Looking Forward To Winter

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I spent the weekend here at home.  Ran a few errands, did some studying too.  I am now working on another project that will include another preparation for another test for high schoolers to enter the university.  More science and math than the other one but very similar.   I think I can whip it out this week.

 

Just waking up here at 5:30, I am heading to McAllen again but this time to pick up materials and head to Laredo where I have a presentation tomorrow.  My mistake, sort of.  There was an error in the calendar and the event tomorrow showed being scheduled for the 15th.  On Friday, I got the confirmation that it was on Monday.   However, my part of the error was that I didn't read the whole request, not realizing until yesterday it was in Laredo.   Well, not a big deal I guess, the drive is not too long, less than three hours.

 

I figure I should be in Laredo by 3:30 and in time for a nap.  Good thing is, the school is across the street, less than one block.

 

All this work is making me anxious for our winter trip.   We should be relaxing in Hacienda Contreras about the time Kevin and Ruth get there.   We will take the same route as last year staying the night in Guadalcázar, SLP.   We are really looking forward to getting away.  Yesterday we went into town and the talk all the way there and back was our vacation.   We just weren't able to get away this summer and need to make up our rving miles.

 

I may have two weeks free the end of October and we can go somewhere along the Texas coast.  I love South Padre Island this time of year.   While we were there in August for my birthday it was fantastic.  Hopefully we can get the same spot.

Finished The Week

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What a week.  I did more driving than anything else.  That drive from McAllen to San Antonio is a killer.  This week I drove over 1000 miles.  That was tough. 

 

Yesterday I gave my presentation to 91 students in a rural high school.  My rating based on their evaluations was 92%.  My "jefa" thought it was great.  She said I did a fantastic job and that I was a part of the team.  What brought my rating down was that I had some difficult kids and had to move them around, eight to be exact so there retribution was rating me lower on the evaluation.

 

I actually had one student tell me,  "you need to stand back, now.  You're too close".  I looked at her and thought, "Who do you think you're talking to?  I am an adult.  I am a teacher. I am a guest in your school".  But I knew that would be the beginning to an end of this new venture.  I just blew it off and kept going.  Takes all kinds I guess.

 

It is wonderful though, I love it and I have passed the initiation stage.   To top all this off, I had to be fingerprinted today.   Many schools want fingerprints and background checks.  Of course, the state of Texas has a contract with a private company.  I felt like I was there to give plasma or something.   Scary place to be, but the only place I could find was in Brownsville.   I think there is some corruption going on there between the state and the company that does the fingerprinting.  Anyway, that humiliating task is done and I can continue my work (I hope :) ).

 

I then headed out for Monterrey.  I guess you have been reading the news and shit is hitting the fan along the border.  Just as I had predicted, the end is coming or at least a change.  November brings a new president and I am hoping some changes come with it.

 

Back to McAllen on Sunday as I have another presentation on Monday and one on Thursday. 

School Observations

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First off, I apologize for not doing any rving.   We will be on the road in November  so until then be patient.

 

Yesterday we went to a very large well-known public high school.  We had already filled out a security background check form via internet.  So when we got to the school, we were cleared.  It's kind of like  a prison.  Nothing like school that I knew as a kid and nothing like a Mexican school.

 

The kids overall were well-behaved with the boys being more mature than the girls.  They truly seemed to be interested in the boot camp and it was incredible to seem them work the math problems.   These guys are whizzes on their scientific calculators.

 

Lunch was interesting.   My co-worker went out to get the lunch and we ate in the auditorium.  The kids were in the cafeteria and the outside patio under the supervision of  "armed" S.A. policemen.  That was a new one for me.  It only added to the prison atmosphere.

 

Today I have the day off and plan to go the gym, stop by and visit our neighbors and hopefully do an inspection of the rental we have.   I am also making my last minute prep for my seminar tomorrow in Seguin, Tx.   After I finish there, I will head back to McAllen for the night.

