Regained my senses

Ok after a good nite's sleep I regained my senses, and the moble home is out. Not because it's a mobile home; my mom lived in a really nice one, and the bigger ones can be good. And maybe if this one was a little nicer it would be ok that's it's pretty small. But it's pretty beat up, and the kitchen is sooo small, that I just don't think we'd be happy there long term. I mean my hubby likes to cook, and I even give it a shot sometimes, but food is a big part of our lives...So the kitchen has basically zero counter space, yes even less than Penasco. The counter next to the sink would be taken up by the dish drainer, and it's not two basins, so storing the drainer on one side is not an option either. There's a small bar at the end, where you could have a chair-on the outside side of it, but it would never work for every day food preperation, it would kill your back. The other thing was the neighbor; he is really close...like outside the door which leads into the kitchen is a driveway with his van it in, and on the other side of the van is the stairs to his place. He was very nicem don't get me wrong, but maybe that super nice that means you see alot of him. He was offering us to hook into his internet and his phone line (I think for a price), but was very chatty...he's an older guy who lives alone and we have sorta become a couple who likes to socialize, but when we get home, well it's our space. And really, we don't know how he's be, and if we like everything else it wouldn't stop us from taking the place. But it is just really beat up. So it's a pass. (oh and if we can't find anything in the next few months- I bet the place would still be available...but we will find something).

When we went back yesterday, out of courtesy, the woman wanted to show us another place, but it was $500US...but we said ok we'll have a look. But that's what we're paying here and we know we can do better- anyway we go look at it, and ...ha ha....it's a place they showed us in Sept- and then it was only $350!! It was a dump, and laid out terribly, not eve worth describing.

Today we went to Ensenada to the noon AA meeting and I was able to chat a little with Patti and another woman Maryanne. Patti had told me via email that she and Maryanne could help us look. Today Paiit said "after the holidays", but I chatted for a moment with Maryanne and she gave her email and said she'd look around. We like the meeting there even though it's only once a week. But today a guy brought up that he like to have a discussion whether we should have that meeting another day a week, so it would be twice. We came early and so we walked a couple of blocks in that area and saw some cute houses; small places but with yards. So we're gonna look there. Everardo could probably find a job there much easier, and I probly could, too. I actually saw a manufacturing company while we were getting gas and I wrote down the name so I can look it up, and maybe send my resume. Mfg is my background, and especially for a company doing business with the US or Asia, or a US company doing business down here, maybe I could help. So, lot's of options for us, lots of options. We still want to try and find out about the ugly carpet house, and if it's still empty, see if we can deal with the owner or someone other than Irka Davis, who is the person who showed it to us the first time. I mean we could both get jobs in Ensenada and still live here, it's that close, so it's a nice feeling to have options.

Man Ensenada was busy today. Just like the states- when December rolls around, the stores get busy and traffic increases. And people drive like nut cases. If you're in the left turn lane and it's a long line, someone will just stop in the next lane and wait for the turn lite and speed ahead of you. One lane becomes two at any given moment. Everardo laughs when people speed by us or jump into our lane and I am learning that his way works! Why get pissed off at idot drivers? Do they know I'm mad? (no), Does it change anything? (no) We are not in a hurry or in danger of losing or missing anything, so why get upset? Is it going to affect anyone but me, ever? (NO) So I'm trying to go with his way. And we do have fun watching pedestrians jumping out of the way, or jumping in the way...people running red lights, and this is SO common that it's not a great idea to jump in as soon as the light hits green cause somebody may be chasing thru even tho' their way is now red. Even is the people behind you start honking the milisecond it turns green. And I like the way the stoplights work here; the green light starts blinking before it goes to yellow, so you have time to stop- or time to jump on the gas and make the light ha ha.

Lots of people have Christmas lites and trees in their windows, much more than in Penasco. Puerto Penasco is a strange place. Everardo says it's because Arizona is trying so hard to own it. There wasn't much decoration around over there last year, but here people are into it. It feels much more like Mexico here than in Penasco. Well and the Americans here (& Canadians), well all the people we've met, they're here because they can't afford to live in the states, yes it's mostly retirees on social security, but some younger people. But they are all trying to make it work here, with less..and it makes you really look at your life and see what you just gotta have, and what you can do without. Makes for pretty interesting people. We are liking it here, very much, and talking about buying a small plot of land...of course when (if) the house in Guerrero ever sells. We could put a double wide mobile home on it pretty inexpensively...or even build a place. Everardo could do almost all of it. This may be the place (ok knock wood to not jinx it!). Yes we are only in month 2, but we both like it. Yippe for now. Viva.

