STILL SICK! But I still went to the community center today for English class. As it turned out only one student was there and he was helping in the garden and said tomorrow would be better. That was ok with me. I st with Karen, the director for a little while and chatted- me in a whisper cause when I whisper I don't cough ha ha. Then I went home- but oh before I went, Eidad, the Mexican lady who also speaks English and basically coordinates everything out there, wrote down a pill she said I needed to take. Ha ha more pills. But I was more inclined to listen to her, a mom, so when I got home Everardo went and got me some- after I googled it of course! I have been taking so many meds in the last few days- it feels like anyway. She said it would dry up the crap in my throat, that I would stop coughing. So I googled it and it said it would dry me up, that it lets the celia- or something not be swollen, blah blah blah but it was good blah and no scary side effects...and of course is available everywhere except the US ha ha. hmmm maybe they haven't figured out how to make it cheap and sell it super expensively. It's called Ambroxol.Check it out. I took one about 5 hours ago, and do feel somewhat better, but ha ha been saying that every day. However, one gift was, I started feeling a little sleepy, and took a small nap! Yippe cause I have not been able to get to sleep before about 3am and then wake up around 8am- that's not good for me. So between that and some good ole' Vicks 44 cough syrup I'm ok.

I was chatting with my older daughter Drewy last nite on FB and we talked forever about all her plans to get married. We have so many of the same ideas! And I'm so happy that her sister is gonna be her maid of honor, and her cousin will be one of the bridesmaids. She has so many ideas. And maybe we will attend with out newest family memeber, Elena, Everardo's daughter. Now that would be cool. Then this morning I chatted with Halla, daughter #2 and we also had a great talk. She is also full of new plans- she wants to save her money for a year and then go on a year trip with her friend, with WWOOF (World Wide Opportunity for Organic Farming), I believe it's in 3rd world countries, and you stay on these farms and work for room and board. I think the experience will be amazing and I hope she does it. She just got a new job in a nice resturant and is very excited and happy. She's in her second year of college, so I guess she'll take off a year, then hopefully come back and finish- or maybe she'll finish year 3 since school is out in a few months right? Yeah that must be it. I am so proud of my children. Thank god neither of them are alcoholics like me! I mean, for me it turned out to be a good thing, cause my life is so good today, and I don't know if I would figured it out this well otherwise, really who knows? But I had to fuck up my life for alot of years before I got it and my 20's are lost in am alcoholic cocaine blur.

Yesterday I celebrated 12 years of sobriety. Yipee. Although by the end of my 20's I was not doing drugs, and then I had Drewy, then Halla 8 years later, what a waste my 20's were. Party only. Abusive relationship, ignored my family...not good. But, if I hadn't gone that route Drewy wouldn't be the perfect Drew she is today, she saved my life just by being born. I walked away from drugs and abusive relationships, and my life immediately changed. I got promoted at work within 6 months, and a few more months I became a boss. I saved my money and bought a house by myself when I was 32, 1600 sq feet for just me and my Drewy who was 4 ha ha. 3 bedrooms, a huge backyard, but ever so slowly my drinking increased. I drank for 12 more years. I am so grateful though, that I guess I was a functioning alcoholic, mostly I hurt only me. Now I know that's crap, cause you hurt everyone around you and my ex husband got that gift! But I was around for my kids, sometimes albeit in body more than mind, but I spent alot of time regretting how bad a mother I was, but now I see that's not totally true. We had birthday parties and camping trips, fun Christmas, Easter egg hunts, school recitals, ha ha Drewy in ballet, then soccer, her teacher's desk in the garage, we partied with the neighbors, had bbq'a and inflated pools both kids and adults played in. When Halla was born I had this rocking chair that Drewy has in her house now, and I rocked her to sleep every nite in it. Ha ha a good idea for the first year, but then getting her to just go to sleep on her own...man impossible, having to lay down with her ha ha. With Drewy my mom said you just wrap 'em up tight and put her in the crib, let her cry it out for a few days and she'll learn to comfort herself. I did that, and it worked, but I sat on the floor outside her door and cried every nite for the week it took. And that was as a tiny baby (her- not me). Now the good thing was she always went to bed so good, we could make noise, didn't matter, but I think there's a middle ground, and the Halla way was maybe better. And when it was just me and Drewy, I let her climb in and sleep with me, alot ha ha. I would carry her back to bed in the middle of the nite. And no matter where we lived, and she & I lived in Novato, Ignacio, Anaheim, San Rafael, then American Canyon, she would get up after I put her bed and sneak down the hall so she was near me, and when I'd get up to go to the bathroom I find her in a sleepy heap....Yeah we lived 5 places in her first 5 years, so when we hit American Canyon I promised we'd stay until she finished high school- we didn't though, we stayed 7 years, and at the end of 6th grade a deare friend gave us an amazing gift and we moved to Petaluma. That was good since at the time there was no middle school out there and her only choice was a bus into Napa or a bus into Vallejo (not a great place at the time). We lived in Petaluma for the last 15 years, until I moved to Mexico, and I still have a house there. Her Dad and sister still live there, and she's moved a town away, but at least she has roots now. And family. My sister lives near also and they have 4 kids. We are all close.

