Exercise, diet, nutrition, moderation, "the scale is at least three pounds off today", lose weight, "I shouldn't have had that second vodka/tonic", the list goes on and on...and these are all things that have been running wild in my head lately as I face putting on my bikini to hit the beach.
Everybody knows that Mexico in the summertime is not the most desirable place. With the heat index reaching over 100'F every day the only thing you want to do is put on your bathing suit and find a cool body of water--or even a high-powered fan for that matter. So, even thinking about going for a run or working out in this heat makes me want to vomit. But the reality is I need to--exercise that is, not vomit.
I was working out five days a week up until July when it got really hot. Then I started to find excuses and was finding myself only working out once or twice a week for the next two months. They say you loose muscle within two weeks of not using it--and they're right. It's not fair, but it's reality.
So, I just got back from a months stay in Idaho and instantly felt the pressure to start exercising five days a week again. With a gym on every corner and people running or biking on the streets you feel the need to get in shape and stay healthy--it's like a competition. So I ran to Target, bought the hardest looking workout video and the latest Women's Health and Shape magazines and then stashed them into my suitcase and said I'd start back up when I returned to San Pancho.
Well, I got back three weeks ago and have just now pulled out that workout tape and those magazines. But you know what, a little vacation was just what I needed.
I've realized that making excuses like blaming it on the miserable Mexico heat or not having a gym isn't going to help my cause to stay fit and eat healthy. It's something I have to do on my own and taking a break both physically and mentally for a while is OK. Yes, I might not look like Heidi Klum in my bikini but at least I'm staying motivated and thinking about my next workout and how much fun it's going to be to sweat it out and feel great afterwards.
If you're looking for some websites to help keep you motivated check out Athleta Chi and Women's Health. They are my saving grace while living here in San Pancho.
Saturday, October 9, 2010
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
A song about San Pancho
Our sweet little village is getting a lot of attention thanks to this great music video that was recently created. Listen for yourself and fall in love with San Pancho like we have!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYaNP_0gwQU&feature=youtube_gdata
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYaNP_0gwQU&feature=youtube_gdata
Friday, July 16, 2010
Blue Skies and Rain
What an amazing morning in San Pancho. The sun is shining, rain is falling lightly, and a cool breeze is coming through the window as I type this. I dread the summer heat, but if it were like this every morning I'd never leave.
Here's to a cool summer morning--and hoping you are all sharing it with someone special like I am.
Here's to a cool summer morning--and hoping you are all sharing it with someone special like I am.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
San Pancho Goes Green
I love getting articles like this about our sweet little village. We are very fortunate to have such an amazing recycling program and other hotels/businesses who are going green as well.
Here's a great article showcasing a hotel in San Pancho and how they have gone green.
Here's a great article showcasing a hotel in San Pancho and how they have gone green.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Just when you say that will never happen to me...
For some reason, unknown to me, the San Pancho beach has been covered with Portuguese man-of-war for the last week. These creatures of the ocean are beautiful and very small and apparently travel in groups of 1,000 or more. Their tiny blue bodies are the only part that stands out on the beach, the rest of their body and tentacles are clear and almost impossible to see in the sand.
So yesterday, after a much needed swim in a friends pool, Karen and I decided to take a walk on the beach. And as soon as we got closer to the waters edge we had to start dodging the dead man-of-war stranded on the beach. I asked Karen if we were okay walking through them and she said we had nothing to worry about. This statement from Karen kind of surprised me because I knew she had been stung by this tiny creature in Hawaii and had a pretty bad scare with the pain traveling up her leg.
