We both feel like it has been 3 months since we left the Isla but in reality just four weeks ago today. Still working on a getting a daily routine. The heat totally affects everything we do. Plus living on the Island is so much easier than life here in the big city of Mazatlan.
We left the Isla four weeks ago today.
Difficult for Colin to not be driving his bus.
Craig said that we had one inch to spare!
The last set of electrical wires to be lifted on the way out of town. Thank you Bob and Judy, we really needed you on this sad day.
I have spent oodles of time sorting out getting data and we are making it work. Using my iPhone as a hotspot helps as well as something is ‘eating’ my data. Being worked on by an expert. Of course there have been blog problems and while they have not totally been sorted out I am doing this post which I have been delaying.
A visit to a dematalogist has had us both of a horrid face routine but it is a necessary evil. Most expensive medical service we have had to use.
The isthmus to Chivos on the Isla, eleven years ago before we all moved there.
Finally parked at Las Jaibas. That is a plumeria tree parked between our two vehicles. The Girard awning only worked two more times before the motor died.
We are restricted to getting around via Didi ( another form of Uber ). We are located way back ( not the final two rows ) at the Las Jaibas Trailer Park because that is where Erik was told to park us so he could have access to give us more electricity. And thank goodness for that. Because of the heat and the fact that our huge motorhome RV faces the sun from noon til sunset we are actually have to run three air containers from few hours midday. at one point #2 A/C needed too be repaired and then #3 A/C broke down. It is now fixed but running with only two air conditioners had us dealing with inside temperatures of 87F. Sadly air is a necessity here as much as we don’t like it. At least on the Isla we could open the windows and enjoy real air before shutting things up and using the A/C for the rest of the day. Because we are at the back of the park I have to walk to the street to meet Didi and ask them to drive in to pick up Colin for his drive to physiotherapy. It wasn’t long before Colin figured that seeing as he was/is a two foot driver he could drive the Jeep to the front and catch his Didi there. However when I go out I have to do the long and slightly uphill walk. I am melted by the time I get to the road and them sometime I have to wait 8 minutes or so to get picked up. Lovely coming back to the RV as they will drive me to the RV door. And for a tip they help carry my groceries. Sadly the location here is far away from everything and not even Didi wants to come out this way to pick us up. Long waits. Worse coming back here from closer to Centro. I waited 40 minutes the other for Didi to pick me up after a medical appointment. I know many of you love it here and I think if it didn’t feel like 117 -120F most days it would be more pleasant.
After 3.5 weeks Erik finally fixed us up with a “custom” reflective window screen. Colin to the side doing stair exercises. There are 2 doxies in the window bed. That guitar appeared a few days ago when I can back from grocery shopping. It just sits and stares at us but it is in the room which is a start.
No matter how much I want to ( Colin just can’t do it yet ) take the girls to the beach it is much much much too hot to walk them there – never mind thinking about walking back. Plus I would have to do the walk and checkout the beach and steps down to it first on my own. Not sure the I could even walk to the beach here on my own.
It has taken me a long while to discover something I like about being here. That would be the plumeria trees. Lovely sweet smelling white flowers that surround the park and will keep blooming until fall. Colin loves the mangoes. Both the small and the large sized mangos grow freely here within the park. Once can eat as many mangoes as you like all day long.
I do a new arrangement every few days. The fragrant sweet odor is devine.
Lots of lovely butterflies and a variety of small birds. And these social and very loud Rufous-bellied Chachalaca birds.
Pretty little guy known as….
We continue to have RV issues which is normal of any RV but in particular a new to us used RV. We love this RV and hope to be able to live in it for at least one or two more years to come or many many more. The future is a huge unknown to us but no matter how much better Colin gets because of his daily therapies we will return to the Isla and continue living in the RV. We had hoped to be able to return to the US early fall but that is quite unlikely. Our plans did not include being stuck here for the summer and not being able to get some much needed provisions. I am hoping that some fellow RVers will be able to help us out by bringing a few things here for us this fall. If several brought just a bit it would make our lives much easier. Even those coming by plane can help. Because of the new tariffs and such, Amazon.MX now only carries so much. Plus most items are 4 -6 times the prices back in the USA or Canada. One lovely and very special couple who live here brought an extra suitcase of much needed dog food which was simply wonderful. The girls can keep eating. FYI we only buy the small 5 lb bags of kibble so not too heavy to carry.
