any new posts are interesting (and many times they are), then I'm on Rockypoint talk, which is just for Puerto Penasco, and it's kind of really boring because it's really just about activities here...for Americans..and not too much about Mexico...so dropping that one will come as soon as we leave...and then these 2 new ones as I read about all of Baja and Ensenanda in particular. Well I go to Talk Baja and read a post from a new guy just moving to Baja from the states. His user name was something about Mexico...lots of times people give themselves cute little names like Mexico traveler or Loco something maybe tortuga grande (big turtle) - know what I mean? Anyway I read thru all this discussion since I'd never read underneath this particular heading, and a guy says, welcome- and you're #2 cause this other guy goes by the name and he uses it on the baja nomad site as well.....Wait- then I re read the post- oh hey it's the guy we're going to have coffee with. So I go back over to the other site to look for posts by him to see what he chats about. Oh- and once you're registered you can view people's profiles. Filling out the profile is optional, you can add something, nothing, a little bit or a lot.

So I spot this guy's name- and man!! How could that be??? Of all the people on these sites, how did I end up making contact with this guy? I had seen his little byline under his user name before and thought- now there's a person I NEVER want to meet...and I usually ignore his posts! Well on the first site I had looked at his profile after he invited us to coffee and saw he was a retired cop from the states and he lived in a nice area we had seen when we went over there the first time- I think maybe he lives in both places, the states and Baja. We thought ok good, we'll see what this guy has to say. HA HA HA HA HA HA
By accident I find out he's on the other site under this other name...most people don't even have a little thing written under their name, but some do, usually little affirmations, you know, positive stuff...this guy has written under his name, so it shows at the bottom of every post he writes"

"We sleep safely in our beds because rough men stand ready in the night to visit violence upon those who would do us harm........George Orwell
Do not wish ill for your enemy, plan for it
I support GOD, Israel, those serving in the United States military, the Boy Scouts of America, Chic-fil-A and the Second Amendment"

So the one is a quote, ok but a little over the top...the second...wow buddy.....but the third one???? Ok I SO SO SO don't want to know you!!!

Loves Israel and guns, hates gays??? WEllllll let's see...I HATE guns, I HATE war...I support all lifestyles and my children are Palestinian...along with their dad and all of his family. So I'm thinkin' that coffee is out!
Again HA HA HAHA HA HA HA Only I could chosen that person out of all the people on the forum. Or maybe I could introduce my gay Palestinian daughter to him? You know makes ya wonder how he feels about Mexicans, right? I mean the community he lives in- it's called something Country Club, and it looks like an exclusive neighborhood, gated of course and a little outside of town. I don't think I mentioned to him that my hubby is Mexican...that would have been interesting...I bet before he was a cop he was....in the military...or maybe he couldn't get into the marines or whatever branch he was shooting for and so became a cop. Shheesh he must been once hell of a bad ass cop right? And I bet it was the marines because of his arrogance in making his little motto for himself so...I guess the right word is strong but I'm really thinking "assholy"

Anyway I just found this SO FUNNY, and I told Sam, but he just looked at me with bright eyes of anticipation wondering if I was crazy and did that mean he's get a special treat! Everardo is down at the beach so I decided to write about it. It's windy again today, and not cooler, but not hotter. I think I'll take Sam to the park after this; he can roll in the grass, and I have a new book. Tomorrow however I need to start packing. I have alot of little knicky knacks, and I don't want any more of them to get broken. Some stuff got broken on the way down to Playa Ventura, and some on the way up here...my mermaids; I still have 2 but they both have broken places, an arm of a fin...they are small and the hang from a ribbon-maybe 5 inches tall, but they are chubby mermaids wearing fancy jewels and I love them. I had to throw away the other 2, and really I need to give in and dump these 2 as well. Getting up here 2 paintings & a photo in an odd sized frame had their glass broken - so since I have time I want to pack more carefully- which of course means I need some newspaper for wrapping....who reads the paper any more?? Actually they sell the papers at the intersections; I've just never bought one- ha ha what I need it where they throw them away, right?

Oh and I almost forgot. The guy broought the trailer back last nite around 9pm, and he and Everardo and another guy stood outside and talked for about half and hour- and it turns out the guy has a cousin that owns a house in Ensenada. Ha ha I've learned very quickly not to get excited! They guy lives in central Calif, and comes only for vacation, and the house is big & nice and has 3 or 4 bedrooms. Don't know if the house is rented or not but this guy is going to find out right away. This guy is the brother of Nikko- a very close friend of Everardo for many many years. Ok sounds good, right? But in Mexico, you must take in the info much differently- for example....a big house might mean big, medium, small, cardboard, and nice might mean very nice, just ok, a pit, broken down, no bathroom (and of course no stove, hot water heater or fridge)- or maybe all those things in a nice area. 3 or 4 bedrooms might be just that, or may be rooms that only a single bed and nothing else will fit. This is yet another HUGE lesson in expectations...plan for the worst, hope for the best. Oh and he'll find out right away? Maybe he'll call today, tomorrow, next week, next month or not at all cause he forgot about it as soon as he left....see I'm learning!

Ok park time for me and doggy.

Mexico fun fact:
During an Aztec human sacrifice, five priests, sometimes with their faces painted with different colors, held the sacrificial victims’ arms and legs. The heart, referred to as “precious eagle cactus fruit,” was cut from the live victim and burned on a fire in the temple.