Anyway I was watching Criminal Minds the other nite, and the killer was this crazy guy who had this condition that crossed some of his senses, and he could "see" people's words and they were in color, like white was honesty, orange were liars, red bad people, and he killed accordingly. It reminded me of a time when I was completely smashed and I was telling people they were colors and altho I don;t remember much more than that, the following Monday everybody told m eit was weird cause it was all spot on! More people kept saying- do me do me and so I would tell them about themselves ha ha! It was a work party my best boss ever (Dominic) had me and a couple of others set up for after work across the highway at this Mexican restaurant, just because, because everybody worked hard, and we were customer service so we always dealt with all the shit from customers, and fixed all the problems and really got no recognition...so my boss was very cool and had an all you can eat....and DRINK party for us. Well while we were setting up I do remember I had 10 mudslide shots. 10! Then I started drinking beer along wit them. I have faint recollection of sitting one one of the tables telling somebody about what color they were. Not sure I ever ate anything, it usually got in the way of my drinking- and this was no kids to be responsible for so I could go for it. Well luckily my keys were taken from me, since I lived 45 minutes on the highway away, and a guy gave me a ride. Apparently he rolled down the window in time and pushed my head thru it so I only barfed on the outside of his truck. When he got me home, he called my husband on the phone to come out and opened the truck door and I fell out onto the lawn. Very attractive. NOT It was Friday and the next day I was humiliated, mortified, and sur I was fired, so I went into work to get all my personal stuff out of my office so that Monday when I was fired it would be easy to leave. To my surprise and dismay, my boss was at work!! I tried to apologize and said I was willing to resign to avoid being fired. When he stopped laughing he said- you don't have to quit. I own you now! You are so filled with guilt I can trust you with anything. You are no my biggest asset! He was the most amazing boss. I'd like to stay I quit drinking after that, but it was still a couple of more years...

Oooh when I go visit up there I hope the rocking chair is in my bedroom at my daughters. That boss later moved back to NY and we stay in touch. Wow anything about Mexico today? Hmmm the weather sucks! It's cold as hell and I guess records are being set with it snowing in Phoenix. It better start getting warm soon, cause I don't want my hubby to have to paint yet another house! ha ha that's a joke insinuating another move, still north like this but warmer....maybe Baja??? Luckily he doesn't read this!!

OK I'm still sick, but so much better than even yesterday. Sat, Sun & Mon are all sort of a hazy dream. Yesterday I went to the doctor and that was weird, too. In Guerrero I really liked the doctor I saw, only saw him twice, but I felt safe, never questioned anything he said or gave me. This guy, not so much. Maybe I was impressed in Guerrero but the humbleness of this doctor, his father was a doctor, too, and whenever we went to Copala, the next town from us, where he practiced, we would see them sitting on the porch of their place. Like most people, their business was the front part of their house. They were both so...calm, and caring. This guy yesterday just seemed very full of himself, arrogant...ha ha maybe like md's in the states? No- that's an unfair statement. I love my oncologist, and I had a doctor for many many years, Dr Cooper who I loved. You know, his name was J. Wayne Cooper and the J. was for John! His wife was his nurse and I loved them both. He retired a few years back, right around the time I changed to Kaiser. My oncologist is Kaiser and I like him. I've never had a doctor for too long since I've had Kaiser, maybe cause I don't go to the doctor too much, except when I got diagnosed with breats cancer in 2009. Ha ha that poor oncolgist..funny I can't remember his name right now..wait- Dr Maloney...

Poor guy- I had to have a lumpectomy and then it was analyzed (I guess that's the word), and sent to him. He started talking about the cancer, what it meant and that I needed to have chemo and radiation. He started to go on and I said WAIT. I need to ask YOU some questions. Haha he was surprised but said go ahead. I asked him how old he was..I didn;t want Doogie Howser deciding my fate. I asked him where he went to medical school, and I asked him- most important to me- why did you choose oncology? Were all the cool things gone and you got stuck with it? Why? He got pretty passionate then and told me he was always interested in oncology and (something else don't remember), and he always wanted to do this. That's what I was waiting to hear. I said "ok you may proceed". A few days later I apologized, told him when I get scared, I go on the offensive and look for info. He laughed and said it was fine. Oh and I also asked him, if it was your wife? And he said he would prescribe the exact same thing. So ok, the start of a beautiful doctor patient relationship ha ha.

Ok so yesterday, the doctor was engaging, funny, he spoke 14 languages he told me. He listened to my breathing, my chest; I was wheezing, and I agreed with him I had fluid in there- ok enter secret fear of my dad going to the doctor with maybe pneumonia and it being lung cancer with lungs full of fluid, and he gave me a weird shot that he said would clear my congestion- which it did. I stopped wheezing and my chest feels clear. But every time I cough it's like chards of glass in my throat. Anyway he said as he gave me the shot, it takes 25 seconds to interact, then you will feel prickly in your head and your genital area. Wow it was true! I said how long and he said 10 seconds and you can scratch! I crossed my legs and counted backwards from 10 and it stopped. Both Poppi and the dr agreed my color came back in just a few minutes. And my lungs are clear. But there was still something about him. Anyway so I asked him to write down the drugs I took. Oh he also gave Everardo a shot in his shoulder for the pain he's had since we moved up here. He's had it before and gets some kind of a B12, and steroid shot..dono duberion or something like that. I had a shot in my hip 2 years ago when I was here and it totally fixed me up.

