𝗦𝗮𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 "𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝟭𝟬𝟭": 𝗥𝗘𝗣𝗔𝗜𝗥 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗪𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗿!

 Don't Throw It Out!

Jon Diagnosing What Was Wrong with Our Water Heater

Why did our shower water start hot and turn cold in less than five minutes? I hate having to rinse the shampoo out of my hair with cold water!

We had hot water, but only for a few minutes. So, the water heater worked, but not correctly. Jon was on a mission to diagnose the problem and repair it. This ten-year-old Calorex water heater (called a boiler here in Mexico) was a good-quality unit, and he did not want to replace it. Repairing it would save a lot of money, he was sure! It turned out to be multiple problems, but all were solvable for a reasonable price.

Jon Made Sure that the Pilot Light was Lit

He Set the Temperature Selector to Caliente (Hot)

We had warm showers for only four or five minutes! Jon began reading and watching YouTube videos until he understood the problem and how to repair it.

Over time, minerals can build up at the bottom of the water heater tank, interfering with the heating element and causing inconsistent water temperature. Sediment buildup inside the tank can act as insulation, preventing the water from warming efficiently.

Mineral Deposit Globs Found Inside Our Water Heater!

Our water heater is inside a cabinet in the condominium hallway connecting eight apartments. I envisioned a flood outside the eight condo units on our floor and convinced Jon to call a plumber to help with this mess.

This Could Result in a Flood in the 

Common Condominium Hallway!

Jon Gathered Equipment Needed to Drain the Water Heater

Regularly flushing your water heater can remove sediment buildup and improve heating efficiency. According to most recommendations, you should flush the sediment from your water heater at least once a year to prevent buildup and maintain its efficiency. This tank was ten years old and may have never been serviced!

This is important in RV water heaters as well as in condo units and standalone homes.

Plumber Poured Water Off the Sludge and Down the Drain

It took three men to do this nasty job—the plumber, his assistant, and Jon! They turned off the water supply to the water heater, then attached a hose to the faucet on the side of the tank, running it into a 5-gallon bucket. After opening the pressure relief valve on the tank, they turned on the water valve. Nothing happened. The faucet was clogged with sediment, so they removed it.

Holding the female end of the hose tight to the hole, they drained the tank water into the bucket, emptying it into the nearby floor drain each time it filled. After emptying the water heater, they briefly turned on the water supply to the tank to further flush it. Jon used a hacksaw blade to dig out the remaining sediment.

Jon Pouring Water Off of the Sediment, Down the Drain

Some Large Mineral Crystals Caught in the Drain

Grunge and Minerals Collected in a Garbage Bag

They disassembled the water heater faucet and cleaned it, then re-attached it to the tank. After making sure the pressure relief valve and faucet were closed, they refilled the tank and turned on the gas.

Jon turned on the house faucet closest to the water heater to allow it to flow. Water, air, and small bits of minerals were flushed from the water line. Next, he cleaned the faucet screen, now full of minerals and grunge. Every faucet and shower head screen would need to be cleaned to restore good flow. Great, hot water flowed!

Jon Cleaning the Minerals from the Bathroom Faucet Screen

After over three hours of hard work and cleanup, the guys finished the job. Jon paid them 1500 pesos for their time, about $75 US. A new water heater of the same quality would have cost over 10,000 pesos with installation ($500 US). This repair saved us over $400 US!

We will put “Flush Water Heater Yearly” on our calendar. We’ve learned from the locals to repair appliances rather than replace them, as long as possible. We were ready to buy a new washer and dryer two months ago, but the serviceman told us they were good quality and worth fixing. He was right—a small repair expense saved us hundreds of dollars and extended the life of both appliances! He also suggested a product to clean our dishwasher so it would work better. Another cost savings!

Thank you to Jon for helping write this technical article. If you have any questions or suggestions, I'll run them by Jon and get back to you. You can leave comments below. Thanks!

Terry L Turrell and Jonathan P. Turrell, Authors

SOME TROUBLE IN PARADISE: Unexpected Problems Living in a Condo!

 What Is Going On?!

Water Damage on the Master Bedroom Ceiling!

     Let me take you back to the early days in our condo, days when we went from thrilled to be moving to Puerto Vallarta to what have we done?!

     It started the day before the closing on the purchase of our condo unit. We were so excited to do the final walk-through with the realtors—both our realtor and the sellers’ agent. The following day we would sign all of the official documents and receive the keys to our unit. We could move in that very afternoon. What a great birthday gift for me!

