One step closer, but no easier
The death certificate adventures continue. At last update I was in a Catch-22 because the Basha’s middle name was not spelled out on our marriage license. The Mexican government would not accept a middle initial, even if it matches the name. At that point, I channeled the Basha and decided that “the appropriate application of cash” was the best way to solve this conundrum. I hired a lawyer. The lawyer is Mexican, knows how Mexican law and the government work,…
My well-being is a house of cards
It has been 74 days since the Basha died. My brain seems to be coming back. I am remembering the Spanish that I’d learned. My phone and the computer aren’t as incomprehensible as they were before. I’ve even cooked for myself (a few times). I have been getting out and socializing with friends. I smile. I laugh. Sometimes I feel almost normal. Then, something out-of-the-blue will hit me and I’ll be falling all over again. Grief overwhelms me. I feel…
30March chilaquiles – Green & Rosse
This was another friend recommendation – and very good! It is located on A. Obregon and looks out over the Malecón. The location is both amazing and expen$ive. The chilaquiles, while delicious were about 50% more expensive than any of the other places I’ve tried. That said, the chips were crispy and cut to be bite-sized! Very helpful with a saucy dish like this. The sauce was a mildly spicy chipotle salsa, and it was served with 2 POACHED eggs,…
23March chilaquiles – Ocean Café & a surprise
On the recommendation of a friend, I went to Ocean Café on Agustin Arriola this morning for the “Chilaquiles Quest”. I was a little later than usual leaving today, but it turned out to be for the best. The classic car club had a first day of spring parade along the Malecón today. The one that got me to stop and pay attention was the Mystery Machine. All the owners/drivers were so happy to have people taking pictures of their…
Death in a foreign language – Day 1
A.K.A. Bureaucracy BLOWS Government paperwork is horrible, no matter how you look at it. In another language, the paperwork, processes, and expectations take on GARGANTUAN proportions. Unlike any deaths that I have been touched by in the United States, the Mexican process *could* be considered swift and organized. However as the person who has just lost the love of their life, and can barely speak English through the grief, it was a nightmare-ish vortex. Thank goodness for the friends, community,…
Restarting My Life
When I decided to start a blog I had big ideas. As time wore on my ideas became smaller and life took over so I rarely posted. I am now in a place where I have to start over. Square one. Everything I assumed, and took for granted, has changed. The Doctora is restarting her life. January 19th my world disintegrated. The love of my life, my soul-mate, my best friend, and my lover, died. The Basha has left the…
Living in Paradise
People frequently tell me how lucky I am to live in Paradise. And I agree – don’t get me wrong. Yet every paradise has a bit of purgatory in it. It is an unavoidable fact. Not EVERYTHING is perfect ALL the time. It is early September and we are in “second summer” (my term). First summer is May to mid-July and is much like the summers that I experienced when I lived in the US. Sunny, breezy, temps in the…
Health 2024 – not the best year so far
It is late-summer 2024 (or second summer in this part of Mexico). The year began well, there were some hiccups in the spring, and then things headed south in early June. I can say, now, after the chaos, it could have been much worse. After 4 years here, I decided that it was time to start collecting all the health care providers that I was used to in the US. You don’t usually think about it until you move –…
New Perspectives – Kayak
We’ve been talking for YEAR about getting kayaks. There was a lot of discussion about what specifics we wanted. Originally we were looking at sea kayaks with covered hatches and a rim for a spray skirt. Then we realized that we are living (nearly) in the tropics. The water here won’t have you hypothermic in under 5 minutes, we will be mostly in protected bays, and the weather is typically nice (no rain). We got two “sit-on-top” type kayaks. They…
Sealions!
We recently had the opportunity to visit a sealion colony. A huge bonus was that the fees we paid would be used to help the local, volunteer paramedic corps buy their own ambulance. Why do they need to buy an ambulance? Good question! The health care system here is … different. The hospitals have private ambulances that they will (sometimes) send out to pick people up. But only if the patient has $$$ to pay. No dinero (money), no ambulance.…