Warmer Weather

Home Again at the Condo - 2022

Yes, we are back at the winter home, but not without some drama.  When we are about to head south we seem to have something arise, often a health issue with Rebecca, and this year was no exception.  The week before we were due to leave Mrs.T had a health situation that sent her to the hospital ER in Zanesville.  They did some tests, including a colonoscopy, all of which discovered: nothing.  Unfortunately, putting Rebecca under is always a problem; she has significant difficulty recovering from anesthesia.  Despite advising the doctors several times about this, it happened.  Her oxygen levels sunk too low for her to be released in time for our flight which we had to reschedule.  As we predicted her oxygen was back to normal after about two days at home.  And the condition for which she went in had not improved.  It disappeared on its own after we were at the condo for a couple of days.  This unfortunate episode needlessly cost us time and  money, and further undermined our faith in the US healthcare system.  Nice, well-meaning people, great technology, and a system that is - to be kind - in need of improvement. (The assistant editor cleaned up some language. -dt)

But we are back to warm sunshine in our most pleasant surroundings.  After about ten days we are completely at ease.  The larder is full and we are back to a routine.  Mrs.T is back with scuba and horses as she relates below.  And we already squeezed in a little event.

We are safely installed in Mexico.  Our pool is almost the right temperature.  I cautiously climbed in and found it a little cool.  "EEK" I squealed.   A little yellow bird sitting in the Norfolk Island Pine repeated "EEK".  I don't even get any respect from the local wildlife.  Brenda  says he was expressing sympathy but I am not too sure. 

I am still a little weak from the hospital but I can walk to Mary Paz and bring home a few abarrotes  - groceries.  I totter from one bench to the next; fortunately there is a bench on every block so I can pause to take a break.  (Good exercise. -dt)

Judy and I are working on a puzzle which is a picture of bugs.  It is quite intricate but kind of pretty. Rita got it for us. (First puzzle of the season in the pictures. -dt)

At night Dan says, "PUT ON YOUR NOSE!"  So I attach my CPAP and oxygen and crawl into bed.  Resistance is futile!  (It is for her own good. -dt)

Dan and I went to a local street party to celebrate the Day of the Dead.  My favorite part is the ALTOS - tall ones. These are puppets that are, on average, 10 feet tall.  There are altars with dead people's favorite things and lots of marigolds.  Evidently the dead people like bright colors and it helps them to find the way back.  Brenda and Phil, her son, walked down to the local cemetery but found it was not well maintained. Sigh!  I handed out halloween candy and had many enthusiastic kids in Day of the Dead costumes.

I had my first Spanish class and it went fairly well.  I am not too nervous around Jorge, the instructor,  but I do forget a lot of words.  (Actually Mrs.T is doing about as well in Spanish as English. -dt)

I have gone a couple of times to sit at Karen's and relax and watch the ocean while sipping a cold drink.  I love it.  One day I bought a little straw piggy from an Indian (Indigenous person -dt).  Brenda agreed that I really needed it.  Dan is so generous he did not complain but he did look a wee bit skeptical. Especially since I already have a straw piggy I bought last year.  "To market to market to to buy a fat pig. Home again home again. Jiggity, jig", I always say. (We really do not need more straw pigs. -dt)

I got my boots shined up and found my riding helmet and gloves and the step stool for mounting.  I am scheduled to ride on Thursday.  I am not sure if the horse will be Speedy Gonzales.  Dan said he was going to be sure to notify Edgar, our handy person, who thinks my mounting is the funniest thing.  In fact the whole neighborhood thinks it is quite entertaining. (Everyone waves when she goes by. -dt)  I will cling to the tatters of my dignity and ignore the scoffers.  Alas, Pablo was ill so no riding this week, but the lady promised he would be here next week.

I went SCUBA diving with Alex and his family and had a great time.  I saw lots of flora and fauna.  Rays, morays, fish of many sizes, shapes and colors.  I saw corals, sponges, shells, and other unfamiliar things which I could not identify.   We saw huge manta rays sailing above the ocean.  Alex's children caught about a dozen Spanish Marlin, two of which were cleaned and made into ceviche by Manuel while we were diving.  Eva, Alex's wife, made tortas of barbecued pork, and brought tamales, chips.  I brought cookies.  The whole family worked at dressing me in my scuba gear and retrieving my gear and helping me clamber tiredly aboard after diving.  I am sort of a family project with a picnic afterward.  And don't forget Alexandra who braided my hair while I slept.  I brought OSU tee shirts for everyone.  They think fondly of the Buckeyes because I bring them all Buckeye cookies every year.  It was good to be back.  (We are passing out real Buckeyes this year; we hope no one tries to eat them. -dt)

We had our official condo association meeting.  Dan has been president the last two years; next year it will be Glen.  I will not do it.  It requires too much patience and organization which are not my strong points. (Really not as demanding as in the US. -dt)

Here are a few pictures, including braids.  The interesting gizmo was a 'spy' in the hospital room to make sure Mrs.T did not get out of bed on her own.  https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjAfpFn

Hope all of you up north are enjoying your early winter weather.  We are quite pleased with it here.

Dan and Rebecca

www.casa-de-terrible.blogspot.com

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