Here we are again after way too many months away from the blog. It seems most of my blogger friends have shifted – like I have – away from blogging and over to social media. That’s just not working for me any more.
Facebook has been a great way to know what friends are doing in a sort of minimal way. Between all the advertising and the local groups and pages the clutter on Facebook is out of control. I try to take a scroll around in the morning and afternoon but it is a way less compelling way to stay in touch than it used to be.
Instagram had moved into first place for me as a way to see pictures of things my friends (and others) found interesting and meaningful but again, the ads are out of control. I find my feed is two posts to one ad and that has nearly ruined it for me too. Could it be a surprise that Facebook (or Meta) owns Instagram, too? Anyway, I will still keep posting there and look a couple times a day but it no longer feels relevant in the way it had.
But since I’ve been missing in action for all these months, I thought I’d share with you a few of the photos I’ve shared on Instagram to bring you up to speed on things around here.
In other news, Paul is back doing his Content Manager magic for a local nonprofit, Foodbank Lakeside. They are an amazing organization worthy of your support. I am managing the website and Facebook for the Tepehua Community Center, another worthy organization that I was introduced to by my friend Mary. We were friends in Mazatlán and now we both live Lakeside. She runs the women’s sewing group at Tepehua – the ladies make lots of different useful items that they sell to support the Community Center.
We’ve managed to get through the pandemic without getting sick, in part by being very selective with our social outings and partly having two vaccines and three boosters each. Fingers crossed our good luck continues to hold, that is one awful virus. You have my sympathy if you’ve had it and/or are still dealing with it in the form of Long Covid. So many are.
Our sweet dog Coco at 13 years old is still doing well. She’s an only dog now since Henry died last year. She’s now on a couple of medications but we’re hoping she does well for a good long time. She still amazes people when we tell them how old she is.
We are going to be going on vacation soon for a whole month! More on that later but we have been lucky enough to meet a great couple who are going to take care of things at our place coming up soon. It will be our first getaway during the whole pandemic except for our overnight to San Diego for a booster shot ages ago.
I hope that there are still a few blog readers out there, I hope you will stick with me as I figure out a new way to share my little corner of the world. If these photos interest you, go ahead and check out my Instagram here.
Larry Lambert
October 15, 2022Good to see you again.
Nancy
October 15, 2022Thanks Larry!
Andrea
October 15, 2022I love reading your blog. I too am struggling with the whole Facebook thing. I find myself wasting so much time scrolling past irrelevant content, but I also find out so many useful local things like where to find a hard to find item or a worthy event here and there. But it seems to be more and more “look at me! Look who I know! Look where I hang out, look what I did!” It’s more of a completion than meaningful sharing of life’s simple things. So thanks for the eye opener. I think I’m going to start shifting too.
Nancy
October 15, 2022Andrea, I always loved your blog, you were a natural. Hope you pick it back up or start a new one!
Anne Murphy
October 15, 2022Hi Nancy,
Well I for one follow your blog. Don’t be discouraged! I am embarassed to say that the only reason I use FB is to play games! Obviously I have too much time on my hands! Glad to hear you are both well. We are still alive!
Nancy
October 15, 2022Anne, Thank you! I’m glad Facebook is useful and fun for you! And I am glad we are still alive. Hugs to you xoxo
Wendy Bernadette KAIN
October 15, 2022What a great catchup, thanks for it. Yes, it’s a problem, and it may be that really the only way for us to stay in touch with each other without these increasing frustrations is to return to the old system of a big email list. This new world just isn’t working very well for ‘people’.
Nancy
October 15, 2022Wendy, Thank you for writing, hopefully we can have a good visit soon in real life! (gasp!)
Barbara Narvesen
October 15, 2022Love the update! Found myself wanting to like the photos as if I was seeing them on FB. I guess that alone is an indicator of too much screen time. Gives me lots to think about, and I do remember looking fwd to blogs!
Nancy
October 15, 2022Hi Barbara, Maybe I can start a blog renaissance! Thanks for reading and liking in spirit.
Kathi
October 16, 2022Happy to hear from you whenever you post! Always interesting and wonderful to hear from you.
That gecko egg is amazing!
Nancy
October 16, 2022Hi Kathi! Thnaks so much! Hope to see you soon, we will be in Maz in November.
