What The Hell?

There is some kind of conspiracy going on around here. Three women in three days have told me that I look like I've lost weight. And since they weren't hitting on me, I know they were telling me the truth. The fact that I've lost any weight at all is practically impossible because my diet lately has consisted primarily of Cheetos and Hershey's kisses! I only went to the gym twice this week and couldn't walk or sit properly for three days after my leg workout. So I'm not sure what's going on but I hope it continues ...

I had a bit of time off work this week. I left early on Thursday but had to come back to do a style show at 6PM that night. I was off on Friday and Saturday but got called in today (Sunday) for a couple of hours because we were expecting 30 people on a tour bus to come into the store. They never showed up. Not having worked a Sunday morning in well over a year now, I was a little disconcerted by the number of seniors coming and "going". The regular staff called them the "bathroom brigade" -- they come in to use our facilities, pick up their free gift and leave. LOL

My boss decided we all needed two consecutive days off to recover from the holiday season. This was in addition to our fabulous all-inclusive Christmas party at the extremely sexy Nikki Beach on January 6th (think Sultan's Harem meets Hawaiian fire eaters), our gifts to one another (we draw names) and Mary Sue's gift to all of us (any watch we want from the store). She's a great boss and I love working at Viva!!! I'm still working days, down to five shifts a week (Monday to Friday, 10AM to 6PM) with the odd style show thrown in for fun. Make sure you drop in next time you're in Vallarta!

I've met some interesting people lately. Gabriele is a psychologist from San Francisco with a passion for scuba diving. Andrea is a single mom from Vancouver who is just starting the journey in the second half of her life (can you say Goddess?). Stephanie is the young friend of my roommate and she stayed with us unobtrusively for almost a week before I properly met her, face to face. And I've reconnected with old friends from last year -- Sheri, the beekeeper from Wisconsin; Irene, the business woman from London, Ontario; Caryl, the Libra from L.A. who is now working here in her husband's real estate office. These women come from all over the world and bring so much into my life.

Which leads me to the main focus of this week's blog. People are starting to ask me when I'm going home. The short answer to that question is "I don't know" and "Ask me next week". I will seriously start thinking about it in April, after the Goddesses leave. Usually I'm so homesick by then, all I can think about are the things at home I can't get here. Number one on the list (after friends and family) would be convenience ... it is just easier at home to pay bills, get money and buy clothes. The selection of food is better too. I miss Wendy's fresh salads, Quizno's subs, Chunky Kit Kat bars and Excel peppermint gum. I miss Steve, the olive guy at the St. Lawrence Market, who flirts with me while I pop samples into my mouth at his family's stand. I miss the selection of cheeses, (especially cheddar and feta) and bread! I miss the variety of so many things, including wine and beer and salad dressings. I miss Pad Thai!!!

I know this probably sounds whiney to you. You're probably reading this while winter howls outside your door and all you have to look forward to are short days and long nights until June because you've already had your winter vacation. The fact is, the selection is getting better here because there are more people like me living here. And therein "lies the rub" since one of the reasons I moved here was because it was so very different from home -- I loved the fact that Vallarta was still so "Mexican". But nothing stays the same and that is more true here than anywhere else. I'm not sure I made my point but you can get the gist of what I'm saying. For now, I'm where I'm supposed to be. Are you sure you shouldn't be here too? :)