Dog Days

The "Dog days of summer" are coming to an end and one might expect that would mean that cooler temperatures will be coming quickly. However, although the dog days are associated with summer time heat, they are associated more by correlation than by causation. 
The time from early July until mid August is often the hottest time of year in the northern hemisphere. It is also the time of year that the constellation Canis Major (the big dog) and Sirius, the night's brightest star, are emerging from being behind the sun.
Sirius, (the Dog Star) is just now visible in the early morning sky, rising just before sunrise. By winter it will be visible nearly the entire night, rising at around 7:30 PM on the solstice. 

I mention this because our temps are heading upwards again and will be nearing 100 (38 C) degrees in just a few days. The couple of cooler days were welcome, but today starts another warm up. I'm okay with that.  The continuing March towards shorter days and cooler temps makes me a little sad. 
I am a summer boy.

August is motivating me to get ready for the coming winter. And by "getting ready for winter" I mean planning a trip to a warmer climate! I hope that airfare remains affordable for trips to Mexico. Or maybe we can plan something along the southern coast of Texas or Florida. That would work, too.

Happy Monday.
Enjoy the sun and the summer. 
Summer days are going quickly.

John

Shhh...

One of the things that really stands out when returning home from time in Puerto Vallarta is the quiet.
Since it is a mere 40 (4C) degrees outside and I am enjoying my coffee inside, it seems especially quiet. I am looking forward to the quiet days and even quieter nights that my rural retirement allows me to enjoy.
With the exception of re-adapting to the cooler temperatures, settling back into the simple routine of an overweight retired guy living in the Midwest will come quite easily.

The yard definitely needs some attention and I think I will get right after it today. The afternoon promises to be sunny and warm, without the humidity that I've been experiencing in the tropical beach area around Puerto Vallarta. 
Sitting on the mower for a few hours seems like a fine way to ease back into the daily yard work routine. The weeding, tilling, and planting can wait for another day.

Another noticeable thing about returning home is how much greener it is than when I left just a few weeks ago. Perhaps the bright green is more noticeable because the tropics are at the end of the dry season and much of the vegetation is brown and anxiously waiting for the summer rains. 
The trees here are so green, the flowers are blooming, and the hummingbirds have returned. In spite of the cool nights, I am convinced that summer is on its way! 

While it is true that I would be happy living in a tropical ocean area, it is also true that I have an incredibly good life here, in the Ozarks of Southwest MO (SWMO).  I'm sure that adding a swimming pool and some kayaking to the mix will make this summer even better.

Just another day in the life of ...

John

 

Travel Day!

It's travel day.

Need I say more? 

I am hoping for no delays, smooth TSA/Customs interactions, and an empty seat next to me. Or maybe some big bucks to swap flights with someone that just has to get back to the US.

Being retired can have bonus perks.

Air travel is a wonderful thing...right up until it isn't!

Wish me well!

John

¡Hasta proxima mis amigos!

It's May!
That means we are half way through spring and well on our way to summer!

If my 3 weeks in Puerto Vallarta are any indication of what is to come, we are in for a hot summer this year! The warmer than usual Pacific waters mean we could be experiencing a Super El Niño event this year. 
Oh boy!

I am ending my short stay in PV tomorrow. Yesterday we took a trip to Guadalajara with a stop in Tequila. In Tequila we toured the Arette distillery and then continued on to Guadalajara for the Chivas women's play off game. It was my first professional soccer game and we got to see a winner! One of the women scored and set the all-time record for career goals scored by any Chivas player -- men or women!
I wish them well as they continue in their post season play.

I'll write more about the tour and trip in a later post.
Today we'll be driving back to PV and tomorrow I will be heading home.
It will be great to see Chris and I know there is plenty of work ahead of me. I am also looking forward to going to some local ballgames and maybe breaking out the inflatable kayak for some summer paddling. While I do love the time I get to spend in Mexico, I also know that I am fortunate to live where we do and I enjoy the life we have there, as well.

¡Hasta proxima, mis amigos!

John

Too busy doing nothing...

It has been pretty rare that I have been on my Chromebook or browsing on my phone for these past couple of weeks. While I am certain to have missed many interesting posts and pics, I can't imagine that I would have gained any life changing information. 

I also cannot say that I have been busy because I have done very little in the way of being a productive human being.
I have been to the beach a couple of times and managed a few long walks.
Yesterday we went to the botanical gardens and spent most of our time swimming in the river. I'll post a few pics at some point. 
I have met with friends for lunch, dinner, and drinks, and a night of karaoke.
I have been to the ballpark for the kids' softball games.  
I did finally get the crowns for my dental implants, which was the main reason for this particular trip.
And I have been in the kids' pool every single day and will be in it again today. I am definitely going to have to get one.

This morning's coffee is at another neighborhood shop -- Providencia Cafe. I find it interesting that many of the coffee shops don't open until 8 AM. A few, like this one, open at 7. 
I have been back and forth between a hot or iced Americano each day and am thinking it might be time to start cold brewing coffee when I get back home.

The springtime garden work is piling up at home and I'm not doing anything here other than lounging in the pool, tormenting the kids, and disturbing their normal life rhythm, so I have shortened my stay to just three weeks and will be going home on Saturday.
I really need to make a plan to get some regular walking or exercise when I get home. That kind of activity has been good for me these past two weeks. I am hoping that I have lost a few pounds on this trip. I have been more active (in spite of my time in the pool) and I am pretty sure that I have been eating less. I guess I'll see next weekend.

It's another beautiful day in Puerto Vallarta. 
I wonder what gems are in store for us today.

John

Retirement does not suck.

It's just another day.
It has been some time that coming to Mexico doesn't really feel like vacation. In fact, any travel since I retired just feels like being retired someplace other than at home. I don't feel like I have a life that I need to get away from, so being away from home isn't like a necessary escape.

I managed to talk myself out of a 2+ mile walk this morning. I had an iced Americano at the coffee shop around the corner from the kids and read a chapter or two in my new Kindle book. I had initially planned a walk to A Page in the Sun bookstore/Cafe but decided to Uber here instead.

I'll enjoy a second Americano, this one hot, and spend some time on the Chromebook. I'll check out some of the shops here in the Romantic Zone and then meet a couple of friends for lunch. I have a late afternoon follow up appointment with my dentist and then Aaron has an evening softball game. If I am going to keep my pool day streak alive, it will have to be a nighttime swim -- and that is actually quite likely.

It is a little weird that I am thinking about the gardening work at home that isn't getting done. If my dental appointment goes as well as I am expecting it to, I may consider cutting my time here a little short and returning to the comfortable routine of home a few days early. I am sure that sounds a little weird, but I truly am a homebody and cherish my quiet and peaceful life. I will need to research getting a pool, though. A daily swim throughout the hot summer will be something to look forward to.

It's not quite the hot, humid rainy season just yet, but it is getting close. The tourist season is dying down and the local shops are gearing down for the "low" season.
We have hot and humid in SWMO but without the ocean. We do have lakes and rivers and plenty of humidity adding trees. I need to make use of my inflatable kayak this year. That would be a decent summer activity.

It's time to enjoy the sun and enjoy my day.
I hope yours is wonderful.

John

Happy birthday, Aaron!

I took a casual walk this morning. I grabbed a cold brew coffee at Emmana Cafe on the way and enjoyed a pretty easy walk to my current location --  A Page in the Sun. It's a little coffee shop and bookstore on the square in the Romantic Zone. On the way here I passed by the finish line area of the ultimate marathon that is this weekend in PV. 
I am amazed -- not only at the runners completing it, but at how good they looked at the finish. 
Wow!

And I was going to be proud of myself for walking a little over two miles for my coffee this morning!
smh

     * * * * *

In an hour or so I will be meeting up with the kids and some of their friends to celebrate Aaron's birthday. It's hard to believe that this pic was taken 37 years ago!

The kids (Aaron and Jenny) have a pretty good life, here in Puerto Vallarta. 
In addition to living in a tropical beach city, they travel frequently and have made visits to Great Britain, Spain, Morocco, Bolivia, and Australia in the past few years. Plus they went on a Caribbean cruise with a friend this past winter.
You have done well, Aaron!
I am happy I get to celebrate with you this year.

John

Poolside

I am blogging poolside today!
I had originally thought about an early morning walk to a coffee shop/book store in the Romantic Zone, and then to hang around until possibly meeting some friends for lunch. Since we decided to meet for lunch next week, I decided that I would wait until tomorrow to make the long walk for coffee and then meet up with Aaron and Jenny's friends for a birthday brunch for Aaron.

Today I just had coffee around the corner and have been chillin' in the pool and occasionally reading a few pages in my book. The late morning sun is beginning to make its way over the pool and will be full bright for several hours before slipping behind a building and casting a shadow over the pool in the late afternoon. 

I have a little bit of shade on the east side of the pool for a little longer and thought I would type out a few words.

