Nov 3, 2014

Settled into 46A Cedro for the winter, all is well on the home front with our wonderful Mary Ann in our home for the third winter. We are so lucky to have this arrangement. Win-win , we say.

The biggest change is the finished brick streets and no dust in the apartment. Last winter was constant construction, equipment, noise and dust. Life is good!

But the rains came and brought the hills to the bay!!  The lagoon broke and we had no swimming for three days

lovely new street

our sunny dining area

with a view

milk truck drivers stop for breakfast at Felix

leche= milk

for you Dawne and Wendy, memories of Rosemary almost "getting run over by a bus"!!!

the storm brewing

the palms are dancing

the canal has flooded

Some changes we noted on our bike ride through Melaque this morning:

Esmerelda's is gone, she has re-opened in the former Campisito

Tito from Bigotes is in old Concha with his yummy ceviche.

Our abbarote owner next door, Joaquim had a funeral for his wife this week, she is also mother to Jerry (Horse) and mother-in-law to Esmerelda.

Our landlady has her sister Maria from Guadalajara with her now and  brother Filipe spent a week here as well.

Marian from Bungalos Paraiso has the annual Coombs crowd

Our bolillo baker man has disappeared with his clay oven

Happy Cow has moved over beside our green grocer.

Our laundry lady, Angel has sold her business to her daughter and son -in-law, who came by for a visit and have offered pick up and delivery. They have also moved over to el jardin area.

The campground across the canal is not so busy this year, six units settled in. We are missing Linda and Harvey, they choose to go to Cancun this year. the campground at Tules has only 4 units and the one in town, four units.
Many campers have chosen to fly and rent this year because of the big increase the price of gas.

Our bikes, now going into their fourth season have rusted over the wet summer months here so they  had a visit to the bike doctor. Both of us needed new cables, brake pads and gear changer and I have a brand new tire. Dave bought a new seat for his marathon bike rides and I inherited his old one, a bit more comfortable than mine. next year I will bring my Canadian seat with me.

I meant to bring oven mitts and Canadian towels as well but will make do with non drying skinny towels we bought here.

Nov 21
That was three weeks ago already!!

We seem to whiz through the days here but a schedule is in place that works for us with a small threat of being too busy!! How does that happen??

I go to school Wed to Friday mornings, attend pilates Tues and Sat mornings, Dave either bike rides or hikes with the guys every morning.
A 4 o'clock swim in the bay is very refreshing and then a rooftop dinner
 We play bridge Thursday afternoons with the club and any other afternoon someone is available, attend church on Sundays and a study group Thursday evening.
Every Monday is reserved for the bus ride to La Manzinalla with friends  where we walk the long beach, swim and have a great lunch at one of the many great beach restaurants.

Dave is back at the alburque with his team of painters, this year doing the inside of the migrant workers rooms, the back of the clinic and tiling the laundry area. Tuesdays and Fridays are the days for those work bees. Friends have arrived with cash from fund raisers they held up in Canada so a lot more can be done this year.

We are going to Edmonton for Christmas week. BRRRR but our son promises to meet us at the airport with snow suits!

So now, we head for the 450th anniversary celebration in Barra of the first expedition to the Philippines. It promises to be an evening of speeches, music and dance. A well known band form Chapala will share its talents.