Month: September 2025

So many updates. Hard to believe that we only have 29 sleeps left here at Las Jaibas Trailer Park. All the drama in our lives is ensuring that time is flying by.

The two most important matters at the moment are the sale of our house and not having a home to live in come the end of October.

Easy to answer the first dilemma, nothing is happening. I mean that literally. By end of day Friday we were eagerly waiting to hear from three different potential buyers. Up from two as we had a showing last Friday. This fellow is the very first person to ever comment on how well made our home was and that obviously we put a lot into building our home. One of the realtors is supposed to be replying to a counter offer we made and so we wait.

Of course the next most important item to discuss is where will we live this winter? Judy and Bob, very kindly picked us up and drove us to the Isla last Thursday afternoon. First stop was to look at a very run down and likely infested old fifth wheel. I had seen this RV in its prime when it first arrived on the Isla many years ago and it was a beauty. Sadly the owner ran out of money and moved to a corner of this huge lovely compound and now is back in the US in ill health. Because of ongoing electrical issues all winter we had already started searching for a new place to live but there was nothing suitable. Then the stroke happened and we kept struggling with electrical issues until moving here in Cerritos, Mazatlan area. So we wee aware of this location.

The address of where we are moving to will simply be #15. It is huge piece of land – just about five sites to the right of where we have stayed the past two winters, if you are facing the ocean. A mere slow two to three minute stroll. However the site was ‘yucky’ and dirty, just not something I could wrap my head around.

The owners were so very friendly and are willing to do anything for us in order to make this our home. They still have children at home and have a two story home on the opposite end of the property. Next to them is a brand new two story beautifully designed home that is being rented out as two apartments. Then a small space and then our “yucky” area. We could see the possibility.

Next we went to our compound for the past few years and were heart broken. My plants were covered with pieces of clothing drying out and shoes and hats and so on……

From there we went to what used to be called Tres Amigos RV Park where we wintered from the fall of  2009 to the spring of 2023. The amigos have broken up and there are now three separate sections of rv rental property. All wonderful 50AMP full service sites but now run by three different ‘groups’. Each park has a different name and I believe different pricing structures. The only available spaces at RV3 ( run by David Perez ) were literally in the middle of the road. Our patio would be facing all the RV’s, ATV’s and other vehicles coming and going all day. We had already heard about the noise and dust the ATV’s created and we would be sitting there as they passed us. Certainly not a place for someone requiring peace and quiet along with a touch paradise to be surrounded with. There was no privacy at all.  To be honest we would have had a good view of the ocean and could hear the waves clearly but sitting in the middle of a gravel parking lot just would not work for us. Plus at 3PM we were being chewed by the bugs. Perhaps if a front row site was available we might have considered it, as that would have given us privacy.

So back to #15. No English spoken. We actually had an interpreter as to be clear on what we were negotiating. The old RV was being removed and the site was being cleaned up and fresh gravel was being laid. Our extra expenses were outlined and we came to terms on long term rent. We asked for new electrical wiring and a new meter. Fingers crossed. The view is not as nice as what we just lost but there were no bugs and it was a very lovely property with a great deal of security. Also not as big an area but we truly did not need all that we have had.

We had to make quick arrangements to move my plants to safety. Done!!  Then we wanted to save as much wood and palm fronds from our two year old palapa as possible in order to build a new palapa once we move in – mostly to keep the sun off the huge front windshield.

That palapa had been so well built ( under Colin’s direction ) in order to withstand hurricanes that it took a full day to dismantle it. By end of day Friday my plants were saved and we had enough madeira and palmas to do a mini front palapa. No idea yet if we will do a full length palapa along the patio of the RV.

Special thank you to Judy and Bob for being our chauffeurs. One drove and one directed 😎  It is so frustrating for us to not be free to just hop into our vehicle and drive to the Isla.

We really have no idea as to our future. How long will we be at #15, a year or more?? At this time we just want to put in the minimum amount of money to create a wonderful small oasis of peace and relaxation. An environment for Colin to rebuild. Poco a poco!

