gray, muggy and buggy
I finally drove off around 5pm on Friday, just in time to drive towards a wall of black with bolts slicing through it. Somehow though, I missed the storm. It drizzled most of the way across the peninsula and I could see where it had previously rained heavily in places, but not on me. That’s really good as I can’t really close the windows on the jeep and anyway the back windows are screens.
People over in QRoo love to say ‘how can you live in Mérida, it’s so hot’ – well, it was a LOT hotter over in Akumal and Playa del Carmen than it is in Mérida. Hot, muggy, overcast, it was like being in a steam bath. They said they haven’t had any rain for 3 weeks, it has passed them by. So, the humidity keeps building but it never breaks – ugh! Oh, and the breeze was not really there either. Most of it was from the north and the jungle and just helped to bring in more mosquitoes. I felt bad for the folks working the vet clinic at a school. A few fans and a lot of people, dogs and cats. I saw all the vets doing surgery with head rags on to stop the sweat from dripping into the patient.
I got a lot done on Saturday though, bills paid, bank and store in Playa, blah blah blah. Then Cuba and I went swimming. I wanted to make sure she still remembered that she goes in the water. No problem, she ran right in after me. There was lightning and thunder in the distance so I didn’t stay in long, I was hoping it would rain and clear the air but it passed by to the west. My other 2 dogs, Akumal beach dog rescues, stood on the condo deck and watched Cuba swim and get loads of very loud praise. I hope someday that jealousy will get them in the water.
I didn’t get any pictures of the vet clinic, I went over on Sunday but forgot the camera. I have to admit, I don’t work these clinics. I just can’t. There is so much misery and suffering, I can’t handle it. People suffering, I can handle; animals, not so well.
Mimi and the other volunteers are heroes, they work long hours in less than optimal conditions and they have such a great effect on the lives of pets and ferals in the area. Jen, one of the owners of Turtle Bay Cafe in Akumal, does an incredible job of organizing and working these clinics. She is truly amazing. She sells jewelry and other donated stuff at her cafe and the money goes to put on these free clinics. She has the support of the local govt and the local humane society director is one of the volunteer vets. She gets most of the drugs and vaccines donated, she gets vet students from the school in Mérida, private vets who close their offices to volunteer, it’s an amazing effort and the coordination of it all is awesome. If you are ever in Akumal, stop by Turtle Bay Cafe for an incredible meal and throw some money in the donation box.
inside the hurricane curtain
We have the hurricane curtains up so the light in the condo is muted and serene, I really like it. The curtain is set a few feet outside the sliding doors to the deck, I open it back a few feet and tie it when we are there so we can get to the deck. I put my chair out there and it cleared a little in the afternoon so I could sit and enjoy the sun – then go cool off in the AC of the bedroom! That was nice, sleeping in cool and dry. Of course, we discovered that the AC in the master bedroom doesn’t blow cold air and the fan in there barely turns. Luckily the one in the other bedroom worked great.
There are a bunch of things that need to be fixed, light bulbs replaced, toilet guts replaced, etc. So Mimi is staying a few more days to relax from the clinic and take care of the ‘honey do’ list I left her 
I drove back to Mérida Sunday afternoon, I probably would have stayed later but there was no sun, it was bloody hot and I was bored. So much for why I don’t live over there all the time. I got back to Mérida and walked over to the main plaza with the Dodwell’s for some sopes, streets full of laughing people, lights, action, life… I love it here. Oh, and it started to rain while we were eating and the temps dropped into the low 80′s – cool, refreshing, alive, and open at all hours. Damn! I love this city.
Love the city????? Thou shalt not lead us into temptation……oh, alright then.
Loco was a stray that we took in, and he won’t go near the water either. Makes me wonder what happened in their lives to put such fear into them.
Those vet clinics are tough to work – I did it once and will do again once I’m not working. But yeah, it’s heart-breaking, and the volunteers deserve a lot of credit – difficult conditions and long hours. Hope Mimi gets a chance to relax and recover.
I like the funky music on Turtle Bay Cafe’s website. Maybe they could put a Donate box for the Neuter Clinic on there.
Ya never know…
Damn, I enjoy your posts.
It’s nice to get a peak at Akumal again….even if it’s dark and rainy. What fun to swim with Chico!!
Tell Mimi she is my Hero for helping the animals. Wish I could help but am allergic to dogs/cats – but I have a kitty anyway. Pets are necessary people.
I agree with Ron…”damn, I enjoy your posts”
Seems strange to me that rain would make it less humid ???….but you are there so am sure you would know from your experience.
Why thank you Ron!
Good point Dana, I am going back to add a link to Turtle Bay. I forgot to do that, glad you found it anyway.
Sue, I’ve never known a beach dog that will go in the water. I don’t know why but none of the ones over here will go near it. I took (carried) Hombre in once and for months after that he wouldn’t even go on the sand if I was anywhere near him. Now, he will run into a couple inches of water chasing Cuba but she plays him because she knows he won’t follow her any deeper. She stands just out of his range and taunts him.
Yeah Brits, you know you don’t want to live out there in small town Canada.
…. just a note from small town Canada to say what a great chatty, informative, full-of-personality chapter you’ve just given us. Mil gracias, otra vez y otra vez.
No offense meant to small town Canada Rummy, I’m just goading Stephen and Paula because they are waffling over whether to live out at the beach in Chelem (called the Canadian Riviera around here) or move into the city of Mérida. Of course, I want them to move to the city.
Mic, I don’t know the scientific explanation but when it rains, it seems to gather up all the humidity and down it comes as rain leaving the air fresh and drier and the temps a lot lower. What makes Mérida’s weather bearable is that we get these tropical downpours about every 3 days in the rainy season. So, humidity builds up and then clears. Over on the coast, the rains have bypassed them lately and the humidity just sits in the air.
Husband and I have come to the same conclusion, we love Mérida, there is no place around to compare to it!! I am going to post about it today (maybe, probably, quizás) at least that is my intention.
I am glad you are back, and I think the Brits belong in Mérida!!!! and in our neighborhood!
regards,
Theresa
Nice post, but let me correct you about a sauna — that’s DRY heat, such as they have in the desert. I think you probably meant to say ‘like a steam bath.’ ~eric.
Jonna – Good to hear that Cuba jumped right in…now it’s for real. Kudos to Mimi working the clinic. I feel the same about animals..I can handle people things, just don’t show me animal suffering. Have fun in Merida. Cheers Sherry
Oops! Thanks Eric, I knew that… but I sure didn’t write it. I’ll go and replace sauna with steam bath because, for sure, that is what I meant to write
Mérida rocks! I agree that cosmopolitan, sophisticated, Europeans such as the Dodwell’s belong here, and in our neighborhood! Nothing wrong with small beach towns, they are great for vacations, but…
Jonna, no offence taken, knew it was a gentle ribbing… Jeez, I’m much more pointed – I’ve always said that God invented southern Ontario on the last day of the week, when He/She ran out of geography, had a tonne of leftover boredom and wanted to dump it fast for happy hour. One day, one day, maybe I can exchange flat fields and flat water for pyramids and salt water. Until then, I’ll YukaBlog myself to the max with you and the other wonderful YukaBloggers.
Bored in Akumal? Ya think ya could have done some of the “honey do” things to relieve the boredom? I hope you give Mimi a great reward when she returns home!