(Post 158 of 263)

Friday was my first day all week that I did not have anything to attend to related to the burglary. I also happened to be off. So I decided that after I got back from my early morning Pilates class, I would go into centro to pick up something and have lunch.

This would have been unheard of in my past life before I began taking levothyroxine for my thyroid issue. I would have energy to run one errand a day in this heat and my whole day would centre around keeping enough energy for the errand. So big workout in the morning? That’s the whole day shot. Not anymore!

So off I went to to my 9:15 Pilates class and had a pretty hard workout. I was home, showered, and dressed by 10:45. I hung out with B for a bit and started on a proofreading job (iPad work does not count as work).

Around noon, I called an Uber to take me to Between the Lines, Mérida’s English bookstore. A friend had recommended a book to me a few weeks ago and rather than order it on Amazon, I decided to see if BTL could get it for me so that I could support a local business. They could, and it came surprisingly fast. Of course, I couldn’t walk out with just one book!

Pita is just around the corner, so of course that was lunch, this spread a familiar sight to long-time readers as I’ve been eating there for now six years. Since this was essentially breakfast, I went with a limonade mineral rather than a beer. Funny moment of the day was when I slathered that really hot red sauce on the pita they bring as a starter and two servers yelled in English, “Ma’am, don’t eat that!” I did eat it, and it was delicious. 🙂 I now get through about half of the red sauce when I eat this meal, my tolerance to spicy foods continuing to grow.

After lunch, I decided to stroll the couple of blocks west to see if Pola gelateria was still open. Yes! They make excellent gelato and have some unusual combinations, like frijol con puerco (yes, pork and beans!). I went with “beso de luna,” (kiss of the moon) that was chocolate, coffee, almonds, and candied orange peel. So good!

I strolled a bit with my ice cream, but the touts were out in full force, so I meandered back to Calle 60, then walked north from Santa Lucia to Santa Ana, where I grabbed an Uber home. I knew this was probably the last day of the summer for such a stroll — comfortable temp and low humidity despite the beating sun.

Got in, continued to read for my client, and eventually fell asleep on the couch! I never do that, but I missed so many nights over last weekend that I’m not surprised! Went to sleep alone, and woke up like this. I love my old girl so much!

I fed Bonita at her normal hour and then puttered. She must have tried to get my attention to let me know she was still hungry, but I didn’t notice. So, being the excellent communicator she is, she parked herself like this in the entrance to the kitchen. After I had a laugh about it, I gave her an extra portion and then her dessert!

Portrait of a Hungry Dog

With such a full and active day, I was able to get to bed early and sleep pretty well, so I’m starting to feel like myself again after a very weird week. I’m off till Tuesday other than some PDF proofreading that, again, is not really work, so I’ll catch up on chores and start to plan the next renovation project!

(Post 157 of 263)

This morning, I got a visit from the investigator for the Ministerio Público. Immediately, I knew something was up. He was warmer, almost giddy. I knew he was grinning under his mask.

They found the guy who broke into my house!!!

Between the AirPod tracking info and the fingerprints, there is no doubt at all it is him. They have not made an arrest yet – I had to do another declaration requesting that they do so, essentially pressing charges – but he’s local and well-known to police for petty thieving. He’s also harmless, only guilty of property crimes.

If this investigation isn’t proof of just how safe Mérida generally is, I don’t know what else to tell you. When I lived in Old Hull and got assaulted on the street in broad daylight, cops had more important things to deal with. Here, a small home robbery was worthy of a full forensic investigation and resource expenditure. I am incredibly impressed (and grateful!) and should sleep well tonight.

(Post 156 of 263)

Late this morning, I got a message from the aluminero, the door and window guy, saying his crew had finished their job early and could come right over to do the repairs. I appreciate how quickly I was fit into their schedule. I was a bit frustrated, though, that I did not have cash to pay and would probably have to do a bank run, when I was going to Pilates tonight, across from an ATM, but, thankfully, I was told I could do a bank transfer.

His guys showed up quickly and got right to work. The foreman had come in to tell the two workers what to do and then left for another job. I had no sooner seen him to the gate that the workers already had removed the patio door and were hard at work.

I was able to keep working as they did their thing, especially since Bonita opted to supervise. What happened to my shy girl afraid of strange men?!

An hour and a half later, I had a new window screen and lock, new slider wheels and and a keyed lock on the patio door, and the fixed patio door panel had been reinforced. I was thrilled with the work that was done, which went above and beyond just a repair but was actually improved security. I made the transfer, confirmed I was happy with the work, and shortly thereafter received the itemized bill to submit to my insurance company. I’m glad to have this company in my address book. I may actually have them come back and change all the window locks to the new type they installed on that one window today.

Happy with the beefed up security, I went back to work feeling a tad more relaxed, when I suddenly heard knocking at my exterior office door. I think my heart stopped for a couple of beats! I finally turned to see what was there, just in time to see this adorable guy literally tapping on the glass with his paws, freeze when he saw me, and then run off! Wonder if I could train my iguanas to fight off intruders!

I’m exhausted but still wanted to go to Pilates. I let my trainer know what was going on and she put me through a more gentle routine than usual, although we still found some new muscles I didn’t know I had!

I try not to make a fuss about my birthday — I think adults who do are a bit ridiculous – but I still like to treat myself to cake if I can. So I stopped at Tere Cazola, a bakery specialising in desserts, on my way home. There wasn’t much selection in individual portions left at that hour, so I came home with tres leches cake, which was meh (I’ve tried various versions of it and concede I’m not a fan), but the coffee jello/mousse thing was incredible, so I now know where to go close to home for a truly special and unique treat in the future!

