A Lovely Saturday in Paradise

>> Saturday, September 16, 2006

I live in paradise.

Today I experienced a paradise-esque day.

  • Slept in. Didn't have to wake early to deal with a hurricane or hurricane preparation.
  • Visited a lovely salon with my sister and niece and receieved a crisp, clean french manicure and pedicure. (Felt pretty.)
  • Drove with sister, niece and nephew down to Cabo to feast on the best sushi in the world at Nick-San. (Seriously, it's the best.)
  • Ate carmel "explotion" Haagan-Daas ice cream.
  • Walked in at just the right moment to a movie: The Devil Wears Prada
  • Enjoyed the movie.
  • Drove home, and stopped at Costco. (A little bit of the States, right her in Meh-hee-coe.)
All in all, a FANTASTIC day.

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Missed Us


Hurricane Lane is headin' toward Mazatlan. We are expecting no wind, no nothing. Maybe some rain tomorrow.

Remember, the satellites are mere artist interpretations.

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I love Veggie Burger

Here's how great my nephew is:

On friday night, instead of staying the night at the house of one of his friends, he came home. Why? To help his Mom (and I) deal with the impending hurricane. Just in case. (He was AWESOME during Hurricane John.)

What a thoughful, awesome kid.

Did he have to do that? No.
What 13-year-old do YOU know who does that stuff? I know of none.

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Husband's process

>> Friday, September 15, 2006


In order to sell real estate in Mexico, the Mexican government now requires that American real estate agents have licenses in the U.S. This is a good thing in a sense, because it prevents, "Joe-Blow-American-with-no-real-estate-experience" from selling real estate in the area.

However, because of technical red tape, the process is one big, fat catch-22. (Apparently, the Mexican government has temporarily (???) put a hold on granting FM3 status to real estate agents. T., correct me if I'm wrong about any of this.) Anywho, there's a bit of a concern (small bit) about how/if C. will be able to get into the country as a sales agent for the company.

However, yesterday C. was able to procure a copy of his real estate license. We were concerned about gaining access to his license since it's technically "owned" by the state of Ohio and never comes in contact with the individual who holds it. Luckily, the process went very smoothly, though. C. was able to talk with the individuals at the office, and yesterday he picked up several "certified copies" of his Ohio real estate license.

Next, he will need to get it notarized by our attorney friend(s), and then apostilled by the Secretary of State.

Hopefully, all will work out well . This is just the first step in the process.

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Upgraded to a Hurricane



Hurricane Lane is now a Level 1 water twister.

Why, oh why, do hurricanes just happen on the weekends?

Note: This satellites are really just an artists interpretation of what may or may not occur.

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FM3 Status update

Looks like my FM3 is going through with no problems! It should be ready next Tuesday.

At that point, I'll go down to Immigration and sign off and get my fingerprints taken. Very cool.

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"Quick, dig a basement"

>> Thursday, September 14, 2006


Here's the visual update on flippin "Tropical Storm Lane," which is coming direclty at my sister's house. Again. the shutters go up tomorrow afternoon or saturday a.m.

Super.

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I/We did it!

Bullet got up the hill.

Thank you to C. and Junkyard (and later mi hermana) for all offering the advice of the day: drive in first gear up the hill, slowly.

I went up the hill no problem, no buring smell this time either!

(Photo at top isn't the hill. FYI.)

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Greetings Tropical Storm LANE



Click to make larger
(I love how weather.com labeled "USA" and "Mexico" so clearly. Duh.)

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The Final Countdown

7 more NIGHTS and I will see my husband!

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New Feeling

I actually look forward to going to work tomorrow.

Could be because it keeps me busy - but no matter, I look forward to it.

As of today, at this second - I'm content with the job and with the learning process.

(It goes without saying everything would be 100x better for me if C. were here. Ok, I said it. So, it goes with saying.)

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I drove.

>> Wednesday, September 13, 2006


Ok, so it's not that big of a deal. But I drove. In Mexico.

The office is all of 2 or so miles away, so it's really not that big of deal. Still...

So my sister lives on a hill, a very steep, cobblestone hill. (We can call it a mountain, b/c I think that what it is.) Let's just say, Bullet did NOT want to go up the hill. At all. (I was originally in second gear attempting this.) So, I rolled down the cobblestone hill to a better starting point (praying that no one was coming UP the hill) and proceeded to gun it - in FIRST gear up the hill.

Male friends: Did I do the right thing? How, do I get my manual transmission VR6 VW Jetta up the hill safely? I would appreciate your comments.

Female friends: If you know how I can do this safely - I'm highly impressed. Shed some light, por favor.

I keep thinking to myself, if the Domino's pizza delivery weedwacker/motorbike/thing can do it, so can I.

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It's here! It's here! Bullet is here!

If I had a camera, I'd take a picture.
Bullet is covered in Baja dust, but is here... SAFELY!

Look! Even Dubya is happy.

Yay!

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Question of the Day

Will today be the day that Bullet arrives?

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Yeah, great idea. Ok.

