The Honey Moon Is Over !

What honeymoon you ask? Your marriage? No that's not it. Your new life in Mexico? No that's not  it either.
The honey moon I 'm referring  to is the one that we had going on with living in this apartment complex.
Details you say, spill the beans, what is going on? Well this is what happened, and I guess all good things must come to an end, or as the song says, every new beginning  comes from some other beginnings end. So we have lived here for 18 months, and we have had our cats for all of this time at least one of them. The lady up stairs also has 2 cats and then there are two strays that come around once in awhile, well one night our next store neighbor left his screen door open and a cat, don't know which one, came into his apartment and walked across his white couch with their dirty little paws! Rather than come to us, he went to the manager, who in turn called her boss the owner of this place, long story short we were told to keep the cats in or move! Have you ever tried keeping two cats in that love to play outside, I mean they don't understand why all of a sudden they can't go out! After two days of listening to them meow, and them making a run for the door every time we were going out, we said enough! So we began our hunt for a new place. Of course the first question we would ask, was we have 2 cats can they go out??? We found a new apartment, small complex, nice clean pool, club house, so we will be moving at the end of this month. The new place isn't as big as this apartment, but it does have a heated pool, which I know I will use all the time. I told Billy if we get on each others nerves He can go to the clubhouse! Last Sunday we gave them our deposit, so now I get to pack this place up, lucky for us we can have the keys early, so we can do it a little at a time, plus the new place is only 4 minutes from here. The word is out here that we are leaving and everyone that has talked to us about this, are very unhappy to see us go, Billy was like the social director here, I guess Brant will have to take that job back.  But new beginnings are good, I'm looking forward to decorating again. The new place is very modern, and our old place is very Mexican, so two totally different  looks! I will post pictures of the new place soon, I forgot to take our camera with us last week. I will do before and after pictures like I did when we moved in here.

Long time no post: What can I say life is good and busy. I signed in to do this post and it looks like they changed the set up once again. Why can't they leave things alone? Oh when I logged in it brought me to an overview page, which tells you how many people are viewing your blog, where the traffic is coming from etc. I thought that was a handy feature, good to know that there are some people reading this despite my lack of updating it more often.

Blog friends:  I had a woman contact me from my blog, her and her husband were coming for a visit and they wanted to know if we could meet up, so being the nice person that I am  LOL I said of course ! So we went out to dinner with Collette and her husband Rick, we hit it off and had a great time, we invited them to go with us to experience the open market in Chapala, then out to lunch, which they paid for Thanks Guys! Then we had them over for dinner on Thursday night. They will be back in November, and we will defiantly be getting together again. They are the second couple that we have met through my blog, one of the nice benefits of  writing this.

Horse Update:  Melaza is doing great, learns everything quickly, next week we are going to try cantering her, while I'm riding her, she does it really well on line. I know she will catch on, she has so far with everything else. She will now side pass over the barrels for me and the other day she jumped them for me, all on line. She is starting to get used to the dogs, Sherry brings her 3 out on Sundays and our neighbor Craig has a few and he brings his over sometimes, she isn't a big fan of the dogs, she likes to keep an eye on them, and when there's 3 of them it's hard to do, but I noticed that o Sunday she wasn't so concerned about them. Very important that she isn't bothered by them as there are lots of them running free on the streets. I am really enjoying the time I spend with her.

Diet Update:  So far so good, managing to keep the weight off, and when I start swimming in that new pool, I hope to lose my belly again!

Elvis has left the building:  We went to see Elvis last week, I mean a Mexican Elvis, Who Knew?  I thought he was pretty good, and Billy thought it was pretty lame, although I saw him taping his foot to the music. We knew the back up band and they are really good, so all in all I thought it was a great night, we don't usually go out at night, so it was a nice change.

