Christmas 2009

Every year I say the same thing. Where did the time go? It is as true in 2009 as it ever has been ... even though it is our first full year of retirement when we thought we’d have all the time in the world.

When we left our jobs in March, 2008, some warned us that we would be totally bored and would want to return to work within a year. Being neither bored (we don't have time to be bored), nor having any desire to return to our jobs (done that), we seem to be muddling through somehow living in Puerto Vallarta from October through June and returning to California for the summer months.

2009 was another year of adventure and revelation ... of swine flu and travel and school and sports and even a bit of work … the ongoing process of figuring out where we want to be and what we want to do. It seems the more time we spend in Mexico, the more we enjoy it. The challenges become fewer, the rewards greater. Of course, a lot of that is due to an attitude adjustment and the acceptance that manana doesn’t necessarily mean tomorrow. It’s just sometime in the future other than today. Through it, we have become more tolerant and patient. Forcing U.S. timetables and expectations and customs on Mexico doesn’t work, nor is it right.

Probably more than anything, 2009 could be described as a year of travel. And as we found, there is such a thing as too much. Kurt’s mom spent the holidays with us last year, and while she was here, we drove to San Miguel de Allende and spent a fun week in that quaint Mexican town in January. In February, we did an RSVP cruise out of Fort Lauderdale to the Caribbean, our first of two cruises for the year. In March, after the Caribbean cruise, I made an unannounced last minute trip back to northern California. My former boss at News10, Stacy Owen, was leaving the station and I wanted to surprise her at her going away party ... but that was only part of the fun. I didn't tell my family that I was coming back to the U.S. My mom damn near died of shock when I rang her doorbell and there I was. She just kept saying, "I can't believe it, I can't believe it." We had a fun weekend.

Then, it was back to PV for the rest of March and into June (with a few side trips to Sayulita and Mascota). In June, we left Mexico for the summer. After heading to the Bay Area in June for the wedding of Kurt’s nephew, then Laguna Beach in July for Kurt’s birthday, we ventured to Tahiti for the big travel event of the year.

We flew from LA to Papeete for a 10 day cruise aboard the MS Paul Gauguin which included stops at about 6 ports. It is a beautiful part of the world, unlike any other place we've visited. Moorea and Bora Bora are spectacular, and the ship itself was amazing. There were only 300 passengers, and the cruise was all inclusive (tours, tipping, recreation, adult beverages) so you're not nickel and dimed (like on other ships where you can rack up an onboard bill which totals nearly as much as the cruise itself). The food was gourmet (we knew it would be good from the first night we boarded when as a midnight snack they had the best soft shell crabs we've ever had ... and the caviar for lunch the next day wasn't too bad either). Lots of snorkeling, swimming with sting rays and sharks and hiking. As beautiful as it was, we probably won't go back .... there are other places we want to see first.

During the summer, we centered our activities out of Palm Springs where we still have a home that we rent out as a vacation rental. Believe it or not, the 115 degree weather in the desert is much more desirable than the 95 degrees weather in Puerto Vallarta where daily torrential rains assure that the humidity hovers at or near 100% all the time. But in reality, we really weren’t in Palm Springs for very long at any one time.

In August, we drove up the eastern Sierra, and spent several days in Graeagle at Kurt’s mom’s mountain cabin. From there, it was off to Clear Lake for three weeks, including several days with my mom. Then we made our way up the California and Oregon coast ... Crescent City, Yachats, then Portland where we got to see our friends Butch and Dave and their two great kids. We really liked Portland and thought it was a city where eventually we could live. From there it was up to Seattle for 11 days, staying at a house right on Puget Sound. We liked it so much, we're going back next year.

After driving back to Palm Springs, we were there for only a few days before flying to Kona for two weeks. We could have gone without the Hawaii trip (remember, I said there is such a thing as too much travel), but it was nice spending time with Kurt's mom and sister who were there with us. We got back to Palm Springs in mid-October (the nicest time of the year there), but it was a short stay. On October 27, we flew back to Puerto Vallarta for the winter.

2010 will probably bring a lighter travel schedule, though we are doing several vacation home exchanges (we swap Palm Springs for a week or so with others who have vacation homes) and we will be visiting San Miguel de Allende, Seattle, and Gabriola Island (a short ferry hope from Victoria, BC). We also keep looking for last minute cruise specials, one of the benefits of having the freedom to go when you want to go, and not worry about work schedules.

During the summer, we made some good decisions. Last year, we got too involved with the politics of living in a condominium (it's not all fun). So this year, we've separated ourselves from the pettiness that at times seemed to thrive here, and we are much happier to be away from it. We also decided to pursue interests beyond the circle of friends we have made in our complex. Kurt has joined the PV Tennis Club and plays tennis several times a week. I have gone back to school and am taking Spanish classes at the University of Guadalajara PV campus. I also take several long walks through different neighborhoods here each week, meeting locals and talking Spanish. These activities have introduced us to new friends and people in the community. And again, they have provided a good diversion from the politics at Condominios Avalon. That being said, we have developed some very good relationships with some of our new neighbors here, particularly David & Nelly who live directly below us and came to visit us at Clear Lake this past summer.

In addition to all that, I was back at work in 2009 (but for only two days). When the swine flu first surfaced in Mexico in spring, I did several TV reports for KTVU, Channel 2 in Oakland/San Francisco and News10 in Sacramento … back to shooting, writing, editing, and feeding over the Internet. I also did several interviews with KGO Radio in San Francisco and KFBK Radio in Sacramento. It was fun, but just for a couple of days. As I sit here in Puerto Vallarta and watch the evening newscasts where reporters are standing in the pouring rain or blowing snow, I realize how much I really do not miss it.

Our families are both doing well. As I mentioned, Kurt's nephew Sean got married in June. Also in June, my youngest nephew, Jason, graduated from Nevada Union High School and is now attending Chico State. Except for chronic back pain, my mom is doing great. She still goes to Tahoe a lot with my brother and sister-in-law and each week enjoys a martini lunch with one of her friends in Nevada City. And we are doing great. No swine flu in this household.

Likewise, we hope that this letter finds you and your family well. Merry Christmas, best wishes for 2010, and if your travels bring you to Puerto Vallarta, let us know and we’ll get together for a cerveza or margarita.