     We walked into the two-bedroom, two-bath apartment that would be our new home. In our minds, we already lived there. This was just a formality to approve the final condition of the property. Everything looked and smelled clean and fresh. Well, almost everything.

     When I wandered into the master bedroom, my eyes scanned everything from the gray and tan eighteen-inch ceramic floor tile to the beautiful dark woodwork, from the furniture and wall art to the ceiling. I’m a retired pharmacist and so, naturally, I’m detail-oriented and trained to notice flaws. I caught sight of a narrow, dark spot, maybe three inches long, at the juncture of the wall and ceiling near the minisplit air conditioner. Moisture? Mold?

     I asked the sellers’ realtor what that spot was and he dismissed it with a wave of his hand and said, “Oh, just a little mildew. You have plenty of paint in the laundry room to touch that up.” He walked out of the room as though it wasn’t worth another moment’s notice.

     Was I going to make a fuss about something that indicated water damage? If I did, the whole deal might be delayed, possibly even canceled. We could lose the option to buy the condo unit we had waited patiently to take possession of. I showed Jon the spot. We both shrugged and I thought, Whatever it is, we can deal with it later. Jon’s a retired building contractor—he can fix anything.

     About a month after we moved in, we were lying in bed propped against the headboard with pillows, contentedly reading on our Kindles. It was August, right in the middle of the rainy season when the heat and humidity are at their peak in this tropical area. We had the air conditioner running to cool and dehumidify the air in the master bedroom and all was cozy.

     It was the first summer that we had remained in the area and we’d been warned that it could be miserably hot, but we were pleasantly comfortable with three mini-splits in the 1200-square-foot apartment. We usually only ran one at a time, cooling whichever room we were using.

     I glanced up at the dark “mildew” spot on the ceiling and felt a twinge of fear. Had it grown in size? I pointed to it and said, “Babe, I think that spot is bigger.”

     He didn’t think so, or didn’t want to believe it at the time. I took a photo of it including the corner of the air conditioner for perspective. I would continue to photograph that spot for several weeks as it turned from a little mildew to a definite area of moisture on the drywall.

     One morning we woke up to find moisture had run down the seam between two sheets of drywall leaving a nasty water stain. The drywall tape had pulled loose and a six-inch strip was hanging down. Jon quickly turned off the air conditioner unit and said, “We’d better not use that unit until we have an air conditioning company check out this minisplit. We’ll just use the living room minisplit to cool the bedroom at night.”

     That day, I was in the laundry room filling the washing machine with dirty towels when I heard water running overhead. By that time, I was paranoid about possible water leaks. I looked up and saw a river of water flowing from the ceiling, down the wall, and puddling on the floor. I hadn’t turned the washing machine on yet, so it wasn’t coming from one of our water pipes. Not another water issue in our apartment!

     My next thought was... to read more, watch for my soon-to-be-released book Living in Mexico MORE LESSONS LEARNED. It'll be Chapter 17!

     Have you read Healthy Living in Mexico #3? Now might be a good time to check it out! Download it on Amazon at Living in Mexico LESSONS LEARNED. And please leave a brief review on Amazon to help others find it, too.

     Thank you for reading and reviewing my books. Follow me on my Healthy Living and Traveling in Mexico Facebook page.

Terry L Turrell, Author

Amazon Author Page

14 THINGS WE LOVE ABOUT CONDO LIVING IN OUR RETIREMENT YEARS (Part 1)

 And, No, I Don’t Sell Real Estate

I’m just amazed that Jon and I are enjoying condo living this much. A year ago, we hadn’t even considered it.

After living for six years in a small, classic hacienda-style concrete block and stucco house with a yard in a Mexican barrio (neighborhood) of Sayulita, we decided to move to a condo in Puerto Vallarta for multiple reasons. Life in a rustic casita surrounded by friendly locals was a great experience and we’re glad for that period of our adventures. But, what a pleasant contrast our new home is!

The Tiny Kitchen in Our Sayulita Casita

There are some things we’ve missed and some things we grew weary of. Moving to a condo in the “big city” of Puerto Vallarta was a refreshing change. We feel like we’re living “high on the hog” for much less than the same lifestyle would cost in the United States—we estimate about half. Living a somewhat bohemian lifestyle in Sayulita gave us a new appreciation for some of the luxuries we had given up. Wait until you see the kitchen in our condo unit!

While some people choose to rent a home when they move to México, we believe purchasing a home is a good investment. Besides that, we don’t have to worry about a landlord evicting us or raising the rent unexpectedly. Owning our condo unit in Puerto Vallarta gives us that sense of security. And there are so many more advantages of condo living.

