8 Days and Counting

Our trip to Playa has really kind of crept up on us. I remember thinking "We still have 9 weeks before we go" and here we are at 8 days. Time flies! I mean seriously. This whole summer has just whipped by so far. Maybe I should stop wishing Monday to Friday away...

We've been mentally checking things off our to-do list, and list is getting rather short now. I'm sure there are other things we'll have to do, but these are the ones that are foremost on my mind right now.

• Buy US money
• Stock up on sun screen
• Find a kennel for Chorney
• Ask Meaghan's friend's mom if they will look after the hamster
• Get Meaghan new flip flops
• Finish reading my book for school so I can read something that I WANT TO READ!

I got a great list of cheap places to eat in Playa from http://www.playa.info/index.html . We're not rich and since there are 4 of us going this time we need to find ways of cutting down on costs while we're there. One of the wonderful members on the board had compiled an 8 page list of restaurants, mercado's, taco carts etc. I've printed it off and put it with the other info type stuff I'm bringing with us.

I've been in touch with the owners of the Plantation House, and recieved all the information needed from them. I'm looking forward to meeting them! She is from France and by coincidence, he is originally from a city about 30 minutes from here, which is where I lived when I first moved down here from northern Ontario. They seem like really nice, genuine people.

I found a webcam located at Playa Palms Beach so I've been watching the people go by on and off throughout the day. This morning I saw a guy taking a picture of 7 empty beach chairs. Why, I don't know... Seems like an odd thing to take pictures of, but that's just me. I would have turned around and taken a picture of the ocean!

This will probably be our last trip until after I finish teacher's college. There just won't be any money leftover for trips until I finish and actually start teaching, so we'll have to make the most of this one! I know that in about 3 or 4 months I'll be wanting to go again. Just have to keep myself in check and be responsible. Being responsible sucks.

Letting Go

My son is 18 now. Where the time has gone, I can't say. I remember giving birth to him, bringing him home from the hospital, watching him grow and being so incredibly proud of him as he tackled new things, made accomplishments, learned a new language, played sports, excelled... well, the list goes on.

He has decided to go up to nothern Ontario to spend a week with his dad. This isn't anything new - he's been doing this for the past 15 years.

In the past though, his father and I have both driven and met half-way to hand him off (it's about a 10 hour drive there and back for each of us). The past few years, I've taken him into Union Station in Toronto, bought his train ticket and seen him safely on the train, not leaving until it had pulled out of the station.

This morning, I took him into Burlington and dropped him off at the Go Station, the commuter train that runs through southern Ontario and has it's hub at Union Station in Toronto, where he will buy his ticket for the eleven hour journey and make his way through the crazy, bustling train station.

He's navigating on his own this time. I'm not there to make sure that he manages to find the right counter, buy his ticket, and find the platform to board his train.

The train pulls out at 8:40 - that's in 11 minutes. He's got his cell phone, and I've already texted him twice to make sure that everything is going ok. Neurotic? Maybe. But no matter his age, he's still my baby and this is the first time he's doing this on his own without me to guide him and make sure he's safe.

I won't rest until he lets me know that he's on the train and underway and that he's safe.

This parenting stuff is hard.

The Weather and Me

With our departure date for Playa fast approaching, someone at work asked me, "Aren't you afraid to travel down there with tropical storm Dolly around? What if something happens while you're there? What if there's a (gasp) ... HURRICANE!"

I kind of chuckled. Maybe I have more balls than a lot of people, braver, less concerned... I don't know. Whatever it is, I'm just not afraid of weather. Don't get me wrong - I have a very healthy respect for Mother Nature, but I'm not about to run and hide from her, living my life in a bubble.


I find nothing more awesome and beautiful than a huge thunderstorm complete with thunder and lightning. Would I go stand in the middle of the street in bare feet toting a big metal pole? Of course not. But I'll stand under a safe roof, watching and listening with fascination, appreciating nature and all it's power with wonder.


I guess that some northerners are afraid of the "unknown". We don't get hurricanes, cyclones, tropical storms or things of that nature. We have had a few weak earthquakes in this area along with a few smaller tornadoes, but nothing of any real concern. Us northerners live in a relatively safe area, free from the serious weather dangers experienced in other parts of the world. But I seriously doubt that Mother Nature is going to keep me from going where I want and experiencing life.


I looked at my friend today, and felt a little sorry for her. I felt sorry that she's got these fears that hold her back from enjoying and experiencing life. The beauty of Mexico is well worth the miniscule risk!

It's been a month already???

Wow! It's been a month since I posted anything. How time flies.....

Let's see. Updates.

The vet visit went well with the dogs. Barkey McBarker (aka Chorney the geriatric shepherd) received a fairly clean bill of health. The urine sample never materialized, even after 40 minutes of stalking her in the backyard armed with surgical gloves and a urine specimen cup. I was ready to dive everytime it looked like she was going to pee, but alas.... Nothing. She wouldn't even pee when the vet tech took her outside at the office! However, there's been no more blood in her blood that we can see, so we're just leaving things alone. Her back end is failing miserably now though. Her back paws are knuckling under at times and she's unable to climb the stairs up of the back deck, and relies on someone to carry her up. This is pretty hard for me since she weighs 80 pounds, but we're managing. Sad to think that she just won't be around much longer.

Trap (the greyhound) weighed in at a whopping 87 pounds - the heaviest he should be while remaining at a healthy weight. Too bad he's so damn lazy or he might be able to shed a few of those pounds. The vet wanted to kidnap him. It's hard not to fall in love with this big red boy....

We splurged and bought a new trailer. I haven't taken any pictures of it, but I'll post some when I do. I absolutely love it. We have had a trailer parked permanently in a park about 40 minutes from home, and we love being there. We spend pretty much every weekend there between April and October. Our little home away from home. Our old one was just not big enough. It's one thing when you're just using it a few days here and there, but the place really is another home for us and we were pretty cramped. I can't wait to show you guys pictures!!!

Our departure date for Playa del Carmen is fast approaching and we're all getting pretty excited. I've been thinking of buying one of those portable DVD players for our daughter to watch on the plane. The plane ride is going to be long and boring for her, so this would give her something to do. Quite frankly I can easily sleep for the entire flight, but I doubt she will!

If everything goes well and she enjoys it (I can't see how she wouldn't, but who knows...) we might make this a yearly thing once I've finished teacher's college.

There's been absolutely no more discussion on relocating to Mexico. I'm not pushing it. We've got a long time before we make any decisions anyway. For right now I'm just going to sit back and enjoy this trip. 3 weeks to go!!!