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

OUR MONTHLY BUDGET LIVING FULL-TIME IN PUERTO VALLARTA—More Expensive Than Sayulita?

 A Luxurious Life for Less

Living in Mexico

     Now that we’ve lived in Puerto Vallarta for five months, we have enough history to update our budget. The last time I worked over our budget, we lived in Sayulita—a slightly different lifestyle. Comparing the differences is interesting. The bottom line is surprising.

     In 2016, I wrote the article, “INEXPENSIVE TO LIVE IN SAYULITA, MEXICO? TAKE A LOOK AT OUR BUDGET...”. Life sure changed for us this year! 

Upstairs in Our Simple Sayulita Casita

     Six years ago, we purchased a relatively inexpensive, rustic casita in Sayulita (no dishwasher, garbage disposal, oven, clothes washer, or dryer). We lived there about nine months per year and traveled in an RV during the rainy summer. Living this simple life was much less expensive than our life in the United States, but what about comparing it to this fancier life in Puerto Vallarta? 

     Five months ago, we sold the casita and made 100% on our investment, which helped allow us to upgrade to a 1200 square foot two-bedroom, two-bath condo unit in the Romantic Zone. The rooftop infinity pool was one of the selling points for us.

Upstairs at Our Condo's Rooftop Infinity Pool

     Our monthly budget below is for two people living in a condo unit, one that we own. This home was a big upgrade for us, not much in size but much more in amenities. It’s a few blocks from the beach, though we kept the cost down by purchasing a unit without an ocean view. The HOA (Homeowners Association) dues added a big chunk to our budget but covers quite a few of our previous expenses as well as many services. 

     Paying cash for a home in México is an important factor in making it affordable to live here. We have no monthly mortgage or rent to pay—following the example that our parents set for living comfortably during retirement. 

     We save by not owning a vehicle. We sold our motorhome over 2 years ago which eliminated that expense. We sold the golf cart when we moved from Sayulita (setting aside the funds to upgrade our condo air conditioners to energy-efficient Dual Inverter mini-splits and to install a Waterdrop inline water filter when we moved in). We walk a lot, take the bus whenever possible now that we are vaccinated against COVID, and use Uber and taxis when needed, keeping our transportation costs down.

Our Golf Cart Days in Sayulita were Fun, Even for Bella

Some Expenses are Less

     We have a washer and dryer now so we’ve eliminated the laundry service line item. Without a messy yard that brought in leaves, dust, insects, and geckos we can now keep up with our housekeeping, eliminating the weekly housecleaner expense. 

     The Home repairs/Maintenance line item is much less because our condo is newer and has fewer interior systems to malfunction. Jon won’t be nearly as busy as a handyman here.

Some Expenses are More

     Since we moved here during the hot, humid month of July and live here year-round, air conditioning our home during the warm months, we expected our electricity bill to be significantly higher. Surprisingly, with the efficient Dual Inverter mini-splits, a well-insulated condo unit, and all lightbulbs changed to LED’s, our electricity bill hasn’t been much higher than our average in Sayulita and may drop after more winter month history.

     We splurge by dining out more often in Puerto Vallarta, about twenty times per month, sometimes breakfast or lunch, but usually nice dinners. Quality restaurant food and wine are more expensive here than in Sayulita, but still significantly less than in the United States.

     Veterinarian costs have increased for us here because we go to a clinic that is well-liked by Canadians and Americans for the quality of service and English-speaking staff, so their rates are higher. Wolf’s Veterinary Clinic is well worth the 30-minute bus ride to get there.

     We no longer go back to the U.S. for doctor appointments or to load up on vitamins, nutritional supplements, or OTC and prescription medications. Health care is very good and relatively inexpensive here. Medicare doesn’t cover medical care abroad and we’ve chosen to live here without supplemental health insurance. Now that we pay out of pocket for medical treatment and supplies, these Health Care line items are higher. In the past two years, Amazon, Costco, and Farmacia Guadalajara have become great suppliers for most of these items.