1.    Our New Neighborhood is Very Walkable

Puerto Vallarta Old Town Walking Map

Sidewalks, handicap accessible ramps, a funicular for the steep hill down to the beach, and a beautiful Malecón to walk along the ocean for 1.3 miles from Playa Los Muertos to the north end, make Old Town a senior-friendly area. We often walk three to five miles a day which helps keep us healthy. I’m excited about getting our urban walking sticks to begin Nordic Walking along the ocean.

2.    We Love Having a Dishwasher

Our Condo Dishwasher is an Appreciated Luxury

After living a minimalistic life in Sayulita and while traveling in a small RV, hand-washing dishes every day for years, I became skeptical that a dishwasher uses more water. So, I Googled it. Our GE Profile dishwasher in our condo uses 3.5 gallons of water per load. I’m pretty sure I used more than that to hand-wash and rinse the same number of dishes. According to its Energy Star rating, it uses 249 kWh/year, costing us only 750 pesos or about $37 USD per year in electricity! I don’t have to feel guilty about this extravagance any longer.

3.    Great Water Pressure

     In our casita, water pressure was limited to the gravity-fed stream coming from the tinaco (water-storage tank) on the second-story roof. The first thing that comes to mind is the difference this makes when taking showers. You might think that a low-flow, wimpy shower saved water, but I think I stood in the shower longer to wash and rinse myself, especially when I washed my thick hair. Better water pressure means a shorter, more satisfying shower. Yes, we’re already spoiled by the consistent steady flow in our condo showers.

     Higher water pressure also makes using a washing machine and dishwasher possible. We didn’t have either appliance in our casita as filling them with water would take too much time and electricity (water was pumped up about three stories from the underground cistern to fill the three tinacos which requires electricity). The lavandería in Sayulita used garden hoses to speed the process of filling their washing machines. What a cumbersome process!

4.    The Luxury of Having a Laundry Room

     I used to boast that one of my favorite things about living in México was having our laundry done for us. We would take our dirty laundry to the lavandería once a week and then pick it up clean, dry, and neatly folded. That was half the reason we had a golf cart. After years of that, we’re happy to do our own laundry. Plus, we were able to sell the golf cart and invest the money in our new condo.

5.    Propane On-Demand, Hot Water All the Time

SoniGass Propane Tanks are HEAVY and Awkward

     No more heavy, cumbersome propane tanks to buy, haul into the yard, and connect to the house gas line the way we did in Sayulita. Jon doesn’t have to run out into the street and flag down the SoniGas truck when he hears their distinctive recording or the neighbors’ dogs howling along to the tune. No running out of hot water halfway through a shower—Murphy’s Law ensures this would always happen when I had shampoo in my hair. No trouble browning quesadillas on the range because the propane ran out and the flame died. No worries about leaking propane lines for Jon to repair and replace.

     Where we live now, propane is provided by the condominium so we never run out. It’s another service we pay for with our HOA dues, a convenience we can now appreciate.

6.    Quieter, Especially at Night

          These are benefits I appreciate, even more than Jon does as I have an acute sense of hearing:

     No roosters crowing and dogs barking at all hours of the day and night or the sound of festivals running late into the night and early morning as was normal in the barrio.

     No need for me to use earplugs every night. The condominium’s insulation and high-quality windows and exterior doors block sounds making it relatively quiet. The condominium we chose is far enough from nightclubs that we don’t hear the bone-rattling racket of late-night partying.

     If guests become too rowdy after 11:00 PM when quiet hours start, we can call the front desk to have Security take care of the problem.

7.    Indoor Temperature is More Comfortable Year-Round

Our Cozy Condo Bedrooms Need No Heater in the Winter

     Well-insulated ceilings, floors, and walls moderate temperature fluctuations inside our condo. Exterior windows have thermopanes with good seals that minimize air leakage. 

     In the winter, I don’t need a space heater in the bedroom and three blankets covering me at night to be comfortable the way I did in the casita. This helps keep our electricity bill down—it has been even lower than our bill for our small casita which had about half the square footage, no washing machine, dishwasher, or garbage disposal. Even in San Miguel de Allende where we rented a two-bedroom home for two summer months, we had to run the heaters all night to stay warm at night. We don't tolerate the cold any longer now that we've acclimated to this beautiful tropical weather.