Trip From McAllen to San Antonio

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Headed out around 9 a.m. from the rv park and hit a snag on the way.   The freeway was shut down before the 281 due to an overturned truck and and oil spill.  Took thirty minutes to get through it.   Stopped to gas up, get a bite and then headed up the 281.

 

Kind of a boring drive but I had time to review my talk for this week.   Got to the hotel here in San Antonio near the airport and met up with my boss.  I hadn't met her in person until today.  A very nice and helpful person.   I think this is going to work out well.   She is very organized and knows what she is doing.

 

I expressed my concerns about the culture shock and she said she didn't see any problems, be myself and use common sense and all would be okay.

 

Roc asked about tax consequences.   I already file in both countries and it will be a matter of reporting the income.   From the start I am putting aside money for taxes.  My accountant in the U.S. is advising me and of course he does my taxes here.   We will decide before the year is up how I will file as I am an independent consultant and work for myself.   Another reason for this work is to beef up my social security here in the U.S.  I have received statements over the years from the SS and  I do have an okay account but I also maintain my SS at home too.  

 

We are headed out for dinner with other presenters and my sales rep from the valley.  It should be an interesting conversation although  I am not much of a talker :)

A Stranger In A Strange Land

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Life is all about changes and the time has come for me to start my new adventure.  My seasonal part-time job begins this week and I will head out for McAllen tomorrow.   I need to pick up some things from the rv and I will do a little shopping in the afternoon.   Monday morning I will head out for San Antonio where I will spend most of the week.   Tuesday I will watch a co-worker give a seminar and then on Thursday I give my first seminar in Seguin.   I am really looking forward to it although I am a bit cautious at the same time.

 

I have had some reservations about the work.  Not the work itself but what goes along with it.   You have to remember I have lived here for many, many years and have adapted and actually grown up with this culture.  How many changes have I gone through in terms of economy, technology, relationships, rving, just to name a few.

 

I had the opportunity to have a phone chat with a very good friend.  She is from Venezuela but has lived in Mexico for many years.    We work together with the publisher and often cross paths in work and pleasure.   I decided to ring her up as I knew she had gone to or was going to Miami.   She accepted a transfer with the publisher and will be living in Florida.   She too has the same reservations as I do although I won't be living in the U.S.   As she explained, things are so different there.  One of her first tasks will be to hire a staff for the office.   She said she had doubts about it and had to read a book on hiring practices in the U.S.   Here in Mexico, we can ask people if they are married, if they have good credit, and anything else we want.  We don't worry about someone sueing us because they are looking for quick cash.

 

I made a slight faux pas last month in one of my training sessions.  In the presentation I will give, there is a section on what to take to the official test location and one of those items is a watch.   Well, kids don't wear watches as they have all the technology that comes with a clock.  It is recommended that they take a watch to track the testing time.  So in my presentation run I used the old expression, "beg, borrow or steal".   It came to a screeching halt.  I couldn't say "steal" for fear that some student may steal a watch and then say I told him it was okay.  Then I or the company could be sued.   Oh god!  You have got to be kidding.

 

Also, here in Mexico it is all about touching.  We shake hands, we exchange kisses, we pat students on the head or the back.   In the U.S. all this is a big no-no.  

 

So I am going through "reverse" culture shock.   I know I will get used to it, but the U.S. is no longer my culture.  Sure, I can adapt and I know I will.  But it will be hard to understand. 

 

Just the emails alone are funny.   One word responses.   I never had one of those. 



They Came Back Again This Year

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Yesterday afternoon I drove down to Allende to the school to drop off some exams that the teachers need to take for the new program.   Great drive by the way,  mountains were really giving quite a show along with the sun shining through the clouds.  

When I got home and pulled into the driveway there was a lot of commotion up in the trees.  Small flocks of birds darting one way and then another almost as if something had scared them.   It startled me at first but the I could see some dark clouds coming and I chalked the experience up to the weather.  Afterall, birds seem to have a sense like all the rest of nature. 

