The Beach Circus

Moved

2011-04-10T19:55:00.006-05:00

My new blog address is:

http://manningmountain.blogspot.com

See ya there

Back by Popular Demand

2010-03-26T20:39:00.005-05:00

Well...

It's been months since I've visited my blog. Why??? I don't really know. Maybe because I've let lots of things slide, including eating right, working out, taking alone time... Moderation is not and has never been my lifestyle. I'm kinda all or nothing-, so when I focus,I achieve and reach goals. Lots of the time, I'm kinda up in the air, just leaving everything up to the moment.
ENOUGH ALREADY. Time to take charge.

I was very gracefully asked to continue my writing by one faithful follower. I was rather surprised because I feel my stuff is sometimes trivial and not terribily interesting.

So here goes>>>

Lets's go back

First off, we never retrieved our camera after Thanksgiving; although, I'm sure someone has it. Let's just say my hubby and I took some "playful" videos. I cringe at the thought.
Whatever.

Spain was bittersweet. Horrible weather. It was the worst they've had in years. No trip to Morrocco. Rain and clouds almost everyday but one. That day we went to the beautiful village of Ronda, nestled in the mountains, maybe an hour away. Disgustingly delish--- I found a beautiful black leather purse for next to nothing. Bob found the most decedant pastry shop. ----------------
It was great to visit with my siblings and nieces and nephew. They're all so grown up-- and frankly, WOW, I realized... How do Kim (sister-in-law) and Lissa (sister) do it?? I knew I was never going to be a mom from early on. BUT- I was just amazed at how incredibly these two their manage children. Am I weird to admit that having Freddy was a big responsibility to me???
Having family time was nice though. I loved the way Bob interacted with the kids. (I forgot what a big kid he is himself.) I asked Bob who the "most normal" of the family was. Hands down---My bro- Chris. I guess I agree. I know he's a hell of a great father. (That makes me proud.)
Suck city... Iberia Airlines lost our luggage. I was in a t-shirt most the time- no make-up, so comfy shoes, no nothing. Bob's bags arrived the day after mine- just before our departure. Guess what??? No more overseas travel during the holidays for us. It really sucked so badly. It's still undescribible--- and I won't try.

Bob meeting my Mom in Miami was terrific. Mom has mellowed and was very entertaining. She's a great cook, great hostess, and won Bob's heart. I was so happy to spend time with Mom after so long. I love you, Mom. You're truly exceptional.

So we arrive back here only to argue about our girls, Ratty and Luna, and miss the New Years celebration with friends at Morelos. Oh well.

Then the next event was the Black and White Party at Ken and Carol's. Fun and I danced like a fool with some Mexican guy who was quite the Juan Travolta.

Will follow up with photos this weekend

Later

WE LOST OUR CAMERA!!

2009-12-01T11:40:00.003-06:00

Last Thursday at Nick and Roger's Thanksgiving celebration, we lost our camera. I'm pretty sure I dropped it getting into the car when we left. I've been so upset about it. I've spoken to various townies to advise I am giving a $500 peso reward for info leading to the safe return of my beloved digital.
So, for now, no pictures of Erin and Mark's wedding at Meg and Marnie's, no pictures of Thanksgiving and our wonderful friends. I'm truly bummed.
Later.

Whale Report

2009-11-21T15:04:00.002-06:00

About two hours ago, while talking on the phone with chum, Carola, I looked out to the ocean and damn if I didn't sight my first whale of the season. I screamed so loudly I'm sure I blew her ear out. It was quite large, seemingly alone, and did the whole water spouting thing. She was quite close to shore. She was moving east so Carol and I ended our conversation quickly in hopes her and Ken might see her eventually. Rockin' cool.
Well- off to shower and start the "process". We have a wedding at 5pm today on the beach. (Meg and Marnie's home). I hope I don't cry. I always do, even if I don't know the bride and groom.
Later.

Halloween Bash at Carol and Ken's

2009-11-08T15:30:00.004-06:00

Yeah, these two retards are Luly and me. No one else seemed to be in the Halloween spirit. Actually, it wasn't even a Halloween party. It started off as a very modest dinner for four and then blew up into a free-for-all, (maybe 28 people in all and 3 dogs.)

One party animal, next door neighbor, a little guy named Roberto, fell in lust with me, was constantly letting anyone know it who would listen to him, and eventually was escorted home due to general obnoxiousness. He was not happy, called Ken and Bob racists, and threatened to bring his gun back to the party so Ken and hubby could shoot him. I understand he made his way back, snuck in and grabbed a beer, and left for the evening. Weird shit, huh? I'm sorry I missed all that. I understand that the next morning he did not remember the events of the previous evening. I feel I little sorry for him. He seemed pretty harmless, actually.

Here we are, our standard three amigas photo. I feel I look like a linebacker. Whatever. Good time as always when we go to C&K's.

Our computer was again down since Tuesday, and we finally had it returned and fixed yesterday. Something to do with the "motherboard". I have no idea what that means. Well, that meant no work for 3 days, and we passed the time playing dominoes and watching TV. It's not like we could have hit the beach all three days. The business phone still rang, and we had to keep vigil on the Mexican phone line for news from Miguel, the computer miracle-worker.

So, I'm taking Zumba classes M-F for 4-5pm. I'm the only gringa in the class, and we number about 25. We work out in an old large garage space, NO fans and hardly any light. I hate sweating, and God knows I do there as not only do we dance these weird Mexican line dances, but we run, do lunges, leg lifts, crunches, use weights, etc. The maestra almost killed me Wednesday, as we must have done at least 60 squats. After about 30, I was toast. Everytime she would turn her back, I'd take a quick break. Well, she caught me and some of the other slackers and became a little testy. I told maestra, "Hey, listen. I'm 48 (for sure the oldest in the class), and I smoke like a beast." All she said was, "Huh". I'm pretty sure I'm not the teacher's pet, and when maestra made me count to 30 in Spanish during our leg lifts, I definately heard a few snickers from some of the village girls. I don't care. My stomach is tightening, and although I HATE going, once I'm there and into about the first 20 minutes, I'm okay with it. However, my right thigh still hurts though a few hours in the ocean earlier today helped it. What beautiful water today!

Later.

Happy Birthday To Me

2009-10-29T10:49:00.007-05:00

So I turned 48 on the 21st. Sneaky Luly and Carol threw me a surprise party on Saturday the 17th. We had a great time. I, however, spent much of my time making vodka martinis for the crowd,13 of us in all. Luly made a most delicious pork roast with apples and Carol, Patty, and Juan also brought some yummy edibles. I walked in with my famous bacon-wrapped mushrooms and a new strategy for winning at Mexican train. Needless to say, I was quite surprised to see so many people at Luly's for the game.

My first tip-off should have been that Ed greeted me at the front door, looking very handsome in a nice button-down dress shirt. As I put it all together, the Saturday prior, us girls discussed dressing up for the next week's game. I like dressing up and wanted to show off a dress I bought from a catalog for next to nothing, so I thought...FUN. They're one up on me...only short-term.

Some photos of the festivities:

It was a humid night. Here are the three sweaty amigas. It's painfully obvious to me I should have worn some support for my girls.

Here's my birthday piñata. No candy, just balloons under her skirt. Bob would later mosey on under and pop a balloon. I'm hanging this Hagatha on the front gate for Halloween.

Hubby... under yet another woman's skirt.

The partiers. Lower right is Juan enjoying his second martini.

Thanks Luly and Carol. It was a wonderful evening.

Later.

This and That

2009-09-29T05:02:00.004-05:00

I truly wonder what the other full-time Gringos do down here. I mean, there's really nothing going on in this little village. I hate working everyday, but frankly, if we didn't have this job to focus on, what would we do?? Summers are too hot and humid to be outdoors unless you have a big pool or become a beach rat. Hell, even indoors is unpleasant. Thank God for our terraza and AC in the bedroom. So, with nothing to really do for six months of the year, I'd probably spend us into bankruptcy, and become a booze-hound, and Bob would just be a very unhappy camper. As November and December roll around, the snow birds return and for about six months, there is lots of socializing. We'll miss out on some of that too, as work is the priority. Just can't win...

It's finally cooling off, and soon we'll be riding our bikes to run the errands that we use the van for. It was incredibly windy last night, and our palm trees were bending just like during Hurricane Andres. This went on for about two hours. The stars are out this pre-dawn morning, and they are truly a sight.

We have finally purchased our plane tickets for Miami and Malaga, Spain for our Christmas with Dad and Wanda and my siblings. I'm really looking forward to that, and I am serious about dieting myself down a size. If I could stay away from the junk I indulge Bob in, such as: ice cream, cookies, brownies, cake, chocolate bars, and potato chips, I'd drop easily a couple of sizes. I also haven't been doing my morning walks as it's too buggy in the mornings. ( Bullshit Excuse #1). Then I bought an exercise tape, complete with workout mat and exercise bands and told myself that I could not possibly exercise downstairs in the guest bedroom until the old AC unit had been replaced. Well, a brand spanking new one was installed over 2 months ago, and I have yet to put the DVD on play. Now my thinking is that we need to try save a little money on the electric bill, which brings me to Bullshit Excuse #2. Now I could go on and on, but why beat myself up at 5am??