     We live in our condo full-time, so summer comfort is important. When the weather turns hot and humid, we run the air conditioners most of the day. Both the condo and our casita have three mini-split air conditioners, but we were sure that our larger home would be more expensive to cool in August and September. We were wrong! Our electric bills have been consistently lower since we moved into our two-bedroom, two-bath condo in July. Our energy-efficient Dual Inverter A/Cs help lower electricity use, but the real difference is better insulation in this home.

8. Few Mosquitoes and No Scorpions! (Continued HERE in Part 2)

    Living in Mexico LESSONS LEARNED

     Have you read this book yet? Have you left a review on Amazon and Goodreads? Now might be a good time to read Lessons Learned because my new book, Living in Mexico: More Lessons Learned (Healthy Living in Mexico #5) is now available! (FREE with kindleunlimited)

eBOOK Now Available!

           I invite you to SIGN UP for my Healthy Living and Traveling in Mexico Newsletter, published monthly with stories about our latest adventures, my recent blog articles, and news about my books. If you’d like to take a look at my recent newsletter, you can read it HERE.

 Cheers,

     Terry

Terry L Turrell, Author

Amazon Author Page

PURIFIED DRINKING WATER—Bottled Water versus an Inline Filter

 Don’t Drink the Tap Water in México!

Our Drinking Water Dispenser in Sayulita

     Living in México, most residents and visitors alike drink only purified water, as there’s no guarantee that the tap water is safe to drink. Most purchase 5-gallon garrafónes (refillable bottles) of purified water for drinking—we did for the first six years that we lived here and it helped keep us healthy.

     We also carried several garrafónes of water while traveling in our RV and planned to continue the practice no matter where we live, even in the U.S. Who knows what comes in through the pipes!

     One of our Mexican neighbors in Sayulita recommended that we purchase Ciel® water produced by the Coca-Cola company, telling us that it was the best water. We were skeptical since it was a little more expensive. One Ciel bottle costs 32 pesos rather than 26 pesos for locally purified bottles, about 30 US cents more per five gallons—that adds up over a year. Is there really a difference in bottled water? But we took their advice. It did taste better than the drinking water prepared by the local purification plant, but probably due to the minerals that Ciel adds to improve flavor.

Bella Playing by the Garrafones of Ciel Water

     When we moved to our condo in Puerto Vallarta, we decided we wanted to eliminate the weekly purchase of several bottles of purified water from the truck that delivered it to our doorstep. It was a hassle and physically challenging to lift those heavy bottles and insert the garrafón neck into the water dispenser. I couldn’t do it unless I pumped half the water out first. Once Jon started having back pain, it was time to find another purified water source.

Ready for Ciel Water Delivery in Sayulita

     We refuse to buy single-use bottles of drinking water. Our planet is polluted with too much plastic as it is. We needed another solution.

     A condominium administrator told us people drink the water from the refrigerator water dispenser and they haven’t had complaints. When Jon looked at the type of filter used in our refrigerator, we realized that they do not filter out heavy metals, which can contribute to causing cancer, or other microscopic particulates.

Drink the Water from the Refrigerator Dispenser?

     We viewed a YouTube video by the Two Expats Mexico titled, “Is It Safe to Drink the Tap Water in Mexico?”. I was convinced by the segment about city water pipe conditions and repairs not to drink unfiltered city water. Knowing how broken and old pipes affect water purity, we decided we didn't trust the Puerto Vallarta water to be pure enough to drink.

     But a quality water filter can be used to purify tap water. Jon started researching inline water filters that filtered more. He came up with a plan to purchase a Waterdrop® filter from Amazon Mexico since they now stock them and ship to Puerto Vallarta.

Waterdrop Inline Filter for Under the Sink

     Jon installed a single Waterdrop®, a five-stage water filter to the cold-water line under the kitchen sink of our Condo in Puerta Vallarta to provide us with our purified drinking water. With a filtration accuracy of 0.5 μm, the Waterdrop multistage filter improves the quality of drinking water by reducing contaminants such as lead, mercury, fluoride, chlorine and chloramines, taste and odor, sediment, and rust.  The system also retains minerals that are essential to your body, such as potassium, calcium, sodium, and magnesium.

Jon Installing the Inline Water Filter Under the Kitchen Sink

Jon Checks for Leaks in the Connections

     We don’t have to worry about the safety of our filtered water now.  When used with municipal water, each filter has a maximum service life of 24 months or 16,000 gallons. We will err on the side of caution and install a new filter cartridge every year. If the cold-water flow slows significantly, the filter cartridge is clogged with particulate and can be backflushed or replaced.

