This week Lisa and I are off on a long awaited and meticulously planned trip. She left on Thursday to travel with her mom to Cancun and on to Southern California. I am traveling through Mexico City to see my daughter in Northern California. We will meet up in a couple of weeks.
Stella supervising.
My last night in Bacalar, I tossed and turned, restlessly anticipating the morning’s departure, I finally fell into a deep sleep and had the most vivid dream. In the dream I had overslept and missed my flight entirely. In that way that dreams can be, I stumbled madly over and over with my iPad, attempting to somehow reschedule the missed flight which of course was impossible.
Ten minutes before my six a.m. alarm sounded, Luna began whining to be let out. Waking, to my relief and frustration, I had not missed the flight, but I wanted to strangle the dog. Argh.
Luna, Love her and hate her,
Wonderful house sitters are in place and I am traveling to cooler climate. And while I’ll miss them, (NOT! well maybe a little), there will be no dogs. Stay tuned.
She lived across the street from us. Terry was born in South Austin in 1933 and bought her house when she married Bill. They raised two kids there and when we met her she was a widow living alone, her adult children were long grown. Our older tree-lined neighborhood was an Austin treasure with houses built in the early 60’s. It used to be that the only way to buy a house there was when someone died. We got our house because the previous owner moved to a nursing home.
We kept an eye on all the elders in our neighborhood. Terry’s house once flooded. She had a dry creek behind her yard that turned out not to be so dry one spring downpour. Lisa built a French drain to channel the water away from her house. That was the only time she asked for help. She was an independent old coot and we loved her.
My favorite story about Terry was her love for a pink flowering vine called Queen’s Wreath that grew on the side of her house. The butterflies also loved it and gravitated to its sweet nectar. The trouble was, when the butterflies lighted on the flowers, the petals fell off. One day I came upon Terry muttering, “damn butterflies” as she shood them off her beloved flowers.
Queen’s Wreath
A neighbor found Terry unconscious in her carport one day. Her car door was open so she was clearly about to run errands. Her head was bleeding. We never saw her again. Her children whisked her away. We didn’t have a relationship with them and we got complacent. The time for Terry to make her own decisions had run out.
Some time afterward there was a flurry of activity at her place. A couch was carried to the curb. Lisa inquired and was gifted the couch. They were emptying out her house to sell it. Terry was living with her daughter.
We knew the couch was brand new. It took days of airing and scrubbing. Terry also had a big floofy white cat. We still have the couch. As a matter of fact I’m sitting on it right now. Luna gives up her spot now and then.
We left Austin September 2013.
One day I was thinking about Terry and found her obituary. It made me sad yet brought back good memories. And whenever we find ourselves complaining about some inconsequential thing, we remember “damn butterflies” and think of Terry and smile.
It’s been a hot one in the jungle of Bacalar, Mexico. We’ve also had rain which has been lovely. Rain cools us off for about five minutes.
Last Saturday was the annual open water swim across Laguna Bacalar. It ended up being more fun than I expected. The sun peaked in and out of the clouds which kept the sunburn to a minimum. I came in fifth in my age group and I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I would maybe swim again next year. Don’t hold me to it!
Newly emerged from the water.My friend Maria from Mexico City.
On Monday we took Lisa’s mom to the doctor. She’d been having diarrhea that we couldn’t get under control. In the doctor’s office, Alice had a seizure. Wheels moved quickly and an appointment was made to travel to Merida on Tuesday to insert a pacemaker.
She is such a trooper. ❤️
There is a family history of heart issues and Covid only made things worse. We were aware that a pacemaker would likely be an eventuality. Alice’s success at the gym had made us hopeful that she could avoid the surgery. Unfortunately it wasn’t to be.
Alice and I pulled out of Dodge at five a.m. for the four hour drive. Lisa’s back could not take the long drive and someone had to stay with the dogs. I volunteered to take her. The procedure required one night in the hospital in Merida and another four hour drive home. Life certainly does surprise.
Heading home.
Alice is recovering as am I. The swim plus hours of driving, dealing with the doctors and the hospital really took it out of me. No spring chickens here.
In my first swim across Laguna Bacalar in 2016, I wrote the post The Gods We’re With Us. I also swore I’d never do it again. The race was fun but very chaotic. So how did I come to be signed up and training to swim on June 18? I got strong-armed, that’s how.
Putting on race numbers so they can identify the body. 2016
Let me back up with a story. My first triathlon was in 1991. I was about to turn forty. Imagine back to a time without the internet. I saw a poster on a board somewhere and thought, “why not?” I can swim, bike, walk. I had been swimming a lot that summer and had recently acquired my mother’s old clunky bike. A friend helped me to knock off the excess weight, kickstand and fenders. It was all new to me.
A fun day.
I loaded up the bike on race day and headed to Georgetown, Texas. This was a time before triathlons were a thing with a thousand entrants.
Waiting for the Bacalar race to start.
I had zero information on the event. The swim was in a pool. People literally swam over top of me. It’s a wonder I survived.
The bike ride was a bit disconcerting. I hadn’t thought about riding a bike in public in my bathing suit! I was such a novice. The worst part was that it was a five MILE run, not a 5k (3.2 miles) as I had thought.
I finished the race dead last. The police escort was on my heals. I had to tell them to back off! As I dragged myself to the finish line I was amazed to find a crowd cheering?? The organizers wouldn’t have the awards ceremony until everyone had finished the race. They were all waiting on me.
Practice makes stronger I hope.
