Friday, January 20, 2017

Settled in, Jan 10,2017


Greetings.

Trusting that you are doing well .

Things feel a little different here this winter, so many more Vancouver Islanders and Canadians in general.11 couples that we know of, from Alberni! And at least that many from Nanaimo. Powell River boasts a close second.
So, with that many English speaking people and the local store keepers learning our language, we rarely speak Spanish which was so essential a few years ago.
The other difference is our migrant worker project. Because of two hurricanes and flooded fields in the last four years, the pepper plantation has moved its crops to Cihuatlan
The fields here have been converted to watermelon crops which do not require the same work force. So, we have no families at our alberque, the chicken coop is empty, the fruit trees now bearing fruit, our sewing room and classrooms empty as well as the twelve living units.
Dr Rosa and the board members are working ion a Repurposing plan for the property for this term., leaning towards a women's shelter.
A group of 24 of us went out on. Monday and did a major clean and packaged all the donations of school supples, toiletries and clothing then distributed them to village schools.
The folks in the fruit garden were chuckling as they pruned watered and picked the fruit for a nearby school. One comment was:" good to see Gringos picking fruit for the Mexicans".!
Depending on crop rotation, we may have our migrants back next year.
Those who donated sewing supplies and material, thank you and please know that they were given  to the Cancer de Mama project in LaPenita  and some given to the women's sewing co-op here in Melaque, both organizations very appreciative.

We are back to a routine. I walk over the mountain Mon, Wed, Fri with some gals and do Pilates Tues, Thurs, Sat, last Tues with 72 others!
Dave continues to bike with the boys and play pickle ball five days a week.
                    We have had a day at La Manzanilla, the beach back to its pre hurricane state,
                   wonderful sand and a six mile stretch for a good walk.
                   Wednesday we wandered up to Perula to visit the Burgess. They are set up right
                   on the beach in their trailer. Stopped to see the Robinsons in Boca des Iguanas
                     as well, also right on the beach, at the other end of the six mile stretch from
                     La Manzanilla.

                     We also got to Coco Beach on Isla de Navidad, something I have wanted to
                      do for some time. Dave had been there on numerous occasions with his biking
                      group but 20 kms is a stretch for me along the busy 200 hwy.

                    We are now proud owners of two of Linda Campbell's paintings, both for our
                    home up north. She had a wonderful showing at the local gallery in Barra and
                  received great reviews. She is a Port Alberni girl who paints west coast scenes up
                  north and Mexican content in her five months here.

                   Dave is taking the Donalds and Bulters with him today so they can see the volcanos, salt 
                   fields and the lovely  city of Colima. They hope to get to Comala as well for the famous botano, 
                     free food...you pay for your beer and one course after another of appies is delivered to your 
                   table. Yummy!

We have been canning this week, made 12 jars of salsa, checked my grocery bill, grand total $7.90! And all those ingredients were picked with the last week! We also did a double batch of green pepper jelly, vegie relish and todays project is antipasto while Dave is in Colima. 
                  Life is good in Melaque!

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