About this time last year, I bought a desk the shape and size of which I really loved, but which I quickly realised was a mistake. It’s made of the particle board we have up north and had been muled down here, where the humid climate was no match for it. As the months marched on, the desk sagged more and more and I got less and less comfortable putting much weight on it.

There was also the matter that I was using the keyboard tray on it, which meant I had to sit pretty low and kind of hunched down. The crappy chair I got with the desk didn’t go any higher anyway, so I just toughed it out.

At the end of June, I’d had enough of finishing my day with a sore butt, so I bought a better chair. If you know the story of the mouse and the cookie, then you know where this story is going. The new, higher, chair meant that I had to really scrunch down to fit at the old desk and I was now unable to be productive for any long stretch of time. Time for a new desk!

Now, I did explore the idea of having a new top made for the old one and then having some holes put in it to pass wires so that I could sit my equipment on top of the desk and ignore the keyboard tray. But the carpenter I spoke with told me I was better off trolling Marketplace for a new desk instead.

Trolled I did. I was torn over what I wanted. I really liked the idea of getting a huge battered “antique” wood or metal desk and then refinishing it with a vibrant coat of paint. I saw a couple of candidates in my budget, but missed my chance. I finally decided that this was too much project for the urgency of the situation.

Since I’m not “forever home” shopping, I really didn’t want to spend much, so a better quality “command centre” was way out of the budget. I decided to focus on getting as big a desk as I could find in decent shape and with a couple of drawers plus holes for passing cables. When I saw it, and priced at only $1,000, I pounced!

M was available last night to help me pick it up as it would fit perfectly in the truck. To our immense shock, the desk was heavy. And there was a matching peninsula to make it an L-shape, the perfect compromise to giving up my U-shape. And the guy offered me an amazing deal, $1,500 for both pieces!

With lot of back-breaking labour (thankfully, the seller took over at one point with the heavy lifting) and two trips, we got the desk into my carport! I bought M dinner and he promised to come back today to help me get the desk into the house.

This morning, I advertised the old desk on Marketplace. If I can get anything for it, great. Otherwise, I’ll probably just put it on the curb and hope someone takes it.

M messaged to say he could come around noon, so I was aaaaalmost ready when he got here, having finished dismantling the old desk, but not having finished doing the sweeping of the mountain of dog fur and lizard poo behind the desk!

I had a pretty good thought on where the new desk would go — the room is awkward — but asked M for his thoughts. He agreed that there really was only one option.

The peninsula and keyboard tray parts of the old desk really are just about done for, but the credenza part is in surprisingly decent shape and the doors and drawers all work. So if I can’t sell the desk, I’ll keep the credenza for now as extra storage. To fit it on the back wall, I had to move a bookcase into the hallway! I’ll use the credenza as a printing and shredding area.

So here’s the new desk! It’s in decent shape, but the edge along the front where I rest my wrists for typing is quite worn. I’m going to try sanding and polyurethaning it to a smoother finish.

The main part desk has two holes through which I can pass cables and the peninsula has one, bliss. So one hole goes to my computer and the other to my calculator and iDevices for recharging. I’ve still got a mess of cables to corral, but you’ll have to trust me that this is way better and more functional even like this than what I’ve had in the last year!

I haven’t even been able to effectively use my calculator in the last year, hell when you’re trying to do the books. And now I can permanently set up the little stand I got that can hold any of my iDevices, whether my larger iPad to use as a second monitor or my phone to keep it handy.

I call this one, “Dog in a Sea of Grey.” 😀 Soon as M left, B went to lie down under the peninsula, just like she did with the old desk! She knows her place! I’m so glad her routine wasn’t interrupted. In fact, right now she’s actually under the main part of the desk, at my feet and curled around my foot pedal!

And now, time for a very honest picture. I still have sooooo much organising to do!

Once the desk was in place, I was delighted that M asked me to return his brawny favour with a brainy one — doing some quick and dirty translation from Spanish for him. So I got set up as much as I needed to go back to work and cranked that out for him.

It was almost 2:30 by the time I was settled again and I was famished. I decided to check out the new cocina economica two blocks from me (literally behind me two streets over!). I’m thrilled to have one so close now as delivery minimums and tips on the one I’ve been using meant it had to be an occasional treat. With pickup, a home-cooked meal is only $45 (3CAD/2.50USD). So it’s really not worth making lunch several times a week! I’m on their mailing list to get the menu every day and I can Whatsapp (message) them my order so it’ll be ready when I get over there.

