Who knew people still get typhoid - it is running rampant among the Gringo community down here. Probably due to all the heavy rain and contamination of the water supply. I switched to only drinking bottled water (even brushing my teeth with it) a few weeks ago but it didn't help - I have Typhoid.
I can see why it was such a feared disease in the past - you get very, very sick - you can't keep anything down, you run a fever and generally just feel awful.
I was suppose to house sit last night for a friend who went into the hospital...but the best I could manage was just checking in on her dogs and feeding them. Otherwise, I just came home and crawled into bed. What miserable night. Today, I'm feeling somewhat better, I stocked up on all the recommended medication - there is a one-dose pill you can take which I picked up too.
The only thing you need a prescription for down here are antibiotics and class 3 narcotics, so there is a lot of self-medicating. If the one-dose doesn't work, I'll have to go into the clinic for blood work. Whine................
Friday, July 29, 2011
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Pros and Cons of Living in Mexico
Con - you cannot dial 911
Pro - you seldom need to dial 911 - even with all the noise about the Cartel - violent crime is very rare here. Unless you are involved with drug trafficking - hardly anyone owns a gun
Con - you can't drink water directly from the tap
Pro - most of us drink bottled water anyway because of all the pollution in US tap water
Con - you can't get direct US television
Pro - you can't get direct US television
Con - if you want to purchase a house you have to pay cash - there are not mortgage banks
Pro - most of us here are too old to qualify for a mortgage anyway
Con - the major highways are toll roads - the cost in tolls back to the states is about $120 USD
Pro - they are very well maintained and patrolled by the "Green Angels" who help stranded motorists - and it's free
Con - you can't shop for the lowest gas price - I have no idea how much a gallon of gas costs because it is not posted.
Pro - every gas station in the country charges the same - what ever the price is
Con - there are very few DIY home repair stores here
Pro - labor is so cheap - it is much easier to just hire someone to do home repairs for you
Con - it is impossible to find good Chinese food in Mexico...if you are Chinese and are reading this - please move here and open a cafe - you can live at my house.
Pro - there are none for this
Pro - you seldom need to dial 911 - even with all the noise about the Cartel - violent crime is very rare here. Unless you are involved with drug trafficking - hardly anyone owns a gun
Con - you can't drink water directly from the tap
Pro - most of us drink bottled water anyway because of all the pollution in US tap water
Con - you can't get direct US television
Pro - you can't get direct US television
Con - if you want to purchase a house you have to pay cash - there are not mortgage banks
Pro - most of us here are too old to qualify for a mortgage anyway
Con - the major highways are toll roads - the cost in tolls back to the states is about $120 USD
Pro - they are very well maintained and patrolled by the "Green Angels" who help stranded motorists - and it's free
Con - you can't shop for the lowest gas price - I have no idea how much a gallon of gas costs because it is not posted.
Pro - every gas station in the country charges the same - what ever the price is
Con - there are very few DIY home repair stores here
Pro - labor is so cheap - it is much easier to just hire someone to do home repairs for you
Con - it is impossible to find good Chinese food in Mexico...if you are Chinese and are reading this - please move here and open a cafe - you can live at my house.
Pro - there are none for this
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Rain Rain Go Away
I know the states are baking in the heat and begging for rain - wish I could send some your way. This morning it started pouring - sheets and sheets of rain; I thought it was never going to stop. The roof started dripping, then leaking, then pouring water into the sunroom. I was scrambling to move the furniture into the living room, remove all my electronics, find trashcans and buckets to try and stem the tide - but it was all hopeless. Finally, I just found a dry spot, sat down and waited for it to stop.
I had about 2 inches of water in the sun room, the towels I threw down were floating. Then the sun came out, my housekeeper showed up to help get rid of all the water, my handyman is on his way to see if he can fix the leak....life is good.
Tonight's forecast....MORE RAIN.
I had about 2 inches of water in the sun room, the towels I threw down were floating. Then the sun came out, my housekeeper showed up to help get rid of all the water, my handyman is on his way to see if he can fix the leak....life is good.
Tonight's forecast....MORE RAIN.
Friday, July 15, 2011
The Mexican Way
One of the first things you learn about living in Mexico is Mexican are the most unpredictable people. In the States, we view them as lazy, uncouth, even stupid. But I have found them to be the hardest working people I have ever known. Everything is done by hand - there are very few heavy machines down here.
Last year there was a huge mudslide that nearly wiped out a nearby village. Everything was buried in 6 feet of mud. Cows, dogs, sheep and even people were washed into the lake by torrents of mud and rocks. But within a month, you could drive through that little village and everything looked perfectly normal. They know the government is not going to come rescue them, so they just get on with it.
They also recycle everything - nothing goes to waste. Our garbage men open up every bag and look for anything usable before they toss the bag into the truck. When they repaired my roof, they took all the old broken roof tiles as part of payment - they use them to repair their own roofs.
And no matter how hot and sweaty they get - they don't smell. I'm sure it is because they don't use deodorant, body lotions, or perfumes like we do in the states - it is really amazing. After 10 minutes to working in the yard, I smell like a wet dog - but my gardener is dripping with sweat - and smells like fresh cut grass.
Last year there was a huge mudslide that nearly wiped out a nearby village. Everything was buried in 6 feet of mud. Cows, dogs, sheep and even people were washed into the lake by torrents of mud and rocks. But within a month, you could drive through that little village and everything looked perfectly normal. They know the government is not going to come rescue them, so they just get on with it.
They also recycle everything - nothing goes to waste. Our garbage men open up every bag and look for anything usable before they toss the bag into the truck. When they repaired my roof, they took all the old broken roof tiles as part of payment - they use them to repair their own roofs.
And no matter how hot and sweaty they get - they don't smell. I'm sure it is because they don't use deodorant, body lotions, or perfumes like we do in the states - it is really amazing. After 10 minutes to working in the yard, I smell like a wet dog - but my gardener is dripping with sweat - and smells like fresh cut grass.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Living in a Language Cocoon
"Good Afternoon K-Mart Shoppers, please look for the flashing blue light to stock up on Pampers...blah....blah....blah". We get so used to hearing these droning announcements in all the big box stores that we literally tune them out. Well here is a much more effective way of tuning out all those announcements, messages, cell phone conversations....refuse to learn the language!
If a gunman shoved a pistol into my face and said "¡La bolsa o la vida"; according to the International Stupid Tourist Law, I can just turn around and walk away. Instant security!!
If a gunman shoved a pistol into my face and said "¡La bolsa o la vida"; according to the International Stupid Tourist Law, I can just turn around and walk away. Instant security!!
Sunday, July 10, 2011
The Help
One of the many things I love about living in Mexico is having a maid twice a week....I really shouldn't call her a maid, she is more accurately a housekeeper. She is very young, around 24, pretty, works hard, is always on time, and cleans the house exactly as I told her I wanted it - all for around $30 USD a week.
One of the things I like least about living in Mexico is having a maid twice a week....I mean someone in your house for 8 hours, working up a sweat to clean up your crap, while you try and find somewhere to sit quietly and not get in the way - it's all very tiresome. Don't get me wrong - I like having someone clean my house and all the "Gringos" have housekeepers, usually 5 days a week, it's what we do down here. I mean really....what can they possible find to do 5 days a week. The owner of my house had 2 women 3 times a week!! When I cleaned my own house - it was only on Saturday for around 4 hours and when I hired someone regularly it was once a MONTH.
The other thing that drives me crazy is that you are not suppose to get too involved with your housekeeper and their families...there is, of course, the language barrier and that makes it difficult to talk about anything complicated.
One of my friends' maid came to her the other day wailing about her young daughters 'heart' condition and fearing the child would be dead before she got home that evening. My friend volunteered to take the little girl to a cardiologist and the mother wept with gratitude. My friend made the appointment and went to pick up the little girl and her mother - she saw the girl running merrily up and down the street with all her little friends and the mother sitting outside shelling peas. "Oh she much better today Senora"..end of my friends misplaced charity.
A very wise woman who has lived her for 10 years told me once "Mexican don't need any more friends, they have all they want with their families."
One of the things I like least about living in Mexico is having a maid twice a week....I mean someone in your house for 8 hours, working up a sweat to clean up your crap, while you try and find somewhere to sit quietly and not get in the way - it's all very tiresome. Don't get me wrong - I like having someone clean my house and all the "Gringos" have housekeepers, usually 5 days a week, it's what we do down here. I mean really....what can they possible find to do 5 days a week. The owner of my house had 2 women 3 times a week!! When I cleaned my own house - it was only on Saturday for around 4 hours and when I hired someone regularly it was once a MONTH.
The other thing that drives me crazy is that you are not suppose to get too involved with your housekeeper and their families...there is, of course, the language barrier and that makes it difficult to talk about anything complicated.
One of my friends' maid came to her the other day wailing about her young daughters 'heart' condition and fearing the child would be dead before she got home that evening. My friend volunteered to take the little girl to a cardiologist and the mother wept with gratitude. My friend made the appointment and went to pick up the little girl and her mother - she saw the girl running merrily up and down the street with all her little friends and the mother sitting outside shelling peas. "Oh she much better today Senora"..end of my friends misplaced charity.
A very wise woman who has lived her for 10 years told me once "Mexican don't need any more friends, they have all they want with their families."
It has been too long
I started this post last year when I retired to track my move/visit to Mexico, but have not posted in a long time because of pure laziness. So here is what has been going on over the past 6 months.
I was staying in my little casita (https://picasaweb.google.com/lkarelee/Casita) on Joan's estate, working at the local little theater in props and enjoying it when my house in Austin got robbed. I stayed on the phone for days, dealing with the police, insurance companies, neighbors, locksmiths, you name it. Then I broke out with SHINGLES - are you freaking kidding me - SHINGLES - ON MY FACE. (A very good dermatologist started appropriate treatment and I was fine after a few days.)
Next, the thieves started withdrawing money from my checking account and using my credit cards to run up huge bills at the mall. Apparently they were buying jewelry then taking it to the pawn shops. Of course, I wasn't responsible for the charges but it took many more hours on the phone to get it all straightened out. BTW - I highly recommend banking with a small, local bank (University Federal Credit Union in my case); because when the shit hits the fan, it is nice to be able to speak to a human being who can open new accounts, transfer money, etc.
Next, I returned to Austin at the end of November to find almost everything of value had been taken - including my jewelry, clothing, personal documents, blank checks, birth certificates, old passports - but they did leave my Fiesta Ware (idiots - probably the most valuable thing in the house)
So, long story short, I spent the next couple of months clearing out what was left of my house, found a renter, stored everything I couldn't pawn off on my family, traded my Prius for a Honda CRV, and returned to Mexico. I now live here
https://picasaweb.google.com/lkarelee/NewHouse
I was staying in my little casita (https://picasaweb.google.com/lkarelee/Casita) on Joan's estate, working at the local little theater in props and enjoying it when my house in Austin got robbed. I stayed on the phone for days, dealing with the police, insurance companies, neighbors, locksmiths, you name it. Then I broke out with SHINGLES - are you freaking kidding me - SHINGLES - ON MY FACE. (A very good dermatologist started appropriate treatment and I was fine after a few days.)
Next, the thieves started withdrawing money from my checking account and using my credit cards to run up huge bills at the mall. Apparently they were buying jewelry then taking it to the pawn shops. Of course, I wasn't responsible for the charges but it took many more hours on the phone to get it all straightened out. BTW - I highly recommend banking with a small, local bank (University Federal Credit Union in my case); because when the shit hits the fan, it is nice to be able to speak to a human being who can open new accounts, transfer money, etc.
Next, I returned to Austin at the end of November to find almost everything of value had been taken - including my jewelry, clothing, personal documents, blank checks, birth certificates, old passports - but they did leave my Fiesta Ware (idiots - probably the most valuable thing in the house)
So, long story short, I spent the next couple of months clearing out what was left of my house, found a renter, stored everything I couldn't pawn off on my family, traded my Prius for a Honda CRV, and returned to Mexico. I now live here
https://picasaweb.google.com/lkarelee/NewHouse
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