He also gave me the shot in the butt and the 7 days of antibiotics I got both times in Guerrero- once for food poisoning (the water actually) and once for the bacteria I also got from the water- this coming down from the hills. Anyway I think maybe it's why I got the first shot, cause I looked it up when I got home. It said it was a very strong drug for killing batcteria that other drugs wouldn't kill. It also said it was NOT for colds or flu. I mean it actually said that! That was on the Mayo Clinic website so I kinda believe it. So I'm thinking that while he couldn't fix my flu (which I knew going in) he could make sure nothing else was going on. But he wanted me to come back today and get a second shot. He said it was based on my weight, that I was heavy and so needed a bigger dose but he didn't want to give it to me all at once. Ok thanx I guess. But I didn't like the side effects I read about- that it can cause kidney problems and can affect your hearing. So- I'm not going back.

One interesting thing- as he wrote up the prescription- he lit up a cigarette! Wow now that was weird. Anyway he wanted us to go pick up my scrip and the stuff for Everardo's injection at the pharmacy, so as we walked out, I was smiling and he looked at me and I said well I never seen a doctor smoking, and he laughed and said he was the only one. I said that's definitely going in my blog. He laughed. When we got back and he gave my my pills and asked how I was feeling- actually a bit better- that was when I asked how to spell the drug he gave me, that I was taking Arimidex, and after chemo I wanted to know what I was taking. I mean yeah chemo was right- but the truth is, it's poison. Yes sir may I have another? So it's the risk I want to understand. So then he asked me if I wanted to know how/why I got cancer. I said yes of course. He told me about a book by Bernie Seagal called Love Nedicine Miracles and said I got cancer because of negative thoughts and actions. That we need to take care of ourselves and not worry about what we can't change,,,started to sound like he was in AA cause some of what he said I learned there. Then he said like my rude comment about him smoking- that I had no respect. That I should worry about myself not try to fix him. So- this is NOT when I decided not to go back- I already was uneasy enough to ask him to write down the name of the drug he injected me with. I already noticed that I didn't feel all that comfortable with him. The truth is him smoking is none of my business...well kinda..

Ok here's where I am with that. He's a fucking doctor. He should know better. And if he doesn't care about himself, does he really have true empathy for his patients? And what about the doctor thing- First do no harm? Or however that one goes. The truth is smoking hurts everyone! Second hand smoke?? I was in his office wheezing for God's sake- and he lights up a smoke? Now that's what I call arrogant. If I have to go to the doctor again, well there's lots to choose from and I'll ask someone I know...yeah Everado asked someone for this guy, but not somebody I know, and well, I just didn't like him. Now the good news is, it cost me about $25 USD- and that was for 2 shots and the exam. No appt, just walk in. And of course no insurance. I say again- WTF with the US and health care? Get rid of all the insurance companies, and for the pharmaceutical companies-hmm where does Canada and Mexico (and MANY other countries) but their drugs? Cause they just ain't that expensive.Oh so last nite I threw up, took a sleeping pill made of only natural ingredients, and still couldn't sleep...maybe about 3 am fell into a tossy turny sleep, but today just sore throat, stuff head, so I'm on the mend. Yuck enough sick talk!

I saw my last post said it was Saturday but I wrote it Friday nite, and not that late, but it still showed the next day. I know I didn't write anything yesterday cause I woke up sick as a dog. Coughing stuff head, later chills and sweats. Today is better but I am so weak. Layed around all day excpet for going for a drive cause I wanted to get out of the house, so Poppi took me and Sam for a drive and we found a stretch of beach we hadn't seen before and the fresh aor was nice.

I tried going to the Shrimp park for the Iron Chef competition but I lasted about 10 minutes. I was sweating and it was so crowded, luckily I had found a great parking spot easily so stated making my way out when Sam bumped me- Everardo and Sam came to get me to go to the beach. So I left my car there and went with them in the truck, but I was so weak I stayed in the cab while they walked down to the beach and Sam chased the ball into the water for a while. Man I feel like death warmed over- I think my Mom used to say that cause it's always in my head when I'm sick.

I can't really think to straight but for some reason I just thought of losing my perfect pancake. Yeah I've tried to make pancakes twice since we've lived here. Not sure I've ever made them before- made french toast- wait not I haven't but I've made waffles for sure! Ha ha I am quite the cook- not. But Drewy is a good cook; she makes dinner for her little family, and when I was talking to her the other nite she was reading a recipe to make whatever dish she was working on. Her dad was a good cook and I'm glad both girls like to cook. Ha ha I'm just smart enough to marry men who love to cook. My ex, and Everardo, too. He can make something out of nothing. When we first met I called him "Stone Soup", you know that story about when they had nothing to eat, but they boiled a big part of water, then someone came and added a carrot, someone added something else and so on....That's my Poppi, he make something yummy when we got nothin'.

