How Was The Move to Bacalar?

Well where to begin. (I hope you are not sorry you asked)

The move itself went well, with an orchestra of cats singing and howling in the car for six hours. The movers came on Friday night  and took all the boxes and things, and were waiting for us at the intersection of our rental house when we got here Saturday afternoon. I had drugged the cats just a little, so it wasn't so stressful for them. Moving five cats went well. 

There is a little hitch in renting this house***. It is a large house on a hill at the edge of Bacalar town. The house is very ODD, but it is big and was the only house for rent in Bacalar!  It is reasonable, at $450 usd a month. 5,000 pesos.

We are across the 'road' from Avenida 5, FIFTH AVENUE! lol.  In the pic below you can see the 'avenue' just outside our gate. 

This is our view from the patio and my room. 

My desk is set up on the 2nd floor looking out four windows and an open door leading to the big outdoor patio. We are above most tree tops, so bird watching is excellent. I will say that no matter how depressing the news is in the world, as I sit at the computer reading about it, and how the trolls people comment about it; all I have to do is look outside, listen to nothing but birds and palm leaves swaying, and I feel quite unaffected. Thus, quite objective, I might add.

Here it is as if the world is not falling apart, here is harmony of nature and people working with it not against it. Moving here was a great decision. Although my methods are lacking in business sense, I am disappointed that there is yet another interim time to wait til i can get into MY house in Buena Vista. Especially with the odd circumstances of this interim wait. However, I must admit it is MUCH more pleasant here waiting as I look out over this beautiful fresh water lagoon. And I must admit I am getting closer. This is a multi-step procedure for me but I am taking it in stride. I'd have to be an ass to complain about living and working with this view! :-)                           (I work at night a lot)

Pablo has a job. He's waiting tables at a new restaurant/bar in town. His beach sale fell through. I'm not surprised. It might be the best thing to just sit on that property for a while. The beach north of Mahahual is developing and slowly moving more north. The property we have is really a special one, inside a bay, so what if it collects a lot of sargasso. It has this great blue hole out in front and the cabañas are very well constructed and practical. I am going to have time for us to go there on my day and a half off!  I've connived a day and a half off.  I work so many hours on the weekends I am exhausted for days. I have to work on that somehow. Since I am not settled into this house at this time, I don't quite feel like I can schedule my free time. I can't find half the things I am looking for. Grrrr. 

Pablo's brother, younger brother, only brother, came to see him in Merida. he had lost his job and was really depressed and lost. Pablo invited him to Bacalar, and he showed up here a few days after our arrival.  He went and got a job waiting tables the second day. Then he surprised us with the arrival of his girlfriend. She got a job the next day.  There is one really fun and popular restaurant in town, on the lagoon, with reasonably priced food and activities - art show some nights, music on Saturday nights, and both Erwin and Alejandra are waiting tables there, La Pirata. 

At first i was not pleased that our domestic population doubled. but I figure, hey, Pablo is the older brother, he wants to help his younger brother, it makes him feel more responsible and gives him something other to thing about than himself. (and me)(I also cannot forget how much my older brothers have helped me throughout my difficult and stupid periods of growing up, which at nearly sixty-one i am still processing (pathetic). I cannot deny my best friend the chance to help his younger sibling, in turn helping his own self-esteem)  The brother is really quiet and a nice guy, as is the girlfriend. They are helping us with the rent and expenses so i cant complain there. The house is big enough for all of us. They are younger and might want a more exciting town with bars and action. This isn't it. But they seem to appreciate coming home to sit out on the patio and just look at the lagoon. It is mesmerizing. It changes colors all day long. It may sound lame but it is fantastic to watch the sun and or moon rise over the water.  and stars. and hear just natural sounds. OK, we hear the roar of an occasional truck passing on the highway which isn't that far away..........no biggie.

Across the street from us we have a balneario. That is a public place people can enter the lagoon. Most of the lagoon front property is privately owned and the beach access cut off to the people. We checked it out and there are several places to get into the lagoon. It is really calm in there even with a strong wind. It is always breezy or windy here and that cuts the heat. The hot season is kicking in really early this year as it did last year. It is only march and we are nearly reaching 100° - mostly mid 90°s but it's coming fast.  It is nice to have the water access right across FIFTH AVENUE. hahaha. 

Now, what is weird about the house?*** The owner is still living with us. He is kind of a strange guy, but likable.  he is trying to get to Italy to be with wife and kid. when we got here with tons of boxes and things there was room to pile them up in a large corner. in the meantime, i.e., since we moved in march 1st, Luis downstairs has been 'packing' up.  he has a large building below us that is where the night watchman sleeps and Luis also uses it for storage.  All my stuff is still in boxes. Finding just what I need for short term was hard even though i packed all kitchen and foodstuffs and tools in a few easily recognized boxes. my marking of boxes was not perfect. so many haven't been opened. I pack using my sheets and towels and t shirts to wrap memorabilia, so my stuff is absolutely everywhere IN Boxes. That is driving me a bit crazy. lol. Finally, Luis is packed up and ready to go. He awaits our rent payment of April and has asked for May so he can afford his ticket. Luckily there are four of us to split the costs of living here. That is actually a help and it is nice to have nice people around - and we are family since we have the two brothers here. Pablo has never spent so much time around family and i think it grounds him.  

And so things are fine on the comfort level of the house other than I don't want to go downstairs and see my boxes all a mess.  In other words, I want the owner to leave. I don't feel free in the kitchen. I haven't eaten as I would like to this month and I can feel the difference. I feel sluggish and tired all the time. Probably to do with the level of stress i reached in Merida and the extreme change of pace in a place like this.  

In one week things should be better. The owner should leave for Italy. I can tackle my boxes and find what I need. I can feel at home in more than just this ONE room. I can spread out. I need to spread out. 

The cats are still in the house. They can't go outside because they are scared of the dog. The house comes with a rescued dog who is very skittish. I didn't want them out the first week or so, and now we have to wait and figure out a system where the cats can explore the yard without the dog chasing them. Because Buster wanted to see what it was like outdoors and that dog scared him. He is old and grumpy and not happy about moving again. He somehow got out and has been missing for over two weeks. I search for him , call him, and try to think of which way he went. Is he on adventure or is he in trouble or is he dead? I am sickened by this. Today I will go for a walk in a new direction and look for him. He was lost in Merida for two months so I haven't given up all hope. Close to it, but this morning I had a dream that Buster was crawling toward me because his back legs were injured. He has arthritis there. So I will keep on searching. My feet are swollen from sitting too long at this computer. I haven't written sooner because I had a lousy flash drive stick that wouldn't let me even load a photo, or do my work properly. If I wrote emails I would run out of time even faster! It was so expensive. Last week 'they' finally came and installed a satellite dish and I have great connection now.  I work 8 hours this evening so I figure it is a good day to try to get some info out about how things are going on this new adventure. Tues, tomorrow, I will not even check the computer. It is my day off. (then i remember all the organizing and unpacking i have to do and get confused. have fun or get organized?) (I know I will feel better having fun when i am organized)

The rest of the cats love the patio outside on the 2nd floor outside both bedrooms. 

The house is really nice upstairs but unfinished. The downstairs is dark and strange but it is big and with Luis's stuff cleared out and once we actually move into it, it should be much more comfortable.  I am frustrated waiting for that. Just keep waiting. And get through this week, give him money for rent and his damn plane ticket and let us occupy the house we are renting. sheesh. 

Almost all is well, just Buster is missing.............