I am very happy that Aaron and Jenny have this place and a wonderful community surrounding them. They have several diverse friend groups. Some overlap a little and others remain separate. While many are expats, they also have local friends and non-US expat friends.
Between weekend beach days, weeknight softball games, and occasional game nights at a local brewery they stay busy and connected with the people from their different groups.
Naturally,we have a much smaller circle of friends here, but I do look forward to spending time with them whenever we are around.

Maybe I need to work on building some friend groups back home.
Meh -- maybe not.

John

Poolside coffee

Estación Café is closed on Sundays so I walked a little bit farther to Organic Café for this morning's coffee. It is more of a walk-up and walk out kind of coffee shop so I am now enjoying my Americano by the pool at the kids place. 
It is pleasant out here this morning. 73 (23 C) now and it will be sunny and 90 (32 C) later this afternoon. 

By then we will be on the beach in nearby Bucerías. 
Life is pretty good. 

I finished another book and the next book in that series isn't due out until next spring, so I am on to something else. I had planned to stick to easy reading while I am enjoying the tropics, but I may double up with a second book as one of Jenny's friends dropped off a book that sounds pretty interesting -- Worse Than A Lie by author Ben Crump.
I'll have my Kindle book, Stolen Book, Shuttered Library by Stewart Buettner, to read when I'm out for coffee or on the beach and the actual book book to read here at the kids' place.

Sounds like a plan.

I know -- it is a privileged life to be able to read and to have the time to read. 
It is something I am aware of and I am grateful for it -- both for the privilege and for the many books that are available. 

John

¡Buenos días!

Good morning from the Estación Café corner coffee shop near the kids' place in Puerto Vallarta!
It is bazaar day and the vendors have stocked their booths for several blocks. You can buy anything from plumbing, hardware, tools, clothes, bags, shoes, fresh produce, and cooked food. It's quite the weekly event.

Yesterday was a good travel day. I arrived midday, spent the afternoon in the kids' new pool, and then made it to Monzón Brewery for an evening brew and to meet with some friends. We'll hit a couple of different beaches today and tomorrow and I'm sure I'll connect with more friends. 

I wasn't on my Chromebook at all yesterday and don't plan on being on it after posting this note today. I may post a few pics on Facebook or Instagram, but I am hoping to spend much less time on such things.
We shall see how that goes.

Be well,

John 

Home

After a long and unsuccessful travel day yesterday, I finally arrived home to a rainy and cold day. 
Friday's first flight was delayed several times and the gate for the absent plane also changed several times (which is really pretty stupid). I changed my connecting flight to Springfield to the last flight of the day as soon as the initial flight was delayed. That might have worked if we didn't make an unscheduled stop in Houston. 

I don't know what that was all about other than to say the airline's excuse was no doubt a lie, since they said it was due to weather in Dallas but weather radar didn't show it to be that bad. By the time we took off to resume our flight to DFW my SGF flight was already on the ground in Springfield.
All-in-all, such things are truly first world problems and it would be a shame if all of those people leaving Puerto Vallarta let a bad travel day ruin an otherwise wonderful vacation.

At least today's journey was easy and I figured I would throw this out there and hope for a Sunday post to complete the NaBloPoMo challenge.

It is good to be home.

John

Travel day!

It's time to go home.

And it will be good to be home.

Unfortunately, the dental work was a bit of a bust. Mistakes were made and I will need to plan another trip to finish up the work that was started.

Initially, I was going to be able to buy the two round-trip air fares and get the implants for less than the cost of the implants in the US.

Now cost wise it will be a wash, but I've still spent two months in PV, so...

It's been a little frustrating, but first world problems shouldn't be more than that. 

And speaking of first world problems: The 60f degrees difference (15c) from when I depart PVR and land in SGF is kind of a big deal! 

I did bring long pants and a long sleeve shirt, but I figured I can manage walking from the terminal to the car in shorts and a short sleeve shirt, so that's what I'm wearing. There will be plenty of time for winter clothes in the coming weeks.

¡Hasta la próxima, mis amigos!

(Until next time, my friends!)

John 

Simple Life

I'm sitting at the coffee shop around the corner from the kids' place and enjoying the morning. I can't really say that it's quiet because there is a steady stream of traffic on the cobbled road that is right next to my sidewalk table, but there is a certain serenity in the morning noise.
I've noticed a young woman that passes by me each morning as she makes her way back from the small neighborhood store. She has a bag with several eggs (no carton) and whatever vegetables she needs for the day. Apparently it is a part of her morning ritual to walk to the store and buy whatever they will eat for that particular day.

