Folks, here are updates I have received from  Jack & Michelle.

19/04/2010 7:44:37 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time

We have been home for more than 1 week now &  we now have new reading
glasses, a temporary drivers licence, a  temporary health card ,
a new Visa card, a new library card, etc......New  passport coming on
Friday!

When people ask me how I am, I answer, "  ALIVE"!

And we are getting over the "fog" of the first  few days home---the
adrenaline had stopped flowing & we had  gone into neutral......

We hired a Spanish  -English translator who translated our ORIGINAL bill of
sale for truck &  trailer---bought in Sept. 2002.
Last Thursday, we got  these sealed by our lawyer (son-in-law), also by the
Foreign Affairs & we  showed up at the Mexican Embassy
& asked them to put  their seal on these papers.  The lady asked us to wait
a moment & the  consul came & asked us why we wanted
these sealed.  He  asked us to follow him to his office when he heard the
word "bandidos"...... He  then asked us to come back in 1 hour
& he would have all  documents ready for us.....I guess all the media hype
had reached him  too......
(for those of you who  did not see the Canadian Press article,  google
VanderByl &  Mexico......)

One hour later, we were  talking to Mr. Ambassador of Mexico to Canada.  He
made 2 phone calls to  Mexico & actually raised his voice
at one point.... He  then promised us he would do everything he could to
get our vehicles  released....
The next a.m. he was  phoning
 to tell us that  the documents we had left with him---original bill of
sales---would be  sufficient!
So we have  hope!   But the MANANA  mentality also exists at the embassy
.....

But today at lunch, the consul still had not sent  these documents.....so
Jack told him to hold on to them as he will deliver a key  for
the truck to be delivered to our attorney at the  insurance company.  She
has power of attorney on the truck & trailer so  that when they are released
she will have  the truck & trailer to the GM dealer so they can repair the
front  bumper.....Who knows what kind of state the transmission is on the
truck  ????.....

So that's where we are at......Yesterday, we  celebrated one of our
grandsons' 4th birthday....It was so nice to do something  NORMAL!!!!!!

Thank you for your emails, your good thoughts,  your prayers, your phone
calls.  Greatly appreciated!

Michelle & Jack

20/04/2010 1:02:08 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time

Thanks for the contact of Cdn Press  photographer.  We now believe that the
Cdn Press article which ran  EVERYWHERE in Canada
was a big help in getting the 1 hour interview  with the Ambassador.

Dave & Joyce flew home to Niagara Falls the  day after we flew home.
We couldn't accomplish anything anymore down  there.
All of us are hoping for a vehicle  release...soon??!!

Safe travels---  J & M

08/05/2010 1:25:18 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time

After our visit at the embassy, on April 23, we were very hopeful.....but
nothing happened!Last week, we were very discouraged--nothing had happened!
On Monday, Jack sent an email to the Mexican  embassy &that got the ball
rolling...again!
Thanks to the Mexican ambassador in Ottawa, our  truck & trailer were
released from the army compound on  Tuesday!
On Wednesday, no news.
On Thursday, we learned our vehicles were at a  garage getting assessed for
damages.
On Friday, we received by email, an authorization  sheet to be signed to
allow for repairs.

Jack let the insurance company know that he will  be there on the 18th &
everything has to be ready.
So when he will be taking the  vehicles through US customs--he will ask for
the vehicles  to be  searched
 for drugs & arms. Then he'll  be driving home--he estimates it will take
him 5-6 days.
I will not be going.

Jack's hip surgery is scheduled for May 31st. in  Kingston.  We have 3
appointments in May in Kingston before  surgery.

We will let you know about any new  developments!

M & J

Cheers,

Frank  Condelli
Almonte, Ontario, Canada
'87 Westy & Lionel Trains (_Collection for sale_
(http://frankcondelli.com/trainsal.htm) )
_Frank Condelli &  Associates_ (http://frankcondelli.com/busindex.html)  -
Vanagon/Vanagon Westfalia Service in the Ottawa Valley
_Vanagon Stainless Steel Exhaust  Systems_
(http://frankcondelli.com/exhaust.htm)
_BusFusion_ (http://www.busfusion.com/)  a VW Camper  camping event,
Almonte, ON, June 10 ~ 13,  2010