February 28, 2015. Ridgeland, MS. The Farm.

We have loved the farm but now it is sold. And we are delighted. The new purchaser is the perfect buyer and will use the farm the same as we have done. In addition they will use the Jays to farm the property so everyone is happy. Ken and I have no sense of loss. Our memories are deep and long but we are ready for the next stage of our life. In fact, this afternoon we looked at homes with our agent and we have written an offer. Now we will see the response from the seller. The home is on the reservoir. The first floor is perfect to us so we hope to come to terms with the seller. We are ready to live in a home with more space for ourselves and also for our friends and relatives when they visit. Ken and I are ready to move along with our lives. It is very exciting.

February 27, 2015. Ridgeland, MS. Appointments.

It was Dedicated Doreen and Reliable Rita that made the difference. Today at my appointment, Dr. Sheehan, my Oncologist thought I looked wonderful. And we have made progress. Monday I take my 4th Infusion. Ten days later I take a Pet scan to find out what is really happening to me. Perhaps I will switch to oral Hormonal medicine. The next appointment was with Dr. Abraham, the Pulmonary man. He listened to my chest, had me take an X-ray, then removed my catheter. There is very little fluid in my chest which is a good thing. Next Friday I take the stitches out and I will be normal. He also thought I looked good, better than when he installed the catheter. Irene reminded me that I am surrounded with friends and relatives holding me up. She pointed out that with Clever Christina, Reliable Rita, Dedicated Doreen and Wonderful Wendy, I am bound to get better…and I am doing just that!!

February 26, 2015. Jackson, Mississippi. Home!!

Finally, we are at home in our condo. Christina picked us up at the airport and we went directly to eat home made chicken soup and visit with the girls. In our absence, Christina has had two bathrooms redone and they look wonderful. Also they did some painting. Kate's bedroom is now a pale lilac color and the kitchen cabinets were painted too, so everything is looking great. I love projects. Mary Frances and Molly made cookies while Christina was picking us up so we ate fresh baked cookies for dessert. It was wonderful to visit with them and see their eyes sparkle. And we had another first tonight too. Christina drove our truck to the condo while Kate drove their van. Ken did not think it wise for us to drive after a travel day so they drove us home, with me driving with Kate for the first time. She is an excellent driver, I can report. Now I have put away my stuff and soon will go to bed. I have early appointments with the doctors. It is always wonderful to return home even if you have spent a pleasant visit in Mexico. But it is cold here. 36 degrees. I am going to bed to keep warm!!

February 25, 2015. Houston, Texas. Snow and Ice.

Who would dream that a flight from Houston to Jackson would be cancelled due to snow and ice. But it happened. Clever Christina was watching the weather forecast. It did not look good so she suggested that we book a room at the hotel at the airport, the same hotel she stayed at both coming and going from PV. So she did book us a room, so when the flight was cancelled just at the last minute, we were in good shape. The two young men just wheeled us both over to the Marriott Hotel. We did look a sight with both of us using wheelchairs. I wore my scrub hat plus a mask and use the wheelchair because I am unsteady. Ken used a wheel chair because he walks very slowly. We are quite a pair but it works just fine. Houston airport is big so with a combination of electric carts plus the train along with the wheelchairs we were going to make the flight on time. But the flight was cancelled so the young men just wheeled us over to the Hotel. And the hotel people rolled us up to our room. The first thing we did was order room service; A steak for Ken and salmon for me. Something good comes from everything. Tomorrow morning, Richard and Marilyn will come for a visit and a cup of coffee. but first we will order breakfast in the room. and we will enjoy sleeping in because our flight leaves at 5. We hope the snow and ice will all be gone by then.

February 24, 2015. Nuevo Vallarta, Mex. The Lockers.