Food: Love the food here well most of it, some of it you couldn't pay me to eat, but to each his own. I love frozen lemonade here, they have lemon, strawberry, and mango, I get it once a week in Chapala, I have chili powder put in mine, so good you have the sweetness and then a kick!!! awesome, when I told this to Collette and Rick I think they thought I was crazy!!! that's what I used to think too  LOL
We went out to breakfast last Sunday, it was a breakfast buffet and it was really good and inexpensive too, it was at Mel's diner upstairs on the patio. Billy plays cards there on Fridays. The card game that he runs here will still go on Sparky lives here so he will keep it going and Billy will come back to play. The best of both worlds.

Weather:  What can I say, beautiful out, every day sunshine. Love, Love the weather here.

 Wrap it up! ok, now it is time for me to end this part of the blog, time to add the pictures, I will have a faster internet speed at the new place and I hope that helps with the picture aspect of this blog.

One Last Thing: Found this in a local magazine thought I would pass it on.

The secret to staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly and lie about your age!

Marriage is the process of finding out what kind of man your wife would have preferred!

Pictures loaded, just took awhile!

Elvis

 Brian James band was the back up music

Bounce less for the moment!

Street band at Gossips

These guys were awesome

Private residence, pool with a view!

I liked this picture so much I made it my wallpaper on our desk top.

Billy & Rick

We just had to take this picture, lucky for me I had the camera!

Rick and Collette

Ready to Ride!

So much to say !

Hola fellow readers, did you think I fell off the face of the earth? Well no I didn't, just  been busy living life here in Mexico. I just can't believe how fast time goes by, and should that be bye or is it just by, I always forget the rule for that. Speaking of spelling does anyone else find that the spelling on face book is awful! I mean they do have spell check on there. I still enjoy going on it, but I some times wonder why people post negative stories on there. I guess it is just part of life?

Horses:  They are doing great Malaza the filly I am training is awesome, she is learning everything I throw at her, so smart! I have taught her all of Parelli level 1, and we are going to start level 2 next week, I can't wait to see how she does with that.

Weather: The weather this winter has been so different then last year, it is not as cold, but it has been very cloudy, last year there were hardly any clouds. Right now it is cool out, and it even rained a little yesterday and this morning. The cool weather is great for riding the horses and my fires at night!

Trips:  Took a trip to the beach, we went to Barra and had a wonderful time, love the beach, we really miss it, we would go all the time in Florida. On the way home we stopped in Colima, it is a very nice city and we plan on going there again, we might stay overnight so we can do more exploring.

Blogging:  It had been so long since my last one I had to go read my last post, because I forgot what I had blogged about!  I always have good intentions of sitting down and doing a new one, but then I get busy and another day goes bye, kind of like how I should be studying my Spanish !!!! LOL

Chapala Web Board:  Do any of you read that? It is full of good info if you are planning on moving here. I was on it all the time before we made the move.  I usually like going on there but sometimes people go off the subject, and put their rants in,  it can get nasty, but it also can be funny. Billy actually was suspended for a few weeks for something that he posted. Too funny. The moderator can do that!  I was going to post something the other day under dining but I haven't yet. We went to a local restaurant that everyone is raving about, it took 25 minutes to get our breakfast! another couple came in after us, got their meal first and they were done eating  by the time ours arrived. I almost walked out! and to make matters worse, my eggs weren't even that hot. I will try them one more time for lunch, and see how that goes. This restaurant will probably do good because they are catering to the gringo crowd.

Deep thoughts:  My sister posted this on face book, If you were on your death bed would you be happy with your life, your family, your partner,  would you have things you want to say to people, people that have hurt  you, or would you be at peace? I wrote back a long response to that question. I told her that most people are unconscious and they don't even realize that they have hurt you, and it is our egos that are hurt not our real selves. Actually if you go back and tell them that you have been hurt it will be our ego that will be speaking. I know very hard to separate the two. It takes lot's of practice not to take things personally, but it is something worth mastering. I still have to tell myself  " now don't take that personally Cheryl!" anyway my answer was I would be at peace, I have lived a good life, have a wonderful husband, good friends, great family, etc. I sometimes tell Billy if I died tomorrow I would die happy.  Oh and yesterday I got to practice don't take that personally Cheryl, some one called me a party pooper, why you ask ? Well I don't drink, never acquired a taste for booze, so I was at a party and not drinking like usual and she called me a party pooper. I had to laugh to myself. This lady also had lot's of negative things to say about a mutual  acquaintance of ours, I wanted to ask her, didn't your mother ever tell you if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all???? Talk about unconscious behavior!