It was getting really close to closing today and I didn’t want to wait to have something made to order, so I just went with the potato and chicken special of the day, which came with two kinds of rice, sauces, and tortillas. The chicken and rice were good and the potatoes were potatoes (I’m really not a fan), so a decent lunch. I can’t wait to try again with a main that’s more to my tastes. Cocina economicas are a fantastic way to discover how locals really eat so I make it a point to research all the options on the day’s menu and not just what I know I like. Today’s chicken was cooked in adobo, which I found a bit bland, but I’m starting to accept that blandness is part of Yucatecán cuisine. Thank goodness for salsa verde!

Incredibly, we’re coming onto 7PM. What a crazy day! I blame my hammock — I was sleeping so soundly that I not only got to the point of needing the alarm clock I’d set just in case, but… I overslept the alarm by 10 minutes! I don’t think I’ve ever done that! So I got a late start and it’ll be a late evening since I need to finish tonight if I want my morning off to go to coffee club!

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I have now been sleeping in my hammock for a full week and do not anticipate going back to a European bed any time in the near future. The Hammock Experiment has proven itself to be an immense success — I have a solid week of sleep behind me with no night being less than an 8 out of 10, I haven’t needed a nap in a week, my productivity is through the roof, and I’m generally feeling great overall, have fewer aches, and have even noticed an improvement in my posture!

Getting out of the hammock was always surprisingly easy. Getting in and comfortable is taking less effort every night and having to get back out to do something I forgot or attend to an odd noise, etc., and then resettle isn’t as much of production as it was. I am also now able to quickly fall asleep on my back in nearly the position I wake up in.

Moving to Mexico continues to be prove itself to be a cure-all for all my woes! 🙂

So if anyone is actually reading my posts, they will remember that this day last week found me perky enough to spend the morning at the neighbourhood market, where I found a dress I loved and ordered more to pick up today.

As a bit of background, I’m having trouble with my wardrobe here because I have suddenly started to perspire in ways that I never have in my life. Turns out, that’s my body acclimating! So anything cotton is incredibly uncomfortable — I arrive soaked to my destination, which is usually air conditioned, meaning that I freeze. I also go through multiple changes of clothes in a day to stay dry. Strangely enough, polyester fabrics have proven perfect for this climate: they might not breathe, but they dry super fast, likely why such fabric is so prevalent in clothing here.

My smocked bodice dresses from Maz are almost perfect for here. As a refresher, here’s one of those:

The problem with it is that it’s not modest enough for Mérida (bare shoulders) and I also don’t want to show that much skin under this brutal sun. So I’ve been looking for dresses just like that but with a bit of a sleeve.

I came home with this beauty last week. Oh my, it is so pretty! (You can click on the dress pictures to embiggen them and see more details!)

Today, the lady had a pile for me to sort through. She’d brought an assortment of colours and patterns. I picked out the best four and explained what I liked and didn’t like about each dress so that she could bring me an even better assortment next week as I want at least another four!

This is the first one I honed in on today. The darker tone makes it a bit dressier for going out in the evenings.

This was an obvious must-have! I love the rich pattern and colours.

My third choice would have been rated higher had it not had red in it (I was quickly told, “Think of it as wine-coloured!” LOL):

I like the colours and pattern of the last one I picked, but the fabric is different and a little thinner so I hemmed and hawed until the vendor told me she’d give me $20 off if I bought all four. That doesn’t sound like much of a deal, but the dresses are only $160 each! The fabric alone is worth at least $60. So I didn’t want to drive too hard of a bargain.

The rest of the dresses were all white or cream-based, which I don’t like. Just doesn’t work with my skin tone and stains too easily. They said they will have more next week in colours I like so we shall see.

A closet full of these dresses solves so many problems. They are inexpensive enough that I can wear the ones I don’t like as much around the house and if they get stained or torn from doggie claws, no big deal. They look dressy enough that I can wear one to run errands and still look nice enough to go to a higher-end restaurant before. They are a breeze to clean. They don’t show sweat stains. They are comfortable. They can accommodate both my summer (thicker — I walk less) and winter (thinner — I walk tons) body. I really got used to wearing dresses in Maz after years of doing a skirt and top combo and I just love the ease of having to grab only one thing.

There’s just one teeny little problem. Can you guess what it is? Hint, I need to bring them to the fabric store and then find myself a seamstress!

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