So we walked on. Made it to the rocks on the south end of the beach and headed back constantly watching our step to avoid the dead man-of-war. Halfway back I suddenly felt this stinging sensation on my left foot so I looked down but saw nothing. Then the stinging started traveling across my foot up to my ankle and that's when I realized I had one of the clear tentacles wrapped around my foot. My first reaction was to kick it off, which was a mistake because it was a long tentacle and the flicking motion whipped it up in the air and it swiped my right inner thigh and then my right ankle. Luckily Karen knew what to do after her experience in Hawaii, and she said "Grab a sea shell and scrap the tentacles out. Just don't rub." I was in luck because I had just picked up two sea shells so I handed one to Karen and I sat down and we started scrapping. But the burning sensation was getting worse, and it wasn't until a few minutes later I realized the tentacle was still wrapped around my foot--it was so clear I couldn't see it for the longest time. So I continued to scrap it off and as soon as it was gone the burning wasn't as bad. Karen then asked "Do you have to pee?" Of course I didn't, I was in pain!
What are you always told to do if you get stung by a man-of-war or jelly fish? Pee on it! It sounds pretty disgusting, but the burning sensation is so bad that you are willing to try anything. So we walk as quickly as we could back to Karen's house for a homemade remedy. There is nothing like getting closer to your mother-in-law than having her pee into a jar and pour it all over your feet. I must admit, it did make me gag, but as soon as the urine hit my feet the burning stopped and the little white bumps started to disappear. Urinating on it really works! She then poured some vinegar on it and we later put baking soda on it and within an hour the burning was gone and you wouldn't even know I had been stung if you looked at my feet today.
So, if you ever get stung by a Portuguese man-of-war take my advice and urinate on it. Thanks Karen!
So yesterday, after a much needed swim in a friends pool, Karen and I decided to take a walk on the beach. And as soon as we got closer to the waters edge we had to start dodging the dead man-of-war stranded on the beach. I asked Karen if we were okay walking through them and she said we had nothing to worry about. This statement from Karen kind of surprised me because I knew she had been stung by this tiny creature in Hawaii and had a pretty bad scare with the pain traveling up her leg.
So we walked on. Made it to the rocks on the south end of the beach and headed back constantly watching our step to avoid the dead man-of-war. Halfway back I suddenly felt this stinging sensation on my left foot so I looked down but saw nothing. Then the stinging started traveling across my foot up to my ankle and that's when I realized I had one of the clear tentacles wrapped around my foot. My first reaction was to kick it off, which was a mistake because it was a long tentacle and the flicking motion whipped it up in the air and it swiped my right inner thigh and then my right ankle. Luckily Karen knew what to do after her experience in Hawaii, and she said "Grab a sea shell and scrap the tentacles out. Just don't rub." I was in luck because I had just picked up two sea shells so I handed one to Karen and I sat down and we started scrapping. But the burning sensation was getting worse, and it wasn't until a few minutes later I realized the tentacle was still wrapped around my foot--it was so clear I couldn't see it for the longest time. So I continued to scrap it off and as soon as it was gone the burning wasn't as bad. Karen then asked "Do you have to pee?" Of course I didn't, I was in pain!
What are you always told to do if you get stung by a man-of-war or jelly fish? Pee on it! It sounds pretty disgusting, but the burning sensation is so bad that you are willing to try anything. So we walk as quickly as we could back to Karen's house for a homemade remedy. There is nothing like getting closer to your mother-in-law than having her pee into a jar and pour it all over your feet. I must admit, it did make me gag, but as soon as the urine hit my feet the burning stopped and the little white bumps started to disappear. Urinating on it really works! She then poured some vinegar on it and we later put baking soda on it and within an hour the burning was gone and you wouldn't even know I had been stung if you looked at my feet today.
So, if you ever get stung by a Portuguese man-of-war take my advice and urinate on it. Thanks Karen!
Thursday, May 13, 2010
What people will do to help out a community--it's amazing!
San Pancho's community continues to amaze me with how they pull together to help raise awareness about crucial issues in our lives. I was fortunate enough to speak with such a woman who brought 10 of her dental hygiene students from British Columbia to San Pancho to offer free clinics and oral hygiene education to children and residents of San Pancho. Below is the article that was published in last week's issue of La Voz de San Pancho. Enjoy!
