December 31, 2022. Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. Happy New Years Eve.

 Once upon a time, many years ago, we attended the New Years celebration at Paradise Village.  Our Texas family was here with us.  This was the first year that the children were allowed to stay up to celebrate midnight.  We had a great time.  The event was held on the beach at the end of the resort.  They served a wonderful buffet dinner  plus lots of entertainment.  The young girls danced all evening, sometimes with other and other times with strangers.

During the evening, we all got chilly so Suzanne was able to find jackets for us.  Three of those fleece jackets are still with me at Playa Royale.  David paid the bill.  At the stroke of midnight, the fireworks started and lasted a long time.  We all enjoyed ourselves but especially the girls.

Once again, I am at Paradise Village where they are holding a big event this evening.  But Wendy, Ken and I are not going to attend.  Firstly, it is too late and there is too much food.  But also the price is amazing.  2950 pesos for each, which is about $250. American.  We will stay home in our lovely little unit.  And we will celebrate by drinking a glass of red wine,  the one Chris gave to Wendy and Ken at Christmas.  So our celebration will be delightful and quiet.  And we will be in bed before the fireworks.  Tomorrow we will make our resolutions.  

December 30, 2022. Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico.. Moving On.

We have enjoyed 12 days of living in the Villa.  it is big and beautiful.  But now we must leave.  someone will be taking over.  Ken Wendy and I are moving into a 2 bedroom unit at the time share of Paradise Village.  We dy and Ken have been taking our belongings bit by bit so when we finally had to leave at 11:00, all we took with us was my backpack and one bag of goodies.  The shift was very efficient.  

Last evening I wrote my blog but just as it was published,  poof went my blog.  So now I am repeating the process.  Our unit has been newly renovated.  We will enjoy ourselves in our new home.  And in one week we move again but next time to Playa Royale.  We feel sure that we will not have troubles with the Internet.  So here we go to enjoy our new home for one week.  

December 29, 2022. Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. Bathing.

The easiest place for me to shower is in my Mississippi home.  I have hand holds on the four walls of the shower plus one outside the shower so getting in and out is easy as well as holding on to when showering.  I have discovered that the older I get, the more difficult is for me to shower.  My bedroom in the Villa has a large shower but there is not a hand hold in sight.  So showering is difficult, if not impossible.  Once again, Wendy stepped in to help.

Wendy found a plastic chair on an outside balcony on the second floor which fits perfectly into the shower.  She wears her bathing suit in my shower and after she gets the water hot I sit on the chair and I scrub.  There is a hand held shower with a long wand which easily reaches me in the chair.  Wendy hands me the water and I rinse off.  Then she washes my hair.  And I wash my face.  We are quite a sight.  When I am all clean and Wendy turns off the water, Wendy wraps me in big towels, one on my head and the other around my shoulders.

Next I sit on a towel in a chair in my bedroom while Wendy goes upstairs to get out of her wet bathing suit.  But first she put a towel over my legs so I would be warm.  And I drip dry.  I am quite a sight wrapped from top to bottom with big white towels.  I suggested to Wendy that I could have a picture taken for my Christmas card and call it "After the Bath".  But no one thought it a good idea, except me.  But the most important aspect of this whole exercise is that I am clean and fresh, all done with my Wonderful Wendy.

December 28, 2022. Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. Neighbors.

We have been in our Villa for a week with Alana, Nick and Chris.  And the Villa was very quiet outside.  Chris commented several times how quiet it was.  There wasn't even any noise coming from the boats in the marina.  But not any more.  

Right now, we can hear music coming from a boat not too far away.  And several people have moved into the Villas, beginning yesterday.   Immediately to our right a Mexican family moved in and quickly began enjoying the pool, especially the children.  Of course, we did not know what they were saying but we knew they were enjoying themselves.  Then about 7:30 they must have gone out to dinner and we have not heard them since.

On the other side of us an American family moved in.  Their children played in the pool all afternoon and evening.  They left for an hour, then returned to sit outside on the patio and talked. until midnight.  But now we could hear what they were saying, so we came inside and closed the door.  I was interested to hear that the children sat out with the parents until they all eventually went indoors.