Dave Ladely
October 16, 2022Curious if anyone plans to enjoy the Day of the Dead ceremonies in Oaxaca City. We had a great time a few years ago and plan to return as we didn’t know there was so much to do and see here in REAL Mexico. We spent a few days seeing the city and the valley, where each village has artisans making quality, hand made goods.This time we plan to rent a car and drive to San Juan del Pacifico, where we will also enjoy their “magic mushrooms”, then continue to the coffee plantation on the way, then on to Puerto Angel, on the beautiful Pacific Coast, see the local villages, the nearby crocodile lagoon. The area is still fairly pristine, we liked it better than any other coast we have visited in Mexico. Not many tourists, even in high season. We released about a hundred baby sea turtles there. The large, new Huatulco resort is about 40 miles along hwy 200. We preferred the area around Puerto and Zippolite. We paid $50.00 total at Cordelia’s Hotel in Puerto Angel. Large room on 2nd floor,beach view,balcony, three double beds, A/C (not really needed in winter, every day is sunny,about 80 degrees F., no rain in winter! Much more varied and authentic than norther Mexico and the Mexican Riviera, which get packed with tourists. We also liked nearby Puerto Escondido. This time we will be spending three weeks, so we can relax and will have time to really see the area. Last Day of the Dead, we stayed so long partying in the cemetery, we stayed until 11 o’clock closing at midnight! We have visited both coasts of Mexico,but didn’t go south of Acapulco before. But Acapulco got to be a real mess, so we decided to see the less tourist ridden southern Oaxaca Pacific coast, and was far less costly.
Nancy
October 16, 2022Hi Dave, Thank you for your comment. Have a wonderful time in Oaxaca. We are going to be in Guadalajara this year. Enjoy!
Barbara Lane
October 16, 2022Hi Nancy! I’ve followed your blog since you started getting your house ready to sell in WA. I’d hate to see you go! Thanks for an update, and glad to hear you’ve both remained well through this debacle. Me, too, knock on wood.
Welcome back to “home base” – your blog.
Nancy
October 16, 2022Hi Barbara, Thank you so much! I am happy to be back!
Kathryn tycho
October 16, 2022I wondered where you were. When we’re home in the summer I rarely blog because we are only on cell service. When I do I share the post with Facebook and kill two birds with one stone. This is something I recently discovered was possible. Many blogs I read are also cluttered with advertising as well which I find annoying. We are heading back to Mazatlan at the end of the month. Driving for the first time since the fall of 2019.
Nancy
October 17, 2022Hi Kathryn, I think maybe there’s just too much advertising everywhere. I try to ignore it… and my blog will always be ad- free. Thanks for commenting!
Sandie Pigden
October 17, 2022Hi Nancy, it’s so nice to ” hear” from you again. I agree, I think perhaps it is time we all start blogging again. Facebook is fine,but scrolling past all the ads gets more than a bit tedious. I still remember how we met! You were moving huge plants to your rooftop terrace, I was sitting up the hill on our terrace, reading your most recent post while checking out the progress downhill, when I put the pieces together and realized it was you I was spying on. I was so excited, it was Nancy and Paul down there!!!
Nancy
October 17, 2022Hi Sandie! I remember that too! So funny! Looks like you are having a great time in Spain, love your FB posts but I think you should start blogging again too. I still remember a great post you did on laundry day in the ‘hood. We’re going to be in Maz in November, hope to see you then.
SandyM
October 20, 2022So happy to see your latest post and the photos you have shared. Fascinated by the shell the gecko hatched from; is it extra good luck that it hatched in your home? Welcome back and look forward to seeing more post in the future.
Nancy
October 20, 2022Sandy, Thanks so much for your comment! I think all geckos are good luck but a hatchling must be extra good!
Michaelyod
October 20, 2022I’ve been posting on social media again, mostly because I feel a low-level guilt about consuming without producing content. I note that I get ego satisfaction from posting pictures of … Me!
I always enjoy a notification of a new blog post from countdowntomexico. It’s like getting a letter in the mailbox from a long distance friend.
Nancy
October 20, 2022Hi Michael! I love seeing pics of you keep them coming! But no guilt about anything please! xoxo N.
Contessa Jewall
October 29, 2022Lovely to see a post again Nancy. I am not on social media other than FB so that I can caught up on a friends,, but is under a different name and email. I was able to see some of your Instgram photos before I got cut off. Love the fuchsia plumeria on the end on the right. I really hope that mine bloom this winter. Nice to see some of my bleep readers here.
Contessa Jewall
October 29, 2022Blog readers!!