One saga ends, and sadly another saga continues. My beloved aunt died shortly after the New Year. She was born in 1911 and lived to see 2012. She was the matriarch of a large (if somewhat dysfunctional family), and she was much more than an aunt to me. I think she saved up all her energy for her 100th birthday and just didn't have any left to continue on. I saw her again in November and she was notably changed. Her nervous system was failing and she was in great pain. She was basically bedridden and her sight was beginning to go. Once they started her on morphine, it was down hill. Sadly her mind remained as bright and active as ever, so she knew the end was near. I spoke with her every week up until the end, when she could barely speak. She had left a small fortune to her only son, but he died a week earlier, leaving the three grandchildren to fight over her estate. I will miss her.
I know you are sick of hearing about my apartment, but you want to know about my life. Well here it is (warts and all). Of course I never got the television or microwave promised and I never got the lease rewritten. Last week I awoke to no gas. Unfortunately I did not realize it until I had broken two eggs in a frying pan. It wasn't just low, it was gone! The "super" said they ordered more gas on Friday (it was Monday). This I do not believe. I guess I should explain about the gas here. We don't have gas lines in the street (That is the good news!!) Instead trucks run up and down the streets selling canisters of propane gas, and for large buildings like mind, a tanker arrives and hooks into a line at street level that carries the gas to a tank on the roof.
Not only can you not fry an egg, you don't have any hot water. I managed to muddle through the day and went to the gym (my first day for over two weeks, due to my fall). I was planning on going to my friend's house to shower, but the tanker had arrived and filled the tank on the roof. I even managed to get the pilot light back on myself (not that great a task since "pilot" is "piloto" in Spanish) Everyone in the building were mad and I found that four (out of eight) had not paid rent in two months). No wonder they had to money for gas. Our Realtor was contacted and said that he had tried to contact the owner, her lawyer, and the management company in November and none of them would return a call. He suggested we hire a lawyer.
The very next day, I awoke to no electricity. My first thought was to check my bill to see if I paid someone else's bill. No, it was in my name and I had a receipt. I yelled down to my friend Jose (who runs the business below me). He told me that it was just my half of the building (am I lucky, or what?) He gave me a cup of coffee out of his thermos and within an hour it came back on. No explanation at all. The following morning it was the same, No Electricity. Jose called the electric company, but in a few hours it was back on. Somehow my meter (and only mine) had been set to go off between midnight and 8:00. No one can explain it, but ever since then, no problem.
Did I tell you about my lease? It is in Spanish with no translation. This is not common when "gringos" rent here. Normally there is a side by side translation into English. I think I should stop here to state once more that what has happened to me is not typical of Mexico. I just happened to pick the worst building in P.V. My Realtor told me that is was a furnished apartment (2,000 pesos more) and that the owner paid the gas and water. He also told me that once the building is fully rented they will put a jacuzzi on the roof (to which no one has a key). What are the odds?? When all the trouble started I had a Mexican read the lease to me. It does NOT state that it is a "furnished apartment", let alone specifying a TV and microwave AND it says that the tenant pays all utilities. The Realtor lied! What a surprise. You must wondering how I could possibly live for 74 years and still be so stupid (I prefer the words, naive or trusting).
I spoke again to Becksy (that is not a misprint) who makes an attempt to manage the building. She promised a new lease with a new starting date and once I paid, I would get my TV and microwave.
Since I will be gone most of March (for my cataract operation) and again in May (to visit my friends is Japan) this is not the ideal time to look for a new apartment. I have decided to bare with it until June when I get back from Japan. We will see how things are going then (and if I have a TV and microwave)..
Sorry this posting was delayed. I had a "stuck tool bar" (what ever that is) that prevented me from getting into my blog.
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I so look forward to your blog Larry. Your life certainly isn't dull in Mexico by any means. I know you will miss Aunt Jo but you realize she lived a very productive life. Talk about class and beauty, she was all of that and more. Well here we are age 74 and have known each other most of our lives dating back to Oak St. Several things stand out. I met the mother of my children at your house at a party and that was the beginning of a big change for me. And you know the rest. Where are you having your surgery done? According to Maryanne, who had it done, it was painless. We finally got a little and rain, which we need. Take care now.
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