Moving on to other issues, Thursday morning when I went to boot up so I could tackle our Power Point presentation for International Living, nothing and I mean nothing happened! Really, seriously!!?? Like I need this right now??!! To be fair, no time is a good time for this to happen.
After trying everything I knew and some communication with friends over the web using my iPad, off we went around the corner to a computer repair shop. They confirmed that it was probably toast but they would give it a try. But they were hopeful of retrieving what is on my hard drive. As I backup everything automatically onto SugerSync, I wasn't as worried about that. But, I have to say, that when they called me back to say that could retrieve it all, I was very glad!
Once home, I contacted our landlord, David, who was visiting in the states but was scheduled to come back to PV last Monday. He agreed to help us out. So the easiest was to go online to Best Buy, order, pay, and arrange for Dave to be the "pickup"person. Quick and easy! They even sent both of us an email to let us know when it was ready at the store David said he would be closest to and I received an email as soon as he had picked it up. Fabulous!
We decided that for our purposes now, I didn't need a computer with all the bells and whistles. This is a huge cost savings for us. I will now have a Toshiba 15.6", Windows 8.1 (which I had and like), Bluetooth, 6 GB RAM, 750 GB hard drive, webcam, HDMI for $550. So on Tuesday, I'll go back to the computer repair shop and they will download Office for me and transfer all of my data over. And, hopefully, I'll be back up and running! So, it looks like that issue is under control.
We also have had some business back in the states that needed documents originally signed and notarized with a timeline so for the first time we had to overnight them to the US. This entails us putting the documents on my flash drive, getting them printed at the Internet shop, then going to Mailbox Etc to ship them for $37. But NO paperclips or customs will tax you on them because they're not a document!! Really! And, to our great relief the documents were, in fact, received overnight in our small town of Colville in NE WA, population 5,000. Truly remarkable from here!!
We were supposed to receive our Security Deposit back from our previous landlord last weekend. Remember, I said don't hold your breath? Good thing you didn't because we didn't get it. No more 2nd or 3rd chances, we're going to file for mediation. Darn it!!! So didn't want it to come to this. Grrrrr!
But between all of life's issues that occur no matter where you are, we managed to continue having a great life!
Tuesday evening a week ago a trio played jazz at Nacho Daddy's, La Grimm Factory, and put on a great performance. A wonderful turnout of local expats so we're hoping that it created enough of an incentive for Nachos to be able to have them back during low season.
Wednesday a week ago saw us back at Yoga Vallarta for a half hour of mindful Chakra meditation with our good friend, Helen Mlynarski. She so graciously gives of herself to have these sessions every week. Amazing how fabulous it feels to just let go of everything!
Having bought a coupon through Cupocity for our monthly massages, we decided we would just continue our blissful mood and did so that afternoon. The coupon was for a 75 minute Aryvedic, which we had no idea what it was but it sounded good. Well, let me tell you, if you've never had one, you MUST!! I described it as an "out of body" experience and Mike could only mumble how awesome it was! Warmed essential oils in "singing" bowls create an atmosphere where the body completely releases and you sink into a deep state of bliss. Will definitely be going back for another one!
From May 15-May 31 is Restaurant Week here. The restaurants that are participating have set menus at fixed discounted prices. Our friends, David Kamp and Judy Snow, graciously invited us to join them and another couple, Bill and Yasmine Todd, for dinner at Fusion Gourmet. Since Fusion is right around the corner from us, we had them all here for drinks and appetizers first. A wonderful evening getting to know more fabulous people while enjoying a divine dinner!
David, Me, Judy, Bill & Yasmin
We hadn't been for a real walk on the beach in a while, so Saturday late afternoon at the height of the heat, Mike and I walked south down Los Muertos Beach and then up and over the mountain of rocks. Yes, there is a pathway with some of it a bit of a challenge for the older bones. What concerns me most is that I don't bounce as well as I used when sliding on the sand to a hard finish. Nope, that didn't happen because I just take it a bit slower than when I felt invincible. Lol
Even though the days are getting warmer and the humidity rising, when there's a beautiful ocean breeze, which there almost always is at this time of day, and you can walk with your feet and legs in the ever warmer water, our body temps come down to a very comfortable level. At the end of our walk, we treated ourselves to a cool beer and wine at Swell's on the beach of Los Muertos. Ahhhh, the finer things in life!
Once back home, we contacted our friends Dora and Bo DuBose to see if they were up for going out for drinks and some live Cuban music dancing. And they were! On our walk to meeting up, we discovered that the Vallarta Mustang Club was showing off their wares! What a treat. Another wonderful evening of friendship and fun.
Not a mustang but had to have my picture taken with it.
Mike, Me, Dora & Bo
Us girls!