Later in the evening as I began happy hour, I was in the bedroom and again I heard some strange noises outside in the backyard.   There was no wind, no lights  except off in the distance.  I turned off the lamp next to my bed in hopes I could see something.   At that very moment there was a large swooping sound and something brushed up against the window screen in front of me.   This wasn't ordinary wing flapping and after a few minutes it came to me.  They were back. 

You see when we moved here in 2001 from the city I had had a similar experience.  I had come home late one night in September, the yard lit from the moonlight.   What happened next literally scared the pants off of me.  The wind in the tree tops picked up, branches swaying back and forth, even though there was no wind.  I heard an enormous rush of air and at that moment something big and black flew right over my head.   I could see the shadow on the driveway, a wingspan of at least nine feet.   Then came two more, one after another.  There were three of them.  They sat up in the tree tops and the sound from the leaves rustling in the trees created by thier wings made me want to run but I couldn't.   I watched for several minutes, went into the house and wondered what had we done by moving here.  Something was wrong.

At that moment yesterday I knew what it was.  Las tres brujas, the three witches.   I kid you not.  Every year since we have been here, they have appeared in September.  It's as though they come when the summer heat is on its way out and the fall weather is on its way in as if to signal the change.  Without fail, they appear each year.   They don't seem to do harm to anyone although they make quite an entrance and just seem to hover around the tree tops.  I was a bit concerned last night as the screen on the bedroom window has come out at the bottom.  The mind does mysterious things and for a few moments I was afraid something might come in. 

I stick to my story incredible as it may sound.  I kept it to myself for several years for fear people would think I was off balance.  Now I realize, these things do exist and even though I may not have physical proof, it is real.   When the kids come out this time of year they won't go out in the yard after dark as they have my testimony to the fact that las tres brujas are back.   I have mentioned it to a couple of neighbors but no one seems to want to talk about it.  Best left unsaid, I say.   They bring me good news of the weather, they hang around for a week or two and then it is another year before they make their appearance.

Earthquakes and Thunderstorms

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What a crazy day.  We started off with some small earthquakes.   The ground shook here in the Zona Citrica early this morning.  The water moved in the pool, I didn't feel anything other than some strange feeling.   In Linares, about an hour from here, the ground really moved and left a few cracks in people's homes.  

I went to the gym and then did some work around the house to prepare for my departure next week.  Lots of stuff still up in the air though.   I will get filled in next week when I meet my new boss.  I'm actually looking forward to the job, knowing it is part-time makes it even more exciting.   Extra cash to travel and get some goodies for boondocking like those dreamed of solar panels just to make a mention.

I had a nice nap this afternoon, woke up and about ten minutes later lightning struck next door.  The light was so bright my eyes still can't seem to adjust.   I was looking right at it when I had heard the crack.   It went on like that for about an hour, windows rattling and the sky lighting up.   The cats were freaking out and hiding in the living room.   I watched the power cut out several times before it final gave out and did without it until around 6 p.m.  I had the generator in the shed so I fired it up so I had a fan, internet, and lights.   That Honda 2000 has been a real lifesaver over the years.

As I look out into the backyard, our gazebo was blown about a meter off its pad, and the lawn furniture went flying.  I guess I'll have to go out there and get things back in order.  I can't complain about the rain though.  

Back Home Again

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 Dinner with friends Saturday night.

Over the next two months get used to me going back and forth to McAllen.  I had a meeting this morning and off we headed back home for Monterrey.  We opted to wait to buy gas after we crossed the border.  Again, every station accepts credit cards so we only needed cash for the toll.  We decided to take the cuota back home to save time.   I had some things to do here at home to get ready for the rest of the week.  The drive was uneventful and we saw many federales cruising the highway.  Traffic at home wasn't bad at all since today was a school holiday for Independence Day!