So a couple Mondays ago, Carol and I venture into Tecoman with the intention of bringing her new pup, Sammy, to the vet. He has a severe skin condition that needs tending to, and as all beach strays, he was malnourished. He is the most delicious baby. Well, we drop him off at the vet and were to leave him for two hours while they examined and bathed him. Well, five hours later we we returned. My buddy knows every killer clothes boutique and shoe store along the
main drag. She knows some of the owners by name. She scored a beautiful black dress that we're thinking would be perfect for New Years Eve. My big score was a knock-off Louis Vuitton
purse that we spied in a shop window. The shop was closed, and yet it was 4:10pm. Late opening up, I thought. Isn't siesta over at 4pm? So I ran the bell, and the owner grudgingly let us in as she told me she was getting ready to shower. " We won't be long", I said. My new purse is beautiful, and for $550 pesos, it was too good to pass up. It replaces the real Vuitton that I splattered orange paint on. This woman has beautiful purses shipped down from NYC every month. Carol and I have a date in 3 weeks to return. We picked up Sammy who has mange, but has been receiving medication for it, and it should clear up in about a month.

Bob has decided to get his hair cut this morning. It's down to his shoulders, and hasn't been cut since last winter. I guess he finally tired of the scruffy, hippy look. I'm secretly thrilled. I prefer a more polished look.

Later.

Sad News

2009-09-08T07:38:00.002-05:00

I'm very sad to report that we will be taking Reymundo to the Perreria in Colima this morning. I was really hoping that our landlord would come through on his promise to stop by yesterday and take Rey to his Uncle's ranch. Well, no surprise that Jorge never showed up.
Rey is difficult to manage at mealtimes, and Ratzo is very frightened of him. My primary obligation is to Ratzo. God only knows the awful life she had before joining our family.
Yet, Rey is good-looking and is gentle with people, though he would do best as the only pet. I pray someone adopts him, and he can live a good life. At least at the shelter, he'll be overseen by a Vet and will have a constant source of food and water.

Even rationalizing all this... I carry a heavy heart.
Later.

We're Stuck

2009-09-06T06:00:00.003-05:00

Well, it was a real fiasco when Carol and I took Rey to Bobbie and Philip's house. He was acting like he was on his death bed, listless and lacking in any personality whatsoever. Carol and I left him there as they promised to try him out for a week. We went to Carol's to pick up some kibble and went right back to B & P's. Well, Rey ends up escaping when they let him out back. I end up chasing him with the van way down the street as he's headed for the Turtle Farm. Brother. I get him in the car, and I can tell he's relieved and super happy. Carol tells B & P that I found him, she jumps in the car, and both of us laugh as Rey is a totally different dog now, spunky and active. Maybe he sensed I was trying to pawn him off. I don't know. He definitely wins the acting award for PATHETIC.
So I took him to the vet on Friday for a bath and shots. He's a very happy camper now. We're stuck for a while until I can place him in a good home. He's definitely the alpha dog of the house, much to Luna's dismay. She does alot of grumbling, but several feet away from Rey.

So, I'm thrilled with the paint job Bob and I did in the master bedroom and upstairs living room. I'm definitely NOT THRILLED about spilling paint all over the inside of the van and on my Louis Vuitton purse as the paint can lid was not on tight. Oh well. I'm not sweating the small stuff anymore.
Today we have a pool party at Luly's, followed by dinner and Mexican Train. Ken and Carol will be there as well. FUN...
Later

Guess Who's Back

2009-09-03T08:01:00.002-05:00

I was on my way to Bodega on Tuesday morning early. As I make the turn at the Plaza, who do I see but Rey laying in the street. I immediately flew out the van and went to his side. He was soooo skinny and weak and started crying when I got close. I lifted him up, all skin and bones and put him in the van for the short ride home. The bus driver parked there looked at me like I was nuts. (I don't care.)
So I brought Rey home, gave him a little canned food and jumped into the shower with him as he was smelly and bug-infested. Poor baby. He has slept for the past two days, has eaten like a champ, and it appears our little Luna is somewhat infatuated with him. Poor Ratzo has been kicked to the curb for now.
Talking with my pal, Carol- possibly Bobbie and Philip might consider adopting him. I hope so. He's the sweetest pup. Unfortunately, we have a full plate with Ratzo and Luna, and one more baby is just a little much.
We're just waiting for Bobbie to return from Ajijic so they can stop by and see Rey.
Later

Bob's Beautiful Finish

2009-08-26T06:09:00.004-05:00

So we go to the beach here last Sunday. I'm dying to get some video of Bob riding a good wave as the ocean was pretty crazy that day. I missed a terrific ride from way out and filmed this dinky one instead. It's Bob's stop and roll finish that compels me to post this. God, he makes me laugh!

Later.

El Salto Video

2009-08-18T08:04:00.005-05:00

Here's the video: ENJOY!!

El Salto

2009-08-18T07:06:00.003-05:00

I've been dying for months now to take a trip to Minatitlan to see El Salto. El Salto is reputed to be the tallest waterfall in Mexico, maybe 100 feet high. I've had visions of cliff-diving, a la Acapulco, sitting under the water and letting it crash on my head, floating around in a deep pool of crystal clear, cold mountain water...well, you get the picture. Silly me. I was really let down, although, I didn't let on to Bob.

So at 9:22am Sunday, we pass the the toll booth on our way to Manzanillo. An hour and some later, we arrive... Yes, it's a beautiful waterfall nestled up in the mountains. Sadly for me, No Swimming signs are posted in several locations, and my crystal clear pool was a tinge greenish, and had plastic garbage floating in it. We did take some nice photos, and my wonderful amateur cinematographer husband even to manage to take a video. (I'll post the video once he discovers how.)

Well, we stayed long enough to eat our chicken sandwiches, and then moseyed into the pueblo of Minatitlan. I love taking side trips into little towns. I could hang out for hours just watching the locals. Well, hubby- not as into it as I. We weren't long there either, but just long enough for me to spot a couple of very cute summer tops in a small shop and secretly tell myself how I'd be all over that store if Bob weren't with me. (We get stared at a lot wherever we go. Maybe it's because his hair is now down to his shoulders, and mine is a short boy's cut. I think all the Looky-Lous makes him uncomfortable. That just makes me laugh, especially when the realization dawns that I'm a female. There's no question when I face front on.)

Well, as we're close to driving on fumes, we find a gas station and head the 50 miles back home through the winding mountain roads. It was a pleasant morning, and I'm over my El Salto fever.

Later at 6pm, we headed over to Ed and Luly's for Mexican Train. Ken and Carol showed up as well, and GASP!... Luly didn't win for the 100th time in a row. Ken did. The last couple hands were down to the wire. It was pretty exciting although Bob and I lost miserably again. I have faith though, as I've come up with a new strategy which I'll fling on everyone next time.

The weather in hot and muggy and not much rain. I'm so looking forward to a cool down and sleeping with the cool ocean breeze.

All for now.

Later

Carola's Birthday Bash

2009-08-09T10:06:00.008-05:00

We had a wonderful time last night celebrating Carol's birthday. Mac and Juan had twelve of us over to their incredible home and a good time was had by all. THE FOOD WAS THE BEST!! Ribs, cabbage, and beans. Superb... After lots of wine, Ken came out with a little magic trick that everyone had to figure out. (We like to amuse ourselves with silly games as we were at Ken and Carol's a month ago and played with six napkin rings for over an hour, each of us taking turns trying to stack them with a fork. The beach does weird things to people.)

We took photos of the festivities and the beautiful birthday girl. It's wonderful having good pals-

Here's my sweetie, Ed. Crusty, opinionated, and a raging conservative. If I were single, and he was 40 years younger...Hum...

Here we are... Luly, Carol, and me... las tres amigitas...partners in crime, soul sisters and all that other jazz.

I'm still feeling slightly buzzed as I had copious amounts of wine last night. Yuck... It's like my tongue is fat and dry.

I haven't posted lately as not much has been going on. Just work and more work...God, I love my weekends.

The weather is hot, but luckily, we have a nice breeze that blows through the terraza always. Also, we don't seem to have many mosquitoes. Last night at dusk, they came out in full force, and everyone was dousing themselves with OFF. Sometimes I forget the small stuff, and I realize I should be more grateful for all we have.

Here's one more shot of glamour-puss. I think she looks like a movie star.

All for now.

Later

Not Much New

2009-07-07T06:11:00.002-05:00

Not a whole lot going on. Work during the week and beach on weekends. Last Saturday, we had breakfast with Ed and Luly at The Crab. My shrimp was excellent; their omelets way overcooked. Then Bob and I were off to Pasquales Beach. It was overcast, the surf rough as always, and we decided to pack it in as our umbrellas are aluminum and a magnet for lightning. Cuyutlan beach Sunday and Mexican Train at Ed and Luly's Sunday night.

I've been sleeping A LOT, and it's a good sleep. My hormone pills have kicked in and no hot flashes either. The weather is getting hotter and more humid, and the nasty mosquitoes are hanging around the kitchen during dinner time cooking. Mosquitoes are my least favorite flying bug and rank third among my all-time most dreaded pests as spiders and scorpions are first and second. Thankfully, we haven't had but a handful of appearances from the first two. We keep our bedroom well-sprayed now, but I spotted a scorpion right in front of my face hanging out on our wooded headboard about a month and a half ago. I don't know how I spotted it as it blended in so well with the wood. Well, I froze and yelled for Bob who blew in the room, took the book I was reading out of my hands, and smashed the darn thing. He kindly returned my book to me which had traces of scorpion guts and whatever else. Yuck.

