Well it's NOT abalone season

We took our road trip to San Quintin the other day and it was a beautiful ride. I did not, however get my abalone. It's not in season. They do have abalone "farms" down there, the guy in the restaurant told us it was about 40 minutes further down the road...but if they have farms to grown them, they why does there need to be a "season"? Maybe it has to do with the temperature of the water? Ok another google session for me. We drove down and it felt like northern California ha ha- lots of road construction! So it took a little longer to get down there than we thought it would. At first the terrain is really green, rolling hills and lots of vegetation. There are acres and acres of produce- starwberries, looked like watermelons and other squash. And then miles and miles of vineyards. They were dead vines, dormant....after the harvest and before they start again. I thought all the grapes were grown in the Guadalupe Valley which is north and east of us, but like I said, there were rows and rows and rows of vines. After about an hour, maybe a little more it started to become desert-y. The dirt started to get redder, and the vegetation was brushy...When we got closer to San Quintin the fields became tomotoes. I read that more tomatoes are grown in this area than anywhere in the world!

San Quintin is kind of long, with everything along both sides of the highway. It was a nice outing and I didn't find anything there extra special, the ride was the goal. Now we did not follow the highway to the south end where it met the ocean, we took a right and went out to the "old port", a nice woman at the gas station told us it was nice spot, so we went for it. The bay is called - crap! I forget what the name of it is! But it's narrow and winds around as it comes inland. And pretty interesting, right by the dock we were standing on, the water eddies around, whirlpools and it's going pretty fast- on both directions. And the pelicans! They are huge...all waiting around for some fisherman to throw out old bait or parts of the fish he has no use for. They were in comeptition with some pretty hefty (read chubby) seagulls as well. I got some great pictures of them all. So there was a guy, a fisherman, well I think that's what he was- but he took the discarded fish pieces, and cut them up even more, and kept parts of it to make fish soup. So he was throwing away pieces and the fight was on.

On the way out this dirt turnoff we spied 2 kids walking and trying to wave down a ride- they must have been only 10 or 12 years old. We picked them up and they were on their way to go crabbing. But they had us stop at a little bodega and they didn't want is to wait. They were getting bait and said they'd get a ride the rest of the way. After we ate and went back to walk along the water again, we saw them and they waved. Their "fishing poles" were plastic soda bottles with sand and rocks in them, and fishing line wrapped around them. Don't know if they caught anything, but in the car- one kid very talkative and one very quiet- we were told all about it so I have no doubt they reeled 'em in.

The restaurant was very nice, and they said over holidays they get very busy and the rest of the time they have people drop in, and as we ate we saw quite a few groups of people arrive and walk along the docks, some coming in to eat. There were also some vendors with trinkets set up, so there must be some steady-if light- tourist traffic. Now for the food- well I'm sure it's probably good, and the presentation was very nice. But I ordered crab stuffed shrimp. First they brought us a very nice clam chowder, it almost tasted like mashed potatoes, corn and clams...hmm well it tasted really good. My plate came and looked so pretty. Some rice, some nice veggies, and my shrimps in some kind of a thick sauce...really good. But my shrimps- well they were wrapped and cooked in bacon. Bacon! Might have been something to mention on the menu or when you ordered it- I mean I asked if it was picoso (spicy)...and they had a meat & seafood menu that I did NOT order from....so I was disappointed. Everardo had shrimp in some kind of sauce, and he only got 6 shrimp...not big prawns or anything, small shrimp...which he gave some of to me because I couldn't eat Bacon-y shrimp (and no crab in sight). The thing is- it was not cheap..about $20 US a plate- that's expensive. As we drove by several street stands all with signs about the seafood they offered, Everardo kept pointing them out...and YES YES we could have had the same thing- probably much better for about $3US each. I had insisted we find a nice restaurant because I wanted to be sure we got abalone- yeah joke's on me. But as I said, the drive down and back was nice. The walk around the waterfront of the old port was fun, watching the pelicans and the people. So it ended up being an almost all day thing; it was after 4pm when we got home so poor doggys got a very short walk. Anyway it looks like abalone season opens in April so we will be making another trip.

Did a little house hunting in Ensenada- yeah I will never learn! But maybe I finally get it; the houses for rent there have no stoves, no refrigerators, no hot water heaters, no house heaters. Unless of course if you are willing to pay $750-1000 a month rent. We called the nite before on one place, and planned to call on 3 others once we got there. One, the number had been disconnected, one didn't allow dogs, one had no yard, and we went to see one. It was in Colonia 89, past a huge cemetery (which is fine with me I kinda like cemeteries) and a jail, a police station...and winded up a hill, then started to get steeper, then turned from paved road to dirt. We finally turned...and then continued to steeply climb! Finally we got there, and I think the air was actually thinner! The guy was rapidly saying how the house had everything!! The listing said parking for 3 cars, and Everardo gently reminded me if we had 3 Volkswagens that would be true. Luckily for me I had almost zero expectations after the other places we'd seen in the city before we arrived and after. Well we went in and it was pretty trashed, but nothing some paint couldn't have fixed...well some of it anyway...then I asked about the fridge...oh, no. And the stove? no...Hot water heater?? No...he was even saying something about furniture, but there wasn't any. One bedroom did not have enough room for more than a twin bed, but the other one did...we didn't bother to look in the backyard, we just thanked him and said we'd give him a call. Once we got down into air we could actually breathe we started laughing. And I was done...ok ok no more looking for a place to live in the city.