Raising Awareness of Dental Hygiene Care in San Pancho
May is upon us and the number of visiting tourists is starting to dwindle here in San Pancho. Despite this usual seasonal downturn in population, Roberto's Bungalows has been booked solid for the past few weeks. However, these guests most certainly do not fit the standard profile of vacationing visitors. La Voz caught up with Ada Barker who explained the reason why she and ten of her dental students are here for 30 days.
Turned onto our town by resident Glades Huizar, Ada has spearheaded an annual trip to San Pancho with very generous philanthropic intentions. Ada's group are all part of a dental hygiene program at Camosun College out of British Columbia. Their three year commitment to the program comes to a close after returning home from San Pancho when the 10 students will graduate from the program. After their time here, they will take their licensed board exam and become eligible to apply to the University of British Columbia to complete the fourth and final year of their Bachelor of Dental Science (Dental Hygiene) degree. The welcomed services they provide to San Pancho fulfill partial requirements for their graduation.
Visiting all of the schools here in town and performing oral health education, the group also does screenings for any anomalies that happen in the mouth for children. "Once we do that, we give information to the children along with their screening form of what they need to do in the future to have healthy teeth," says Ada. "If there is decay we mark it on a diagram and show it to their parents so their parents can take it to their dentist for future cleanings." Services are also offered at the San Pancho Hospital on the weekends. And all patients are examined for free. Periodontal problems like gingivitis are identified during the cleaning as well as investigations of blood pressure levels and screening for diabetes.
"We are more preventative based, and here to educate children about their teeth and removal of contributing factors of infection" says Ada. The industry as a whole is finding a direct link to oral health and body health. "We really want to increase awareness in that regard. If people have infections in their mouth it affects their body. It's about assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation and that is what we do with every client."
"The students have done an outstanding job of gathering donations from Dentist offices in Victoria to prepare for this trip. Offices have donated toothbrushes, dental floss, and fluoride among other things to provide after each cleaning" says Ada. "I'm very proud of the work they did to prepare for this trip and the way they have conducted themselves here in San Pancho. It's a pleasure for me to work with such a great team."
Ada got the idea to implement this program here in San Pancho back in 2004 when she was vacationing here. "I talked to the director at the San Pancho Hospital and had to get a memorandum of understanding that stated that the hospital and our institution will work together to provide education and awareness to local residents about dental hygiene care. Our first group of seven students was able to come in 2007." The clinic has grown ever since and even experiences return clients. "One of the most positive things we've seen is that people's oral health is improving and that is great," smiles Ada.
There exhaustive efforts and charitable visit does not consist of strictly work. "We have had a chance to explore the area. We went snorkeling around the Marietta Islands, we visited the La Penita market, and Sayulita too," says Ada. "We are so thankful to the people here for accepting what we do and receiving us so well. We are here with the best intentions and want to learn about the Mexican culture and about ourselves. I hope the people of the town continue to welcome us for many more years to come."
To read more about their experiences in San Pancho you can visit their blog.
Raising Awareness of Dental Hygiene Care in San Pancho
May is upon us and the number of visiting tourists is starting to dwindle here in San Pancho. Despite this usual seasonal downturn in population, Roberto's Bungalows has been booked solid for the past few weeks. However, these guests most certainly do not fit the standard profile of vacationing visitors. La Voz caught up with Ada Barker who explained the reason why she and ten of her dental students are here for 30 days.
Turned onto our town by resident Glades Huizar, Ada has spearheaded an annual trip to San Pancho with very generous philanthropic intentions. Ada's group are all part of a dental hygiene program at Camosun College out of British Columbia. Their three year commitment to the program comes to a close after returning home from San Pancho when the 10 students will graduate from the program. After their time here, they will take their licensed board exam and become eligible to apply to the University of British Columbia to complete the fourth and final year of their Bachelor of Dental Science (Dental Hygiene) degree. The welcomed services they provide to San Pancho fulfill partial requirements for their graduation.