Last Friday I had sclerotherapy on my leg veins. And only because wearing my elastic stocking for the past 6 -8 weeks and the medication did help close the size of my veins. Big huge OUCH! Over seventy injections. Must have been a large gauge needle as I can count the injection holes. But actually it is the sting of the medication injected that causes the pain. After 48 hours my legs are feeling more normal but I do have to wear my heavy thick elastic stockings until Saturday.

We have had a few vet emergencies in the past few weeks – ALL related to the spear grass and weeds around us. The last time the vet was here she gently suggested that we move as this was not a healthy environment  for the dogs.

The weather continues to remain unstable with lots of heavy rain along with electrical storms most evenings. So of course the mosquitoes continue to live among us.

We finally got three days of dry weather and so were able to get the RV carpet cleaned. I think we had to reschedule four times.

And our banking got more of less sorted out. But effective tomorrow there are new rules as to how much one can transfer to another person. I just can’t deal with that right now.

So we have a place to live which will take a great deal effort to make it what we want it to be, but fortunately, we actually have a place to park the bus 😀

As to the sale of our home, we are bewildered.

……..well actually triple negative update!!!

The offers on our home tumbled one after the another last evening. We never even got to see them on paper. Needless to say we were and still are in shock.

Then this morning we received a phone call from our partners at the compound on the Isla. Genie had been checking on getting weeds removed and the site freshened up as we usually do. I can’t even say long story short because there is no story. Simply a no longer renting the site out. No notice. What  😡 How can you do that to us 😥

Colin’s phone started to ping with messages from our wonderful Mexican neighbor ( the one who just had the baby boy before we left in June ) , Humberto, with suggestions that things were not right with our site. Then the handyman, Jesus, sent Colin a note saying that there was no electricity now and that they were doing renovations on the property and it was no longer for RV rental. So while still trying to understand why we received no offers on the house yesterday we now suddenly ( with no notice ) have no place to park our home on wheels on the Isla. Isla de la Piedra where we have wintered since the fall of 2009.

We were and still are speechless.

Colin and I have been working all day  (other than his first session with the new therapist). Stress is not good for a stroke and I am so sad to say that Colin has been rendered speechless a few times today. He literally could not talk. I am in tears relating this to you.

We saw a photo where part of Genie & Joe’s patio has been removed. However it appears from the following architectural rendering that our palapas will be not be there for much longer.

So with that, the third hit to our solar plexus today, we are shattered.

It only took a few hours this morning to pick up the pieces and now the search is on to first and most importantly to find us a new home on the Isla for the winter. Yes we know the most obvious choice but it won’t  be water front. Dreaming of being on the ocean after leaving the Isla in June is what has kept us going this past months. I feel so badly for us both, but especially for Colin as he needs the inspiration.

Then we realized that we have to save our close to 40 -50 plants.  We need to move them somewhere. And pretty much right away before they are destroyed. Oh and then why not save our imported from the US, 50 AMP plugs and other things. Then what to do with our custom expensive palapa and the wind break that Colin created. We called Alex our palapa builder and told him to take what he could save and use it elsewhere. It was no good to us.

What I am going to really miss is my ‘special seating area’ that Colin created for me to watch the sunset. I still have not written the post about it all. But within days of his completing the project he had his stroke. Now our unique area will never be used by us but hopefully by others.

It appears that we will be going to the Isla tomorrow afternoon, after physio. Maybe check out a few locations for the RV and say adios to the compound. I want my sign back 🙁

 

 

Long awaited updates still coming but first a few very current updates.

“Narda is affecting Sinaloa with a flow of humidity that increases the temperature. This is in addition to the blocking of precipitation in Mazatlan and some municipalities in the southern part of the state. We continue to wait for weather conditions to change or for a strong storm to move in to dissipate the blocking.”  As translated from Spanish.

No wonder my laundry did not dry yesterday 😯 Definitely hot stuff.

Meanwhile we are doing some sweating right now as well – even in the coolness of our air conditioned RV.  Our house has been seen twice by two sets of potential buyers since last Thursday. We have been told to expect an offer, well that would be an offer from each interested party. On day two of waiting for a proper offer on paper. Nothing yet.

