5C's Que Pasa

Jan 17, 2019

It was not a good day at all

I am still reeling from a summons I received yesterday to jury duty for next month. The first time I have ever been called. Fortunately the people looking after our mail spotted the official envelope and contacted me to see if they should open the envelope. The trial is scheduled to last a full month. It is the law to respond to such a summons. I am still working on getting out of it. If you have travel plans and can show prepaid documentation that is enough to be excused. RVing is a bit different with no such documentation. I think it would be most interesting to be a juror but I am not going back for this. Fortunately having just recently turned 65 I am able to use that as a way to excuse myself. However I don’t want to take myself off the list permanently but just for this particular trail which must be a big one.

It was a busy day so we only did just under a two mile beach walk. I watered my garden, checked for aphids and did my usual trimming. I have a hibiscus which has at least a third of it’s leaves turning yellow 😥 Meanwhile Colin was dumping our tanks and setting up our flushing system. We just got that repaired last Saturday so today was the first time we have been able to flush our tanks since last April when the problem began ( we were flooded then as well ).

I was outside and heard his cry ” I need towels, lots of them, we are flooding! ” I rushed inside to see water, smelly water, all over the place. Long story short, Colin believes that the RV tech reversed the lines when he but them back into place. Remember that he had to take our oven out as the valves are behind it. So as Colin was flushing the black tank, the grey tank was filling and once it was full, it filled our very deep shower ( can be used as mini bath ) and then proceeded to overflow all over the floor and the bedroom carpet. All I can say is that at least we didn’t start to flush the grey tank as we would have had the black tank contents spewing out the vent at the top of the RV all over the place and onto the RV next to us.

I only had time for one quick shaky photo.

I had a 2PM appointment in Mazatlan to get my hair colored and cut. The name of the boat is the Albatros.

Colin left the messy stinky clean up to drive me to the embarcadero where I took the lancha across to Mazatlan and then a pulmomia to my appointment at Tippy Toes.

Taken from the Isla embarcadero.

I walked into Tippy Toes and was asked how could they help me 😯 Umm, I have an appointment. “No you don’t, it is for tomorrow” I disagree as I did make if for today the 17th. “Sorry, come back tomorrow”. I borrow their cell phone to call Colin to come and pick me up in 30 minutes. Once my hair was to have been done then Colin was coming in to get his cut and then we had plans to go to dinner. He was as surprised as I was. So instead I walked over to Panama Bakery to pick up croissants for dinner. They only had two and I needed four. So I ended up buying some type of pan which I have no idea if it is suitable ( I will let you know once I finish this post ). My impromptu meal plan was lox and creme cheese on croissants.

Then I could not find a pulmonia to get me back to the embarcadero so I started walking up and down and about 10 minutes later I found one 😕 The lancha was ready to go and Colin was waiting for me on the Isla. First thing I did when I got back here was to check my email from last September which showed that I was in fact correct in that my appointment was for today and not tomorrow 🙄 Not my mistake.

So two major problems today. The flood due to the RV tech and the appointment botch due to someone not being efficent. It really did affect our day.

Even Mother Nature was not happy.

Comments(9)

Jan 16, 2019

Twas a glorious day

Last night was a first. I made vegetarian enchiladas from scratch and they were very good. Might have been the Italian wine influencing the flavors.

Another perfect day in paradise. Sun, blue sky, heat and no one on the beach to speak of.

We had a great walk but I had forgotten the camera. So we missed the photos of the dolphins swimming beside us just where the waves were breaking 🙁 But actually it was wonderful to just be in the moment and not worry about taking photos. An unforgettable memory was made. With no camera I could not record that Colin saved three starfish from a certain death. As the tide was going out, waves threw them up onto the sand on their backs, upside down. By turning them over they would survive. The dolphins were still there when we came back almost an hour later. Yes we walk just over 3 miles each day on the beach and them more here in the park.

Looks like they were about to let netting out to catch some fish.

Car carrier heading out just before sunset. I was surprised to see it head north. Perhaps to Cabo San Lucas.

As it left a tuna boat came in.

Our neighbors and their friends just a few sites over had decided to walk up El Faro to see the sunset. Wonderful idea. So as I took this photo they were up there climbing ( on the right ).

I wonder what they saw that we did not.

I may have got carried away with my sunset shots tonight.

A shrimper waiting to come in.

My unexpected artsy pelican photo.

The sky was interesting.

I hope that your day was as wonderful as mine.

Comments(8)

Jan 15, 2019

Que pasa

Well after two perfect days we are back to gray sky and humidity. Pretty empty beach.

However we did have some surprise visitors the other morning. For the second time ever in my nine winters here, we had some whales come along to entertain us. So much fun and there was even a baby who did a lot of jumping out of the water. They stayed within view of the RV park for over an hour.

However we continue to walk every day. I was disappointed today to find that someone had dug up a live starfish to take as a souvenir. A dead dry starfish would be merely laying on top of the sand. As the tide was only just going out it was obvious that this one was was killed 🙁

Yesterday Colin changed our sediment filter. Really very clean considering we have been here exactly two months. When we were in Acapulco our filters were green with slime.

