We adopted Stella in 2020 from a FB post. She had been used for breeding and then abandoned to fend for herself on city streets. She was found skinny, blind and traumatized.
One scared pup. Her life was about to change.
Today she lives a royal life without care, that is, until there’s a thunderstorm. Last night we were hit with a doozy. She shook and fought like a wildcat, until I lay on my side, held her against me with a pillow in her back and covered her tightly. There was lots of stroking, soothing talk and shushing. Not much sleeping.
One of my favorite pictures of her.
About four in the morning I got up with her. She had been panting a lot so I took her for water. As I walked into our living room my feet hit water. Slosh, slosh, it took my half asleep brain a second to register, flooding!
Getting a gray muzzle.
I woke Lisa and we squeegeed, mopped and toweled until five. Rain had come in under the side door, which had never happened before. The solar held and we were grateful to not be working in the dark.
Of course neither dog offered to help with the cleanup.
Luna sleeps through anything.
The sun came out and everything is dry and Stella is back to her calm self. Living on the street, rummaging for food must have been pretty traumatic for a little blind dog. I’m just glad storms don’t happen too often.
You may or may not have noticed that there was no blog this morning. Dos Tortas needed a break. From travel to having visitors to doctor’s appointments, back to back, well my head is spinning.
The decision has been made that we’re going to Austin for my leg surgery…wait!…what? Yes, I know, whiplash. We’re rearranging our summer plans and getting this party started.
Brunch with local friends is also a break. Lisa stayed home.
Hopefully we can make a surgical appointment for early August. Fingers crossed. Until then, enjoy your weekend.
Lisa and I began traveling the world before Airbnb, All Inclusives and Crafted Tours. We were non-scripted travelers, seat of the pantstravelers, figure it out as we go travelers. As a result, we have had many unforgettable experiences that we never would have had otherwise.
Queretaro Mx roof-top view.
Once in Athens, Greece we met a man from Texas who told us about an island off the coast that he planned to visit. He had researched every step between here and there and even had a hotel reserved. Lisa and I tagged along because we had already visited the Acropolis and had nothing else planned. Surprise, surprise his hotel was twice as expensive as what we found walking in off the street. And their AC was out.
Hydra, car-free island near Athens, Greece. Visited 2005.
Not being as young as we used to be, we now make hotel reservations, but still plan little else and prefer to explore on our own.
Walkable alleys in Queretaro.
This past Wednesday, while waiting in the airport for our flight home from our trip to Queretaro, México, I received a text from my brother informing me that he was coming for a visit. (He lives in Florida and we live in Mexico.) “See you Friday.” Now that’s unscripted travel!
For the most part, we try to avoid the “what ifs?” There’s no point in arguing, stressing or even planning for things that may not ever happen. That is except for the inevitable aging and Big-D.
Monastery from the 1600s Queretaro Mexico
With more of our lives behind us than in front, it pays to have a plan for aging and death. More than likely, being the elder of the two, I will die first, but one never knows.
82, 62, 74
We have Wills, both Mexican and US. All beneficiaries are named. We’ve had THAT conversation with the kids. I’ve set up a central file of passwords and financial accounts.
Adult/Retirement Living Queretaro, Mexico⁰
This week we’ve been looking at what we thought was a possible long term living location. We’re exploring Queretaro, Mexico, known for its temperate climate, adult living facilities and central location.
A park near our hotel.Lovely colonial archways.Stunning church.
Unfortunately this beautiful, colonial, sprawling city did not resonated with these jungle girls. Time for Plan B, whatever that is.
After reading both CT and MRI scans, an orthopedic surgeon that we know and respect, announced “hip replacement.” He said it was my only option. My accidentin September 2024 really did a number on me.
While most medical procedures are less expensive in Mexico than in the US; the price he quoted made my head swim. Apparently the reconstruction hardware is quite pricey.
After speaking to a number of people who have had hip replacement (including my brother), and doing my internet research, I became hopeful that there might be a solution to my chronic pain.
I made an appointment with a hip specialist in Austin and traveled to the US where I have insurance. I did NOT expect the outcome that I got.
Dr Matthew Heinrich
Dr. Heinrich asked me to walk. As I hobbled and winced around his office, he said, “point to the pain.” My hand went immediately to the five inch (12cm) scar on the outside of my left leg. Without hesitation he announced, “you don’t need hip replacement, just take out the hardware.”
The scar healed well.
What? How? My head spun.
He advised that I return to the original surgeon to have the screws and plate removed. “It’s completely healed. I expect you’ll have 75% of capacity return to your leg.”
I am not sure why neither orthopedic surgeon in Mexico suggested that option. I have an appointment on Tuesday to see what’s what and hopefully schedule part dos. The adventure continues.
They say that a life without regrets is a life well lived. I’m not so sure about that. Looking back on my seventy-four years, there are a few things I wish I had done differently.
A graduate degree at 42.
When I was getting my Master’s degree at the University of Texas in 1996, my professor suggested that I continue for a PhD. She liked my research and thought I could parlay it into a dissertation. Without question I said no. I was too scared. It was a bigger vision than I could imagine for myself. I was raised in a time when women were given very low expectations.
Another time I was offered the position of manager for the clinic where I worked. Again, I turned it down. I had never been a “manager” (only of a home, and three kids, all while attending graduate school full-time.) I wish someone had offered me help, training and a boost to my self confidence.