The final mind blower was when they called out the award winners over the loudspeaker, they called my name! I had finished third in my age group in a field of three. 😂
So how did I get strong armed into the Bacalar race again? My friend Maria from Mexico City who had a major fall two years ago with numerous broken bones and has miraculously recovered, begged me to swim with her. How could I say no? There will be no calling my name in this field of a thousand swimmers from all over the world, but I can hope.
Four nights this week we have had tropical storms (tormentas). Deafening thunder clapped overhead and kaboomed like it was inside of the bedroom. Looking out over the lake, electric streaks were dancing across the sky. It would have been lovely if not a tad bit scary for Stella. Poor baby.
Looks like a couple of nights reprieve.
Stella is our pug. She’s been with us for three years. She is blind but you would never know it. From the beginning of her time with us, she has always hated thunder. She whimpers, shudders and shakes. This week was particularly difficult.
Our sweet little girl.
I took her into our bed and had to hold her down as she fights and fusses. She even fell asleep sitting upright under the covers. It has been hard on us all. As the storm moves away she finally settled.
The good thing has been the rain after a long dry spell. Hopefully the storms will abate or at least be a bit quieter. We could all use some restful sleep
This week Lisa did our taxes and we had some overdue conversations about finances. We are blessed in so many ways. We have very similar sensibilities about money. Spending has never been a source of contention since we are both quite frugal. Our conscious spending and wise investing means we don’t have to worry about our retirement income. We are very blessed and grateful.
Such lovely mornings in Bacalar.
It’s always a challenge to figure out how long we’re going to live. Illness and disability can eat up savings and death can cut off pensions and diminish social security. Living in Mexico has been a blessing for us. Our house is paid for and expenses are relatively low.
The view that reduces stress.
We have been working on improving our health through eating plant-based and cutting out salt, sugar and oil. My blood pressure is such that I’ve halved my medication and am close to being able to cut it out all together. My cholesterol is lower than it’s ever been.
In my second year of weight training.
I am so grateful to Lisa. For years we have eaten very differently. Her recent willingness to explore a plant-based diet has been a huge help. From what I’ve read eating predominantly fruits and vegetables reduces inflammation and is the way to go. At this rate, we could all live vibrantly to 100 and beyond.
This week I made an unplanned trip to Texas to say my goodbyes to an elderly family member who passed. I was at a local eatery today when I got a big surprise.
Into Central Market walked a friend that I haven’t seen in more than ten years. The clincher is, she lives in Mexico! Dee was in Austin to sell her car. She lives in Northern Mexico and we’ve been in touch and follow each other on social media. I knew she was in town but did not expect to run into her. Austin really is a small, big city.
I’m so grateful that I got the X-ray and pain meds from my doctor. I guess two weeks with the inability to cough, laugh, sneeze, and turn over in bed, not to mention the screaming in pain, finally overcame my stubbornness. I suppose that the management of pain never crossed my mind as “something that can be done”.
Sometimes I’m just plain stupid.
It’s amazing how we use our upper body and arms for so many things, like standing from a seated position. I found myself scooting forward and using my legs to stand. All those squats came in handy. Do try it.
A full moon week.
There will be no bicep curls, bench presses or push ups for awhile. I can’t even carry a pitcher of water from the refrigerator to the counter. I am feeling better and this week we’ll begin cutting back on the meds. I hope it will clear my fuzzy brain a bit,
Sunday sunrise on Lake Bacalar.
Google says six to eight weeks. Today is three. I must admit to looking longingly at my gym clothes while selecting pajamas and sweatpants for daily attire. Sigh.
A little vid of our home and property.
I will continue to rest and stay drugged as needed. I am supremely grateful to my wife for taking such good care of me, and Dr. Oscar for the pain management. Life is good. So for another week, be well and don’t trip over any air mattresses.
We got a very unexpected message on Monday. Our dear friend Gabriel had died. He was 63. On Sunday,Gabriel had just placed second in the annual Laguna Bacalar kayak marathon when he complained of not feeling well. Two heart attacks later, the doctors could not revive him.
Mexico is our home for ten years and we still have much to learn. One thing that we have learned is that when someone tells you that you are family they mean it. That was certainly the case with Gabriel.
Mexico City 2017
We met about eight years ago when I was out kayaking and saw him and his wife Monica pull up to a dock in their motor boat. Lisa badly wanted to ski and this was my attempt to make friends with someone who had a boat. It is hard to describe but we’ve been family ever since.
From that day on we were included in so many activities, dinners, parties, and assorted family get togethers, including his daughter’s wedding. We know their children, grandchildren and extended family. When Lisa and I married in California in 2014, Monica and Gabriel put on a reception for us at a local restaurant. It was so much fun.
There were even two brides on the cake!
In Mexico, when someone dies, they are laid out at home. A vigil was held and as word got around on Monday, people showed up with food and flowers. Family flew in from all over the world.
His life jacket and paddle rested on the coffin.
Gabriel’s body was cremated and on Tuesday there was the most amazing funeral I’ve ever attended. Boats, kayakers and paddle boarders all gathered on the far side of the Laguna. The wind made it hard to hear but it was clear that Gabriel was beloved by many. His daily Insta sunrise photos will be missed.
Laid to rest in his beloved laguna.With his beloved Monica. Maya, his chihuahua will miss him terribly.Picking me up at our dock.
It has been a hard week. I am still processing. We also celebrated Lisa’s birthday and remembered the death anniversary of my brother. Gabriel had a full and wonderful life. That’s what I want to remember.
DOS TORTAS
It is not important how long your life is but how you live it. Adiós Gabriel.
the adventures of dos tortas 
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