I think this Saturday I'll try talking Bob into going to the waterfall at El Salto, complete with picnic lunch. I knew the beach would start getting old pretty quick. Boy, what I'd give for a house with a big pool...
Later.

Hurricane Andres- Close But No Cigar

2009-06-25T04:46:00.005-05:00

We dodged a bullet. Hurricane Andres veered back towards sea just before making landfall. We did experience strong winds that had our palm trees dancing and sideways rain coming in from the East. And of course, the ocean was churning every which way, and the waves were bigger than I've seen in a while. We saw several people down at the water's edge, just looking out to the sea, and even Bob moseyed out late morning.

I decided to hold down the fort inside as again, (what else is new?), we sprouted several leaks from the ceiling, and our bedroom window which faces East got hammered, so we stuffed towels and shoved a fat comforter underneath on the floor to prevent any real flooding. Yet, we never lost electricity. All in all, we were pretty lucky as the torrential rains were positioned on the south side of the storm, and although we had rain, it wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been.

We passed the day watching the ocean, reading, and playing Mexican Train, (which I sucked at miserably). By about 8pm, the wind just suddenly stopped, which was pretty eerie. It continued drizzling however. We were totally incommunicado as the Sky box didn't work and our DSL line was down. So with no idea of what was really happening, we all went to bed around 9pm.

I told Bob that in the old days, a hurricane was a primo reason for a party at my house, and I hosted a few in Florida. There's something deliciously wicked about getting toasted while the power is off, and you're kinda scared to begin with. Oh, youth. I was either stupid or just really reckless in those days. (Both, I think). And as much as I'd love to tell my Hurricane Party Stories, they are heavily R rated. Let's just say the parties had free-flowing beer and vodka, various munchies, a deck of cards, and the must-have item of all, a pack of Zig-Zags. HUM... ---OH, but God forbid, someone gets the wrong idea about me.

Later.

Who's That Girl???

2009-06-20T06:08:00.004-05:00

No... I'm not referring to the sucky Madonna movie of the 80's. I'm referring to our girl, Ratzo. Luly and I laughed our asses off when the groomer brought her out on Monday. What a pathetic sight! The groomer asked me if I wanted her all shaved down, and I said, "Yes." The groomer said that she'd look like a big rat and I said, "No biggie. That's what she looked like when we adopted her." I honestly was not prepared for Ratzo's new streamlined look. If it wasn't for the little "hello" wiggle she has, I might not have believed she was our dog. She's seems much happier and cooler; although, she hasn't checked herself out in the mirror yet.

Well, the rains have started. What a surprise that we have two big leaks in the upstairs living room. The HUGE leak in the bedroom we finally got repaired only after we found the source. Typical shitty workmanship as the a-hole who installed a tv cable left a huge hole in the roof which then leaked directly into our bedroom. I'm talking 2 inches of water and a clean-up that took both of us about 45 minutes. To make matters worse, the roof on the terraza that Carlos said he knew how to shingle has numerous leaks. We'll need to get that fixed by someone who really knows what he's doing. It seems as if every time we turn around, there's a new problem that needs repair.

Tonight we have Mexican Train at Ed and Luly's. Carol and Ken will be there as well, and then off to Manzanillo to Toscana to celebrate Father's Day tomorrow evening. Yeah, it's hot and sticky, but thankfully, no mosquitoes yet.
Later.

When in Mexico...

2009-06-04T06:12:00.003-05:00

We've been here since 09/08. We've had to make lots of adjustments to "Living la Vida Loca en Mexico". Here's a taste.

Flushing toilet paper is a no-no. I suppose it's because plumbing systems aren't up to snuff. (However, we always flush. Our brains still haven't made that connection with our hand to toss into the wastebasket. Anyway, I think it's gross.)

On the same vein, public urination seems to be alive and well on the beach. Forget the fact that the ocean is just a foot away or that we have more baños publicos than hotels here. (I guess the Mexican dudes are a very proud bunch.)

We all know this one... don't drink the water. We have home water delivery twice a week. We get four huge jugs. Even our girls get the "good water". (Tap water crosses my lips while brushing my teeth or singing in the shower.)

Disinfecting fruits and vegetables is recommended. I was a fanatic about this for the first eight months. (Now I just give them a good scrub. Oh yeah- in tap water. Go figure...)

A stop sign doesn't necessarily mean STOP. It really means slow down and only stop if you think some one's coming. For that matter, one-way streets aren't really one-ways. They're kinda a free for all. Also, speeding seems to be okay. Those a-hole drivers with Jalisco plates are the worst. They'll come right up on your ass if you're not in the right hand lane. Sometimes they'll do it anyway. The Jalisco drivers obviously are very important people and getting to their destination is infinitely more important than mine. (Needless to say, I have become a very aggressive and loud driver.)

Avoid driving at night. You never know what's hanging out in the middle of the road. We're not as lit up here, and it's not uncommon to hit a cow, goat, or pothole. All of them will mess up your car. (I can count only four times we've driven while dark. It was scary.)

Get this... the cops are actually pretty cool, at least here on the beach. Sure, they´re packing AK-47's, but they're a friendly group and smile and wave when they cruise past the house. (I suppose they don't want to frighten too badly us Gringos.)

People will stop by your house at all hours of the day and night. There's no courtesy phone call, they just appear. And they'll hang out until the beer runs out or they're kicked out. (Bob and I have a legitimate excuse. We work. We don't have time for shootin´the shit.)

Mañana rarely means tomorrow. It really means sometime down the road. This is a constant source of frustration for us. Getting shit done is sooo difficult. Appointments don't have much weight either. (I've waited in the doctor's office for over an hour for my appointment, and we've been waiting for our bedroom air-conditioner for over six months.)

Flies and bees are bolder. In Ajijic, one night late, I was up reading when this fly landed on my hand and started walking around. I watched him for a while then nudged him onto the nightstand. He was not to be deterred. He landed on my hand again, and walked around on it until finally, about twenty minutes later, I took him into the bathroom and shut the door. Now, I haven´t been stung by a bee for over forty years though I've been around plenty of them. Can you believe just the other day I got stung? This nasty bee just kept buzzing me and finally landed on my hand. I blew on her just as I have done countless times (in the States), but instead of flying off, she planted her stinger right in me. Since then, I have been buzzed at least twice a day by her friends. (Moral: don't blow on bees. It pisses off the Mexican ones, and they obviously talk to each other.)

Many businesses do close down between 2-4pm everyday. They really do have siesta time here. It's not just a B-movie thing. Yesterday, I made the short trip into Armeria to stop by the vet and get some keys made. Well, I wasted over an hour of my time, and both places were closed. (I wanted to kick myself. I knew all this ,but for some reason, it slipped my mind yesterday.)

There's lots more where all this came from. BUT- the sun is soon to rise, and my day will begin. The luxury of writing in peace will abruptly end as our noisy swallow friends will soon wake up my sleeping loved ones.
Later.

Ratzo's New Do

2009-05-30T06:09:00.004-05:00

Ratzo is sooo cool. She's so mellow that she'll let you do anything to her. I was looking at her and thought...she has perfect mohawk hair! I trimmed the top of her little head and left a patch long and natural. Can you see her mohawk? The tips of her hair are white.

Even our cleaning girl, Juanita, noticed the dramatic cut and said it looked very "poonk", which to us Gringos means "punk." That really made me laugh- And also amazed me at how observant Juanita is.

In other news, today Bob and Carlos will begin screening the front and back gates, just in time before the rains. The last three nights have been almost chilly which I think is a good indication that the heavens want to open up. Dengue Fever is a very real threat here, carried by mosquitoes. If someone in this house is unfortunate to get bitten and sick, it will be me. The dumbest things have happened to me since in Mexico. I'm a marked woman.

Today, I'm doing Luly's nails as she goes to San Diego for a week on Tuesday. Tonight, we have our weekly Domino game at Ed and Luly's. Bob and I have yet to win. But-- I´m feeling lucky today...Later

Pelamis Platurus

2009-05-27T09:03:00.007-05:00

Also known as the yellow-bellied sea snake, these critters have been washing up on the beach the past couple of days. Luly and I spotted four yesterday and two today. The locals say that they are a month late in arriving and are beaching to die. I am also told that a bite from one of these babies will make you sick with fever for several days, and a fatal bite is rare. They're quite beautiful, and this photo does not truly capture the vibrant yellow of this serpent. Let's see...hum...well, I've been fearful of the water since my encounter with a manta ray last summer. Then we had an invasion of jellyfish just recently, and now we have snakes. Will I ever enjoy boogie-boarding again?

Here's a real digustus maximus that we found at the water's edge just about a month ago. Look at the size of this gross creepy-crawlie!! Is it any wonder I had a nightmare two nights ago of giant flying spiders?

Today, the girls are going to Sam's Club, Appleby's for lunch, and then to do some major sniffin' around Liverpool which is actually Zentralia, a very nice mall. It's so nice to have a group of girlfriends. It just makes living here that much more special.

Later.

