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!!!

Not much to blog about these days

Life has been relatively quiet the past little while. I haven't had anything earthshattering to write about, so I've kept busy reading everyone else's blogs.

I've read about some delicious Thai recipes from Theresa - http://theresainmerida.blogspot.com/

Learned about the Beach Recovery Plan from Cancun Canuck - http://www.cancuncanuck.com/

Kept up with the life of Brenda and Roy - http://brendandroygoingtomexico.blogspot.com/

Ogled more pictures on Nancy's Blog - http://countdowntomexico.blogspot.com/ and enjoyed stories on their day to day lives.

And, of course, I've been completely caught up in the adventures of Cindy and Mike - http://cintia-y-miguel.blogspot.com/

There are a ton more blogs I read but these are just a few of the regulars. If you haven't checked them out, then shame on you, you should!

How the hell am I supposed to do that????

On Thursday, I have bring the puppers, Trap and Chorney, to the vet's for their annual rabies, heartworm test, etc, etc. Chorney, the geriatric shepperd also needs a check up because we found blood in her urine.

Now, keep in mind that Chorney is over 13 yrs old and has been really very healthy her entire life. What we are dealing with lately is a back end that is just giving out on her. Although she still has control over her bladder, she regularly pops turds wherever she may happen to be. It's not her fault. She doesn't even know she's doing it. We just deal with it, and clean up behind her. She's earned that much. She's also very weak in her back end and has trouble walking, climbing stairs, and getting up from a down position.

So when I told the vet's office that I was concerned about the blood in her urine, she asked me to pop by and pick up a "urine specimen cup".

Pardon me?

Yes, a urine specimen cup for my pooch.

I'm trying to figure out how in the world I'm going to get this accomplished. This regal old girl likes her privacy, and having my hand shoved under her "parts" while she's attending to business isn't going to go over well with her.

Wish me luck everyone!

Bugs in the Sink

These dudes really bother me.  Every summer they're around the house, lurking in tubs and sinks, just waiting to scare the bejeesus out of me.  

After a long, quiet winter of safety from these multi-legged forms of terror, I found one in the kitchen sink this morning.

I was by myself.

No one could help me.

I had to kill it myself.

This reminded me of another murderous attempt on my part, that failed horribly.  Here's the story.  My entire family laughs and guffaws every time someone brings it up.

The scene:

I'm alone in the house.  (Insert scary music here)  I'm completely nekkid in the bathroom, getting ready to have a shower.  The water is on, and I'm ready to get in.

I pull the shower curtain back and.........  THERE IT IS!!!!

I reel back in horror, my hands and legs are shaking.

IT'S IN THE TUB!  ALL 900 LEGS!!!  (Ok, so they don't have 900 legs, but it sure felt like it at the time.)

What do I do?????  OH GOD!  WHAT DO I DO!!!!!!!!!

I have to act fast otherwise it will run away and I won't know where it's gone.

The Plan:

If I unroll about 40 feet of toilet paper, I think to myself, that should be enough to squish it while keeping it safely away from my skin.  It's a good plan. 

Action:

I pull on the toilet paper, and reams and reams of it fall to the floor.  I gather it up, take a deep breath ready to face my fear.  I know I can do this.  It's only a bug right??

I whip back the shower curtain again, stab at the creature, missing.  I reload, and stab out again, this time covering his body in toilet paper.  I grab and squish.  SQUISH!!!!  Make sure the little bugger is good and dead!

I pull up the lid on the toilet and throw the mound of toilet paper in, slamming the lid back down and flushing.

By this time, I'm sweating.  My heart is pounding and I'm feeling faint.

But wait!  I won!  I did it!  I killed the bug, and flushed his body!  I can have my shower now!

Everything is good, and I'm feeling great!  I have a nice, long shower, enjoying my new found sense of freedom.  I've faced the enemy and won.

Until.....

My husband comes home, and I rush out to tell him how brave I was.  How I looked into the centipede's eyes and crushed him.  I was brave, strong.  Husband laughs and goes into the washroom to do his business.  I hear laughing.  The door opens and he calls me in.

He points into the toilet, and the centipede is sitting on top of the blob of toilet paper that didn't go down on the first flush, and he's staring at me.  Ugh.

I hate those centipedes.