Today the best thing that happened was we got the seat belt fixed on the passenger side of the car. Yippee!! Because when we go somewhere together, Everardo always drives and that seat belt works. People tend to drive like insane nuts here, so I want my seat belt. It's not always that they drive too fast, sometimes it when they want to be in your lane, so they come. And after the light turns red, a few cars will still go, but other times the people waiting for the light to turn green are inching their way into the intersection...so ait's a mixed bag and you never know what's going to happen next. And I guess I'm just so used to wearing a seat belt. Here I cringe when I see mothers holding babies and/or little kids on their laps in the front seat. Or the kid is in the seat alone, but standing up...aarrgghh scares the hell out of me. So getting my seat belt fixed was a very big deal to me.
The worst thing about today was that we finally went over to La Jolla to see about a house for rent. Everybody tells us that's the best place to live. That there's always some houses there for rent. Why do people say things when they don't know what the hell they're talking about? It happened in Penasco as well. Everybody talked about how there were so many houses to rent...not true not true. I looked for all those places for months. So here the same thing. My concern had been which place would we like, and to get the best place for the dogs. WHOOPS They very nicely told us they were not in the business to rent houses. They rent/lease land and then you build a house. The houses that were for rent- if there were any, were by owners or real estates agents like Irka Davis, who we are renting from now. In fact she had shown us 2 places in there. One was pretty good but it's $450 and we could rent that little trailer for $250. Wow was I surprised and depressed! I got in the car and couldn't help it- I cried. Yeah I know- what a baby. But all of a sudden the week I was sick (last week) and struggling with the stairs, the devil woman whom I hadn't seen almost since we got here and paid her ransom to go to the beach- she approached me a couple a days ago and hugged me (yuck-) and said she had a cookie package for me (like I would eat her poison cookies), the ghost town feeling here...not feeling comfortable going downstairs at nite cause there's no curtains...aarrgghh we're stuck in this house, all hit me at once and I cried. I feel much better now. I sent an email to Irka asking about some other places on her website, found a couple of other rental websites and sent some emails requesting info, and then saw a place for rent right down the road, at this woman's place...Pam's Hacienda. The houses are all painted carzy colors, right down my alley. Actually I'm not sure how many houses besides hers, the rest might be mobile homes, which is also fine with me. So I called her, and she only has a mobile home and it's $400. More than we want to pay, but we're going to look at it tomorrow afternoon, and hey, maybe she'd go for $350.

Then a little while ago Irka replied and said, you have a lease, talk to me. Yes I know we have a lease, and I realize we'll lose the security deposit, so what about the places I mentioned? She did not reply again. Tomorrow we'll also go out to Loma del Mar (I think) and see if anyone is around that can tell us rents there. It's a small camp, I think all mobile homes, and they all have a great view of the bay and Ensenada, but not a way to get to the beach. Which would be ok, too. And of course there's still the trailer for $250. We talked about that as well, it's half of what we're paying, it's about 10 feet from the beach, there's people around, friendly people, and has security. It's small, but do we need big? No. I am no longer upset. We have options. And one of my absolute worst character defects is feeling trapped and then making bad decisions. So now more.

So I am starting to work on my new years commitments...to myself. To dig a little deeper, to embrace acceptance. Not letting myself trapped, not making bad decision on top of other bad decisions, and hurting the people that I love in the process. Hey awareness is a pretty good start eh? Anyway, hopefully by Monday my cough will be all but gone, and then I'll go find that community center and see if there's something I can do..ok enough for now, Everardo is sleeping next to me on the couch, Hazel is snuggling up with him (hey that's my job), so time to wrap this up.

Mexico fun fact:
Stone tools have been found in Mexico that suggest the existence of humans there around 23000 years ago.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! 2014-wow...don't wanna think about how old that makes me ha ha! Well not really cause my birthday is in December so I have all year. We had a quiet New Years Eve; briefly considered going down to the Bufadora where a restaurant was serving filet mingnon for about $10US and staying open for fun until midnite or late, but Sam does not like loud fireworks and was upset with the few going off around 7pm, and we just couldn't leave him. And at midnite, there were A LOT of booms and bangs going off. Mostly fireworks that were just noisy with just a few shooting up lights. We could see some of those lights off in the distance in Maneadero and Ensenada, and like I said, Sam was very unhappy. And honestly, I still have a nagging cough that altho' isn't too bad when I'm sitting still, but being out in the cold nite air, and dancing, laughing, whooping it up for New Years Eve, well I'd probably be paying for it today, even though I don't even drink.

Today was a quiet one for us as well. Jammies most of the day, only getting dressed to take Sam & Hazel for a walk on the beach. There were alot of people out there digging holes to make little hot tubs and the steam was coming up all over. I tried to take some pictures, but the steam didn' come out in the shots, so it just looks like people digging in the sand ha ha.

There was a big freighter in the port across the bay in Ensenada with nothing on it. I saw it yesterday too, so maybe the port was on holiday- which would be nice for the workers, rigth? Then right before we left for the beach this afternoon I saw another freighter coming into the bay all loaded up, so I remembered to take the telescope with me. I love using it to look at the boats and the ships. There's usually a few out at the far end of the bay, on our side, where the big tuna rings are, and then sometimes there's the big cruise ships. In fact the other day there were 2 cruise ships, different cruise ship companies, both in port. We were in Ensenada and so parked down by the docks and walked along the malecon to look at them. You can't get up right next to them; there's a gate and a road that extends out to them. They mesmerize me- they are like apartment houses they are so big. The bigger one had a name "Sapphire Pricness", and I googled it when we got home. They are just massive with swimming pools and niteclubs and you can certainly spend a hell of a lot of money, but really I think you can not go crazy, and it can be reasonable. I always look at them thru the telescope when I see them from here (which is about twice a week I think), and if we're in Ensenada I want to look at them, but I'd never actually take a cruise ha ha! It looks really cool- but where the ocean is concerned- I am a big chicken. And to be out in the middle of the ocean and not be able to see any land....thinking of it gives me a kind of claustrophobia...like when I was a kid and we were driving in the desert and you could see nothing but desert I would get that same suffocating feeling. I used to say I'd do a cruise if I could see the land, like along the Mexican coast, or up the channel (wrong word, I know) in Alaska where you see the glaciers, but after the day the ocean beat the shit out of me in Playa Ventura, I really really understand the force of the ocean, how strong the waves are- how they swatted me like a fly. I was holding onto the rock and I was slapped off it like I was a flower petal floating in the air. And the water then threw me back against the rocks, very luckily for me I had moved to the side with the first swat and so I hit rocks on the sand, only about ankle high. It all happened really fast and yet I knew I was going to die there. The first swat pushed me along the rock and then dragged me out. I only wasn't dragged further because another wave came and thre me back up the beach. I barely remember any details of that part, but after the second one, I was digging my fingers into the sand like a cartoon character and was pulled right back in anyway. The third time, miraculously, I was thrown onto only sand, and although I couldn't see I just started crawling as fast as I could. The next wave just pushed me up the beach but didn't drag me out. I know how lucky I am. I also have huge respect for the ocean. I understand that if I fall off a boat, even if I can see the land, the water is choppy, surging, I'd never make it to shore. So cruises are out. For the first time I realized how lucky I was, (and how fucking stupid) back in the early 90's when I jumped off that yacht in the Sea of Snakes off the coast of China. I knew the water in Hong Kong harbor was dirty, but a slew of drinks later I was drunk enough to be "daring" (again-read stupid) to jump off the boat. This boat was 110 feet long and had speedboats on it to take little rides, the boat was owned by the company we were doing business with. I don't really remember alot about the boat, the pads they put down for us to sit on, the crew wearing starched white uniforms with gold braid and no shoes, and food, so much food, as well as continuous drinks whenever your glass emptied. However I do remember the second I hit that cold water! Again I was like a cartoon because I swear I ran across the top of the water back to the boat! So, again, no cruises for me.

