(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.

(Post 153 of 263)

Too tired for bla bla bla, but I had a break-in last night. This is what followed.

(Post 152 of 263)

“In 10 sessions you’ll feel the difference, in 20 you’ll see the difference, and in 30 you’ll have a new body.”

I’m about 20 sessions into Pilates and blown away by how much more this workout has done for me in that short time than all the time at the gym, running, hiking, etc. did for me in the past.

As I get older and creakier, my “bad” leg has caused me increasing grief. Not only do I have to contend with the degenerative cartilage condition I got from my dad, but the joint is actually crooked, making the leg shorter than the other. So I limp when I’m tired and this imbalance has been starting to cause hip pain and scoliosis, on top of my existing kyphosis. I’m still young and vital and reasonably flexible, but before Pilates, I was not on my way to aging well at all. I’ve always felt an urgency to do, do do because I would likely have mobility issues in my more advanced years.

My Pilates teacher said that most of the problem with the bad leg has to do with the shortened and atrophied thigh muscles. She worked out a plan to gently lengthen and tone those muscles to help with the overall strength of the leg in order to reduce pressure on the knee. I was doubtful. Surely if there was something to be done with that leg other than lose every ounce of body fat possible, someone would have told me by now, no?

And so, we began. At the start, there were exercises the right thigh could not do at all that the left thigh could do with little effort. At all became with great pain and needing breaks. Great pain and needing breaks became effort. Effort gradually became ease. Today, for the first time in my life, I exercised both legs equally and with the same ease. And I realised that my limp is gone. That is just twenty sessions spread out over only seven weeks.

We are now working on my kyphosis (hump, like a hunchback). Part of that involves planks, which I loathe. But now that I have evidence that my teacher knows exactly what she is doing, that she will change my body without breaking my spirit first, that she really does know what is best for me, I am willing, even eager, to do the work. I hope I can talk her into another set of 12 private lessons before I have to move to group lessons!

(Post 151 of 263)

I remain so grateful to finally have access to reliable healthcare now that I live in Mexico. Five years in Mérida, and I still don’t take it for granted. It’s not just finally having a doctor, but also being able to walk into a pharmacy and get help for little things instead of wasting a day at a walk-in clinic. For example, a few weeks ago, I thought I might have contracted athlete’s foot. I went to the pharmacy down the street to speak with the on-site physician, but the pharmacist said she could help me herself. I left with a tube of inexpensive cream and a treatment plan.

Today, I finally had to concede that the cream had only 90% worked — one toe was still itchy and burning. I went back to the pharmacy and was given another cream that was described as “a step up” from what I’d bought, then told that if that one doesn’t work within 10 days, then I need to go see my doctor. Each visit is about 15 minutes from the time I leave the house to when I return. How convenient is that? And there’s no cost for such a quick consult, either.

I sometimes think back to my first months in Mexico in 2014 and wonder if then I would have had enough Spanish to do what I did today. Probably not. Immersion really works and I don’t really have any stress anymore about living my life in Spanish. I remember having to rehearse things before I’d head out and even something so small as picking up electrical tape at a small hardware store had me nearly breaking out in a rash.

Speaking of a rash, the new cream is already helping. Bliss! Maybe I can focus on my job now!