Saturday, November 29, 2025

饾棗饾棶饾槅饾榾 饾煵饾煭 饾榿饾椀饾椏饾椉饾槀饾棿饾椀 饾煶饾煬 饾椉饾棾 饾棔饾椆饾槀饾棽 饾棯饾棶饾榿饾棽饾椏 (饾棧饾棶饾椏饾榿 饾煶) 馃挋馃挋#饾煭饾煬饾煬饾棗饾棶饾槅饾榾饾棦饾棾饾棔饾椆饾槀饾棽 in Puerto Vallarta

饾棗饾棶饾槅饾榾 饾煵饾煭 饾榿饾椀饾椏饾椉饾槀饾棿饾椀 饾煶饾煬 饾椉饾棾 饾棔饾椆饾槀饾棽 饾棯饾棶饾榿饾棽饾椏 in Puerto Vallarta 
(饾棧饾棶饾椏饾榿 饾煶 of 100 Days of Blue)

Day 61: Puerto Vallarta View From Barcelona Tapas
My Birthday Dinner in July, Early Rainy Season
It’s hard to believe I’m already sharing Part 7 of my #100DaysOfBlue journey. What better place to experience Days 61 through 70 than in beautiful Puerto Vallarta?

Blue馃挋 Blue Water馃寠 Blue Mind馃Calm, Tranquility, Positive State of Mind馃檹馃徑

Day 62: A Memory of July 11, 2024, Over a Year Ago

"Today is a good day. This week has been a rollercoaster. Watching the sunset over the ocean is so calming. Viewing the deep blue color of the sea during a two-hour seafood dinner with my best friend promotes a blue mind condition. Life is good.馃挋"

This photo holds more than just a view. It holds a memory, a feeling, and a breath of peace during a chaotic time. Over a year ago, I shared these words without realizing how often I’d come back to them. The blue water became more than a visual comfort. It was a space where I could let go, even for a moment, of the stress and emotional weight of caregiving.

My husband’s early Parkinson’s dementia was beginning to change our lives in ways that were hard to explain. The ocean felt steady when nothing else did. It was deep, calming, and quietly powerful.

This journey through #100DaysOfBlue isn’t just about beauty. It’s about reflection, healing, and honoring both the peaceful and the difficult moments. 馃挋

Day 63: Puerto Vallarta's Playa Los Muertos

It was supposed to storm again that afternoon, so I took the dogs for a walk down the Malec贸n earlier in the day. Brunch instead of dinner felt like the right call.

Most of the restaurants were either too busy or hadn’t opened yet. We circled back to Daiquiri Dick’s, and I’m glad we did. Huevos rancheros and fresh orange juice with a view of the ocean were exactly what I needed. 馃挋

Daiquiri Dick’s Huevos Rancheros are Delicious!

Day 64: Dancing on the Beach Video
Watching the Fun Next to the Ocean Waves

I was sitting at a beachside restaurant bar with Max and Sophie, taking in the ocean view. A glass of Cabernet Sauvignon deepened my Blue Mind calm. When a group started dancing on the sand beside the rolling waves, it brought an easy smile to my face.

Day 65: Pool Day Video
Blue Pool Jet on My Feet was Relaxing

Blue Mind at the Beautiful Residences Sky Bar

Day 67 of Blue Water: Santorini Puzzle Time

Working on My Santorini Puzzle was Relaxing
Especially with a Blue Water Video on the Screen

You may remember that on Day 43 of my 100 Days of Blue Water, I was in Santorini, Greece. (See more in Days 41–50 of 100 Days of Blue Water, Part 5: The Mediterranean to the Gulf of Mexico 馃挦). The deep blue sea view from the Santorini cable car was unforgettable. The only souvenir I brought home from that Virgin Voyage was a Santorini jigsaw puzzle—a perfect reminder of the many Blue Water days I experienced on that trip.

Day 68 of Blue in the Marina Vallarta

Lunch and View at El Faro Marina Vallarta Restaurant

After a gathering at the Living Room Bookstore on August 1, I had lunch at El Faro in Marina Vallarta, a high-end international restaurant located inside a lighthouse. From the panoramic 360-degree views, I could see all at once what makes Puerto Vallarta so stunning—this is truly the place where the sea meets the mountains.