Next week I will head to San Antonio to see a seminar live and two days later I will be giving my first seminar to 175 American students.  My first ever.  I've done it for 20 years with Mexican teachers and students but this is a whole different ball game.

So, I will be going back and forth, probably every two weeks just coming home to Monterrey on weekends. 

We're seriously considering December at Hacienda Contreras in Valle de Juarez with Sal and Barb.    There is a group that heads there every winter and we always miss out.  They have a wild Christmas party with a big dinner.   I want to be there.  Also, Kevin and Ruth should be around, we're hoping, and we can do some hiking and enjoy a great curry dish made by Ruth and hear their European adventures.   We want to go to Europe next year (hence the part-time work).

Sunday Morning - Flea Market

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Off for the flea market in McAllen.   This one is located right off the bridge on the U .S. side.  We haven't had breakfast yet so we will find some tacos there I am sure.  

Last night we met with some friends and their  kids and went out for Chinese food.  It was good catching up on things and seeing how the kids grow so fast in less than a year.   One of the girls is taking band in secondary.   I was shocked to find out that if she wants to play in the band she has to buy her own instrument.  I thought public schools were free?  They had to pay $600 for a used horn, the new one costs $1,300.   Incredible.  I asked if the school had instruments for the band and the Melina said that they only had five total and they gave those to the poorest kids.  Wierd.

We watched SNL last night and it was better than previous shows.  I guess with the elections coming up and them playing around with Obama and Romney adds to the laughs.

Well, let's see what the flea market brings us.   I have my training this afternoon at 6 p.m. but it is only an hour.  We plan on heading home tomorrow before noon.  All is well with the rv and the rv park although they are anxiously waiting the return of the snowbirds.   With the price of fuel and the border issues I have a feeling people may shy away this year.   Last year it certainly wasn't a full house.

Back in RVG

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We took off in the rain only to get about an hour out of town and it was sunny skies!.   We took the libre to Reynosa, it was fast, reliable and safe.   A lot of work has been done on the libre, there is one stretch outside of China, N.L. that is still under construction but wouldn't be an issue for an rv.   We will save 400 pesos on our roundtrip going home Monday.  

We stopped for some quick breakfast at a Super 7 in Apodaca near the airport.  Bought the paper, a coffee, and two orders of tacos al vapor.  They have them premade, steaming and ready to eat!  They offer chopped cabbage, tomatoes, onions, jalepeños and salsa all for 20 pesos an order.   We took two and our total for everything came to 63 pesos, looks like the newspaper was the most expensive item.   Off we went down the road until we were about 30 kms out of Reynosa and there was a huge checkpoint.   We spent almost 30 minutes getting through.  

As we approached the bridge and I paid the toll on the Mexican side, I popped the clutch.   Car died and wouldn't start.  Hmmm, sounded like a dead battery.  Took two seconds to get out the cables out and  and a car gave us a jump.  Car is working fine now.  Strange that we drove 300 kms the battery was dead, or appeared to be.  Doesn't it charge as your driving?  Anyway,  the bridge was an hour wait as they are looking for terrorists.  It was our turn next and we sailed right through.

Got to the rv park in La Feria and all is well.   Had a snack and took a nap.   Just watched national news and now using the internet.   

Mike asked about the wheel chocks.   They are a type that go between the two tires on each side and sort of spreads them enough to give stability, at least that's what the website says.   And Sharon we will run by Hoover's tomorrow to see what they have.

Off To McAllen

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Just  like the horse races, we're off!  We are going to McAllen for a couple of days to check on the rv, do some training for my seminar, and enjoy Mexican Independence.  Strange as it may seem, all up and down the Rio Grande Valley towns will be celebrating the Mexican holiday.  We have friends from Monterrey, some of whom can't return to Mexico for obvious reasons and we thought it would be nice to visit them and take care of business at the same time.  