     Now that we’re older, we have additional medical and dental issues, all paid out of pocket, so I’ve significantly increased the budgeted amount for these line items. Jon’s Parkinson’s disease treatments have increased these line items in the last two years. We keep enough IRA investments to draw from if we have a major medical event.

     We no longer travel by motorhome but allocate funds for travel by other means. Usually, we hire a driver to take us on adventures in México which is convenient for travel with our small dog. We hope to fly somewhere in the Yucatan this year so have budgeted for that.

     We pay for everything in pesos, but I’ve converted the expenses below to U.S. dollars for ease of comparison. I’ve used 20.5 pesos per dollar as the exchange rate, though it’s sometimes over 21, making our dollars stretch even farther.

     I didn’t include Medicare insurance premiums because they are deducted from our Social Security income. Our net monthly income (pretax) from Social Security will be $3436 in 2022, providing a luxurious lifestyle in Puerto Vallarta. It would be impossible to live this well in the U.S. on our income. When our IRA investments do well, we splurge on a special purchase such as home improvements or a nicer vacation. Since we live in paradise, we’re happy to “vacation” here at home most of the time, taking day-trip adventures near PV about once a month.

Budget Line-Item (2 people)                          Expenses in US Dollars

Groceries & Wine                                                            $ 350

Restaurants (Yes, we splurge here)                             $1000

Waterdrop Filters                                                           $    7

(Rather than Purified Water--More about this later)

Condo HOA Dues                                                            $ 520

            (This is one of our highest monthly expenses, but includes a lot of services, replacing several expense line items from our Sayulita budget. Included are gas, internet, water, sewer, landscape maintenance, common area cleaning and maintenance, swimming pool, rooftop bar and café, gym, security, and building maintenance.)

Electricity                                                                          $  70

Fitness (Zumba Gold & yoga classes)                              $  20

            (We save by using our condo’s gym and free YouTube classes)

Health Care—Medical                                                   $ 120

            (Physical Therapy $30, Doctors $30, Procedures, Lab tests, etc. $60)

Health Care—Dental                                                      $  40

Health Care (Prescription Meds—OTC in Mexico)   $ 250

Health Care (OTC Meds, CBD, Vitamins, Suppl.)     $ 320

Personal Care                                                                   $ 245

(This is where we splurge more than we did in Sayulita for much less than in the U.S. Weekly Massage $155/mo., Hair Color & Cut $90)

Pet Food, Supplies, Vet                                              $  40

Home Repair/Maintenance                                     $  30

Phone and Skype                                                          $  30

            (2 Telcel Amigo sin Limite Plans + 2 Skype Numbers)

Property Taxes                                                              $  10

Property Bank Trust Fee:                                         $  44

Transportation (Local--Bus, Taxi, Uber)            $  60

Kindle eBooks                                                               $  50

Entertainment and Netflix                                       $  50

Clothing                                                                           $  30

Charity and Donations                                              $  30

Travel and Vacations                                                 $ 120

Total Monthly Budget for Two People               $3436

     Some people rent out their condo units for much of the year to increase their income. We were landlords for over twenty years during our “rat race” time in the U.S. and don’t plan to ever do that again. This is our home, not a rental. We may not earn rental income from this condo unit, but it will be a good investment in the long term if we ever sell it, or if our children sell it.

     Anyone who boasts of living for under $600 per month in Mexico is probably not enjoying many of the inexpensive perks of living here. I’ve tried to give a more accurate impression of expat life in México. Of course, many people live on less than we do by sacrificing some of the benefits we splurge on. Monthly tours or days trips provide the adventures we crave, expenses that are well worth it. Enjoying being pampered is part of the fun of retiring here. A weekly massage—why not, as the Mexicans say. A weekly trip to the salon for a hair wash and style—I love it and can afford it here but not in the U.S. Dining out because I don’t feel like cooking—we’re helping the economy. Budgeting for a vacation or two each year is important to us.