So- back to the freighters. I watched them from the beach, and the empty one never moved, but the full one did a big "L" shape to get to a port a ways away for the empty one. There have been continuous commercials on tv for the movie with Tom Hanks on the freighter; Captain Phillips and we watched on the free movie site the other nite. It's called Watch32 and you can watch movies for free, so Everardo hooks his laptop up to the tv and we watch them. I love Tom Hanks movies and of course afterward I had to google to see how close to a true story it was. The producer said it was close, but there are lawsuits going on about the story from the crew, who said the captain received warnings about the pirates and should have take a course further out to sea, and the captain says he didn't think they'd be any safer further out. Anyway it was a pretty good movie. And like I said, I like to look at the freighters, think about what they're picking up and/or dropping off, where they're going next.

A family stopped to chat with us as we watched Sam chase the ball and Hazel chase Sam. I of course was looking at all things far with the telescope and was surprised to hear the man's voice right behind me. He was asking Sam's name and then he started to tell us that they had a lab some time ago. There was also a wife and 2 kids, teenagers at least, a boy and a girl. The conversation got too fast for me as always so I lost track of what everyone was talking about, but near the end the boy said something in English so I said- hey you speak English (ha ha yes painfully obvious) and he said he was learning. He had no accent in his English which surprised me, anyway the wife and he said I spoke good Spanish and so I told them, in Spanish that I speak better than I understand and they laughed. I said when I speak, people assume I'm fluent and the start speaking really fast (& they laughed), or they speak low, or use words I don't understand (since everything gas at least 2 or more words to describe it). Then Everardo asked for my cell phone number and I knew they were talking about where we lived, and I thought they were on vacation, so I assumed they were looking for a place to rent by the beach...ha ha wrong. They live in Maneadero and we gave him our phone number because he might know of a place for us to rent. So see, a little knowledge is a dangerous thing  ha ha, I get everything all mixed up....oh and they also may know of a place I can teach English, so it was good to meet then. My hubby makes friends with everyone he meets, he's me, just in Spanish ha ha.

So tomorrow I think we're going to go on a little road trip, down to San Quintin which is about 2 hours south I think. This area grows more tomatoes than anywhere else in the world. They also have abalone! Well I'm not sure how old the article I read was, but oh man would I love some abalone. However first I need to know how they prepare it. I thought everyone did it the same, dipped and then quick fried...oh man my nouth is watering. But once I had it in Bangkok, and it was one thick "steak" and you cut it with a knife and fork....and I was SO disappointment, but the person who brought me was so happy to treat me to something I was so excited about, so I said it was wonderful...it was good...but usually abalone is AMAZING and that's the experience I want. Well I will be sure to make a full report here. Viva.

Mexico fun fact:
There are 31 states in Mexico as well as the capital city (Mexico City).

Never reverse in an intersection

Yesterday we went for a drive to the far side of Ensenada to see if we could find the "other" segundas. The usual segundas we go to are along Reforma, at this end of Ensenada (south end). They are in little sotrefront buildings, like mini warehouses that have bog doors that you pull down. But the other place is more like tents, booths, and they are in a street that has no car traffic. We found them, but really only wanted to see where they were so we could come back at a later time, when I could walk for more than 10 minutes without getting too tired. We drove all over Ensenada yesterday and for a little while I thought how cool it would be to live right there, but then remembered, and then noticed that there just are not too many places with parking inside the yard and/or a fenced yard for Sam & Hazel.

So we headed for home; but as we came back past the segundas at the south end we noticed some neighborhoods on the other side (ocean side). Now they were near the ocean or have ocean views, and they looked like maybe a more struggling neighborhood, but the houses all had big yeards. Enough for cars and dogs...of course nothing was for rent, and altho' Everardo said maybe it wasn't the best area, we saw some places with nice yards and fixed up houses. It was something to consider anyway. So as we headed back towards the main road, we suddenly decided we wanted to go right instead of straight, and Everardo braked and put the truck into reverse..we weren't going fast, we stopped at the stop sign and started thru it, and then braked. When he put it in reverse we backed into the car that followed right behind us. Like I said we were going slow and the only thing that happened was our trailer hitch hit the front bumper, and I think a reflector, not the headlight, maybe a parking lamp. Anyway there was a woman driving and a man in the passenger seat. She immediately called the police...not sure why, the man and Everardo were chatting and 500 pesos probably would have fixed it....We probably could have argued with her since she came into the intersection before we were thru it, but Poppi felt he was wrong and would just fix it. I stayed in the car thru this entire situation, didn't think I had anything to add, and sometimes when people see Americans it does not help.