Oh and one last thing. I don't know where my reader(s) from Russia has gone but I hope they come back! When I look at my stats for all time, Russia is still number 3 after the US & Mexico...but they haven't looked at my blog in over a month. So I hope they come back! And hey you other people from all these cool countries! Leave a comment, even if it's not in English cause I can always use Google Translate, but I'd love to hear what you think! Like I said, it's really an online diary for me, but seeing all the pageviews I get from all over the place is so totally cool, so come on...leave me a comment! Ok that's it for now.

Well this is my last Mexico fun fact for this list I was using...gotta find another list...
The Chichen Itza Pyramid in Mexico was named one of the new Seven Wonders of the World.

What a week!

Wow what an interesting week...and this is only Thursday! I started out sick, if I go back to last Friday when my cold really started to kick in, then Saturday we went to Ensenada for the AA convention. We had heard they expected 5000 people but just in the couple of hours we were there I think there must have been closer to 10,000! We only made 2 meetings. When we got there we were so lucky ha ha...cars were being turned away to park inside the hotel's big lot, and when we pulled up to turn around, a car was leaving so Everardo asked with his hands up and shoulders shrugged up...and the guy laughed and said come on! So we had a good spot! We caught most of a meeting that had already started, and as soon as we walked in (of course!) this woman give a little shout, runs up and throws her arms around Everado. She was so happy and then hugged me. She used to live in Algodonis (at the border by Yuma) and Everardo knew her when he lived between there and Penasco years ago. Well she got sober, too! Now she's lives near Ojos Negros, which is back up towards the mountain we came over to get here. He ended up seeing a couple of other people he knew as well, but only a couple came over from Penasco and we had been expecting a bunch and planned to have people spend the nite at our place so they could avoid the cost of the hotel, but none of that group made it. Actually later on when I was hunting down a bathroom and Everardo was chatting with people in the food line, a woman from the Penasco meetings that I went to sometimes (a woman's Spanish meeting), saw him and asked for me. But when I came back we couldn't find her. Anyway the first meeting was inside a big hall and had to be over a thousand people. Then when it ended we walked across the street and picked the restaurant that we saw lots of people going to, and had a nice breakfast.Got back in time for another huge meeting- this one outside, and that's when I noticed I really wasn't feeling too great.

There was a cold wind, and my chest hurt, and when I coughed, it was like my throat was tearing a big rip in it. Popi noticed, and after that meeting he said let's go. I kinda protested, I mean it was so cool- there were banners up from every state in Mexico, and even though most people were talking too fast for me to get it, or there was too much going on for me to be able to tune it a particular person, it was fun. But I agreed to go thinking we'd come back that nite or Sunday for sure....ha ha not quite. By the time we got near hime I had a fever so we stopped at the Similare pharmacy and I saw the doctor for 35 pesos (about $2.75). Now I got the penicillin shot Everardo had the week before, but I was wiped out thru Monday. So we did not return to the convention. I tried to get him to go by himself on Sunday but he insisted on staying with me (which I appreciated very very much).

Ok side note: I'm from Calif and over the years I've heard and read things to the effect of...those illegals coming here and getting free health care...OK I now know for sure the people saying that know nothing about Mexico. Of all the reason Mexicans might come to the U.S., free health care isn't one of them!! Health care in Mexico is affordable to everyone. They do have 2 types of medical insurance, and at least one of them is very affordable, about $80 US a year...and then everything is covered. But if you don't have any medical issues, you don't even need that, because you can AFFORD to go to the doctor here! Seeing the doctor is 35-50 pesos. Medicine is also cheap. And with the Similare pharmacies, the doctor is next door- you see him, then her sends you with the prescription next door, then you come back to the doctor is it includes needing a shot...the needle comes with the medicine. You could actually give yourself the shots at home if you wanted to, or the doctor does it for 20 pesos. A mammogram is $50US. And I can't remember off the top of my head, but the procedure I had last summer, first the sonogram to see what I had, then the procedure itself (polups in my uterus), anyway I think all the bills ended up somewhere around $2000, maybe more...and insurance covered most of it but I still had to pay I think around $300..So this friend of ours wife had exactly the same thing and the check up and then procedure was around $200US...with no insurance. Hmmmm how do they do that you ask?? Well doctors here are not rich. And neither are the people. And that town I mentioned earlier, Algodonis? I know I shared this before, but it's a town made up of hundreds (yes hundreds) of medical offices; doctors, dentists, eye doctors, everything. And it is packed every single day with Americans, mostly senior citizens who cannot afford these services in the states. SO- next time you hear somebody complaining about "illegals draining the system" going after free health care...consider the person complaining...do they have the faintest idea of what they're talking about? And if they are so wrong about this, what else do they have their head up their ass about???

