Hard to believe that it has been a full year!

Colin and I and of course the girls left Canada a year ago yesterday. In true ‘Beverly Hillbillies’ style we left Canada, October 4th 2024  towing a U – Haul filled to the brim behind the Jeep ( also filled to the roof ) and here we are a full year later still in Mazatlan. Who knows where we would be right now if Colin had not had his stroke on April 28, 2025? Back in Canada for the past few summer months or in the Lake Chapala area or perhaps somewhere in the USA.

Each of the three nights in the motel was not pleasant. Actually each was worse  than the previous nite.

So very many changes  in the past year but we have overcome them as best as we can.  Still need to overcome some things but we are working on pushing onward and upward.

Ciela and Carlie barely had any space in the Jeep as we headed south. I even had totes all around my feet.

Best news to date, is that as of a few hours ago today, we have a signed offer on the sale of our home. A pending sale as it is subject to the sale of their home by January 7, 2026. So keep those positive thoughts and prayers coming and crossed toes if you must. We are both sad and happy. We loved that house. Colin designed it. We moved in in early October of 2012 but only lived there half the year so the home is almost like new. We have been traveling to Mexico every winter since 2001 and it was only the winter of 2022 / 2023  ( our first winter living in the paradise of our compound  ) that we decided that we would like live in Mexico permanently. Then after Colin’s stroke on April 28, 2025, he made the decision that this is where he wanted to live out the rest of his days – despite having designed the most perfect home for us in Kelowna.

Focusing on the road ahead to our new future. It was quite the journey ( with many ups and downs and I mean that literally – we should have chosen a better route and I am sorry that I missed documenting that time in our life. I was so worn out from clearing out the house, selling  and packing that I ran out of energy. I always thought  that I would go back and write about it.

So here I am a full year later and feel sad about my neglect in the documentation. Fortunately Colin took these photos and those for the next blog’s photos or I would have none. Even more special is that he recalled taking them and was able to find them for me tonight. I spent everyday figuring out our travel direction ( and I yes I made a mistake but just the once  😕  ) and then figuring out feeding us and the dogs and trying to make our accommodation for the night “good enough” for us and as comfortable as I could. Unpacking for the night and packing up again the next day.

Yesterday we went to see our new to us home on the Isla. It is starting to look better. That is Colin in the blue shirt in the center of the photo. And the Jeep on the left.

We were surprised to see that the old 5th wheel was parked against the back wall. The owners decided to keep it on their property as a woman from California wanted to rent it for the winter. It does not affect our personal gate as seen on the left but it does affect our view of the shipping channel. Nothing is perfect.

Once we got to the Isla ( Oct 24, 2024 ), we only had so many days to get our Temporal renewed. It was a challenge. We finally got settled within the compound and set up our site and the RV. That is when I fell apart and began sleeping 18 – 22 hours per day. I missed visiting with our neighbors, as well as Christmas, New Years and Carnaval. I began to feel normal about mid March 2025 and was just starting to become part of the world by mid April. Much happened during those months and I have things to blog about – when I can. Then the stroke happened and I had no choice but to wake up and take on Colin’s care. It has had been quite the year.

7AM , December 1, 2024.

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