5C's Que Pasa

Jan 04, 2014

Abnormal weather

We continue to have the most perfect weather which is abnormal! Most especially since the rest of Mexico as well as Canada and the USA are suffering. The temperature where we live in Kelowna is -13C ( 9F ), in Edmonton where my Dad lives it is -36C ( – 33F ) and in Winnipeg where Colin’s Mom lives it is -51C ( -59F ) with the wind chill. Here on the Isla at 7:00 AM we are 21C ( 70F ).

Our forecast continues to remain beyond fabulous.

Temperatures are not always so warm in January and February. We have seen many extremes.

On February 3rd in 2011 it was only 6.6C ( 44 F ) and as you can see we RVers were well bundled.

That year Colin would wear a heavy sweater inside!

It was so cold that Marcus our night watchman wore 2 layers of pants. We set up a hot drink station for him and let him sit/ sleep in the back of our car to stay out of the cold.

We are currently basking in our abnormal weather. Hopefully our temperatures will continue for the next 6 weeks before the really hot weather returns. If this is global warming we are happy. I’m sure that those of you North of us will disagree with me.

Tags: Isla de la Piedra, Mazatlan, Mexico, Stone Island, weather

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Jan 03, 2014

The day stared with a huge bang…

…and went downhill from there.

Seriously, we heard a huge bang first thing this morning, almost like pieces of metal clashing together or one extremely large and very loud firecracker. Of course the girls were frightened and started shaking. Shortly after I found that one of the girls had upchucked in 2 places on sofa ( thank goodness we cover it with blankets ) and on the carpet 😥

Doesn't everyone travel with extra blankets? So once the blankets were washed and hanging outside and the new ones in place, Carmeh struck up this pose." Really Mom I didn't mean to make so much extra work for you? "

Not 30 minutes later I spotted Carmeh on our bed with two gleaming patches of oil on her back!!!!!!

Colin started with Simple Green and lots of rubbing. No go. So then he took her down to the beach and started rubbing sand on her back as an abrasive. Back up to our site and more Simple Green and water and rubbing.

I was so flustered at this point that I forgot to take photos. Too much happening too fast….and then the day went further downhill.

I discovered that Caeli had several patches of oil on her back and all of one ear coated in the stuff.

Wipe with paper towels, spray with Simple Green, rub with sand and almost drown the dog in the surf. Back up to the site and more Simple Green and more water and more rubbing off with towels 😡 Finally got the mutts cleaned up but they were not allowed into the RV until they had dried off and we rechecked them with a white cloth to make sure that they were no longer oily.

We have seen them coming out from under the RV a few times. Not a problem or so we thought. Seems that there was a really good scent under the motorhome this morning and they were on the hunt. We did have this problem once last year when Caeli had a cat cornered high up somewhere near the generator in front. She got coated in crud then also.

Poor Colin put on his coveralls and went underneath with a roll of paper towels to sop up any excess oil and lubrication.

I finally managed to get my teeth brushed by 11:30AM and have my first coffee of the day. We were pretty much worn out by now. The poor girls knew they had done something wrong but had no idea what or why we were washing them so much.

So many funny things happened on the beach today. It appears that Home Depot delivers to the Isla. I missed it when the truck came in this morning driving down the beach, full of cement bags, but did catch this as it left.

The weather has been the best ever in our five winters here. Hot and sunny. My garden brought me much joy today.

Have I created a hybrid? Two colors in just a few blooms.

Then three exquisite blooms on one my hibiscus plants.

Things are right in my world again and the girls are back to getting hugs and lovies. You might say that January got off with a bang!

Tags: garden, Isla de la Piedra, The girls

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Jan 02, 2014

The first sunset

January 1st was a quiet and relaxing day. We just sat and watched the activity on the beach from our garden.

The girls stuck pretty close to us.....they weren't too pleased about being left alone on the 31st.

Caeli had a special visit from a new boyfriend.

Lynne and Millie had a good time in the surf.

Three sail boats in our bay!

A very quiet and gentle beginning to the New Year.

Tags: Isla de la Piedra, Mazatlan, Mexico, sunsets, The girls

Comments(4)

Jan 01, 2014

HAPPY 2014!!

There were many ways to bring in the New Year on the Isla and in Mazatlan. RV2 chose to go out as a group to a restaurant on the Isla. The majority of RV1 chose to have a bonfire with appetizers and music. Colin and I decided to go all out and headed into Mazatlan to celebrate.

We decided to celebrate in style at the Plazuela Machado.

Sadly shortly after my last 2013 sunset photo in yesterdays post it began to rain, just a bit and then a lot. The RV1 bonfire began at 6PM and they were quickly rained out. They retreated to their RV’s for a short time and once the showers ended they came back to the fire. Back and forth between the rain showers until the one big deluge that almost ended the evening. The group is a hardy bunch and eventually got the soggy bonfire back on track. Colin and I were still home during this rain getting ready for our night out. Mexicans don’t start their evening until much later so we didn’t plan to leave until just after 8PM.

It had rained in town also and there was no where for the water to go.

At 9PM the tables were empty and wet!!! That wee table for 2 in the middle was our table. This is important as later we would be surrounded not by strangers but friends. Once we sat down they brought us a dry tablecloth. By now there were only infrequent drizzles. As we were situated under a tree we were just fine.

I think we ate shortly after 10PM.

The food was gourmet and very hot. The dorado fillet was cooked to perfection and served with a lovely sauce.

The large table to the right in the above photo was for the group associated with the Cultura Arts in Sinaloa. Colin is here with our friend Gordon Campbell, the maestro and conductor of the Culiacan OSSLA, the Orquesta Sinfonica Sinalo de las Artes. I met him a few years ago while attending the Sunday symphonic concerts he brings to Mazatlan from Culiacan.

Seated at the end of the large white table to the left in the above photo was Rodolfo and his wife and daughter and all of his wife’s family. They were at a different restaurant but we were so close it didn’t matter. We knew he was going to be at the Plazuela but not where. Who knew we would be sitting side by side? So we were surrounded by friends last night.