It is another rainy, gloomy morning. Yesterday was the same and it was a very bad day for me. I spent most of the day trying to fix my computer iphoto program. Every time I turned it on, that little wheel would spin and I would have to get out of the program. So frustrating!
My son did what he could. He replaced my entire operating system. My iphoto program sill didn't work so I started trashing photos. I trashed 15,000 photos and I still had more on there. I didn't even take the time to see what I was trashing, I was so irritated after spending many hours trying to fix it. Later on, my daughter-in-law said that I should have put those photos on an external drive first to save them. But it was too late. And I was too irritated by then to even care. So the only photos I have now are the ones on my blog...
Time to start all over again. Maybe with everything. I am so irritated today that I feel like trashing everything I am doing down in Mexico, going someplace else. Like my son says, "You take pictures of the same six blocks over and over."
Do I have enough courage to make these changes? Only time will tell. I have over another month here to think about what I would like to do next..... Maybe if the sun would come out, this feeling of irritation with everything would go away. And right now the sun is peaking out of the clouds.
I am swimming in the mornings at the local pool and that helps but it isn't anything like swimming in those thermal waters in Mexico. I don't like swimming in lanes. I am not good at sharing. If I have to share a lane, I end up bumping into the side of the pool or worse, the person swimming close to me. My injuries keep me from swimming in a straight line. Oh well, Life goes on... I hope my son will put another photo program on my computer so I can keep on taking photos.... I must be patient and ride out these bad times.....
Sorry about your photos. What a bummer! I get aggravated with computers and electronic equipment easily....and after hours of trying to fix it, I get really aggravated!
ReplyDeleteBut I love your pictures and your blog! And I wish you the best, whatever you choose to do.
:) Karen in VA
Thanks Karen, I really appreciate your comments and emotional support. I wish the best for you too. P
DeletePatricia, I love your pictures too!! On the Today show this morning there was advice for women about to be married----one was don't believe anything a man says when he is upset!!!
ReplyDeleteI think your son was also irritated helping you on your computer. My wonderful family get irritated trying to help me with mine too!!
And do tell-----when else are you thinking about going??
Connie
Hi Connie, Thanks for writing. And thanks for the compliment on my photos. You are probably right about my son being irritated too. Computers can be so frustrating. I have no idea of where I would go. Maybe throw a dart at a map and go there.... P
DeleteHere's a thought. When you get back to Mexico, jump on a bus to almost anywhere in Mexico and stay at your new destination for at least a week. This country is filled with adventure.
ReplyDeleteHI Steve, Sounds like a plan. I just might get brave enough to do that. Thanks, p
DeleteI enjoy all your photos, six blocks or not, that's your home. When I lived in Beaverton, up the road from Lake Oswego, the dreary weather drove me ape shit - excuse my honesty. I'm living in Ohio; the winters are dreary; right now it's hot and humid; the spring and fall are the saving grace, but I want better weather. I'll be coming down to Ajijic/Chapala for a week over American Thanksgiving and will be thrilled to see many of the sights that you have photoed and shared.
ReplyDeleteHang in there! Helena
HI Helena, Thanks for writing. Maybe we can meet if I am still in Ajijic when you get down there. P
DeleteYour photos are wonderful, they do a great job of depicting life there.
ReplyDeleteHugs from the equally rainy Vancouver BC.
Shelagh
Thank you Peter and Shelagh. Maybe summer will be here for all of us soon. P
DeleteDear Patricia,
ReplyDeleteI've been following your blog since early 2012, but this my first post. (The signing up process has defeated me several times.) I feel so badly for you: You have had a rough go for the past several months, starting with the water problems in your casita. You've been inconvenienced, ignored and up-rooted to an entirely different environment. The idyllic life you carved out for yourself has disappeared for now. OF COURSE you are going to be feeling out of sorts and blue. But you WILL get the life you love back. (And the grey rainy weather is not helping, to say the least. It wears everyone down, but is really bad for someone used to sun everyday.)
We are moving down to Ajijic in late August...my hubby has been planning it for several years but I was NOT on board (to say the least) until last March when I made my first trip lakeside. I felt completely at home, and early morning photos you posted just after we left confirmed it. REALLY amazing connection your photos made for me; I've been carrying them around with me ever since and when people ask 'How did you find this place?", your photo is a big part of the answer. Which is to say, what you do on your blog is really important and you can never know how you touch people. As wonderful as your photos are, I love your posts more. You have voice that is honest, caring, open....it is a gift and you are blessed. Never stop sharing it. That's Point #1.