Gorgeous Blue Water View of the Bay of Banderas

Day 70 of Blue Water

A Quiet Day on Los Muertos Beach, Puerto Vallarta

I walked with the dogs along the beach and stopped for fish and chips for dinner at the Sea Monkey on the Puerto Vallarta Malec贸n. I forgot to take a photo! Let's just say, there were no leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

Our First Day on the Beach
Since Max's eye surgery 2 Months Before 

That day was Max’s first time on the beach since his eye surgery before I adopted him. I didn’t want him getting sand in the healing eye, so until then, we’d enjoyed the ocean views from a distance. His eye actually looked pretty good at the time. But four months—and a lot of treatment and love later, he was blind in that eye. The inflammation kept worsening, and his vet eventually recommended removing it. He’s now healing well. The stitches are out, he’s no longer uncomfortable, and once his shaved eyebrow grows back, he’ll be as handsome as ever.

The Sea Turns Gray on August Afternoons
As It Reflects the Gathering Clouds

The fishermen, white egret, and pelicans were sure the fish were in close. The pelicans were the only ones I saw catch anything.

What a mellow scene.

If you would like to view the first fifty days of Blue Water photos, including many memories of past adventures with Jon, here are the links:

Part 1: Days 1 through 10 of Blue 馃挦 100 Days of Blue Begins: Where I Find My Blue Mind. Memories of Happy Times with Jon.

Part 2: 饾煭饾煬饾煬 饾棗饾棶饾槅饾榾 饾椉饾棾 饾棔饾椆饾槀饾棽: 饾棯饾椀饾棽饾椏饾棽 饾棞 饾棛饾椂饾椈饾棻 饾棤饾槅 饾棔饾椆饾槀饾棽 饾棤饾椂饾椈饾棻 馃寠馃寠 (Days 11 to 20) More Happy Memories with Jon

Part 3: Days 21 through 30 馃挦馃挦馃挦 饾煆饾煄饾煄饾悆饾悮饾惒饾惉饾惃饾悷饾悂饾惀饾惍饾悶馃挦馃挦馃挦 Happy Memories with Jon Continue

Part 4: Days 31 through 40 馃寠 New Memories of Traveling Alone: Puerto Vallarta to Athens to Turkey

Part 5: Days 41–50 of 100 Days of Blue Water, Part 5: The Mediterranean to the Gulf of Mexico 馃挦

Part 6: Days 51 through 60 of Blue Water (Part 6)馃寠馃寠Happy to be Home in Puerto Vallarta

Blue Mind is the mildly meditative state people fall into when they are near, in, under, or on water. It is peace. It is the feeling of calmness and relaxation that comes from being in or near the water, and it has a positive impact on our mental health.

100 Days of Blue is a campaign inspired by marine biologist Dr. Wallace J. Nichols, encouraging people to spend time near, in, on, or under water for its positive impact on well-being. To carry on his legacy, many people are posting one blue water photo or video a day for 100 days, often with the hashtag #100daysofblue.

Thank you for reading my blog articles and following along on my journey! 馃専馃摎

I’ve written eight books about my life and travels in Mexico, and you can view or download them on Amazon by clicking the book covers to the right and above. 馃摌馃摍馃摋

Sunday, November 9, 2025

饾棙饾棖饾棦饾棢饾棦饾棜饾棞饾棖饾棓饾棢 饾棛饾棦饾棦饾棫饾棧饾棩饾棞饾棥饾棫 饾棢饾棽饾榾饾榾饾椉饾椈 饾煭饾煬饾煯 (Updated 11/23/25): 饾棩饾棽饾棻饾槀饾棸饾椂饾椈饾棿 饾棧饾椆饾棶饾榾饾榿饾椂饾棸 饾棬饾榾饾棶饾棿饾棽 饾棙饾槂饾棽饾椈 饾棤饾椉饾椏饾棽

 Ditch Plastic Packaging

Lots of Alternatives!

I've Switched to Compostable Zip-lock Bags!
Available at La Comer Stores
My First Bamboo Toothbrush Ordered from La Comer
Others Available from Amazon—What Do You Like?
Plastic toothbrushes can take up to 500 years to break down. They don’t fully decompose—instead, they fragment into microplastics that can pollute ecosystems and waterways for centuries.

