Meet Manito

We are not the only ones to get a new home!

Meet Mani (mah KNEE), it is Spanish for peanut, not the word the locals use, which is cacahuate – but we didn’t want anyone shortening his name to Caca.  He also goes by Manito – little peanut or Little Man. 

Many of you know that last January we started our adventure along with our dog, Maya, who we were bringing back to her home town of Akumal.  She passed away last February in Merida.  We knew we would eventually get another dog, but were in no hurry, and we absolutely wanted to wait until we sold our house and were moved here permanently.  Like everything else that has happened this last year, our plans of when this should happen were a joke to God.  This year, more than ever in my life, I make a plan and God just roars with laughter.  I am reminded I have little or no control over timing, I can plan my path but I cannot control when things will happen.

That said, last November, soon after we moved down with 4 large suitcases and still not having sold our house, we were sitting at Lolha Restaurant, having a delightful meal with several of our friends.  Our friend, Myrna got a text that her renters had left a small dog in the condo and it had been there for days with no food, no water and no one to care for him.  Immediately phones started lighting up.  Security was called, among other calls, and within no time at all the dog was rescued and in the care of our friend, Laura.

One might think that is where this story ends but NOPE.  As timing would have it, Laura and Myrna both were leaving and had to find a place for the dog, who they had named Xixito, to stay while they were gone.  Xix was so small and Laura’s big dogs were not thrilled to welcome him into their pack.  Myrna’s cats were also not so happy at the prospects of Xix coming to visit, especially with her gone.  That is when Mike and I stepped up and decided to foster until they got back and a permanent home for the little guy could be found.

We are awful at fostering dogs.  Our last foster dog, Nick, lived 14 years with us.  I did put up a bit of resistance.  We had not sold our house yet.  Things were up in the air so I felt we were not ready to take on adopting a dog.  Also, I only adopted black dogs, they are the hardest to find homes for and this dog was blonde!  I like a soft little dog, he was scruffy except for his ears.  Mike immediately bonded with him and he knew who to suck up to for food and walks.  It soon became apparent that I was going to lose this battle, so we took him to the groomer, and low and behold, he came back looking like a well groomed peanut – thus his name. 

He is the sweetest little guy.  And not only does he have a new home with us but he has inherited two Madrinas, Laura and Myrna, who he owes his rescue to and an Aunt Anne and Uncle Rick who live in our complex and who took him in for 10 days while we went home for the holidays and to empty our house.  Manito weighs in at 4 Kilos (8+ pounds) which is perfect for traveling and taking to all the local hotspots where he has quite the following. 

A year ago we had hoped to have a section of our Just Imagine Vacations site dedicated to Maya’s adventures, but it was not meant to be.  I am sure she would approve of Manito, and, in some ways, I think she and our sweet dog Nick conspired to send him our way.  To some that may seem odd but I always felt that Maya was selected by our dogs Alex and Lola because of the similar traits she had to both of them, she seemed to fill that void they left.  Manito’s personality is definitely a combination of Nick’s sweetness and Maya’s adventure seeking qualities.  So, we look forward to sharing with you our adventures, but also Manito’s. 

As a side note, we are currently moving to Puerto Aventuras full time.  We sold our house, only to have the deal fall through in the last minute.  We signed a new contract a week later with another buyer and hopefully this will happen the first part of February.  We sold or gave away all of the stuff, except what would fit in our suitcases and in our friend, Redbeard’s van.  He arrives tomorrow and 2020 officially begins our life in Mexico.