Visiting all of the schools here in town and performing oral health education, the group also does screenings for any anomalies that happen in the mouth for children. "Once we do that, we give information to the children along with their screening form of what they need to do in the future to have healthy teeth," says Ada. "If there is decay we mark it on a diagram and show it to their parents so their parents can take it to their dentist for future cleanings." Services are also offered at the San Pancho Hospital on the weekends. And all patients are examined for free. Periodontal problems like gingivitis are identified during the cleaning as well as investigations of blood pressure levels and screening for diabetes.
"We are more preventative based, and here to educate children about their teeth and removal of contributing factors of infection" says Ada. The industry as a whole is finding a direct link to oral health and body health. "We really want to increase awareness in that regard. If people have infections in their mouth it affects their body. It's about assessment, diagnosis, planning, implementation, and evaluation and that is what we do with every client."
"The students have done an outstanding job of gathering donations from Dentist offices in Victoria to prepare for this trip. Offices have donated toothbrushes, dental floss, and fluoride among other things to provide after each cleaning" says Ada. "I'm very proud of the work they did to prepare for this trip and the way they have conducted themselves here in San Pancho. It's a pleasure for me to work with such a great team."
Ada got the idea to implement this program here in San Pancho back in 2004 when she was vacationing here. "I talked to the director at the San Pancho Hospital and had to get a memorandum of understanding that stated that the hospital and our institution will work together to provide education and awareness to local residents about dental hygiene care. Our first group of seven students was able to come in 2007." The clinic has grown ever since and even experiences return clients. "One of the most positive things we've seen is that people's oral health is improving and that is great," smiles Ada.
There exhaustive efforts and charitable visit does not consist of strictly work. "We have had a chance to explore the area. We went snorkeling around the Marietta Islands, we visited the La Penita market, and Sayulita too," says Ada. "We are so thankful to the people here for accepting what we do and receiving us so well. We are here with the best intentions and want to learn about the Mexican culture and about ourselves. I hope the people of the town continue to welcome us for many more years to come."
To read more about their experiences in San Pancho you can visit their blog.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Preparing for Summer
The high season appears to be over in San Pancho. The tourists have slowly dwindled in the past month and you'll be lucky to find one or two groups walking the streets, eating at one of the restaurants, or hanging out at the beach.
So, it's time for us to hunker down for the summer--which really means me preparing myself for the heat and humidity and making sure the A/C works--and take advantage of the summer months to prepare for next season.
We have a lot of "projects" going on right now. Between Panchito's Bar, SanPanchoLife.com and Living Arquitectura, we are busy trying to figure out how to make a living in paradise. We knew it wasn't going to be easy, but now that the slow season is here reality has sunk in and I'm a bit freaked out about cash flow. So we are going to take advantage of the next few months to reflect on this past year, how business has been for the bar, what we need to do to improve it, and how to make our other two jobs successful. Wish us luck!
So, it's time for us to hunker down for the summer--which really means me preparing myself for the heat and humidity and making sure the A/C works--and take advantage of the summer months to prepare for next season.
We have a lot of "projects" going on right now. Between Panchito's Bar, SanPanchoLife.com and Living Arquitectura, we are busy trying to figure out how to make a living in paradise. We knew it wasn't going to be easy, but now that the slow season is here reality has sunk in and I'm a bit freaked out about cash flow. So we are going to take advantage of the next few months to reflect on this past year, how business has been for the bar, what we need to do to improve it, and how to make our other two jobs successful. Wish us luck!
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Manana could potentially mean semana...
You become spoiled with how quickly things move in the United States, and sometimes these conveniences of time are hard to find in Mexico. Now, I will preface that the story I'm about to tell you was in fact our fault because we weren't paying attention to how long it had been since we filled our propane tank, but the time it took to get it filled was definitely out of our control.
