5C's Que Pasa

I planted some seeds in the soil about Nov. 12th, shortly after we arrived here.

Daily watering and the heat of the sun soon had the seeds growing.  They grew quickly with little care.  But grow they did.  Was I growing at the rate they were?  I think not.  Perhaps I relaxed too much, but don’t recall any major growth spurts.  Sure I’ve gained a few physical pounds while here but what about intellectual growth??

The bud, the promise of things to come.

It is so easy to get into a routine that you follow day after day, reading, music, walking, visiting and so on….but is it enough.  What more could I do to promote inner growth?  Think back a year, are you in the same place now that you were then, doing the same things over and over?  Is that growth?  Won’t we shrivel up if we don’t push those grey cells?  It’s something I have more to think on…meanwhile I’m more than happy with the fullfillment of my packet of seeds.

…passed very quickly.  Sunday morning after coffee & fruit we wondered over to Pizza Benji’s for brunch.

Heriberto played several pieces, Colin played a few and then Isela sang.  A bit later Isela and Heriberto sang together, always special to hear.  We were treated to an impromptu concert by Jon, a fellow RVer from Ontario, Canada.  Our Culiacan family really enjoyed his playing and singing.  It was great for them to be able to sit back and enjoy.

Jon later turned his chair and took centre stage. Colin backed him up with his guitar. We are a musical bunch.

Later Heriberto gave Colin a bit of a music lesson while Isela and I relaxed.

Soon it was time for dinner.  The boys had gone into Mazatlan and just as dinner was served they appeared.  I had no idea that dinner was going to be served at 9:30PM so how did they know???

Both the beans and the salmon were a success!

I truly have no recollection of serving dessert outside at the fire. I took this photo so I know I was there. Hopefully we didn't disturb the neighbors, it was close to midnight before the dishes were done.

I started the breakfast prep about 9AM, we ate inside about noonish! The weather here is so chilly that to set up outside was too big of a risk! Yummy hotcakes as they say here in Mexico. We have always called them pancakes.

They left about 2:30PM Monday, back to Culiacan, leaving us to reflect on the fast pace of the past several days.  It was a very busy time, hard to believe that we packed so much in but very rewarding.  Now to just sit and relax a bit…..

In true Mexican style the concert started 15 minutes late.  But oh what an event.  It was everything we had hoped it would be, the weather cooperated and we truly had a sunset concert.  The hotel did a magnificent job feeding 100 people and we heard that the food was excellent.  What more could you ask for?  Well perhaps a little dancing music!  Enjoy the photos….we are off for more fun with our Culiacan family.

The weather was a bit iffy at first...

...more people were seated to the left, about 100 in all!

Maestro Heriberto Soberanes

Isela Soberanes

Concert day!

What we wake up to...taken at 8:00AM

We have been checking the weather forecast almost hourly for the past few days. The concert is to be on the patio of the Maria Coral Hotel overlooking the ocean.  The ocean that we just barely see.  The good news is that the sun is trying to peak through and brighten our day.  We sure hope so.

Colin & I have spent the majority of our time preparing for today.  From securing the venue, doing the promotion, taking reservations, distributing tickets, overseeing the menu, arranging the tables, checking the sound systems and arranging for the necessary equipment to be brought in to accommodation of our guests and their needs.  We took a trip over to Mazatlan to purchase supplies.

Always a scenic ride across the channel.

Fun to travel limousine pulmonia style!

Back on the Isla it was all work and no play, cleaning, cooking, and rechecking with the owner of the Maria Coral several times per day.  He is a bit worried as the to magnitude of the first major event at his hotel.  But also very excited.  Great to be working with someone who appreciates detail as I do.  Heriberto, Isela and their two sons ( no girlfriends this trip) were scheduled to arrive mid afternoon yesterday.  I thought it would be fun to introduce them to a pot of Canadian style beans.    

You know the ones I mean, where you soak them for 15 hours, change the water, simmer them for an hour or so, add mucho tasty ingredients and then slow cook them for another ten hours.  Yes, those!!  Those extremely tasty beans.  I was curious how they would compare them to the Mexican style frijoles…ours would be much sweeter of course.  I had plans for a grand meal including wild salmon, etc.  Only this was not to be…the family was not coming….that is not coming now until Saturday afternoon.  It seems that the elder son who plays bass guitar had a gig last night and the family would wait and travel together on Saturday morning.

We quickly reminded them that the concert was to start at 4:00PM!  So now I shall spend the day hoping and praying that all goes well on the road from Culiacan to here.  Last year when they visited us here it took close to 7 hours to do a 4 hour drive!!!  Colin made maps and sent very specific details for this trip.  So in typical Mexican style we wait!  We wait for the Soberanes family to arrive.  We wait for the weather to improve.  We hope that we will all be warm enough during the concert.  We pray that it will not rain.  We do know that will be a fabulous event.  We do know that close to 100 will be attending.  We do know that I will be into the margaritas sooner that later today.  So let’s get on with the waiting………………………..

If you recall back on Dec. 28 I introduced you to the critter..

http://www.contessajewall.com/oldblog/2010/12/28/el-tlacuache/

That night Molly the Kat  had her Dad make a trap…

the bait was cat food...but the critter got away...

The next day we had a vendor in the park selling cantaloupe at the incredible price of 5 cents CAD each or 4 for for 20 pesos.  We left the fruit outside overnight to ripen and discovered that this was a favorite fruit of the critter….

It dragged its prize under our steps for the final feast...only the seeds and a wee bit of rind were left! And a HUGE mess to clean up!

So Colin and the girls said enough and proceeded to build a trap…

..and of course cantaloupe was used as bait!

On the second night, success!

That's it say the girls, it's the one that was scratching in the wall all night! Great job Dad!

So Carl says" let's go, let's go" and off they drove, about 6 KMS down the beach to release Mr. Critter.

Adios!

Or so we thought…not three hours later the neighbors saw ‘a critter’ scurry past.  Shortly thereafter it was found in another Ford!

Lots of guy talk on handling the situation...

About the same time we had sealed our hole in the RV ( Dec. 23)  another couple did the same.  They were the ones who thought they had a cat in their basement.  So now with one critter trapped and released and another hanging out in Fords…what was to come next.  So the men devised a few traps but to no avail.  We know that the critter Colin caught was not the only one but for the past week we seemed to be critter free.

…….and then last night or very early Thursday morning it was soon known to all that in fact another critter was in our midst!  The smell was out of this world, trust me you will be happy no smells are associated with this blog.  But our friends who thought a mere cat was in the basement of their RV found out otherwise.  No sleep for them.

So in the morning after much checking & searching and the bringing in of very special sniffer dog Carmeh and her handler Colin…

…the smell was localized to a specific area in the RV.  A highly trained firefighter use to dealing with animals ( AKA as Dale) in vehicles was brought in and soon enough Mr. Critter was discovered.  Sad to say but suffice to say he was no longer with the living!!

So now the battle of the critter versus Tres Amigos is over…..nada!  You have to know that the critter that died in the RV was sealed in about Dec. 23rd and we have had ‘critter’ sightings since then, even after the one that Colin & Carl set free.  Stayed tuned for the next episode!