So anyway a few days ago I had a tortilla go the same way as the perfect pancake and now I'm wondering just how much food, and other things, silverware maybe, is down there. It's such a skinny space, maybe I'm feeding a mouse? Ok so in between the stove and the end of the counter is a space, maybe less than an inch across. When I was attempting pancakes, the very last one was this perfect shape, and the perfect color, golden brown and I knew it wouldn't be too doughy, this one was going on the top of Everardo's stack. As I swooped it up with the spatula, it slid right off the side and down in that crevice! I never even noticed that damn crevice before! So I made pancakes one more time, a couple of weeks ago, and now I see what I need that long flat pan that you see used to make a few at a time. I watch now in the segundas for one- so of course I'm not seeing one ha ha. Then a few nites ago a tortilla jumped down the same hole. So what happens to that stuff? A mouse? Or would it start to stink when it gets old. But that would have already happened, right?

Well except for being sick, so I'm weak and yucky, I am a very happy woman. My man is sitting here, at the other end of the couch, on his laptop, and Sam is sleeping on the floor between us. My daughter is getting married and the next few months will be so fun to listen to her plans, her excitement, ha ha her insanity. Thank God I'm sober and will be present for it all. In 2 day I will have 12 years of sobriety, and for that I am forever grateful. To be a part of my daughters lives....I always was, physically at least, but there were times when I said the right words or showed up at the right places, but in my head I wasn't there. For me, that what alcohol does, becomes more important than anything or anyone. And Everardo having his daughter back in his life...the same thing- if he were getting loaded and/or doing drugs, this wouldn't be happening either. So life is...I almost said a bowl of cherries, but I don't like cherries. Life is...a big jar a peanut butter! Yeah cause I LOVE peanut butter.

MY DAUGHTER IS GETTING MARRIED!!! I am so happy, so excited, so encouraged, so pleased, so comforted, I know he's the right guy for her. It's funny- Everardo said that Rex is good for her, that he is calm, he's solid, and her? Well she's just like me! Ha ha Wacky, sometimes insecure, strong and confident, fights for the underdog, never backs down, ok crazy, and a strong, grounded, calm man is a good partner for her. A safe place to land. Someone to listen and let you get it all out, and then give you a hug. I know what I'm talking about, especially of she is me. I am also married to that man. He's wonderful, my safe place. And it's very cool that he's also in recovery, cause he understands....everything. Boy I hope she's not as whacked out in her pea brain as me... I was an insecure disaster area for sooo many years. No she's a smart cookie that girl. And she found herself a good man. I like him so much. I have been hoping for quite some time that they would follow this path. Sounds like the wedding will be in about a year. Her and her little sister can have fun planning the wedding, and I know I'll be included in some of it, even if it's just to hear how it's going, what's she's thinking of, who and where, oh boy oh boy, my baby's getting married. I am just so pleased.

Well we finished the painting today. And I sent an email to the landlord telling her how much we spent on the paint and the brushes & rollers, and included some photos- it looks fantastic by the way. I know I know I gotta figure out how to add photos on this site, I always think of it when I'm writing and promptly forget when I finish...Usually she writes back to me pretty quick, but maybe the expense of the paint, added to the expense she asked me to carry over from Jan, maybe it gave her pause, in my opinion, better to rip the band aid off, I should just pay almost nothing for Feb, then it wouldn't look so bad to her...ah well. So the house looks amazing- did I say that already? It feels like we live here, like it's our home. It feels warm and comfy...and the colors are wild, bright, alive. Green, red, melon, purple- it's perfect.

Now if would just warm up around here! It's cold and it's killing some of my joints. I cannot make a tight fist, all my knuckles hurt. And on my right hand, my middle finger, when I'm sleeping it gets stuck in the curled up position.It makes this "thunk" when it opens, I have to move it with my other hand, or else Poppi massages my hand until it opens. It's from the pills I take as anti cancer medication. I have to take it until Nov of 2014. Well my joints only hurt in the cold, and hopefully it will get warmer soon. My joints never hurt in Playa Ventura, well my knees a little when it was raining non stop. So I'll say that was a good thing about being down there. I keep looking at the 10 day forecast here. But one thing for sure- it's a much colder, rainier winter than they ever have around here. It's not supposed to rain around here during the winter, it's supposed to rain in summer. In fact it's only supposed to rain less than 2 inches a year here- well I'm here to tell ya it's already rained 2 inches.

Teaching English out at the center is great- I'm actually teaching adults. They want to learn, I'm even getting the same people more than once in a row. It's so freaking cool! Doing sentences, making phrases, the excitement on their faces, and when they don't understand, I am actually able to find a way to explain it so they can understand. I'm totally making it up as I go, but it's working! I am so so so grateful to be able to do this. Thank you God. It really feels like I'm helping. I almost want to erase all of this part cause if I talk about it, does it lose it's goodness? I am just so amazed, and it's so cool during this class, it's just been a couple, but they like it, and...they STUDY at home! I actually emailed my brother cause I couldn't figure out how to explain "do" and "does", like 'what does she need to take on her vacation'- in Spanish when you ask what she needs, you just says que necesita? Like what you need. Well I haven't heard from him yet, but I googled and googled and I think I might know what to say, partly know and partly, well it just is- ha ha. One guy, Ruben, he actually knows a little English, which is much more than the other 3, and he asked me what's the significance of "does", so I gotta come up with something. He is very jolly, asks alot of questions, and also tries to help the others, so he is very good for the class and for me. I felt like I was walking on a cloud yesterday when I left there.