Ok off my soapbox and back to little old me. I woke up feeling much much better on Tuesday which was cool cause it was my birthday. Poppi made me a wonderful breakfast...my favorite, hash brown potatoes and over easy eggs, and my daughter Drewy called me and we talked for about an hour....ha ha we always talk for at least an hour. When I answered she sang happy birthday so my day started out perfect. I got lots of birthday wishes on facebook, including one from Halla, my younger daughter. Truthfully, and yeah I need to let this go, but really? The same birthday message as 66 of my closest facebook friends? Not even a msg in the private chat? God forbid a phone call from her. Yeah I have to stop being hurt by her actions. Ok more about that later- this is about my birthday day. So Hazel had her appointment to get spayed. Yeah, 3.5 months seemed a little early, but I googled it and it was ok. But it used up the whole afternoon, or so I thought. I helped a little bit at the dog rescue place, translating for other people who came to the spay/neuter clinic, while Everardo went to get the 250 pesos we needed to pay for Hazel. The lady outside heard me speak Spanish and said- help me! So I hung out and helped and chatted. Finally we left and were to comeback in an hour, so we went for a drive out towards the bufadora, and stopped on the side of the road overlooking the Pacific, high up on a cliff. We got out and walked around some, Everardo and Sam went for a small hike, but i had left my purse on the seat, so went back to the car to retrieve it and when I came back, looked down at my non hiking shoes I decided I'd just enjoy the viiew and take some pictures. Man I need to but a camera soooo bad. I take pictures all the time and always with my phone. I want the Sony One Step. A simple camera that takes nice shots and has a flash. I had 2 cameras in Playa Ventura, so I gave one to Chela, and she was so happy, so I can't regret it. But right after we moved away from there, my camera crapped out. Last time I was in Calif I bought a really cheap camera...big surprise it's a piece of shit.

Anyway it was a beautiful afternoon, in fact te clouds came and the sun was shining down this hole and it looked so cool on the water, it looked like nite...and then the clouds moved and it was day again. There was a guy in a canoe waaaaay down at the bottom, paddling around the point, and a sailboat pretty far out. And this is not the bay we live on, this is the open ocean. So then we drove the rest of the way to the Bufadora, but only turned around to come back because of the issues out there right now. It's too bad, it's an Ejido thing, and the people who have the concessions out there of course are just renting the space, but they've been there for years and years. When you get there you have to park, and then walk down the street to the Bufadora, where there is a viewing area, and a gov't building (I think) that has some info about it. But that strip of street you have to walk down has booths on both sides all the way down. There's one booth with the best breads you've ever tasted! And he's smart, he gives free samples. Then there's other foods, nuts, sweets, etc, and then all the souvenirs stuff you can think of. I'm sure they make good money because the Bufadora is a HUGE tourist attraction, big buses go out there every day, multiple buses, and especially when there's a cruise ship in Ensenada. So what I've heard is the old guy who owns the land died, and his sons or whatever family member inherited, closed all the booths down, I think evicting them. I'm not sure what the plan is after that...bring in his friends or his booths or what, but the vendors are protesting and so there's a huge thing, and we want to support the vendors so we are not going in there until it's resolved.

This ejido thing is tricky...like people selling land who can't really sell it and then someone else swoops in and takes the land back, or the gov't takes it. What I read is the ejidos were formed a long long time ago when there were not many people here, and a group of farmers or townspeople all owned it together so they could try to make a living for themselves- I think the gov't granted them the land. So technically one person cannot sell you his part of the land because the group owns all of it together. The concept really doesn't work in today's times but some still exist. In other areas around here apparently people have lost their homes when they were evicted off the land. I think near here there's at least one lawsuit with some Americans or Canadians who all lost their homes. So my advice with my limited knowledge of all this is, don't buy on ejido land.

