Dinner with Leslie and Chico at La Tasca Restaurant

Chico is more interested in my fish than me.

Chico and Boomer in the Sunshine

I am house and dog sitting for my friend for two days. Boomer and Chico are best friends and they are both following me around the house and yard. It is nice to have their company. I am so glad to be home again.

Ajijic Wednesday Market

Morning Thoughts-----Home and Love

Tomorrow I go home. Home. That word contains so many meanings. A sense of place, of belonging. Feeling comfortable. Feeling loved.

 It has been a very long and interesting summer for me.

My son and daughter-in-law took me out to an Indian meal last night. A good bye meal and a preparation meal for their upcoming trip. I am returning in November to dog sit while they make another two week whirlwind trip to India.

We talked about all the things we did while I was up here; boat rides, dinners out, swimming, movies, more things than I do in a year in Mexico. But the most important part is the love. Nothing outshines that.

 In Mexico, I have the love of my friends and Chico. Here, I have the love of my son and daughter-in-law and their two dogs. I also have a few friends up here. I thoroughly enjoyed our lunches out and the meeting at Walter Mitty's.  I am a blessed and wealthy woman....... Maybe I have TWO homes now. 

I hope that my ex husband has finally found his home. It is a tragedy that he was unable to feel the love in this world. Love is all around us. We just have to open our hearts to it. TO BE LOVED, LOVE. Love is used as a verb in the previous sentence. It is an active word......

Tanga is looking for someone to ride down to Mexico with her.

I put this comment up here as a post because I hope someone will read it and respond to her. Do you need a ride to Mexico?


Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Morning Thoughts---Things That I Miss about Mexico...":

Hi Patricia,
Thank you again for expressing your honest feelings about your life in Ajijic. Having just returned from Portland to NW Florida, now humid, stormy, and overcast, I love your Goldilocks analogy of Lake Chapala's weather. I think that other things there may be" just right" for me too.
Even though I was not able to go to your get together last week, I have met two really nice people who responded to me through your blog. One of them who is already in Mexico, is helping me look for long-term housing, that I will rent unseen, based on her eyes and feet doing the search for me, and my confidence that it is a "just right" place for me.
Since my lease is up here in October I will just take the plunge and drive down there first part of November. However one weak link in my move is that I am driving alone from Laredo to Chapala. I am very concerned about making that trip alone, with only my two dogs and a road map.
Do you think that you could help me out with a post on your blog that might turn up someone who wants a ride into Mexico at that time, or maybe a person doing a six-month border run who could benefit rom a return ride.
I can be contacted at tanganika10@yahoo.com. Thanks again for being you and for this blog. Tanga

Morning Thoughts---Things That I Miss about Mexico

I miss the slower pace of life at the Lakeside area. There is not as much pressure as I feel up here in Portland where people always seem to be in a hurry. Maybe it is because all my friends down there are retired. Working people don't have a lot of free time. Time is very valuable. Too many things to do, not enough time.

The philosophy in Mexico is based on the Manana factor. Things will get done--tomorrow. Or the day after tomorrow or maybe in a month. Or maybe--- never.  Manana. Interesting concept and mostly it works for everyone, unless you are waiting for an electrician, or a plumber.

I miss the sense of security that comes from knowing that I can afford to see a doctor or a dentist if I need one. Up here, I know that if I needed medical or dental care, my entire budget would be shot for many months to come.

I miss the sunshine that I can depend on every day of the year. Even during the rainy season, the days are sunny. I am like Goldilocks in Mexico. Everything is Just Right. Not too hot.  Not too cold. And since I spend most of my time outdoors, this is a big factor in my life.

I miss my friends, people my own age. One way to feel old and out of it is to spend a lot of time with young, working people. Their interests are very different from mine. They have far more energy than I have and they are always in a hurry, going from one place to another. They think nothing of driving for many miles just to have a meal in a special restaurant.

I don't particularly like being in cars. They make me nervous. I like to be on the ground. Grounded. As I have already mentioned, I like the slower pace that is in the Lake Chapala area. All my friends have time. Time to spare for conversations on the street or helping with problems and projects at home.

So we are back to the Manana factor. Expats also have discovered that magic word. You meet a friend on the street when you are on your way to the hardware store to buy something for a minor home repair. That friend invites you out to lunch. Manana with the home repair. Let's go.......  

Of course I miss Chico and the wild cats. I wonder if the cats will return once they realize that I am back..... Probably.

Morning Thoughts---Returning to Ajijic

The countdown has begun. I am returning to Ajijic next Tuesday. I learned the hard way about changing reservations on the phone. I came up here by way of San Francisco. I wasn't paying attention on the phone and she routed me back through Houston. That means a six hour flight and since she didn't ask me what seat I wanted, I had to take the last available seat in the middle. Six hours, flanked by two strangers.

So, my warning to everyone and to myself is to NEVER trust an agent on the phone. Now my trip starts at eight a.m. when I leave the house and doesn't end until well after midnight when I arrive at my casita. I will be sitting in the Houston airport for four and a half hours. Thanks to that agent, my trip has been doubled in length from when I came up here.

Oh well, life goes on. I will soon be back in my casita with Chico. I am going to miss my family and Portland friends. But I will be happy to be back to my own life. I am looking forward to walking the streets of Ajijic with Chico and to the Wednesday market, having lunch with my friends, going to the Lake Chapala Society, swimming at the hot springs spa.....

I wonder if the wild cats will know I am back and return to the yard in the mornings.  My landlord's helper ran them off after I left. She doesn't like cats. Or dogs. Poor Chico. I am sure he will be glad to have me back home again so he can snooze on my chaise lounge and have his stomach rubbed. I would like that too. If I had someone to rub my stomach. 

The Sunday Get Together

I think everyone had a good time on Sunday. We stayed until after eight in the evening. Hopefully, we will be able to do this again from time to time. Maybe when I come back in November. Or maybe in Ajijic. I have seen some of these people both here and in Ajijic. It was wonderful for me to hear their stories and see the love for Ajijic in their eyes because it makes me miss my home even more. I am going back on the 27th, just a little over a week away....  Thank you all for showing up and sharing your stories.

Reminder of the get together on Sunday at Walter Mitty's

Just a reminder of our get together on Sunday at Walter Mitty's. If you are interested, please e mail me so I will know how many people to expect. If you want the details, just scroll back a few posts. We will be meeting inside because there will be music on the patio at that time. They have reserved a table for us.

Another Boat Ride

The Northcoast Beach Trip

fish taco

Foxy in the car

Oscar in the car