How I Spent My First Day of Vacation

living.boondockingmexico@yahoo.com

The next two weeks are activity driven school days and don't involve, to my dismay, learning in the classroom.   The Japanese, Chinese and Indians are kicking our asses when it comes to education and in the U.S. and Mexico we are cuddling each other to make sure everyone feels good.  Great, but that won't get us ahead in terms of innovation and creativity.

So, I decided to say goodbye until September.  I still have a meeting or two and a course to teach in Monterrey tomorrow but I'm pretty much free.  I got up at 5 a.m., and really enjoyed my coffee.   The gym could wait an hour so I went late and it was the best.  All on my own time.

I came home and showered, had a nice breakfast of rice and a banana.  I headed out to the most northern side of Monterrey to have the charge controller checked.   It isn't working and I may have done something to have caused it.   The guy wasn't there but I got the website and will call him tomorrow.   Monterrey is not the city it used to be.  It's grown, cleaner, bigger and brighter.  I wasn't sure I was in Mexico except for the fact everything was in Spanish.  

Our roof needs some work and I am looking for the teja (tile).   Regios (people from Monterrey) are truly good people.  I happened to see a place on my route that sold roof tile and bricks.  I went back around the block or blocks and pulled in.  I had a sample of our artisan tile which is almost non-existent.   She wasn't worried about selling me anything.  She said we could use the power washer to bring it back to life and she put me in contact with an installer who has a contact in town that manufactures the roof tiles we have.   This may workout to be a less expensive project than we had thought.

On my way home I knew I would be passing the building where Juan works.  I called him up and invited him to lunch at the Cafe Paris.  In Spanish we say the food "es muy limpia y sana", it's very clean and healthy.   In other words, it's all cooked fresh, not heavy in fats and a lot of condiments.  There are only eight tables and one waitress who is the owner and cook's daughter.   They run a great show and the lunch specials complete with soup and drink is 85 pesos.  Truly a full meal but you don't leave waddling out of the place because it was a large portion and heavy.   

We have needed a new vacuum for the last year.  We have been using vacuum cleaner bags that we have to mold and cut so that they fit.  Our upright lost its handle last year but I use it on the area rugs.   Funky but it works but no more bags not even "mexicanadas" (you know, tape, glue, gum, and staples).  The water vac petered out too and the motor is cost prohibitive considering the vacuum is going on 20 years.  Am I cheap or what!

There is a place down the street from the restaurant that has demo items cheap.  I found a new Shark that separates into two vacuums, upright and canister, for the price of 400 pesos.  I had him open it up, gave it the sniff test, fingered the hose, no dust, and all is new including the filters.  Has great suction and lots of attachments.  Looks like it will work out well.  BTW, I gave up using a broom years ago.  They just stir things up and trust me, I don't miss wall-to-wall carpeting.

Renewed the car insurance on the VW and took a short nap.  Hmm, I wonder what I'll do tomorrow?  Need to get the rv ready.