It was Thursday, April 15th and I was in the kitchen cooking dinner and getting ready to open the bar--making the much needed simple syrup for drinks--when the flame on the stove went out. Now, this shouldn't have come as a surprise because my shower in the morning was luke warm and that wasn't normal, but I wrote it off thinking the pilot light just needed to be checked--and of course I forgot to check it after my shower and went on with my day. So when it came time to cook that night the propane was at it's last few drops and it was too late in the evening to call any of the gas companies.
So, first thing Friday morning Jeremy called Global Gas. Now for those of you who live in San Pancho or have visited us you'll know that gas trucks drive up and down the road all day long advertising their services through big loud speakers, but most of them only carry the smaller tanks and we have a big tank so we couldn't just flag them down like normal. Once we got a hold of Global Gas the lady assured us that they would be by later that afternoon or tomorrow morning to fill the tank. So, as frustrated as I was to have to take a cold shower I sucked it up and took one, because after all it was our fault for not paying attention to the gas level. At 2:00pm I came home from work and still no gas. So we waited and waited and finally gave up hope that they were going to show that day at 6:00pm.
I woke up Saturday morning with hope that they would be at our door first thing, but no such luck. So after waiting all day we finally called back at 3:30pm only to find out that they stopped by the house at 2:00pm but nobody was home. Lie! We waited there all day for them and didn't even see the truck drive by. So Jeremy politely asked when they would return to San Pancho and she responded with Lunes (Monday). Great! Now we have to go another two full days without a warm shower or being able to use the stove/oven. And by this time I'm angry.
Sunday passes with no gas and then Monday rolls around. I once again endure my cold shower and head to work. When I return to the house at 2:00pm Jeremy was patiently waiting on the front porch to make sure he wouldn't miss the gas truck. But of course they never came and we called once again. The response we got this time was that they were in deed coming today but she couldn't give us an exact time frame. We had made plans with friends and couldn't stick around waiting for the gas company to show up any longer. So, Jeremy called another friend who had a phone number of a different gas company. Jeremy called Soni Gas and they were at our door step within 20 minutes. Finally, we have gas! But as soon as they finished filling the tank we were out the door to Sayulita to hang out with our friends.
We came home that night and Jeremy was sweet enough to light the pilot light for me so I would have a warm shower the next morning--but since the tank had sat empty now for four days air had built up in it and when he lit the pilot light the flame came barrelling out and burned his arms. I felt awful.
The next morning when I was finally going to take a warm shower the water wasn't heating up, so I went out to check the pilot light to find that the flame was barely burning. So I turned the knob--the wrong way--and the pilot light went out! I calmly walked into the house and in my sweetest voice told Jeremy--and needless to say he was less than happy with me, especially after he had burned his arms lighting it the night before.
Jeremy tried for almost 45 minutes to get it lit without any luck. So I told him I'd take care of it, since after all it was my fault that it went out. I called our dear friend, Jordi, who came right over and got it lit on the first try--of course!
So, lesson learned...1. Pay attention to your propane usage and when you filled it last. 2. Know that when you here manana it really means semana--or maybe never. 3. Appreciate warm showers and being able to use your stove/oven. 4. Practice patience!
It was Thursday, April 15th and I was in the kitchen cooking dinner and getting ready to open the bar--making the much needed simple syrup for drinks--when the flame on the stove went out. Now, this shouldn't have come as a surprise because my shower in the morning was luke warm and that wasn't normal, but I wrote it off thinking the pilot light just needed to be checked--and of course I forgot to check it after my shower and went on with my day. So when it came time to cook that night the propane was at it's last few drops and it was too late in the evening to call any of the gas companies.