Wow: Ok this is what happens when I haven't posted in awhile I go on and on. When I sat down to write this post I was wondering what I was going to talk about, guess I shouldn't have worried about that. Billy tells me I am not usually at a loss for words. LOL  I get quiet when I am hungry so he has to  make sure he keeps me fed!  It is really funny, I will get quiet, but then as the food kicks in my energy goes up, and the lips start talking, I am cracking myself up! guess you have to know me to appreciate that.

Books: Right now I am reading Sing you Home by Jodi Picoult, I stayed up till midnight reading it. I should be done with it tonight, very good book started out a little slow but got better.

TV: I love watching HGTV,  so glad we get that now. One of my favorites is Income Property, where they fix up your rental unit, great ideas. Also love Holmes on Homes, unbelievable the things he finds wrong with properties,  I feel bad for the owners, unreal what shoddy work some builders do. It feels a little different to watch it here in Mexico, where most people don't have anything, so to see these people who need so much or think they do, some times it is a little sad.


Universe Moments: I am a big believer in the universe, and how you can use it in your life, if you may attention you will find it works all the time but you have to believe. Billy was a nonbeliever, but when he saw how often it works he now believes, anyway! a few weeks ago we were planning on making a trip to the beach, we went to a local travel agency here, and got some info on a bus trip, we told the girl we would think about it. The next morning there was an email from our friends Rick and Kathy inviting us to their place at Barra, so of course we took them up on it, had a great time with them. Another moment was last week, Billy called our son to ask him about laptops, we are thinking about getting one, and where was our son when he answered our call, at Best Buy!!! looking at I Pads, he bought one and loves it, so while he was there he looked at some laptops for us.


Super Bowl Sunday: Well what can I say about that, being from New England and being a patriot fan I can say Go Patriots!!!!

Pictures:  Ok time to try and post so pictures wish me luck. Hope you all enjoyed this post, don't forget you can click on the pictures to enlarge them, and your comments are always welcomed.

Hurricane Damage from last year

Thought this would be an interesting picture

Mother Nature at her worst

Billy Chillin

Having a wonderful time!

Billy in the water, water spot on the lens.

all lined up and waiting for the people.

colorful floats!

beautiful sculpture

 Scenes from Colima:

street scene Colima

wifi stations in the plaza

lunch anyone?

I think this was in front of the Best Western Hotel

Plaza

 

sunset from my friend Sherry's house

beautiful sunset over the water

Well it took awhile to add these but I did it, time to go visit the horses.

Not enough hours in the day?

When I first moved here to Mexico, I would wake up in the morning and say to myself, ok so what are you going to do with yourself today?  I had endless hours to do nothing with, it was so strange to find myself in a strange land, with no job, no yard work etc. I did manage to catch up with my reading which I love. Now I find myself with to much to do. Which is a good thing, I'm not complaining, just seems funny how things have changed. The one thing that is taking up so much of my time is my friend Sherry's horses, and the land that she has them on. The place that she is leasing was waist high with weeds, well it looks nothing like that anymore, with a lot of hard work, we have managed to transform the place. Now that it looks nice we are working on putting in an obstacle course for the horses. We want people who have horses to come out and use it, also plan on having a horse fun day.  My husband Billy will be helping us build some of the obstacles for it. We already have the pole bending course up, and we have barrels for barrel racing, or in my case barrel trotting! I am also busy training Melaza, I have started riding her, which really means I have been on her back and we walked around the round pen for a few minutes, which is a very good start. I will be out there this afternoon to ride her, and I love  riding her mom too, she is all trained and a pleasure to ride.