     Currently, the Waterdrop 17UA-UF Under Sink Water Filter System, with an improved filtration accuracy to 0.01 μm (a micrometer is one-millionth of a meter), and a larger 19,000-gallon service life, is available from Amazon.com.mx. The total price for a complete system is around $150 US plus shipping. The replacement filters are about $82 US with shipping on Amazon.com.mx. That costs us about $7 US per month when we change it yearly, about the same as buying Ciel drinking water in 5-gallon garrafónes, but much more convenient. In the U.S., you can order these items at Waterdropfilter.com.

Hurricane Nora was Coming—Time to Stock Up On Water

     Hurricane Nora caused widespread flooding and broken pipes in August shortly after we moved into our condo. Repairs to water lines in Puerto Vallarta are still underway four months later. We were glad we had a few garrafónes of drinking water to tide us over until our Waterdrop filter arrived and Jon could get it installed. Now, while we brush our teeth with tap water, we only use filtered water for drinking and cooking.

     This is part of Healthy Living and Traveling in Mexico.

     I invite you to SIGN UP for my "Healthy Living and Traveling in Mexico Newsletter", published monthly with stories about our latest adventures, my recent blog articles, and news about my books.

     Have you read the #4 eBook in the "Healthy Living in Mexico” series, Life in Mexico Never a Dull Moment, a collection of stories? Available worldwide, it's FREE with kindleunlimited. Here’s a helpful review for this book:

"Useful Info, Entertaining Anecdotes

This book is packed with useful information on traveling in northwest Mexico. The author’s style is casual and easy to read. Well worth the time."

     Are you interested in Medical Fiction? Check out my second book in the “In Sickness and In Health” series, “Pickle Jar Test: A Novel”. In this love story with a little romance and information about Parkinson’s disease, follow Jake and Lindsay as they adjust to living in México with a new diagnosis and treatment.

Pickle Jar Test: A Novel

     Thank you for reading my blog articles and books. Jon and I co-wrote this article, Jon being the expert on anything technical. As a self-published author on Amazon worldwide, I love it when readers leave a brief review of my books.

     Happy reading and traveling. Cheers and Happy New Year!

     Terry and Jon

Terry and Jon at the Soggy Peso Bar, San Carlos

Terry L Turrell, Author

Bella the Dachshund Describes Her New Life in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

 I Live in a Condo Now!

     My people and I moved to Puerto Vallarta in July. I wasn’t too happy about leaving my big yard in Sayulita, but it turned out to be a good place for me in my senior years. I’m 11 ½ people years old now, so that’s 80 dog years. Whew, I’m not an energetic pup any longer!

     I love to retrieve the football in the evening while my people drink wine at home. A few months ago, I hurt my back running up and down one step from our patio in Sayulita. For two weeks, my back legs were paralyzed. My Sayulita vet told me I’m not supposed to do stairs anymore.

We have Elevators Now, No Stairs for Me!

I'm a Little Afraid in the Elevator

     My mom and dad shopped for months to find a pet-friendly condo just for me. Our new home has elevators and ramps for me to walk on. I’m a little afraid of the elevator, especially crossing that crack to get in or out, but it’s better than going up and down the stairs.

I Want to Go in that Garden!

      The garden outside our condo is beautiful. I wonder why they put it up so high with a wall around it so I can’t go in there to go potty. The gardeners prune everything once a week so Mom and Dad don’t have to work so hard anymore. I walk my mom and dad out to the cobblestone streets to find places to go potty now.

I Walk Down this Ramp to the Cobblestone

     I go on short walks in the neighborhood with my people. Once a month we walk to our corner OXXO convenience store where Dad pays the CFE electricity bill and their Telcel cell phone bills. Mom and I stay outside so I can smell everything and wait to see other dogs. Mom and Dad always wear those funny-looking masks—maybe they don't like the smells outside.

We Pay Our Bills at the OXXO Store

     That's enough exercise for me in the summer heat and humidity! I have to go home and rest after that. I rest a lot now that I'm old. My condo is a nice, air-conditioned place for a nap with my babies.

I Like Resting in the Air Conditioning Now

     Can you believe my mom and dad ordered a vacuum cleaner from Amazon for our condo? They know I have a love-hate relationship with those noisy things. While Mom was putting the vacuum together, I kept poking it because I wanted to hear it roar so I could bark at it. Then I had to grab my moose-elk and bark to protect it. When Mom started using the vacuum cleaner, it just puffed out steam but never made a sound. So disappointing—it was just a steam cleaner for the tile floors.