So, first thing Friday morning Jeremy called Global Gas. Now for those of you who live in San Pancho or have visited us you'll know that gas trucks drive up and down the road all day long advertising their services through big loud speakers, but most of them only carry the smaller tanks and we have a big tank so we couldn't just flag them down like normal. Once we got a hold of Global Gas the lady assured us that they would be by later that afternoon or tomorrow morning to fill the tank. So, as frustrated as I was to have to take a cold shower I sucked it up and took one, because after all it was our fault for not paying attention to the gas level. At 2:00pm I came home from work and still no gas. So we waited and waited and finally gave up hope that they were going to show that day at 6:00pm.
I woke up Saturday morning with hope that they would be at our door first thing, but no such luck. So after waiting all day we finally called back at 3:30pm only to find out that they stopped by the house at 2:00pm but nobody was home. Lie! We waited there all day for them and didn't even see the truck drive by. So Jeremy politely asked when they would return to San Pancho and she responded with Lunes (Monday). Great! Now we have to go another two full days without a warm shower or being able to use the stove/oven. And by this time I'm angry.
Sunday passes with no gas and then Monday rolls around. I once again endure my cold shower and head to work. When I return to the house at 2:00pm Jeremy was patiently waiting on the front porch to make sure he wouldn't miss the gas truck. But of course they never came and we called once again. The response we got this time was that they were in deed coming today but she couldn't give us an exact time frame. We had made plans with friends and couldn't stick around waiting for the gas company to show up any longer. So, Jeremy called another friend who had a phone number of a different gas company. Jeremy called Soni Gas and they were at our door step within 20 minutes. Finally, we have gas! But as soon as they finished filling the tank we were out the door to Sayulita to hang out with our friends.
We came home that night and Jeremy was sweet enough to light the pilot light for me so I would have a warm shower the next morning--but since the tank had sat empty now for four days air had built up in it and when he lit the pilot light the flame came barrelling out and burned his arms. I felt awful.
The next morning when I was finally going to take a warm shower the water wasn't heating up, so I went out to check the pilot light to find that the flame was barely burning. So I turned the knob--the wrong way--and the pilot light went out! I calmly walked into the house and in my sweetest voice told Jeremy--and needless to say he was less than happy with me, especially after he had burned his arms lighting it the night before.
Jeremy tried for almost 45 minutes to get it lit without any luck. So I told him I'd take care of it, since after all it was my fault that it went out. I called our dear friend, Jordi, who came right over and got it lit on the first try--of course!
So, lesson learned...1. Pay attention to your propane usage and when you filled it last. 2. Know that when you here manana it really means semana--or maybe never. 3. Appreciate warm showers and being able to use your stove/oven. 4. Practice patience!
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Where did the time go?
Wow, what happened to the last six months? A lot actually, so let me fill you in month-by-month and in as few words as possible so you will read all the way to the end without getting bored!
October 2009: We were deep in the process of buying Casa Panchito with Jeremy's parents, and learning a lot about the real estate differences between the United States and Mexico. Jeremy was still working hard on building kites and met another architect in town and started a firm with her called Living Arquitectura. The weather was still pretty unbearable--at least for me--but the evenings started to cool down so I knew winter was on its way.
November 2009: We will call this "Dengue Month"! I started working for SanPanchoLife.com in early November and Jeremy's architecture business was taking off. Things were looking up for us--then Dengue hit. We literally got it within an hour of each other. I won't go into all the details about it, but you have a very high fever, chills, your entire body aches, severe headache, and restlessness. You are so exhausted that you can't get out of bed nor can you sleep. There is nothing you can take except for Tylenol and drink 2 liters of fluids a day. Well, that's where I went wrong. I wasn't drinking enough and dehydration set in quickly for me. By day 5 I was throwing up and could barely drag myself out of bed to make it to the bathroom. By that evening I had passed out and had a seizure so Jeremy decided to take me to the San Pancho hospital. I was very hesitant to go to the hospital because I wasn't sure of the conditions, but I needed fluids immediately so I didn't have a choice. After 10 minutes of trying to find a vein they found one and the fluid started to drip into me. After one bag I passed out again and had another seizure and that's when I really got scared. But, I was fine and they took good care of me in the hospital and after three weeks of dengue for me and 1.5 weeks of dengue for Jeremy we were free of it.