The first cop truck came screaming down the road, lights and siren and 2 cops jumped out. Lots of conversation and during this, another cop truck flew up with it's lights going. (2 more cops) More talking and then the first truck left. The second decided we had to pay the lady 1500 pesos (about $120US) and that Everardo would get a ticket for reversing in an intersection- he said it would cost us about 5000 pesos. Crap. Then he said another cop would come and write up the ticket. So a single cop flies up, waving his arns at some car in his way..side note: it's funny how people disrespect the police, fire engines, ambulances; nobody moves over when they come- well some people do (like us), but if there's 20 cars in their path, maybe 2 cars will move over. So I mean funny strange not funny ha ha. Sam thing in Sonora, nobody moved over when the cops were flying by lights & sirens going...OK- so this cop tells the lady that Everardo is a very honest man because since it looked like a fender bender that she would be in the wrong since she was behind us. I think she took a step back but reined it in a little- she had tried to say Everardo "speeded up" and hit her, which was just not true...and he already said he would pay, so what the hell lady? Then he motions Everardo back to his truck to give him his ticket. While they are talking Everardo asks him, ok what do I need to do for this to be done? Small chat and Poppi gives him $20US and no ticket. He ssid the cop got kinda nervous and said ok wuick just put it on my clipboard. So, no 5000 peso fine and no ticket. Yipee.

Now we have to pay the lady, so the man jumps in the back of our truck and we drive to an ATM and we give him the money. Everardo says he should have offered her 1000 pesos or we can take it to a body shop with the cop, but decided not to get into a pissing match. It was totally our fault, I wanted him to turn the other way, and he didn't look in his mirror. One thing though- I kinda like the quick justice. The cop talks to everyone and comes to a mutual agreement for fault and for payment. Done-over. And then for the ticket- well we already admitted fault, so why get the ticket- we paid the cop who used his time and he and we walked away happy. Pretty interesting, and at least for now- works for me.

But I think I will be happy to live out here. I will find places to volunteer and you never know, the woman who I worked for, for 5 minutes could even call me back. Everardo now is going to try looking for a job at one of the many many car junk yards around here-well in Ensenada and I am going to find us a new place to live. I think we are just going to let our deposit go. Yes ouch ouch especially for a couple with no income down here. But the stairs the stairs the stairs are killing me, and the dogs; Sam struggles on the stairs after running at the beach all day. Hazel has to run downstairs to get out to pee....ok you get the picture I hate the stairs...and then how cold it is up here....and the neighborhood- which includes the no curtains anywhere downstairs- yeah Everardo says if you hate the stairs so much let's just live downstairs, we can manage that. And maybe I'd say yes if there were any curtains down there, in any room....I called the phone number of the house for sale over in La Jolla near my friend from AA, but the woman I need won't be in until tomorrow. We're going to see if the people have any interest in renting. And I'm going to ask if there's any other places in there. We are pretty much in agreement that the house out on the mountain is just a little too remote so we're gonna let that one go. It was going to be $450 anyway so we were going to have to try and negotiate a little there.

Oh I forgot to mention the road that fell into the ocean! Yes, part of the cuota (toll) road between Ensenada and Tijuana collapsed and fell into the sea. But another article I read said a cement truck fell into the sea, after the driver scrambled out to safety...but the road merely sunk down about 30 feet. The piece of road that collapsed was 300 feet long and both lanes, north and south. This was last Thursday or Friday, so the 26th or 27th. The local newsletter comments suggest it will be a year before it's fixed, and only a bridge will fix it. An official statement by the gov't today said maybe a week, but that has been laughed at heartily. There is a detour which is the free road and that road is in pretty good shape. We drove it right after we got here and it seemed fine. We shall see what happens, maybe take a drive up to see it, but after the holidays are over because there's alot of traffic right now.

We also heard that the vendors are back in business out at the Bufadora, so today after the grocery store we swung by, partly to get the yummy bread and partly to give both me and the dogs a fresh air ride ha ha. The coastline here is just amazing. So beautiful. And the vendors were back in business and there were lots of holiday vacationers out there, mostly Mexicans as far as I could see. But it was late in the afternoon and there were still quite a few people out there. Everardo chatted with one of the vendors and it sounds like there's still some issues for them with the land owners, and the gov't is also getting involved...ha ha so that can't be good. But I'm glad to see them back in business for now.

So I feel like I'm pretty caught up here. Still thinking about some New Years commitments, trying to better define them for myself. I know I'm happy, and looking forward to whatever comes next...I do hope I get to see my daughters soon...oh and what is up with no candy canes in Mexico? Never did find any for our tree. I mean I guess it's a US thing, but there's so much stuff here from the states I was just surprised. I did find however, little caramel filled chocolate santas, and some with marshmellow and caramel, so that kinda made up for it. I put away the manger scene this afternoon, and am thinking about when I should pass it to Drewy for her family to enjoy- I mean if Danica starts watching it now, she'll have the same memories as Drewy and Halla, and me and my brother and sisters. If we lived closer I'd keep it and it would be a grandma thing for my grandchildren to see at out house, I mean I hope Halla has children, I believe it's in her plan. No matter her lifestyle I think children fit in...anyway not sure what I want to do about it...hmmm writing about it makes me think we should pass it to her. If/When we leave Mexico it will be to live near Drewy and her family, wherever that is....and as long as that's Calif or at least the west coast I will be happy. If they move somewhere like Popcorn Indiana....I'll have to struggle a little ha ha.

Ok tomorrow is the last day of 2013. I only sat on the phone for half an hour today trying to finish my afoordable health care application and Kaiser still hasn't received it from Covered Calif. So an hour last Tuesday, and a half hour today...maybe I'll finish it tomorrow? Ok that's it for now.

Mexico fun fact:
Mexico is the 11th most populated country in the world with around 117 million people (as of July 2012)

Sick all Christmas week!