I want to buy some chocks that go between the tires on our tandem axles to see if it will reduce the shaking as we walk about.  It drives me nuts.   The Camping World in Mission, Tx closed down this year so I won't be able to buy them there.  I guess CW knows something we don't know like maybe the snowbirds aren't returning like they used to.  Hmmm.  I do know we got a very good price for our rv spot, one that usually runs $450 a month in the winter is on special for $250.   That seems like a lot for us but I can deduct that as an expense on my taxes since I will be working there for October and November.

Not sure yet, but we may take the libre.   It is raining this morning so it might make for a nice ride stopping somewhere along the way to eat tacos in some pueblito.   These last two days have seen some real changes in the news and it looks like shit is going to hit the fan.   I promised we would stay low until the new president takes office, but what the heck.  A little adventure is good for the soul.

Folkloric Dance Weekend

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Recognize the guy in the back (third from the left)?

Friday night was the final performance of the dance group, there are three now under the same name.  Fundadores (seniors), Internacionles (adults), and then the Juniors.   There was a dance festival in Monterrey all week and groups from all over Mexico came to compete.   It was a real show and it brought back memories as it always does.  

After the performance the dancers and the live music took it down to the basement of the theater where it was dance, drink and song.   We stayed for a couple of cold ones and then headed home.   On the way we  stopped for some delicious molleja tacos (grilled and chopped sweetbreads).   Sounds awful and I wouldn't eat sweetbreads as a kid but the way they are done here are excellent.

Yesterday was my shopping day.  I spent a couple of hours wandering around the Home Depot talking to sales people and pulling their leg to see how much they know.   Saw lots of cool stuff but we don't need to do any more remodeling. 

Today, Sunday, is lazy day.   We stayed up late last night watching SNL.  It was a Christmas show rerun but we got a good laugh out of Hoda and Kathy Lee.   I have been reading a lot about time travel and the physics which prove it to be a very good possibility and that it could be underway as we speak using the giant colliders that have been built around the world.   Very interesting, at least to think about it. 

The Price of Eating Out In Mexico

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We used to eat out at least once a week.  That ended a few years ago.  Things here in Monterrey are very expensive and restaurants are one of them.  I'm posting this as there are many new restaurants opening in town and I guess the fashion is to spend a lot of money to get a good meal.

I find it hard to part with the money when I see chefs and their staffs shopping at Costco buying pre-packaged products.   When we used to go out, we didn't have an issue spending 600 pesos, we didn't do it very often, we enjoyed the ambiance and the service.   For us it was the service more than anything else.  We work hard, we don't spend money on electronics, I don't wear designer clothes and sure don't dress up often anymore.  Some places got to be as high as 1500 pesos for a dinner with a couple of drinks.  Hard to swallow (no pun intended) when you order two glasses of wine and realize you could buy the same wine at a local wine shop and pay for the bottle with those two glasses, or even worse, two vodkas and that is more than the bottle.   There are 23 drinks (measured by the bartender) in a liter of alcohol.  So if they charge 60 pesos for a vodka, that is 1380 for the bottle.  A bottle of Oso Negro costs 69 pesos. 

I am bringing this up as there is a discussion going on about restaurants in San Miguel de Allende.  When we were there in April we had gotten such a good deal on our rental for the week that we decided to eat out a few meals and not worry so much about the price.   The three places we ate at were all marginal, very expensive, and one had music so loud no one could talk.   We ended up leaving early although we had had intentions of staying for a drink and a coffee afterwards.   One of the new places in SMA has a menu listed on the web.  A chicken breast in sauce is 250 pesos, a hamburger with "patatas fritas" is 230 pesos and a glass of wine for 130 pesos.   Imagine, a chicken breast in Bearnaise sauce and a glass of white wine goes for $35 dollars U.S., you can figure out the burger.  Let's say chicken is 50 pesos a kilo, that 11 lbs of chicken.  How many people could you feed with 11 lbs of chicken?  OMG!