Oh yeah, yesterday was Valentine's Day, and Poppi brought me roses out to the center. I made me a cut out heart with a silly poem for him. Then I had a great day out there, then later we went down to the malecon where they had a local radio station and live music, giving couple certificates for dinner at local restaurants, then the music started and a little dancing, but it was cold so we went home before it really started getting going. Then I got the call from my Drewy, my baby's gettin' married. Hell of a day eh? Tomorrow is the international iron chef competition down at the Shrimp Park, so that should be fun. Life is beautiful.

Guess I wasn't done. Ok I couldn't take a nap cause I had a cup of coffee while writing the first post this afternoon, and couldn't read cause I'm too tired. Ha. But been thinking (uh oh) more about the whole cheaper medicine thing, and no politics this time, but I realized I said well I could always live in Yuma and cross for my meds. DUH WHAT? The only reason we'd move back to the states would be, to be closer to our kids, so Yuma?? I think not! Mexico or San Francisco- that's it. I think I'd be happy to stay here, but again my girls, and now his girl, too. Maybe the kids would move here....

So tomorrow nite I'm going to this dinner for a group called "Uncommon Women on Common Ground". All I kow about them is what I saw on their FB page, something about women in this community getting together to talk about what they are doing and/or ideas about things that could get started in this community...something like that..They meet once a month with a dinner, and it's hosted by someone or some group. It's only 2 hours long, which seems kinda short to me, especially if at least one hour is dinner since you will be just talking to table mates...hmmm I don't know ha ha maybe 2 hours is a good thing. I'm interested to see what people around here are into, and I like that it's a women only thing...well ok what I like is the name- and I hope it lives up to the name. If I like it, there will be one more thing to be a part of around here, and I'm kinda liking it around here.

I am really looking forward to taking Spanish classes! I feel like I'm on the edge of understanding so much! So I guess I know alot of words, but that's so different from conversations. Today I read this highway sign that said "Mantenga limpiar la carratera" (Keep the highway clean), so I wanted to know if the word keep was used the same for...keep your hands to yourself, keep your money, keep your eyes peeled, keep the book in the desk....well your husband can't be your teacher. At first when I tried to say all that in Spanish he said yes, you can use it all those ways. Then said...well- it's a different word for keep your money, oh and a different word for keep your hands....- so is it all those things or only good for a messy highway? Arrgghh Spanish is hard...yeah I know I need an open mind, like sometimes keep is about maintenance, sometimes it's about holding something, or about ...hell I don't know. It's kinda like I tried to teach this thing to this teenager Jessica; that sometimes Spanish has 2 words where we have 1 (like "la" and "el" English has "the) and sometimes Spanish has 1 word and English has 2 words (like "porque" in Spanish is both "why" and "because" in English). And then there is slang- "que onda"? is what's happening? like "que pasa", but it's slang.

You know living here makes me really consider so much around me. I think the biggest lesson has been patience, and I think I'm actually developing some. Not rushing is a nice concept, and of course acceptance ties right in with patience. Then acceptance around the poverty I see, and I know it's not just Mexico of course, but it's where I am right now. And how different people deal with their lives; accepting their lot, trying to improve, angry and taking whatever they can get- actually I think it's the way people act in all walks of life, all the time, just for some reason - I guess because so much is new to me, including the language, I'm seeing it. I almost said- seeing it so clearly, but I don't mean clearly like I understand, just seeing symptoms clearly. The 3 boys I had last Thursday for English, I was trying to do sentences; they are about 8 or 9, and I asked where they wanted to go on a trip. One said New York, one said Las Vegas, and one said United States, but when I asked why they all wanted to go to the US, one changed his answer to Chiappas. I asked if he'd been there before and he said no. So The kid from NY said he wanted to go there because it is so beautiful, and big. Las Vegas was because of family and casinos. If I have then tomorrow I'm going to try asking them what they want to take on their vacations...but I probly won't have them, maybe on of them and then other kids ha ha. Oh by the way the fruit worked pretty good, for about 20 min (which is good). They said "I have one banana" and "I have one banana and one red apple" They ate the strawberries pretty fast, and it sort of started to dissolve, so that's when I changed it to taking a trip. And I am learning more Spanish from them every time I go. But this reminds me that I wanted to make a list of verbs for Jessica (hope I see her tomorrow), so that's it for now.