Ok back to the story. We went back to pick up Hazel and she was barely awake but they let us take her home. She stayed sleepy and groggy for several hours and had that look in her eyes that asked us, what happened and why did we hurt her? She only wanted to lay with me and Everardo was sure she resented him for it even though in his opinion it was all my fault, because he thought we should wait until she was older. Sam wouldn't go near her which was hard because she kept trying to lay down next to him and he'd get up and move- just like he did with Lucky. So poor Sam thought he was gonna lose another puppy! We kept trying to re-assure him, but he looked at us with accusing eyes, so the dog eyes were killing us! She stayed out of it so long I was worried, and we just held all evening. Then we decided she needed to sleep inside with us, and Everardo would bring her outside to pee whenever she woke up for a few minutes. We had already been talking about having them sleep inside cause it's getting so cold at nite. We wrap them up like burritos when they go out for the last time at nite, and Sam can stay that way all nite. Hazel gets up to pee but she's so small she just burrows back in with Sam. But I told him I missed Sam sleeping next to our bed, and he said he did too. So he was a fantastic husband and took Hazel out a couple times in the middle of the nite and the next morning she was back to herself. So we decided they need to sleep with us- Sam is very happy ha ha, and Hazel actually went out at midnite and then not again until 5am! Which was amazing since the rule of thumb is they can hold it for as many hours as they are months old...so that should be about 3.5 hours. So soon she'll not need to even go out at 5am- but Everardo is the man for offering to be the one to take downstairs and outside whenever she wakes up! I just love him sooo much!

Oh well I left out some birthday stuff!! When Everardo came back from getting cash to pay for Hazel, he surprised me by telling me at 4pm I had an appt for a massage! Oh I do love a good massage. Yippe I was so excited, but the worried about Hazel once we got her. He said don't worry, and we brought her with us, and he took acre of her. Then he further surprised me, because while I was getting a fantabulous massage (yes fantastic AND fabulous) he and Hazel went and bought me a cake which they smuggled into the house and I didn't see it until Everardo was singing happy birthday to me and it had a candle burning on top of it! And the candle was a question mark ha ha! So the massage was really that great, this woman had the strongest hands and it was a full massage...I'm hoping to make her a monthly appointment...it was a wonderful birthday...oh and after dinner I turned on my computer to get an email from Drew,  with a video starring Drew Rex and Danica singing me happy birthday again! Yeah a perfect day even with all the Hazel stuff, the washing machine....oh the washing machine...

Well in the morning before we left for Hazel's appt, I had put a load in the washer. Ooops, the washer doesn't wash or spin, just fills up with water and then drains it. Crap- this was the second washing machine we had since we got here a month ago. But it was still under the same 4 month warranty (which is good for a used machine), so we knew what we were gonna do the next day ha ha.

So, Wednesday off to Ensenada with the washing machine is the back of the truck. The guy thought he could fix it so we needed to come back later. So when we went back we decided to go find the taco place we went to when we first came to Ensenada in Sept, and Everardo found it really quick. Oh it was such a good idea to look for it, we pigged out on the best tacos, oh and I had questacos haha which are basically tacos with cheese. But when you buy tacos here, especially in the stands, they don't come with cheese on them, cheese is for quesadillas..so...this is a quesataco! And darn good, too! So, while we were driving around Ensenada we started talking about living there...about maybe trying to look again for a place to live in the city. It would certainly be...well different than here, busier...but if we could find a place we liked, with a yard, maybe it would be fun. There would certainly always be something to do...Everardo is stressing a little bit about finding a job, and there are jobs there, there are even jobs there for me. So we decided to add Ensenada to our look list. And we're just about ready to forfeit the security deposit and break the lease. I am just not comfortable here. Nothing bad has happened, but is that a "yet"? I mean for sure we'd move when our 6 months is up, the house is too big, and both me and Sam hate the stairs, and right now- it's cold! So I emailed a lady I met in AA in Ensenada and she has a couple of ideas for looking, cause that was a hassle as well, the houses were no longer available, or the price was wrong, or the address was wrong...or oh yeah forgot to tell you there's no stove, uuuhh or fridge....or water heater! ha ha looking was a mini nightmare!! So we'll see....

