What I haven't been doing in Mexico

The last three weeks have been more of the same.

I haven't gotten to the beach much.
I haven't taken many siestas.
I haven't read more than a few pages of a book at a time.
I haven't played my fiddle.

You get the drift.

A good friend commented a few days ago that I could move to the Arctic and still be busy. Guess when I get the time, it would something to mull over...

This time I'm going to blame all this activity on the still obvious -- moving to a new country, a new community, a new job, lots of lovely house guests.

I've been at the real estate office a lot more than I had expected. But it's a great example of the seasonal frenzy of resort areas --- while real estate is always bought and sold, certainly a beach village in Mexico sees its share of winter dreamers (and buyers) who want to do the deal while they are here on vacation .... for two more days!

So it's a frantic whirl around the village for those in the business, trying to find clients the right home, the right beach lot, the right ocean view, before they head back to the states or to Canada --- while also trying to get the new home just listed online and on to a flyer on the wall, contact other realtors, get offers filled out and to the seller, counteroffers, etc.

Whew!

But I can relate to the dreamer, the buyer. It's been a great reminder of how it is that Michael and I are now living here.

Last January (was it only a year ago?) we were taking a few week's vacation with the kids in a lovely beach home over the Santana Real Estate office, when Joe Santana says to me, "You ought to see this great beach lot..."

The rest is history.

Joan Santana says the best part of her job is working with people who have a dream and are taking a huge leap of faith to get there.

I agree. It is the best part.

But the next step for me, personally, is to figure out how to still see the beach, read a book and play the violin during 'high season'.

I'll keep you all posted. In about a month.

A view of Tenacatita Bay from the inside of a hilltop home under construction.

Twenty days of no Manana time

I've thought about posting something in the past 20 days about our first month as 'jubilados' (retirees) in Mexico --- but we're not exactly retired, we're not exactly taking it easy and all news was so eventful that I would have been writing in all exclamation points --- which I am fundamentally opposed to, as a journalist.

So now that some of the La Manzanilla dust has settled (at least in front of our house), here's a quick recap.

As many of you know from reading Michael's blog, I'm helping out three or more days a week at Santana Realty. It's not even the eye of the storm in there --- it's a daily tornado of activity, often stemming from tourists coming in about a beach rental and walking out with a realtor to look at buying property or a house.

It's been really interesting.

I'm on the fast track to learn everything about buying and selling real estate in this part of Mexico while also learning how to do it in another language -- Spanish. Already I know to ask for the 'carpeta' (the file), what a 'Constancia' is (a very important property document you get from the Ejido), or how to respond when someone asks if I would like something from the local tienda.

Whew.

I'm always exhausted by Thursdays but I'm also left mulling over what was left undone, what else might be handled more efficiently (am I allowed to think that in this culture? Hmmmmm).

In the meantime, there is much other news:

Dustin and Camelia delighted and surprised us with their engagement last week! They have the ultimate international, cross-cultural relationship --- Camelia is Romanian and has been living and working in Puerto Vallarta for the past seven years.

She and Dustin combined their business space last year so Fox Marine and Full Sail Canvas are now located in Nueva Vallarta at the Nueva Marina and their home is nearby. They live about three to four hours from us (depending on who's driving!) and Camelia has been very gracious in welcoming Dustin's quirky relatives into their home. We're elated!

The paperwork to get married in Mexico is 'mui complicado' -- stay tuned for a wedding date and a wedding destination.

You've also probably read that Michael and I have bought more property. We don't have a plan (what's new?) but all 'feels right' (that's so 60s, sorry!) so we're forging ahead. We haven't decided if and when to build or where. But we figure all will be revealed soon enough. For a change, we've decided to just live here for a little while and then make a decision when we know more. That's a different approach for us.

Of course, for those of you that know us, even this philosophy remains subject to change.

We've been seeing cruising friends too --- Phil and Nora on Shiraz, and Dan and Lorraine on Zephyrus. We're headed to Barra de Navidad later today to have dinner with Zephryus and make plans for helping them fix one more boat part before they head to Central America.

At some point we're expecting to see Jeff and Anne on Fantasia, headed back from Aptos, California. And Don Tiffin is now in Mexico on Sabbatical before he heads to the South Pacific. Anyone need to hitch a ride?

Today begins the yearly La Manzanilla birthday fiesta, rodeo and four day bash that the natives have told us will require a box of earplugs. Yesterday I saw a makeshift hair salon set up in an empty shop and dozens of the local women getting their hair fixed for the festivities. So this might be quite the event and one not to miss. Stay tuned for the video.

But all in all -- when I get a chance to take a breath -- I can heartfully say that the decision to move here is still all I had hoped for. I'm doing a lot of what I had wanted to do (with the exception of finding fellow fiddle players, but I'm working on it). I'm learning the language, making friends, seeing old ones, enjoying the warm weather and the late evenings.

Michael and I walk up in the hills every morning and I'm always reminded of the disparity of lifestyles here that seem to be able to co-exist as we hike up through the million dollar homes on the hill and descend down by the stick huts in the village.

The gentlemen pictured here sits out in front of his home every day, getting the occasional visit from whomever is passing by.

It's the La Manzanilla version of extended care living -- not an uncommon sight here. It's a good daily reminder for me that whatever I have, I have enough.


And for all of you who missed Jane 'the Rentalor' Gorby's birthday on Monday, here it is: