We're at Lake Chapala, Mexico!

Hello all! It was a long, tiring trip but we arrived at Lake Chapala Mexico yesterday. We spent the night with a friend that I met while living at El Parque last year. We were supposed to be able to get into our rental house this morning but they didn't have it ready so we had to wait until later this afternoon. We had a wonderful lunch today at a seafood restaurant close by where we will be living. I had breaded shrimp with mango sauce and Larry had coconut tempura fish with mango sauce. Both were delicious!
After unloading our car, we're both dead tired and just plan to have a pimento cheese sandwich and turn in early. I've even been too tired to walk around our complex and see the beautiful pool and clubhouse. Wonder if I'll be able to make it until 9:00 pm before having to hit the bed!! Hope to be able to post a picture or two tomorrow!
Betty

We Made it to Laredo!

Just a quick note -- we signed papers and sold the house this morning and set off to Laredo. We have a flexible roof top carrier and had some problems for the first part of the trip because of a very strong crosswind. The straps that hold the carrier on the roof of the car come inside and hook. One of them started vibrating and sounded just like when the bees infested my house in Chapala last year! We had to stop a couple of times and readjust. Finally we put a little piece of "rubbery" shelf paper between the car and the strap and it helped immensely -- and finally the cross wind settled down. It did make for a long drive today though, because we couldn't drive over 60 mph for the first part of the trip.

We plan to cross the border in the morning, get our vehicle permit, and hopefully get a "green light" at the customs stop. This means that we don't have to stop and have everything in our car inspected. Please pray for a green light along with me!!!!

Will give you another update tomorrow evening -- I'm pretty sure that I remember that the place we'll be staying has wi-fi.

Betty

Another Update

Today was spent cleaning a very empty house -- well, it's not completely empty. We're leaving this silk tree that I have had for many years. When we bought one of our houses many years ago, we had it put in the contract that they would leave the tree for us. They did, and it has lived in six different houses with us. We've really had to pare down and get rid of a lot of things that would add bulk and weight to our move. So when our buyers asked if we would leave the tree with them I agreed. Just hope that they enjoy it half as much as I have!

And speaking of cleaning, do you realize how much easier it is to vacuum and mop when there's no furniture to get in the way?????? If I could get used to sitting on a hard tile floor, that might be the way to go!!

We will close on the house sale tomorrow and drive to Laredo, Tx and spend the night there. We'll cross the border on Saturday morning and drive about 6 hours to Matehuala and spend the night there. Then on Sunday we will continue our trip to Lake Chapala (another 6 hours).

Here's my contact info:
Betty Benton
5802 Bob Bullock Loop C-1
Ste. 328C - 228
Laredo, TX 78041

This is a mail service that will deliver our mail to Lake Chapala much more quickly. Unfortunately, I cannot receive packages, just regular envelopes (guess that will curb my spending on stamps and paper -- boohoo!!). I can receive a kraft envelope if it will fold. I can get things delivered to me in Mexico through FedEx -- I just don't know how much I would have to pay -- probably an arm and a leg!

Later,


Betty

Moving Update!

Just a note to let you all know what's going on right now. We think that we are ready for the packers to come on Monday. We've had to sort and sift through a lot of "stuff", deciding what we want to take with us and what we can do without. We've had to complete a detailed inventory on what we'll send with the movers; that was quite a job! We've had to get all of our paperwork done, in order to become residents of Mexico. That is taken care of except for the very last step, when we'll file the paperwork we completed at the Mexican consulate here with the proper officials in Chapala. Then we will be legal!! I have to admit that I'm quite emotional these days -- crying at the drop of a hat! It's so hard to go off and leave my kiddos here, but I know that I have to do what is best for my health. My asthma flared up again just recently and I had to go through another round of treatment. We will close on the sale of our house on Friday, April 15 and take off for Laredo after that. We'll spend the night there, cross the border on the morning of the 16th and it will take us two days to drive to Chapala. We have a place lined up to stay on Saturday night that we have been told is very nice with good food (friends just did this drive last week so we have all of their input to help make the trip easier!!) Can't wait to get there and start joining all of you in cardmaking again!

Betty

For All My Card Making Friends!

This card is for all of you who share this wonderful card-making hobby with me. I am closing down my card-making shop for a short while. DH and I are going to move to the Chapala/Ajijic area in Mexico and while our moving date is still a month and a half away, we've got a lot of sorting and packing to do. I've got to go through all my stamping stuff and decide what I'll leave behind with DD, what I'll take with me in the car when we drive down (these are the essentials) and what will ship with the moving company. We're going to be renting a furnished house for several months, giving us a chance to look for an unfurnished place, so it will be a while before we can get the items we'll be shipping.

I'll still be blogging; although probably not as frequently until we get moved and settled. Will keep you all up to date on our moving progress and maybe share a picture of two.

My good buddy Mary Anne gave me the idea for this card. Hopefully, once we get settled in our rental (around April 20), I'll be able to start back with this crazy, wonderful, satisfying addiction called card-making. I'm surely going to miss it until then! I will however, be keeping up with what you guys are doing!

So long, for a short while,
Betty

Red and White Beauty

Good morning, friends! I'm inviting you to join me at The Hotspot Challenge; it is a monthly challenge and this month's challenge is such a fun one -- we are to make a card inspired by a gown worn by Halle Berry to the Oscars -- fun, right?! We are given a choice of several gowns; there are others to choose from too, and if you follow the link you'll be able to see them a little better!! Of course, Halle makes each one of them look simply stunning (she would look stunning in a flour sack!) My card was inspired by the white dress with red rhinestones; of course, knowing about Oscar gowns, they are probably actual rubies!!!! I knew immediately that I wanted to use this Martha Stewart punch to create the illusion of the red stones. The gown is a beauty and of course, Halle is too, so I used this little stamp that I got from the Michael's Dollar Bin. Guess you could say it was a 50 cent stamp because there was another one with a dragonfly in the set -- what a deal! I used my Swiss Dots embossing folder on the white background and added ribbon and pearls to complete. Hope you enjoyed my card and I really would like to see how you are inspired by these lovely gowns!!
Betty

More Pictures from Green Cove Springs

No card today; I've been sorting and packing! So, I thought I'd share a few more pictures with you of my trip to Green Cove Springs. This first picture was taken in the park across the street from our bed & breakfast. Isn't this a lovely gazebo? And there is a pretty little bridge with iron railings that goes aross the area where the spring water is leaving the swimming pool and headed for the river.

Next is a picture of the public pier which extends into the St. Johns River. It is quite a long pier and you can't get a prettier view.

One of the views from the pier is shown in the next picture. Isn't that church steeple amazing? I love how it towers above the trees and has the cross at the very top!

I'm going to have to go back again, when the pollen is not so bad. I'd love to spend more time there, visiting with my friend Molly, and seeing the sights. Would love to have lots of time to roam around St. Augustine -- we took a quickie trip over there but didn't even get any pictures. You know what? I didn't even get a picture of Molly and me. That's definitely a good reason to go back again!

Later, Betty