As a woman of a certain era, I fought hard for every opportunity. I was the only girl of five children, and the only one to graduate from college, bought and paid for by myself.
It was impossible not to let the fear rule me. Fear was built into every story I was told, every underestimation, every time I was reminded that my place was in the home.
So yes I have a few regrets.
Living in paradise.
Today I am content with the way things turned out. I have an amazing partner, a beautiful home and a peaceful existence. If I had done any of the things I now regret, it might have turned out quite differently.
Portland 2025
So truthfully I have no regrets. At least that’s what I tell myself.
Nobody wants to read about old women doing amazing things but you should, if you’re lucky it could be you.
Happy birthday Alice 82
My conservative, republican mother-in-law moved to Mexico to live with her ex-military lesbian daughter and her older wife. It’s been one hellava ride.
Alice’s 80 birthday
Alice is now eighty-two and living large in her own tiny jungle home.
Her house is a museum. She’s never seen a knickknack, or doll, or pair of shoes, or jewelry…that she doesn’t love. When her clothes washer recently died, her main concern for a new one was that it had to be pretty. She now owns a red washing machine.
A tour of Alice’s artistic bathroom. Who loves to have her picture taken?
Alice survived Covid and RSV (a respiratory virus) both of which put her in the hospital. She has more lives than a cat. She sets an amazing example of resiliency and living life on your own terms and we’re so lucky to have her with us.
Waking up daily in the jungle of southeastern Mexico is a dream for some and a reality for me. Depending on the time of year, the sun clears the horizon and hits me right in the eyeball in bed! Then there’s the cacophony of birds, (doves, parakeets, brown jays, chachalacas and more). The sound of the teapot heating water for coffee and dogs demanding “outside” and their breakfast, is also part of the wake-up call. It does beat an alarm.
Rise and shine.
The morning routine continues with a trip to the roof to practice my version of sun salutations and a quick check on the baby birds who are almost as big as their parents and will be flying the coop soon enough. I will miss them
The roof sanctuary. They’re doves, not pigeons 😂
I lean into my morning routine with meditation, exercise and vacuuming up the dog glitter left on our blue concrete floors.
The shedding maniacs.
There are so many possibilities for surprises in my day-to-day life, such as this week alone, smelling gas from the new stove, threats of severe weather, a trip to get MRIs for me and Lisa, and health concerns with Lisa’s mom who is 82. Morning routine is the anchor of my life.
Sometimes art just shows up. Not sure where this came from.
Having recently been diagnosed with anxiety, I scheduled a massage and gave a massage (I am a massage therapist) both of which got me out of my head. Getting a massage has been a way that I have dealt with anxiety in the past. Time for a reboot.
More art. Lots of circles.Postcard sized paintings. Touch to enlarge.
I am still playing my ukulele (badly) and furiously making art. It’s good to have a plan. And then I try to be aware of all that I have to be grateful for. There’s just so much. This blog and my community here are included. Thank you for showing up, leaving comments and hanging with me through the ups and downs. I appreciate it more than you can know.
However you cut it, living with pain is not fun. For those of you who have been dealing with chronic pain for years or even a lifetime, my sympathies. If you have never experienced chronic pain, read on, life turns on a dime at any age. At seventy-four I am new to the game and surprised by it.
Life drawing class provides a lovely distraction.
I’ve learned that pain medication is a god-sent but a double edged sword. Even thinking about it makes me want to sleep (or cry.)
Medication handles the pain so I can exercise, walk or be halfway human. I have to be careful however because it can also eat holes in my stomach.
Models choose some interesting props.
So if you are waiting patiently for the doctor’s pronouncement, drum roll please…HIP REPLACEMENT. Yes the old hip is in pieces and barely able to keep me upright. An appointment has been made for yet another opinion and hopefully to schedule surgery, April 23 in Austin. Finally time to take advantage of all that health insurance I worked so hard for.
I added color later.
Until then, the meds keep it tolerable, as does my artwork. Carry on.
DOS TORTAS
My gastroenterologist has declared that my stomach pain is due to anxiety. And now I understand.
Celebrating my birthday is not optional for me. Since I am not a big fan of the usual fawning, gift buying and everything that goes with it, I make a plan for what works for ME. This year I bought tickets to see Shakira in Merida, Yucatán. My wife played a supporting role so I didn’t have to worry about the details. We had a blast, learned a lot and were not awakened by dogs at six am.
Returning home to Bacalar, I found myself exhausted, (it’s amazing how vacations can be so tiring) with little motivation for anything, especially exercise. I used every excuse under the sun to deflect, sidetrack and put off. However, my education and lifelong interest as a Health Educator means I knew better. Time to do better.
My triathlon days. If only I had that energy today.
Back in the day, when counseling was my paid gig, I was a broken record. “Walk! Just walk, 15 minutes. Put on “X” on the calendar. Increase frequency, then increase time. Keep track, you can do it!”
People’s excuses were consistent, no time and I don’t like exercise. But leading the pack was, EXERCISE HURTS. My pat answer was, “it hurts if you do and it hurts if you don’t”.
And now I find myself in the, but it hurts camp. Pain can be a good motivator but so can lying in bed.
This week, I came across a clip on my YouTube channel from a trainer I used to follow during Covid quarantine, many moons ago.
the adventures of dos tortas 
Share Your Thoughts