     Yes, I like to justify being spoiled. Why not? Life is good as a foreigner retired in México.

     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 at Feliz Navidad, a Puppy, and a New Book.

Retirement Before the Age of 59 eBook

     Have you read my book, Retirement Before the Age of 59:Healthy Living in Mexico #2? I love it when readers leave a brief review on Amazon. Check out this 5-Star Review:

     “Being a writer, living in the Pacific Northwest, roughly the same age as the author, and having long a goal of retiring and living at least part-time in Sayulita, MX, THIS was exactly what I was after. And it did not disappoint. Her frustrations as a career pharmacist, getting hit hard in the real estate market of 2008 (boy, I can relate there,) the decision to downsize, to travel, to retire to Mexico, Terry writes about it all in a style that's very readable and very helpful. Her pros/cons list of various Mexico locations is golden. We have another exploratory trip to Sayulita coming in a few months, and I'm now much more prepared to see it with "new" eyes than I was before.”

     Thank you for reading my books and blog articles. Happy travels.

Terry L Turrell, Author, with Sophie

Amazon Author Page

OUR 12 FAVORITE PUERTO VALLARTA RESTAURANTS--So Far! (Part 1)

 And So Many More to Try!

A Taste of Europe in Puerto Vallarta

     One of the reasons we love Puerto Vallarta is the huge selection of quality restaurants. TripAdvisor claims there are 1000 restaurants in PV and I’m sure that doesn’t include all of the taco stands. We’ll be busy trying to get to all of them!

     We live in the Romantic Zone, also called Old Town, so we can walk to hundreds of great restaurants. Going out for dinner is one of our favorite excuses to take our daily walk, often getting two to three miles recorded on our Fitbits by the time we walk to and from a restaurant, plus fifteen to twenty minutes of aerobic minutes walking up the hills.

     My criteria for a favorite restaurant are delicious food for a fair price, good wine, a pleasant ambiance, and a clean restroom. I’m convinced that if the restroom is clean and well-stocked with soap, running water, toilet paper, and paper towels, then the employees wash their hands and the kitchen is also clean, probably. Some of the restaurants here are starting to add grab bars next to the toilets for the elderly and handicapped. We don’t need those yet, but the day will come, so I make a mental note of which restaurants have added these though they aren’t required by law.

1. Kaiser Maximilian

    When we’re hungry for something besides Mexican food, and we want a peaceful, air-conditioned dining room on a hot, humid evening, Kaiser Maximilian is frequently our choice. An Austrian bistro with an Austrian menu, it offers a nice variety from beef to vegetarian and an extensive wine list in addition to the full bar. Seated in our corner table, the photo behind us of Vienna, Austria is a beautiful backdrop for our dining experience and memory photo.

     The beef tenderloin I ordered was wonderful. Jon enjoyed their rack of lamb—again. Next time we go for dinner, I want to try the pan-roasted duck breast, or maybe their version of “Wienerschnitzel”. So much variety to choose from! And one of these days, we’ll go to Kaiser Maximilian for breakfast—I’m on a quest to find the best Eggs Benedict in Puerto Vallarta.

One of Kaiser Maximilian's Pleasant Dining Rooms

Yummy Dessert at Kaiser Maximilian

2. No Se Nada

     No Se Nada is one of our favorite restaurants for Mexican food. The food, service, and ambiance are wonderful. Photos are helpful, but this one needs to be experienced to fully appreciate what a gem it is. No wonder it’s rated #8 of 1000 restaurants in PV!