Lazy Days of Summer

2009-05-24T05:52:00.004-05:00

I haven't posted in a while as there's not much to tell. The days are getting hotter and the nights more humid. There's a thick mist that blankets the playa every morning and burns off as the sun rises. It's getting hot, Folks. I consider myself to be handling this quite well as I always have hated being sweaty. I average three cold showers a day. And, the cold water isn't cold anymore. I've been told this heat will get worse. Thankfully, the mosquitoes are not out yet. They appear with the first rains that I bet Bob will hit around June 3rd. Finally, he and Carlos went out and bought materials so we can screen the front and back gates. I'm still at a loss as to how we're going to screen the huge doorways out to the terraza.

As our esteemed landlord has not returned with the new bedroom air-conditioner he promised us over two weeks ago, I have been sleeping downstairs in the guest bedroom with Ratzo. It gets frigid down there, and that's how I best sleep. Bob sleeps in our sticky, humid bedroom with Luna, who we now call "Devil Dog". Bob says he's very comfortable at night sleeping in the sauna. I say, "OK, but my door's always open":)

Devil Dog is a force to be reckoned with. She has a major attitude, does what she wants,(even when she knows she's bad), and is absolutely tyrannical when it concerns her rawhide bone. Initially, anyone who'd get close to her bone would be assaulted with a barrage of snorts, snarls, and nasty ass growls. I saw a show once about Australian Tasmanian Devils. She sounds exactly like one of those crazy things. She settled down yesterday, finally, as Ratzo shows no interest in Luna's nasty dirty bone which she buries out in the sandy yard repeatedly and then immediately digs it up to move it to a different spot. I saw it on the bed earlier this morning! Yet, Luna's the best thing for Ratzo as they are good chums, always playing and chasing each other through the house and out and back in and around the furniture. Their little toes can't get a grip on the slippery tile and poor Luna bit it this morning and went full speed into the front wooden door. It didn't stop her though. She's also much faster than Ratzo. Yet Ratzo is smarter as she has realized she can nail her inside the house, laying in ambush behind the sofa.

Luly and I walk almost every morning with the dogs. We walk over a half mile in the sand and turn around at the house that Bob and I refer to as the "Hansel and Gretal Beach House". It's tough going and both Ratzo and I are dripping with sweat and full of sand. Luly doesn't seem to perspire much. (Huh, must be nice... ) This is the picture of H&G House. Isn't it fabulous??

Luly, Carol, and I had a Girls Day Out last Wednesday. We drove up to Cd. Colima for facials and shopping. What fun. And, I'm proud to say that I didn't dent our budget much. It was a long day though. We left at 9:45 am , and I pulled into the driveway at 5:45pm. It will become a monthly ritual, I suspect.
Today, we will go to the beach in front of the house early today with our chairs and umbrellas in tow and a couple of good books. We have to make some calls this afternoon, then we're off this evening to Luly and Ed's for a game of Mexican Train Dominoes. We played for the first time two Saturday's ago. They are patient teachers, and we had a super time.
Our little beach town is so quiet. I haven't spotted but a handful of weekend day-trippers. PERFECT, just how I like it...
Later.

Mother´s Day Outing

2009-05-10T21:04:00.003-05:00

We went to Hotel Paraiso with my buddy Luly, Ken and Carol, Patty, and Dawn and Sharon. What a killer time we had!!! Lots of fun talk, more laughs than should be allowed by any group in the short time we were together.
After our Mother´s Day buffet, (which was plentiful and good, but nothing out of this world), we all ended up at Ken and Carol´s house, minus Patty. They have a lovely home with lots of outdoor space and a killer pool. I´m a huge sucker for pools.
Ken is hilarious as he reminds Bob and me of an another Manager from work, only Ken is a bit more mature. I was just smitten with Dawn who is just so special due to her love of animals, (and of course, like me, she won´t turn any stray away. We´re kindred spirits, in that sense.) Plus, she´s funny as all hell. She killed us with her quick wit. She´s an exceptional lady. I thought how nice to meet someone that you say to yourself, "Wow, how cool is she?" No wonder Sharon loves her so. Who couldn't?
Luly has some zingers as well. Luly is quite a lady, but will lay back, take all the conversation in... then watch out! Luly surprised me. She's really funny too. (We meet up together to walk our dogs at 8am every morning-well, almost every morning. I suppose that I talk so much and ask her so many questions, that I never realized how humorous she really is. What a truly yummy person she is.) She's a nice friend--- how nice for me. I love being around her.
So-- ANYWAY---came home to the girls...
Ratzo ate like a little pig, Luna not even a quarter hot dog. We could not do anything to make her eat. (Vet tomorrow). Yet---Luna follows Bob around everywhere like a stalker. She's always there, you just don´t know it. Anyway, Luna lived outside and does not have "house dog"manners. She pooped in the master bedroom last night. I got up to go to the bathroom, and thought I had stepped on a beetle. Not so--- it was a Luna turd. GREAT!! By the morning light, she had managed to pee by the sliding glass door as well. Her urine is very dark which leads me to believe that she doesn´t drink enough water, and her kidney´s aren´t working as well as they should, and if her tonight´s poops were evidence, she needs to be wormed. I found another slimy surprise in the bedroom. Nice... Oh well. She'll learn to do her business outside soon enough. (I hope). Bob's in charge of taking her to the vet tomorrow. She'll be like Ratzo was, as it took a few weeks to make a healthy and happy pup.
All for now...

Luna Manning

2009-05-09T16:26:00.003-05:00

This is Luna. She´s the newest addition to the Manning Clan. We picked her up this morning, a gracious gift from Don Perro, our friend of the Abarrote store. As he has seven more chihuahuas and he knew we had just adopted out Rey, he seized the opportunity to nail me during a weak moment. Actually, we did this for Ratzo mostly as she had cared for a little kitty we found abandoned in the dunes across from the house last Wednesday morning.. Kitty obviously thought Ratzo was her Mom as she suckled on Ratzo´s dry teats all afternoon. Ratty looked like she was loving it and was very protective. BUT- as we don´t have the house secured for a tiny kitty, we brought her to the Police Station where the officer assured me that he would find her a nice home.

Ratty was acting depressed the next two days, so we decided, what the heck?? Maybe she´ll take to Luna as she did to Kitty. Well, not quite. They get along just fine, but Ratty is not quite so smitten with Luna as she was with the baby.

Other news:

Our computer finally bit it last Saturday. We went to Manzanillo for a new one. Big problem- everything is in Spanish,: instructions, the keyboard, etc. Massively royal pain in the ass. Bob got everything up and running. I was pretty useless with all this boring computer jazz. I just don´t like electronics, connector things, wires, programs, blah, blah, blah... All that stuff is a real snooze-fest for me.

Also, went to the doctor for a full physical. We´ll be getting my blood work up done and hopefully Dr. Lupita will give me something to thwart off these nasty hot flashes, a new cycle of insomnia, memory problems, anxiety, and general bitchiness. Bob wants back that fresh, young, corn-fed chick he met five years ago. I don´t blame him. I do too.

All for now...

Here's What You Can Have For $290 US/ Month

2009-05-01T14:41:00.017-05:00

Since some of my family has been curious as to what our home must look like since our rent sounds so cheap by US standards, I took photos and will show you. It is 4 bedrooms, 3 1/2 baths, maybe 2500 square feet. We have 2 bedrooms downstairs with 1 full and 1/2 bath, kitchen, dining area, and a large odd-shaped living room area. Upstairs, we have 2 bedrooms, 2 full baths, a large living room area which opens up to the terraza which looks out over the ocean.

This last photo is of the back and our laundry area. No dryer, just a washer and clothes line. Our "backyard" is sand with two poles needing a volleyball net. Our kitchen is tiny, but workable when I have the patience . The 2nd bedroom downstairs is storage, the 2nd bedroom upstairs is our office, and the one picture of a jacuzzi is actually our master tub, which is unused. (What a waste of space. We have an outrageously large shower that almost rivals the tub.)

BUT- nothing beats living here, and it's not just "a money thing." It's funny what you can do without, and the getting down to basics and just the necessary, has been cleansing for our souls. We splurge now and then, but nothing like the obnoxious pigs we were in Vegas, (far from it.) It's just a kind of peacefulness that you feel, and sometimes, sitting out on the terraza, I truly wonder what I have done to deserve such deliciousness.

Swine Flu

2009-04-30T08:13:00.004-05:00

We received calls yesterday from both sets of my parents. I hope I have put your minds to rest. We are fine. We'll be staying home more, (if that's possible), and we'll be giving up our new Sunday ritual of breakfasting in Isla Paraiso at a little rinky-dink place called "Letys". Cheap and good and last Sunday while waiting for breakfast, we joined a large family watching a tv movie right there in the restaurant. We were laughing right along with them as the movie chimp, all dressed up in mexican garb, (sombrero and poncho), took a wrong flight and ended up in Colorado instead of south of the border. Just plain simple fun. It's the kind of stuff that makes you feel good. We've had lots of those moments lately. ANYWAY--

I also read that our State Government is monitoring our borders and checking everyone coming into Colima. Needless to say, we're not too worried and will take every precaution. So, don't worry.

Lost Puppy With New Home

2009-04-25T12:23:00.009-05:00

This is for Anna G.

