Escape plans

Jo Ellen accepted me as a writer for this blog because I escaped the business successfully.
I got what had to the the first unwilling buyout about six years ago and negotiated my own exit. I found the Guild to be totally uniformed about actuarial data and when to take the money, etc. The PD, meanwhile, wanted me to hold on so I could buy a couple pension credits. Again, something that actuarialy made no sense.
So, I took most of the money and when Social Security Disability - in four months - was approved, I took the rest and headed south, looking to where I could get the most for my money. I bought, hired remodelers and came back to Ohio to spend mom's last months with her and complete my conversion from Eastern Orthodox to Catholic, in time for her to see.
My investment proved to be on the he island I so came to love during my 15 years at the PD, and all 48 in Ohio, and I plunked down $64,000US into a place now worth 4 times that. It happened to have two houses on the lot, and I made one into two apartments that I rent to tourists for $300 a week each. It adds nicely to my Social Security and half PD pension.
In Mexico, a foreigner cannot take a job that a Mexican could do. Perfect. I am an investor owner, the property is maintained by contract labor.
I'm not making a windfall by any means. But I live very comfortably. It is cheaper here! I and snorkel for PT. I blog. I am currently being interviewed for a third person book about how I, along with a bunch of famous people, was raised. It could be big. Or not. I don't care. I've signed away my rights and it keeps me off the streets at night!
I don't much like the tourist life anymore. I prefer to chat with my neighbors. I've learned a pretty serviceable pigeon Spanish and read the newspapers, talk life with my neighbors, an friends with my doctor, a couple teachers, a few business owners and just good folks. Bueno gente. Good people.
I have a dog that a bar owner gave me, a rescue dog from Tabasco, after a former waiter brought him two and mine was a jumper. So I have gone to stripping back the street pack from her and was almost done, when she decided to take on authority, including the dog catcher and a couple guard dogs, who flung her into the path of taxis. So I run her at night, the middle of the night, when there is no traffic and WE GO two miles each way, me in the golf cart. Her OUT to run and SIENTATE, SIT, back in the cart, to get away from dogs who come after her. We wind up at the ATM at 7-Eleven, were she takes a good dump in the median strip, and WE GO back home. I then to back to bed until after the kids are off to school at 7am, which keeps Lora asleep through bedlam in the streets!
She takes commands in Maya, Russian, Spanish and English. Dai lapu is shake in Russian. Kosh nah is to home, or to your pet carrier, whatever is appropriate, in Maya. She gets it.
I love to cook and have become sort a gourmet cook. A Facebook friend on the Island is a real gourmet cook, well known, and she has asked me to translate for a cook book. She speaks Spanish and French and Englsih. I speak Spanish. The photographer speaks French and English. We can make it work. A labor of love, not money for sure.
But I love my life and that is my message. Learn to bloom where you are planted. I am miserable when I return home, my home now being where I grew up. Thank God for lifetime friends. Without them, the lake, the Legion, I could not function as a US and Ohio resident. But I need that escape plan every year! No more snow. No winter wardrobe. Oh, except the light rain jacket I kept for when it hits 55! Cold! And I found it not enough in Ohio last spring and summer, when it was so COLD!

Follow my blog at http://islazina.blogspot.com It is titled Livin' la Vida Floja, living the lazy life. You be the judge!
My best to all of you!
Zina