By Karen McConnaugheyI am 63 years young, and I have a maid and a gardener twice a week in my home in the Lake Chapala area of Mexico. I almost wrote that twice! That’s how wonderful it makes me feel! I can’t keep the smile off my face!
As with many of our friends who retired in Mexico, my husband and I came to Mexico for the lower cost of living, temperate climate and leaving the rat race! I didn’t realize what I was getting into when we said lower cost of living! We actually have money left over to eat out (at the many excellent restaurants in the area), go to concerts and plays, shop in the many open-air markets and at the malls in Guadalajara, invest in health club memberships, go 
to the movies (of course, the matinee price is $20 pesos, so that one is easy!) and so much more.
Our maid Vicki and her husband Jose (our gardener) have become our friends. We have attended graduations and baptisms as well as fiestas at their house. They know everyone in town, so if we need something done…like re-sealing our roof for the rainy season or putting in a drainage system so our water doesn’t damage our neighbor’s house, Vicki knows the person to call for help, and she always makes sure she does the negotiating so we get the best price!