This is "Rey" (pronunced "ray") which means King in English. After talking with our nice neighbor, Luly, and after much talking with other people, we thought we might know who his family was. But, sadly that wasn't the case, and so we needed to keep him at our house. He is much bigger than our doggy and still likes to play like a puppy, and Ratzo was getting very nervous and upset. She's little and chubby and is not used to big dogs. This morning, with the help our our buddy Carlos, we were able to find a nice young family that wanted Rey. They live right down the street. This makes me very happy as a big doggy in the house is too much for us, and Rey has a very big bark. It is super, super loud!! This is not a good thing since Aunt Maria and Uncle Bob need to work from home.

We will be taking Rey to the Vet tomorrow to have his ears cleaned and then back to his new family.

Hey, Little Bro- so nice to hear from you. XX M&B

Lost Puppy

2009-04-24T06:23:00.002-05:00

This past Wednesday, our family grew by one more.
I spotted a dog in the neighborhood since the weekend, sniffing around they way dogs do, and walking seemingly with a purpose. This guy seemed to be pretty much a loner.
By Tuesday afternoon, after a grocery shopping trip to Tecoman, I spot him again in front of the house, limping now and pretty exhausted. I run downstairs as we have cans of dog food out and ready to put in the car to feed the various hungry dogs we see now and then. So I grab a can, and run out to the street, and he's already passed, but he turns around to look at me and must smell the food. I use my high pitched doggy voice on him and he slinks over to me, and a foot away, flips over on his back and cries. Well... that just broke my heart. He ate 2 cans of Pedigree, a cup of kibble and drank some water. Now, I've fed other dogs before and they just move on. Not him. He was so tired that he plopped down in the shade behind the van out front.
Then, I was able to check him out. He's a rather large pup, has a lot of German Shepard in him, but he's a sweetheart. He looked a little beat up, was pretty smelly, and I noticed had a nasty wound on his left back paw. This dog was in distress.
Bob and I decide that the right thing to do is get him to the vet in Armeria. I call to let them know we're on the way. The Vet isn't there until Thursday, but I tell Assistant Veronica to check him out, attend his wounds, bathe him, and she says to return the following day. I go to pick him up on Wednesday afternoon, and he's looking better. BUT again I get stuck holding the pup so she can inject an anti-inflammatory. (He and I both yelped.)
I got him home, he immediately knew to go out back to do his business, and then he cried and cried out by the front gate. He would not come inside. We picked him up twice to bring him inside, and he'd go back out whining. Not even a nice meal would entice him in.
Now, my thinking all along is that some family left him behind from the weekend. I don't claim to know every dog in Cuyutlan, but I do get around town enough, and I certainly know the dogs that live in our area. I am almost positive I saw this pup out on the dunes over the weekend with a family. AND--- Sunday, I did see a family pulling out from the beach in a dark SUV and a dog running along side down towards town that looked a lot like this pup. (In case you're wondering... yeah, we have binoculars...) Anyway---I hope I'm wrong, but I don't think so.
Finally, we got him settled in for the night. He had a nice dinner, Bob shut the gates, I pulled out a comforter, and he slept downstairs and very soundly. I woke up a couple of times during the night to check on him, and he was sleeping like a baby.
Yesterday, he seemed a little better. And he finally ventured upstairs to hang out with us. He's still a little sad, he likes to sleep on his back, he likes to be petted, and he likes to lick people. AND--He and Ratzo have obviously been talking. When I'm in the kitchen, so is Ratzo. Well, yesterday, he joined Ratzo. I turn around and those two are sitting up at attention, side by side, just watching me. Oh brother. So I give each one a hot dog so they'll get lost, and then I realize how stupid that was...So, now I have two kitchen moochers.
Anyway, I took him back to the Vet last night, he got another shot, which the Vet took care of as I walked around the corner. The Vet agrees that he was not a homeless dog, that he may have been abandoned or may live in town, that there's no way of knowing. He's maybe 18 months. His foot wound is healing, and now he also has a terrible ear infection, so I will be back at the Vet Sunday morning as they will need to put him to sleep to clean his ears. He'll also be starting parasite treatment.
I've decided when his foot is healed enough, I will take him to the little Abarrote store in town and speak to the Owner who we call, "Don Perro". If anyone would know if this pup is local, it'd be him. I figure that if the pup does have a family here in town, we must give him back, and I'm prepared to do so. If not, we'll keep him and look for a family that might want to make him part of their family.
Well, he slept upstairs on his comforter last night. Again, he slept very well as I spied on him twice last night. Now---Ratzo seems to be handling his arrival quite well. She's not overjoyed, but she tolerates him and even shows concern when he cries. She did throw a hissy-fit when she saw him get into the car with me and she was left behind. But, she's our girl, and no one can replace her.
I will post a photo of him shortly. Later...

The Beginning of the End

2009-04-14T12:45:00.008-05:00

This morning's photo made me sad.

I'm told that the real craziness is over. The hoards of campers have left, for the most part. The main exodus started Saturday late afternoon as the countless buses started pulling out of town.

ANYWAY, to continue... We strolled down to the malecon and beach early Saturday afternoon to check out the crowd.

This shot was taken looking back towards the house from the street. These neighbors were the best! They did not leave any trash when they pulled out on Sunday. They were a large family, including three dogs, and I even spotted Grandma holding the family bird.

This playa photo was taken about 4pm on Sat.

With the beach so crowded, Bob and I walked down to the Salt Museum. Real cool stuff in there, lots of history of the founding of Cuyutlan, the tsunami of the 1930's, and of course, the processing of salt. I even bought a bag of their salt, as a little pinch, goes a long, long way.

Thankfully, the beach clean up has started. What a mess, everywhere !!

This weekend will be busy but not crazy. Maybe we'll get some wave time in finally.

Later.

Invasion of the Campers

2009-04-14T11:06:00.008-05:00

By Tuesday 4/7, we had some serious new arrivals in town. Eventually, the entire beach for as far as we could see would be jammed packed with campers. This is just to the east of the terraza looking towards town.

This is the beach just to the east of the house. The little building was being dolled up to provide banos,(restrooms). Ratzo and I strolled in there just before our PV trip. What a mess it was. This family built their own little brown wood home and worked day and night . They even rigged up electricity. Pretty amazing.

Then early Wednesday morning about 4:45 am, I'm blown out of bed by some awful noise. I walk out to the terraza and spot several buses parking along the road just in front of the house, to the side of the house, up the next half block from the house, and vacationers pouring out. They were an excited and noisy bunch unloading supplies, tents, food, etc. I just kinda sat there watching this all remembering back to my Spring Breaks in Daytona Beach and
thinking what all those retirees must have thought about a bunch of crazy, drunken teenagers invading their quiet hamlet for weeks at a time.

Well, I run hot and cold all the time, and by Thursday afternoon, my rose-colored glasses came off, and I'd had it with all the noise. It was continuous and started at first light and lasted until dark. The biggest offenders were the loud-speaker vendors: the bread man,(three different ones); the mattress man; the fish man; the circus promotions man; the tamale girls; the ice cream man and a few others I'm sure I've forgotten. I had to shut myself in the office with all the windows closed to work, and I could still hear the ruckus. AND THE BUSES AND PEOPLE KEPT COMING.

The evenings were filled with loud music assaulting us from from various locations. Friday night, I was awake at 3am, and music was still blaring from somewhere near the malecon.

Here's an idea at what our street looked like on Thursday afternoon. You can see on the bottom left our light blue & white balcony which comes off our bedroom.

Look at who else decided to join the festivities... This was taken right outside the front gate. She hung around all Thursday afternoon.

There is an end to all this, though it was hard to imagine by Saturday morning, all bleary-eyed and in a rockin' bad mood. That's later...

The Calm Before the Storm

2009-04-14T10:57:00.002-05:00

This was taken Sunday 4/5 at sunset. We decided to head down to the Posada Del Sol for shrimp, with Ratzo in tow. All was good in our world. Doesn't get any better than this...

Semana Santa-The BEGINNING

2009-04-14T08:47:00.011-05:00

For several weeks, we'd noticed the town gearing up for Semana Santa, (Holy Week, Easter Break, Spring Break, etc...). Store fronts were opening up along the main road in that never were, lots of cleaning up around town, lots of activity... I thought, Hum, what's all this about?
Well, no one prepared us for what was to come.

Sunday, 4/5 was another beach day for us, although we noticed more people in town and a few clusters of tents right on the beach. What fun to camp out on the beach for a few days, I thought. (I have wonderful memories of camping out in Red Rock Park with Bob, Freddy, and our dear friend, Dei.)

Also, the Government decided that more lifeguards needed to be stationed along the beach for the upcoming week and their numbers rose from four to maybe 24. I guess lots of people were expected in town for a few days, and I've always felt more lifeguards were needed on the weekends anyway.

This photo was taken early Saturday morning , 4/4 from the terraza. You can just spot a few tents and virtually no activity. We wouldn't see this peaceful sight for many days.

By Sunday, 4/5 more people were arriving and setting up housekeeping on the beach. I'm talking large families, many with their pets.

Even the Coast Guard was out. (I think this is a Coast Guard Cutter). They patrolled up and down the beach just behind the breakers for several days.

Three new lifeguard recruits: Mariano; our friend, Carlos; and Huesos, (Bones).

