Winter has arrived

Most of the people who know me know how much I don't like winter. I don't mind the snow really, it's the cold I hate. Wind picked up Wednesday evening and a little while later it started snowing. Yesterday it was crazy windy. Unfortunately it will get worse than this picture at some point this winter. This isn't even close to a blizzard. Here's a picture of my road:

That dark spot in front of me is supposed to be a tree lol

Our driveway is a little blown over this morning but still passable. I'll have to ask the landlord if the neighbors moved, I haven't seen them in weeks and it's their job to keep the driveway clear. They have a pick up so he doesn't usually have to clear it with his tractor.

This is supposed to be a mild winter for us - lets hope! Sunday it's supposed to get to 0 and Monday it's supposed to be +1...bye bye snow (for now anyway). Time to get some last minute winter stuff done this weekend. I have to put plastic over the windows that we opened in the summer and pick up misc stuff from outside. Both cars also need oil changes. I need to call about getting the septic tank emptied and how much it'll cost as well.

Then it's time to start looking for deals on airfare....get me outta here! lol I'll probably have to wait til I get my tax refund but I can dream can't I?

For the first time yesterday, someone didn't laugh or think I was stupid for wanting to make the move. It was nice to hear someone say 'sounds great. you can do it' :) I had asked for a 1 year Leave of Absence from work but it was denied. It's too long they said. Would have been nice to know if it doesn't work out, I have a job to come back to but such is life. Just means I have give 110% to make it work which I had planned on anyway.

That's all for now, que tenga un buen dia! (Have a good day!)

Downsizing, Saving pennies and dreaming

Hola! Buenos dias.

I've opened a savings account so that I can start saving my pennies in an account that's not easy for me to access. I have a set amount I'd like to have in there (after selling anything the kids don't want) before I move. I have a list going of stuff I'd like to sell and how much I'd like to get for the item. Some of it needs to wait until closer to September but some stuff I'll start trying to sell now. I went through junk drawers this past weekend and threw out a bunch of stuff that I'm not even sure why I was hanging onto it. I've started saying to myself 'it's just stuff - do you really need it?'. Up next is the basement I think. I have some boxes and totes I've never looked in since we moved over a year ago as well as some small appliances that I don't really use. I'll also start going through my clothes and figure out what to do with such things as concert t-shirts that I just needed to have once upon a time. All I can do is shake my head lol

As for saving, I've cut out my $90+ a month from stopping at Tim Hortons daily - now I buy hot chocolate powder and bagels for less than $20 a month and I don't need to drive 18kms out of my way (so I also save quite a bit of gas) and save myself about 20 minutes a day. Win-win-win :-) Now to quit smoking. Which sounds easy to say but when you have 4 other people in the house that smoke...not so easy. :-( Although I impressed myself last week. I bought 4 packs on Nov 7th and I only opened the last pack on Nov 15. So 4 packs in 8 days...compared to a pack a day. The colder weather is good for one thing :-)

A lot of my Facebook feed is Puerto Vallarta stuff. Makes me smile yet makes me sad because I'm not there yet. Ticker Factory says 9 mths, 2 weeks and 2 days which equals 289 days. I think I'll add a couple countdowns on the page somewhere. I'm hoping to get there in March or April (maybe bring some stuff down that I know I'll want to keep). Flights are cheap in December but I just don't think I'll have enough saved by then. :-(

That's all for now, Hasta luego!

Some of my pictures of PV over the years

I'm sure I've taken well over 15,000 pictures. Some make it to Facebook or my walls and others I just keep as momentos. Here are a few of them in no particular order:

Cool view from the airplane

My daughter Tamara and her bestfriend Autumn

Hate to be behind this truck if a few fall off lol

My daddy

Singer on horseback at the resort - he even had a portable speaker and microphone!

How these don't all melt in the sun, I have no idea but they're yummy

You won't see them not smiling :-)

The muffin man - those are heavy to carry around all day on your head!

Pirate Ship & the sunset

 

PV sunsets are so bright and I can never see enough of them

Sergio - what he sells changes every few years lol 

View of the Sierra Madre mountains from the Pacific Ocean

Horse & rider at sunset

They've removed this sign for some reason, I like it

Rotisserie chickens cooking - no windows and safety guards here

 

Senor Fox & I with my personalized MB License plate - he's from Steinbach as well

Mike & Brenda - awesome friends we met there in 2010

Eric & Aurora - they've been great to me

Ostrich anyone? LOL

The colors of Mexico

Would hate to meet him in the wild...

5 tacos for 35 pesos....can't beat that!

Awwww...

Playing with tigers was a dream come true for me

Fresh salsa...my daughter makes it just as good here in MB

Yikes...hope he has a good grip!

Good friends!

More colors...love it

Lucy! She sells genuine silver - does braids...she's awesome!

My son Cody feeding the giraffe

And then the monkeys wanted his water bottle

Here in MB, this is illegal...but not in Mexico

Fresh fruit & veggies anyone?

<3 the best sunsets I tell ya!

My son with some of the waiters at the Friendly

Policia...pretty sure these ones help with traffic & tourists

More colors...

Our Lady of Guadalupe Church

This is a Mexican ritual - they do this several times a day for donations

The more the merrier? :-)

Manual labour is the norm here...not often will you see machines doing work men can do

Iguana...we saw LOTS this day

Old Mexico meets new Mexico?

The girls with beach performers..50 pesos to take the picture lol

Dream come true for them too 

Playing in a small river by Mismaloya

These guys were in the driveway to the hotel...just wandering around

Me - Apr 2015

Kerry (my boyfriend) and I :-)

Kerry