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gwynne

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Posts posted by gwynne

  1. If you buy a car from a Mexican, the identification required is a copy of their INE card, not a drivers license.  The INE is signed on the back.  The people in Chapala stamp the copy without looking at it.  Verify a signature?  You MUST be joking.  I've bought 2 cars that I know the actual owner didn't sign the papers.  I sold one, titled to my husband, but I had been signing his name for 56 years so didn't expect..or have..any problems.

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  2. When my husband died the funeral home gave me 1 original and 5 copies of the Mexican death certificate.  Ten days later the US consulate sent 5 copies in english. That sufficed until I went to TelCell to cancel his phone plan.  They demanded an original.  I asked what would happen if the account was simply not paid. Answer: It will be cancelled.  Fortunately my cell is on a separate plan.  His ashes were carried back to the states in our son's check through luggage.  All documents were included but there was no "permit to fly".  No problems there.  One US bank sent me an online form to fill out.  The other ignored my questions until a year later when they threatened to close the account.  They accepted a scanned copy of the US death certificate. The bank here just needed a copy of the Mexican one.

    If someone dies in the hospital, of natural causes and there are no complications any funeral home can take care it.  But if there is ANY extenuating circumstance..,.car accident....death somewhere other than your home village....there is a ton of paperwork and you are going to need a lawyer.  San Francisco Funeral Home in Chapala has one on staff and it's included with the fee.  You get what you pay for.

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  3. I'm sorry people have had these problems.  But I have to say....When my husband died suddenly, I didn't experience this. I was aware of procedures and how the government functions.  I immediately took a deep breath and told myself I could grieve later.  Within 24 hours, all money with his name on it anywhere was moved to an account with only my name. Fortunately (??) there was not a lot of it.  He had 1 credit card with a low balance which I paid and then put a hold on.  Later, when I had death certificates, I closed these accounts with no problem.   I contacted SS and got in their que.  An english speaking rep called me back within 5 days.  

    Admittedly, if I had been dealing with a lot of money and investment accounts etc. it probably would not have been as easy.  I guess there's one advantage to being poor.

  4. I don't know if this has anything to do with it but......

    Years ago we used the CIBanco ATM for cash a lot. Our cards were from Bank of America.  Then I shifted the working account to USAA and we started using those debit cards.  Or trying to.  The USAA cards were never accepted at the CIBanco ATM.  When I complained to USAA they said that that ATM was not "registered" with USAA.  They sent me a list of acceptable ATMs and we just quit dealing with CIB.  

    This was quite a few years ago, when Laguna Mall was brand new, so I would have hoped things had changed.

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  5. I needed a tow last month so I called the insurance number and got someone in Mexico City who spoke perfect English.  I was parked off on a side road so it was tough to describe the location to someone not familiar with the area.  Finally he asked if my car was gold colored.  Yes!  He said "Got it!  I can see you.  We'll have a truck there in an hour."  It took less than an hour.  But the "eye in the sky" thing was paranoia inducing.

  6. 10 hours ago, Ferret said:

    Amen to that Rick! I remember when there were no ATM's in Mexico and I also remember getting 5.5 pesos to a Canadian dollar.  Having to pay a small fee for the convenience and ease of getting money? Pfffftttttt!

    Yeah.  And carrying a stack of travelers checks and standing in line half a day at a bank to get cash for them.

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  7. GoSolar installed the panels on my house 8 years ago.  Last year they were moved from an area that is now shaded to more direct sun. This was done after another company told me the panels were shot and I needed a totally new system. 

    I can't say enough good about the communication and skill level of this company.  Not to mention the quality of their product.

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  8. We dropped our homeowners many years ago because it was nearly impossible to process a claim.  Last year I tried to get it again for liability since I have workers and kids running all over this place.  One company wasn't interested at all.  Another wanted detailed photos of every inch of the property.  I sent them over 50 photos and never heard back. 

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  9. I've seen two sides of this.

    A dear friend died at home and the neighbors called the police.  Fortunately my husband and I got there first and I knew where the valuables were.  When the police came they opened every drawer.  We didn't object, but one of us quietly followed them around and we refused to leave.  After about an hour of this, they decided it wasn't profitable and left.  It took 5 hours for the funeral home in Guadalajara to come for the body.  

    Last year when my husband had a fatal heart attack while in his car the police were the first to arrive.  I wasn't found and notified until 3 hours later.  By the time I got to the scene the car and his body had been taken away but the police were still waiting for me.  One of them handed me my husband's hat containing his cell phone, wallet, credit cards, $3,000 pesos in cash and the Tag Hauer watch he always wore.

    It seems to be the luck of the draw.

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  10. Finally gave up on Telmex......"Why do you want to cancel our service?  Because there ISN'T any!!!".  We're a little off the beaten track, so other providers didn't want to run a line.  TotalPlay said 'No problem'.  We've had it 4 months now....NO outages.  I took the basic package and it's fine for streaming movies.  Don't use Firestick....don't know about that.  Only one TV in the house and it's in the housekeeper's casita.....so all Spanish is Ok.  I understand you can get the English services if you buy the higher end package.  Kept the landline phone because cell service sometimes is iffy.  They said I could port my number (which I've had for 16 years) over but that didn't work.  Getting used to the new number took a while because I don't use it much.  Landline is always clear.  

    Recommend?  Yes!

  11. We had Totalplay installed today.  The installers were actually EARLY!  One spoke perfect English.  They didn't blink when they saw how long our driveway is.....just got right to work.  (Wizz said "No way!") We got the internet/TV/phone package and everything seems to work fine.  Except that now their overly attentive customer service is bugging me on WhatsApp to let them help me port my phone # from Telmex to Totalplay.  I don't want to do that yet.  

    It doesn't take much to be better than Telmex, but if you add in the EXCELLENT English speaking customer service, Totalplay is a total winner.

  12. 12 hours ago, LindaF said:

     

    Wow in a couple of minutes you only saw one rat.  How many rats have you seen at your house lately.  Contact me if you want the real information, you can not base your opinion on one little drive by.

    1. With 6 dogs and 3 cats, I don't have rats at my house....even though I have a hay room, a feed room and a tack room....places rats tend to love.

    2. One little drive by???  Dear girl, I wasn't driving AND I have been riding up that trail for over 10 years.  I've seen the many changes that area has gone through.  You are just the latest.

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  13. OK.....I took a ride over there yesterday to see what all the commotion was about.  That's a huge piece of property and for some reason they've put the dogs right up next to the front gate.  The back of the property is apparently still being used for green refuse disposal. Why not suggest to the city that they move the dogs to the back and buffer with the mountains of accumulated yard waste. The more stuff they dump in there, the quieter it will be. The green waste is not nearly as offensive as what they were dumping several years ago.  Very little odor and I only saw one rat.

    • Thanks 3
  14. 3 hours ago, lakeside7 said:

    These people did not move in after the dog pound was there, the city decided in their wisdom to open this facility.

    The dog pound wasn't there, but the city dump was.  I remember lots of complaints about the rats. 

    The city can't really be expected to turn its property (in the boonies) into a park every time urban sprawl catches up with it.  I can think of a lot of public uses for that property that would make a dog shelter seem benign.  

    • Like 1
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