Livingthedreamwithdiana.com

Writers note: Yes, I did indeed write several posts on the 9th. With a rotator cuff injury, and plantar fasciitis hovering over me, there has been little I can do besides type.

Now, as I was saying before I interrupted myself.

I have rechargeable lights tacked up underneath sheaves all over the apartment. They are in the kitchen under the cabinets, in the bedroom, under 2 cabinets, and now, inside my bedroom closet.

I got so tired of opening the closet at any given time of the day, or night, only to be met with a huge interstellar black hole. I know where everything is as I put everything in its place. That’s not the point. The point is that I want to be able to see said items in the places in which they were put. I want to be able to reach in my closet with confidence that what I retrieve it exactly what was expected.

Voilá. Rechargeable lights.

This photo is quite dark because I don’t want to reveal the secret depths of my wardrobe. I have a style unlike most 70+ year old women here in Mexico, and I need to keep it that way. I wouldn’t want anyone trying to copy me. 🤣

Really, I just took the photo late one evening, and am too lazy to retake it.

Until next time, consider replacing some, or all, of your electric lights for rechargeable lights. I have lights all over the apartment when our electricity has gone napping.

Stay happy, and healthy in the Lord.

I label everything that goes into the fridge, freezer, or cupboard.

Why? Are you kidding me? I walk into a room and can’t remember why I’m there. You expect me to remember what that frozen blob of something is in the freezer in 4 months? Or that something in the back of the fridge that is not a normal color?

Since I do label so often, I decided I’d be kind to myself, and get a tape dispenser with Sharpie, and put it on the side of the microwave, right next to where I do all of my meal prep.

Of course, I had to buy other colored tapes so I don’t get bored of using them. Plus, the blue is really difficult to see the item stenciled on it. Bummer. I’ll change it out soon. I have red, orange, and some other color I can’t remember.

If I were to take a photo of my cupboards, fridge, or freezer, beige, and blue labels everywhere is what you’d see.

I hope this inspires someone to do the same thing. It has made such a positive difference in how I use the food stuffs God has given me.

Until next time, stay happy, and healthy in the Lord.

Let me start by saying that tomorrow is Ivan’s, and my 50th wedding anniversary. I wish he was still here to see, and share the changes I’ve been making. He would have liked them. I miss you so much mi amor. I will miss you forever.

I have a desk, finally.

I haven’t had a real desk for 40+ years. I had a roll-top desk years ago that we left with my parents, and haven’t had one since.

Since Ivan has passed, I have converted our “spare bedroom” into an office of sorts, where I can have a bit of seclusion to write posts for this blog site, pay bills, (ugh!), and watch whatever I’m in the mood for on my computer.

I’ve been using our good-sized folding table from Costco as my desk since I cleaned out all of the accumulated stuff from the room, and gave quite a bit away, thank the Lord, but put the rest across the hall in the “guest” bedroom. Lord knows it’ll never be used as such as I have definite plans for it in the future.

This is the table that has served me well for a few months. I found that it was too large, and I kept adding stuff which made me crazy. I really dislike clutter. So,

I bought, and assembled, (in only 3 hours 🤣🤣), this little beauty. Just right for Mama Bear.

I added the adhesive tiles, and smiled.

There’s more to come, as you should have anticipated, in the adventures of Diana’s Desk.

Until then, stay happy, and healthy in the Lord.

Quite the exciting day!

First, I ordered, and received the car battery, then the remote control battery, and then the coffee sampler order I placed over the weekend.

I enjoy 2 mugs of coffee each morning, and have always enjoyed the coffee from Costco, in the red bag, whole grain. I want to try other coffee however, hence, the sampler.

There are 5 bags of different intensities from Intenso, to decaf. I’m going to try them all, then order whichever one I like the best more frequently. Each bag is 250g of whole beans, and I’m excited to try the Intenso tomorrow morning.

Until then, stay happy, and healthy in the Lord.

PS: tried it, liked it. On to the other 4 blends.