Yes we do have a complicated water set up. Two hoses to the back ( one for my plants & the other for car washing or for Ismael to use ), another to the water softener and then to the water filters ( sediment and carbon ) which go to our water tank and then one more to the front for my plants and for washing our feet when we come off the beach. Plus one extra white hose ( coiled ) for flushing our tanks. I should get a photo of all the valves 🙂

I was doing some research on my blog ( that is how I recall things ) and came across what our newly planted back garden looked like back in the spring of 2012.

One year later, in 2013 you can see the growth as well as the addition of two palms which I had planted in the fall of 2012. They had grown well over that winter.

Just for the fun of it I took this photo yesterday. I now live in a jungle.

Some fun facts. Now I know why I see so many fire trucks from Grand Prairie ( Alberta ) on them. Donated and driven down here.

As it was a dull day I spent most of it inside working on the computer. I looked out at the sunset and it seemed dim. A few minutes later I was like wow, so I rushed outside.

…and it only got better.

Comments(16)

Jan 14, 2019

The walk, part two

One of my favorite new homes. So much new construction. Surprising. Business must be good because of the new road.

Well that is one way to get your PVC pipes from point A to B.

What a beautiful tree for this mechanic to have set up under.

What interesting decor. Can you see the four different heads?

A close up of two.

Love the color, the decorative pillars and the boat mid left. The sidewalk is the same design as those pillars.

A new mini restaurant. First time I have seen anyone there.

This is the home that we went to get sweet potatoes for Carmeh when she was so very sick. We were desperate for the sweet potatoes and I saw a several large bags by their door. I went in and asked to buy some but they just gave them to us. Lovely people. The house used to be purple and now has had a facelift and a new paint job. The fence, gate and driveway are all new. That is the gym on the right.

A barbershop on the Isla.

Do you get the name? Should be haircut!

Another people mover aka a monkey wagon bringing in a bunch of tourists to one of the restaurants for the day.

Looks like a cemetery for old pangas.

Traffic jam of old parked trucks.

Pickles are impossible to find in Mexico. However I did find two different types in one small tienda here on the Isla. Sweet pickles and dill pickles. Totally amazing.

Only on Sundays the owner of this home offers a comida del dia/special of the day up top. I have been told that the food is excellent and most reasonable.

Shortly after returning home from our long walk, Eric the RV tech showed up and did three things on our to do list. This was a big one and he had to pull out our oven to get to the problem. So grateful that he had time to see us. We still have a few other things to get done but the priorities have been addressed.

A very fun afternoon on our beach. RVers from our park sitting out in their chairs, a new fellow from the back row pulling their boat in out of the water while Pierre is about to head out for a sail in his catamaran. A really wonderful day here on the Isla.

A splendid ending to a perfect day.

Comments(12)

Jan 13, 2019

Saturday was one of those perfect days

It was a lovely day yesterday, a perfect temperature, sunshine, blue sky and a light breeze. Perfect for a walk into the village. I needed to put some money on my iPhone. For 200 pesos/ roughly $10.50US, I get unlimited calling and texting within Mexico, Canada and the USA plus some data. The only problem is that those back at home can’t contact me unless they have Mexico in their phone package which most don’t. However it does work for me to contact clients, Colin’s Mom, our propane company back home when there was an issue, etc.

I forgot to mention that we had four sailboats in our bay.

Several of my hibiscus bloomed. I have been having a small issue with aphids but just spraying them off every other day takes care of that. No new bugs this morning.

I love my birds.

I was zooming in from the far edge of the yard as I did not want to disturb him. His beak goes quite far down into the orange.

This is what you see as you come out the RV park gate. The tree is in the middle of the large intersection. If you go to the left of the photo into the shaded area you will drive right down to the beach and likely get stuck in the sand:) Can you see the horses in the middle? They are heading out to pick up some riders.

An empty lot right on the beach. It has remained empty for nine years that we know of. The shed was added last year and I believe the black tinaco/water tank was added after we left last April.

From the empty lot I got a shot of these two heading out. Turns out they were just tacking back and forth for a few hours. You can see their dinghy’s trailing behind. They returned for the night yesterday but were gone this morning. You can also see more dust above the sails. Colin wonders if perhaps it is a grease of sorts.

Even walking we had to wait. Those boats have been parked there for a long time.

Always lots of vivid color.

There are so many of these little stores that you have to wonder how they make any money. In another block there are four, one on each corner.

There are two choices to get filtered water. A five gallon garrafon/water jug costs 12 pesos delivered.

We also have a police station of sorts on the Isla. If they are out in the truck there is usually no one there.

Across from the police is the chicken lady. Only on Saturdays and Sundays does she roast chickens which come with sides as I understand. Yes I did ask to take her photo. We don’t eat chicken but I have been told that her food is excellent and she always sells out.

A very large yard with a long red & white fence. The yard is mostly filled with vechicles including several tractors. The house is small and is painted hot pink.