Point #2: Computers make people crazy; your son was wrong; I'm sorry you deleted so many photos, but perhaps the universe felt it was time. I'm so glad you have all the ones that you've posted.
Point #3: We're new to the Ajijic lifestyle, and what we've noticed is that the perfect climate, delightful people, slow pace of life, etc. make people there REALLY SPOILED. A 5 degree change in temperature and they're all out of sorts! A 10% increase in humidity and they get on a plane and go! Seems really crazy to us, but we decided it's that people lose their resiliency and ability to cope, because life is so easy/perfect lakeside. Another observation: That lakeside perfection makes it easy to let the world shrink to include only the safe confines of Lakeside and the routines we love. But those comfortable confines can be something of a jail if you don't watch out.
You are a strong person (a single woman retired to Mexico??!!! YIKES!) who hasn't used her strength in a while. You are in a rough patch. We all have them.
Point #4. Here's what to do: Imagine how you want your life to be, where you want it to be, what you will be doing....and HOLD THAT THOUGHT. It WILL BE. Worked for me. And I think the suggestion to start being a tourist in Mexico is a GREAT one.
Looking forward to meeting you,
Sandra
Hi Sandra, Thank you so much for your thoughtful and loving comment. It brought tears to my eyes. It is wonderful for me to get all this feedback from people. I guess I just am totally unaware of the fact that my blog has a place in some people's lives. I also appreciate your insights about how spoiled we are in Ajijic. Yes, let's meet when I get home. P
DeletePatricia, your photos are one of the joys I anticipate every day! Not everyone can understand what we love, even if they love US. I love to cook and craft and my mother thinks those are the two most boring things on the planet! But that's okay. She can have her loves and I can have mine. And YOU can have YOURS! Don't make any rash decisions when you are depressed, dear lady. I will bet you a Tecate that you'll feel better when you get back home to warm, sunny Mexico. I *LOVE* Steve's suggestion about getting on a bus and taking trips... (((hugs!))) Cheryl*
ReplyDeleteHi Cheryl, Thanks for the encouraging words. I will see if I have enough courage to do what Steve suggested. P
DeleteCheer up if possible...you do still have all of the blog pics and dialog..the best part is saved. As for moving I agree with the go visit and explore comment. You will be hard pressed to find such an Americanized place as Ajijic. I think Merida and Progresso, San Miguel Allende would be good, full of Americans and Canadians. Progresso is very inexpensive, English spoken and you get Sun and beach weather. I'm going to tryout Oaxaca this winter. Good luck. A lot of good info/blogs on Merida they also have an English Library like you are used to.......or just move to a new casita in Ajijic or Chapala for change of scenery!
ReplyDeleteLinda in Indiana
HI Linda, Thanks for writing and the interesting ideas. I have thought about visiting Progresso. I am going to have to force myself to travel. P
DeleteChin up Pat.....heat and sunshine are here! Hopefully your son's place has A/C, 'cause you're gonna need it!! Remember, we still need to meet while you're in Oregon. Breakfast, lunch, dinner...whatever works for you. Send an email to me or call the numbers I gave you earlier. I'm available next week... Hope to see you soon.
ReplyDeleteThank you Donna. P
DeleteHi, Patricia:
ReplyDeleteLots of wise people commenting here. The Portland gloom would upset most of us - and computer problems!!! Who hasn't wanted to throw theirs across the room while saying some colorful words. You love Ajijic and your casita, your pets, your new furniture. You will be so happy to get back to your life here. But if you feel you are in a rut, and maybe need some new adventure, I agree with Steve. Take a trip or two. Short ones, maybe ten days. Go see some of the places you haven't seen. Or maybe try to get a house sitting job in another part of Mexico. Take care. Your fans are depending on you to cheer up and keep blogging! Your friend, Pat Y.
Thank you Pat. P
DeletePat,
ReplyDeleteSorry about your lost photos....everyone else's suggestions have been so great, I won't repeat them. I'm sure they will help.
As for your photos....I'm surprised nobody yet has suggested storing your photos online. You can get tons and tons of absolutely free storage and save your photos "in the cloud". Just a few examples are Google Drive, SkyDrive (from Microsoft), iCloud (Apple), Dropbox, etc. They're all free, or you can upgrade and get even more for cheap. And you'll never have to risk losing everything on your hard drive, Or messing with transferring everything when you buy a new computer.
Thank you for that advice. P
Delete