Give Unto Us Our Daily Seafood & Cheese

I firmly believe something my techie sister told me several years ago, and that is that calories you eat outside your own country don`t count. I would add that fried foods don`t clog your arteries and Clorox used overseas doesn`t hurt the environment because these are all things I`m doing now that I wouldn`t dream of doing at home. My clothes are dingier, my food is never fried and I hardly ever eat things made with cheese at home. Here, what isn`t made with cheese, and darned if I`m going out with grey looking whites next to all of those spiffy looking tourists on the beach. I`ve even bought a box of Mac and Cheese, which I don`t think I`ve ever done, period, let alone in Dayton NV. I`ve not gotten up the nerve to actually cook it, but I will.

We`re eating a lot of seafood, and I mean fresh seafood. It doesn`t smell at all, so you know it`s fresh. I got some little scollops for some silly price the other day, which made me smile. When I run out of seafood, then out comes the Mac and Cheese.

I`m really enjoying my art class. It`s outside, under the portico roof, which is so enjoyable. I think I´ll try and get some plein air, or outside painting classes going when I get back. People come through selling very good cookies, we can buy tea and tacos from the resturant next door. Mark, (my Carson City art teacher), why can`t we expand our menu to include some cookies as well as popcorn? Not that there`s anything wrong with popcorn, you understand.

It`s time to climb the 78 steps up the hill home. I`ve found a place to get my hair cut and now I just have to get up the nerve to do it. Richard keeps making comments which make me believe it`s past the time when I should take the big step. That`s 65 steps and another hill down the other side so maybe I`ll make that appointment tomorrow. Mañana, you know.

Rita

Economy Accomodations in Paradise

It´s strange, but the longer we´re here, and the more comfortable we get, the less I think things are funny. I guess I get used to what struck me as strange before. However, we did get our ugly rug cleaned in a round about way this week.

Our landlord is trying very hard to make the place nextdoor rentable without spending hardly any money, just as he did with our place. So he was water pressure cleaning the floor next door when we realized that we were getting the dirty water from next door into our "living room" via the door that connects us. Naturally it got our ugly rug all wet, which turned out to be the silver lining because then Arturo cleaned it and behold! It´s not such a bad looking rug, for an ugly rug. Little by little our apartment is getting liveable. Or more liveable at least.

We took our dead computer to the Toshiba people and they cleaned it up and pronounced it well. We took it home and it´s still as dead as it was before. The curse of Valent machinery, although the Nook and the phone both work now. The Nook just hated it´s little pink holder and the phone needed more minutes. It´s mainly a phone for local stuff...I´m not sure it will work for out of country calls, but if you want to try, 52 is Mexico´s number, I don´t know what PV´s # is, but ours is 322-156-6934. I´ve memorized and I´m so proud.

We´ve been here a month, and I realized yesterday that we have 2 more to go. It seems like a long time to be in Paradise, but it certainly could be worse. Maybe in NV in below zero weather?

Love from she who is stuffed full of refried beans and rice, Rita

Walking On the Mexican Side

Last night we had an evening out at a Mexican home of a woman who cleans apartments for folks who don't live here year round but still want their houses clean. We know her as Patti, but turns out she's better known as Angelica at home and Clara to the couple next door for a reason that no one understands. I really really didn't want to go because I was sure I'd say something dumb in Spanish but I decided that everyone makes dumb statements so I might as well face it and go. I'm glad we did.

January 6th is the Day of the Kings, when those three kings finally made it to the Christ child and gave away those presents, so that's when Mexican kids traditionally get their presents. The other part of it is the big cake made in the form of a wreath, with maybe 8 little plastic Jesus babies in it. If your slice of the cake has a baby Jesus, you have to foot the bill for the tamales at the NEXT fiesta on Feb. 2. That's the last official fiesta of the Christmas season. Of course I got a baby Jesus and of course Richard didn't. However, the good part is that now we're part of the next fiesta, no question.

When we walked through Angelica's house I could see where Arturo is coming from with his apartment decorations. We're living in an apartment that's right on the cusp between Mexican and American and we're paying the sort of money where it should be more American than Mexican. At least in our eyes. But Arturo is trying very hard to keep us happy. Rick, the guy who did live next door, just left us his keys and found a new and nicer place. Technically he could be taken to court because he and Arturo had a contract, but I doubt Arturo will because that place is really pretty bad. We're more optomistic than we were, although it's interesting to see what will quit working next. The electricity went off last night for awhile and I thought that maybe that was the next big thing, but it went back on, so we're still in the 21st century.  
 
Hair is another thing, and if you're a male you can just skip this. If you're female, you'll understand. Richard's hair is made for heat and humidity. He never has to use the hairdryer. Mine starts out nice and fluffy but by the time we're to the bottom of the hill I look like a 30's movie. Remember those waves that stuck to the heads of the women in the 30's? That's me. If you're old enough to know who Mimi Eisenhower was, you know those waves. I hate those waves, but there you are. I never give up, but so far it's waves 30 Rita 0.
 

Roughing It In An Internet Cafe

Today we found out our computer is deader nor a doornail. We didn´t expect that one, so now we have to decide what to do. Right now I´m in an internet place, but that´s not the best place to be for the internet. I´m sad. I loved our little laptop.

Otherwise things are pretty good. I thought for a hot moment I had shingles around my waist line. I was trying to explain this to a pharmacy when a gringo told me there was a Dr. next door. She cost me all of 79 cents to tell me I had hongos, which literally can mean I have mushrooms, but it can also mean a fungus. So I´m being treated for that. I felt guilty only paying 79 cents until I got the bill at the pharmacy, which she owns. That was for $31 in American so she´s doing alright.

Our New Year´s Eve was spent down at the Malecon, which is the board walk, where we watched the fireworks along with a LOT of gays and Mexican families. PV has become a big gay draw. Two years ago it was just an area called the Blue Chairs but now it´s most of downtown, so we had front row seats to a lot of happy gays. The Mexican familes were fun to watch because they take the whole family with them. None of this baby sitter stuff. Everybody goes to the resturant and then they all walk up and down the Malecon and oooh and ahhh at the fireworks together. I like that. The dress for the night, for those young enough and of the right gender was short, short sparkly dresses and high, high heels. I could only feel smug knowing what their podiatrist bill will be like in the future but right now, they looked great.

New Year´s Day was spent inside because it rained steadily for about 16 hours! The stores that were smart enough to have umbrellas and ponchos did a bang up business.

The guy next to me is coughing, so I think I´ll get off before I´m writing from my sick bed.
Have a happy 2013!

Carefully, Rita