It’s been a busy 24 hours. Last night Barbarita took me to a birthday party and I can truly say that I had a blast and that the Mexican people know how to celebrate with a sense of love and appreciation that I have rarely witnessed. I was welcomed with open gracious arms and it is something I will not soon forget. A big thank you to Magda and her husband for showing me such a good time.

I am relieved to say that I went to the doctor today and will be having my colonoscopy next Monday. My health has been a concern since at the end of April when I received the results of my Cologuard test which said “higher than average chance of precancerous polyps or colon cancer. See a doctor.” Well, I had been trying to see a doctor in the USA and in Oregon, Tennessee, Michigan and Nevada I was told that scheduling for a colonoscopy was at least three months out and because I had no permanent address the chances of me getting one were slim to none. So today I went to a highly recommended specialist here in Mexico that Barbarita found. He charged me $50 for an office visit and scheduled the colonoscopy for a week later. The total cost for the procedure including anesthesia and IV will be $404. Needless, to say I am relieved. An even bigger plus is that the two hospitals I have visited here are super modern and beautiful. Here are a couple of pictures.

Today, prior to the appointment Barbarita took me grocery shopping. The markets here are beautiful, clean, and mostly much cheaper than in the States. A bought a fresh cantaloupe juice for $1 and a candy bar for less than a dollar. Fruits and veggies are plentiful and inexpensive. Plus they have plenty of gluten-free items for sale. See what you think for yourself:

I am so happy to be in Mexico at the present time. I feel safe and happy here. I cannot tell you how glad I am to be out of Orangeland for the time being. A big thanks to Barbarita and James for making sure I land on my feet, introducing me around, helping me with Spanish and letting me stay with them and house sit for them over the next several months. It couldn’t have come at a better time.

I leave you with a picture of the main house, my little private casita and the courtyard on this beautiful sunny day.