Sunday, March 17, 2024

Why We'll Now Have Our Air Conditioner Serviced Every 6 Months!

 This Crew Did an Amazing Job!

Cleaning the Bedroom Indoor Mini Split AC Unit

Our indoor air quality was becoming unhealthy due to our air conditioners. I suspected this because two things were happening.

First of all, Jon’s asthma was getting worse. He now has to use two inhalers twice daily to improve his breathing. His slight cough worsened in the evening when we closed all of the windows and turned the bedroom air conditioner on. That was the first clue that it was time to have our three AC units serviced. (Jon needs to keep the bedroom cool to prevent Parkinson's night sweats.)

Jon's Inhalers to Prevent Asthma Attacks

Secondly, I smelled a mild moldy odor when we turned on the bedroom air conditioner. For the past few months, I have asked Jon several times to schedule a cleaning service for them. He couldn't smell the mold—he can’t smell much of anything because of Parkinson's disease, so it slipped his mind.

Finally, I insisted Jon call for service before most people took time off for Semana Santa. He called Gree Air Conditioning Service and they came that week. A few months ago, Jon watched their guys clean another unit in our condominium and was impressed with their work. I'm glad he asked for their business card!
Gree Air Condition Service Puerto Vallarta
They use an impressive technique for cleaning the interior AC units. The technician sprays clean, soapy water from one bucket into the interior AC components, catches the dirty water in a funnel, and drains it into another bucket.

They wrap a blue specially designed bag around the indoor AC unit to contain and capture the cleaning water. The clear plastic drain shows how dirty the water is at first. The technician cleaned until the draining water ran clear. Watch the video below to see this in action.

Spraying Sopy Water In, Draining Dirty Water Out

Watch This Video to See the AC Cleaning Process

When I saw the dirty, draining water, I knew cleaning the air conditioners once a year was not often enough. We'll start scheduling this crew every six months. The next service will be around September before the high season starts and the air conditioner service companies get too busy.

Not only will our indoor air quality be better, but I suspect the units will function more efficiently, which may also lower our electricity costs. See other tips at 10 Ways We Reduce Our Electricity Usage and Save Money in Retirement.

I appreciate all the Amazon reviews and ratings on my books. Thank you for this 5-Star review on Retirement Before the Age of 59: Healthy Living in Mexico #2, Miriam!

Inspirational and Informative!

I loved reading all of the details about what inspired Terry and John to retire early in Mexico, and how they did it! Terry brings you along with her on a heartfelt journey, detailing her career as a pharmacist, and how she started so enthusiastic and energized to help people, which over the years turned to dread as the industry and people themselves changed. It was wonderful reading about the many places they visited, and the adventures and activities they experienced over their many years of traveling in Mexico. I especially loved learning more about Mexican culture, and how it differs (in many good ways!) from American culture. I also enjoyed reading about the process they employed to decide where to eventually retire in Mexico. If you're thinking about moving from another country to live or retire in Mexico, this book is a must-read!

FREE with KindleUnlimited!

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Thursday, March 7, 2024

Pills, Pills, Pills! How Will We Find All of Our Medications in Mexico?

 

Dammit! I already take thirty-eight pills a day! They barely fit in my weekly pillboxes, and now I have to add one more each day!”

This is an excerpt from my novel Mexico For Better or For Worse. While the story of expats Jake and Lindsay is fiction, it depicts many people's fears about moving to Mexico permanently. One of the most common questions I receive is, "How will I find the medication I need?" Jake and Lindsay discover that it's possible in most cases. I hope you enjoy the story and learn some things about life as an expat in Mexico at the same time.

Jake had the stock bottles for his vitamins, minerals, including magnesium for restless legs and sleep, fish oil, CoQ10, and other nutritional supplements, plus eight prescription medication bottles lined up in an arch, a rainbow of colors, on the Equipale dining table on their outdoor patio. His prescription meds included carbidopa/levodopa for Parkinson’s, l-methylfolate to aid in depression and Parkinson’s disease, a mood stabilizer and an antidepressant for bipolar disorder, one anti-cholesterol med, one to relieve urinary difficulty, and one for acid reflux. He had no desire ever to add another prescription medication to his regimen.

He faced the perfectly arranged bottles, labels turned precisely toward him, with his two weekly pillboxes settled within the arch. He had designed his routine for filling his pillboxes and never deviated so he wouldn’t make a mistake. He popped open the lids of all twenty-eight compartments and strapped a big pink rubber band around one week’s pillbox lids to hold them open and out of his way and a large purple rubber band to hold open the second week’s pillbox compartments. He flattened the wrinkled list of medications and supplements beside the pillboxes for his reference—ready to work. The scowl on his face made it clear he was annoyed about preparing his next two-week supply of pills. He worked from the top of his list and did not like to be interrupted once he started filling the boxes for fear of losing his place.

“What are you adding?” Lindsay asked, leaning over to peer at his Medication List.

“Wellbutrin SR 150 mg. We bought this two months ago at the local pharmacy so I could try it for two weeks instead of the Wellbutrin XL 300 mg we brought from Arizona. It’s high time I use it and see how it makes me feel.”