So today...Thursday even another thing happened! This morning I took the dogs to the beach and then in the early afternoon Everardo and I decided to go for a walk, without the dogs (yes they were crushed), but we wanted to walk out on the road, and not worry about them. We walked down to the vendors and bought some candied dates (for him) and Japanese peanuts for me. The we walked a little further to the campo we're interested in moving to, and they have a little thrift store and a library. Ha ha both closed. We thought about walking around looking at houses but decided to do it with the car, and to see if this one house was still empty, and we weren't sure exactly which road it was on. But we wanted to ask a neighbor is maybe they knew the owners because this was a house we looked at with Irka Davis and we do NOT want to rent thru her again. (she is a horrible bitch with a horrible reputation ja ja we know how to pick 'em), but maybe she's not the only person that can rent out this place. So we walked back out of that camp and up the road a little further to a little store where we got something to drink and sat in the sun for a few minutes. Then we started back, and saw a guy we know from AA driving in the other direction and he honked and waved and we kept going. Right when we made the turn to head into our camp he pulled up beside us to say hi. He had a friend with him and a huge dog, this dog had the biggest head I've ever seen on a dog. So we chatted and said we were kinda looking around for a place, and the other guy, Bob, told us about a place near them, right on the beach. It's a double wide mobile home and he thought the rent was $350 and water is free. So we decided to go take a look. They waited while we walked home and got the truck and we followed them down there.

Tim- our friend- was able to get the key so we took a look. On the plus side, when you walk outside, it's about a 30 second walk to the beach path. The view is amazing. There's a medium height wall behind us so it blocks the wind and some of the sound of the ocean. It has 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, a stove, a fridge, and a hot water heater. It's small, much smaller than the mobile home my mom lived in for many years, but there's only the 2 of us and 2 doggys. It has a fenced yard, and did I mention the beach. While we were standing outside talking, Iggy the big head dog took himself to the beach! Ok on the down side, it's not in the best shape. Some of it's ok; the last people to rent it painted the living room and dining area...blue. But the floor is like that sheet of like plastic linoleum? And in some places it's messed up, even though a rug would cover it. Oh I forgot another plus- the rent is $250US! Half of what we pay, and the area has security, water is free (not drinking water of course), and there are people around, including a retired paramedic...Everardo likes it but he says it's up to me. I just don't know. I mean we could get some cute furniture from the segundas and probly make it look really nice....I can work with blue ha ha. We talked to the rental woman and asked about a few things that were broken, and she said the maintenance guy was working there and we could talk to him tomorrow to see what his plans are, but things like the floor will be on his list. So we'll go back tomorrow. We don't think anybody else is gonna rent it anytime soon though, so hopefully we can take our time thinking it thru. I'm thinking about our idea of Ensenada- should we try that first? We'd have to sign (another) 6 month lease and maybe that's ok too- maybe we move to Ensenada in 6 months....but do we want to keep moving??? I don't know the answer to any of these questions. hmmm after writing this it feels like I'm kinda between the mobile and Ensenada. I just don't know.

Writing about it helps though, I know this to be true. I may not get anything from it tonite, but it will come. Sharing helps. That was the other thing from last Friday. We went to the 6pm meeting and I shared about trying and trying to find acceptance around my younger daughter. I'm even sick of me talking about it. I get hurt and/or resentful about her everytime something happens or when nothing happens, meaning it hurts/angers me that I never hear from her, we never talk or write..and then I complain to my older daughter which isn't right, either. But I repeat the same thing over and over. So I shared about it in this meeting of people I am just getting to know. And then they shared their experiences; some pretty much the same, and how they deal with it or try to deal with it ha ha. And a guy talked about a god box- I have heard of them before, many times, I even think this one little box I have is a god box my sponsor gave me. Anyway he said he takes every one of his problems, things out of his control, and he gives them to god. For some reason this stayed with me. I know that what other people do, what other people say, is not my business, that I am in control of nothing beyond my own attitude. It was really cool when I came to understand that if someone says I'm bad or I'm ugly...it doesn't mean I'm bad or I'm ugly...it doesn't make me anything, it doesn't change me at all, unless I let it. Unless I let that message in and CHOOSE to agree with it. That was a huge turning point for me, and I didn't learn it, didn't become aware of it, until I was in AA. I love my support group of other alcoholics in recovery trying to find their way. So I decided to make the little box I have to be my "god box", and I wrote Halla's name on a piece of paper and I put it in that little box. Maybe physically doing that will help, in fact it has...a little, but I'm sure it takes time and practice. I was hurt and I turned it into anger when she only wished me happy birthday on face book the other day. Then I remembered that I put her name in that little box, that I am not in control of her. She has her own higher power and I'm not it. That however she acts does not change that I love her. She's my kid and I love her. I need to accept her for who she is, right here, right now. I wish it was different, but it's not. I need to not even wish for it to be different, I need to just accept what is. Writing it seems silly because of course what is, is. So maybe me going thru the motions of making this box and putting her name in it helps me to remember these things. Next I might try putting some other things on paper in there. Fear maybe, or my insecurities- which I guess goes back to fear...hmmm I'm starting to over think it, so time to let go...ok goodnite