Thursday 14th march 2013….Day 1!!!!!

I was on the road at 7.30am this morning with a tank full of gas and loaded with all I need and it was a grey sky day good for driving…..the first 6 hours of the drive was the same drive that Sara and Paola and I took to the coast last month…mainly the roads were like this

I saw only one RV the whole drive…

Lots of toll booths today

For the next few weeks I shall be giving the cost of things in pesos and it is about 12 pesos to a dollar so you will have to do the math…spent 1160 pesos total in tolls today and the roads were really in good condition….in the State of Sinaloa I noticed a very heavy presence of military vehicles

I stopped a couple of times for you know what and to stretch I had lots of drinks, food and music and my Spanish tapes and it took me 9 hours to get to my hotel in Mazatlan..a total of 8oo km…..it was an easy drive with no problems,

 

 

The hotel is about 4 blocks from the ocean

Little Bluey is parked right by the entrance..the room is small but clean and great for the price of 400 pesos!!

I went for a walk down to the ocean always a favorite place for me and walked for about 90 minutes

After a lovely hot shower and a sandwich for supper I spoke to Carolyn and was happy to hear that she is back home and that Ann is doing well after her operation last night she made be allowed to come home tomorrow and she will stay with Carolyn for a couple of days before she flies home.

I am now writing this blog and listening to the Vancouver Canucks hockey game……so a great first day tomorrow I take the ferry from here to La Paz on the Baja..the ferry leaves at 4pm tomorrow and gets into La Paz on Saturday morning at 10am so will blog when I can.

I know I often end my post and e mails with “blessings” Paula and Jerry have now taught me that word in Spanish…

bendiciones……….Les

Wednesday 14th march 2013…What a day!!

A little dreary and grey skies to start today and it was a morning chock full of chores and last minute stuff..finished that in time for poker at 1pm and the boys got some of their money back from last week as I lost 100 pesos..I then came home and showered and started to get ready as Carolyn and I were going out for dinner and then to a lay when she called me and told me that the Doctor had called about her friend who had taken a turn for the worse and the doctor was taking into the operating room right away.  Carolyn was asked if she could come and spend the night so I told her I would follow her down in my car for support and then see how things looked.

We got to the clinic at 6.30pm and Ann was still in the operating room…..we went around the corner for dinner and when we came back the doctor spoke to Carolyn and told her that Ann was resting comfortably and she was ok but it was quite a long operation…again I have to say how impressed I have been with every aspect of this clinic, the doctor and staff….I stayed with Carolyn till around 10.30pm and then drove home and I am now ready for bed..all my stuff is ready to put in the car and I shall leave when I wake up…it is about an 1 hour drive to the ferry terminal in Mazatlan so I shall just take my time and enjoy the journey.

I am hoping that the internet stick I have allows me to be able to post here and receive e mails..if not I shall post when I can…wish you all a great weekend blessings Les

Tuesday 12th March 2013 ….short post

Just got back from visiting with Ann  she is doing much better but still at the clinic for a couple more days so that is good news..a long day but all is well will post more tomorrow..

Yashi Koshi!!

Monday 11th March 2013…..errand day!!

First of all thanks to Paula for sending this to me..

This morning I took my car in to a service bay and left her there for a good full service…..and then I walked to Carolyn’s house where after breakfast I borrowed her car and dropped her off at her Spanish class..she is feeling a lot better today but still not 100%….she feels she needs the Spanish classes but I think she is almost fluid in the language and I like that each day she spends at least 30 minutes with me trying to tell her how my day was and what I did and am going to do….my tenses let me down and she is very good about making sure I use the correct pronunciation.

After I dropped her off I went to pick up Sara who asked me if she could leave a few things at my casita for next winter so I loaded up what seemed like a truck load of stuff and took it out to my place then I dropped her off at her class.

I stopped by to see Ms.Josefina, Daniela's English teacher and left four letters for her to give to Daniela each week….she told me that Daniela was asking after me on Friday and to tell me that she misses me!!!!!!

From there I went up to L & G’s casa and did some last minute things there before returning to my place where I almost finished getting my stuff out for my trip..lots of paper work, maps, articles on the Baja and some clothes and the food….I think I am on top of it all.

Later in the afternoon I went back to Sara's and picked up my cell phone which I had loaned her for the Winter and then to Carolyn's where we were planning to go get my car then go out for supper but that all changed with one phone call.  Ann one of Carolyn's good friends who suffers from any medical issues called Carolyn saying she was really sick and needed a Doctor….Carolyn immediately called her Doctor who works in Queretaro, a big city 40 minutes drive away…he answered his cell phone right away and Carolyn explained the situation and the doctor told her to bring her friend into his clinic right away…so went to Ann’s house and packed up some things for her and got her into the back seat of the car and by 6pm we were at the Doctor’s clinic…this is where my first glimpse of the Mexican medical system kicks in…whilst Carolyn went inside the clinic I helped Ann sit up and within one minute a nurse was at the car with a wheel chair and they wheeled Ann into the clinic and Doctors office Carolyn went with her and I waited in the office waiting room.

Two hours later Carolyn was back with the news that Ann was quite sick and they had her on IV’s with pain medication, blood work and tests had been done and that she was staying there for the night until the Doctor gets the results back, she had 2 nurses taking care of her and not once was insurance or payment mentioned.  A great system I think!!!

We came home late and will now wait for a call from the Doctor as to what is going to happen to Ann….she is supposed to leave to fly home to New Orleans tomorrow but I doubt that is going to happen.

Again another reason to count your blessings and be thankful for true and wonderful friends!!

Sunday 10th March 2013…a quiet day!!

Tennis was supposed to be at 10am this morning but Carolyn was not feeling well again and we had to cancel….she is suffering from a cold and a fever I think there is a bug going around..I made sure she was Ok and I went to my casita and did some packing and sorting out of my stuff.

I received an e mail two days ago from a friend who is also on the advisory board at Casa Hogar and he is the one helping to look into the issues there and my visitation rights….Rod told me that the Casa Hogar quarterly Birthday party was this weekend and he noticed my name was not on the invitation list but he extended an invitation for me to go.  I thought about this and at first decided that I would not attend as the Madres had not invited me and also I did not feel comfortable going there until my status has been investigated as much as I would liked to have seen Daniela but after consulting with the wise and special women in my life I changed my mind and decided to attend…..so I went up there this afternoon..very strange I rang the bell for over 20 minutes and there was no answer this is so unusual!!!

I came back home and e mailed my friend and he called me back saying that the party was indeed yesterday afternoon.  This was my fault I got the dates mixed up so I was sorry to have missed an opportunity to see Daniela!!!

I came back over to Carolyn’s and did some paper work while she slept..she has a very busy time ahead with travelling to the States whilst her daughter undergoes an operation so she needs to get well.

The Jacaranda trees are just coming into bloom they are so beautiful..this was is in the driveway of Carolyn;’s complex!!

Well I only have a few days left before my big trip..I have to be out of Mexico with the car by the 27th March as my visa expires so the plan is to leave here on Thursday morning and drive to Mazatlan

and on Friday afternoon take the ferry to La Paz on the Baja.

Then I will take my time driving north up the Baja stopping in three lagoons where the Grey Whales come and give birth apparently you can almost interact with these huge creatures.

I arrive in LA on the 25th March and the next day fly to Vancouver

where I am staying the night and the next morning I have an appointment at the Mexican Consulate where I hope to apply and receive a temporary Resident Visa….in the afternoon I take the ferry over to my other home with the wonderful Anderson Family on the Bank in Nanaimo!!

It will be so nice to see all my special friends again….I fly back to LA on the 7th April and that evening drive to Palm Springs

where I have a room booked for five days whilst I watch my tennis star friend Ashley compete in a major national tennis tournament….from there drive to Tucson for a couple of days to see Linda and Guy if they are still there and then drive home to SMA…..so a busy month ahead!!!

Yashi Koshi!!

Saturday 9th March 2013….a great day!!

My normal Saturday morning men's doubles tennis was cancelled as two of the players are away so Carolyn went and hit some balls and it was fun I then went to get Paola on the scooter and found that al her family were home for the weekend her two younger brothers were home from the Boy’s home where they live.  I asked Paola what she wanted but I knew before I asked that she would want to be with her brothers so Paola rode the scooter back to pick up the car and then came back for the boys.

here is Erika with her 4 children!!

Off we went to the park

The three of them do not see each other very often so it was great to se them having so much fun together!!

Soon it was ice cream time and then a walk back to the car

It was just a special time which we all enjoyed…I told Paola that I was leaving early next week for 4 weeks but that Sara is here for two more weeks to see her and that I would hope she tries hard in school and help her Mum, she said she would.

I then came home for a quick shower and then at 6pm Carolyn came over with dinner and she soon got busy moving things around and in 45 minutes she has changed so many things and the changes are so wonderful…

I really like how she changed the kitchen and I now have a list of what I need to get, just a couple of things and when I get back need to hang and change a couple of things…thanks so much!!!

 

I did call my bank about yesterday's incident and they cannot help and I also went into the bank where I used the ATM but they cannot help either and no word from the messages I put on the civil list…I do hope I hear from the gentleman.

Yashi koshi!!

Friday 8th March 2013….a funny day!!

I woke up feeling a little bit out of sorts hard to describe really just not firing on all cylinders….I went up to Linda and Guys house and did some cleaning up there and then went to the bank this is where it gets really frustrating and difficult to describe…there was a Gringo man in front of me obviously having trouble with the machine in understanding the language but he figured it out and left and I went to the machine but then someone in the next machine asked me a question and I answered and then went back to the machine I was on….the screen asked for a transaction and I hit yes and proceeded to take out 5000 pesos and closed the machine down and it spilled out my ATM..which I took but then realized that it was not my card which I had in my hand…so I went into the bank and told them this card was left in the machine and gave it to the teller and left the bank as I walking down the street I saw the man running back to the bank I told him I had found his card and handed it in to the bank and he thanked me….on the way home I started thinking and it did not add up I began to realize that I had not used my card at all…but I had 5000 pesos…what I think happened I was so distracted about the day and the event at the ATM machine that the man who had left his card in the machine and I came up and just did another transaction and took the money…..I checked my account when I got home and no transaction made….   I feel so bad because I am sure I have took the money from his account. 

I immediately put a message on the civil list in SMA in the hopes he reads it and I can return his money…….it really was a day when I was not thinking straight!!!

Went to Carolyn’s this afternoon and spent some time helping her with some things around the house..

Yashi Koshi!!

Thursday 7th March 2013…..I thought I was retired!!!

This morning I had promised Carolyn that I would help her clean and sort out one of her garages at her rental property…so we went up there just before 10am and I took a look at the job and thought to myself…”Why am I not on a beach?”

Well  we just got down to it and we both worked extremely hard and by 12.30pm job done!!!  I t looks really great now and it was a huge acomplishment…….back to Carolyn’s house and she cooked me a man meal for lunch a great omelet and then I went up to Linda and Guy’s house did a couple of things there and went into town to pick up Sara and drove her to her place where she gave me a great haircut and then I dropped her off in town and I came home where I rewarded myself with some cookies and tea!!!

I then went up on to my own private roof top

The main church down town!!

These next shots have not been re touched I love the colors!!!

Fist impressions of my new casita is that it is going to be a very comfortable and wonderful place to live…it is so tastefully decorated I just have a few things to move and hang and very functional….safe, quiet, lots of windows and sunlight and wait for it……….a real    …….BATH!!!!

My first bath in nearly 6 months it was awesome!!!

Wait for it ladies!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

 

So now relaxing listening to the Canucks on the radio and another tea and life is good!!!!

Yashi Koshi!!!

Wednesday 6th March 2013….a sunny lovely day!!

We had to cancel tennis this morning as Carolyn is not feeling well a touch of a sore throat………I spent most of the morning doing chores and I now have all my stuff at my new casita… still in need of a name!!!!

I then came over to my casita and did some sorting and putting things aside for my trip..it is really lovely here lots of windows and sunlight, very quiet and just a nice place to be!!

1pm was poker time and happy to report on the plus side this time to the tune of 450 pesos by far my biggest win to date.

I am now playing the role of Dr.Pearson..taking care of Carolyn with hot lemon drinks, fresh fruit and no stress…well it seems I always cause everyone a little stress…she just needs to lay low for a day and get plenty of rest and she is drinking lots of fluids…..

Here is a blast from the past…

This would be 1970 my first few weeks in Bermuda we lived in Army barracks and did our own washing…seems things have not changed I still do my own laundry!!!!

This about 1973 on one of my trips home I Mum insisted I dress for breakfast so I went and put on the bow tie…needless to say this was one of the times I heard my Mum say..”Leslie smarten up”

This is I think the only photo of my Mum and her four sisters…from left to right top to bottom

Connie, Doris my Mum, Winnie and Blanche….great girls!!!!

So these are the photos of the bird feeder on one of Carolyn's decks…

See the main church in the background towards the left top corner?

We went up to the sun roof and Carolyn listened to me as I did my Spanish… I am almost able to tell her what I do each day of course some of the tenses are not right but I am I think making progress.

Had a lovely supper with Carolyn and I am watching hockey….

Pura Vida!!

Tuesday 5th March 2013…an easy day!!!

Starting with two hours of tennis again it was such beautiful morning and a  wonderful way to start the day..after I drove Carolyn down  town…she bought herself a crash helmet so it is so much easier to get about on the scooter…I then went to my new casita to meet the technician that installed my Vonage phone we talked and I did not want the very expensive phone he got for me so he agreed to return it and refund my money for the phone and I will buy a cheaper one when I am in the States next month so for now no phone so no point giving out my Vonage number just yet.

I then went to have a short visit with Paola before she went to school we just went for a walk to the local store and I bought her a couple of treats for school.

I then came back to L & G’s home and relaxed and watched a very important soccer game form England…those of you who know me well know that soccer and especially refereeing played a huge part in my life and sadly a game of this magnitude hinged on a bad call which will cost the losing team Manchester United thousands of dollars which they can afford!!!

I have just got about everything moved into my new place…..so here is the itinerary for my trip…..

I leave SMA early Thursday morning the 14th March and drive to Mazatlan where on Friday at 4pm I am taking the car ferry across to the Baja and the city of La Paz is an overnight ferry ride but I did not book a cabin….I shall then spend 9 days driving north to LA and hopefully frolicking with the grey whales that come to 3 lagoons to give birth…this has been on my bucket list for a while and I am very eager to see the whales…..I shall spend the evening of 25th March in LA and the next day fly to Vancouver where I shall spend the night and the next day I have an appointment at the Mexican Embassy where I shall be applying for a Temporary Resident Visa, so I hope I am successful with that….then that afternoon take the ferry home to my Family on the Bank in Nanaimo…….I shall be so happy to see all my friends and visit with them….on the 7th April I fly back to LA and then drive to Palm Springs where I have a great little room booked for 4 nights while I attend the huge tennis tournament of my rising star Ashley…I saw her play here last year and she did so well so lots is expected of her this year…then around the 11th if Linda and Guy are still in Tucson I shall go visit for a couple of days before driving back to SMA…..so lots of exciting times ahead.

Yashi Koshi!!

Monday 4th February 2013….back home!!!

Well let me try and catch up.. this is from Friday in the main Jardin there was a huge celebration of Aztec dancers..

So back to last Friday night I got my drinks and food and the car ready for the trip and I woke up at 4am Saturday morning and decided to get on the road….it was dark for a while but after the first 30 minutes of driving I was on dual carriageway all the way to the border…it took me exactly 10 hours and the drive was easy and I felt good…..Carolyn had booked a hotel room and I found the hotel easily and I checked in and an hour later Carolyn was there…check out the security at the hotel…

So what had happened is that Carolyn and her daughter Kirsten and her friend Andy drove from San Antonio to the border Kirsten and Andy stayed on the USA side and Carolyn drove over the border and we exchanged all the stuff into Little Bluey!!!!  Not much room left!!!!

So then we both went back across the border in Kirsten’s car and had to wait about one hour with traffic on the bridge and then arrived in

We had a visit and lovely to meet Kirsten she is a delightful and beautiful lady…so then they left to go back home and Carolyn and I walked across the border into Mexico it was a breeze and then took a taxi to the hotel.  Could not have been any easier.

In the morning after breakfast we were on the road by 9am and Carolyn did most of the driving, she wanted to, and we were back in SMA by 6.30pm  …it was such an easy day.

So the little adventure was fun and I was just so happy to have been able to help Carolyn there is no way she could have come back on the bus.

So now it is Monday and all is well and today is my first day in my new casita and it feels wonderful…life is good!!!

Pura Vida!!

Friday 1st March 2013….Rabbits, rabbits, rabbits!!!

Well a weekend adventure coming up for me!!!

There is a complicated story which I will not get into but the aftermath is that Carolyn is sort of stranded in San Antonio and wanted me to reserve a bus ticket for her from the border back to SMA….I told her there is no way she is coming all that way on the bus with lots of stuff and that I would drive and go pick her up…this is what friends do!!

So the plan is that I shall leave here around 6am and drive to the border town of Nuevo Laredo where Carolyn has booked a nice hotel room and she and her daughter will drive down and cross the border and meet me at the hotel hopefully around 4pm tomorrow afternoon…..Kirsten will then drive back home and Sunday morning Carolyn and I will return to SMA and she can drive on the way back if I get tired.

So I am all packed up and ready to go it is a long drive but with good toll highways lots of food and drinks, good  music, my Spanish tapes, a GPS and a cell phone I am set…..so no blog till Monday can you survive till then????????????????????

Yashi Kochi!!!