Last Friday Colin met a new to us therapist for an assessment. She did a few tests and was surprised to see how strong his right hand was as the grip tester showed it be almost the same as his left hand. Sofia agrees that Colin needs to strengthen the muscles in his right leg in order to be able to walk properly. He will be meeting her tomorrow for his first therapy session with her. She also expressed how strong his heart was. It was a positive meeting. Colin plans to see both rehab facilities as well as continue with exercises here at home.

The meeting was at 5PM and it was dark by 6:10 PM when we left. Strange how it gets dark so much sooner. Yeah, that means it almost time to move to the Isla for the winter. Only 36 sleeps until we are scheduled to return. But that might be delayed now by adding this new therapy. All to be decided in the weeks to come. Most important is having Colin’s physical ability to move properly be improved. So if we have to stay here longer than we will.

It is taking longer and longer for Didi to pick us up. Finally after a thirty minute wait we headed back tot the Cerritos area. Centro was dry but we caught glimpses of puddles on the road.  Suddenly it began to rain and the further north we drove the evidence of a heavy storm appeared.

Got home to a huge mess of mud, water and screaming dogs. Lots of lightning and thunder. It was quite the night. The weather is certainly different here in the summer months.

Still no offers nor even one offer on the table in writing. And so we wait. We refuse to commit to a verbal offer. Legal only please. Guess I’ll go do some laundry and use my dryer again.

After multiple attempts to sort out our debit card problem with the bank, the bank ( well one person ) is actually coming to our home after work today to try and help us get back on track. They certainly work long hours. Octavio starts at 8AM and leaves at 6PM.

 

I have about two posts almost completed but as usual life gets in the way. In a nutshell, we have had 3 vet visits in about 10 days and one was today. All is well or so this new to us vet thinks.

We had a showing of our Kelowna house last Thursday and got an offer of about $150,000.00 less than our selling price 😥  Then that same evening we got word of another showing yesterday, Sunday the 14th. Well those folks are coming back to check out our house yet again tomorrow, the 16th at 10:30AM PST……so fingers and toes crossed and I won’t say no to prayers nor positive energy sent our way.

Yes we had some weeds cut and thanks to a very special gentleman named Carl. More on the weeds and Carl in the very next post. Sadly the mosquitoes are still with us.

We have a working RV awning.

We have all three RV air conditioners working. I almost passed out at the repair price but then we worked out that it was 1/5 of the cost we would have incurred in the USA.

50% of our banking issues have been resolved but I am really struggling with the iPhone app that I need to use. You guessed it, all in Spanish.

Our days are so full that I can’t get it all done. Today I received an email re propane delivery to our house in Canada. Do you recall that my credit card was compromised and that is the card I was using for that company. So it goes on and on.

So wonderful to hear from folks we met on our very first trip to this area in Mexico, Sandra and Frank. Like way back in ??? 2004 and they found us online. I have not had a moment to get back to them – hola dear friends, I totally remember you. Tlaquepaque RV Park. I will reach out soon.  And Carl…..love you  and thank you and you are getting a special post.

I will catch you up as soon as I can find some extra time……..

 

I have been planning to do an update post for about five days now. But things are happening so fast that I simply can’t keep up.

Worst thing ever is for me to be sitting at my desk top all day long – well I have been. No choice! Too many issues to deal with from good to bad to very bad and so many very very sad and even one ugly! For the most part I am trying to wear my compression stockings. Consequences is surgery as the blood is not easily returning to my heart. So taking the pills and doing the best to wear the stockings. Definitely no time for the two times per day elevation requirements.

Why you ask?

Well it’s too dang hot in the RV!  Why you ask?

Because the front air conditioning unit is kaput! The other two have been serviced so why not this one? Except this is pretty serious. I had been feeling less cool air and had begun smelling an electrical smell on Friday. Erik came this past Saturday and said it was likely a freon leak and he would have to remove the A/C and bring it in for repairs. Good news is that it can be repaired. In the US or Canada they would put in a new A/C unit.

Erik was greatly challenged as the unit was glued to the roof and it was doubtful it could be removed. He persisted and won the battle.

