Wednesday, April 19, 2017

Morning Thoughts--Rainbow Hair

 
 
I took a walk with Chico into town yesterday morning. We had to stop at the ATM machine to get money and this beautiful young woman was getting money too. I complimented her on her hair and she allowed me to take pictures of it. Her name is Val Jones. She said it took the hairdresser two and a half hours to do this style for her.

If you are interested, you can see the sign behind her which gives us the exchange rate, over 19 pesos to the dollar. For awhile there it was up to 23 pesos to the dollar. Still it isn't bad for people with American money. 

I hope these photos will publish. I am trying once again to use the blog. I have had so many problems with it lately. All my electronics have not been working. I left my i pad charger in San Blas. But finally the generic charger I bought here is working. My phone has been out of order since Friday of last week. Unfortunately, the phone company was closed for several days including Friday so I couldn't stop in to tell them about it not working. I went in on Monday and the customer service woman asked how long it had been out. 

I said, Since Friday. 

So she said, Why didn't you call and tell us on Friday? 

I said, Because my phone wasn't working.

 So she said, Why didn't you go to a public phone and call us? 

I have been living here almost ten years and I have not seen a public phone during all that time. There may be one on the street near six corners but it obviously doesn't work. There is no mouth piece connected to the cord. Besides, their office was closed. I didn't mention that to her.Why bother her with details?

 I think the real problem was that she couldn't imagine anyone not having a cell phone.

 What she said to me next was, We will call you and tell you when they are coming out to fix it.

 Again I said, I don't have a working phone so you can't call me.   She just couldn't understand that concept. Finally she said she would have them e mail me a work order. So far, no work orders. She said that on Friday of last week, Good Friday when they were closed, 800 phones stopped working. So it  may be a long time before mine gets fixed, especially since they can't call me and set up a time to come out here. I am most likely LAST on their list. 

I decided to ignore the people who were giving me problems about my blog. And to keep on at it.... Since I don't have the distraction of a cell phone that goes off every few minutes and demands my attention, I have lots of free time to do the blog. And I can't go swimming now because the kids are still off for the Easter holidays. No way to do laps with kids jumping in on my head. But next week I can swim again.  I am just walking around town with Chico. It is really hot here in the afternoons. Sometimes I take a taxi home. (It costs 50 pesos for a trip anywhere in town. I think that is about 2.27  in American money. Well worth it.) All the taxi drivers now know where I live and Chico loves to ride in the taxis. He is getting old now, like me, and those long hot walks up the hill are as exhausting for him as they are for me. As soon as he gets in the house he jumps on the bed and goes to sleep the rest of the afternoon. So ---- Taxis, here we come. 

12 comments:

  1. Saludos Pat!
    I've been "off line" since last we "spoke" & have just logged on to your blog after all this time has passed. A man is due any minute to begin mowing my acreage, so this is just a quick hello.

    When I get back to you again later I will have had a chance to view your weeks of pics & blog since leaving for San Blas. So curious to know how your beach vacation went & what you are up to. When I write again I will explain my absence.

    Hasta luego, pues
    Fay

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  2. Hi Fay, good to hear from you. I have been struggling with electronic issues. Write when you can. P

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  3. Pat

    Please don't stop this blog, no matter what other people say about the blurry pictures or the format. I enjoy your style of writing, your story telling to me is amazing & a great way to catch up whats happening in Ajijic. I may not always respond or comment to this blog, but believe me its one of the things I look forward to each day. We met a couple years ago around Thanksgiving break, I was visiting my Mom in Ajijic. You meet lots of people I'm sure. I'm Peter from Chicago/Aurora Illinois.

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    1. Hi Peter, of course I remember you and your mom. I saw her place for rent but I think it was more than a couple of years ago. Thanks for writing. Your friend, p

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  4. Ay caramba!

    Electronic issues are a plague for me too. Then, after the near crash of my computer & an unsuccessful attempt to sign up for an email service (despite my credit card having been charged for same), I have been unable to access the account. A glitch seemingly NOT addressed in the infuriating "trouble shooting" guide.

    Next, one night weeks ago while sleeping, I was bitten multiple times on my right hand by a Recluse spider. I awoke in the AM to discover my hot & swollen hand & numb fingertips. I quickly pulled the bed away from the wall & found the culprit, thankfully a tiny, young one, lurking on the wall.

    I searched frantically for info online, only to discover a trip to the ER would do little, as there is no "cure" for the venom. The trick is to survive the bites, which have long effect & are followed by nasty craters & even dying tissue. Infection is a danger.

    Luckily, I found an herbal salve recipe on line & it worked! All ingredients were at hand in my "medicine" cabinet: Organic coconut oil base with recommended amounts of oil of oregano & tea tree, echinacea & golden seal powder, & vitamin E oil.

    Once applied, the redness & swelling went down quickly. But the venom turned my fingers a lurid purple, then tiny craters formed, & skin fell away. Each day, my hand looked different, but the pain & swelling was gone as long as I applied the salve. There was no infection. By the second week or so, it seemed to be slowly healing, but the effects are still present. If I slack off on use of the salve, the swelling & redness returns. I think I'll live, tho!

    Needless to say, during all these weeks I have been unable to type. The venom caused numbness in my fingertips, tho feeling is returning slowly. I hate to think what multiple bites from a *full-size* Recluse spider would have done to me. You wouldn't believe some of the gory pics online!

    Now, I've got to get back to work. This evening I can relax & catch up on your blogs.
    I'm looking forward to it...
    Fay

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    1. Hi Fay, your problems trump mine, especially the spider bite. I have a friend who had one on her leg. Very bad. I am glad you have some good medicine. Don't let up on it. Hers took a long time to get well but she didn't have that medicine. P

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  5. I live in Santa Fe, NM. I check your blog frequently. I enjoy your postings and your independent spirit. Please continue sharing your life. Feel my heartfelt hug.

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    1. Hi Nancy, Thank you so much. I really appreciate that. P

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  6. hi pat,

    I'm glad you have decided to soldier on ..I also feel like I'm getting a truer view of mexico from your blog

    I have an old dog (15 yrs) and recently started doing much the same on our daily walks since hills at the end are brutal indeed .. though a taxi around here would be $60-70! luckily my brother does the pickup at the end of a flat stretch
    anyway, it was amusing to contemplate your solution ..you have an option there which would be only available for megabucks here

    best regards,

    marilyn murdock

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    1. Hi Marilyn, Thank you for commenting. I do remember when I was in Portland and thinking of calling a taxi but realizing I couldn't justify the expense. My son pays a hundred dollars an hour for a massage up there. I can get one here for twenty... If I were to want one. Mexico is great. P

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  7. Pat,
    I'm in total agreement with all the posted replies. I look forward to your posts and refreshing photographs. Apologies that I don't always reply, but know that your unselfish time and effort brings enjoyment. Thank you!
    Phyllis

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