Globally, roughly 23 billion toothbrushes are discarded annually, according to National Geographic and other sources. Since most of these are not recyclable, they likely end up in a landfill or are incinerated. Each one of us can make a positive environmental impact with this small change.
I Purchased More Pyrex Dishes to Eliminate Plastic Wrap
And Replace Styrofoam Restaurant To-Go Containers
Yes, I bring my Pyrex bowls to the meat market for chicken, beef, and pork—and to restaurants so I can pack up half my meal to take home. It’s a simple habit that helps the environment and saves me money. I also use these bowls for freezer storage instead of plastic freezer bags, which cuts down on waste and makes reheating frozen meals much easier.

Nutrisa Frozen Yogurt in Waxed Paper Carton

No Plastic, Not Even in the Lid!

I’ve written before about reducing our plastic usage, but it’s been a while. My earlier post, "ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT Lesson 101: 10 Ways We Reduced Ours When We Retired in Mexico", was published on March 9, 2017, shortly after we moved to Sayulita, Nayarit, Mexico.

Even eight years ago, we were already making changes: buying milk and juices in waxed paper cartons and trying to cut back on plastic containers. I even made my own yogurt at home for a while, but we ate it too fast, and I eventually tired of the long process.

馃尡 I Want to Reduce Plastic Usage — More. 馃寠

One small change I’ve made recently: I stopped buying yogurt in plastic containers. Instead, I discovered Nutrisa Frozen Yogurt, which comes in two delicious flavors, Mora (Blackberry) and Taro. To my surprise, Taro has become my favorite! It pairs beautifully with bananas, mangos, pineapple, and even cooked cinnamon apples with cranberries. 馃構

For breakfast, I’ve been adding two small scoops of Nutrisa to a bowl of fruit, granola, and chopped walnuts. It’s creamy, refreshing, and so satisfying. Nutrisa claims it contains live cultures, so I feel like it’s a healthy alternative to regular or Greek yogurt, plus, it blends perfectly into smoothies.馃挌

Recently, I watched the documentary A Plastic Ocean.” It opened my eyes. Seeing the heartbreaking impact of plastic on our oceans, wildlife, and ultimately our own bodies has motivated me to make a difference—one small, mindful choice at a time.

♻️ Going Beyond Yogurt: My Next Plastic-Free Goal

My next goal was to eliminate buying dishwashing and laundry detergent in plastic bottles. I discovered a Mexican company called Desplastif铆catewhich translates to “Deplasticize.”

I’ll admit, I was initially skeptical about their products. But after trying them, I’ve realized their soaps are worth every peso!

Platos”: The Name of the Dishwashing Soap

Available on Amazon M茅xico, Platos proudly promotes a simple mission: “Go plastic-free with our scented dish soap. Unlike liquid or powder cleaners, it won’t pollute water.” 

I can vouch for that claim! The scent is light, refreshing, and best of all, it doesn’t irritate my sensitive skin. 馃尭

馃憰Ropa” — My New Favorite Laundry Soap

I especially love the Ropa” laundry detergent by Desplastif铆cate! I used it for two weeks before writing this article to make sure it wouldn’t cause any skin irritation like most detergents do—and it didn’t. 馃尶

At first, I didn’t believe their claim of “No rinsing required.” I’ve always had to run my laundry through an extra rinse with my low-water washer when using other soaps, but not with Ropa!

Not only does it eliminate the need for those huge plastic bottles of detergent, it also saves water, electricity, and wear-and-tear on clothing. It’s a win all around. Next time, I’ll be ordering the four-pack from Amazon! 馃Ш

馃寧 Every Small Change Counts

Reducing plastic has become more than a goal for me—it’s a mindful practice that connects my daily choices to the health of our planet. Each time I find a new way to replace plastic with something reusable or biodegradable, I feel a little lighter and more hopeful about the future.

Have you found creative ways to reduce plastic in your daily life? ♻️
I’ll be adding more ideas to this article in the coming weeks, and I’d love to hear your tips and experiences in the comments. Together, we can inspire each other—because every small change truly counts. 馃挌

馃挌 Thank You for Reading

Thank you for reading my articles and following along on this journey. Writing about these small, meaningful lifestyle changes keeps me accountable and connected to others who care about our planet.

For more lessons I’ve learned along the way, please take a look at my Healthy Living in Mexico books, where I share stories, insights, and practical tips from my life here in Mexico. 馃尨馃摌