P.S.

Yes, Bob is crazy to have done Swiftsure just two months after his back surgery!

However, Don (Thank You, Don!!!) did most of the sailing, Bob just helped when necessary.

He could barely move for two days after the race . . . but is doing well again now.

What can I say? Men!

TW

Sorry!!!

Many of you have mentioned that I'm not up to date with my blog! I am sorry! Things have just been very busy. Truthfully, I probably will not have a whole lot of time this summer to keep it up . . . so don't be surprised if the entries are few!

However, feel free to check out my photo albums, which I do keep up to date. The link is on the left of this, called "My Newer Photos".

We are back in Canada. We were forced to return early due to the silly Swine Flu debacle! None of the airlines could guarantee me flights back before July, so I had to take a flight when I could get it. I have to be back by July as I have various work contracts set up and I couldn't take a chance on not being able to be here. So, here we are!

Not that being in Victoria is bad! I love it here just as much as I love Mazatlan.

So, until my work contracts start, I'm living on Bob's boat out in Sidney. We have been getting various bits and pieces fixed up and hope to head out to do some Island cruising soon.

We did have a Great Adventure in May. Bob had always wanted to take his boat in the International Swiftsure Yacht Race . . . so that is what we did last weekend! It was a wonderful adventure. Bob and Don took the boat down to Victoria's Inner Harbour on Wednesday and I drove the truck down. We got a prime spot on the docks in front of the Empress Hotel, right in the middle of all the hoopla. On Saturday morning we motored out to the start line along with the masses of other boats. Our race was the last to start. The first two hours there was very little wind. Everyone else was complaining . . . I loved it! Just coasting along at 2 to 3 knots! The wind did pick up and then everyone else was happy. We rounded the first mark and were half way to the second mark when there was a loud popping noise and the sail started flapping . . . we had broken a "thingy" (it's complicated!). So, we had to motor back to the Inner Harbour. Although Bob was disappointed that we didn't finish, we all agreed that it was great fun, and some of us will try it again next year. As we entered the Harbour we had three cruise ships accompany us! Bob and Don were able to fix the "thingy" and sailed back to Sidney on Monday, while I brought the truck back.

Bob got a new dinghy yesterday, so we/he has been playing with his new toy.

Hopefully we'll get out cruising this coming week.

Be sure to check out my photos! There are lots of the Inner Harbour and the race, as well as several short videos.

More info on the Surgery

So many of you have asked for more information about Bob's surgery. So, instead of typing it all out for each of you, I'm copying a few of the emails I sent out here.

March 11, 2009 5:17pm
Hi all
We arrived at the hospital at 9am so Bob could have all the pre-op testing done. Then he went into the pre-op room at 2 and into surgery about 3 . . . he'll be on the table for about 4 hours and then in post op for another 6 or so. He'll get back to the room somewhere around midnight. They have told me I can go home for tonight cause there is nothing I can do to help until tomorrow . . . haven't decided if I'll do that or not. There is a bed in his room for me, and I can't see why I would go home and then come back at 7am . . . so I'll probaby stay here. (I actually went out for dinner with a few girl friends instead of hanging around the hospital!)
So, I really have nothing to report . . . and won't for a while.
Thanks again for all your good wishes . . . I have complete faith that all will be well!!! I'll let you know as soon as I know anything . . .
Thanks, again!!
Trish


March 11, 2009 9:30pm
First of all, thank you all for all you good thoughts and wishes! They obviously worked, as he got rolled back into the room about 8:30pm . . . good thing I decided to stay the night after all!
He was groggy and thirsty and didn't want the interns to move him from the gurney to the bed, he wanted to do it himself. Of course, they wouldn't let him . . . he has tubes all over the place. The nurse got him all organised and I rubbed his feet and legs and arms cause he was cold.
Dr Roman came in about 9pm to see how he was and reported that the surgery went exactly as planned. He used a bunch of jargon and I wasn't paying too much attention, so will have to talk to him again in the morning.
Dr Roman brought Bob a cup of coffee, (He has no memory of this!) as that was what Bob complained most about this morning . . . not being able to have milk and sugar in his coffee! Of course, now he doesn't want the coffee, he just wants juice, which the nurse brought . . . really good, milky mango flavor (I tested it for him).
He is now sleeping peacefully . . . hopefully till morning when he will have a good breakfast. Dr. Roman says the catheter will come out of his back tomorrow afternoon and then he will be up on his feet.
The most amazing thing happened today! We had been told we would have wifi for the computer in the room. So, when we settled in this morning we checked . . . there was one unsecured connection and it kept dropping every 5 minutes. So, I when Karla came in, I mentioned it to her and she said she'd have the computer person come around and give me the password for a secure line. That person came by about an hour later and we got hooked up to a secure line, but she thought it was too slow so
she said someone else would come by in a little while and give us a hard connection! About 4 this afternoon, 3 maintenance guys showed up, opened the window and yelled out to another guy who was up on the roof. This guy threw a wire down, the fellows in the room caught it and plugged it into the computer!!! They used electrical tape to secure it to the wall/window . . . and there we are, all set up
with a hard line!!! Would this happen in Canada? In the States? Amazing!!!!
Anyway . . . better go check on the patient! Conchita just came in, looked him over and said everything is good, but I like to check myself!
Thanks again for all the good wishes . . . keep them up, as I'm going to need them for the next few days while he lazes around in bed!
I'll keep you updated as things happen!
Trish


March 12, 2009 3:30pm
Gads, it must be nice . . . snoozing away all day . . . having me around feed him, to fix the blankets, to help him roll over, to run across the street for Americanos and carrot muffins . . . he is getting spoiled!
But, he is doing well. He was in a lot of pain this morning so they upped his meds . . . now he is happy! He has tubes on both sides, one sending meds and stuff in and the other draining the incision area. So, he is kind of tied to the bed. He did sit up for a few minutes this morning . . . so he could get as close as possible to the window so he could have a few puffs of a cigarette. Dr Ramon (the neurologist) told him "Absolutely no smoking! . . . just open the window and don't tell anyone". Gloria, the nurse, came in 10 minutes after his smoke and just looked around and said we should leave the window open a little bit longer.
Dr Ramon said that the surgery went well, exactly as expected and no surprises. He cleaned up a lot of bone chips, scraped out several discs and totally removed one. He says that cartilage type stuff will grow in and replace the discs . . . and it is much better than putting titanium rods in. He will still have some flexibility . . . and no more discomfort from the herniated discs. (Don't quote me on this stuff!)
So . . . he is going to be here several more days . . . he can have a shower tomorrow . . . such excitment!!!
We are enjoying this afternoon . . . I've been reading his novel to him. It is a Stephen King, which I don't usually enjoy, but reading it out loud isn't so bad. I went for a walk in the neighbourhood this afternoon. There is an awesome looking rotisserie chicken place around the corner . . . guess what we're having for lunch tomorrow! The food here is pretty bland, but lots of it . . . to be expected, I suppose, at a hospital.
I normally have a Spanish class Thursday mornings, but when I told Monica I wouldn't be able to make it today, she suggested that she come to the Hospital for the class. So, Monica will give Sharon and I a Spanish class tomorrow morning, here at the hospital. There is some bi-lingual staff at this hospital so we haven't had too many problems communicating.
So . . . just wanted to let you all know that things are going as well as can be expected.
Thank you again, for all your well wishes!
Trish and Bob


March 14, 2009 5:00pm
Yeah!! Bob came home this afternoon! He is pretty drugged up, so not feeling
too much pain at all. He is moving very slowly and carefully and I'm hoping will
sleep a lot over the next few days.
Dr Roman is very pleased with Bob's recovery. He took out the drainage tube
yesterday which gave him a lot more freedom. Then they took out the IV late
last night, giving him complete freedom. He enjoyed his first shower very much.
He came home this afternoon with an arsenal of drugs and he has to go back on
Wednesday to have the staples removed. He is walking around a bit and only had
to stop and rest once on the stairs up to our apartment.
My Spanish teacher, Monica, came to the hospital yesterday and gave Sharon
and I our lesson right there. Unfortunately, my mind was mush and I don't think
I'll remember a single thing . . . but it was awful nice of her! After the class I pretty much crashed and burned . . . so deserted Bob and went home about 1pm. I slept almost straight through till 9am this morning.
We had thought he wouldn't be released till Sunday or Monday, but Monday being
a Stat Holiday, I think they were trying to get rid of everyone they could! Bob was
pretty bored and will be happier at home anyway. He found the food in the hospital
to be pretty typically bland and is looking forward to my cooking. Little does he know he is going to be getting a lot of bran in order to keep things "moving".
Bob says thank you to everyone who has offered their support and good wishes! I have
read him all your messages. He will be getting back to you before too long. I'm trying to keep him from sitting in front of his computer for too long . . . but I suspect when the Stock Market opens on Monday morning he'll be right there!
And I thank all of you for your support also! You have all told me to make sure that
I take care of myself so that I can take care of him and I have been doing just that.
Yesterdays sleep . . . and some extra chocolate rations have made a big difference
. . . I am bright eyed and bushy tailed again today! Now that we are home it will be
much easier for me to rest when I need it!
Thanks again!!!
Trish and Bob


Update, April 2, 2009
Bob is doing very well. He is getting out most days to walk several blocks or to take a cab to a restaurant for a meal. He is usually pretty tired afterwards. He has been complaining (whining!) that he is in some discomfort, but Dr Ramon says that is to be expected and that after he starts physio (probably next week) he will start to feel much better. In the mean time the bones are mending. He will be heading back to Victoria after his physical therapy is finished . . . maybe four to six weeks.
Thanks again, for all your good wishes and prayers! All is good!
Check out the photos in my album . . . if this link doesn't work, just go to my "Newer photos" link to the left and click on the "Surgery" album. I've taken out some of the more gruesome ones!
http://www.flickr.com/photos/teedublu/sets/72157615407036078/
TW

Surgery!

I don't know where the time goes!! I haven't been so busy that I don't have time to write in my blog . . . it is just that I always seem to be doing something else. I will try to do better!!

We very much enjoyed Carnival in February. We didn't take part in any of the partying as that isn't our thing at all. But we did go to the top of the Freeman Hotel to see the fireworks. The wind was blowing towards the hotel so the fireworks were coming down all around us . . . it was incredible. There are some great Carnival photos and videos at this blog http://www.countdowntomexico.com/2009/02/25/whew-it-was-a-blast/. Nancy's blog is a wonderful one to read to learn more about what is happening in Mazatlan . . . and she updates way more often than I do!!

The "big event" over the last little while is Bob's surgery. Those of you who email me occasionally already know about it. Bob has always had back problems, due to his scoliosis. The last few months his back has been getting worse and it has been affecting his leg. His leg would go numb, starting just occasionally, but more recently, almost every day . . . sometimes it could not support his weight. It was becoming a dangerous situation . . . a few times we had to take a taxi home. If he was up north, being on his boat would be difficult and as it got worse, living on his boat would be impossible.

We talked to our Doctor, who referred us to a Neurologist. We had an MRI done. The Neurologist advised surgery. We did some research, checked out the Doctor, the hospital, others who have had the same surgery at the same hospital with the same Doctor. Bob decided he wanted to go ahead with it. Having the surgery done now, before it was an emergency situation would make it much easier for the Doctor as well as for Bob's recovery.

Now comes the incredible part. This process, from the initial doctor visit, to the actual surgery . . . took 11 days!!! Do you know how long that would have taken in Victoria? Years!!! (But I'm not going to go into that here!).