Am I being cheap or is that exploitative?  We enjoy cooking at home, we love our food, we can buy wine as we wish and we know we will never get disappointed.  I wills say though that we stopped on the way home last week at a place called Manhattan and had a really good Chili's type dinner with a couple of very well poured drinks.  The drinks were 55 pesos each, for Monterrey that is cheap.   I don't like eating that kind of food often, but it isn't far from home and it really fits my wallet.  

I hope I get some feed back on this one.  I mean do people, even those with money, even think about what a rip off it can be eating out?  Seems as though everyone is money conscious these days but when it comes to food and drink they don't bother to check the menu.   That's our new twist, we walk in and ask to see the menu first.  

Forest Fire Close To Home

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 Taken from behind the church in the main plaza of Santiago. Yikes!

 As you know, here in Santiago we live in between mountains.  Near our house are the famous waterfalls, Cola de Caballo.  Just up the road from there, lightning struck the mountainside last night provoking a forest fire.   Helicopters were sent up there early this morning as light broke dumping water in their huge buckets that they pick up from the lake.   Looks like it is under control and they say by this afternoon it should be out and then under a watchful eye for flare ups.   We have been very lucky this year with fires as well as heavy rains from hurricanes.  Let's hope that is end of fires for now.  There are lots of people who live up in the mountains and getting help up there is difficult.  There is only one road up and it can be sketchy in parts.

Today is September 5th.  In 1920 Alvaro Obregon was elected president of Mexico.  Also, in 1951 on this date, Mexico completed the nationalization of PEMEX.   The beginning of the end.   When will we learn that governments can't run companies.   Take a look at Amtrak,  what a joke, and no offense to anyone who works for the rail line.  I like riding Amtrak, but it is heavily subsidized and needs to make it on its own.  There are more here like the electric company CFE, another bureaucracy that drains money out of taxpayers pockets, makes it easy for 50% of the population to sling a cable up over the wires and draw off free energy.  Once that cable is there, good luck getting it removed.  "Ay señor, mi patrimonio, es  mi derecho" (but please sir, this is my patrimony, it's my right).   When will we ever learn.  Reminds me of a song.

Gearing Up For The Big Scream!

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Not sure what we are going to do for the 16 de Septiembre celebration which is Mexican Independence Day, independence from Spain.   Quite an interesting story.

 

I would like to go down to Dolores Hidalgo for the holiday but the rv is in McAllen.  If I don't have a follow up training next week we may just drive up to the border and spend a couple of days.   Last time we were there it was all work for me so I didn't get to enjoy my birthday very much although we did have a nice dinner out.  

I'm working hard on my presentation that I will be using in October with McAllen high school students.  It will be a different crowd than I am used to but I am sure once I get started it will be the good ole me doing what I do best.  

Today is the 43rd anniversary of the Mexico City Metro.   I just checked the website for the metro and the price is 3 pesos or .25 cents U.S., you can't beat that.   Our metro in Monterrey is 4.50 pesos and they are asking to increase it to 9.50 pesos in one giant leap.   We're still not sure what is going on with it and what the final price will be.  One of the problems Mexico suffers from is that no one wants to raise prices, so things suffer and don't receive maintenance and then all of a sudden they can't go on without a drastic increase and that leaves everyone up in arms.  That is what the old socialist regime has left us as a legacy.  

We Do Have Rules

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I'm no expert when it  comes to immigration but I have some experience in my short 27 years here.  And when it comes to experts, the five I am aware of, died many years ago and  those included Ghandi, Madre Teresa, Mark Twain, my dad, and Albert Einstien.   But when it comes to Mexico everyone is an expert and please don't take that the wrong way.  However, many people base their expertise on their personal experiences like, there is no tomato sauce in Mexico, you can't put toilet paper down the toilets, etc.

