Moving and Working ...

Sorry I haven't posted in awhile. I've been busy moving into my apartment and starting work. The move was relatively easy ... I borrowed a friend's small truck on Saturday in order to pick up my belongings from three different locations. That all went without a hitch but, unfortunately, the apartment is located up approximately 50 stairs and one of my suitcases was pretty heavy! My roommate, Colleen, was my driver but since she was so sick with a cold, I did all the lifting. Who needs to join a gym now? LOL

On Sunday, on his day off, my friend Adan from Casa Andrea, helped me with the last suitcase and a few boxes of last minute items, including food from the fridge. He gamely hauled all the heavy stuff up those damn stairs for me and I thanked him with a suitable propina. So now I'm in. We have two bedrooms, two bathrooms, two living rooms, two dining rooms and two entrances. One kitchen which we share although neither one of us cooks! We have cable TV, a washer and dryer, Colleen's computer with high speed internet and most kitchen gadgets including a microwave. Oh, and a phone line. Water, hydro, gas and cable are included in the rent.

The place is not a palace but it is big and Colleen lived here last year so I knew what to expect. The mosquitoes are feasting on us (new meat!) but we are battling back with sprays, lotions, burning coils and the like. If you have any other bright ideas, let me know! I am averaging about 6-10 new bites a day. It is very uncomfortable sometimes. Right now I'm typing with a Raidolito (burning Raid coil) smoldering under my chair. It is the only thing that seems to work when we are at the computer. The landlord has promised to paint, starting tomorrow. I wonder what he was doing for the last month when the place was vacant? LOL

We are just off Calle Amapas near the Tropicana. Security is good because of the huge locked wrought iron gate at the end of the driveway but we are also living in the heart of the gay district in southside Vallarta so I feel safe and content to be here for the next six months or so. It is a 15 minute walk for me to work -- less for Colleen who will be working at Que?Pasa on Olas Altas. She will be working nights and I will be working days so I don't expect to see her much after this week! :)

I got a bit of a promotion at work. Not really more money or prestige but a specific position within the company. The boss and other managers all thought I was suitable for this responsibility so I guess, in a way, it is a pat on the back for me. I will be in charge of marking all the merchandise that comes into the store and supervising any staff that helps me in this endeavour. In exchange, I asked for regular working hours of Monday to Saturday 10AM to 6PM. I am hoping to be able to leave at 2PM on Saturdays ... This is much different than my shifts last year which were inconsistent from one week to the next. Now I can plan my social life much better. I don't know when I'm going to find the time to buy groceries though.

I was actually quite happy to get back to work as I could not be a turista forever. One month off left me lazy, fat and unmotivated. Deciding where to eat dinner was my hardest decision of the day. BTW, I had a lovely meal the other night at Mariscos Polo ... six juicy jumbo shrimp on a skewer with grilled veggies and some rice on the side. It was delicious! With a beer and the tip, I think it was $180 pesos. Dinner at El Brujo last week was also good ... shrimp fajitas for $90 pesos and there were enough shrimp leftover (ie. a dozen!!!) for another meal. Great meal, excellent value. Brenda Martin is cooking a full course turkey dinner (just like my Mom used to make) every second Sunday night at Que?Pasa for $90 pesos. (FYI, the $CDN is trading at 8.9 pesos at Scotiabank here which is incredible!)

So even though I am working a lot, I really enjoy my job. The store is beautiful and the people I work with are outstanding. We are Canadian, American and Mexican. This is the sixth season for the store and we are hoping to have our best year ever! Mary Sue is a dynamo and working for her is exciting, demanding and fun. It is a lot of hard work but it is interesting and so different from working in a law firm. I feel sometimes that this is the kind of work I was born to do. It is fast-paced but I am learning a lot about fashion trends, marketing and sales. I am also learning a bit about myself -- who knew I was a good salesperson or that it could be so easy? I guess I am my father's daughter after all! :) Anyway, when you're in Vallarta, drop in to say "hi" and look around. It is the nicest store in Vallarta! And I'm not just saying that -- enough people have told me that so it must be true.