I had to Protect My Moose-Elk from the "Vacuum"

I Bark, Secretly Wanting the "Vacuum Cleaner" to Roar

     I still track geckos and keep the Chachalacas away. Those crazy birds come right onto our balcony and look in our kitchen window! They're bigger than me, but I'm not afraid of them. It’s great to have something to bark at, though I get in trouble because condo dogs aren’t supposed to bark or they get kicked out.

A Chachalaca Looks in Our Window

     I’m still looking for iguanas, land crabs, or Téjones, but I haven’t found any of those critters the way I did in Sayulita. The land crabs don't come to our balcony, probably because the only dirt is in pots where they can't climb up and bury themselves. I guess the iguanas don't like to live in a big city because I can’t smell any, even in the trees around our condo. Oh, well… Dad and Mom would just yell, “Bella, Don’t Chase the Iguana!” You might remember that story from my mom's blog when I was younger.

I Loved Barking at Critters in Our Sayulita Garden

A couple of weeks ago, I was really sick, so Mom and Dad took me to a new vet in Puerto Vallarta. I got to ride down the hill from our condo in the funicular—that saved me from hobbling down ninety steps. I wasn’t scared in it and I could see clear to the ocean from up there at the top of the hill.

Here Comes the Funicular to Give Us a Ride!

Here We Go Down the Funicular Tracks!

     My new vet, Dr. Julian at Hospital Veterinario Del Sol, was so gentle I didn’t even shake when he examined me. He said I have heart failure because I’m old for a dachshund. He gave me medicine and special food. Dr. Julian told Mom and Dad that it was too hot outside for me to walk or run right now, so they carried me home in my pet carrier.

We Stopped At Andale's Restaurant for Lunch

After we left the vet, Mom and Dad took me with them to lunch. The hamburgers they ate at Andale’srestaurant smelled so good, but they said I couldn’t have any people-food. Not even one bite of meat! Not fair…

I Sneak My Bone and Moose-Elk onto Mom's Yoga Mat

     During the summer, we love doing yoga in our air-conditioned condo. As soon as Dad rolls out the yoga mats, I sneak my bone and moose-elk toy onto Mom’s purple mat. I get scolded, but only playfully, then I get a belly rub. It works every time!

I Check the Groceries, then Ask "Where's the Meat?"

     We get our groceries delivered from La Comer supermarket. It’s very handy because Mom and Dad don’t have to leave for hours to get food. A man brings it right to our door which gives me a reason to bark, telling him to stay out of our house. Then I check the grocery box and it’s full of fruit. I loudly demand to know where the meat is, so Mom shows me a bag of turkey lunch meat. I’m feeling better these days so she gives me a bite even though my new vet said no people-food. I know Mom won’t tell him that we cheated on my diet.

Our Beach and Pier in Puerto Vallarta

     We live just three blocks from the Los Muertos beach and Muelle (pier) in Puerto Vallarta. Mom says there aren’t any sand crabs to dig for on this beach so I stay home when they go there. Do you remember how much I loved digging in the sand when I was a youngster? I miss that—and sitting in the sand under the table during lunch on the beach.

I Loved Digging When I was a Youngster!

     These days, Mom and Dad leave me at home where it’s cool when they go to the beach. Mom always brings me some yummy people-food when they come back, so I know they’ve been to one of the ocean-front restaurants without me. I'm okay with that.

I Bring the Ball to Mom and Beg to Play Fetch

I still like playing football and can persuade my people to throw it for me on our new balcony. When Mom throws the football, it only goes about ten feet, but that’s enough for me these days. I don’t have any stairs to jump up or down, so that’s good. I still get tired, though, after ten retrievals and have to rest. I settle into my bed and gaze out at the neighborhood. Looking at the Puerto Vallarta Old Town in the evening is very enjoyable.

Playa Los Muertos Pier and Pirate Ship

     We're glad we retired and moved to México. You can read more about our adventures in Mom’s books, available worldwide. You might like the book below, Retirement Before the Age of 59: Healthy Living in Mexico. It makes Mom happy when people leave reviews on Amazon, so I hope you will do that. Have a great summer!

Retirement Before the Age of 59

     You can sign up for Mom's newsletter HERE. She sends them out every month or so. She'll probably let you know how I'm doing. 

     P.S. After two weeks of eating canned food for old dogs, I'm on strike against all dog food. I only eat people food now. Don't tell my vet!

Bella Turrell, Begging for People Food