A little about the new place...

Thought I'd say a little about the new house we're renting. I know i already said it's on the side of a hill, a mountain really, although I have not been up the road past our house. We are the first cross strett coming up- you can go to the right or the left, we are left then 2nd house on the right. I'd been up here before, but turning right because my friend Jan lives up that way, as does my other new friend Rowan. Actually Jan is Rowan's mom. But I've known her over a year, and Rowan just a few months but we seem to be becoming good friends- I like that. I'm not really to close to anybody here except for a few people from AA , and with the exception of my friend Dave from Ensenada I don't socialize with any of them. Dave goes to San Diego alot and I go sometimes; when I need natural peanut butter or horseradish or some other thing I can't get down here.

I've walked down the road were on a ways and then turned right to see where it goes up, and we think it cuts back across so we could probably walk a full circle but gotta check out how many dogs, and how many mean dogs are on that route before we make it a dog walk. But the main road seems to go pretty far up the mountain side. I'm sure we'll be checking it out before too long. Today makes day one of week 4 of being here. Went by fast didn't it? And yet it feels very natural, very right.

So the house is a Mexican style house in the sense that it's a finished house surrounded by an unfinished house. Our finished part is 2 bedrooms, a wide open kitchen, and a living room. It may be close to the same size as the trailer, maybe a bit bigger since we had barley any kitchen, and in this living room the tv is not basically at the end of the couch...the room is longer. However, the bedroom is right off the living room and the other one is off the kitchen, so there's no hallway like we had in the trailer, and there's only one bathroom, and it's in our bedroom. But the floors are tile. yipee After the trailer floor, that 1/8 of an inch thick stuff that comes on a roll I guess. It was coming up in places and there was plywood underneath. In fact there were places we didn't walk for fear it would fall thru. Actually in the spare bedroom when we had 2 twin beds in there, one time Everardo was lying down on one of them and I came and climbed on top of him....and the floor gave way! Boy did I feel like a cow ha ha!! It was just one corner of the floor, and Everardo fixed it, with plywood, but it was just sort of sad to live in a rickety old trailer. The beautiful colors we painted it, our things on shelves and tables, our paitings on the walls helped me to overlook it, and I always told myself that out dogs run free and we're on the beach.....

The dogs basically run free here as well. Our yard is so huge they have tons of room. We never close the gate so they could go down the road if they wanted to I guess....but they don't. So if you were facing the house you would see on the left side a big room being added, walls and and opening for a big bay window. Cement floor. Wood and cement, no drywall. I think I'll make it a work out room when the rainy season comes. I have the elliptical and the sit up thing, and I could dance in there- it's plenty big enough, maybe between 20 & 30 foot square...Everardo is making noises about fixing the bicycles again (yes again they've both been broken for about 2 years.) But the road we're on actually goes all the way to Maneadero- we drove it in the truck and it's a pretty bumpy ride...dirt of course with ruts and dips and lumps....but a bike could do it better. OK behind the house is an attached garage area....much bigger than the "exercise room" (like how I named it already?). The garage can be accessed thru the second bedroom, so you walk from the garage thru that room to the kitchen. We have the trailer (the one we pulled behind us from northern California and all over Mexico) filled with stuff we had in the shed at the beach and it barely takes up any room We also have the washer and dryer. Everardo already put me up a really nice clothes line out back- we almost never use the dryer.
Oh and for the washing machine- we are using the gray water to water the plants out front. He put a barrel next to the washer so it empties there and then attached hoses that lead thru the exercise room out to the front yard. So we're using that water. He's already started a few plants, he brought some peppers with him and started new tomato plants, and when he constructs his big garden we'll use the laundry water.
OK so above us is an entire second story the width and length of the house. But it's wood and cement only. I heard that the previous tenants built at least one room and a bathroom up there, windows, sheet rock- finished rooms, but tore it all out when they left. Yeah not a happy ending for them. Also apparently they had their dogs up there and were not taken very good care of because there was a flea infestation when we got here. First day we set off bug bombs. Next day walking around the perimeter with something for fleas. Finally a week later we had an exterminator come and do the outside and the upstairs.
Then came the mouse traps; we caught about 5 or 6 and then I guess the rest left for safer pastures. Everardo found 2 dead scorpions, but hopefully they're also gone, but I have gone back to wearing shoes or flip flops all the time, and not putting my hands places I can't see, checking shoes I haven't worn in a while.
The kitchen sink, when I first turned it on, on one side the water went straight down into the bottom of the cabinet. The hot is the cold and the cold is the hot. That's ok once I figured it out. It also seems that the previous tenants put broken pieces of sheet rock in the kitchen pipes. Everardo had to dig out the pipes outside the kitchen and luckily the sheet rock clumps didn't make it to far. The gas leaked and the water heater leaked. He found these things out one at a time. The shower had no pressure and no hot water, but there was hot water in the kitchen....The shower drain was clogged. My husband is amazing. One by one he tackled each problem and just worked them thru.