You can buy seven or eight eggs if that's what you need.
If you are making soup and need two stalks of celery, you can buy two stalks of celery. 
If you are looking at avocados, the owner will ask if you need them for today or tomorrow and then she'll pick out the ones that will best serve your need.
There is fresh produce being delivered and sold every morning as I walk past on my way to the coffee shop. 
There are many neighborhood kids walking to the nearby school. I have seen some being dropped off, but most walk, solo or in small groups. I haven't seen any school buses.

But a simple life doesn't mean it's an easy life -- at least not by the standards I am used to.
Many homes have no central air-conditioning and are lucky to have mini-split units in the main living area or sleeping areas.
Tap water is generally not potable, so bottled water must be purchased or a separate filtering system of some kind.
LP is delivered where gas is used since there don't appear to be underground natural gas lines in most areas.

The city is pretty walk-able and so I walk here -- a lot more than I do back home. Traffic is a completely different thing and I think I would have to be here for quite some time before I would be comfortable driving anywhere. I don't know if I'd ever be very comfortable on a motorcycle here. 

The people here work hard.
There are a lot of small business owners that work very hard at making things work for themselves and their families. 
There appears to be much more manual labor available and the laborers work hard. I don't know where the idea of "lazy Mexicans" came from, but it wasn't from anyone that actually watched them work!

I think that much of the living that I have observed here is harder than most people from the US would want to endure on a daily basis. But there is also a peacefulness that is rare in the US. It would be interesting to see if people would be willing to trade a little comfort for a lot of peace.

Just thinking...

John

It's the weekend!

I know -- What difference does that make for a retired guy?

There is a big market that steps up in the several blocks at the end of the kids' street every Saturday morning. I'll be heading out for coffee and to do a little browsing in a few minutes. I don't expect to buy anything, but the atmosphere is always pretty festive and it will be a great way to begin the day.

Tequila tasting this afternoon. Aaron's baseball game and Jenny's softball game tonight.
It's going to be a full day. I'd better go get that coffee!

Have a grand weekend wherever you are.

John

Stuck in Paradise

Poor planning and a false assumption on my part has forced an extension of my stay in this tropical location. Since the cost to extend my stay is far less than booking a future trip to complete my dental work, I will be staying an additional week. Chris will be traveling home today and I will be moving from the Airbnb where we have been staying to the kids' place. 
Sacrebleu!

There are worse things in life.
Although it is an inconvenience and there is an associated cost, being here in November isn't the worst thing that could happen.

While the stay here is very much a departure from the quiet routine of home, I have kept up with some of my normal practices. I get up and go to bed at around the same time. I begin the day with a couple cups of coffee and time on the Chromebook. I read and enjoy an occasional cigar.
There are way more people encounters each day than I am used to -- probably as many each day as I would have had in the entire month at home! It is much louder in the city than it is from the quiet, rural setting of Highlandville MO.

Still, I am able to adapt and find a comfortable routine.
I am walking and moving much more than I do at home. I am managing to read about the same amount of time and really haven't watched more than a few minutes of TV. I am keeping up with a bit of blogging and have managed to post daily for the first three weeks of November. 

While I do believe that happiness is a choice, I also understand that privilege can make that much easier. Both our home in rural SWMO and spending time in the tropical beach area of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico are pretty easy places to be happy. 
But one could also find plenty to complain about either place and make themselves miserable. Oftentimes, changing our state from misery to happiness is just a matter of changing our attitude.
I do realize that's not always easy for some people.

I'll manage to be happy in the additional week here. 
I hope that you will be happy wherever you are in the coming days. 
It's a choice.

John

Today is the Day

Today is the day I came here for -- to complete the dental implants I started earlier in the year. 
My dentist was on a nearly month long vacation in Japan so I scheduled the appointment for today, the 18th of November. But I really wanted to be here for the Day of the Dead celebration, so we came earlier for that. Getting to spend time with the kids and having some overlap with my nephew's time here has been a bonus.

Medical tourism is really becoming a growing industry for many countries that decide to meet the needs that the US healthcare system fails to meet at a reasonable price. For anyone needing dental implants and wanting to vacation in a tropical beach town -- I was able to pay for my two implants and two roundtrip airfares for less than the cost of the implants back home!
And I can recommend a fine dentista here in Puerto Vallarta!

Elective surgeries are also big on the medical tourism front. Many cosmetic surgeries, gender affirming healthcare procedures, and other things that are not covered by many insurance plans in the US are much more affordable here and in other countries that have learned to capitalize on our healthcare failures. 