>> Tuesday, September 12, 2006

Mexican officials to burn ballots

By WILL WEISSERT, Associated Press Writer 1 hour, 58 minutes ago

MEXICO CITY - Electoral officials said Tuesday that they will burn the ballots from the disputed presidential election despite calls from both candidates to spare them.

Luis Carlos Ugalde, chairman of the Federal Electoral Institute, or IFE, said in a letter to President-elect Felipe Calderon that a 1990 law clearly called for the burning of the ballots from the July 2 election.

"The IFE is obliged to destroy electoral documentation once the electoral process is concluded," Ugalde wrote.

No date was set for the burning.


Article can be found here.

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Thumbs up to the new job


Above: An email regardng this Friday's festivities. I've already RSVPd.

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The Piñata Theory

Listen to this.

So I'm becoming more and more aware of the Mexican culture - and one thing is just annoying me to no end.

The people here have, as my sister says, have no sense of space or self.

For example: Today we're in the Mexican Home Depot (walking in, Mariachi music is playing.) We've enlisted the help of Juan C. to help us buy closet organizers for Chloe's room. They're large, long, awkward boxes that we've loaded on the top of one of those construction-y, pull-cart things. We attempt to leave the aisle. Standing at the end of the aisle is a Mexican family of 3. We walk toward them. Do they move? No. We get closer to them. Do they move? No. We TURN AROUND and go up another aisle. Why? They wouldn't move.

Then, at the checkout instead of standing in LINES - the people are standing in a cluster. Yes friends, a cluster. The man behind me (who, I will say it - was scary) was less than an inch away from me. Why? So he could get that much closer to the checkout. ARE YOU KIDDING ME.

People do not get out of your way. Ever. They prefer to hit you with their elbow, their cart - whatever -- just so long as they're first.

Hence - my sister's piñata theory.

(Sorry - this is a long one.)

We're all familiar with piñatas, right? They're ever-present at Mexican childrens' birthday parties, and they're often times a much-loved character: Bugs Bunny, Strawberry Shortcake, Dora the Explorer, etc. In this case - it's Strawberry Shortcake.

The piñata is beautiful! It's colorful, it's attractive -- why wouldn't you want one?

Back to my sister's theory.

Ok, so the Mom of the birthday girl creates a Strawberry Shortcake-themed party -- complete with all of the acoutrements necessary: plates, napkins and of course, a Strawberry Shortcake piñata.

When it's time for the main event, the children all line up, youngest/smallest to oldest/biggest, with the youngest staged to go first. The moms position themselves to "watch" the festivities unfold.

The birthday girl's mom hands out small Strawberry Shortcake bags to the children to use as holders of their candy.

The children then proceed to beat the hell out of a character they love. Over and over again. Until it falls to the ground in pieces; innards spewing forth everywhere.

It's at this point that children and their moms run and charge at the candy-innards, collecting whatever they can. Children and adults get stepped on, pushed out of the way, and thrashed by these adults who are prizing filling their Strawberry Shortcake candy bags over the wellbeing of themselves, and more importantly others.

--
In the same way - life in Mexico can be compared to the moment when the piñata breaks. Get the hell out of the way - or you will get trampled.

What a lovely life lesson.

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As it turns out

Bullet isn't here yet.

Friends - everthing takes a while in Mexico. I am SO not lying.

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Bullet should be arriving TODAY

Exciting.

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Grosser than Gross

>> Monday, September 11, 2006


Meet the Black Witch Moth.

(Blech. Ew. Shiver. Eye roll.)

They're native to Mexico and their wingspans can reach up to SEVEN inches. Ok, maybe not THAT big, but they're significantly larger than any moth I've ever seen in my entire life. I hate them, I hate them, I hate them.

(Some are football fans, though. One actually watched the OSU/Texas game with me on Saturday.)

TWO are currently sitting by the bathroom door, one IN the bathroom, at work. I am afraid to go to the bathroom, lest they attack me and steal my eyes.

They do not die easily, either. My brother tried to kill a couple of them the other night and it was ugly. As soon as he killed one, another appeared. They're in some sort of mob or something. I'm all for nature - but these are gross. They honestly look like little bats.

Check this out:

The Black Witch has a fascinating cultural as well as natural history. Known in Mexico by the Indians since Aztec times as mariposa de la muerte (butterfly of death). When there is sickness in a house and this moth enters, the sick person dies. (Hoffmann 1918) A variation on this theme heard in the lower Rio Grande Valley (Southmost Texas) is that death only occurs if the moth flies in and visits all four corners of one's house.
Ugh.

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I am uber-exciting

  • Bullet should be here tomorrow, or sometime this week.
  • I painted my toenails today.
  • Yesterday I layed by the pool and read.
  • Today I did laundry.
  • It only costs $100 to fly a pet on American Airlines.
  • I ate a wonderful hummus and pita sandwich today.
  • I miss my husband, my dog, my bed, my house, my flowers, my dryer and my keyboard.
  • I also miss my shower, my couch, all of my stuff, my shoes and my mattress.
  • And I miss talking to my friends on the phone for less than 65 cents a minute.

I know, I know...my life is entirely too interesting.

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