Yes! I am *very much alive & *very well, thanks.
After five (!) months of Westy adventuring
south of the border, I am happily back in N CA.
As Mike Miller reported, I am indeed trying to
mow my (five acre) meadow, now thigh-high, with a
pathetically underpowered high-wheeled trimmer.

This winter marked my third round trip to mainland
Mexico in my '85 Westy, now officially christened
"Mexicali Rose."
This trip, several times, I considered renaming her
The Briar Rose--but she just never deserved it.
In thousands of miles, mechanical troubles were few
& not very serious (as it turns out).
***Nut 'n Bolts:
A traveler got my speedometer working fine again
with a squirt of WD-40 under the dash.
And when my radiator fan switch quit, another friend got
it running with a pair of spade connectors & a short
piece of 14 guage wire (male side of the fan switch was
corroded, is all.)
Next trouble was a gas leak when O-rings to the T-pipe
popped out.  Yikes!
That was successfully jury-rigged by a Mexican shade
tree mechanic who (ingeniously) heated the rubber O-rings
on his wife's tortilla pan, reshaped & trimmed them to fit.
!Que Milagro!
***My Kirkland Signature Light Truck Tires--
with now over 50,000 miles on them--once again performed
flawlessly.  Not a single flat tire in all this time.  Van handles
well,  even in a heavy cross wind.  I kept tires inflated 50 lbs.
rear & 45 lbs. front.  (But for those of you who'd prefer
spending your hard-earned dinero on tires rather than travel,
there *are expensive options.)
***Westy Head Count
This winter in Mexico I met *dozens of volks in Westys.
One couple, both *well over 70, said they'd been traveling
Mexico  in a Westy for the past fifteen years.  I met Westys
from Ontario,  Quebec, Montreal, Texas, Vancouver, CA.,
Oregon, Montana,  Maryland, West Virginia, Alaska, & Ohio.
All were doing fine  & having grand times.  All were veteran
travelers & none reported  serious mechanical troubles.
All vans were reported dependable daily drivers--& I think
this is the  *significant factor.
***The Bad News
My van was robbed during broad daylight in San Miguel
de Allende, which was unexpected.  Thieves stole all my
camping gear: down bag, camp stove, Kelty Sunshade,
Pensioner's loaner binocs, etc--& even my pooch!  A hard
hit,  but I didn't let it ruin my day.  Same thieves tried to steal
the  van,  too, but were unable to start her up--thanks to my
secret  JC Whipme toggle kill switch!  Best $12 I ever spent.
!Caramba!
But while they were poking around in the wiring, they
disturbed something--& since then I've had intermittent
but annoying electrical trouble which must soon be addressed.
I suspect a short, for occassionally I smell that "electrical"
odor.
So--once I am settled in here again--I shall be asking for
help & suggestions from any remaining list silverbacks--
Seems like there's a big freshman class now, raising a ruckus
& banging on hall lockers!  Meanwhile, the van's running
fine--even with *water in the gas tan--(but that's another story
for another time).
Hasta luego/Until later,
Phaedra
'85 Wolfsburg Westy "Mexicali Rose"