Anyway, go to "My Newer Photos" (to the left) and click on "Mar 11 Bob's Surgery" and you can see the whole thing. Actually, I've taken out the more gruesome and the more revealing photos . . . but you'll get the idea.

It is now 11 days after the surgery. Yesterday I took Bob out for his very first walk. We went three blocks, to the Plazuela Machado. He was pretty tired afterwards but very much enjoyed it. Today we will go four blocks. In about two weeks he will start physical therapy which will take 4-8 weeks. He may head home and finish his therapy there if it gets too hot here.

I've got almost 4 full months of work contracts booked, from July 1 to November 3 . . . so I'll be heading home at the end of June.

That's all for now! I sure would love to hear from some of you guys!!

I am officially no longer a tourist!

I pick up my FM3 today! That means I can stay in Mexico for more than 180 days, I can open a bank account here, I can get medical coverage . . . I think it means they like me!!!

It was really great to see Chris and Beth! It is hard to believe they have been gone now for over a week! We gallivanted all over town with them, to many restaurants and places that Bob and I had either never been to or had gone to when we first arrived last year and not managed to get back to. We saw Mazatlan from a different perspective. Chris and Beth loved the Golden Zone whereas we love El Centro. It was a good experience to see the Golden Zone through the eyes of new comers, folks here for a holiday and not an extended stay.

While Chris and Beth were here, we hired Pedro, our favorite pulmonia driver, to give us a tour of Mazatlan. He drove us around for 4 hours and covered a lot of territory! You can look at my photos (link to the left) for some of the highlights.

On Wednesday of this week, "the ladies" and I hopped on a long distance bus and went to El Quelite (approx $3.00Cdn). El Quelite is a very small pueblo, population 2500, about one hour north east of Mazatlan. What a delightful little town! So clean and fresh! Ken Lane met us there and drove us around, showing us his unique home, Dr Osuna's fabulous restaurant, the bakery (awesome squash empanadas, the cheese "factory" (a local woman's kitchen), the cock farm (www.elquelite.com) and the town in general. Check my photos to see what a pretty town it is! I'm looking forward to another opportunity to go back.

The build up for Carnival is already starting! I'll let you know how it goes!

Sasha was here!

My niece, Sasha, came to visit for a week! Our place is too small, so she stayed with my friend Bobbi, who just lives a few blocks away. Unfortunately, the sun did not shine every day she was here, but we went to Stone Island and spent a day at Playa Bruja and another day at Olas Altas, just soaking up some sun. Sasha cooked us a delicious dinner one day (chicken with Kaluha and mango). I think we ate at Puerto Viejo three times (much to Antonio's pleasure!) Also ate at Pedro & Lola's, The Shrimp Bucket, La Tramoya, La Rochin, Lupe Loco's and Fish Taco. She joined me at my Spanish class, where we learned how to say "I am allergic to nuts!!" and she also joined us at Tai Chi. We did some shopping, both on the beach and at the shops. Oh, and most exciting of all, we climbed El Faro!! The tallest natural lighthouse on the west coast and the second highest in the world! It is over 550feet above sea level. I was very proud of myself . . . wasn't sure I could do it, but with Sasha, Irma and Fred, we gave each other lots of moral support. The view from the top was incredible! See my latest photos. I hope to have more photos when Sasha sends me hers (hint, hint!). Sasha is 5'10", has very pale skin and is young. All quite rare in Mazatlan . . . she stopped traffic on a regular basis and had several invitations to Senor Frog's to party. Thank goodness she took my advice to wait till next year when she comes back with a friend . . . I would have been completely grey worrying about her if she had gone on her own! It was a wonderful breath of fresh air to have her here! And we have nearly recuperated!

Chris and Beth (Bob’s bro and s-i-l) arrived last Wednesday! They are attending the Bridge Group Gathering and staying at the Hotel Playa Mazatlan so we get to spend time with them in the evenings and weekends. I’ll let you know everything we did in my next post!

Who will visit us next? We’d love to see you!!