New adventure! Ha ha the hypocritical people of Arizona! These are the one who are so against immigration, who ride out in their trucks to catch undocumented people sneaking into the US, I mean these people are nuts! But ha ha guess what!!?? They all go to Algodonis for medicine, and doctor appts. I just went to this place in Baja (still Mexico), this town called Algodonis. It is a border town, into Arizona- I think at Yuma. This is the funniest place- and I mean funny strange not funny ha ha (well maybe a little ha ha). This place has literally hundreds of dentist, eye doctor & regular doctor offices! I started taking pictures when we first got there, but in 5 minutes had over 20 dentist offices, and then laughing I gave up. We didn't get there until after 5pm, so it was dark an hour later, but it was amazing! Eye doctor eye doctor eye doctor...I mean the offices are next to each other, the same thing with the dentists and MD's. This morning there were guys in front of the dentist offices offering a free screening...come on in! This is hilarious! And in between all these medical offices are stalls selling souvenirs...everything you can think of, I guess like all tourist areas, silver, ceramics, clothes, toys, things made of wood, metal sculptures, everything.

There's about 5500 people there, and of course alot of that must be kids..anyway one fun fact about the place is below (I googled it)
Los Algodones is the northernmost town in Mexico, and at its northeastern tip is the northernmost point in Mexico. Another interesting geographical distinction is that if someone were to travel in any of the four cardinal directions from anywhere in Algodones (due north, due east, due south, or due west), they would cross a U.S. border.

Now here's the reason I say hypocrites: The popularity of both inexpensive prescriptions and medical care catering to Canadian and US senior citizens have prompted a virtual explosion of pharmacies and dental offices which have largely displaced a great deal of the open-air shops and restaurants immediately across the border and have effectively shifted the town's focus from tourism to medicine. 

 Well we were only there last nite and earlier today (it's about 3 1/2 hours from here), but what I saw was license plate after license plate from Arizona, but I did see 2 from Calif. and none from Canada. We didn't see too many people on the street last nite; after we found Everardo's friend, a hotel and a bite to eat it was about 7pm, and the streets were deserted. Actually I asked a couple I saw on the patio of our hotel about places to grab some snacky food about 8pm, and they said- everything is all closed up in town! ha ha ha that's so funny cause everywhere else in Mexico, 8pm is when things start moving and shaking...but this morning what I saw was seniors! Lots of seniors! Walking on all the streets where the medical offices and curios were. Well there's only a couple or three streets with all that stuff and the rest is residential. And Everardo said everybody makes money there! NOt the vendors who sell the best- meaning salesmanship, or the best stuff- everybody. He saw at least 8 people he knew from when he worked there about 8 years ago, around the time he also lived here in Puerto Penasco. We talked to a guy selling silver, a lady selling leather goods, another with picture frames (beautiful and I want to go back there), one with ceramics and one with the metal stuff, including the scorpians- he said that guy taught him how to make them.

Anyway there were so many seniors out walking thru the area and this was about 8am. We went into a pharmacy- and get this!! They had- and this was on the shelf! Arimidex! $40USD for 28 pills and with a little talking I'm sure a little cheaper! This is the medicine I take for post breast cancer! Right now I pay a little over $400US per MONTH and never go to the doctor, but I need that prescription so I keep the coverage. I see my oncologist once a year, second year in a row, and pay almost $5K per year, and I still have a copy for the pills....so $140 per year for that too- oh so that just putsme over $5K. YOu know when people complain about undocumented Mexicans straining the health care system...hmmm now I gotta think- cause they ain't coming for health care!!! It's next to nothing down here. I paid $1800 for my last root canal in Calif, here I was quoted $200US- and that was down in Guerrero, I didn't ask in Algodonis ha ha. Yeah I know- that's not the reason they come, but still they get the medical care...but you know what? What the FUCK?? What is going on with health care in the US. I know it's not a new conversation, not a new issue. BUt again? What the FUCK? Why can Mexico offer medicine so cheap? Doctor visits so cheap???? Maybe cause it IS CHEAP??? What is the matter with us in the US? As always I have to think it's about greed and power. Why can the insurance companies charge so much? The pharmaceutical companies? The freaking doctors?? Yes the change has to be monumental, but it has to change!! Teachers don't make shit (at least below college levels and I am only not commenting about that cause I don't know), but doctors? Ha ha and don't even get me started on Sports players- but that's for another time.

So what will I do? About my medical coverage and medicine? Hmmm I'm not sure. I know what's going on in the US is wrong, but I am afraid for my own health...you know- the big C. Cancer...I am clear, had a lumpectomy in 2009, chemo and radiation, but my doctor wants me to take Arimidex until Nov of 2014. Yep I can do that, and get the pills here and let go of my insurance. The problem I see is, if I let it go, I'll never get coverage if/when I go back. That's why I never changed companies since I had cancer. I have Kaiser, and I like my doctor, but shit- $400 a month for nothing? If it comes back and I'm here, ok I will deal with it here in Mexico- they have excellent health care. But if we move back, then what do I do? Oh wait I know- move to Yuma so I can cross to Algodonis and get affordable health care. So for now, I will just let it bounce around in my pea brain. I have a mammogram appt coming up for late April, my once a year visit, maybe I'll decide after that. Then I will be 3 years clear..or 4 if I was diagnosed in May 2009? My treatment wasn't over until Nov of 2009, so not sure how to count it.

