Puro Yucatan Beach Dog
We’ve been running around a lot lately. Mimi was in Akumal for a week and she’s going back Saturday to work another clinic in Playa del Carmen.
While she was in Akumal, I got the house sprayed for a laundry list of bugs I haven’t seen (and don’t want to) and for the mosquitoes that I’m seeing too often.
This involved getting up really early, getting a bunch of stuff put away, collecting all the critters (3 dogs and 2 cats) and loading them up to take over to Debi and Tom’s where the Brits were housesitting. The cats stayed in the carrier and the dogs had already been introduced to their dog Tech over here. She is a puppy and she and Cuba had a great time playing. There’s a lot more room over at Debi and Tom’s and they raced from one end of the yard to the other over and over. I got hot and tired watching them.
I think Tech must have some Quintana Roo blood in her, she and Hombre look so much alike. That’s my Hombre on the right and Tech on the left. They may look alike but Hombre wants nothing to do with her. She tried to get him to play and he just curled his lip, that’s dog speak for ‘stay away from me you little whipper snapper, I’m not your daddy’.
Tita caged
After 3 hours, we came back and I started cleaning off all the counters and any place I thought food would touch.
I washed everything that was not in a drawer, that meant all the utensils and pots that are hanging and all the glasses that are on an open shelf. I kept thinking ‘this better be worth it’ and it did help.
We’ve seen a lot fewer mosquitoes but I think the population is being replaced from neighboring yards. I have a guarantee and could call and they would spray again for free anytime in the next 3 months. I just don’t have the energy to do all that prep and post work again.
I also went and took a test and signed up for a semester of Spanish. I need to learn some grammar and verb tenses. I sound like a lost child from the campo that has never been to school. So, twice a week I get up and out the door and off to class. Well, I’ve done it twice now. I’m not taking any bets on my attendance record by December.
We seem to have far more bugs this summer for some reason. Especially inside.
Get thee to the store and buy a box of those green mosquito coils. You know the ones I mean. Place them around the patio and where you come into the house at night and be mosquito free girl!
Funny, we seem to have fewer mosquitoes this year – haven’t had to pull down the net over the bed once so far. I think it’s because it’s been so dry. Of course, it drizzled a bit this evening and now they’re out in full force (so I’m told, I’m staying put indoors).
I hope I remember to ask you about your attendance record in December. If you play hooky will you tell us? Seems we always have the best of intentions to do what we need and want to do, but something about living here just sucks the energy out of the soul on a regular basis.
Hey Jonna,
We have been checking your Blog regularly, just to stay in touch with our Mexican side. And to gaze enviously at the tropical temps. Yes I like it warm. I guess 100, real feel 108 may be a little high.
This summer, Ontario has been frigid, with morning temps in the low 50′s and days barely warm enough. Had my shirt off twice!
Anyway, just checking with a “hola”. Good on you for the language classes. I have some text books here but spend a lot of time in “mañana” mode. ¿A usted tienen gusto de una estrella del oro?
Hasta las vista.
Glen and Susan, and Pippin
jonna
ive been reading your blog for a month. really enjoy it. im a la la lawrence welk fan. i hope you get that inside inference (kd lang). is there a community of fans in merida? im single and if the world holds together in he next few years ill be retiring to an expat situation. the usa is so crazy i just want to get out and lead a life in the tropics. im wondering what kind of cash it takes to be comfortable every month. is it possible to build a structure for 50k or should i rv it? anywho ill keep reading and dreaming.
Jonna – Oh poor Tita in the cage. Hombre and Tech look like they are having fun together in the picture. They are beautiful dogs. Hopefully long gone are the mosquitos.. We have found that fans work really well to repel the mosquitos..they hate wind… so if you have a cross wind going they will not bother you. Cheers Sherry
Two cats? What did I miss! How’s Tita handling that? She’s a GEM of a kitty!
I think getting sprayed is a necessity down here, we do it once every six months or so and we rarely see cucarachas. When we do, the kitties make short work of them! We haven’t had a bad mosquito year either, but I am knocking on wood as I say it, the rainy season ain’t over yet!
Tita’s only other cat friend is Barney who belongs to the Dodwell’s. Barney is an exceptional cat who was born in England, lived in Canada and now lives in Mexico. He stays here with us until their house is finished. They are often staying here too although they have done some house sitting but they don’t take Barney – partly because there are other cats and partly because I won’t let him leave
He’s a love and I can get the kind of purring, rubbing, cat-ness from him that Tita never learned. I keep hoping some of that will rub off on her. She likes him OK, she loves to stalk him and they play and watch Cat TV (the fish in the ponds) together.
Mosquitoes… we are having a bad year for them probably because we’ve had more rain than you guys on the coast. I use the coils, I use fans, I use DEET, all of it works a little but none of it works completely. I seem to have adjusted to the bites, I don’t get big welts anymore and they only itch for a few minutes and then go away. I worry about Dengue fever though.
Hi Glen! Claro que si, quiero una estrella. I’m still showing up and it’s been 2 weeks now. It’s depressing though, I am so ignorant in Spanish and there are so many damn tenses!
Connie, got it! Consider Mérida as San Francisco in the 1980′s, lots of friends of Dorothy although I haven’t met many kd lang fans. It’s always difficult to say how much money it would take someone else to live here, just like anywhere. It depends on your lifestyle and your cravings for comfort and imported goods. I suppose you could build a house for $50k but it would be difficult as a foreigner and it would be very basic. Easier would be to buy one for that and improve it as you have the money. Even so, for that price you would get either a ruin (our house was in that range) that would take 3X that to renovate or you would get a few rooms in a concrete box type house. Really, you have to experience life here to see if it is a good fit. It’s trite but true that renting for 6 months is the best way to do that and to get a feel for prices and places you would want to live.