All 3 A/C units needed serious vacuuming. When was the last time those filters were cleaned? This was the last thing that restored our air conditioners to full capacity.
Two of the electronic window blinds died and we have made arrangements for someone who is flying out next week with an empty suitcase to drop them at UPS in their hometown for us where they will be sent to Apex Shade in another state. Also the 300 pound Girard Awning motor passed away. Fortunately the motor is only about 16 lbs and not too large but first Erik has to figure out how to get the motor out as we need the information written on the motor before we can order a new one. As the front RV cap is only a few inches away from the cap of the Girard awning he needs to lift that 300 lb awning to get the motor out. Then of course we need both the repaired blinds and the new motor shipped here. Possibly driven here by folks returning end of August. I am in the midst of arranging that. Lots and lots of details and all very time consuming.
The small distance between the awning end and front RV cap. Almost an impossible situation.
Broken blind over the passenger driving chair.
Building a shipping box from scratch for the broken blinds.
We did a great job and only used one pound of tape.
On July 18 we celebrated our 38th wedding anniversary. We simply stayed home and enjoyed a special meal from our dwindling food supply. Not sure how I am going to handle that. However I was able to find some frozen veggie burgers at a small Soriana store that came from South Africa of all places. We have had take out from the restaurant just outside the park and the other day I picked up shrimp tacos ( which were to die for and so inexpensive ) from another place near the farmacia.
Pretty good price and very tasty. Lovely surprise. We can’t be eating fish nor pasta everyday.
July 22nd was Colin’s 75th birthday. It was time – time for us to actually go out together to a restaurant. The first time since the stroke. We went to Mr Lionso here in Cerritos. Very quiet and only one other table was occupied but it was a Tuesday. The food was delicious and plentiful. We indulged and had two huge appetizers and each our own main. Left overs for the next night and they even packed my 2 for 1 margarita to go. Maybe a few more few photos next post.
It was beautiful but only made us miss our home on the Isla.
Just for you Sandy. My only sunset photo so far, taken from inside the RV. I think of all the years you and Rex stayed here.
The long road to the street.
The end!
Wishing all of you a cooler finish to the summer. It seems like you’re making incredible progress. I also can not take the heat and try to do things earlier or later in the day.,
Progress, yes! Colin on his body and me on keeping us fed, clean and basically functioning in every way that I can.
Great update! Glad you got for Colin’s birthday supper…sounded nice for you both! Sounding more positive for you…amazing what you both have endured! Keep going! 💕💕
Thank you for your constant support. Yes amazing at how much one can endure. I try not to think about it too much.
My momma had a stroke week ago today. Thank goodness I could take her to the Mayo Hospital in Phx as she was given fantastic care. I wanted to mention, they recommended Mediterranean Diet for her as its best for stroke patients. I have her in Acute Rehab for the next 14 days. Thinking of you and Colin often.
Contessa,
Wonderful to hear that your air conditioning problems have been solved. Sounds like the previous owner sold just in time.
You should carry an umbrella when outside.
Love reading your blog.
I have thought of the umbrella but mostly walk from tree shade to tree shade if I can and pause for a moment. I can’t carry packages and the umbrella. The previous owner of this RV is a Boeing pilot who mostly let the RV sit in Florida for 9 years. So things just didn’t get used or maintained. It looks like the stove had never been used nor the windows ever opened as the screens were like brand new. Overall we are happy with it and would buy it again. I plan to blog much more in the months to come. Always nice to see your comments.
I am so impressed by your and Colin’s strength and determination to carry on! Wonderful that you got out to celebrate his 75 years around the sun! I can only think that it helped to build the moral. Before you know it the day will be there to move back to the Isla.
Keeping you both in our thoughts and prayers. Thanks so much for the updates.
Hugs,
Sharon and Jim
Yes getting out was a lovely change. Thank you for his birthday wishes. Always appreciate the prayers. I really plan on doing more posts, fingers crossed.
Contessa / Colin wonderful update; Glad U guys are getting your stuff done & being successful at them. Hopefully going back go to the island is soon achievable.
Thank you! We hope to be back on the Isla by the end of October.
Happy anniversary! & Happy birthday Colin!
Wishing you all the best!