Ok- so the day trip was fun and turned into an overnite. We were lazing about yesterday (Sunday) and late morning I said hey let's go for a ride. Poppi (which apparently should be spelled Pappi in Spanish so I'll try to change) so Pappi said wanna drive out to see Santa Clara? Sure. So we take Sam and the car since better gas mileage, and proceed to drive an hour in the wrong dorection!! Towards Caborca..ooops, so an hour back and then head the right way. Well on the way he asks if we should go all the way to San Luis and I say sure again, and we end up 45 min past San Luis Rio Colorado in Algodonis, where Pappi finds his old friend who helped him get into rehab 8 years ago when he had a raging drug problem (5 years before he met me). So we find him and get to go to a Spanish speaking AA meeting literally next door to our very cute hotel. We had amazing quesadillas at a roadstand (basically how we eat out these days)  Now when you ask for a quesadilla with meat- is it just a big taco? Anyway they were to die for. Then this morning after walking around finding his old friends, we drove back thru San Luis Rio Colorado to Santa Clara. In both Algodonis & San Luis he showed places he lived, places he stayed before crossing the border. I asked about "the fence", which he said is not really a deterrent for anyone ha ha. We saw where the fence stops because it's an Indian Resrvation, we saw border guys down in these ravines that I assume used to be rivers- not sure why not anymore....Then in Santa Clara we ate the best head tacos. I know I know sounds yucky but they are the very best tacos. It's the same kind Everardo's cousins sell in Morelia. We got home in early afternoon, and just kicked back. Probly (I hope) gonna have eggs for dinner.

On Saturday nite Everardo got to chat with Eleana again and they must have talked for over 2 hours. He is very happy and I for him. He's letting her set the pace and I think that's smart. I looked into a Spanish class, and funny, there's a level 2 (not sure if that's me but I'm not a beginner), but thislevel 2 class has 2 other students- Karen and Mark- from the center ha ha!! So much for a little distance, but I really want to take the class- I need to do what I planned, get into a class here and get me closer to fluency. Everardo is all for it, even tho' it more money going out....when I talked to the guy he said either $5 or $6 an hour, but when he put me on the phone with the teacher, she said $8...and that this particular class, the students want 3 times a week- but I agree- 3 times a week is good..so $24 a week I guess I'll be spending...I hope Poppi- oops Pappi gets some work soon....he's talking to a couple of guys that have said he can work with them, but I think it's about a month away...Then also a friend Mike, seems to be some kind of big shot around here, and thinks he can help him get a construction job in a couple of months cause a huge project is about to start. But I want him to do what he really wants to do, and I think it might be selling trinkets to the tourists, and he thinks he can do pretty good. And he can always change his mind. This is supposed to be fun- and he was the lucky recipient in Playa Ventura of all the chores with the project house from hell, so what the HELL. I know I haven't made the best finiacial decisions...or I wouldn't be worrying about money, but now I want us both to be happy. So...we will just have to see how it goes. Maybe maybe maybe the Playa Ventura house will sell...

Hmmm time for a little reading and possibly a nap before dinner...

The dogs here can outrun the dog catcher truck!! We were leaving today and we saw these 2 dogs come flying around the corner and up our street away from us. Next thing we see if the dog catcher truck coming slowly up the same alley, but they turned our way instead of the way the dogs went. We both burst out laughing! Those dogs are so smart! And up in the direction they went, I saw some other dogs meeting up with them. There's usually 3 guys in the truck at a time, and they all where the little white face mask, but the dogs around here are smart, and I think they warn each other ha ha.

Anyway we were laughing at them, and they pointed to our car and yelled we had a flat. Damn. So my little car had a flat and no jack. Guess what we went shopping for? Well we hit up the auto parts place at the edge of town, got a jack and a new distributor cap for the truck, which Everardo's been talking about since we were in Playa Ventura, and when we got back he discovered the spare had no air...I came in and found a comfy spot to start my 3rd library book- as soon as I finish it and return them I get my library card..yippee (yeah I know- easily pleased). Well Pam showed me where the Rocky Point Times office was and that they have a ton of books (in English) that I can borrow...oh boy oh boy, cause the English books at the library are slim pickens. I'm going to give them mine as I finish them, but I only brought about 30 or 40, maybe less. I was thinking about bringing the 100 or so that I left in Playa Ventura, but I probly would use the room for other things.

So that's the next new thing- we have kinda decided to put the Playa Ventura trip. Not sure if I wrote about the trip here or not, but at first just Poppi was going to go, and then when he got back I'd go up to Petaluma. Then we decided to both go; get someone to stay here and take care of Sam and the house. Yeah- Sam had to stay cause he doesn't do great after 2-3 days of driving. And we figured we drive straight thru to get there, but do some exploring on the way back. Maybe go to Oaxaca, Mexico City- or out to the pyramids at least, back to Morelia to see his sister and brother again, maybe fix that tile on his mother's grave...in fact we were talking about being gone up to a month. But today Everardo brought it up again and said maybe we should wait a few months, until after he finds some work and we get some money coming in. Our plan was NOT to live on the rent we get from the Petaluma house; but we have been spending spending..I mean life happens. Ha ha the project house from hell in Playa Ventura, not so much here, but we had to buy furniture, a car, lots of little stuff...So Poppi is still waiting on the permit to be a vendor down at the beach and/or on the malecon, and now he thinks he can find something working for someone who already has a shop. I'm not worried, my hubby s a very resourceful guy so it will be interesting to see what comes next. So we will put the trip off for a while; we were only going to make an appearance, to show we care about the house, but we do have a guy taking care of it, so not going right now is the better financial decision. I have to go to California for my mammogram, so that trip has to be first, we agreed on that. And now there's even another reason that my trip is important...

