for our new life, that is. We know that in Mexico we will need to “roll with it” and our practice starts now.

That’s because the people who were going to buy our house backed out at the last minute. We were actually up in Seattle at the consulate getting our FM3’s when our realtor called and told us not to go to the escrow company the following day to sign papers. Talk about the highs and the lows – getting our visas versus our house deal starting to fall apart.

There was some chance it could be resuscitated but it didn’t happen. We go in to the escrow company to pick up our check today, which thankfully is large enough to provide decent consolation.

Our realtor is confident that it will sell quickly since it is such a unique property, and it is already back on the market. Unfortunately without any furniture it won’t look as good! We have hired a caretaker to come over once a week and check on things and are in the process of hiring a landscaper for the final mowings of the year and some leaf collection if it goes that far.

While I have some mood swings with the ups and downs of this new reality, we are still excited about heading out of here next week. We leave next Thursday, and I think I will probably be screaming with joy for 100 miles or more!

I think we must have needed a lesson that things don’t always go the way you expect them to. We are resilient and positive – and nothing is going to diminish our enthusiasm and excitement for the adventure ahead.