Roaming Through Retirement



April--Oh, the Joy of Home Ownership!
On March 30, we closed on the home we bought in mid-January and spent most of April putting our finger prints and foot prints all over it. Here we are converting an open patio into a four-season sun room. With the peso valued at 18 to $1 USD, we decided to do everything we wanted and needed to do, rather than spreading it out over several years. Plus, the cost of materials and labor makes these projects a no brainer. In addition, March and April is the end of snowbird season, so we got to spend lots of time with friends who would soon be leaving for the summer.

Maureen (far right) joined a choir and we got to enjoy one of their recitals at a local church.	Glorine had a girl’s luncheon, before half of these women started heading north for the season.
Friends Chuck and Jean sold their home they had been wintering in for ten years and bought this awesome house in the heart of the village of Ajijic.	After a “hard” day of moving, we got to enjoy some refreshments and admired the view of this home that is ½ block deep with a private casita in the back of the lot.
We enjoyed a Thai meal together with a few snowbirds. We used this occasion to say farewell to Mary, a dear friend who had recently passed away.	Ajijic holds a live passion play commemorating the events between Palm Sunday and Easter. These streets was used to carry the cross up the mountain.
We got to enjoy a great Easter feast with friends and family at Jim and Margo’s home. They tried to find ham but had to settle for a mighty fine pork loin.	This home was on the April home tour.  Besides being huge, it sports this mural painted by a famous local artist of people who the owners wanted to showcase.
Fococcia is an Italian Restaurant in the boondocks of Ajijic, but oh, do they serve up great dishes. We ate family style with friend Carol and her daughter Margaret.	We caught this scene of a cowboy rounding up a herd of cattle outside the restaurant. Brought back fond memories for Larry, but back then he got them on foot.
Friends Ron and Jean are off to Maine for the summer. Larry and Ron got in some Pickle Ball games earlier this season.	Along the shores of Lake Chapala in west Ajijic, are about fifteen restaurants one can access by either car or boat. Our crowd got there by car.
We had brunch at this restaurant and Larry made sure he got a picture with his new Mom. Not really--her name just happens to be Rose.	Chuck and Jean hosted a house warming party for about twenty friends. Chuck inherited this awesome grill that he used to perfection.
The house we bought came fully furnished including furniture, appliances, bedding, art work, kitchen utensils, and lots of empty boxes and plastic bags.	Unfortunately, it also came with termites. We negotiated a better price to cover the costs of replacing the entire kitchen and bathroom cabinets.
Very seldom does one buy a house and have the opportunity to create a brand-new kitchen. Hopefully, it will be done before we leave in late May.	This cabinet was next to the refrigerator. It shows how destructive these little critters can be. Thank goodness, the damage was limited to the kitchen and one bath.
Like the patio, this project is something we wanted to have done. Neither of us take baths, so out it went!	These craftsmen are awesome.  We found tile, we thought matched, but didn't.  But they made it work.
Slowly but surely, everything is coming together.  It has been seven years since we owned a home and it  is fun making it our own.	In Mexico, Easter also means spring break which typically last two weeks.  Ajijic was overrun with people enjoying all the amenities that we take for granted.

April's web page includes April 1 through April 30.