We also had several visitors in November. Jeremy's college buddy David Goren stayed for a week during Thanksgiving, Jeremy's mom stayed with us for six weeks, and her good friend Wendy Herron came for a week to celebrate her 60th birthday. During that time we worked on the bar in hopes that we would open as soon as the house closed, which was scheduled for December 15.
December 2009: This month was devoted to the closing of the house and working hard at SanPanchoLife.com. Karen was a warrior in dealing with the house, and we were so glad she was here because of her 25+ years of real estate experience! It was hard to grasp that it was December since it was still 85 degrees and there was no snow in sight, but we did decorate a little bit for Christmas just so we were reminded it was that time of year. Casa Panchito officially became our new home on December 15th and we started working right away on the bar. Dealing with the beer distributor, obtaining an accountant, getting our working FM3's, building the bar, painting, creating our menu. You name it, we were doing it! Karen left the week before Christmas and Jeremy and I spent our first Christmas alone in 10 years. It was definitely a strange feeling, but we had a great time. We also spent New Year's Eve on the beach with great friends and reflected back on the past year and how much had changed in our lives...all for the best.
January 2010: Still working hard to get the bar opened, but running into a lot of difficulties. Money was running out fast and we still had a lot of supplies to buy. Jeremy went to Guadalajara to pick out chairs and went to Tequila to stock up on different kinds of tequila to sell in the bar. I went back to Idaho for two weeks to visit family and friends and had a great time. I must admit I was looking forward to leaving Idaho and the freezing cold to come back to our little paradise. One special treat was a visit from Jeremy's sister, Erin. She stayed with us for two weeks and was instrumental in helping us set up the bar. Thanks Erin! It was also nice having someone to talk to and hang out on the beach with. We had a good time.
February 2010: We received some terrible news in late January that my Grandpa had passed away, so we went back to Idaho for his funeral and to spend some much needed time with my family. But with that trip pushed the bar opening out two weeks--which was probably for the best because I don't think we were ready at the time. Once we returned to San Pancho we hit the ground running and had set a date to open the bar--February 15th! Cali's boyfriend, James, flew down from L.A. to help us with the opening and we had some good friends from Idaho surprise us on opening day! Thanks to all of our good friends and people who found us Panchito's had an amazing opening night--and Jeremy and I were officially bar owners!
March 2010: Jeremy turned 35 and we marked our 10 year anniversary of being together. But learning how to juggle two jobs was somewhat of a challenge. Sleep was becoming less and less of a priority and being able to take a few hours out of the day to spend on yourself was non-existent. SanPanchoLife.com was rockin-n-rollin and Jeremy was working hard on the bar and doing drawings. After being here for nine months I finally felt like we were going to make it here! Karen came back for a two week stay and was a huge help with the bar and the website.
Every day is something special for us. Not everyone has the chance to uproot and move to a foreign country to live a sweeter, more simple life and we are thankful that we had this opportunity.
I won't go into April since it's just begun. But I do plan on writing on a more continuous basis again. Thanks for following us!
October 2009: We were deep in the process of buying Casa Panchito with Jeremy's parents, and learning a lot about the real estate differences between the United States and Mexico. Jeremy was still working hard on building kites and met another architect in town and started a firm with her called Living Arquitectura. The weather was still pretty unbearable--at least for me--but the evenings started to cool down so I knew winter was on its way.