Feliz Navidad y Próspero Año Nuevo

Christmas has come and gone and it is nearly 2009! Time is moving so quickly!

We had a lovely Christmas. We went for a walk along Olas Altas in the morning and decided to stop and have some breakfast at one of the restaurants where we could watch the waves crashing on the beach. We spent the afternoon at home, making phone calls to family and friends. And then we enjoyed a wonderful dinner with a group of friends at the Olas Altas Steak House. It was a special Christmas Buffet, with turkey, ham and prime rib, stuffing and all the fixings, as well as pecan and pumpkin pie. Unfortunately, they were out of pumpkin pie by the time we were ready for it . . . but the whole meal was one of the best I've had in Mazatlan. Take a look at the "My Newer Photos" link to see the sunset and the view from our dining table.

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!!

How time flys!!!

Bob has been here nearly two weeks . . . and it is wonderful to have him "home" again! I missed him so much! Life is beginning to settle back down into some sort of pattern again. Except, of course, for all the Christmas hoop-law!

Bob arrived, safe and sound, on Dec 8th. He had hurt his back the day before he left while putting the boat to bed, so he spent the next few days recovering, settling into my apartment and re-acquainting himself with Mazatlan.

Thank you, everyone, for all the birthday wishes! It was so good to receive all the birthday cards you sent with Bob! And I even received several via the Mexican Postal System!! It seems to take less time for an envelope to get here from Coventry, England than from Victoria!! Two weeks from England and about three weeks from Canada. But I don't care if they are late, it is just so awesome to get mail from home!

We seem to have been very busy! Bob trades most mornings . . . and I go off to Spanish classes, Library volunteering, shopping, or doing whatever has to be done . . . and there always seems to be some something that needs doing!! In the afternoons we head out to one of our favorite palapa restaurants or on the great adventure of finding something specific! Shopping in Mazatlan is always time consuming and often frustrating! Bob forgot to bring many things that I had asked him to bring from home . . . as well as many of his own things! He showed up with no sunglasses, no hat, no shorts, and only the underwear he was wearing! We did manage to find him some shorts and underwear within the first few days. A decent hat took a bit longer . . . but we are still looking for sunglasses! Apparently "clip-ons' are simply not sold here! Thank goodness Chris and Beth (Bob's bro and sil) are coming down in January to bring us everything else that Bob forgot!

It is hard to believe that Christmas is only five days away! The streets in Centro are crowded with vendors selling everything imaginable. Many houses and businesses are decorated with masses of lights and tacky blow-up Santas. There is a large manger scene in Plaza Revolucion . . . right beside the Coca Cola Christmas Tree! The Plazuela Machado is decorated with thousands of sparkly white lights and a wonderful sand sculpture manger scene. However, it has been sunny every day with a light breeze coming up every afternoon about 2 . . . couldn't be more perfect . . . but it sure doesn't feel like Christmas!

I'm sorry I don't have some current photos for you! I'm trying to take my camera with me and will do my best to have some soon!

Feliz Navidad!!!

The most excellent sofa buying adventure

It is not always easy to get things done here . . . I don't have enough Spanish to manage something as complex as purchasing a second hand sofa and getting it delivered and into my apartment. However, with help from my friend, Lee, and two strangers, we managed . . . and I'm thrilled with the result!

It started out when my friend, Dee, told me that a friend of hers was moving and selling a love-seat size sofa and if I wanted it I had to get over there within an hour. It was only a 20 minute walk away, so I trotted over, liked it, bargained a good price and arranged that I'd pick it up between 5 and 7 that evening.

A few days earlier, my friend, Lee and I, had found the perfect small table with collapsable legs, to be used as a desk, at Coppel, a department store on the other side of Centro. I purchased it and Lee and I walked all the way through the busiest part of downtown . . . her at one end and me at the other . . . and we got it home, safe and sound. We thought that was an adventure. The sofa was to be the most excellent adventure! At least the end result was most excellent!!!

