Today I was scheduled to have a thalium stress test and a follow-up visit with my cardiologist. Because of the thalium stress test, which was to have been done at 3:45 pm, I was not to have had any alcohol, tobacco, caffeine, chocolate, or diet caffeine-free drinks after 3:45 pm yesterday. None of this presented any problems, especially the tobacco...no longer interested in that stuff. A nice glass of wine or a stiff drink would have been good last night, though.
Not long after I got to the office today, my cardiologist's office called to tell me that someone had goofed. They do not conduct thalium stress tests on Mondays, I was told. Also, they need to get the results of the test for a while, so a doctor's appointment immediately thereafter made no sense, they said. I needed to reschedule both of them. So, I rescheduled the stress test for the afternoon of February 24. The follow-up with the cardiologist won't take place until the morning of March 9, due to the fact that my travel to Washington, DC (March 6-March 8) conflicts with available appointment times earlier than the 9th.
As I was thinking last night about the stress test, I thought how I have not been doing what the doctor said to do. No exercise of any kind (my walking was put on hold, first by chafing, then by bad ankles and knees...the later of which still prevent me from doing much walking). I have not been watching my diet. Actually, I have been behaving like I was in a race to see how much weight I can gain and how many pounds of unhealthy foods can I eat within a short timeframe. It worries, me, of course, to think that I may go in and the doctor may tell me that I'm on the edge. I really need to get some discipline to do what needs to be done...exercise, good eating habits, cutting down on the booze, forcing myself to be lest stressed-out, listening to my little cordovan Buddha tell me to chill.
I've continued to read bits and pieces about moving to Mexico. And I've started looking closer at what's available for sale. The more I see the prices in and around Ajijic, the more astonished I get...for the most part, they are far, far higher than the housing prices where I live. While I admit that Ajijic is also a nicer place and Mexico's leadership is far less frightening that ours, I am just amazed at the prices. When I look at them, and compare them to the prices of Fort Frances, Ontario (just across from International Falls, Minnesota), the economics argue for a move north, not south. Of course, the move north would involve enormous amounts of heating oil, coats, snow throwers, and all manner of other cold-weather investments. But, hey, a 3-bedroom house for $69,000? My kind of place...at least it's the kind of place my bank account could get to like...maybe.
To over-use a phrase I've adopted of late, with regard to my exploration of a move to Mexico, I'm afraid the game is not worth the candle. It doesn't make good sense to invest a great deal of my time and energy into looking for a place to retire anytime soon. I don't have the requisite money now, and there is no rational reason to believe I will by the time by age-appropriate retirement comes about. Then, of course, I change my mind and think I can do it. At least I can argue with myself and we'll see who wins.
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