Even The Marines patrolled up and down the beach daily.

Like I mentioned, we weren't prepared for what followed.

The Puppy Mill Man

2009-04-10T09:39:00.004-05:00

THIS POST IS FOR ADULTS ONLY:

So, I'm blown out of bed Monday morning at about 4:40am hearing puppies crying. I was up and out so quickly; ran to the terraza and told whoever was outside causing all the commotion to leave. I look over to my right under the street lamp, and I see a van and two guys. I hear puppies crying so I run downstairs and outside only to find several puppies on the ground, their "owner" glaring at me and some stupid SOB grabbing the puppies off the ground any way he can and throwing them up into a cage on top of the van, one puppy on top of another. There must have been about 40-50 puppies in all. I pick up a little bitty pup and ask how old they are. "Six weeks", Puppy Mill Man says. Bullshit, I think. Some barely have their eyes open. Then he says, "We sell very cheap for you, $1500 pesos..." (Well, that may be cheap for a pedigree pup as all of them were, but I'm sure they're probably sick, and I KNOW they are mistreated.) I say no and hand the puppy I'm holding back, and I tell these creeps to move on, that we're trying to sleep. (Actually, I wanted them out of my sight because I wasn't sure I wouldn't run upstairs to our bedroom for our wooden bat.) Well, then to make a point, Puppy Mill Man picks up a pit bull pup by the neck, the puppy cries out, and PMM slaps the baby on the neck. I had to walk away or else.
And then the following morning, I'm walking Ratzo, and I spot PMM down across from Luly's house, about 2 blocks towards town. I am recognized by the prick who was throwing the puppies in the cage. He gives me a third degree stare, and I stare right back.
You can't intimidate me, you pig. F U

(This is my third draft of this post. Bob suggested some editing was required as the original was liberally peppered with the F word and read very angry. I personally like my original better than this watered down version.)

Ratzo's Recovery

2009-04-09T20:10:00.004-05:00

No pics from Dad & Wanda worth showing from PV. I look like a crazy goose, and Bob looks like something out of The Old Man and The Sea.

Here's Ratzo after her surgery. Pathetic and a tummy full of infection. She was at the vet for 5 days and after our return, she got 5 days of antibiotic shots. I took her for the first round of shots, and that was my last time. I asked Bob to do the rest as her yelps were too much for me.

Here she is...so yucky and

listless. Thankfully, a week later, she was like the same ole Ratty, a little more obnoxious, and with even more of an appetite. The vet said that she is very spoiled. How'd that happen???

On to the next...

Puerto Vallarta Part 1

2009-04-04T09:28:00.009-05:00

We left for PV early Sat, 3/21. I prefer to drive as the time seems to pass more quickly- and it did, although it took us almost 6 hours as we got stuck behind a military transport hummer and a bus. For the most part, it's an easy drive on a two lane road, lots of curves and up and downs so it's not real easy to pass the person in front unless you have a straight shot. We voted for arriving in one piece. Once we got into PV, we drove in circles looking for the hotel. After some sniping at each other, Bob jumped into a cab and I followed. We were probably three blocks away.

We stayed across from Dad and Wanda at Dona Susana, an all-adult boutique hotel. It was lovely, quiet, and had a great roof-top pool. Our room was rather small and the bathroom, teeny-tiny. Yet it worked for us, and the best part was it had a kick-ass air-conditioner. My best sleeps are in chilly temperatures; Bob not so much. He thought it felt below zero. My thinking is you can always pile on more blankets, there's only so much you can take off. (My husband is so good to me.)

We spent lazy days on the beach. One of us would head down early am and scope out the perfect spot to plant our chairs and umbrellas. The added bonus to being the early birds is the empanada man starts cruising the beach at 8:30 am. We would snack on big flaky pastries filled with spinach/cheese, chicken/potato, ham/cheese, apple, apple/cheese, chocolate and many others. We're serious about our empanadas, and he knew it as he'd hit us again around mid-day.

We met a mother and daughter duo from Minnesota, I think. Yvette and Stephanie were a constant source of entertainment, especially daughter, Steph. This girl is in her early thirties, totally uninhibited, really lives each moment to the max. What you see is what you get with Stephanie, no game-playing, just pure going for the gusto, and a not a mean bone in her body.

(How nice it must be to feel so free and be so honest. I'd like a little bit of that myself.)

We had some great food. My favorite outing was to Marazul for dinner. It's a big, upscale palapa-style restaurant just a block down the beach. Boy!! the food was fabulous, and the service was impeccable. I don't know how Dad and Wanda do it. They always find that one fabulous restaurant where the Manager comes out to talk with us, and sends us complimentary desserts and drinks, and where the service staff treats us like VIPs. We had a table overlooking the ocean, and I caught a picture of this sunset.

Dad and I also ordered each a Herradura Anejo after dinner. Check out this presentation. The tequila is sitting in the chilled round bowl, accompanied by a sangrita, salt, limes and a jalapeno. It was smooth. This was not the rot-gut stuff you slam with a beer chaser. Excellent choice, Dad.

We headed out Tuesday morning. I always get real sentimental when I have to say goodbye to D&W. The drive home was quiet and quick.

Also--I had a lot on my mind, primarily Ratzo and her surgery. We wouldn't see her until Wednesday late afternoon.

That's next post.

Thanks for another excellent vacation Dad and Wanda. We love you.

THEY GROW 'EM BIG

2009-03-18T09:34:00.004-05:00

Well, last weekend was a holiday weekend which means the beach was packed. Good for the vendors, not so good for us who live here as more people means more trash all over the town. I wonder who's responsible for cleaning all this junk up?

ANYWAY---This shot was taken from our perch on the beach this past Sunday. Although there's no point of reference, I will tell you that this wave was at least 4-5 meters high, easy. The force of the water rushing the shore is so strong that it's almost impossible to get anywhere near these waves. These big boys are dangerous! We hang about halfway between the shore and the wave and catch the ripple effect. Decent rides yeah, our best ever, no.

Also, Sunday morning we went out for breakfast and stumbled upon the best breakfast I've had in a long time. We initially went to Morelos. They are busy normally and are very busy when it's a holiday. Fenix didn't have much in the way of business so we decided to mosey on over. We've eaten there a few times and it was above average, so why not. Well, the owner, Olivia, comes over to the table with an additional weekend menu of savory and sweet crepes. Bob ordered his old favorite, chilaquiles, ( now that's boring), and I ordered the crepe stuffed with chicken and mushrooms in a bechemel sauce. YUM, YUM, and YUM. ( I mean my crepe.) The crepe was very thin and delicate, plenty of chicken and mushrooms, and the bechemel sauce was slightly sweet and light. Fabulous--- All for $80 p, including a green salad. After breakfast, I gave my compliments to the Chef, who is French and speaks only French and Spanish. We'll be back again. Bob has his eyes on the ham and cheese crepe, and I'm leaning towards the shrimp one.

We'll be heading out for Puerto Vallarta on Saturday morning to meet up with Dad and Wanda for a few days. It'll be nice to get away from the office for a few days.

Also, Ratzo will be at the Vet as we have decided to get her spayed while we're gone. Our morning walks are a little dicey as she is quite popular around the malecon four-legged social scene.

More later. I need to head up to Cd. Colima this morning and try to collect our rather substantial rent deposit from our Colima house. It's overdue, and frankly, I'm tiring of jumping through hoops with the previous landlord and the Real Estate company. I'm "Si Senora" to death all the time. (It's all bullshit. They tell me what I want to hear, not what the real deal is. It would be much better if they just leveled with me and were honest. Yet--- this way of dealing is everywhere. The stink is on everything. Yeah, now I'm getting frustrated.)

Time to make some calls.

Later...

Dinner With Friends

2009-03-12T09:12:00.003-05:00

Well, Bob said my last post was "Capital B for boring." I said, "It's my blog, and I'll write what I want to." I'm sure he'll find this one just as exciting.
So- we head on over to Ned and Shelagh's last Saturday. Roger and Marie rounded out our little gathering. I have a feeling that when an invite is for 6:30pm, that really means 6:30pm as the food was heating through and almost ready to serve when we arrived.
The dining table, dotted with votive candles, was set up outside by the pool under the gazebo. We feasted on cheese-stuffed poblano peppers, (big suckers), rice, pickled asparagus, julienned peppers and hot radishes, pork stew, and a green salad and olive flat bread, compliments of Marie. Fresh pineapple and a coconut liqueur for dessert. DEELISH.
Lots of interesting conversation. Of course, we touched on the universal taboo subjects of religion and politics. I'll honestly say that I was feeling slightly uncomfortable and didn't contribute much, although I do have strong opinions of my own.
Bob and I stayed a little longer after Roger and Marie left. We had a few more laughs and called it a night around 9:30pm.
Thanks Ned and Shelagh. You're good people, and we truly hope we will see you again next year.

The Process

2009-03-09T06:55:00.006-05:00

So Bob and I are sitting around late Saturday morning, readying ourselves for the beach, when Ned,(of my Green Beans post), and Roger stop by. These two guys were renting this house a few years back. They're two older married guys, funny guys on their own, and really funny when together. I just get a real kick out of them. They make me laugh...I mean really laugh, not a polite ha ha laugh. (Anyway, for the most part, I've always found men more entertaining than women.) Well, Ned invites us over to their house for dinner that night. I was very excited since this was our first outing with Gringos that our present work schedule permits.

