Final Leg of the Journey

   It's been about thirteen months since I made the big decision to move to Mexico. I knew there would be hard days and days when I would say........."Why did I do this?" but I also knew if I didn't do it I would forever regret it. I'm past the time of my life when I can sit and ponder a big decision. I admit I'm compulsive and always have been. Looking back, I don't regret anything I've jumped into. I haven't lived here that long, just about three months. I've never asked myself why and I really haven't had any bad days but I do have lonely days. I'm a people person, which is something new I found out about myself. I have a lot of friends here but the language barrier is a big one for socializing. I'm learning though and the electronic connection with my friends back in the States is a good.

   We broke ground my first trip down here the end of last March and work was started immediately. A friend drew up the plans and another friend, that knows me well, designed quite a bit of it.

 

My street. The lot is a little behind tha first car, on the right side of the street.

 

Lot that I chose, walking distance to the Plaza yet very quiet.

 

                                                       Constructin started.

 

 

Building supplies dumped in the street, brought up to the site in wheel barrows and carried by hand

 

Ready to build!

 

   I came back the end of June. Not seeing hardly any pictures of the place, I didn't know what to expect. I knew I wanted a place smaller that where I was in the States. We arrived in town late at night, very dark country skies, I stepped out of the car and LOOMING was my house. It was too dark to see anything, it would have to wait till morning. The next day things looked a little different. From the outside it looks enormous but inside it's a perfect size. The outside was up and rooms formed inside but it was hard for me to imagine what it would look like.

 

 

 

La Casa

 

Curved stairs

Upstairs, looking into the two bedrooms

 

Working on my fireplace. Notice it looks like a tree rising up.

 

 

 This trip we picked out tiles, bathroom fixtures, and talked about colors, and some furniture. When I come down each time I'm staying at a friends rental right next door so I can watch my house come together from the porch.

 

So many tiles.

All hand painted.

 

Dining table

 

My bed

 

Loading it up.

 

 

    Next trip was a biggy, flying three of my animals down. But that was previous story. The plan was that I would move in now but there were things that still needed to be done. My kitchen wasn't set up yet, I needed closets. Everything was being hand made and with sawdust all over I decided to still stay next door in my friends house again. I still needed to go back to get the other animals and drive my truck down but I wanted the animals to get used to where they were before I left again. Things seemed to moving slowly now and didn't look like I was going to move in any time soon. In several weeks I went back to The States to complete the move. I only had about 10 days to get my stuff separated into what was going down with me now, what would come later and obtaining all I needed for the other two animals to make the trip. I had a big decision to make. My little schnauzer, Luger,who was twelve years old, had a heart problem and when he got over excited, which for a schnauzer is most of the time, he would faint. I wasn't sure he could make the trip down but my vet, that I adore, a wonderful caring man, cleared him for take off!!!! We had a good trip down, which is in a previous blog.

 

Unfinished kitchem waiting for cabinets to be made.

 

Butterflies have special meaning for me -- Freedom!

 

Looking into master bedroom on the main floor.

 

Looking upstairs. Landing still needs a railing.

 

Parking area in front

 

My wonderful orange house. I love it.

 

Happy face.

 

 

   I planned on staying the winter, then returning to the States in the spring to put my house on the market. I needed to move into my house several weeks before I left to go back so the animals would be comfortable there. It was a good time for me and my animal family. Generally, Luger was kept just in the yard where there was still plenty to see and smell. Once in a while I would walk him on our street. Walks were very stimulating for him and he loved them. They always ended in a fainting spell which looked sad, but did no harm. If it were me, my choice would be to enjoy what life I have, so that was my choice for him. I took him for a short walk on our street several days before I left. Boy he had a good time. So many smells. Other dogs, horses and who knows what else roams at night. He peed on everything he could lift his leg on, then proceeded to kick the dirt up with all his might, finally he fainted then we went home. I'm sure it was worth it for him and me too. I loved seeing him so "into it". They all needed to get accustomed to so many new sights and sounds. It was fun to watch. I planned to go back in March so needed to move in February which I did. There was still work being done but the kitchen was finished. I flew back early in March. Several weeks later I was notified that Luger had died. He was a special dog of my heart and I'm still so sad. He is buried in my yard. I'm so glad that I chose to bring him down with us. He so enjoyed all the new things. It added so much enrichment to his life. My little Luger...........................

 

 

 

I love the look in his eyes.

 

I like this picture of him looking out the door in the States.

 

One of the last pictures of Luger.