November 2009: We will call this "Dengue Month"! I started working for SanPanchoLife.com in early November and Jeremy's architecture business was taking off. Things were looking up for us--then Dengue hit. We literally got it within an hour of each other. I won't go into all the details about it, but you have a very high fever, chills, your entire body aches, severe headache, and restlessness. You are so exhausted that you can't get out of bed nor can you sleep. There is nothing you can take except for Tylenol and drink 2 liters of fluids a day. Well, that's where I went wrong. I wasn't drinking enough and dehydration set in quickly for me. By day 5 I was throwing up and could barely drag myself out of bed to make it to the bathroom. By that evening I had passed out and had a seizure so Jeremy decided to take me to the San Pancho hospital. I was very hesitant to go to the hospital because I wasn't sure of the conditions, but I needed fluids immediately so I didn't have a choice. After 10 minutes of trying to find a vein they found one and the fluid started to drip into me. After one bag I passed out again and had another seizure and that's when I really got scared. But, I was fine and they took good care of me in the hospital and after three weeks of dengue for me and 1.5 weeks of dengue for Jeremy we were free of it.
We also had several visitors in November. Jeremy's college buddy David Goren stayed for a week during Thanksgiving, Jeremy's mom stayed with us for six weeks, and her good friend Wendy Herron came for a week to celebrate her 60th birthday. During that time we worked on the bar in hopes that we would open as soon as the house closed, which was scheduled for December 15.
December 2009: This month was devoted to the closing of the house and working hard at SanPanchoLife.com. Karen was a warrior in dealing with the house, and we were so glad she was here because of her 25+ years of real estate experience! It was hard to grasp that it was December since it was still 85 degrees and there was no snow in sight, but we did decorate a little bit for Christmas just so we were reminded it was that time of year. Casa Panchito officially became our new home on December 15th and we started working right away on the bar. Dealing with the beer distributor, obtaining an accountant, getting our working FM3's, building the bar, painting, creating our menu. You name it, we were doing it! Karen left the week before Christmas and Jeremy and I spent our first Christmas alone in 10 years. It was definitely a strange feeling, but we had a great time. We also spent New Year's Eve on the beach with great friends and reflected back on the past year and how much had changed in our lives...all for the best.
January 2010: Still working hard to get the bar opened, but running into a lot of difficulties. Money was running out fast and we still had a lot of supplies to buy. Jeremy went to Guadalajara to pick out chairs and went to Tequila to stock up on different kinds of tequila to sell in the bar. I went back to Idaho for two weeks to visit family and friends and had a great time. I must admit I was looking forward to leaving Idaho and the freezing cold to come back to our little paradise. One special treat was a visit from Jeremy's sister, Erin. She stayed with us for two weeks and was instrumental in helping us set up the bar. Thanks Erin! It was also nice having someone to talk to and hang out on the beach with. We had a good time.
February 2010: We received some terrible news in late January that my Grandpa had passed away, so we went back to Idaho for his funeral and to spend some much needed time with my family. But with that trip pushed the bar opening out two weeks--which was probably for the best because I don't think we were ready at the time. Once we returned to San Pancho we hit the ground running and had set a date to open the bar--February 15th! Cali's boyfriend, James, flew down from L.A. to help us with the opening and we had some good friends from Idaho surprise us on opening day! Thanks to all of our good friends and people who found us Panchito's had an amazing opening night--and Jeremy and I were officially bar owners!
March 2010: Jeremy turned 35 and we marked our 10 year anniversary of being together. But learning how to juggle two jobs was somewhat of a challenge. Sleep was becoming less and less of a priority and being able to take a few hours out of the day to spend on yourself was non-existent. SanPanchoLife.com was rockin-n-rollin and Jeremy was working hard on the bar and doing drawings. After being here for nine months I finally felt like we were going to make it here! Karen came back for a two week stay and was a huge help with the bar and the website.
Every day is something special for us. Not everyone has the chance to uproot and move to a foreign country to live a sweeter, more simple life and we are thankful that we had this opportunity.
I won't go into April since it's just begun. But I do plan on writing on a more continuous basis again. Thanks for following us!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)