The system is excellent. We fold our clothes and fill our two lockers with our belongings. Our shoes stay here too along with the bird books and maps. We also leave soaps and detergents. But never food. One year we left two containers of penne pasta in the locker. When we returned one year later, the pasta was moldy. Our friends left their shorts and shorts carefully in plastic boxes, purchases at Walmart, but when they returned, there was mold over the clothes and on their shoes. We knew to keep the clothes fully aired so we just stack up the clothes and leave them in piles. Rita and I put our first load into the locker when we moved from our own unit. Then yesterday Ian and I put all the clothes that I had carefully stacked into the remaining locker. After dinner tonight, we will take another load, then say goodbye to our clothes for another year. Next January we will once again empty the locker, wash all our clothes and wear them for the months we are here. The system works very well as long as you have very few clothes. But with the laundry facility in the apartment, Ken and I have plenty of clothes so for us the system is excellent. All we need to do is to arrive with our backpack and our medications case. We are then ready for the season!!

February 23, 2015. Nuevo Vallarta, Mex. Celebration.

We did it again. The Riviera Mayan Grill is our favorite spot to celebrate. Tonight, Ken and I took Rita and Ian to celebrate our successful stay in Nuevo Vallarta. Our dinner was delicious but the celebration was the most important. When we first started out to come to Mexico it was not clear that our visit would be a success. But it has been a big success so we have good reason to celebrate. We four walked to the restaurant which is a feat all by itself. I walk on Ian's arm while Ken walked beside Rita. We are quite a sight especially as Ken wore his shorts that don't touch his waist. Ken is not sure that we should be celebrating until we actually return to Jackson. The weather is not looking promising in Mississippi so Ken suggests we hold off the celebration until we are safely home. But we celebrated anyway because our time with both Don and Doreen and Rita and Ian has been a delight. Something good comes from everything. Without my dire disease we six would never have gotten together. But the four of them helped us on a practical way and also keep us distracted, so we had a lovely time together. It certainly was worth celebrating tonight and we enjoyed every minute of our celebration dinner.

February 22, 2015. Nuevo Vallarta, Mex. Appearance.

This winter has been an odd season for us in Mexico. Mostly we have stayed at home. And we look odd too. I have little hair and am unstable on my feet while Ken has taken to wear clothes that make him comfortable. We all four laugh at his clothes. He wears shorts with no elastic in the waist. He is supposed to pull the tie tight to his waist but instead he leaves them big, with his suspenders holding up his shorts. The shorts don't touch him anywhere around his body. Instead the shorts just hang and look very odd. Ken has multiple scars on his back and his back gets sore if his waist band presses on his back so he has taken to not allow any pressure to his back. Ken agrees that neither of us are fit for the public but while we are at home, we don't care. We are just comfortable…but we do look odd.

February 21, 2015. Nuevo Vallarta, Mex. Oops.

Today was one of those days that keep you humble. Oops was the word of the day. Originally, we booked into our condo until today. Ken checked with Cindy, who books all the units, to see if we could extend for a week and we were told yes. At least, that was what we remembered. What we were actually told was that our unit had been booked but we could move into another unit for the additional week. Somehow or another, we forgot the second part of the message. We finally figured it all out, with the help of the man in charge, so at 2:00, we quickly needed to move into another unit, which was right at the end of the same floor. Rita and I moved some things to the locker and quickly packed up our belongings. A very nice staff person came to transport everything from one unit to the other while at the same time time the cleaning ladies were making our unit ready for the new owners, who were waiting downstairs to take possession. Ian was already at the beach so knew nothing about the shift. Soon we were in our new unit, just a mirror image of our own. This evening we watched the sunset from a different angle and we could watch the folks sitting on our old balcony enjoying the warmth. We moved quickly and soon Rita was at the beach along with Ian. But Ken and I were duly humbled.

February 20, 2015. Nuevo Vallarta, Mex. Only Men Aloud.

There is nothing better than listening to a good men's chorus, especially if they are from Wales. I spent two hours this afternoon listening and watching the men's chorus Only Men Aloud. They are wonderful. The group became prominent in 2008 when they won the BBC contest The Last Choir Standing but they were good before then and they are good now. The group is a professional group of men who make their living singing. They sing beautifully and their presentation is interesting and slick. I only wish I could see them in person. This spring they will tour Wales, Scotland and England but so far, no tour to the US. I spotted them 2 years ago when watching the boys group Only Boys Aloud when they placed second in the contest Britain's Got Talent. Up until then, I had not heard of the group Only Men Aloud. My ignorance. Now I listen to them at every opportunity. This group is a delight.

