Dog days of summer

When you stop by a neighbor to see their six new puppies think about it when they ask you which one would  you choose. I was advised they needed to be with mom until about a month and a half old but the neighbor kids took/stole a few and the owner was worried they would all disappear. 

Sitting at my computer three days ago, 4 year old Nahima walks in with this puppy in her arms. After agreeing how cute she was Nahima told me it's my new puppy. "That's the one you chose when we looked at them". 

Oh boy, now what .... so we stopped by Beto the vet to see how old and what to eat and drink She is only 4 weeks and no milk because it will giver her diarrhea. I bought an especially nutritious dry food for young dogs to the tune of 160 pesos a kilo.  So it's kibbles and water. Now she sleeps and wanders the yard, molests the big dog Coyota and cries when she can't get up the patio steps. Seems to be doing well.

Chata in her bed (Chata means flat face)

Puppies with mom a few weeks ago

Very, very cool and wet weather

Bed, Bath and a Blonde

Well I can't say I'm blonde any more, not since I was about 10 years old. Now it's white but with the same problem as before, it grows.   I used to go to barbers but because I would move or the barber changed shops I could never get anything consistent or what I wanted.   There were a few years of relief back in the '60's when we hippies let our hair grow but then came the era of having to get a real job.   

That's about when I decided to cut my own hair and have been doing it for at least the last 30 years. Took some practice doing it with scissors but eventually graduated to electric clippers. Very easy really when you cut it short and don't have bristle brush hair.  Here I cut it short every few weeks to stay cool.

Then on to a bath/shower brush which I have been unable to find in Mexico. I brought a plastic one down from the States about 4 years ago but I guess the plastic gets brittle with age.  Dropped it one day and goodbye handle.  Been considering screwing a piece of PCV pipe to it but keep forgetting.  Gonna have to try, maybe tomorrow. Please don't suggest a Loofa which can be found growing in this area.

Now the bath itself.  All summer I had my water heater turned off because either street water or water from the tinaco was warm enough.   Even if a little cool it felt good with the heat.   With the drop in temperatures the last few days the water is getting cooler as well.   Only the pilot light is enough for a 5 minute shower and that's what I did last winter.  Not quite yet .... but thinking about it

Moving - not my favorite thing

But some moves easier than others. Finished my second trip to the Chapala area a few days ago and will head back for the third in a few days more. Silvia, my helper, wants to be back in her hometown for Independence Day on the 16th and I should have another load ready to go. Sounds exciting as I've only experienced the fiesta and Grito in the small town of Melaque and Seattle.

Got very lucky to locate a nice house on the first trip with the help of Trailrunner my new neighbor. Second trip was to sign a contract, pay rent, buy some furniture (unfurnished) and clean the place up.

Place has a great yard for the cats (out at night), fruit trees (from avocado to pomegranite), covered fiesta area, four bedrooms and I can almost see the lake from the second floor.

Quite a different feeling to use a sheet or even a blanket this time of year. The house has no fans.

So when you buy a bed-frame and mattress ... why would the price be the same for a double or a single. Mexico only!

Melaque landlord will be here this weekend to figure out what he wants to exchange for rent or just buy ...... because I installed an air-conditioner, replaced the stove and fridge, replaced the hot water heater, painted the place, added a security gate on the front door and fixed the older cyclone fences. I want my washing machine but the new place has no fridge so we'll see what happens there.

And I just rebuilt the well (I wasn't going without water for a few weeks or even a few days in this weather).

Got back from Chapala and noticed the pump was running but tinaco not overflowing. I had water so just turned the pump off over night. Next morning the toilets would not fill. Seems a combination of the water level dropping and the well filling with sand clogged the intake and ate the pump. Had to sink a new 6" casing inside the well, extend draw pipe a meter, new intake valve and rebuild the pump. Worked perfectly 'till the tinaco filled and we found the shutoff float was stuck.

No lessons here ... just stuff that happens