Photos Yelapa Life 1

                                                          Katrina's .... B I N G O !

               
                                              He makes new friends wherever he goes

                     
                                              Cynthia .... She sells sea shells by the sea shore

                                               Two Cobaej Basketball Champions and me !

                               
                                     Nicole Graduation into Grade 1. 1st of 6 years at Primeria

                                                  The Queen and her Princess !!
 

                                      More Champions ..... practice practice excel !!

Happy Halloween y Todo !

So much going on .. Thanksgiving in Canada for one, ...
long over now, but we all have so much to be grateful for everyday.

Thanksgiving in the U.S.A coming up ...

I've been lucky enough to enjoy quite a few of those ... 
of cource the 2 are very much the same ... but different !

Yelapa Day of the Dead Celebration was a huge success.

Sponcered by the Cobaej .. which is what the High School System in all of Mexico is called... which is an acronym for something I still need to understand.  

I have all my photos still on my phone and will try to get them up here ASAP ... I'm having technical difficulties ...!!

November 7th was one year since Maestro Pedro died and a High Mass was celebrated at the Catholic Church.  All the Secondaria students, Grades 6, 7 and 8, 

were there in their uniforms.

Not many dries eyes.  His son was married there the Saturday before, and not many dries eyes then either.  Life goes on and I am inspired by his memory. 

Which also comes with a warning,  not to over work ones self. On that note ... I'm searching for more Volunteers for the English Program and have already received some enthusiastic responces !

High season is here and it'seems great to see the locals working again, at the restaurants reopening in town, water taxis, house keepers, builders, yard workers, ie:
Jungle Maintenance  !!

Cafe Bahia kicking off the season with Sunday brunch tomorrow,  Yacht Club to night, dinner and dancing, live music, Mimi's Traditional Friday night Jam next week, and Pollo Bollo BBQ 5 days a week, after Revolution Day ,
which is Monday, November 20th.

Always great photos there ... an inspiring dis playing of 
Patriotism. 

I'm cutting this short to attend to chores and errands and getting my photos and my poems posted on this blog !

I can't give it up now ... 

Keep up the gratitude ... Our Lady of the river suggests a whispered prayer of encouragement and support to our Mother , Planet Earth ... She sure needs it right now .

Maria poem

                                   


     

Maria's in her hammock

no need to be surprised

She had it woven to her likeness

it's a fabulous disguise

Maria in her hammock

swaying by the sea

Her eyes may be deceiving

but those lips are brass can be 

photos

September // Good Riddence

Yelapa, September 2017 ... a month best put behind us. 

I can compare it to the last slushy days of March, in the North of Canada, waiting for the final banks of dirty snow to melt.

Heavy rain for over 2 weeks now, every day. A blessing, but
makes everything more difficult. I turned back from going to school last Friday, so much mud along the trail it's very slippery, and you either walk through the creeks with your shoes on, or off, or try and traverse make shift bridges and sand bags !!

We are a month behind our normal climate. I expect it will rain well into October.  If you are coming before Halloween, be prepared !   

So much tragedy in the world. Las Vegas. 
Frightening.
Devestating.
Yelapa is still so removed from the outside. 
But we know; we are aware, and take greater comfort in our community when catastrophe happens. The basics of life.
Connection.

Speaking of ...

Internet connection has been impeded due to weather, both Yelapa wifi and Infinitum Telmx. That why I'm late.
As of today, so far so good.

Most every other day the power goes off.
28 hours straight last week.

Thunder storms that wake you up trembling and smirking.
The echo in this bay has got to be some of the ultimate acoustics. It's mind mending !!

Light shows. A summer extra, free of charge. 
Lightening so close you can't look with your eyes closed.

No hurricanes. or earthquakes or tsunami. For that, and more, I'm grateful. 

Rain keeps us cool, or cooler than without.
Leeks in palapa roof to be expected.

Two tiny frogs seeking shelter, and 2 lizards have disovered cat food ! 

If it's not one thing it's another ! 

School is going great.  Google yelapaschoolproject.com or visit the facebook page. We are just getting going.

You can check on updates and areas where Yelapa students need your help.

Full moon we will not see in Yelapa tonight.
I can't even see Puerto Vallarta !

It's time to break out the lentils, and light the candles.

Power is on, for now, but in Yelapa, this time of year, you have to be prepared. 

One  ex girl guide signing off, with photos to come asap. 


  

Goodbye August ... Hello September

Sorry about the spelling mistakes ...

The old Chesley Chicken will be become the new Little School, starting with English Classes, and growing into Art, and Music, and maybe Cooking ? We shall see. It's a very small space with some room for expansion, but not much !
It's a fantastic start, and I'm excited to get started !

Church bell ringing now, at 6:15 am ... not sure why ??

Yelapa schools are looking for volunteers to go assist in English Language Learning. With more and more people coming to stay, I hope we can set up a volunteer program to give these kids a hand up. It's so important.

Yelapa School Project is the name of the new Website.
It's on your Google now !  We  haven't reached the final stretch yet, a few photos to add and change, drop down menu for more specific information, linking the Facebook page and accounting/ paypal procedures.  This means forming the committee to get this off the ground. Not sure how long that will take but it is now a priority, so before my next post is the goal !

One of the Yelapa Folklore dancers, from 1st year Prepa, has been selected to join the Puerto Vallarta dance group on their trip to CHINA !! On the 18th of this month !!  Outrageously exciting !!  Jenny Lorenzo, Neto and Lupita's daughter, from La Guera water taxi, Taco Ramona's Grandaughter !!
Can't wait to see her Thursday !!  

Rain overnight again last night, close to an inch every night last week. Good. 

Growing season is at her peak !! 

Enjoy your Days of September ...

Goodbye August

Buenos Dias Amigas y Amigos ..... I hope everyone is doing ok this extreme weather season ! 

I arrived home August 8th and it's been raining almost everyday since then.! 1 inch to 1.5 inches generally, with one or two 3 inch days. This is our rainy season so it's welcomed, the wind is a pain when your live in a Palapa, but I should be used to it by now !!??

Yelapa lost her long time friend Luckey Gillet. He died July 15th, thereabouts, of a heart attack, at home in Nevada City.
Just like that, with no warning, sitting in his chair. 
He was 73 or 74 years old.

A hugh blow for so many people, he probably made friends with everyone he met, if he liked you. Too bad he never got to writing a book, it would have been facinating. He will be conspicuously absent from the beach, and Tacos y Mas restaurant especially !!  

Sipriano's wife Marta died within the same week or 10 days.
With peace and bravery and lots of love around her. A brain tumor that was only diagnosed 6 months ago, or less ! She probably wasn't 60 yet. 

And then Marcos, " The " seller of jewlery on the beach.
Father of Daly, and Kevin, and Sergio, and Aron, and Vero, and Marcos  Jr. .... died tragically in the same time period.
The siblings lost their Mom only 4 years ago.
They were both early 60's.

I was away for all the saddness, and Life continues, with memories of good times and another Guardian Angel to watch over us !

So much destruction and loss around us.

I have Yelapa Hi Speed internet now, and Videos of Texas, and North Korea, and The CBC National News covering NAFTA, and Hurricanes are coming in loud and clear.

Is this what I really wanted ? No, but it comes with this package called Life, and in the world we live in now, it's harder to disconnect.  Yelapa doesn't feel so far away anymore ... but I'm grateful for the positive things Hi Speed brings, making my Blog, and Instagram, and Photos easier to enjoy !

Power has been out fairly regularly, partly there is work being done on the lines, and partly weather and faulty equipment. There was a sign posted to announce power outage on Saturday, 10 - 2, which was novel.  It did go out, but 3- 6 instead. Usually I'm not using any electronic equipment when it's raining, and stormy, and no power.

There are pin prick size holes in my roof, large pin size, and
water will come through the first few days of heavy rain, then they swell up and hopefully stay that way till the end ! 
Usually I know where they are, but there have been a few surprises lately !

And the bugs are bad in the summer, not like Northern Black Fly bad, but this is our time for mosquitoes, ( Denge ), and swarming termites looking for a home in the support beams,
( also not good ), and, we could change the name from rainy season to house fly season!
No seeems , and see ems,  you can't get rid of or swat buzzing around your ears and nose !

I bought, home made by local, bug repellant in Terrace Bay, and I love it. I could be her Mexico Representitive, it's so good, but I'd have to smuggle it into the country ! 

Burning coils, incense, no egg cartons yet !
Candles every night, prepared for power outage plus bugs love light bulbs !   Yelapa nights there is always a candle burning.

Many business here and throughout Mexico have a candle burning at the altar of their dead, day and night. 
It's lovely.

My neighbors, Maria and Jim, both seen by our new Doctors yesterday, we do have 2 full time now !! Both of them on antibotics but not serious. 83 and 85 respectively. No family.
Just us.

Changes at all the schools, again this year, with maybe the exception of Prepa, grades 10 - 12. That's where Im going this year, starting Thurday, twicw a week one 50 minutes ESL class. ..

to be con't ..