Monday, November 3, 2008

We have TV and a Gecko!!!

There’s a guy in Puerto Vallarta who is from Canada and has a business selling and installing Star Choice systems. There are only two choices for satellite TV here, one, “Sky” is Mexican and has 2-3 English channels and the other is Star Choice, which is Canadian. There are no American company’s with a signal that can be accessed this far south. The neighbours around here were frustrated with Steve Norman, the Canadian, because he sets up appointments and doesn’t show up. I guess he thinks he has everyone in the bay over a barrel.

Anyway, on Friday, the Sky satellite guys showed up to install a Mexican system. Our neighbours Vincent and Francine asked them if they would install their Star system and try to locate the signal. Of course Vincent has the right size dish so it didn’t take too long.

Amazingly, our friends Greg and Shirley were sold the same small dish as us. Greg already had his up on the roof and had been patiently trying all week to find the signal, without any luck at all. So, once Vincent’s signal was working, Greg asked the Sky fellows to help him. After about 2 hours of fiddling around, they nailed it.

So, right away, the other two neighbours waiting for Steve asked the Sky guys to come back Saturday to install theirs. When they finished working Saturday, they came after hours to get extra moonlighting cash. Then, they assembled our dish, put it, the TV, receiver and remote under their arms and climbed the ladder. They were terrific. They spent at least three hours working on finding my signal and it was dark when it finally came in. Three of them for three hours and they only charged me $50.00. I am thrilled that I don’t have to lug that other bigger dish down here next year! So, now I have TV, but the only thing I have done so far is to listen to CBC radio!! (I can hear Andrew groaning right now!!)

We also have at least one Gecko who lives upstairs. I see him planted on the ceiling many mornings when I wake up, then lie in bed and watch him scampering over the walls. He has been spotted in the shower and on the bathroom walls too. I think it’s the same one. He eats bugs like a spider does at home. I love him but Gail is completely grossed out when she sees him! I think it is so tropical to have a gecko in the house!

Our priority this week is to find some patio furniture. We sit outside much more than in the house but we still only have two beach chairs and no table.

I am still patiently waiting for Telmex to give me a phone number so I can get my modem and Internet set up at home. Mexico forces you to learn the virtue of patience; otherwise you go crazy!

3 comments:

Sharon said...

Hello Gail and Karen,
Would love to visit you in Feb. 2009
Are either Feb 9th or Feb 23 weeks taken yet? Those are Mondays, I would be able to be there on the Sunday also. Let me know so I can watch for seat sales.
Sharon

Anonymous said...

Hi you two! Choices on the east coast are obviously better for cable. We can get Star Choice, Telcel or Cablemas, which is the one we chose, as we can connect and disconnect with no fee. We went to their kiosk one day, they were at our house the next by 9 am and provide high speed wireless internet and 80 channels (the basic) with lots of Eng. movie channels, CNN, Fox, etc. for $65 per month. Sweet! Glad you are finally connected!!! hugs, Dafni and Miki

Anonymous said...

PS - we both love geckos too and have the occasional one in our place too!
D & M