I called Lee up (she has very, very good Spanglish), discussed the options, and decided we should walk back to where the sofa was, grab an auriga (red-truck type taxi), pay the driver an extra fee for him to get a buddy and help us load the sofa into his truck, take it to my place, and unload it. Sounds pretty simple, doesn't it? Walking there was easy! Finding an auriga was easy! The auriga driver finding a buddy to help was easy! But that is where easy stopped!!! That was about when we found out that the only way to get the sofa out of the room it was in, was to take the slats out of a window and lift it up and out the window. Okay, so we did that . . . a bit more work than we had anticipated, but we were successful. Drove the short distance to my place. Did I mention that to get to my place, we go in a narrow door, up a narrow, twisting stairwell (in the dark), down another narrow hallway to the back deck, then in my apartment door. I was smart . . . I had taken the door off the hinges before I even left the house! So, these wonderful men, hoofed the thing up those stairs, down the hall and into the doorway of my apartment. And there it stopped! It was too big! They twisted it and turned it and pushed it and kicked it . . . Dennis came over from across the deck and said, "No way, it won't fit". Marion came down from upstairs and just laughed and said "Forget it". Lee was outside with the men . . . I was inside on the other side of the sofa which was perched on it's end in the doorway. All I could hear was laughter, moans, groans, yells, shouts, and the occasional bang as they tried to force the sofa through the doorway. Lee said that one of the fellows was on his back, holding on to the grillwork on the wall, slamming with his feet on the sofa, forcing it in. I was on the other side, shouting encouragement . . . “Only 3 more inches!” . . . “Only one more inch!” . . . finally, to the sight and sound of a good inch of the plaster on my wall crumbling to the floor . . . the sofa came through! The sofa was slightly worse for it's adventure . . . but nothing a bit of duct tape didn't fix! And now it sits in my livingroom . . . never to be removed!!! It looks great! I love it! I gave the auriga drivers an extra huge tip for work way above and beyond the call of duty!

But, you know . . . that's how it often is here in Mazatlan . . . they will do everything they can to help out . . . and they won't give up until they have done their absolute best! I mean . . . these were two guys we pulled in, off the street!!! I find it amazing . . . and wonderful!

And that was my sofa buying adventure! I'm sure my friend Lee is wondering what I will ask of her next!!!

Keeping busy!

Hola! Sorry I'm not updating this blog too often! Not too much has been happening . . . just the day to day events.

Dinner at Te Amo Lucy's was good. Not as good as I had anticipated though. I enjoyed the Chile en Nogada but probably would not order it again. Maybe on Independance Day . . . sort of like having turkey on Thanskgiving . . . you have it whether it is your favorite or not! Te Amo Lucy's was very, very crowded that evening and very noisy . . . not my favorite way to have dinner with friends.

Since then I've sorted out my Spanish classes. My friend, Sharon (from Saskatoon), and I go on Monday and Thursday mornings to Monica's house for lessons. I really like this way instead of a larger class as we get a lot of personal attention and if there is something specific we want to learn or have explained, we are not disrupting the whole class. For example, I've been having some confusion with my Optomitrist about time of appointments . . . so on Thursday, Monica explained to us how to tell time properly! Also, what is the customary thing to say when you want to step over someone on the bus . . . pardoneme! I had been saying "permissio" and getting some strange looks so I knew it wasn't quite right! Occasionally, Monica will take us out to various shops, so we get some hands on experience using what we learn, in addition to the very basic "please", "thank-you", "how much", etc that I use now. She has a vendor booth at the cruise ship terminal where she says we can join her one day . . . that will be very interesting!

Today is a Stat Holiday. Revolution Day is on Thursday but the holiday is today, so Spanish class is cancelled and my optomitrist is closed. So, instead, the Ladies and I will go to Loco Lupe's (Crazy Lupe's) for a meal (ribs are his Monday special). Loco Lupe's is one of our favorites . . . a palapa restaurant right on the beach, where we can sit for the whole afternoon if we want!

Hasta luego!