It has been a whole week since we pulled into town. It seems like much longer to us…and our former world in the Pacific Northwest is in the distant past.

We really love our morning walks with the dogs. We have several different routes so far, but all of them include the malecon for some portion of the walk. Both dogs have turned into nice little walkers…trotting along beside us and only pulling on the leash when we pass another dog.

We have our internet up and running at home. We took over the former owner’s Telmex account for both phone and dsl, and that included his wireless router. After a little help from Cesar it is working fine. We didn’t know if it would reach downstairs since our walls are concrete a foot thick but the central courtyard allows us to use our computers in the kitchen, like right now!

Yesterday we got the main floor thoroughly cleaned. It was great to watch them clean the tile floors…splash some soapy water, scrub with a broom, sweep the soapy water to the drains in the courtyard, and then mop with clear water. I don’t know if we’ll get regular help in the house but now I know how to do it…and from now on any dirt here will be our own. They come Monday to do the upstairs.

Yesterday we bought a couple more things – a rustic wood table to use as an island in the kitchen, a coffee table, a floor lamp and a beautiful large mirror to hang in the dining room over a buffet that we have yet to find. They get delivered this morning.

Today after the furniture is delivered we will go to the mercado – I really want a big bouquet of fresh flowers – and want to try to find one of those column type fans to blow from the side. The last two days have been very hot and humid – but right now it is very cool and fresh. We are adopting a habit that the locals have of carrying a bandana or washcloth and just mopping ourselves when we need to. I no longer wear makeup and have been wearing my hair in a ponytail or up in a clip.

We have met a few of our neighbors, and everyone is friendly. We took the dogs for an evening walk last night and the people at the tienda around the corner petted the dogs and asked (as always!) if they bite. It seems funny to us, but as one woman who had experience with gringos said “The dogs of americans are very gentle and don’t bite…it is the truth!”

So, the adjustment so far seems as natural as we could have hoped. We love it here.