Gracias!
I am impressed, you are really doing well. I remember when I lived in Maz if I wanted to walk on the malecon for exercise I would have to get out around 6 am during the hot months. So maybe try for an early walk and have a nap later?
Have you heard of a book called The Placebo Effect? So interesting on how our minds can heal us. Two things I thought of with regard to Colin – real wartime injuries needing surgery, but there was no more morphine… so they injected saline and just “knowing” they had pain meds they did not feel pain. and also there have been real studies of people “exercising” just in thinking about exercising and their muscles actually improve. I know he is working hard already but adding these kinds of mental therapies might help too. Plus if he doesn’t meditate already, I would recommend learning.
Thinking of you both and sending you strength. xoxo Nancy
So special to hear from you and very much appreciated. I have not heard about the book but I believe what you say. In fact Colin’s rehab doctor is constantly talking about just sitting and thinking about exercise as is will create the neurons to keep firing, to keep looking for a path around the hole that the stroke caused in his brain – looking for way to get that toe to move and so on. Colin never stops. Some mornings he will wake up with a jolt of electricity moving thru his foot and then something moves. Perhaps only for that day but it does come back after a few more days of concentration.
Strange that we are here in Mazatlan this summer when our plan was to be in the RV in your area and visiting with you. But it truly is a difficult thing to be living with and we are doing the best we can but it is so very tiring and stressful. We have had a few more RV challenges this week of which I will write about. It takes so very long to do the simplest of things. Plus the RV park here does not do any maintenance despite the fact we are paying a higher rate. The weeds are mid thigh so I come in with burrs as does Colin and the dogs. But I am finally figuring where to buy this and that and best of all have found some lovely vegan products which makes life a bit easier.
Please stay in touch, it means a lot.
Great update Contessa. Happy celebrations on both counts! We have never been in Mexico at this hot time of year so your reports are very informative.
Any thoughts of coming back to the cooler temps here, even for a month or so, til the bad heat passes?
Stay well.
Thank you! If we could leave we would. Colin is having specialized therapy four hours per week plus continues to do 3 – 4 hours of extra exercises here in the RV on a daily basis. He also sees the rehab doctor every few weeks. Plus of course he can’t drive.
Contessa
The ocean salt air is the problem of your new beautiful but more complex RV. Ask the manufacturer if they can help with recommendations for fixes or changes. Your previous rig was older, simple with less electronics and motors. IMHO, more failures are to come.
Michael in case you forgot this is a 2009 Monaco and it lived in Florida since new. We are ( were ) enjoying having an electronic awning – mind you, we never used it until we got here to Las Jaibas because we have our huge palapa back on the Isla. And the blinds were never used either so I suspect that there will be more issues as time goes by. For the most part the RV is like new inside and we truly love it. We are so fortunate that we got this unit before the stroke as it has everything Colin needs to focus on getting well.
So happy to see Colin standing. Kudos to Bob and Judy, they did a great job, I’m sure having them helped Colin’s anxiety a lot.
We now have a good idea of what Las Jaibas and the road is. Is that a resort of sorts behind you?
I wonder if Uber would work out better for you?
Thanks for the update and I’ll look forward to your upcoming blogs.
Hugs from Allan & I
I added Uber to my iPhone and when I was having a problem with Didi I checked Uber and that were starting 100 MXN more.
This used to be a huge RV park but now it is surround by 3 -4 story apartment complexes. Towards the Wes there is a tall tower which is on the water. Apartment building I guess, not a resort that I am aware of but there are many in this area. But much much much too far from anything.
Yes, Rex and I did enjoy many years at Las Jaibas but never for many months at a time and never in the hot summer weather. But the sunsets – sometimes they covered all the sky; thank you for the window shot. We loved the birds that visited, hummers, the long tailed jays, orioles, and the noisy Chachalaca that scared us the first time we heard their voice. We fed them all and put water out for them, too. I know some do not believe you should feed the birds but we did and enjoyed watching them. I am so glad they are still around as we stayed there long before there was housing all around the RVPark.
This was a wonderful update with so many photos and I especially enjoyed “the end” one. You and Colin continue to tackle each problem as it pops up. Colin, I hope you continue to make more progress each week and Contessa I hope you can get your eye problem taken care of so you have better sight. As always sending prayers and hugs to you.