Valentine Croquet

The 29th annual Croquet Tournament has come to an end.  I didn't see one game this year,

but look forward to attending the 30th next year.  You can see all the results on Facebook !

That's probably a first.  So happy for the Sweetheart Champions.  They really deserve it.


My guest from Montreal has arrived, bearing gifts and 3 Globe & Mail.

He is very pleased with his Casita, and thanked me very much, many times.

It's almost impossible not to be content here.


The ocean has cooled at least 10 degrees.  Fishing has improved, and that's good for

everyone, but the fish .  Lily is feed well, and this summer I'm going to learn to clean her

fresh fish myself, head and all.  I can take my knife, just to the bottom of my stairs where

the fishermen come in, and use their cutting boards, and fresh water.  My friend who

catches fish for lily is going to teach me how.


I got some kind of bug bite on the top of my left wrist, in bed the other night !! 

It doesn't happen often that there is a bug in my bed, but it can happen.  I don't know what

kind of Yelapa mystery bug it was, but I'm pretty sure I'll have a scar.  It's still red, and

bumpy, but getting better.  I'm guessing it was some kind of spider.  In the first few years

of coming down it seemed I attracted the spiders to my ankles, while unpacking the big

bodega and setting up the house.  Two different times, I could not walk for a full day, my

ankles were too swollen.  The heat & humidity didn't help either. I'm acclimatized now, and

 since I've been here full time, I haven't had to set up the house for a while. 


For most people living here 180 days, every time they come & go the house is all packed up

and everything stored in locked closets, called bodegas.  We used to chain up the fridge &

stove , and some of the furniture too.  Many of the local woman are employed to unpack and

set up and clean houses, in time for October.  It can be nasty work.  I know.


Life has become easier with the purchase of a heavy duty watering hose.  It reaches all

the way to the bottom of the hill, where I planted some Bella Donna last summer.

There still is a constant flow of water from bucket to bucket.  Kitchen water is recycled

as much as possible, thrown down the hill at the back, and for plants on the deck.  We have

2 water holding tanks.  A new black one, 1,250 liters, and the original old cement tank, 

which will be replaced with another black one soon, and we alternate between the two of 

them.  They are both up the hill, behind the casita.  I cut back the weeds and Bouganvilla

last week, they are always encroaching and we need to keep it clear back there.


I had my trip to the big city this week.  Shopped at Woolworths and the local fabric stores.

Lots of things on sale, and I out did myself !  2 desk lamps, a little mirror, toaster, wine,

cat food, .... not too much really except i have to haul in from the car to the bus to the boat !

A very nice local woman and her daughter carried a bag off the bus to the Pier at Boca de

Tomatlan for me.  She told me her daughter spoke english, so we had a little chat.  I meet

such lovely people all the time.  The eye doctor was great and told me I am normal !

That's nice to hear from a doctor.  Next week I'll try our Yelapa dentist again.  I went to her

2 years ago when she first set up.  She comes in from PV on Thursdays & Fridays.

Pretty big deal for Yelapa.


I have more time to visit friends now, and enjoyed 2 of my favorite little girls yesterday.

Making forts out of the empty store boxes, and teaching them the days of the week.
  

Mimi's a little slow this week, due to the Croquet festivities I think.  Look forward to next

week and working in the library again.


Time for a little siesta in the sunshine, with the Book Section of the paper.   Nice to have

Sundays off !?


Enjoy clear skies ahead

k