We Started with this Healthy, Nicely-Presented Salad

I Enjoyed Chef Jonathan's Special Pork Chop

Jon had the Beef Dish, Beautifully Presented and Tasty

It was Fun to Watch Our Chefs Work in their Clean Kitchen

Jon And I Look Forward to Returning to No Se Nada

3. De Cantaro

De Cantaro Restaurant's Sign

     When it’s Jon’s turn to choose a restaurant for the evening, he often chooses De Cantaro, an open-air pub with delicious food grilled over a wood fire. He usually orders the grilled half chicken and always enjoys it. My shrimp tacos were especially good—and inexpensive. They are listed as an appetizer but the three tacos are a meal for me. The shrimp are grilled rather than fried making them healthier. These were served in blue corn tortillas which are tougher so they don’t fall apart while eating the tacos. Maybe I’ll try the grilled octopus next time.

Jon's Grilled Chicken and Espumoso

Shrimp Tacos with Blue Corn Tortillas

     Links for Parts 1 Through 4 of Our 12 Favorite Puerto Vallarta Restaurants Can be Found Below:

Part 1 https://retirementbeforetheageof59.blogspot.com/2021/10/our-12-favorite-puerto-vallarta.html

Part 2 https://retirementbeforetheageof59.blogspot.com/2021/11/our-12-favorite-puerto-vallarta.html

Part 3 https://retirementbeforetheageof59.blogspot.com/2021/12/our-12-favorite-puerto-vallarta.html

Part 4 https://retirementbeforetheageof59.blogspot.com/2022/01/our-12-favorite-puerto-vallarta.html

Enjoy!

Healthy Living in Mexico Book #3

     Have you read Living In Mexico Lessons Learned: HealthyLiving in Mexico #3? This is my most popular book this month, #6 in Amazon’s Mexican Travel (Kindle) category, thanks to many readers downloading it and leaving great reviews. Available worldwide, it’s FREE with kindleunlimited.

     Thank you for reading my blog articles and books. As a self-published author on Amazon, I love it when readers leave a brief review of my books to help others find them. 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.

Happy reading and traveling! Stay safe and healthy.

Terry L Turrell, Author

Selling Our Sayulita Home, A FREE Book, Goodbye Bella

The Sale of Our Cozy Sayulita Casita Finally Closed

     After living in our cozy casita in Sayulita for almost six years, Jon and I decided to sell it and purchase a condo in Puerto Vallarta. Boy, did we get some lessons in real estate transactions!

We Enjoyed Living in Our Cozy Casita in Sayulita

Real estate sales in México take an immense amount of time and patience, more now than ever. We repeatedly asked our realtor, “Why?”, sent more requested documents, and then waited. We asked, “When?”, and waited some more. Why was our closing date being postponed?

The pandemic was blamed for paperwork delays. Hurricane Nora at the end of August created havoc, flooding, and more postponement. A very busy real estate market in Puerto Vallarta and Sayulita was often mentioned as the cause of holdups. Preparation of the bank trust, a document required for ownership of property by foreigners, dragged for weeks. And then, it was El Grito de Independencia, the Mexican Independence Day on September 16, a major holiday that lasts at least a week. The meeting to close the sale had to be rescheduled until all attorneys, realtors, the buyer, and both Jon and I were available to meet at one time for the official signing of many documents.

     Finally, on Monday, September 20, the El Grito festivities were finished. More than three months after... to continue reading, click here.

Bella, Our Sweet and Sassy Dachshund

September brought some joy, and then sorrow.

     On September 12, as we began to accept that our beloved Bella’s health was declining, I wrote the article, “Bellathe Dachshund Describes Her New Life in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico”. 

     Bella has always been full of energy and spunk. Even as her body was failing, she continued to use her antics and sassy ways to make us laugh. To continue reading, click here.

Don't miss this FREE book promotion, beginning October 7, 2021, for a limited time only! Healthy Living and Traveling in Mexico: A Search for Sunshine, Sassy Exercise, Savory Food and a Simpler Life (Healthy Living in Mexico Book 1)

Thank you for reading my books and blogs. My books are available on Amazon worldwide. If you enjoy them, please leave a brief review on Amazon. I wish you good health and happiness.

   Cheers,
          Terry

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