RIP, Descansa en paz, Renee Wathlet

At 6pm tonight, those whose lives Renee Wathelet touched will gather for a memorial with her family.
Afterward, her family will spread her ashes at sea. Enough said.

Ch Ch Changes...

A homicide in the Isla expat community, thunderboomers, bills paid, different jobs, new doggie dog, new diagnoses.
It has been a week of changes on Isla Mujeres, that's for sure.
After the air cleared yesterday, after the 5am thunder and lightening and massive rain, I went to Centro to pay the electric bills.
Mauricio was there and asked if I wanted to try his restaurant soon. Pp's, behind the church, offers Maya cuisine from 8am. Closings will vary as it is also a karaoke bar! We made a date for an evening haircut.
Afterward, I stopped at the Navy store and passed by Wayne, out already after blogging eloquently about the rains. The Navy store has more different things to consider: Sun screens for about a dime an ounce, or 125 pesos for 12 ounces. Not that I ever consider sunscreens! Good silver cleaning products and other cleaners we only see on the shelves in Cancun. So I dropped about 200 pesos and headed home, but WAIT, Oscar's is open. Time for some chlorine tablets for the pool floater. Another 200 pesos. Only got 12.
Then on to Inge's to pay back two borrrowed cholorine tablets and say hello to Rex.
That was about long enough for Boca to be in the kennel. When she got out, she made a few inappropriate bowel movements and it was time to intrude on Delfino's grief. She had been voiding about in the living room for a couple days, but Delfino had been unavailable while making arrangements with police and migracion to release Renee Wathelet's body for cremation.
As soon as she left, Carmen arrived and started making chaya water and a soup with chaya. I have been needing diuretics while my chronic kidney infection awaits a long enough time off antibiotics for a valid culture to determine which antibiotic it needs. I've done a few dealing with my teeth problems!
Lorena stopped by and we shared a few memories from the puzzle what was Renee. So sad.
Carmen was also changing linens and mopping when Delfino arrived. He seemed releived to finally get his hands on a puppy, and one so responsive to human touch. She's been sleeping with her paw in my hand and walks up to be petted.
Soli said Boca has become more outgoing and self assured since leaving her sisters. But her favorite toy is Sister, the bear that Gail got for her. When we move around the house, I say "Go get sister" and sister comes along. So Delfino provided an urgent care anti-parasite treatment and we started a new dog health card to chart her history. He'll be back later today to vaccinate her.
Sergio with the Colgate Smile stayed at the property he works on and Carmen pulled the area rug for him to wash this morning. I took a siesta, noting the weather really was changing! Not as hot, not quite as hot anyway.
And then I went to see Mauricio for my fall changes - a new haircut. Across the street, Deisy and Raul were ready to open and even though it had oil and protein, I had a salbute. Deisy did not know about Lora and was appalled. She was such a good doggie dog. You will like Boca, I said. Changes.

Secure sleep

After just one week here, Boca has learned not only to play with toys, but to gather them in one place. Her coloring is showing more signs of being "ash" blonde with the black snout. And despite a case of worms and sometime lack of appetite, she has grown.
Carmen pointed out yesterday that her hind legs are now out of proportion.
And why did she awake to secure and alert? She didn't have to guard her mami.
Joel installed new locks AND deadbolts in the main house and one apartment and returns shortly to install the upstairs apartment. All of this is giving us a sense of security. But all of us are still wondering if Renee felt secure enough about her killer to let him in the apartment. Building neighbors have told an expat, yes. She said it was all right, as she locked the door behind her.

Renee Wathelet, an icon to many

We foreigners who live here spent the first day searching for answers. Renee Wathelet so loved the island, how could it be so cruel to her?
My locksmith had changed her locks when a 24-year-old boyfriend turned violent and she kicked him out. The locksmith came by yesterday with all the changes he plans for me now that his friend has been murdered. She was a bit stupid at times, he said, but did nothing to hurt anyone. No es justo. Not just, not fair.
Things were confused for us foreigners when the named suspect had the same first name as the ex-friend. Renee kept her cards close to her chest, so no one actually knew his last name. Hardly any of us were introduced to him. She was discreet.
She asked me on Wednesday how I celebrated Independence Day. Not yet, maybe tonight. I didn't go to Centro for the fireworks. She did, with a male friend from Cuba, here for three days, not staying with her. Was his appearance somehow linked to her death?
On Independence day afternoon we chatted. How did you spend Independence Day? Well, it still is, I said. No, the night.
Well, I didn't feel well. I have an inflamed kidney. So I didn't go. I hope to eat out tonight at least I told her. What about you? I am working, I have a new contract, she said. Is your friend from Cuba still here?
He is in Centro, she said. We went to El Grito last night. Never a direct answer. Is he leaving tonight? He has to return to Cuba.
Never a direct answer. It was infuriating sometimes. But it was her way of protecting herself, I guess.
Joel the locksmith had caught me in the shower before Independence Day. I talked with him with a sheet towel wrapped around me. Don't worry, he said. I am the most trusted man on the island. We are older, so I don't see anything. I just finished Marcia Addams' locks.
There was a recently burglary, he said. The people installed a web cam shooting the door, he said. You could do that. No, that's excessive, I said.
Keep your doors locked, he said. Always. Part of the reason I called him was for more secure locks and also a do-not-lock-behind-me option. The man who sold me the house installed those.
Today's Por Esto! called Renee's murderer a beast. He was. He probably stalked her. Maybe not. Still searching for answers. But the article said he had been question in recent days related to several burglaries involving compact computers. Earlier reports had him as the former boyfriend. Today's story has him as a resident of a Tarzan bungalow. Tarzan's brother denied it.
Renee came to the house as soon as I Tweeted about Lora's killing. A kitten, she suggest. No, a killer dog!
Someone I can teach to bark. A puppy that can grow into an attack dog. A potential biter I can train.
Later that day, she emailed me pics of a three female pups abandoned near Sabina's house. I'll take the blonde after I see her.
Lori was soon over with the Soli, who handled it for three weeks. She looks to be part pit bull. I love that in a dog! For a dog, it is not bad, Renee said, when she visited later...the last time I saw her. Always in the morning, we texted on Skype.
But she had to go, the morning I went to Cancun. Had to take her solitary walk along the Caribbean to Punta Sur and back. Right back into the apartment where the intruder stabbed her, right about when I was getting on the ferry to go to Cancun.
This post was interrupted by a neighbor from Michigan. Had I read the news? Was the confessed killer the ex-boyfriend? No, another guy. He confessed that robbery was the motive. That's not good. Not good at all, he said. And then he hung up to go fishing. I'm going now. I have a locksmith coming.