Last Sunday our friend, Helen Mlynarski, had us over for a delicious spinach and strawberry salad dinner at her new apartment along the River Cuale. What a wonderful magical place! So happy she has found such a tranquillo location for herself.
In between all the madness and going out to enjoy ourselves, Mike and I do enjoy quiet moments at the pool or just reading and evenings of just watching TV. Regular and normal living, even in paradise. Oh, and watching sunsets from our rooftop.
While following up with Felipe, our legal advisor, as to the status of our missing security deposit on Monday morning, my minutes on my phone ran out. One of the things we had been meaning to do but hadn't gotten around to was going to the main TelCel office to get our voice mail set up. So off we went by bus. Another lesson learned....don't read the Spanish text with a literal translation!! Thinking that we had to buy 200 pesos worth for each of us that includes minutes, data, and text, we did. No, we did not HAVE to buy that package. Lesson learned! 100 pesos of minutes only would have worked just fine. Silver lining is that during the 5 day International Living Conference at the Sheraton in June, I'll have internet because we bought data.
My new computer arrived Monday afternoon and I have been working on getting everything set up and downloaded from the old computer for most of the week. What a hassle and found that I did, in fact, loose some of my "saved" emails. Fortunately, they weren't anything that I couldn't do without but there were some tense moments until I realized that it was all going to be ok.
The other really important matter that we had to address this week was to get our Power Point presentation in order for the IL conference and submitted for review by Friday. Done! Now, Mike and I are tweaking our verbal presentation and practicing, practicing, practicing. Only 11 more days. This will be a first for Mike and for me it's been a long time. My modus operandi is to make myself crazy nuts until I get up there but I almost always relax because I know the subject well. Fingers crossed all goes well -- no double takes.
Thursday started the Gay Pride celebration here, as it is their national celebration week all over the world. To kick things off, a Drag Race with 11 contestants all dressed up with the requirement that they must wear heels that are at least 12 cm, which is 4.72" !!! Just the thought of putting my feet into those things makes me fear for my life!!
Once they were introduced they had to climb up 100 stairs to the starting point of the Pinnacle steps, which Mike and I do regularly, and then when given the go ahead had to race down the stairs, pick up a plate of meatballs, race down the sidewalk to several places, drink martinis and margaritas along the way, then back up the street for more food and drinks, then back up to the starting point. OMG, what fun!! You could place bets and buy drinks while enjoying this venue. All proceeds were donated to the neighborhood project of completing the stairway to become a place of gathering.
Mike and I decided to continue our fun by going up for Happy Hour at the Signature Lounge at the Pinnacle up those 100 stairs. One of our favorite places to watch the sunset when we're out.
Having bought a Cupocity coupon for India Gate off we went down the Malecón. I have to admit that I have never eaten at an Indian restaurant because I was always under the presumption that the spices were used so heavily that that's all you really tasted. Boy was I wrong!! I ordered the samosa (potato & green beans wrapped in a filo dough) and butter chicken in a thick butter cream sauce. It was to die for!! Yay me for trying something new and liking it.
While there, another couple came in and sat down a table away from us. As Mike and I were leaving, I made a comment to them about an incident that happened while they were eating - the man's fork had been taken away by mistake and he needed it to finish his meal. Anyway, we began talking, only to find that they were in PV to "check it out" for living purposes also. Having this in common they then invited us to sit down for another round of drinks. It never ceases to amaze me how many people we have met by being open to engaging with others.
Rob and Shauna were fairly newly retired from working with Cirque du Solei in management for many many years! They have never really had a home moving every 3 months when the show moved on to its next destination. So they said they've actually been searching for years thinking about when this time would come but never found a place that they felt was "right". That, in and of itself, is amazing!
We decided to continue our getting to know each other by heading out to Los Muertos for another round. But before we bid our adieu's for the evening at the wee hour of 1 am, we discovered that we were both planning on going to Nacho Daddy's the next night for the Texas Embassy Blues Band. So since Mike and I had planned to meet up with 2 other couples at Pinnacle for Happy Hour before going to Nacho's, we invited them to join us.
It was fun introducing everyone the next evening. This was Bill and Yasmin's last night before they headed back to Bend, OR. But knowing that they'll be back for a short visit in September and then moving here full time next January make the goodbyes not so bad. And, it was a beautiful sunset to share!
Sean Moore and his band did not disappoint, of course, and some good dancing occurred ! On our way home, Mike and I decided to stop in at Garbo's since we hadn't been there in quite awhile. A terrific Latin band was playing and we met some more great people that we talked the night away with.
I was moving very slowly yesterday after 2 nights out on the town until way past our bedtime. But we did decide to go walk down the Malecón and watch the Gay Pride parade from above at Bar Oceano.
Once the parade had passed by we headed down the Malecon to an authentic Mexican restaurant, Mi Querencia, where we again used a 2x1 Cupocity coupon and were able to watch the sunset.