I just checked and my last post here was a week ago today. Right as I was slipping into the torturous  hell of a horrid chest cold and all around sick head pounding stomach nauseating painful experience. And I am NOT exaggerating! Sunday nite not long after I posted here, I went to bed, a little shaky and feeling a little crappy. The fever hit during the nite and I tossed and turned, awake and asleep, alternating freezing and burning up. Then in the morning as I knelt  in front to the porcelain bowl I thought about how I used to feel waking up with those horrible hangovers...just thought it for a minute and then went back to puking. I could barely make it downstairs in the morning, and luckily it was close to 7am, so I simply feed the dogs and left them outside, almost all day. I couldn't eat and could barely hold down water, but in the afternoon finally ventured back downstairs to see the doggys and made myself eat some toast. Boy oh boy did I feel sorry for myself. All alone and sicker than a dog.

Everardo had called Sunday late afternoon and said he was leaving, then Monday morning when he called he knew immediately that I was sick, and proceeded to break all speed records getting back here and made around noon on Tuesday. I knew he was driving at nite and driving too fast, but he insisted that it was safe on the cuotas, and honestly, I was so happy when he got home! Just to take care of Sam & Hazel if nothing else, because remember she needs to go out about midnite so that she can make it the rest of the nite without peeing in the house, or getting me up to go outside. Probably another month before her little bladder is big enough and she is fully trained...because she still has accidents in the house and I swear she gave no signal....

Once Poppi got home I could collapse...and I did. I stayed in bed the rest of Tuesday, and most of Christmas...only went out for a little fresh air in the car on Friday, Saturday, and today. But the very worst was while I was alone. Monday I had a headache that I thought would split my head in two, but I tried something new and just gave in to it, telling myself it would go away at some point. Ha ha I was so tired from my naps instead of any length of sleep; I coughed constantly all week and although I feel much better, still weak, but the cough remains. This cold KICKED my ass! I got really weak, and even today I got tired walking at the open air market after about 10 minutes.

Christmas had highlights though. We skyped with Drew and Rex, and saw them and the kids open their presents. We had sent gifts for them and Danica, but I didn't know Christian would be there as well- he's 11 and my daughter is so smart- one of the games we sent to Danica she remarked for him. It was so nice watching them and being a part of it....almost like being there- yipee for skype. Right after though it was back to bed for me! We had a small quiet Christmas, jammies all day, and the only thing I could eat was scrambled eggs.

I thought of lots of things I wanted to write about while I was sick, but thinking much hurt my head (ok ha ha), I didn't go on my computer, and I couldn't read either..I mean I just started a book, but not only did my head start to ache when I tried to read, but I couldn't focus or concentrate hardly at all. Oh wait- I did sit on hold for 45 minutes on Tuesday morning to finalize my new healthcare, but the nice lady who answered, who was as sick as me, laughed when I told her I finished with Covered Calif on Thursday and said call back in 10 days! I said but I sat on hold 45 min, and she said well the day before (Mon) people waited and hour and a half. Oh yippee I have to do that tomorrow. It really is my fault though, I should have taken care of this back in Oct...

So I missed Christmas in Mexico this year. I was supposed to go to a potluck on Sunday and I missed it. I was supposed to go to a house for Christmas carols and hopefully Christmas cookies on Monday and I missed that. We were supposed to go to a little holiday party potluck today in Ensenada with the AA group there, but I just didn't feel up to it. Oh, and I was invited to another AA friend's place for Christmas dinner here in Punta Banda, since I thought Everardo wouldn't make it back by then, but I was so sick that when I called to thank them and they extended the invitation to us both, I just couldn't do it. I've been in a daze for a week! I am finally starting to feel better, this is my first attempt at writing anything; I promised my brother and sisters and email, since I did actually call them on Christmas, but only to say I was too sick to talk...so I'll try to catch up with them during this coming week.

The weather is nutty- really cold while I was alone and warmer after Poppi got back. Then alternating cold and warmer almost day to day. Oh one thing though, I may have a lead on a place to see if I can volunteer. I got a vitamin B shot at a new pharmacy....actually we both got them, and it's kind of a combo of different B's (like b4, b12, etc) and a couple of other viatmins, and anyway the woman who gave us the shots was chatting and since we were in Maneadero, I tried to ask her, and then Everardo helped. So she said there's a community center nearby and told us how to get there, so once I'm feeling 100 % again I'm going over there.

I had lots of time to think this past week and I want to make some commitments to myself for New Years. I know that resolutions are made to be broken ha ha, but I like to start things at the beginning- like exercise programs or my Spanish, anything...a diet, I like to start them on Mondays or the first day of a month. So I was trying to think about what's important to me, and they are...being in service, getting much much better in Spanish, living in the moment, forgiveness, acceptance...not in any particular order..being in service I think I mean volunteering at the dog rescue and teaching English for free. Living in the moment is about being happy right here right now and not worrying about what other people are doing...acceptance is partly about my younger daughter, loving her unconditionally meaning whether she has a relationship with me right now or not. That when she wants me, I will be here. And for me to stop making up little scenarios in my head where I get to be right. Neither of us is right, or wrong, were simply humans finding our way. Forgiveness is alot about me, and in some ways relates to my daughters. I have to let go of thinking I failed them. That my older daughter who I adore...was I the best mom? I made so many mistakes, and maybe some of the struggles she went thru when she was younger was because of something I didn't teach her? And the money the damn money...yes yes yes we fucked up by not setting aside money for them, for college of for a house down payment. But it is done. It is what it is. I have to forgive myself and move forward in ways that are ok with ME. And stop second guessing myself. But I have gotten some awareness, just in the last few weeks, and so maybe growth will come, eh?

Ok now I am exhausted. So the story of today, or little fender bender and the cop...well you just have to wait.
Buenas noches

I just finished watching this movie from 2010 called "Extraordinary Measures", and I cried. I googled it (of course) to see if it was a true story right before the end, when I could tell it was, and I saw how the "critics reviews" called it a made for tv tear jerker movie. Assholes! It was a true story! Yeah sometimes life makes us cry for joy. There's so much bad stuff in the world and enough movies of violence and terror- my god how many ridiculously unreal shoot em up movies can all these hulks make, and apparently people love them cause they keep coming out. Die Hard number 87??? Really? Anyway that's just my opinion. I hate guns I hate war. I don't care that people yell and scream about their rights to have guns- I hate them. And come on- assault rifles? They are ONLY for killing people faster. Can we at least get rid of those? Yeah and I hate war. There's just no good reason, and yet the US has to stick it's face into every nook and cranny to be part of killing people. Killing is just wrong. Ok I'm done.

Maybe not. Today I went to the 10am AA meeting and this woman came in late, almost the end, but after the meeting she gave us each a small present. A chip, like the birthday chips we get in the program. In Feb, hopefully I will receive my 13 year sobriety chip. But we do it one day at a time, so that makes Feb pretty far away ha ha. Anyway it's like a plastic coin, maybe a little bigger (or maybe the smae size) as a silver dollar. This one was so cool, and so spot on, for me, today. One side says, "I am powerless but not helpless" and on the other side it says "We can't control the direction of the wind, but we can adjust our sails."

It such a precious gift. The topic this morning was partially about judgement and how we are not the judge of anyone besides ourselves. For me it connected to fear, like all my negative emotions and attributes, they always go back to fear. Because I used to judge others, if you were better than me I didn't like you because it made me less. If I judged that I was better than you, then I must be more. Wow pathetic eh? It took working the 12 steps of AA for me to see that what other people do and say does not make me...anything. If you say I'm bad, that does not make me bad...or good. Anyway I know I've written this before. But today I connected it to forgiveness. I am still grappling, maybe with semantics at this point, but I still cannot say I forgive Myriss Winston for what he did to my daughter. See I can hardly say it. Maybe later. I have talked about it with people who I look to for guidance and I have prayed- put it out to the universe for guidance. One friend, Mitch asked me 'what if you did? What if you did forgive him? What does that change for him? For anyone, except you?' I get that forgiveness sometimes is not saying what happened is ok, bit it happened and I need to move on. I need not to have negative energy...anger...resentment in my head, because that is only hurting me. I do accept that it happened. It did happen. And it's not ok. And he's being punished...he still has to be in prison for 20 years before he can get parole. But see that? I just counted from 2005 to now, and that's 8 years, he had to be there 27 years before he can be paroled. 27 was alot, is 20 alot? Not so much. Ok I do understand what's at work here inside me- FEAR. Yes fear. That somehow he will get out in now only 20 years and he will want to hurt my daughter-shit that was hard to write I want to erase it, but it seems like my recovery happens when I talk and when I write. I even don't want my daughter to hyphenate her last name with her fiance when they get married cause if she no longer has that name he won't be able to find her. As I said I am against killing. But I try not to wish he gets killed in prison. I don't think about it nearly as much, but today I did because of the topic. I make baby steps forward. A guy today shared that when he is in negative judgement of someone it's because he sees something that he has inside himself that he doesn't like. I had a lightening bolt thought. It's the first step, when we say our life is unmanageable; when I worked thru that step I came to see I am in control of nothing. I can only control my own attitude about things. I cannot control the weather, traffic, my boss, the list goes on. And there are so many things I just really don't understand...electricity, how that huge apartment building sized cruise ship I saw this afternoon floats, this list also goes on. So maybe what I need to realize-or remember- is I am in control of nothing. I cannot keep innocent people from getting hurt by criminals. I cannot stop crime (well except at nite when I fly around the world in tights and my cape, but that's another story), I cannot stop war, I cannot stop much simpler things than that, politics and gossip in the workplace....yadda yadda yadda. Ok so I am in control of nothing. Bad things happen sometimes to good people. And then this woman hands me this chip that says I am powerless but not helpless. I can change me. I can voice my opinion. I can vote. I can move away. I can choose who I associate with. I have lots of options. Does any of this make sense? Like I said, I am making small steps with this, but I am not there. As I was writing I thought, well since the guy is such a tough guy, maybe he'll just keep getting in trouble in prison and have his sentence keep getting longer. Or....maybe he will find a better way to live, like I did, and when he gets out, want to make amends...hmmm well anything is possible right? I want to be better. I want to let go of him. But the truth is I'm still afraid of him. This is my child. Did I say I hate guns? He SHOT her in the head, his intention was to kill her on the side of the road and just keep driving with his girlfriend and his brother as if nothing happened. Animal. But she survived. My daughter is perfect. Beautiful, smart, strong, and so so funny. Yeah, I need to let go of future tripping. If I want to worry in 20 years, well I can. My god, maybe I'm letting go...a little..Thank you God. Progress not perfection, right? ok I'm tired now.

Ok I'm back. I guess I went off on that after seeing that movie- parents in anguish over their kids. Add that to this morning's discussion. But anyway, on Christmas morning we're going to skype with Drewy and watch my new granddaughter Danica, who's 5 yrs old, open her presents. She showed me on skype the other day their tree and decorations and her presents under the tree. I showed Drew and Danica our house, and Sam & Hazel, and our decorations and then Drew walked around their house and showed me all theirs.

Well it's been an interesting few days. I spent half of Wednesday and half of Thursday getting signed up for the affordable healthcare. I don't call it Obamacare because it sounds negative and I'm glad it's finally getting addressed even if it's not perfect yet, but it was soooo out of control. I still think the insurance companies and the drug companies are ripping us all off, and it seems like the only difference is not the gov't is going to pay these ridiculous prices...well I guess better the gov't than me...wonder how it will all work out? Anyway at first Kaiser told me my new premium was over $500 a month! More than twice what I was paying, but then I went into the Calif website and got on the phone with someone and I'm getting a $750 a month prem plan for only $145...so- yippe for me. And i think seeing my oncologist will only cost $35 instead of $100 just to walk in the door. So that's good for me, but the insurance company (Kaiser in my case) is still charging those outrageous prices, but now the gov't is on the hook, so still not optimum for us as a country, but a step in the right direction I guess.

