My New Home—From Big City Back to
Country
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Where do I start? At the beginning,
you say. That was almost three years ago so let me start with last week and
back track to the beginning, what say?
Last week in Etzatlan I bought a
casita. A beautiful brick Spanish style casita with arched windows and doors,
tiled roof, and plenty of wrought iron. Sounds like an impulsive buy, doesn’t
it?
Like I said, the process began three
years ago when I first went to Etzatlan to visit my new friend Lani. Etzatlan
is a small village, about 20,000 people, sprawled in a wide and verdant valley
in the mountains north-east of Guadalajara. The town is centuries old with
narrow cobblestone streets and ancient adobe buildings. It’s farm and ranch
country, emphasis on country.
Etzatlan has no ex-pat community. What it does have is a
small section of a working ranch that had been set aside for retired Americans
to build two dozen small, Spanish style homes.
In its heyday most of the residents
lived there year round, creating a tiny but active pocket community. Then one
died, another became disabled, another moved back to the States to be cared for
by family. Any retirement community has such a pattern. It’s life. One after
another, people left. But no marketing was done to bring in new residents.
Consequently, most of the casitas
sit empty, some maintained by heirs who don’t want to live there and hope to
sell, some abandoned. Lani is not the manager but she wants to see the place
built back to former glory. She’s a go-getter. If you get in her pathway,
she’ll hook you and reel you in for a look-see.
Three years ago, I looked. “Lani, I
can’t afford any one of these beauties. Besides, Etzatlan is too isolated. My
heart is in Mazatlan. Don’t bug me.”
Lani took me to see another empty
casita or two whenever I visited. Each time I drooled but said “no”. A couple
weeks ago I hopped the bus to Etzatlan to visit Lani and Ariel and my cousin
Nancie and her husband Pat, who had rented Patricia’s casita for several weeks.
Two days after I arrived, they bought Patricia’s casita, empty for a couple
years, but well maintained. They bargained a sweet deal.
No, I did not have “buy” fever. I’m
a happy renter, privileged to live in a lovely apartment maintained by somebody
else. Leave me alone.
Besides, Joe and Yvonne still lived
in the home that most appealed to me. Yvonne has health problems and the couple
is moving to Spokane in March. I requested a quick house tour but was denied.
Yvonne didn’t feel up to a stranger tromping through her home. I understand. If
the house is still for sale, I can see it next trip. I’m not in the market,
just curious.
Two days later Leo, the
groundskeeper, brought me a message. Yvonne was having a good day. If I wanted
to see the house, come now. Ten minute tour. Why not?
The entrance patio is stunning, flowers
blanketing the high brick walls, with a variety of potted plants. The house is
a perfect size for me, has lovely Mexican tile floors and tiled kitchen and
bath. The grounds, a virtual park. The spacious roofed patio with outdoor
kitchen, sink, plus a barbeque, plus large storage room, plus two storage
closets stole my heart. It’s like an extended indoor/outdoor room.
Joe, Yvonne and I sat in the sun, in rockers, on the
uncovered entrance patio and visited for an hour and a half. With a handshake,
the couple gave me the gift of a home for $5,000. I know. I have never been
given anything in my life. It is unbelievable. A fairy story. I must have made
it up. A dream I could never have dreamed.
I’m a reader. I read a lot of books. Nothing ruins a
captivating novel like an author who wraps up all the loose ends into a neat
happy package in the last three pages. Life isn’t like that. So I clutch my
gift to me with gobs of gratitude. Life in Etzatlan promises to be another
chapter in my adventure.
But, oh dear, how am I going to get packed? What should I
take? What should I leave? Where will I find a truck and two strong young men
to help me move? What have I done? Help!!!
Sondra
Ashton
HDN: Looking
out my back door
February 18,
2016
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