Then today two other families have moved into Villas down the road.  All day the children played in their own pools.  Our row of Villas must now be full.  And I must say that nothing in the world sounds better than happy children playing in a swimming pool.  This morning, Ken found a ball floating in our pool so he threw the ball over the wall into their pool which I feel sure made the children happy.  Clearly, New Years week is busier at Paradise Village than Christmas week, which surprises me.  Our patio is no longer quiet.

December 27, 2022. Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. Our Villa.

 Six years ago, we stayed in a Villa.  Ken and I, Wendy and Ken, Katey and Brock and Alana were here.  And we had a great time.  What we remember about that vacation was that the place was beautiful and spacious, and that we had our own pool that we all enjoyed.  What we had forgotten was the steps.  I recalled long circular stairs to the second floor, and that was all.  That year, Ken and I stayed in the bedroom on the first floor and gave the massive master suite to Wendy and Ken.  My Ken was not up to the long set of stairs to the second floor.

Chris and I walked into the entrance foyer.  Then into the kitchen.  I discovered to my horror that there were three steps from the kitchen to the dining room.  With no railings.  Then I looked at the living room only to find two more steps into the living room and back patio.  At least there was a railing for those steps.  I have no recollection of those multi levels in this lovely Villa.  Wendy also did not remember thee steps in the main rooms although she does remember the long set of winding stairs to the bedroom level.

So I am not able to go into the kitchen by myself which is fine because I never go into the kitchen.  My bedroom is on the dining room level so I can get into my bedroom and bath by myself and using the railing plus a couch I can get over to my spot on the couch.  We leave my walker at the top of the stairs.  If I want to go outside, I must either take someones arm or bring my walker down the two stairs.  So I can manage very well even with these two sets of stairs.  I just cannot get to the front door by myself.  I need help.

Our Villa is now half full.  Wendy, Ken and I are still enjoying our Villa.  This is a nice place.

December 26, 2022. Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. Boxing Day.

 Most Americans know nothing about Boxing Day.  Several friends, when I use the term, think it is a time for boxing matches.  But that would be wrong.  I was told about the English custom of Boxing Day activities but I do not know if my information is accurate.  During the 19th century of the big manor houses with huge parcels of land, the workers had the day off the day after Christmas.  Instead, the rich owners held a big party for the working folks.  And they boxed up the old toys and gave the workers gifts. That what I was told anyway.

I never understood why the workers children were given old toys.  Evidently used clothes were boxed up and given to the adults.  Why did the rich not buy new gifts for the workers.  It did not seem fair.  Now, the only aspect that continues from Boxing Day is the name, Boxing Day.  In Canada and England it is a holiday.  The tradition is to spend Christmas Day with family and Boxing Day with friends.  My sister always rented a skating rink and invited family and friends.  My sons, David and Andrew learned to skate at those skating parties on Boxing Day.  It was a great custom.

Alana and Nick are on the plane for snowy Hamilton.  Chris is still waiting at the gate, 2 hours delayed.  He will be stuck in Houston and miss his connection to Jackson.  Fortunately there are hotels at the Houston airport.  One year Christina and the girls got stuck in Houston both coming and leaving Puerto Vallarta.  Our Villa will be quiet.  But we enjoyed having the younger ones here.  Now we look forward to another visit from them another year.

December 25, 2022. Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. Christmas Day.

All six of us had an unusual Christmas Day.  Our day was lovely.  Chris was the only person who played Santa.  The rest of us decided not to exchange gifts but no one told Chris so we all enjoyed receiving his gifts to everyone.   The palapa was on the front row looking out to sea so four folks enjoyed the palapa in the morning.

For lunch we ate at at my favorite restaurant, right at the end of the resort.  We sat under shade .  The weather was a perfect 80 degrees and we enjoyed our leisurely lunch.  I came back to the Villa for a nap while the four others returned to the palapas for their last hurrah.  Alana and Nick leave for Ontario tomorrow while Chris will head back to Mississippi.  Fortunately the temperatures in both places have gotten warmer.

For dinner, Wendy and Ken brought Mexican food from Jude's, the restaurant in the Plaza.  We sat in the living room enjoying our burritos.  And we all agreed that our Christmas Day suited us just fine.  Unusual for sure but for us, we enjoyed our Christmas Day.