“That’s good. Hopefully, you won’t notice any difference. Remember that you’ll take one of the 150 mg tablets with your morning pills at around 9:00 AM, but you’ll take the second 150 mg dose in the early afternoon, no later than 3:00, or it might keep you awake at night. It’s for your depression and gives you energy during the day. So, you won’t put a tablet into your evening box.” Lindsay thought, I explained this to Jake in April when he bought the Wellbutrin 150 mg, but he doesn’t remember two months later.

“How will I remember to take it in the middle of the day? Why does this have to be so complicated?” Jake rested his forehead in his hand and shook his head slowly from side to side. He looked overwhelmed.

Any change in medication treatment or routine gets harder for Jake each year. All I can do is try to keep it simple for him. She replied, “You have your phone alarm set for 3:00 so you can remember to take your levodopa. You can take your Wellbutrin at the same time as your 3:00 carbidopa/levodopa dose.”

“So that means I have to carry more pills in my pocket for my 3:00 meds. It still means I’ll be taking thirty-nine pills each day now! I hate it!”

“I know. I’m sorry, babe. Try to think of the positive—Wellbutrin has been the best antidepressant you’ve ever taken, right?”

“Definitely. In the twenty years that I’ve taken drugs for depression, Wellbutrin was the first one that made me feel normal again.”

“And levodopa has helped your Parkinson’s symptoms, right?”

“Yeah, it has. Sorry I’m complaining. Thanks for your help with this.”

“It’s okay. So, after taking Wellbutrin 150 mg twice daily for a couple of days, let me know how you feel. I don’t expect you’ll notice any difference. The important thing is to remember to take that second dose no later than 3:00. I think I’ll set my phone alarm for 3:00, too, so I can help you remember to take it.”

“It’ll be fine, I’m sure.”

Lindsay leaned over and gave Jake a hug and a kiss on his cheek. “I love you,” she said with a smile.

“I love you, too. Now, don’t talk to me for the next hour while I’m fixing my pillboxes. I have to concentrate.”

Read more in Mexico For Better or For Worse: A Novel. The eBook is available in all Amazon markets and is FREE with KindleUnlimited. The paperback is now available as well!

Sunday, March 3, 2024

We Love Having Two Homes Again--One a Motorhome! And a Book Promo📚

 My Monthly Newsletter Has Been Published!


Hola from Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, and La Peñita de Jaltemba, Nayarit!

Jon and I enjoy having two homes again. Our Puerto Vallarta Condo is still our primary home, and we love it. There’s so much to do in PV, such as touring the Madonnari Puerto Vallarta 2024 International Chalk Art Festival. If you missed that article, you can view it HERE.

Our second home is a casa rodante, a motorhome. We parked our rig in an RV Park on the beach in La Peñita in October, shortly after we purchased it in México. We spend a week or two there each month. The three towns along the Bay of Jaltemba provide a peaceful break from the big city, over an hour north of Puerto Vallarta. What a nice contrast the two places are!

Read more HERE.

Book 2 of 3

Pickle Jar Test: A Novel

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Mexico For Better or For Worse: A Novel

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Sunday, February 25, 2024

What's That Awful Smell in the 2005 Motorhome We Bought in Mexico?

The Bedroom Reeks!

Jon and I wanted a project, and we got one—more than we bargained for! When we bought our 2005 Minnie Winnie, we had no idea how many issues had been disguised. We keep reminding ourselves that we purchased it for a reasonable price.

October 1, 2023: Soon after we brought the RV home to Little Rigs RV Park in La Peñita de Jaltemba, Nayarit, we realized the cat urine smell was overwhelming. I spot-cleaned the carpet and treated it with an entire bottle of Nature's Miracle Spot and Odor Remover, an enzymatic neutralizer. A month later, I repeated the entire process. It wasn't going to work!

Two Bottles of Nature's Miracle Wasn't Enough

November 9, 2023: So, we tore most of the carpet and padding out. I cut out and removed the bulk of the stinky mess, and Jon used a razor blade to trim under the bed and closet.

Cutting the Carpet Out of the RV Bedroom

Luckily, the bathroom vinyl had been run under part of the carpet, preventing the urine from soaking into too much of the plywood floor. I cleaned the vinyl and wood floor with a Fabuloso solution—that works for disinfecting everything in Mexico, right? It helped get the filth out.

Dirt and Urine Under the Carpet Before Fabuloso

After it dried, I threw two area rugs on the bare plywood floor. That would work until we could finish the prep work and install new vinyl planks that look like wood—Dream Wood by DuraPiso from Home Depot. Whew, the odor is 95% gone! FOR THE MOMENT…

Time for a shower and some pool time!
Pool Time at Little Rig RV Park, La Peñita

December 5, 2023: The smell was back! We decided to paint the floor with the Behr paint from Home Depot to seal in the odor. It took me three days to mask-tape the edges and then paint and seal the bedroom floor in the motorhome. No more cat urine smell😄. It is ready for Jonathan to install the vinyl plank flooring! OR SO WE THOUGHT…

I Painted Every Nook and Cranny of the Plywood

January 5, 2024: Well, cr*p! Another lesson learned. That paint sure looked good on the motorhome floor. But then, Jon discovered the adhesive we had purchased to apply the vinyl plank flooring wouldn’t stick to the paint.

