Early Appointments / August 2019 trip to Mexico / Got Scalped

I have had early morning appointments for three days in a row.  With these hot temperatures, I have not had a choice as it is much better to get them out of the way in the morning than in the heat of the day.

Yesterday (Tuesday - August 20th) I had to get up early to get my blood work done in Ciudad Acuña, Coahuila.  The lab I go to is located next to a private hospital that also houses several doctor's offices and though they do not open until 9:00 a.m. people show up early so they can have their blood work results by the time they are seen by their doctor of choice.

I learned my lesson after not arriving early in the past and having to wait up to five hours to get my results instead of the usual three to four hours.  For those new, to my blog, my Nurse Practitioner allows me and other patients who do not have insurance to get our labs done in Mexico.

It has been a while since I have been to Mexico or made a grocery run to Gutierrez on Harvest Tuesday.  Another plus was there were not as many people at this early hour. Bought several heads of lettuce, tomato, serranos, white onion, bananas, yogurt, low-fat milk, canned black beans, guacamole sauce and carrot cake (my glucose levels must have been low forcing me to buy it)!

As I was checking out I spotted a beauty shop I had not seen and or noticed before. Our current hairdresser moved to a new location and I have not been able to find it.  It is on a very busy street and it would require me parking the car and walking to be able to locate it...perhaps when temperatures are cooler?

Went out to the car to put the groceries in the ice chest and returned to the store to get a much-needed haircut.  OMG...she was a master with those scissors...within two minutes she chopped-off all my hair!  I was in shock, I told her I did not want it so short.  She said...you told me to trim it...and you NEEDED a trim...don't worry it will soon grow back, I have a good hand!

The Exchange Rate on Tuesday (not the official one) but the one at Exchange houses was $18.80 Mexican pesos to ONE US dollar.  This is what my hair-cut cost...

80.00 Mexican Pesos divided by 18.80 =  $4.26  USD for a hair-cut
20.00  Mexican Pesos divided by 18.80 = $1.06  USD for tip

So I spent $100.00 Mexican Pesos for a haircut and tip the equivalent of $5.32 USD.  That made me feel a little bit better about being scalped :-)

I think the heat and the fact that school started once again on Monday that made for fewer crowds. It took me all of three minutes to cross the border back into the United States.

Today we had a high of 102, a low of 78, with a heat index of 105 degrees.

Grocery run to Ciudad Acuña, Coahuila - México

While I have gone to Ciudad Acuña recently, the last real grocery run trip I made was back in March http://terlinguadreams.blogspot.com/2017/03/march-2017-trip-to-ciudad-acuna.html

I like to go on Tuesdays but Monday was the only day available as we have other appointments and commitments this week.On this trip, I headed to the north part of town where they have the larger or newer versions of the stores that are located in what is considered the central or downtown area.

I hit the four main stores...Bodegas Aurrera, Gutierrez, Merco, and Soriana. Took two ice chests and came away with enough groceries for a month. Not being Harvest Tuesday, I did not find any super bargains but the prices were reasonable and half of what it would cost in the USA.  Have to watch the budget after the unexpected cost to replace the A/C.

I have had a bottle of Kahlua for about 10 years and I finally finished it. Trying to keep cool, I have been having ice cream with a shot of Kahlua for dessert, it sure makes for a nice treat. Decided to splurge and purchased another bottle.

$147.00 pesos divided by an exchange rate of  $16.70 equals
$8.80 USD. then add $3.75 for Texas Liquor Tax
and a bottle ends up costing $12.55 USD

Dollar to Peso exchange rates continue to be stable.  Here are today's rates down Exchange Rate Alley:

You will have to click on this photo to enlarge it, as this was the most I could zoom in with my cheap camera...sorry!

I have often been asked if I fill up my car in Mexico, the answer is no. While they are an oil producing country they have to refine their product in American Refineries and is sold as Magnum with the price tag to match. The gasoline that is refined in Mexico is not very good. Mexicans with visas fill up in Del Rio, it's cheaper and they get a better product. Besides, it is sold in liters and the math would be horrible to process in my CRS mind!

I did not head into México until close to one o'clock and there were long lines going to the USA. I was afraid I would have to endure the same fate but by five o'clock those lines had diminished and I only had a two car wait.

Good night.  May you all have Terlingua Dreams.