This is huge news!!! Our lives are forever changed. In ways we don't know about yet, not sure what comes next, but my darling sweet loving husband is over the moon happy! Two nites ago, kinda late, maybe after 10pm, he got a facebook message. (yep thank God for FB) It was a woman named Kelly, and she is the mother of his 16 yr old daughter, who he has not seen since she was 4!!! He was in shock I think, at first anyway. They chatted, and then she gave him her phone number and he called her right then. She had been looking for him for awhile, and as people may or may not know, Mexican people have two last names; one from their mom and one from their dad.
Everardo uses only one, and of course, she looked for the other one, the one that came last. It's taken a couple of days to piece the story together, and I'm not comfortable telling it all here, after all it was all things that took place before I even knew him. Life is messy, and relationships, families are dysfunctional as hell sometimes. Add some drugs and alcohol, the law...Anyway his daughter got older, and asked for him, about him. Kelly reached out, and (thank you God) found us.

So Poppi got to facebook chat with his 16 year old daughter, Elena. He has her name and her face tattooed on his chest. She does not remember him, but her older brothers do a little I think. They called him dad, they are older than Elena, and Kelly had them when he met her, then they had Elena. She seems so sweet, she is very nervous, scared, and has- of course- a million questions. She only wants to chat right now, she didn't want to skype and talk face to face, but she does want to meet her dad. It was so very touching to watch my husband go thru all these emotions, he doesn't want to pressure her, he wants to go at her pace. He is so filled up with love. And gratitude. And love. We do have a small problem, Poppi cannot go to the states right now, not legally anyway. Our current plan is to apply for a visa for him in July, after we have been married 2 years. If he goes anyway and gets caught, they will never give him a visa. Right now Kelly is not willing to let Elena come visit us. She is afraid. I understand, this is her daughter, and this whole thing is very new. She also told Poppi, pls don't hurt my daughter, don't come into her life and then disappear. I understand that, too. I would do anything to spare my daughters from any hurt, any pain. He understands, too.

So we will go slow. At her and Elena's pace. I friended her on FB, and wrote to her in a private message to introduce myself. She wrote back and said glad to meet me; that she and Elena were looking forward to meeting me when I come up in April. They live just 3 towns above where we lived! Everardo told Elena she had 2 stepsisters, and told her about Drewy and Halla. She also wanted to know about her aunts and uncles and cousins, of which she has many in Gilroy (below San Francisco), and I am willing to take her (and her mom too if she wants to got) down to Gilroy to meet some of her Dad's family. When I go up there I'll probly introduce Drew and Halla to Elena too, if she wants- my girls are already excited about it, but I am sure this is all very overwhelming for Elena. Yes it's what she wants, but wow- meeting your dad for the first time? (since she doesn't remember him). So they chatted the last two nites in a row, for quite awhile, over an hour each time. She told him about school, her pets, and asked him lots of questions. He is just soooo happy, and I am sooo happy for him. Funny I didn't start with this subject when I started writing tonite, but it's a bit overwhelming for me as well, and I wasn't sure how to start. And truthfully I didn't want to forget about the dogs! It was so funny.

Ok other news. The neighbor moved in- really it's neighbors cause it's two women. Not sure what their relationship is. I know they are friends, but maybe lovers? Maybe the one is the care taker for the other, cause one has a medical condition; she has Lupis, and needs help. Tina is American (white) and Lupita is Mexican; Lupita's sister and brother-in-law live here in Penasco. They have a little white scruffy dog, maybe part poodle, named Sophie, very cute. So they seem nice enough; Tina is on vacation, and only cares about having internet, I haven;t heard them say anything about tv. We gave her the code for our internet so she doesn't have to pay for it for 3 months. She is a bit unsteady on her feet, bad equilibrium, but like I said, so far they seem nice.

I worked at the center yesterday; frustrating in the morning with some out of control little kids completely uninterested in learning anything, and then much better in the afternoon with 2 teenager girls and then 2 women who were very interested; they wrote down everything I wrote on the board. I tried to do some phrases, with the "5 W's" (who where what when why). I think it went pretty well. For tomorrow with the little ones, I have a bag of a basket of strawberries, red & green apples, bananas, and cactus (the kind you eat). So I'm gonna try to make it fun to learn colors and names of fruit.....wish me luck ha ha (buena suerte!) Ok I think I'm caught up- yeah I need to write more often cause I know I'm leaving out stuff, like Superbowl at Andas - didn't think I'd enjoy cause don't care about football but had a good time...and practicing my Spanish at the Spanish speaking AA meetings and at the center....ah well tomorrow...