While I was on the phone in on hold hell, Everardo got a phone call and his brother was back in the hospital and fading fast. So I looked at flights but with no notice they were over a thousand dollars. The we decided to drive into Ensenada and look at the bus schedule, but it goes all over the place and would take about 5 days or more. So we came home and Poppi packed in about 5 minutes and took the car. Coahuila is far, the city he went to is about 1000 miles away, and it's not safe to drive across Mexico at nite, and it was basciall totally east and a little south. On Thursday he called me from the side of the cuota (toll road) with his second flat tire. He said he felt weird, like something was going on. Later we found out that at that exact time, his brother passed away. So maybe the universe wanted him to be still for a moment to think of his brother, a last connection. I asked Everardo if he felt like he said goodbye to his brother when he went to see him last summer- his brother was very sick and we thought he was going to die then- and Poppi said he thinks he did, they had a nice talk and said what they needed to, to each other. So I told him, well maybe you are meant to be there to support his family. So he made it there late Friday afternoon, and spent time with them, helped with the arrangements, and the funeral was today. He called early this afternoon while the dogs and I were walking on the beach and he's on his way home. Not sure when he'll arrive because I think maybe he was driving at nite going over and I made him promise not to coming home.
I was so selfish at first- not to him but in my head and out loud in the house here It's freezing in here and I'm getting sick again (well yesterday in Ensenada at the noon meeting this guy was so sick coughing, and said he was really sick- I was soooo pissed off! Why did you come? I asked him if he went to the doctor since he was sick at the meeting last week, too, and he said, no...I get sick every year- FUCKER!) Because I woke up coughing this morning and now my chest hurts (it's nite now). Of course some of it is on us because we have no heat in this house and it's so cold I sleep with a knit hat and in sweats. Then add to that Hazel, who is still a puppy and getting potty trained...she needs to go out every couple of hours and at nite, if the last time is midnite, she might make until 7am like this morning, but yesterday she woke up at 5:45 am. Then I have to take her downstairs and outside..did I say it's cold outside at nite? The day is shorts and teeshirts but the nite is freezing. And these damn stairs! Up and down and up and down and.......the living room and bedroom is upstairs and the kitchen downstairs. Puppy needs to go out. The I forget stuff at both ends and have to go back up or back down. Sam, after a long afternoon of chasing the ball into the waves, is stiff and doesn't want to go up or down the stairs- yeah right there with ya Sam! Everardo and Hazel don't mind a bit and bound up and down all the time. He was also on nite duty with Hazel, but now it's me. And then she'll pee anyway!! aarrgghh She needs to go out in a minute so I'll have to wrap this up. It's 10pm so if I walk her out now and she pees, then once more at midnite and then I can go to sleep. But I'm not like Everardo who can fall asleep in 30 seconds...going out into the cold nite wakes me up more(!) so I'm at least another half hour away from sleep. So yeah I'm sick and feeling sorry for myself- so selfish! My god, his brother passed away and I'm complaining. Luckily he doesn't read my blog ha ha. So I'm also safe to say I went to the store the other day and loaded up on feel sorry for myself food...meaning ice cream and cookies and candy. Oh and one final thing- there's no candy canes here! What's up with that? Ok more on that later, Hazel is waking up!
Viva!

Mexico fun fact:
Mexico is the 14th largest country by land area.

Apples from Washington state?

It's become our habit (ok after only 7weeks) to go to the open air market on Sunday mornings to get vegetables, browse thru the booths of basically everything you can think of, and have something to eat. You can get a haircut (men) for as little as 25 pesos, buy a car, any kind of food- including pizza. Ok this place is worth a mention- this guy rolls out his own dough and they have a little oven right there, that fits just one pizza at a time. It's fantastic pizza! Now I think there's only 2 choices; cheese or pepperoni & cheese, but it's really good. I've only had pizza once before since we've been in Mexico, at a place in Playa Ventura out by the Marines along the lagoon. It was good, but pretty expensive as I remember, and we waited a really long time for it...I mean did they grow the flour to make the dough while we were waiting? (The dough is made from flour, right?) But this place was just a small booth, couple of small tables up against each other with the plastic beach chairs...we ordered something to drink (a coke and a water), and it was ready pretty quick...I guess they just keep making them since there's only 2 choices....

But yesterday after the meeting we decided to just get veggies at the roadside stand right next to where the meeting room is. Saturday we got up and left for Ensenada earlier than usual, so we could have a Starbucks coffee and to drive around a little, and we were there most of the day. So yesterday we wanted to be around our doggys more, yes they are totally spoiled...between 2 hour beach walks (like today) and rides in the car, looking for place to live based on how it will be for them...ok they're like our kids- but isn't everybody like that with their pets, especially once the kids are grown and moved out?? So we stopped at this roadside stand, and really their prices are about the same as the open air market, but over there it's more about the whole experience, chatting with people, snacking, browsing...

We needed potatoes, zucchini, green beans, onions, bananas, and green apples. This guy has really nice green apples- my favorite. They looked nice, good size and no bruises, so I happily picked a few and asked the guy in (ok halting) Spanish where they were grown. He gave me a big smile and said "Washington!" What?? He told me that the apples grown here are sent to the United States! He and Everardo had a pretty good laugh, and he told me whenever I see a sticker on fruit, it came from the states. Now I will say that alot of the fruit we buy here is from here. Just not those green apples. There are some red ones, not the kind that are all red, that deep red color (I don't like those), but big apples that are sorta lighter red and gold, those are good, too. The bananas are fantastic, oranges, too, although next time I'm gonna look for stickers ha ha.

The veggies are good, too. I noticed in the smaller stores that the veggies don't always look all shiny and perfect, the fruit either, but they taste good, fresh. And we eat alot of veggies. Everardo is a much better eater than me, and he puts veggies in everything...we eat them for breakfast almost every day. He puts them in eggs or in potatoes; it took a little getting used to when I was expecting just scrambled eggs ha ha, but after a few years (omg we have been together almost 4 years), I'm liking it- and usually the breakfast veggies are zucchini & onion...