The RV Bedroom Floor is Painted and Drying

So, we started sanding it off. After one day of using sanding blocks, we walked to the hardware store and bought an orbital sander. Getting enough of that paint/primer off for good adhesion would take a lot of work. Why do we always have to buy the best paint Home Depot carries?!😩 

Jon took another walk to the hardware store to purchase 40-grit sandpaper, the roughest he could find. Oh well, our projects keep us busy and provide exercise. 

Jon Using the Orbital Sander and 40-Grit Sandpaper

January 18, 2024: Yeah! We’ve finished sanding and filling holes in the motorhome’s bedroom plywood floor! It’s all vacuumed, mopped, and drying. Time for us to rest for a few weeks at our condo in Puerto Vallarta before we lay the new vinyl plank flooring. That was a bear of a job🥵!

A Relaxing Dinner at Cuates y Cuetes in Puerto Vallarta

February 8, 2024: We finally got the correct adhesive for our RV vinyl flooring delivered from Amazon Mexico. It took a call to the Roberts company to learn that the first two adhesives Home Depot sold us were wrong.

February 17, 2024: Retirement for us means choosing our projects. Jonathan was happy working on his yesterday while it rained. He cut about half of the pieces of vinyl plank flooring for the RV bedroom. He’s doing a great job!

Dream Wood Vinyl Planks are 3 Feet Long and 1 Foot Wide
Jon Measuring and Cutting Vinyl Plank Flooring

Jon has Parkinson’s disease, which has caused his muscles to weaken, including those in his eyes. He works hard to keep in shape, but one frustration for him is that his eyesight has deteriorated. He has to use a flashlight to see the fine measurements.

February 21, 2024: 𝗟𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗣𝗶𝗲𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝘂𝘇𝘇𝗹𝗲!

Jon cut and placed the last piece of the vinyl plank flooring on the motorhome floor. Then, we numbered each of the eighteen sections with a piece of blue tape in the order that he would glue them in. I took photos of the numbered pieces so we could piece together the puzzle when it was time to adhesive. We removed each of the sections and stacked them in reverse order. Bare wood again, ready to adhesive it and lay the vinylmañana! 

Jon Finished Cutting the Complex Piece for the Corner

Each Piece is Numbered and Photographed Before Removing

We needed a day off to play. Dinner and rock ‘n’ roll music at El Amigo Vargas on the beach in Rincon de Guyabitos was a nice change of pace.

February 22, 2024: Jon started gluing the vinyl plank siding to the bare plywood. He did it in three sections, dividing the job between several days. After spreading the adhesive in the space marked for five pieces, he waited the recommended twenty minutes and started installing the numbered sections according to the placement shown in the photos.

Jon Spreading Adhesive with a Special Trowel

February 24, 2024: After a hard morning of gluing the second section of vinyl plank flooring in the motorhome bedroom, we decided to take a day off and rest. We went to play in the pool, now a comfortable 85°F. Jon loves pool volleyball with the gang at the RV park! Then we walked to town for groceries and on to Avanti Restaurant for a delicious salmon dinner.

Jon and Other RVers Playing Pool Volleyball

February 25, 2024: Finished! Jon applied the last pieces of vinyl flooring, and we stripped the masking tape. All we have to do is clean the dried adhesive off the floor using mineral spirits and then mop it clean. It looks great! And it smells good, too—no more cat urine smell.

Installed Dream Wood Vinyl Plank Flooring

Installing vinyl plank flooring in the motorhome bedroom was a good project for mental and physical well-being, though difficult. I told Jon that I hope the next one he chooses is a lot easier. His Parkinson’s disease slows his progress, but he doesn’t let it stop him! He reminded me that I chose that project when I hacked the first hunk out of the carpet. We agree it was worth the work, though we learned a lot of lessons.

To read about More Lessons Learned, check out the latest in my Healthy Living and Traveling in Mexico book series, available in all Amazon markets. In Canada, see it HERE.


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Sunday, February 11, 2024

Madonnari Puerto Vallarta 2024 International Chalk Art Festival (Updated February 12)

 Don't Miss This Now That 

The Artists are Finished!


Saturday
I went to the chalk art festival at about 5:00 on Saturday, February 10, knowing the artwork would be in various stages of completion. 

I returned on Sunday to capture the finished artwork and update this article. I hope you enjoy this amazing art as much as I did! If you are in Puerto Vallarta this week, take a stroll through the Plaza de Armas to see this gallery on the grounds.
Sunday Afternoon

I wonder who the winners will be... Many pesos will be awarded!
Saturday
Sunday-One of My Favorites!

Saturday
Sunday

Saturday
Sunday

Saturday
Sunday--Wow!

Saturday
Sunday

Juniors Saturday

Juniors Sunday

Saturday
Sunday

A Few More of My Favorites
Sunday, Her Eyes Were Revealed





Artists at Work Saturday Afternoon

Plaza de Armas Decorated for the Art Festival


Don't Miss This eBook Sale!

The First in a Series of 3 Novels