Sadly by removing the unit the other two units died. Turns out they’re all tethered together. Erik had to figure out how to hard wire the system So we now have limited air that is tied to a breaker but we have no control of temp or fan level.  No idea how long it will take for the repair. First they have to find the leak and weld it and then test it and then test it again and then add freon and test it again.

So we were without any air for about four or five hours. It was well over 112F inside when I last looked. So we went out outside seeking some relief from the heat but the mosquitos were feasting by the hundreds. Dengue is very real and very serious this summer. We were driven back inside. It finally cooled down by 11PM.

Next he tried again for the second time to reinstall the new motor for the main awning I had brought in from the USA but no go!  Back and forth and back and forth. Missing a part  ( their fault for not including it ) but oh maybe it can be done another way per the people in Florida who built the motor. Then Erik got sick for a few days. He  came yet again to try but to no avail.

Final attempt was to try to change out the base plate of the old motor to the new motor – as the bolts did not match up. Success at last. Great job. I can’t reach the switch to extend the awning when we need shade. It is located as high as up as it can be over the stair well. I need a stick to push it with as I am too short but it works with time and patience and much persistence.

Sadly today I had to extract quite a bit of spear grass from Ciela’s mouth.  No wonder she has not been eating. Some were stuck an inch into her jaw between her teeth ( upper and lower teeth ). So now the tall soft weeds have become spear grass. And of course thistles. Erik had to keep stopping to clean his socks. Poor Ciela – I will have to call the vet tomorrow as I fear there is more that I can’t see and it is irritating her mouth.  Meanwhile Carlie is still sick from eating the toxic weeds last Sunday. What did our poor innocent girls do to deserve this? They should be running along a clean fresh ocean beach.

We are not moving to the condo as Colin is not strong enough to deal with the actual move ( neither am I )  never mind living there and us having to get the girls out to do their business. Stroke and stress do not work together. My job is to keep him stress free which is extremely difficult right now as I keep running into problem after problem trying to get help reprovisioning certain items that are needed after being away for almost a year. Yes of course we will become fully reliant on products found here in Mexico but now is not the time for this. I have little to no time to do the research.

A few people have offered to help and that has helped immensely. Sadly one good friend from Alberta has had to cancel his trip to Mazatlan due to his father in law having had a very recent heart attack. That family has been faced with so much grief in the past few years – I wish them nothing but love, peace and healing thoughts. And another very dear and special amiga whom we met our first winter in Mexico over 23/24 years ago in Guasave at Mr Moro’s is facing double breast removal surgery due to stage 2 cancer in the much too soon days ahead. These people wanted to help us and just today both told me they could not. Miss K, you know that your surgery will go well and will be totally successful and we will see each other again here in Mexico. I have been weeping all day for my special friends.

So I still have to find new people to bring some things back from Canada.  I am so clever as I leave the things from the USA to be brought to the Isla by our American friends. But I need a few good and trustworthy Canadians to carry down the made only in Canada things. Yes some might be silly to you, but to Colin it means a lot and he certainly needs inspiration. Even something as simple as Halloween candy or Costco Lindcor chocolate and a few other items. Of course I will pay for these and if you want to pack a second suitcase I will pay the air freight. Hey! That way you get half of an extra suitcase to pack into.

So many updates, can’t really remember them all. My new eyeglasses are fitting into my life easily. I had to stop using my readers for the computer as when I put the progressives back on they’re not clear. So the progressives are not perfect on the computer but are getting better. I actually am wearing them all day most days. Colin says that when on the computer my chin is way up in the air so I might need to have the reader part moved up higher into my lenses. But that is a small thing at the moment.

Overall this RV is wonderful and considering how it has not been used so much we are very fortunate. Not much left to get updated. We hope to get many more years in it.

Colin has some updates of his own. Within the RV he is not using the cane and his walking is better. At the clinic they are pushing his leg movement and walking. He uses the cane outside because of the unsteady terrain here but often gets out the door and then calls for his cane because he forgot it. The other day he mentioned that his eye site has improved. Because of the stroke it had deteriorated a bit.

Even better he has finally picked up his guitar and started with a few chords. And just yesterday began working on Besame Mucho! Who knows perhaps he might even be able to sing now 😎