Anyway after a good laugh about the apples (and me thinking about economies...shipping fruits to each other) we came home to out doggys, and decided to take them for a drive and then a beach walk later. Well here's where the day got really interesting. We drove out towards the Bufadora and then Everardo took a left turn on a dirt road (to the right would have been down a cliff into the sea), and followed it uphill until we cam to a big arch that said Colonia Puerto Escondido, and a sign next to it saying lotes/casa se vende. So we drove in and went further up the mountain to a street of houses that had amazing views. I mean so amazing! On the left side they looked over the Bahia Todos Santos, the bay we live on, and you looked straight across to Ensenada as well as out towards open ocean. You could see the big tuna rings and ships hanging around them, it was so beautiful. The houses on the right side had a double view; the bay to Ensenada view out the front and the ocean as it cut in again out the back. The coastline down here is not s straight line, it curves in and out, in some places more than others. So the inward curve behind these houses was not as deep as our bay, but just a beautiful and then the ocean just goes out to the edge of the world. We drove down to the end of the road, well not the end because it actually circles back below so there's another row of houses on the Ensenada bay side, but we stopped above and got out of the car. We walked along the open space after the last house and looked at the ocean and the hills as they continue down the coastline with the water. Hazel and Sam ran all over the place smelling and investigating, Sam always coming back to check in with us and Hazel jumping over bushes and fighting with weeds.

A bunch of the houses had for sale signs and were empty. We had seen one with a "se renta" sign in the window and a for sale sign at the curb. When we drove slowly back the way we came, we stopped at the one with the rent sign and I grabbed one of the sales brochures, and a woman drove up to the house across the street. She walked over and we chatted; she was American and lived there full time. Some of the houses were huge- castle size I kid you not-, her was somewhere in between, although she called it a casita above a big garage....She was on the double view side and the house we looked at was much smaller and on the one view side. I had gone around the house looking in the windows and at the view, and we realized it would be out of our price range for renting. She confined that by telling us it was $800 a month. She also pointed to several houses that were occupied full time and then pointed to another house she thought was for rent and a bit smaller than the one we were looking at. She told us that the land and most of the houses were owned by the Gonzales family and pointed to their house. Everardo remarked he had seen an old man working on a tractor and she said- oh that's Miguel Gonzales the patriarch. So we walked back up the road with the dogs to look at the other house and maybe chat with Senor Gonzales, and Everardo went down where he was working on the tractor while I kept the dogs occupied and they had a nice chat, his son joining them at one point. It turns out that his family built most of the houses and then put them up for sale. Unfortunately as always it's about timing and their construction finished as the economy tanked in the US. (We've just seen the results of this so much- Puerto Penasco was filled with huge empty houses for sale, unfinished condos and hotels...) The lady we had been chatting with bought a lot from him about 10 years ago and built their house themselves. So you can buy just the house and rent the land, or buy both. And a few of them he rents. I walked with Sam & Hazel down on the street below to look at houses and views; it's just a beautiful spot.

Senor Gonzales offered the rental house to Everardo for $750...but ha ha that's still way out of our range and it was a pretty big house. But he told us about another house that he has for rent, and it will be available in a couple of months. He wanted $500 for that house but would give it to us for $450. Now we are looking for a place for hopefully closer to $300 or less...the mobile home is $250...but too old and beat up, and almost no kitchen. But he told us to drive by it, and he would call us in a couple of weeks after he asks the current tenant if we can have a look inside. So- he gave Everardo directions to it, and we went to take a look. Ok all I can say is wow! ok WOW!! The views are not just amazing, amazing doesn't cover it...how about SPECTACULAR!! The house is fully furnished and he might have said it had a fireplace...2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms. The houses was away from the rest of the houses in the neighborhood...we came back out the arch, but instead of following the road back down to the main road, we went straight across to another peak. So the house is sitting on a point, not narrow, I mean the cliff is not going to crumble and we crash down into the raging sea or anything, but it's a dirt track out to the end. Then the house is sitting there, it's fenced, and looks really nice from the outside. From what I saw inside the other house I have no doubt the furnishings will be nice. Everardo was knocked out! He loved the area! Like I said the views were spectacular, and that was just of the ocean and coastline. But there was all this open space for walking or hiking, I mean it would be a paradise for the dogs, and for us. It would make going to the store further, just the dirt road making us go slowly; maybe it took 5 or 7 minutes from our place to the turn off, then another 10 min of dirt road? I'm not sure, we did it only once, and it always seems longer when it's new. Now it takes about 10 minutes to get to the grocery store, but we don't have to go every day...

I'm not sure what I think. I mean we will definitely go and see it in a couple of weeks, but if we love the house, then I don't know what I think. Everardo is talking about trying to get him down to at least $400, but I think the remote-ness is a factor. We talked about it a little, and Everardo is saying not for him. I need to take him at his word, and believe me, he only wants to move once. So I have to decide for me, what do I think. Well, I am happy to spend time at home, or around home, with him, with the doggys, with my laptop, with my books. I also like to socialize, but not all the time. I find it funny (funny odd not funny ha ha) that we are considering moving to Ensenada, very busy, very close quarters, and also this place. To be honest, Everardo has been backing away from the Ensenada idea almost since we decided to reconsider it. He doesn't think we'll find something we'll be happy with long term....but we'll see if my new friends Patti and Maryanne can come up with anything. So nothing is off the table. And I will say this- it was pretty cool to see how Everardo lighted up talking about this place. He really likes the idea....and really the only thing different from this place would be gas...I mean as far as socializing since nobody lives here ha ha. So I'm excited to go see it. And I already know I'd feel safer there than here. Yes nothing has happened here...but is it like that saying they have in AA? If you hang around the barbershop long enough you're gonna get a haircut? In this case meaning yeah we've been fine, but sooner or later something may happen....Oh and we also went and found the ugly carpet place, it's still empty. And the carpet is not as bad as I remembered either ha ha. But it would still be renting from Irka...we tried to see if anyone knew the owner but with no luck. So we're still going to see what might be available on that camp...well really, what we have is options, and they're all good. Nice eh?

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.