Well, we head to the beach for a little ocean time. The water was tame, only a yellow flag day. Even the ocean birds were able to fish. We prefer the big crashers. We spent our afternoon piddling around the water and my favorite activity, people-watching. We get back home, and I start "The Process".

WELL.....

Now, my getting dressed can take anywhere from 20 minutes including a shower, no make up, no hair, to 2 hours, with make up and hair. I'd picked out my clothes earlier that morning so this should have been a breeze, right? Wrong. Shower and make up, maybe 50 minutes... And the make up part is tricky as I apply it outside on the terrazza for the natural light, so I don't go around looking like Bette Davis in "Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?". I was surprisingly ahead of schedule. Shit---Then came my hair...Did I tell you all how humid it is living on the ocean, so no more "good hair days" and, hence, I have a ratty brownish mop on top of my head which flairs out right where it hits my ears as it is crispy and dry and makes my chubby face look more like a moon face?? All true. All I can say is Thank God for mousse, gel, leave-in conditioner, and hairspray. After applying several layers of this concoction on the mop, which only made it look slick and stiff, I was ready to get dressed and go. No, not quite...

It must be hereditary. My sister, Lissa, and I both suffer from chronic changeofclothesitis. I can be absolutely positive that I have an outfit picked out, and when I am ready to get dressed, it just doesn't look or feel like it did earlier during the trying-on stage. Is it the lighting, did I gain 5 lbs in the last 5 hours, or is my vision better in the afternoon than morning? Well, my first outfit of black slacks and black top were quickly nixed. Too severe, I thought. (Nah- that last statement is a lie. Actually, I caught a glimpse of those nasty little chubbies under my arms.) So, I proceed to tear through my closet as it is crunch time... sun dresses, jeans, a slew of tops, and of course, all this activity started to make my moon face perspire. Grrrrreat.

Finally, I settle on a small polka-dotted stretchy top and a pair of capri jeans. I should have remembered this is one of my favorite "in a pinch" outfits. By this time, another 30 minute process, and after Bob gave me the countdown to departure, he now is downstairs advising me he will be pulling out the car as he sincerely believes that his disappearing on me will hasten my process. Well, it doesn't,... never has. The last 5 minutes I tried on several pairs of shoes and decided on a pair of high platform tie-up-your-ankle closed toe sandals. I was really hoping this choice not a mistake as it's been probably eight months since I've worn a heel higher than an inch. There's really something special about heels. I feel less squishy.

I was very proud . We arrived at 6:40pm for a 6:30pm invite.

Well, then we were in for an absolutely lovely evening. That's next.

Hey Lissa: I hope you are reading and enjoying this post in particular.

Carnaval, Cuyutlan Style

2009-03-05T06:30:00.005-06:00

Big doin's last weekend here for Carnaval. Set up started on Friday, and the party lasted through Sunday. Bob and I ventured out around 6pm on Saturday. We wanted to catch the parade and then the big dance after. Well, the parade got off to a late start, and unfortunately, I am still learning how to use my camera, so my night shots did not turn out too good. All I can say is the town was really crowded, and everyone was partying and having a great time.

This photo was taken 20 minutes before the start of the parade. The crowd was still "thin."

This pretty girl is one the the beauty queens. There were several. (I told you my night shots were sucky.) I think the real favorites were the Corona Beer Girls. They were on the back of a truck, dance music blaring, and these two youngs ladies were really shakin' it. The crowd let out a huge cheer when a male fan jumped into the truck face first with the two dancing queens.

Then Bob and I ended up meeting with Carlos at his Mom's seafood stand. Lucky for us, we were right by the stage where the band would perform later, and Carlos even set up some seats for us. He also hooked me up with a Michelada. This is a curious beverage. It's tomato juice mixed with beer instead of vodka, no celery but chile powder. (I do love a good Bloody Mary, especially my Dad's. ) This may be an acquired taste. I'll stick to an ice cold Pacifico.

This is the Michelada Man. I'm told he has a very successful restaurant in Cd. Colima. He was set up just a few feet away from us. Sometime later in the night, he also put out a banner advertising that he also sells cell phone cards. This guy was super nice, and had a couple of dance moves himself.

Well, the band finally started up. Real show pleasers!! The crowd was dancing, the music was really tight, but by 11:30pm, we called it a night. We live only four blocks from the Malecon and heard the party going strong until early morning.

My thoughts really: Yeah, it was fun. It's cool to see so many people letting go, young and old together enjoying the music, fireworks, etc. My favorite part of any outing is people-watching. Anytime, anywhere. (I'm "inquisitive" according to my beloved 8th grade English teacher, Mrs Stultz. Bob will tell you I'm just nosey.)

Well, off for my morning walk. It's humid this am, so I need to get moving. Bye, for now.

Red Flag Days

2009-03-02T09:02:00.003-06:00

Everyday, the beach lifeguards secure their flags so that us ocean lovers know to #1: throw ourselves into the waves and really yuck it up, or to #2: hang back and basically spend more time on the sand than in the sea. Such was the case this weekend... fierce riptides all along our watery playground left Bob and I to suck eggs under our beach umbrellas with books neither one of us was reading.

Riptides are sneaky. They look like a river in the ocean, and you really need a trained eye to spot them. (Bob has become very good at this.) Most people caught in a riptide don't know it until they are way out and everyone on land looks real small. I know; I have personal experience.

I was carried out by one last summer. I was just having a great time, the waves were pretty sizable and decided to take my board and venture out to the "Big Boys", maybe 100 yards out. Within just a couple minutes, I had ended up and over the waves and could not make any headway getting back. I knew I was way out when I looked over to the palapas and spotted a tiny Bob at the water's edge. I imagine he was a little distressed.

Our friend, Carlos, immediately ran down the sand full-speed from his mother's seafood stand, dove in, and began the long, tiring swim towards me. I didn't know until several minutes later that two life guards also joined the party.

It was a strange feeling being out there all alone. It was real quiet. I wasn't really afraid or panicked. I knew that I was having great difficulty making any progress towards the shore, but I really was just kinda mellow, and I had my board which kept me afloat.

My big worry was sharks. I'd been told they lurk just beyond the big breakers. Also, I suppose just having watched the week-long series, "Shark Week" on Discovery Channel didn't help much.

Well, Carlos made it out to me before the lifeguards did. He actually towed me back, although, we had a hell of a time trying to position ourselves just right to catch the big waves that would send us crashing into the safe zone. My hero, Carlos.

I have a healthy respect for the ocean now; I am overly-cautious, maybe. I tend to watch the water when we have weekend visitors. Both Bob and I can spot a swimmer in potential danger immediately. We've witnessed many a rescue, and one Saturday, five family members were saved one by one as all had been taken out to the sea in one swoop. Many drowning deaths occur every year here, I'm told. This is open ocean, folks. We live at "EL HOGAR DE LA OLA VERDE."

Here's a photo of this weekend's hero. We call him "THE BIG KAHUNA." He was called to duty this Saturday when he rescued one of the workers here for Carnaval.

Big weekend here. Carnaval in Cuyutlan. More to follow next post.
Bye for now.

In Memory Of My Boy

2009-02-28T07:45:00.003-06:00

It has been three months since you've been gone, my sweet baby. Not one day goes by that you are not in my thoughts.
I cannot express how much my heart still mourns. I am comforted by knowing you are at home, and at peace, and you know how much you are loved.
Mommy

Ratzo

2009-02-26T05:47:00.008-06:00

My darling baby, Freddy, passed the Friday after Thanksgiving, 11/28/08. We made the decision to let him rest as he had fought a long, hard battle with Cushings Syndrome. It was gut-wrenching to see him getting worse everyday, and there is no cure for this ugly disease. The tumor in his pituitary gland would eventually compromise his system and send him into convulsions. He never reached that point, but he required almost 24/7 care, and I spent countless sleepless nights as his condition worsened.

I knew he was ready on Thanksgiving Day. We were on the bed watching TV, and I turned to look at him. I knew he was staring at me. We stared at each other for a few minutes. He then started to cry and tremble. I wrapped his favorite red fleece blanket around him, but he could not be comforted. This lasted for several minutes, which in the end, I became frantic and sobbing. I knew then and there, at that moment, Freddy was letting me know that he was ready, and it was time.

I can't go any further with the Freddy saga. I cannot type with tearful eyes.

SO ANYWAY-

On 12/11, we take the plunge and go to the Dog Pound and pick out two dogs. Snickers- a golden lab mix who eventually we gave another to a family, and Ratzo- no one knows what she is. Snickers was too pretty not to be adopted and poor Ratzo was the opposite in every way.

Ratzo was malnourished, recently delivered puppies, was scrawny and smelly, hairless on the bottom half of her body, bony bald elbows complete with a big, long, gray rat tail. She hunched up as she walked, was very skittish, always flipping over on her back when approached; she was obviously abused and still carries the numerous emotional and physical scars. ( It sickens me. I'll just say that the bastard who inflicted such pain on this poor animal should be tied up around the neck for a long time, like he did her and shit-kicked, like he did her.) Enough of that...I don't want to start my morning with bummer thoughts.