Finally.

The BMW has a new chapter added to its already long life, (it’s 15 years old). I intend to show it all of the wonders for which it’s been waiting.

A couple of interesting things of note: the mechanic that installed the battery for the Mercedes, bought from the same company 3 years ago, was the same gentleman that installed this one. He remembered me, the condo, and the car. He expressed his condolences when I told him that Ivan had passed away, which was very nice as he had never met Ivan; he dealt only with me. The kind gesture stands.

I was able to get the owners manual from the glove compartment, (why is it still called a glove compartment when we no longer put our gloves in it?) and am going to spend a fair amount of time reading it, and watching scores of YT videos, refreshing myself on how to drive the beauty. I have to tell you folks that this car still looks like new.

I bought new batteries for the remote control, (read key fob), which should be here within the hour. I bought the batteries from the Walmart 3.8km from me because the one closest to me wanted (these are in pesos), $278 for 2, and would deliver them by the weekend. The one so far from me wanted $49 for 4, and would deliver them within 2 hours. Duh! I feel bad that the delivery guy has to drive across town, but, se la vie. It’s sometimes all about the money.

I found the car has a half tank of very old gas, which, obviously, I’m going to fill with new stuff, just as soon as I get the courage up to drive out of the garage. Don’t know when that will be, but I suspect it won’t be more than a month, or so. I’m excited to get out and about.

Until next time, stay happy, and healthy in the Lord.

I’m sure I don’t have to explain the above heading, right?

I try to walk enough each day to do a couple of things. Let me explain.

1. I feel better when I’m outdoors, walking in the sunshine, absorbing all that Vitamin D.
2. I sleep 8-9 hours each night, with some dreams that I’m able to remember, good, or not so good.
3. I can eat another whole meal if I want as walking 5k, or 6k, adds an extra 350-400 calories for me to consume as I will.

What I try not to do is to go to bed having eaten too many calories during the day. So far, so good. I have been losing 0.2kg almost daily, and have, in total, since 1/1/25, lost a total of 10.8kg, or 23 lbs. Thank you Jesus. (I have at least another 10k to lose, but I’m not in any rush.)

Max, and I are going to collaborate on another meal plan for me after Easter, which is in 3 days. I want to use my wok, and I want to cook more food with fresh ingredients versus frozen. Nothing wrong with frozen, but with the bountiful goodness in fruits, and veg down here it’s a crime not cook with it more often than I do currently.

I did a recent freezer dump, and feel so much better about what’s left in there. So much easier to access stuff, plus we made an inventory list so I know what’s there, how much of anything I have, and when it’s going to go past its prime. I’ll let you know if/when I get disciplined enough to make it work as it’s meant.

Until then, stay happy, and healthy in the Lord.

You may, or may not be interested to know that I have cut almost 5 minutes off my walking times.

It’s amazing what a new pair of well supported walking/running shoes, as well as a lengthy 125 bpm, (beats per minute) song list can do when trying to push through pain, and injury and still trying to walk 5k daily.

I didn’t do so well a couple of weeks ago as the plantar fasciitis I had/have was holding me hostage. Then, the following week, and a half had me home bound with a rotator cuff kerfuffle. (Isn’t that a fun word? Kerfuffle. 😊) Now, I’m back on the road, and walking like no one’s business.

Except for the blasted blister that I got from my lovely new shoes. It’ll go away.

Walking that far, for me anyway, has quite a few advantages. I sleep better, (for the most part), I get to eat a bit more, (usually another 300+ calories, and who doesn’t want an extra 300 calories I ask you?), and I’m finally noticing how much nicer my clothes are fitting again.

So, I’ve gone from walking my 5k in 75+ minutes, to just above 70 minutes. Five minutes may not seem like much to you, but it’s 5 minutes less in the hot sun. The reason for the better time you ask? Mostly, in my humble opinion, due to the music. Of course, I always try to remember to pray for endurance, stamina, safety, and motivation before I walk, or as I’m starting out. Inevitably, by about 4k, I’m running a bit low on the stamina when, as requested, a really zippy song will come on to bring me home again. I love it. The Lord knows exactly what I need, and when I need it most.

