Pic-of-the-Month for March 19, 2021

 Hola Amigos,

We have some good news....and some sad news.  The good news is that we got our first Pfizer vaccinations yesterday here in Baja for Covid-19.  The sad news is that we had to put our dachshund Sam down on March 7.  He would have been 14 in April.

Here's a picture of Sam in one of his favorite places...sharing an old lounge chair on the veranda with Zoey, and with his signature look: tongue out.  (Zoey's look is her "go fast" ears folded back!)

He had some health issues, and he was having some trouble walking, slowly losing control of his hind quarters.  On Saturday the 6th, he found a cat in our yard, and did the "final chase".  I heard some loud yips, and when I found him in the yard, he couldn't walk at all.  We spent most of the night up with him, and he was frustrated and in some pain.  We decided to put him down on Sunday.  The vet who did it for us was very caring and gentle with him (and us!)  We are all missing him a lot.  He's been such a big part of our lives (following me EVERYWHERE except my morning walks), traveling thousands of miles with us every year, and a friend of many.  And no, we are not getting a replacement pup, so don't even suggest it!  When we travel this summer, it will be a lighter load with just Zoey and her accoutrements.   

The good news:  We managed to get signed up and notified of Covid vaccinations available for us folks over 60.  It's quite a story, but some comments I've heard from folks tell me it's not uncommon anywhere in the world.  Here's the paragraph you can skip if you don't want to go through our frustration with us!

On Monday we were notified by email that vaccines would be available in Santiago Tuesday, La Ribera Wednesday, and Los Barriles Thursday. We tried Tuesday in Santiago since we were already there paying property taxes, were sent away because even though we live in that county, they said we could get our shots in Los Barriles on Thursday. On Wednesday, we went to La Ribera, signed up, and waited 4 or more hours and finally gave up and went home when they said they would continue the next day. We went back the next morning, and they said "if we didn't call you last night, you're out of luck. We're out of vaccinations". He suggested Miraflores, so we went there and arrived at about 8:30. We signed up (got numbers 83 and 84). We had time to find a breakfast restaurant, went back to wait with the crowds and found a friend there to visit with while we waited (she was just getting inside when we were leaving). It was really pretty efficient. When our numbers were called, we got signed in, had our temps taken, were accompanied to a room for the vaccination (with 5 nurses in attendance!) then led to a room to wait 15 minutes. We were then allowed outside for 15 more minutes. They also gave us a follow up date of April 8. We are SO HAPPY! Not so funny thing is, Los Barriles vaccinations got cancelled for Thursday. So glad we found the Miraflores group to help us.

This is the Centro de Salud in Miraflores. It is 21 miles from our home, but we think it was worth the trip!

Our garden continues to grow and produce an abundance of tomatoes and cucumbers, squash, beans, lettuce, carrots, and some corn. Oh....and beets! I've never grown them myself (maybe because of childhood memories of weeding beets out in the hot sun?), but Ben decided he needed some. He has already canned two batches of pickled beets, and is hoping to do some more next week.

Aren't they pretty? Quite tasty, too. If they last long enough, we might have to bring a few jars north with us this summer!

I'm hoping also that I'll be able to easily find canning lids this summer. They sure were in short supply last year.

To the right is a sampling of our daily tomato crop. And there are many more left on the bushes! Bite sized and yummy.

We got a new skylight installed last week over the opening outside our kitchen door. When it rains, we get puddles outside that door, and it was always a mess and dangerously slippery. I've been trying to come up with something to put over that area that wouldn't cut out the light. I saw our local glass company advertise something similar and decided it was time to do it to our house. I couldn't believe it when the guy installing the framework was wearing a harness! First time I've ever seen that in Mexico. However, I'm not sure what in the world he attached the line to on the bathroom roof. Ryan suggested it was probably hooked to the water pipe to the solar panel, or maybe the support bracket. Then...see that ladder leaning against the wall? That's what they used to climb up there and attach the safety rope. We watched him climb up there to disconnect it, and it made us very nervous! It's a climb and jump I could have done in my teens and twenties, maybe. Now? Not a chance. I don't even do ladders!

This is what it looks like from below --> I like it a lot. Now I want it to rain a little bit so I can check it out. They did have a very nice scaffolding that they used in the process. 😉

Burros!  We have burros in the barrio, and there are two babies right now.  Every day, they come by our place and bray loudly so we'll come out and feed them some yummy garden leftovers.  They are pretty insistent, and I've seen one of the Mamas kicking the male out of the way.  She gets first choice or else!!

This baby boy is the newest, and the littlest one I've ever seen.  

I have created a 2021 March album with these and more pictures if you'd like to look.  And don't forget to check out the cute grandkids!!  Sure wish they lived a little bit closer than half way around the world.  

We are looking forward to friends Jill and Rudy arriving in early April for a nice long visit.  Our friend Maria is still here with us.  We are appreciating her cooking skills and she keeps improving and winning in Mexican Train, too!  

We hope that you are all staying healthy and getting vaccinated.  It is a great relief to us to have that first shot done.  It will make traveling this summer so much more enjoyable.   

Hasta la proxima vez,

Tus amigos de Baja,

Harriet, Ben, Zoey and Maria