I'm going to go out for coffee this morning and then a morning walk to begin the day. My dentist appointment isn't until this afternoon so I imagine another easy day in the life of John.

John

Beach Day!

Again!

I am looking forward to today.
All summer I saw pics of a beach that the kids were going to with their friends on the weekends. It's not like the area of the beach that we've been going to. This one doesn't have the restaurants and drink service, but it also doesn't have the large numbers of people. The temperatures today are expected to be a little cooler than they have been and it should be a beautiful day. 

It is hard to believe that our short stay here is almost over. I'll be back to typing out my blog from the deck in just one week from today. Although it has been a warm November back home, the cooler temps will seem much colder as we return from the tropics of Mexico.
Being at home is always nice, but I could also be at home in a much warmer climate!

In spite of having the same free time to be connected to the internet and news of the political bullshit that has become the norm in the US, I find that being around people that are not as invested nor impacted by US politics to be refreshing. While the expats living here are certainly aware of and appalled by what is going on, they don't dwell on it the way it is back home. Even the remote and isolated life on the deck doesn't compare to the remoteness of being in another country.
Unfortunately, there is an overall kindness and caring about community that is present in Mexico but is very much missing in the deeply red populations of rural SWMO. There is both community and kindness in our area, but it is often limited to people that look, think, and believe the same way. I have become much more aware of just how exclusive kindness is in our rural area and it is pretty disgusting.

However, I will not be thinking about that as we head to the beach this morning. 
I will love being with our kids and their friends.
I will be enjoying the beauty and power of the ocean.
I will sense the rhythmic pulse of the earth.
I will absorb the warmth and life from our local star (the sun).
I will read my book.
I will live in a kind world

...at least for today.

John

 

Wednesday Wisdom

I thought that a traveling themed meme might be appropriate for a Wednesday Wisdom post while visiting Puerto Vallarta.

May all of your journeys be good ones.

John

Nothing to see here -- Move along

Sometimes I wonder if people in the US realize how small their impact is globally. 
Oh, I get it. The US is a major player in world economy and trade and most definitely has the world's largest military -- but the day to day bullshit and the 42 (and counting) day government shut down doesn't mean anything as the rest of the world goes about its daily routine. 

Friends returning from international flights from anywhere other than the US are not concerned about cancellations or over-stressed air traffic controllers. Social programs and healthcare aren't being cut. There isn't a great political division among the general population that divides families and breaks up friendships.
The divisiveness of US politics has even less impact here than it does in my little corner of Highlandville MO.

It's pretty nice.

I really hate what politics has become in the US. 
I hate what I see in other people, and 
I hate what I have become politically, as well.
Government has stopped governing and is working on a divide and conquer policy as if half of the country is enemies with the other half. This isn't a f*#king playground that gets divided by the biggest bullies even though that's what it looks like.

I thought I was going to write a big political rant this morning. Then I decided that I wasn't going to write anything at all -- maybe just post a meme or inspiring quote. Finally I decided that a little venting rather than a full-blown rant might be helpful for expressing my frustration while maintaining some control and peace of mind.

Maybe there are others with similar feelings.
Maybe not.

I may find myself on the beach this afternoon.
The rhythm of the waves and the energy of the sun bring harmony and life to my troubled soul.
How are you coping?

John

Monday Morning

It's 23c in PV this morning and 23f in Highlandville MO!
That's 73f vs -5c.
Brrr...
Apologies to those that are enduring the cold blast in the Midwest.
We still have 11 more days in PV. I will make the most of enjoying the summer-like temperatures while I can. 

I spent most of the day yesterday just lounging on the beach with an occasional dip in the ocean waters of the bay. Although it's still a little early for whale sightings, I did read a local article that a humpback has been sighted in the bay already. That's good news for locals and tourists. 

Staying in the Romantic Zone is a reminder of how quiet our life is in rural SWMO. Other than some traffic noise from a nearby highway or a neighbor's lawn mower, it's mostly just birds or other wildlife to disrupt the silence. Any city would be a stark contrast to what we have, but the festivity and the night life in PV make it exceptional. 
Monday morning coffee in this little shop isn't too bad. It's a relatively busy little shop, but the atmosphere is calm and most of the patrons are tourists getting a little pick-me-up before beginning their days.

My day is basically like most Monday mornings -- coffee, keyboard, quiet time (maybe not so much on the quiet). My life is pretty simple. I like it this way. 

John