routine makeover

Before I came back here to Mexico in the beginning of February people were asking me what I was planning on doing differently. Since the last time I was here for a long period of time I decided to move back to the US.

Well, without even having to physically do anything different my view of being here had kind of shifted. Pressures and stresses that were once there had floated away. Of course there are still negatives, but overall I just felt OK with it.

Part of what was going to be different was getting out of the house more often. For some reason I did do that. I was in the house all the time. Only leaving when Jorge would be here on the weekend and we would go to the grocery store. Not only do I lose my independence having to always depend on him taking me to the grocery store, it also makes me go stir crazy being in the house so much.

Sunday night I just had a rough time and decided there is no reason to not have a somewhat normal life here. Go to the store, take the girls places and have some time of my own out of this house.

A plan was made. You know me and my plans. Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons the girls go over to their Grandma R's house. During that time I am walking, for exercise and to get out in the sunshine.

Tuesday and Thursday mornings the girls and I get the car (Jorge walks to work...this is making him exercise too) and we go to the park. This lets the girls get out and run in the grass. It lets them run off some of that energy.

The park we go to is the only one I know of that has a nice green grass area. There are two old men that come and water the grass and feed the ducks. So, it is nice and clean AND the two days we have been there we are the only ones there. It was really nice.

This past week has felt more like a life. I get out of the house everyday and after only 3 days of walking I already feel better. I went from walking only 25 minutes and felt like dying the first day to walking 50 minutes and feeling really good, tired, but good the third day.

Here is the giant hill that I walk up and then down. This is a view from the top looking down.

And here is a view looking up. I have yet to walk straight up without stopping. Hopefully within the next few weeks I will be able to.

Here is the view from the top of the hill.

I turn off the paved and cobblestone roads to a dirt road that takes me away from the town.

I walk this road for a while and make a few turns and walk until the road stops. At the end of the road you can see the "castle" of Jalos and a large area of water.

Here is a house that is in the construction stage. And how long it has been like this is unknown. You only build what you have money for here. Loans are not a common practice.

And while there might not be any people living here, I was serenaded by a rooster that was taking up residence.

So, there you have it. My new plan and a small view of Jalos. Nothing much exciting, but at least I have things to look forward to now. Oh, and I even went to the grocery store on my own one of those days. It was nice to be doing it myself. I think things are looking up and hopefully my weight will go down!