A quick update on our on going saga with regard to our security deposit debacle. All legal papers have been filed for us to go through mediation. We are just waiting to hear when our hearing gets scheduled. We are hoping that that happens sometime this week.
To all of our friends in the states, we hope you're having a great Memorial Holiday weekend but remembering to honor the fallen who gave of themselves so we could have our freedom.
Thanks again for following along on this truly magnificent journey of ours!
My new computer arrived Monday afternoon and I have been working on getting everything set up and downloaded from the old computer for most of the week. What a hassle and found that I did, in fact, loose some of my "saved" emails. Fortunately, they weren't anything that I couldn't do without but there were some tense moments until I realized that it was all going to be ok.
The other really important matter that we had to address this week was to get our Power Point presentation in order for the IL conference and submitted for review by Friday. Done! Now, Mike and I are tweaking our verbal presentation and practicing, practicing, practicing. Only 11 more days. This will be a first for Mike and for me it's been a long time. My modus operandi is to make myself crazy nuts until I get up there but I almost always relax because I know the subject well. Fingers crossed all goes well -- no double takes.
Thursday started the Gay Pride celebration here, as it is their national celebration week all over the world. To kick things off, a Drag Race with 11 contestants all dressed up with the requirement that they must wear heels that are at least 12 cm, which is 4.72" !!! Just the thought of putting my feet into those things makes me fear for my life!!
Once they were introduced they had to climb up 100 stairs to the starting point of the Pinnacle steps, which Mike and I do regularly, and then when given the go ahead had to race down the stairs, pick up a plate of meatballs, race down the sidewalk to several places, drink martinis and margaritas along the way, then back up the street for more food and drinks, then back up to the starting point. OMG, what fun!! You could place bets and buy drinks while enjoying this venue. All proceeds were donated to the neighborhood project of completing the stairway to become a place of gathering.
Mike and I decided to continue our fun by going up for Happy Hour at the Signature Lounge at the Pinnacle up those 100 stairs. One of our favorite places to watch the sunset when we're out.
The sun reflecting in one of the pools.
Having bought a Cupocity coupon for India Gate off we went down the Malecón. I have to admit that I have never eaten at an Indian restaurant because I was always under the presumption that the spices were used so heavily that that's all you really tasted. Boy was I wrong!! I ordered the samosa (potato & green beans wrapped in a filo dough) and butter chicken in a thick butter cream sauce. It was to die for!! Yay me for trying something new and liking it.
While there, another couple came in and sat down a table away from us. As Mike and I were leaving, I made a comment to them about an incident that happened while they were eating - the man's fork had been taken away by mistake and he needed it to finish his meal. Anyway, we began talking, only to find that they were in PV to "check it out" for living purposes also. Having this in common they then invited us to sit down for another round of drinks. It never ceases to amaze me how many people we have met by being open to engaging with others.
Rob and Shauna were fairly newly retired from working with Cirque du Solei in management for many many years! They have never really had a home moving every 3 months when the show moved on to its next destination. So they said they've actually been searching for years thinking about when this time would come but never found a place that they felt was "right". That, in and of itself, is amazing!
We decided to continue our getting to know each other by heading out to Los Muertos for another round. But before we bid our adieu's for the evening at the wee hour of 1 am, we discovered that we were both planning on going to Nacho Daddy's the next night for the Texas Embassy Blues Band. So since Mike and I had planned to meet up with 2 other couples at Pinnacle for Happy Hour before going to Nacho's, we invited them to join us.
It was fun introducing everyone the next evening. This was Bill and Yasmin's last night before they headed back to Bend, OR. But knowing that they'll be back for a short visit in September and then moving here full time next January make the goodbyes not so bad. And, it was a beautiful sunset to share!
Sean Moore and his band did not disappoint, of course, and some good dancing occurred ! On our way home, Mike and I decided to stop in at Garbo's since we hadn't been there in quite awhile. A terrific Latin band was playing and we met some more great people that we talked the night away with.
Shauna, Me, David Guilmette, & Rob.
I was moving very slowly yesterday after 2 nights out on the town until way past our bedtime. But we did decide to go walk down the Malecón and watch the Gay Pride parade from above at Bar Oceano.
Once the parade had passed by we headed down the Malecon to an authentic Mexican restaurant, Mi Querencia, where we again used a 2x1 Cupocity coupon and were able to watch the sunset.
A quick update on our on going saga with regard to our security deposit debacle. All legal papers have been filed for us to go through mediation. We are just waiting to hear when our hearing gets scheduled. We are hoping that that happens sometime this week.
To all of our friends in the states, we hope you're having a great Memorial Holiday weekend but remembering to honor the fallen who gave of themselves so we could have our freedom.
Thanks again for following along on this truly magnificent journey of ours!
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