Morning Thoughts

This is the second rose to come from my rose bush in my little garden. It has been one week in the jar and still looks fresh, thanks to my online friend Eddie. He told me to put white sugar in the water. It keeps the roses fresh for about two weeks. Thank you Eddie in Canada.

I am still coughing a little but today is market day and I need lots of food. Think I will leave Chico at home this time and take him out in the afternoon. The Weds market is very crowded this time of the year.  The weather is still beautiful.  

Olive likes to sit next to me while I type. She still has a cough. Here is a question that I hope someone out there can answer for me. Is it possible to get the same diseases as our animals, from them? Olive had the cough first and she insists on sleeping near my face at night..... 

Morning Thoughts

The sun isn't up yet but I am guessing that we are going to have another beautiful, sunny day. Hopefully it will be warmer than yesterday morning. It is interesting to see people (mostly the Mexicans) bundled up in jackets, gloves and hats in the mornings.  

I am feeling so much better now that my knee isn't so painful and I can walk comfortably again. Deciding to continue with IMSS was a good decision for me. I like the woman doctor at the clinic. I trust her judgment. That is important. I don't particularly like Gabriel knowing all my health issues because he has to act as the interpreter but I trust him too.  I do know some Spanish. I can get along and get my needs met but not at the doctor's office because they all speak too fast for me.  And they do not have time to slow down enough for me to understand. 

The Chili Cook Off is coming up soon. Three days of excitement. I will go one or two days of it. Other than that, I spend most of my days alone at the spa and home in the afternoons, reading in my little garden. Or taking walks with Chico. Going to breakfast with Nicks and Dog. I have a simple life. But now that my knee is better, I may think of taking a trip somewhere in Mexico. I always say that but then I am too comfortable and happy here to actually go anywhere.

Pat, my friend from San Blas, is coming to visit me at the beginning of March. She loves to go out to eat here since there are few good restaurants in San Blas. She will go to the spa with me one or two days. I am looking forward to her visit.  I have known her for about fifteen years. She is one of my closest friends, even though we don't see each other very often. Seven hours on the bus from here to San Blas is a long trip.  And of course, I just wrote that I don't go anywhere. I just like to think about it.   And stay home.   

Today is going to be a house cleaning, laundry day for me. I will take a little walk with Chico after it warms up. I picked my second rose from my garden yesterday. Simple pleasures......   Life is good for me at the moment......  

A morning at the IMSS Clinic in Chapala

I went to the IMSS clinic again.   My helper drove me early in the morning. 

I go back to see the woman doctor, Kenya is her name, in two weeks. She also gave me an appointment at an IMSS hospital for a chest X Ray and blood tests. She looked at my knee X rays and said it looked like nothing was torn or broken, just a bit inflamed. I can't tell you how pleased I was with it all. Everything is free after paying the yearly fee. The doctor said I was lucky that I didn't allow my insurance to lapse because I wouldn't have been able to get it back. I think I made the right decision to go with IMSS.  Here are some photos of the IMSS clinic in Chapala. It is located right across the street from Christiana park. 

IMSS has their own ambulances.

They have a pharmacy where they give out the medications at no charge.

Inside the clinic before people started filtering in.

Valentine's Day on the Jocotopec Plaza

Nicks and Dog.

That dog was watching Chico. So we quickly moved on.

Morning Thoughts

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! It is a beautiful, sunny morning. I am taking a ride to Jocotopec with my friend Nicks, his dog named Dog and Chico. Nicks and I are in search of some wall hangings. (Dog is in search of food. He is always hungry. Chico is in search of little doggie butts to sniff.) Nicks is taking a trip back to the States and he wants wall hangings for gifts for his friends. He has heard that more interesting ones are out there. I was in Jocotopec one time on Valentine's Day and it was really nice. There were flower stands everywhere. The Mexicans were friendly to me. I like Jocotopec. Not many expats on the streets. Not that not seeing expats is better than seeing them but without them, fewer Mexicans speak English. So if you are an expat and want to live out there, knowing Spanish is essential.

Morning sunshine outside of my window. 

Festival in the Ajijic Plaza

After our Thai lunch, Chico and I walked to the plaza. There was a three day guitar festival going on. There were lots of stands with interesting things for sale. It was a busy day at the plaza.

The cupcake making family.

My Favorite Thai Restaurant in Ajijic

Chico and I love this Thai restaurant. They allow him to be there and even bring him a cup of water. Lately I have only been going to restaurants where they will allow Chico to go too. So here are some photos of it. The entire meal, including tip came to 13.20. That is American money and more than I usually spend for a meal but I wanted to have the curry and see what was in it. I was told that to live longer, eat three curry meals a week. I made a huge pot of curry in the morning and then put the one I bought at the restaurant in with it. I had a lot of leftovers for other meals besides the curry. 

Morning Thoughts

The exchange rate seems to be on it's way to 20 to one American dollar. This morning it is 18.9080 pesos to the dollar.  Good for the Americans, especially ones who are paying their rent in pesos. Not good for everyone else. Some of my friends are complaining that every month they have to pay more pesos for their rent because it is based on the American dollar, not on the peso. Smart home owners. Sad renters.

 Here are a few more photos of the Fat Tuesday parade. I wrote about it on Accesslakechapala.com. It is published now.