The walls are cement so I can't just pound nails and hang pictures...Or shelves in the bathroom, or a long scarf to make a door for the bathroom.....so I need him for everything. Oh and did I say he finished painting every room in the house. It looks awesome. The bedroom has a deep purple wall, 2 light purple walls and one green wall to match the bathroom on the same wall. Today he made me a standing shelf for the bathroom to go with the 2 he put up on the wall. I probably could drill the holes to hang stuff, but he prefers to do it. I direct. We make a good team. It's 90% done, maybe 85%...but really wall hangings for both bedrooms and the bathroom and we're done, Plus the stuff that's still in boxes in the extra bedroom. Which is not much, just a few things, and I need to not call it the extra bedroom- there's no bed in it. Oh yeah and no closets here ha ha. So we went to Home Depot in Ensenada and go one of those wall closets- you know shelves and places to hang, made of that white painted wire...then in the spare room is just a very long pole for hanging with a shelf along the top. So Everardo's clothes are in the spare room- there's a dresser in there and one came with the house in our bedroom (long and low with a huge mirror and impossible to move ha ha). Also a bookcase in the spare room and another end table type table for putting photos, trinkets.

Ok so that's what the house looks like. Oh- the kitchen is the same light green as the bathroom- light but shiny, and the cabinets are deep purple...yeah need a photo here but I don't think I have one...wait I have something with a little of the painting done while we were still moving in. You can see the green in the kitchen but the cabinets were not painted yet. Also the orange of the living room and that round thing is NOT on the wall right there in the walkway ha ha:

Ok this is enough for tonite. I will get myself caught up. Viva!

Plans coming up...

I'm going up to northern California in a week and a half to stay with my daughter for 2 weeks. I really want the trip to be about her and her family; her fiance, her soon to be daughter who is 6 years old and a complete crack up, and their dog Cookie. 2 weeks go by soooo fast. And it's already filling up. The day after I arrive I have all 3 doctor appointments I need to make. Mammogram which I'm not worried about. I'm healthier than I have probably ever been and I am NEVER getting breast cancer or any other kind of cancer again. Pap smear which I'm also pretty much not worried about. 2 years ago I had some polups removed (yeah gross I know) I didn't even know I had them and they're gone, but better to have a check up. I am not going to tell them I went to a dr here for an exam about 6-8 months ago and they said I was all clear- I did it because I was surprised last year that the dr didn't want to check me a year later- I don't know- maybe they just come once?? Then the third appt is just my regular doctor who probly wants to see me since he hasn't in about 5 years or more. I go to the doctor once a year when I go up there to visit. Yeah so the whole health care system sorta sucks for me since I don't use it, but I'm afraid if I drop coverage and then in a few years move back to the states I won't get coverage or it will be super expensive because I had cancer....so I pay. Ha ha I have Covered Calif and they are so.......................inept....inefficient.....maybe overworked or understaffed....but they have had my social security number wrong for almost 2 years now. They said it was my mistake- but they input my intial signup apllication over the phone...maybe they typed it in wrong??? I mean I've had that number since I was a kid...so who made the mistake? I didn't even care but trying to get it corrected has been HELL and I'm actually not sure if it's fixed.

My tax return was rejected because the number submitted by Cov Cal was wrong and that's how I knew they never fixed it. In fact they said they didn't have the fax I sent them back in Dec- following their instructions for fixing it. Even though it went thru, to the number they specified. They couldn't fix it over the phone. Ok I sent the fax. 5 months later they hadn't fixed it. I had a fit. Then I had to fill out a different form asking them to resend my IRS form....I asked why should I expect that form to be processed, and was told- oh we're going to give you a different fax number and because it's for the government we HAVE to process it. Ha ha I laughed- oh so you're telling me you didn't HAVE to process my first request? Silence. I also faxed the IRS with a copy of my original fax to Cov Ca asking them to correct my SS#....this almost didn't happen either- poor H&R Block who did my seemingly EASY taxes mere refaxed the same forms that were rejected and I had to yell at them over the phone to convince them to send the fax I had hand delivered to them by my trusty renter. My taxes were processed but I still don't know if Cov Ca corrected their system.

Ok anyway I need to be prepared when I go to keep up my exercise program. I did it when I went to Florida and NY in May, and although I didn't do that great with food, I exercised at least every other day and my weight had stayed the same when I got home and weighed myself. And that was for a month- so I know I can do it for 2 weeks. Actually I was trying tonite to make a playlist of my songs to put them on a CD so we can play it on my daughter's stereo with speakers so she can do it with me. But I just found out that my new (used) laptop does not have working headphone jacks- so I was playing the music right next to hubby who is reading a book and I know it was pretty distracting. So tomorrow when we get back from an airport run to Ensenada I'll try it then.