Christmas: We had a nice Christmas and I was doing great, not missing everyone in the states until my son Skyped us, and everyone was at his house having a great time, then I started missing  them, after that my Christmas spirit kinda left me. I already took down all the Christmas decorations, something  that I never do till after the 1st of the year. Oh well like they say you can't have everything.

City:  My friend Julie, goes into Guad. all the time and sometimes I go with her, I love going into Guad. I wouldn't want to live there, but I love to visit it, so much to do and see. I just love people watching, and there were plenty to watch. I really am surprised that I like  the city, I usually don't like noise and crowds but I don't mind it at all when I am there. If you can't find what you are looking for in Guad, then you don't need it. It really helps to have someone with you who knows all the places to shop. My friend Jeanne, wanted  to go to the fabric stores as did Charis, Julie goes for the yarn and beads, and I went to look for some new clothes. We all managed to find things to buy, so it was a very successful day for all of us. I also remembered to take my camera so I could have  some new pictures for my blog. Get this I even had a spare battery for my camera, so I was prepared ! see you can teach an old dog new tricks. LOL

My Blog: Sometimes I think about not writing this blog, it takes awhile to do, with taking pictures, downloading them, finding something to say that will keep my readers coming back for more etc., but then I will go online and there will be a comment from a new reader, telling me that she likes my blog and horses, and she is looking forward to reading more, so what can you do, you say to yourself, and there you have it, you have to keep on writing.  So thank you readers for your comments, it is what keeps me going.

Traveling:  I told hubby, that we need to start seeing more of Mexico, next month we are going to go to Colima, it is only a 2 hour drive away, and I hear it is nice there, warmer than here as it is closer to the beach, maybe we will even go to the beach, which I really miss. I will post on that trip when we return.

Tapalpa:  We went to Tapalpa with our friends Jeanne and Eric, beautiful countryside, I thought it would be cold but it wasn't bad at all, we stayed over night because Jeanne and Eric were going Paragliding first thing in the morning. I took pictures of that but for some reason they didn't come out good so that is why there is only 1 posted here. This was our second time visiting Tapalpa, it is a nice quiet town, with lot's of little shops to wander in and out of. On our way into town we stopped at a little local store, we walked in and there was a young Mexican man with a smile from ear to ear, he spoke to us in his broken English and asked us where we were from and did we like Mexico, he was so happy to practice his English on us, this happens time and time again, it always makes us smile that the Mexican people are so proud to know some English. Now if only some of the Americans would show the same back by trying to learn Spanish that would be great!

Spanish lessons: My teacher is on vacation, and I am suppose to be studying on my own, and am I??? well not as much as I should be, I did do some homework, and I did study my nouns, so I guess I did some but I could do more, I have another week left before she gets back, after all I don't want to get detention.

Ok got to wrap this up and go ride Melaza this afternoon. Hope all my readers had a wonderful Christmas and Have a safe and Happy New Year.

The City at Christmas time

Me trying on my wings, I think I need a smaller size.

City traffic

I could not believe how they decorate your nails here!

My shopping buddies, from Left to right  Charis, Jeanne & Julie 

Guess who?

City Sights

People watching

the shoe shine man

something for everyone

street player

beautiful sand sculpture

cops on bikes

life size Nativity

Mexico's Michaels

Tapalpa

Tapalpa

This is Las Piedrotas

This is where Jeanne & Eric jumped off the mountain side!

Church

town square

 are we lost?  Our friends Chris & Barbara 

Church Bells

The view from up high

typical street in Tapalpa

another view of the church

church at sunset

either Jeanne or Eric, two wild and crazy people!

Animal Pictures:

One of my favorite pictures 

Our cats, taking a cat nap of course!

Sherry on Dulce

The girls in their Santa hats!

Melaza, ok are we done now?

Hope you all enjoyed the pictures, today they loaded right up, thank God!