Now, just 2 1/2 months later, she seems more relaxed, happy in her new digs, and has gotten plumpish. She still cowers a bit and flips over on her back often when she becomes nervous. We love her and try to let her know she is safe now.

I have submitted photos of Ratty-Roo for your viewing pleasure...

This is Ratzo on 12/12. Check out her teats.

Here's pretty, sweet, gentle Snickers on 12/12.

Ratzo on 12/30, Still bald in the elbows, but growing hair.

Here's Ratty yesterday during our morning beach walk.

House update: We're still experiencing some plumbing problems, but for the most part we believe the water issue is now under control. It's amazing how much time and effort we've put into this house that we're only renting. Bob and I have also discussed cleaning up the empty lot next door. It's become a bit of a dumping ground, and I see evidence that the painters who were working here also contributed to the mess. I'll need to find my hiking boots, and thank God I brought from the US these heavy-duty thick red leather work gloves, just in case nasty critters call the lot "home". (Curious... I'm wondering just why I brought down those gloves? With all the massive amounts of stuff we gave away, why did I feel those ugly and too-big for me gloves merited a coveted space in our Windstar???) Go figure.

Bye for now.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE DON'T HAVE WATER?

2009-02-20T06:49:00.018-06:00

Monday night was a true beach circus.

I'm not even sure exactly how to explain it all. This house has two water underground reservoirs plus a water tank on the roof that requires a pump to fill. All I know is that mid afternoon, we had no water. Yeah- no water for flushing, cleaning, etc. El zippo.

I heard that our side of the city was temporarily shut off due to construction, and I also heard that the main water pipe was damaged by the construction workers. Same hassle regardless. Thanks to our good friend, Carlos, who is also our Go-To-Mr.-Fixer, that water problem was pretty much under control by 11:00pm.

I am constantly amazed by the resourcefulness and absolute ingenuity of the local folks. They can fix anything. The water job started at 6:30 pm, and night was approaching. I'm thinking, Oh, shit, were' going to have all this equipment and tools strewn all over the front of the house, they'll need to come back sometime in the next few days to finish...this is going to take forever... Boo-hoo for me. And also, I could not have been more wrong.

Anyone that really knows me, knows that I like a neat and tidy living area. I can't stand clutter, dirty stuff, etc. I'm always looking at my surroundings, and if it doesn't look pleasing to my eye, I'll fix it until it does. I'm constantly sweeping, wiping, dusting, and rearranging. I know Bob secretly thinks I'm crazy, obsessive, and overly-dramatic. I blame this curious condition on my Peri-Menopause. I wasn't always like this... but that's another post or two!!)

ANYWAY... So in my mind, I'm thinking there's going to be a big truck that suctions water and stuff, maybe a water truck to fill up our wells, also a cement truck as well as several workers. Wrong again.

Three men and a 12 year old showed up. Of course, Bob and Carlos had to go out and buy big long tubes, water faucet gadgets, and more hardware things that I have no idea what they were. The guys started by moving these two huge cement slabs that covered this large square tunnel that went about 35 or so feet down into the ground.

As it got dark, they rigged up a lighting system because one guy had to descend the deep, dark hole. That in itself was amazing as the ladder that they had in the tunnel did not reach to the top, and so he had to kinda straddle down several feet using only these tiny foot holds. I was fascinated. I didn't think his legs were long enough. They were, and this guy was a trooper, and after he was down in the bottom of this well, the men on the ground lowered two big long tubes, a skinny and fat one, and also a short tube. They rigged up some sort of a suction system with the short tube tied to a long rope, and the man underground was jumping on the fat tube to make it sink further into the ground while at the same time bringing up all kinds of sediment and rocks in the short tube. The skinny long tube was rigged into the fat one to eventually bring up fresh ground water. They went down another 20 feet or so .

Anyway, 5 hours and almost $2000 pesos later, we had water. Well, we sorta had water because the next morning there was an issue with our city water well, which Bob and Carlos had been working on until yesterday afternoon. More parts were needed, and I did a quick run into Cd.Colima yesterday early am. Now, we're almost home free as we will be checking the water tank on top of the roof today.

Below are some pictures of our "Agua Men" :

Today, we're discussing what to do to resolve our pigeon problem. Carlos found five nests including one with babies on top of the terrazza roof. Needless to say, baby bird nest is still there and so is Momma and a few friends. The Momma's cooing to the youngsters is lovely, the dropping are not.

Tomorrow is our boogie-boardin' beach day. YEAH!!!! The waves are high and strong in the afternoons, "real riddin' waves", as Bob calls them.

Bye for now.

At Home

2009-02-18T06:56:00.003-06:00

Weeelll,
We made it down. I received a call a week from yesterday that the Internet would be up and running in a few days here at the beach. Now we're talkin'!! Our weeks of living amongst boxes and just the bear essentials were coming to a close. We kicked it up into high gear, now packing away the semi-essential things and still maintaining our work schedule.
Our landlord finally came through with the moving truck and scheduled the move for 8:30am Saturday. Well, we received this piece of news on Friday evening. I also had to schedule a last minute cleaning of the beach house, etc, etc, etc. (Although this shouldn't be difficult to accomplish, I can't begin to tell you how many calls this one simple task entailed.)
The movers show up on time in an open air truck, very tall sides, old, and dirty. I looked on the inside, and it was full of planty-looking things and LOTS of dirt. I gently suggested that they clean it out as I grabbed the nearest broom. Ends up, the truck had just returned from Nuevo Leon and had been carrying chile peppers.
The move was pretty smooth and no real casualties except that several plants were somehow squashed, my chiminea was chipped and scratched, our equipale furniture was all scratched up, and the fridge was scratched and dinged. I consider it very successful considering that nothing was tied down, cushioned, or covered. Total cost, about $300 US.
Of course, we had the computer and other valuables packed in our van and arrived first. The drive from Colima to the beach can be pretty scary the first few times, and you are descending 1500 feet and must go through some mountain passes, a couple bridges, and serious curves. We encountered the policia in at least three locations, one of which a car had gone over the cliff. ( No guardrails folks. ) Also, our newest member of the family, Ratzo, was sitting on Bob's lap as I drove. She threw up on Bob a few times. More about Ratzo in future post.
All in all we're happy to be here and are sore from lifting stuff up and down the stairs. It's a yummy kind of sore, and I've actually slept better than I have in six months.

Not all has been smooth sailing. Details in my next post, "WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE HAVE NO WATER????"
Bye, y'all.

The Beach House

2009-02-12T09:01:00.004-06:00

Here's the good news!

Well, Telmex called Tuesday afternoon. Much to our surprise, they advised us that the internet would be up and running by Friday. A flurry of activity followed as I began blitzing through all non-essentials in the kitchen and packing it all up. We have two frozen fish filets, frozen pasta primavera, a fridge full of condiments, as well as three camotes, lettuce for days, and a pack of very old flour tortillas. What a feast! Needless to say, I'm off food shopping this morning.

Hopefully, we'll be out by Saturday. I spoke to our landlord to set up the appointment with the movers. I haven't heard back yet. I left another message this morning. The chasing of people is a real chore. It's annoying. Yet, because he hasn't called back leads me to believe that he has no news which is doubly bad.

Anyway:

I took pictures of the house in Cuyutlan last Saturday, outside only.

Here's our view from the terraza upstairs.

Green Beans

2009-02-09T16:01:00.005-06:00

Well,

We're still in Cd. Colima awaiting news on our Internet connection for the beach house. It's been over five weeks now and costly not only dinero-wise, but I feel like a kid at the fair watching the roller coaster take off and anticipating sooooo much my turn on the ride. Well, this has proven to be the longest roller coaster wait ever, AND since our visit to the beach last Saturday, I'm yelping even more now for my turn.

We met some very nice people on Saturday. As we drove up to our "weekend home" as we call it, ( that takes the sting off a little), we came upon a couple perched at the front gate. After introductions, small talk, and a tour of the house, we were on a fast road to friendship with Ned and Sheila. They invited us back to their lovely home, nestled behind a rather formidable gate. The door opened up to a beautiful compound, with the main house on one side and a detached master suite on another. Everything was open for fresh air and best yet, they have a lovely pool in the middle. YUM, I thought. ( I so love pools, especially clean, clear pools like theirs.) Not too big, not too small... just right...

Well, they are social folks and had their door from the street open. Two more friends stopped in, and Bob and I were having the best time just doing that introductory 1st meeting

kinda talk with everyone. But it was never awkward and quite informative as well as enjoyable. (I mean, really fun.)

It was a real treat to be able to engage in a conversation where my husband can fully participate and be understood. And he was quite humorous. He always has been though. No one has ever made me laugh like Bob. And, I'm sure that no one finds him as funny as I do.

Well, that encounter just makes me wants our move all the more. Forget the roller coaster... The way I feel now... it's like when Bob and I did a 5-day shake fast, and we were able to incorporate a half cup of vegetables with our dinner-time shake (of nasty "goodness for your body and soul"), and we would absolutely just almost faint waiting for the veggies to heat. WHO WOULD EVER THINK THAT CANNED GREEN BEANS ARE SUCH A DELICACY?? Well, we did.

Having to do without our beach home full time is bad enough. Meeting nice people who can share ideas, tell funny stories, and make us laugh, are our green beans. We want MORE.

Hi to SC.