So 3 times this week I didn't count my calories, but I know I stayed within my range. In fact today I was surprised because I was here alone for a few hours without much to do and felt myself obsessing over snacking. Potato chips- which I never eat except when we have torta for dinner which is less than once a month and we split a bag of chip. The torta is carne asada lomo (really thin beef, not marinated and flash fried in the pan). Avacado and cheese, all on a bollio which is like a soft french roll) And a handful of potato chips on the side. But the bag last time was bigger than the small bag you put in your lunch bag, but smaller than the kind you keep in your cupboard...maybe they "super-sized" it- anyway I suddenly remembered that half empty bag was in the microwave (which we also hardly use). I thought they would be stale and I'd throw them away...but nope- nice and crispy. So- I ate them. Luckily we don't have alot of "bad foods" around the house so my other snacks were mostly those little ginger cookies from Trader Joes- 10 calories a cookie and I can only eat 3 at a time or the ginger hurts my tummy, and an extra spoonful of peanut butter....a handful of almonds...Anyway- after dinner (2 pcs of chicken no skin, steamed asparagus and 24 almonds) I knew I needed to make a count or that would be 3 days of winging it. 2 days is my self imposed limit. So I went thru everything I ate today...wrote it all down, looked at calories...and wow- I was still under my limit! Well right at the limit. 1200 calories. So I really am changing. And luckily our house is filled with green apples and bananas and cantalope...string cheese...natural peanut butter. So when I get crazy...I can still not completely blow it. Because I'll tell you what- if we had a thing of ice cream in the freezer- I woulda ate it! But we didn't and the craving passes. When I can remember that I'm ok.

I'll be at my daughter's house and none of them have any issues with their weight. Drewy is slim and beautiful, and works out regularly- I'm so impressed by that. The gym, hiking, running. I don't know Rex does, but he's a big guy- but with no extra weight, and my granddaughter of course is a busy little bee. Now I know they eat healthy, but they also have (well last year anyway) lots of goodies that they can eat just one of that I could go to town on and eat my way thru 2 weeks! Last year they had a bunch of boxes of girl scout cookies which I avoided for a few days and then attacked. I think I hid an empty box or 2 in the garbage can....But I'm thinking if I write about it here, I can keep myself disciplined. Because the fact is, now when I spend a day eating crap- I feel crappy. Physically I mean- that my body says yuck! (Yeah and my head gets all mad at myself, then guilt shame blah blah blah). But one thing about Mexico, there's not as much processed food- well for example not as many frozen foods- forzen dinners or breakfasts or desserts. Lots of frozen pizza, but not alot of other frozen food and I was the queen of frozen dinners- Stoffers mac & cheese- oh and pot pies! Here I pretty much eat what I call clear food. Fresh veges steamed. Boiled chicken, steamed shrimp, I mean those are my main dinner foods. Fresh fuit for snacks. I do get my natural peanut butter in the states. Last time I was there I bought about 4 huge jars of Adam's Natural Peanut Butter- love that stuff. I do snack on string cheese- is that processed? So- when I get up there I'm going grocery shopping first thing for my own snacks- so at least my stuff will be in front of me. If I exercise in the mornings I'll start with my protein shakes and when I exercise it always makes my moods positive, so I tend to make better choices better decisions.

So for this week I'm going to be very true to my program. Exercise every morning, count my calories and record my food. It only takes a minute because I'm so used to doing it. Maybe I'll even lose a pound or two before I go and then I'll be over 70 pounds of weight loss. I know I feel better and I'm excited for my daughter to see me and we're planning to hit the gym together; her membership lets her bring someone for free. I hope I see my other daughter alot while I'm there as well, but trying not to have any expectations around it.

Other things I want to do up there....get a new tattoo that says Forgiveness, and maybe some more flowers. Have coffee with a couple of friends. Visit a woman I used to meet at the dog park who's in her 80's, have lunch with my friends who are my renters....see it's filling up...more about that later.

Ok last thing for tonite, maybe I can write more about it tomorrow nite- we're going to Yosemite to spread my mom's ashes. Going over a weekend; it's about a 4 hour drive and we'll spend the nite. I don't know how it will feel. It's been 4 years since she died, and I have a small jar decorated with sand and shells with a tiny bit of her ashes. I know it's not her, but it reminds me of her every time I see it, which is every day. It keeps her close in my heart and my mind. She wanted this so as a ritual we'll do it. I wish Halla would come with us, but I'm guessing she won't. That's ok, too. She's 22 and full of her own self, finding her own way. My Drewy is turning 30 this week and was 22 once, selfish and self centered, but has come to be a family girl, and yearns for closeness of family. She kinda doesn't have it outside her little family- meaning Halla is never around and she doesn't see her dad and his wife very much and I know that hurts her. But I guess I'm hurting her too- look how far away I am. But she and I talk on the phone every couple of days and it's always for at least a half an hour if not an hour. We talk about everything. Anyway more about this later. Viva

Here's a couple of silly pics from Key West Florida with me and my sisters: