Well, I'm one week in and I have to say I have been pretty lazy and not doing to much. The night I arrived and the next evening Ismael took me out to pick up a few things but after that I didn't venture out. I had good intentions but they all fell short. I have spent my time slowly unpacking and sorting things around the house and my room. I took my time and swept the floors but have not got to mopping them yet. I cleaned the kitchen cupboards so I could stock them. Of course all of these tasks take longer then normal as I need to take breaks in between. My sleep pattern is totally switched now and I'm waking up by 530am as this is a much busier and noisy neighbourhood. Trucks start rolling in to the pier, dogs start barking like they are roosters and we have some resident cats that scream continuously like they are dying if not fighting. Kahlua seems to have made friends with one of them and I see her in the front yard nose to nose with it. Not sure if its the same one, I think so, but they try to get in the house. For the first 3 days, I couldn't figure it out but the kitchen garbage can was getting knocked over, once during the night. I was beginning to think the place was haunted or the souls had not returned after Dia des la Muertas. I thought I had shut all the doors and locked them at night but then I remembered the one on the balcony was open and that is where the cat must have got in. Resourceful little buggers. The same one seems to be headbutting or throwing himself at the side door trying to get in as it has a little give to it and I keep hearing this crash. Again, freaked me out at first until I think I figured it out, cause of course he was screaming at the same time. And when I say screaming I mean it, all my windows are shut in my room and it sounds like he is in the room with us. Of course it wakes Kahlua from her slumber every time he screams but she's too lazy to go look.
Kahlua is making herself at home and enjoys wandering around the back yard. She is not a swimmer, more of a sinker but she goes out and does a couple of laps around the pool on the tile walkway then comes back to the patio to lie down. She will go off and inspect each corner of the yard taking in all the new smells and one day I caught her rolling in the grass, yep she found something stinky! It was all in her neck and shoulders. Needless to say it was the tub or the pool so she went for a sink in the pool. Good thing I have a lifejacket for her as she has no clue on how to swim if her life depended on it and in her mind it does even when I'm holding her. She thunks her paws with such force you would think they were the size of a Great Dane and her back end is pointed straight down. We managed to get through it but she was none to happy about it. It was also the last really warm day that was over 30, so I figured it also helped to cool her off, as she was walking around panting, too stupid to go and have a drink. We have gone on several short walks to the beach (a block away) and around the hood. She does love the beach but I think she is afraid of the sound of the waves as she doesn't want to get to close to the water. The tuff girl isn't so tuff when the neighbourhood dogs go nuts behind their gates at her. She jumps into the street to get away from them. Yep she is big and brave in her own yard and area but not so brave in this one. She likes going out front barking at people passing and bouncing the way she does.
Ismael was here the first 2 days helping out. He cut the grass which had gotten quite long and did some mild pruning of the trees, raked it and bagged it. He also helped get the hot water going cause I had one heck of a tepid shower the first day. But its going now, takes a bit to get to the tap but it is working. The pressure isn't great but I can live with that as long as I can have a warm shower and not cold. He was checking in each day after to see if I needed anything or if all was good. I was fine and I didn't want to take him away from his family after he was away for several days. I had not heard from him for the last couple days and I sent him a message for the gate code (which got changed to coffee for some reason) and he was confused. He also said that his phone was not working properly and asked if I needed anything. Which I do. The gate on the drive way, my Jeep(with roof rack) just clears the rail but the chain hangs down when open. When I pulled in, it was okay except the front of the roof rack is slightly angled so the chain that opens the gate slid up and over it. When I went to back out, it caught as the back is squared. So I managed to tighten it and get it to rest inside the rail and was able to back out, but when I pushed the button to close it, it did not close quite all the way. I was not going to continue fighting with it and went on my shopping mission, already covered in grease from the chain. Of course when I got back and let the monster out, she went straight to that opening in the gate. She might be able to get through it if she works at it but I put cinder block in the gap to stop her and all is fine for now. Hopefully I will hear from him and we will be able to adjust it so that it works properly.
The owner stopped by and introduced herself and she seems quite lovely. She told me any problems to let her know and gave me her number and address. I was a little stressed that I could not find any bath towels or pool towels and went out and bought a set of 4 for now(needing them for the end of the month). Then she shows me the storage room (which I thought was locked) and of course there is extra bedding, towels, loungers etc and she told me to help myself. This is normal for the owners to lock away their personal things but she was open to use whatever I needed. She was tickled at Kahlua's name and made the motion of knocking back a shot, then laughed. She gave her a treat to make friends, even though Kahlua was being a good girl. She is having a worker come by to fix a window in the stairwell, as there was a big rainstorm the day I arrived and water came thru and onto the stairs, which nobody needs to slip on but especially myself or my niece that is arriving at the end of the month as she is about 5 months pregnant with her first child.
I finally got my VPN and firestick to work so that I can watch my Canadian programming. It took a little effort but I finally won. I had installed a free one on the firestick that had been suggested but Prime blocked it after one episode. So I checked into another paid one that is highly recommended and got it for $65 for 27months, that's like $2.50 a month. Mexican deal, so cheaper then at home. Can watch the Mexican streaming services but it is not all the same content so I was super happy to make it work, cause I had a bunch of shows I was watching weekly.
The Jeep seems to draw some attention around town. When I went to the grocery store, they were doing some kind of promo and had a Jeep there wrapped in a Sprite design and colour with a sprite can on top that was a boom speaker. Damn it was loud. Well I pull in and get a spot up front and the workers are checking out my dirty Jeep. When I left and stopped at Oxxo to pick up some water a fellow there starts talking to me. Nice Jeep...Canada? We had a short conversation and he offered to help carry the jug of water for me which was great as I had tweaked my back again and my legs were starting to ache from doing groceries. Lots of other lookey loos as |I drive by also. Jeeps are not super common here.
I have a list of things I need to find and do and have been searching to find the right places. The only confirmed contact I have is for my hair but I need to find a nail tech, a spa for waxing (I hate shaving) and maybe a massage, laundry, a car wash/detail and a vet as I am going to get her fixed while we are here cause it is sooo much cheaper and I need to call the fisherman to get a delivery made. (I want some prawns, scallops and tuna while I wait for others who may want lobster or other items) Now that I have an update out of the way, I will carry on and try and accomplish some of these items or at least make appointments for them.
So even though they are saying we are having a cold front here and posting AI pics of snow at landmarks, I'm still wearing shorts and tanks. Temp says its 26 already. My body is much happier with this temperature then that at home.
Until the next update,
Bromas y Deseos from Kahlua and I
1 comment:
19 more days and I will be joining you.
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