 

When it comes to legal stuff it can be pretty scary.   I belong to some Mexico forums and groups and the advice that is given sometimes is sketchy to say the least.   Many people think they can receive Seguro Popular for free just because they answer the questions a certain way and dress down.  Others think that they can import their vehicle permanently even though they have only a tourist visa or an FM3.  

Many people who carry an FM2 or an FM3 think it is a free pass in and out of Mexico.  Not!  Mexican law is just as detailed and clear as in any other country.  There may be circumstances where you can cheat the system because of corrupt officials or people who are corrupt and working the system.  One thing I do know and one that can get someone in deep doo-doo, is to not check in and out of Mexico when they travel to the U.S.  If you are on an FM2/3, it is obligatory to request a Salida on exiting Mexico and an Entrada when entering Mexico.   By law, you are only allowed to be out of the country for "X" number of days per year.   They may not check every time, but god forbid you get caught with your pants down returning to Mexico and you haven't filled out the FMM form, you will be charged a hefty fine and can have your documents taken away.  

This is a two way system.  Every time the U.S. makes a change in immigration, temporary or permanent, Mexico follows suit.  Just like Mexicans visiting the U.S., or permanent residents, they have to prove their status and check in and out at the border.  Being a U.S. resident isn't a pass Go card.  If they find out you are not living in the U.S. you will lose your status and it can be for up to 10 years.  Sure, there are the Sentry lanes that qualified U.S. residents can use, but it is basically the same thing only an express version.

I can speak from experience on three occasions.  Once while working as coordinator in a school, the neighbors weren't happy with the parking situation in front of their houses.  Someone called immigration to report me as an illegal.  I received a summons to appear in immigration with all of my documents.  That happened twice.  Another time, our neighbor hired an architect who had no scruples and was digging under the foundation of our house.  I got in several fights with him and he reported me.  He told me he would and I told him I was a legal beagle.   Again, I had to appear in immigration.  Gringos are deported from Mexico all the time and for many reasons, just like the the thousands of illegals passing through Mexico. 

Imagine, last month I received an email from someone in Mexico who had their U.S. license plates stolen.  They couldn't understand why the transito were stopping them and if there was a way to get exact copies from the state of Texas.  Are you joking????  I told the person they needed to stop driving the car, file a report with the police, call the state of Texas and ask what the procedure was.  I told the person they would most likely have to go to Texas and file a report and purchase new plates.  They asked, "So will I be stopped along the way through Mexico?"  Come on, of course you will be.  Take a bus to the border depending on what the state of Texas says. 

I could go on but you get the idea.   As I say many times, KNOW BEFORE YOU GO!

WooHoo Nexflix Does It Again!

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38C Today!  Good thing we have water!

I told you we dropped our cable and now watch local news on the television and we use USTVnow.com for the big three national channels in the U.S. and PBS (free).   We signed up for Netflix last December when they offered one free month no strings.   I like it, it is not the same version as the U.S. but we do get the option of languages and subtitles which I have become accustomed to reading in Spanish even when the movie or progam is in English.  There is lots of filler using Ted Talks but I see more and more stuff I like, especially classic movies.

We got hooked on Breaking Bad and watched all three seasons in like two months.   We don't watch any other television shows so we don't know anything about Seinfeld, Friends, Grey's Anatomy, and so on.  But Breaking Bad was a killer.  Then we found out that season four hadn't been given the green light for Netflix.  Well, last month when we were in McAllen we watched Netflix.  It changes automatically to the U.S. version.   I found season four so I thought we would wait until we got home only to find out that Netflix Mexico didn't have it.  Bummer.  So I sent a mail to Netflix explaining the situation.   

Guess what?  I got a reply this morning saying it was now available.  Woohoo, we already knocked off two episodes today.   That show is really great.  

Now for something off topic, the following link was very disturbing to me.  I won't post any headers or titles though.  I can't believe this didn't make national news in the U.S.  Something is off here. 

LINK