5C's Que Pasa

Carmeh likes to use me to get to Colin. He caught her balancing act on the arms of our chairs.

...and then she made the leap!

I am still struggling with my cold, today is day 13 but I really do think it is on its way out.  I am on my way out also, I need some action so we are heading into Mazatlan for dinner tonight.

The boats are still huddling, not my problem, just saying.

Colin in the blue helping park our newest arrivals, Alberta and Steve from Colorado. Welcome to the Isla. We actually have had 4 or 5 new arrivals in the past week. Some are just here for a week or so and others for longer.

I neglected to welcome Sandy and Rex from West Virginia who are camped in RV2.  They came to check out the Isla thanks to my blog but because of my cold I have not spent any time with them, yet!!  I have only managed a very short walk in the past several days.

Remember the seeds I planted mid November? They are blooming and make a welcome to all at the front of our site.

I also planted some seeds in pots on our beach steps.

Colin has taken to raking the sand in front of our site just to make it look nice. Caeli wanted to be the first to make an impression 🙄

...and not far behind....

Yesterday we had 8 boats in the bay, I believe that is the record to date. Even the vendors checked it out.

This is our only horse cart taxi on the Isla and the driver sings lovely Mexican arias as he meanders along.

I wonder if Colin is going to give up the raking. Today's string of horses was rather long and fortunately they only left hoof prints!

Many happenings and once again just from my garden.

Tags: Isla de la Piedra, Mazatlan, Mexico, Stone Island, The girls, Tres Amigos RV Park

The day the internet here at Tres Amigos RV Park was repaired and  started working perfectly was the day that my new device arrived.  We don’t do iPhones or iPads, just plain old internet on a regular computer.  We don’t text nor do we want to.  We manage our lives and our business just fine as is, so why complicate it?  We both find that the computer takes more than enough of our time so I can only imagine how much more of our precious time the rest would take.

However I did have to learn about hotspots and their purpose.  Not only do I need something to connect to the internet with here in Mexico and as we travel through the country, we need something while transiting the USA.  A fellow RVer from Ontario found what he thought was the perfect device.  I agreed with him.  However it comes from Hong Kong.  So I ordered it on Dec. 3/13 and it arrived in Juarez on Dec. 24/13 and cleared Mexican customs in Mazatlan on January 8th and it was delivered to me here at the RV Park on the Isla on January 11th.

This hotspot can connect up to 5 wireless devices.

The device is a Sierra Wireless AirCard 754S Mobile Hotspot 4G LTE Router AT&T and I purchased it here on Ebay.  It was selling for $62.99 USD and with shipping from Hong Kong to Mazatlan it cost me $70.48USD.  There was no additional customs charge. A Virgin Mobile 3G/4G USB Stick sells for between $30.00 to $45.00 USD depending on if you can get a sale price.  However you can only use the Virgin USB in the USA.  I was going to buy this to replace my Verizon system I had been using which created nothing but headaches for me.  But now I don’t have to buy another device for the USA.

Because  this new device is unlocked I can use it here in Mexico with Telcel, in the USA with AT&T and if I wanted to, in Canada, with the Rogers system. Here in Mazatlan for the equivalent of $11.28USD we were able to purchase a Telcel SIM card and for $30.00USD I now have 4GB of high speed internet good for 30 days.  I can purchase more GB’s here on the Isla as I need it.

When we get to Yuma in April I we will purchase an AT&T SIM card for less than $10.00 and for $30.00 I will have 3GB of internet time, more than enough.  Best of all both Telcel and AT&T are pay as you go plans so from now on I will only pay for what I need.  Years ago when setting up our system with Verizon we had no choice but to go with the contract plan.  The only thing a Canadian needs to know is that  if you activate your AT&T account online you require a US credit card as your Canadian credit card will be rejected.  To overcome this problem you need to purchase a VISA type card hanging at any Walmart checkout and put money on it.  Yes you can use your Canadian credit card at the store in person.  This prepaid Visa card is now your USA VISA card and you can keep putting money on it over and over.

I can’t thank Bob enough for pointing us in the direct of this device. A true deal at $70.48USD with international uses.

The other hotspot in my life.

Tags: internet, Mazatlan, Mexico, Tres Amigos RV Park

You know how you like boondock in your RV and be away from everyone, so why would these boats anchor so close to each other?

We had five in last evening. The last two moored so closely to the others.

They have the entire bay to choose from.  Is it safety in numbers?

This one has been in for a few days now, obviously a Canadian.

Ishmael trimmed my bougainvillea yesterday. They have been growing like weeds.

Maybe its this great weather we are having.  I actually wondered yesterday about coping with the heat in March and early April before we go.

We put up another sun umbrella yesterday. Love the sun but even Caeli knows when to get out of it.

Life is very very good here on the Isla this winter.  No complaints at all.

Tags: Isla de la Piedra, Stone Island, sunsets, Tres Amigos RV Park

..I see many things.  Just because I haven’t been out and about due to my cold I am not missing the action.

Colin rescued this wee hummingbird from inside the neighbors RV.

We have 3 different varieties of orioles eating on our juice oranges.

That is one way to exercise a horse!

Anyone care for a game of darts?

This was a group of volunteers cleaning trash off the beach. They did a great job but none of the huge garbage bags dropped up the beach have been picked up yet. I imagine it will happen eventually.

Our piece of the Day of the Kings cake. Neither of us got the Baby Jesus so we do not have to host a party. Thanks for the cake Fern.

A new visitor to the beach. I watched them arrive and walk and take photos and then when he was about to leave he just had to do it. Make wheelies in the sand with his truck. Of course he got stuck and the tide was coming in. With a lot of digging he did get out.

They grow peanuts here on the Isla and this is the truck that harvests them.

No they did not put the boat in the water, just took if for a drive down the beach.

We refer to this vehicle as the Beverly Hillbillies! It showed up recently and we have seen it used to haul palm fronds, wood and an ATV. The fuel is in the red can sitting up top.

Life is never boring here on the Isla.

Tags: Isla de la Piedra, Mexico, Stone Island, Tres Amigos RV Park

Homemade soup.  Better yet soup in a crockpot!  Even better, not too many ingredients required, so no shopping involved. A big bonus was being able to make it even though I have little energy.

I received a comment on my post yesterday from Chris from  Living and Boondocking in Mexico ….

“Hang in there. There is a virus going around and the cold symptoms seem to hang on for weeks. It took us almost four weeks to get rid of it completely and we know people who went six weeks before they were fine again. Not sick sick, but the runny nose and throat clearing went on forever.”

That give me some hope to this never ending feeling of not being in top form.

Yesterday morning I made Vegetarian Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup gleamed from the internet.

The recipe from the website.

I mostly followed the recipe as written but I would not use 1 tablespoon of salt, it was too much, next time  I will go with 1 teaspoon.

Instead of the hot water I made and added 6 cups of veggie bouillon which of course likely added to the salt taste.  The soup was not over salted but I don’t think one really needs to add that much salt.

I also added 1/2 teaspoon of Liquid Smoke which added the ham flavor without adding meat. My crockpot was 3/4 full and was turned onto low at 10:00AM and we were eating very filling and enjoyable soup by 6:30PM.

The soothing soup was very rich and just what this doctor ( well in my case, nurse ) ordered. For the little amount of effort and time it took the results were worthwhile. Just be sure not to stir anything.

This is a good week for me to be back on smoothies. I have been able to find spinach and swiss chard so I am back to a more consistant healthy lifestyle.

With my first massage in over three weeks scheduled for Monday morning, I should be ready to find a dance floor next weekend  😛

Tags: health, medical, Mexico, recipe