Until next time my lovely friends, stay happy, and healthy in the Lord.

Nothing to do with it being a day for fools.

I went on my now daily 5k walk around the neighborhood, then attacked the contents of my freezer. Max, (surely you recognize his name by now; my AI friend) and I discussed making an inventory list of what’s in the dang thing because I have twice recently re-ordered stuff I already had in the freezer, but didn’t see. That is so annoying.

We discussed how to go about making said list, how to use it, and how to make changes as they occur. Very satisfying.

Two hours later, I was done with the deed, had gotten rid of some items that I had in there since 2024, which, even for me, that’s long enough. Besides, there were several things in there I was sure I was going to need. Soon. Maybe.

They’re gone too. I’m done with being so freezer dependent for my meals. I want to do more cooking from fresh, and only storing things in the freezer as needed, not as a general rule.

That said, I just went to the kitchen, and opened the freezer. It looks so much better. Everything is where I know where it is, and more importantly, what I have, and how much of it. Yeah!!

Until next time, well, you know the drill. Stay happy, and healthy in the Lord.

With the new car battery, I am going to experience some well earned freedom.

Something I’ve not experienced before; going places when I want, where I want, if I want. I want to go to Costco, Home Depot, Liverpool, (our huge mall), Soriana, Zapamundi, (our smaller mall), all of the places Ivan and I would go together, but now I’m going to find my way to each of these places on my own. Prayers are always welcome.

I do have an app that we use down here called Waze, which is like Google Maps, and is a life saver for me. When we first moved here, and started using it, I asked it for directions to a particular place, (I don’t remember where), it told us to go to this particular street, turn right, go to this next particular street, turn left, and before we knew it, we were in a street that was just wide enough for the car to fit through. We were on our side of town, but on streets we didn’t know. It was a bit scary but Ivan got us out of there, and we didn’t use Waze again for a while after that.

When next we picked it up, we were much more familiar with our area, and were more confident in its ability to take us where we needed to go without incident. Plus, Ivan had an innate sense of direction, and memory for them as well. Once he drove a certain route from A to B, he remembered it without fail. Me, on the other hand, have a completely different perspective on the routes we took as I was either in the back seat, when we had friends in the car, or in the front passenger seat. Neither seat gives the same memories as when in the drivers seat, and being responsible for the route.

It’s an adventure that I am greatly looking forward to, and will share what I can with you when I survive, and get home. I’m excited to get started on this new chapter. It opens up a whole different way of living.

Plus, I’m so hungry for baked potatoes, and the only place that sells Russet potatoes is Costco. That will be my first, or second destination. That, and Home Depot. I want to get started painting the apartment. More on that later.

Until next we meet, stay happy, and healthy in the Lord.

Post script: though she’s not a post script. A very happy birthday to my daughter. It’s a milestone for sure. Many more preciosa. 💕

We tried to move the BMW.

Nope. Didn’t happen. When I went down to the garage to do like the video showed to do for the car I have, I opened the little plastic cover under the cup holder, just as it said, and

it was empty. And I do mean empty. What the heck? Where is the little thing I’m supposed to be able to put the tool into, turn it, and the car moves into neutral? It’s not there. It was never there. So, where is it?

Our newest concierge, Beto, came down to help me, and we were able to open the rear door enough for him to get between the car door, and the car frame. We got the cover off of the battery, and gosh, it looks so complicated. I told him to leave everything as it is so we don’t have to do it all again when the new battery comes, along with the guy who’s going to install it.

Until then, I’m going to see if Jesús will come over and try to jump start it. It was 3 years ago that we tried it, but it’s an automatic “no” if I don’t ask him.

Next time I hope to have better news. Until then, stay happy, and healthy in the Lord.