Things I'm glad the robbers didn't take...

So, it's been about three months since we got robbed. It was an inconvenience and a hassle to go through the fingerprinting, police report and submitting receipts and information to Allstate, but it was all worth it. Allstate came through like I couldn't believe and reimbursed us for everything, including items that didn't work and/or we didn't have receipts for. When I went through the insurance fiasco a couple years ago when my youngest son had a car accident that wasn't his fault, I was fully expecting to have to put up a fight. Not so. They didn't question anything, and sent a check within a week. Considering I paid $208 for the year for renter's insurance, even with the $500 deductible, we were very, very lucky when mayhem hit. By the way, I love those commercials...

It would have been pretty devastating if we hadn't had insurance or if they didn't reimburse us, and I'm sure I would be feeling pretty differently about everything now. But since we did, I can now look back and say I'm glad there were things the robbers didn't take. Electronic things are expensive and important in this day and age, but they don't have an emotional value. Most of the things I'm glad the robbers didn't take have very little monetary value (which is why they weren't stolen), but they mean a lot to me, and it really would have pissed me off if they HAD taken them.

My Frida wall hanging. This is actually a pareo I bought in May of 2007 and just bought some stretcher frames and stapled it on them. Now I can enjoy it every day. (My sons think Frida is a little creepy with the unibrow, but to each his own.)

My tiny little beaded purse (it's only about 2" x 3") that I bought at La Bruja when I had the fish soup. The bead work the women do on the island is just beautiful.

My braided colorful belts...

One of several sand, sea glass and shell collections from the Isla beaches...

My batiks...

...and Mexican mirror given to me by a friend...

And here is Sergio...the sweet, talented guy who makes those batiks...

One of my many wall decorations...

The Mayan calendar leather painting I got at Chichen Itza and my little Mexican purses that I always use when I go to Mexico.

Juan, the skeleton...a favorite of my son, Jeffrey (not)...

The little doll from the Mayan ladies on Isla...and the cloth I purchased from the sweet lady who got on the bus at Chemax on my way to Valladolid...

Even the silly little bobble-heads. The little coin purse was a gift from the Mexican professor in our department who is from Monterrey who knows I love Mexico. As for the little turtle in the middle, I went to a new opal shop on Isla last time I was there and was the only person there. (I can't remember the name, but I had never seen it before.) The owner talked to me for a long time about fire opals and what's legitimate and what's not. His stuff was very expensive, so I didn't buy anything, but on my way out, he gave me the little turtle which was marked at $10 USD. I'm sure it was way overpriced, but I thought it was a nice gesture. Just another reason I love Isla.

The little wooden thingy is a back-roller given to me by the woman who gave me a massage while I was staying at the Hotel Plaza Almendros (can't remember her name, but it was a wonderful massage). The little foosball guy doesn't have anything to do with Mexico, but it brings back good memories of long nights playing foosball in my dorm at the University of Minnesota (when I wasn't studying, of course). I've held on to this little guy for 35 years. The little embroidered cloth was a free gift when I bought some jewelry at Alejandro's right next to the zocalo.

I love shopping at this place. Alejandro is very sweet and doesn't pressure you at all when you're in his shop.

I bought the sun and the fire opal necklace charms there...and the blue inlaid necklace. The other items are just things I bought from beach vendors. I love them all.

And, last but not least, I'm glad the robbers didn't take my virtual seashore scene that my sons gave me a few years ago. Living in land-locked southcentral Texas, I switch it on now and then to remind me of the waves against the shore. Having three boys has given me a "few" gray hairs, but every once in awhile, they do exactly the right thing.

Snow day!!!

This is what it looks like in south Texas today...

We got a snow day from school today....YAY!!!! Very icy roads...they even closed I-35 for awhile. These Texans do NOT know how to drive on slippery roads, so beware if you live down this way!

It's cold here in Texas...well, cold for Texas...

I've lived in St. Louis, Washington DC, Wisconsin, Minnesota and South Dakota...so I know what cold is. Cold is when you breathe through your nose and crystals form on your nose hairs. Cold is when you walk on compacted snow and ice and it creaks underneath your footsteps (you never forget that sound...or feeling...it still gives me chills when I think about it). Cold is when your toes are so cold you don't think you can stand it anymore and it's hard to walk. Cold is when your hands get so cold, it's excrutiatingly painful when they begin to thaw out.

So, it's been cold in south Texas this past week. I moved here in the summer of 2004 and this has been the coldest it's ever been since then. Temperatures have been in the teens. These Texans are not used to this cold. And since I've been here for six years, neither am I. I don't even have a winter coat anymore to protect me from the cold. That's okay, because next week it'll be back in the 50's. No big deal.

But I did worry about this guy...


Mr. Asshole did put a heat light out for him, so I guess that's something. The only reason he looks perky out here is because I went out on the back patio to take his picture and he got excited. Then he came bounding across the yard to me and I felt guilty about him getting out from under the light. When I'm not outside, he just huddles there on his bed. Why in God's name couldn't Mr. Asshole just bring the damn dog in for a couple of nights?? I just don't get it. I know...I'm on my soapbox again, but why do people have pets when they want absolutely nothing to do with them? All my friends at work are ready to steal Gringo. We're going to put on black clothing and masks and whisk him away some night. The shame is...it would probably take Mr. Asshole at least a week to figure out he was gone. Some people just suck.

Happy Birthday to me!

I haven't had much to post about on the home front lately. I will say, however, that the robbery deal is over with and Allstate Insurance came through with flying colors. I couldn't believe it. After going through my son's accident a couple years ago in which it took the insurance company a whole month to figure out it wasn't his fault, I was prepared for another fight. Not so. I sent them an itemized list of what was stolen and I had a check covering everything within one week. Jeffrey didn't have anything proving that he had a laptop and yet they didn't question it. After many disappointments with State Farm Insurance, I'm glad I switched to Allstate. (And, no...they didn't pay me to say that.)

So, it was my birthday today. Don't even ask how old...I don't want to think about it. The day was pretty uneventful. My brother took me out to lunch at Panera and then I stopped by the grocery store on my way home. Oh, I did buy a pair of pants at Ross, as well...they were on sale. Pretty exciting, huh? Haha!

Actually, it wasn't all that bad. Sarah and Bronwen, my work buddies, took me out for beers after work on Friday which was sorely needed after an EXTREMELY stressful afternoon trying to meet a 5:00 deadline on a project. They made up for the stress with their awesome fun gifts.

A Mexican Peck Paper Animation Kit. I cannot wait to put this together. I will sit it on my desk at work. In fact, I will put it together at work to make up for the stress on Friday. "No Cutting Required." Thank goodness I won't have to worry about cutting myself with scissors...or running with them.

I actually considered getting a tattoo last time I was on Isla. I'll put one of these bad boys on and see what everyone thinks at work. Haha!

Guatamalan "Worry Dolls". Before you go to bed at night, you're supposed to tell each doll your worry (no more than six per night), and he/she will resolve it by morning. I will put these guys to good use. In fact, they will probably go into hiding and I will find them in various parts of the house trying to escape because of the stress.

A "chanchito". I've never heard of these before, but I'm all for anything that can possibly bring me good luck. Besides that, it's just cute.

And last, but not least, a kick-ass pair of margarita glass sunglasses. Cool, right?? Now I will be all prepared for my next trip to Mexico...whenever that will be. (There was even a sticker on them noting the UV rating...haha!)

Thank you, Sarah and Bronwen, for a very fun birthday. You guys are the best.

Spring semester starts tomorrow...back to the grind. Ugh.