I’m feeling more like myself and grateful that I have just one more big day of work and then I can take a break before my big April work project starts. Oh, and maybe renos as well. Crossing my fingers my guy from last summer is available for a small job! 🙂

(Post 155 of 263)

Yesterday, Tuesday, I had two more visitors related to the break-in.

The first was an estimator for the aluminum guy that Juan, my yard and maintenance guy recommended. I was happy with his suggestions to do things that the insurance would be willing to pay for but still be a security upgrade. He went back to his boss and told him the repairs were urgent, so his boss was scrambling to change his schedule to do the work yesterday afternoon, but I told him that, no, I can wait a few days. That turned out to be good because the insurance company really would prefer for the adjuster to see the damage (even if you have photos and videos) before effecting repairs. The total estimated cost of repairs is only $2,100, so nearly pocket change, but when combined with the stolen headphones and cash brings my claim to enough to make it worth having a claim.

The adjuster showed up at 3:00 and was not impressed with the damage. I forget the exact words he used, but he was basically scoffing that it was insignificant, especially based on the small quote. Sure, it might be insignificant to a man that a huge glass panel is now being held in place only by gravity and that I need two new locks, but, you know, he’s not a single woman living alone so our perspectives are different. 🙄 We went back over the facts of the case and I had to write yet another report, but this time it was in a fill-in-the-blanks format and he pretty much dictated verbatim what he wanted me to say. As I suspected, the barely legible copy of the denuncia I was given at the fiscalia is not acceptable, so I have to go back and get an “original” copy, but I also need the report from the peritos. I thought I’d have to get those at two separate offices, but nope, so it’s not like I’m going to have to make an extra trip.

The excessive number of steps are what they are, just like with immigration. The value of the headphones alone are making the exercise worthwhile — I’m nowhere near yet having put enough time into this matter to have not made it worthwhile to go through the process. I’m also happy to go through the process for something like this rather than a violent crime where I’d probably not be in such a calm state to undo this Gordian knot of red tape.

My insurance broker sent me today the list of all the things the insurance company needs to build their file: photos, receipts, police reports, etc. I’m going to have some time off over the next few days to put all of that together. I have most of it, just not sorted logically. I’m also going to include the receipt for the replacement Airpods to show that I had to pay more than I did in November since they are not on sale right now. Since the difference is $1,000 and they were bought recently on sale, I hope that I will be paid the replacement value and not the original value, but I’m not holding my breath.

Last night, friends took me out for my birthday to Miyabi, one of Mérida’s best sushi restaurants. It was so good to get out and have a bit of normalcy! We had an absolutely perfect meal (best octopus nigiri in town, by the way), so stuffed and a little borracha from two big beers, I was able to have my first solid night of sleep since this happened. I’m exhausted this morning, having finally hit my wall, and struggling with a haaard job, but last night did me so much good.

There’s nothing like comfort food to improve your outlook on life!

(Post 154 of 263)

Yesterday, Sunday, I met with yet another team of investigators. It was after this that I finally started to make sense of all the levels of police response I’ve dealt with since the break-in:

1) 911 — like Canada/US (still new, not as efficient, but they’re getting the hang of it)

2) 911 dispatch sent the municipal police, beat cops who work in my neighbourhood.

3) Mérida police sent me to the state police, SSP, to do the oral statement (denuncia). I liken this to going to your local police precinct.

4) Next up were the peritos, who are forensics investigators for the state police. Their uniforms have on the back what translates to “state police crime scene forensics.”

5) Sunday, I met with folks from Ministerio Público, which I’ve come to understand is like a public prosecutors/DA’s office in the US or the Crown in Canada. From everything I’ve gathered, it’s those last folks who do the actual detective work, talking to witnesses, looking at camera foot, and finally following up on super stale Apple tracking information.

It was at this last step that I had to give a written statement. The officer asked if I could write in Spanish because he couldn’t tell me what to write. I said that I would write at the same level I spoke, and off I went. He was satisfied with what I presented. He then said that he was going to the address where my Airpods had last pinged, but that was nearly 20 hours ago by that point, very frustrating. He said he’d follow up, but I haven’t heard anything since.

My garden guy, Juan, was here yesterday and he helped me with a few temporary repairs until I can get an aluminum worker in to fix the damaged window and door. Juan knows one and promised to have him contact me. My insurance broker said that once I documented all the damage, I could go ahead with repairs and then I would be reimbursed.

Of course, I was out of cash, so once I determined that Juan did not have a bank card I could do an e-transfer to, I had to run out to Walmart to do a withdrawal at the cash register. I decided that if I was being forced to go to Walmart at the crack of dawn to buy stuff just so I could withdraw cash I shouldn’t have needed, that I was coming home with doughnuts and Benedict Cumberbatch!

There’s also treats for Bonita in this cart!

In the evening, I got the house as secure as I thought I could make it and went up to bed to sleep, but when the power went off at 1AM, plunging the neighbourhood into darkness (and setting off all the dogs), that was it, the night was shot. Like the night before, I stayed alert until about 5AM and then dozed for a few hours until I had to get to work. I had a hard start so I’m looking forward to tomorrow when I can get up when I’m ready to.

It’s amazing that I travelled all those years in the RV, often parking on the side of the road or in a store shopping lot, and slept in my truck in parking lots and this is the first time I’ve not felt safe where I’m sleeping. The house hasn’t been spoiled for me, but I’m frustrated that I’m going to have to fortify it, do things that I associate with my time in Sinaloa and didn’t expect to have to do in this neighbourhood. But it is what it is. I love my house, I love where I live, and I don’t think Mérida is any less safe than I did before. And I should note that I’m not so much worried about my physical safety, just that there could be a repeat of this type of cash grab and that the next time this happens, the thieves won’t be as thoughtful about keeping damage to a minimum and leaving my cards.

Next up, I think, is a visit from the insurance adjuster, probably tomorrow.