February 19, 2015. Nuevo Vallarta, Mex. Curling.

The Scotties Tournament of Hearts has been going on for over a week, held in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. We have enjoyed every minute on TV. Like everything else, to enjoy watching curling you must know quite about it. By now, Ken and I understand the strategy. Rita still curls and Doreen watches curling, which is the only sport she will watch on TV. She watches no football or hockey but will watch as much curling as she can get. The tournament has been excellent. Up until now, we have watched the round robin section. The top four teams meet for a playoff on Saturday and Sunday. It is exciting to see which four teams will get into the final four. We are fortunate to be watching the tournament, which is the ladies Canadian championship. We would not be able to watch it in Mississippi. In 2 weeks, the mens championship for Canada will be held, called The Brier, but I feel sure we will miss it. No one watches curling on TV in Mississippi. Actually, most people in Canada don't watch curling either, especially my friend Mary McD. I have yet to get her interested in the sport. But we enjoy it even though we have never curled. It is a big sport in Canada, but not as popular as hockey!!

Scenes 2/15

February 18, 2015. Nuevo Vallarta, Mex. My Window.

The window is actually a door. It leads to the balcony from our bedroom. The door stretches from floor to ceiling and from one side of the wall to the other. When I take a rest in the middle of the afternoon, I look out at sea and can watch the fishing boats and sail boats moving around going hither and yon. In other words, I look out from my bed to observe a beautiful sight. It was worth living here for two months in order to look out on that view. From the beginning, we were not sure that coming here for the winter was a good idea. Certainly many folks advised against it. But we persevered and in the final analysis, our visit here was a great success. The warmth and the sea air made us happy. And we were both able to walk each day, if only just on the corridor. Without Don and Doreen and Rita and Ian our life would have been impossible but the 6 of us enjoyed each others company as well as helping us. And of course, they were happy to enjoy the beach and the pool while they were doing their good deeds. Tomorrow, Don and Doreen leave for Toronto. They must await next year to view the scene from the windows. It was worth coming here, just to see that view.

PV Friends

February 17, 2015. Nuevo Vallarta, Mex. Celebration.

Today we celebrated in style. In truth, we had much to celebrate. Doreen and Don leave on Thursday for Toronto. Six weeks ago, they travelled here to look after us. Four weeks ago Rita and Ian came to help too. Next week on Wednesday, we all depart, Rita and Ian for Ottawa and Ken and I for Mississippi. Our time together has been wonderful. The four of them did all the shopping and cooking and cleaning up. They even came with me for my walks on the balcony. Today we celebrated the success of our visit to Nuevo Vallarta. We chose the best restaurant we could find, which was the Porto Bello, right across the canal. From 1 to 3 we ate the best food in town. And we drank good Mexican wine. The weather was glorious so sitting by the river overlooking the birds and the iguanas kept us all busy and enjoying ourselves. Rita took lots of pictures of us all too. We all six were pleased to be together. we all six enjoyed the warmth and the sun in Mexico but most of all, Ken and I were grateful for their help. Today we celebrated in an attempt to say thank you. Our lunch was delightful.

February 16, 2015. Nuevo Vallarta, Mex. Danny Kaye.

My friend Kitty sent me a You Tube video called How Jazz Was Born, by Danny Kaye. I spent the following two hours watching and listening to Danny Kaye videos. He was so clever. But I had forgotten all about him. Tomorrow I will look up his bio but today I just relished his talents. And such talents he had. He could sing and dance as well as being a comedian. And he knew and loved opera. I watched him at the Metropolitan Opera. He entranced a full house of young people as he explained to them all about opera. He sang opera along with the many opera singers. It was fun and funny with wonderful music as well. And I saw Danny Kaye dance with Gene Kelly and sing with Louie Armstrong. In fact the two of them sang a whole song in scat together. It was such fun. Another video was 15 minutes with Danny Kaye, showing segments from his TV show. I know almost nothing about Danny Kaye, except he was born and raised in Brooklyn, as was Beverley Sills. I know that because he mentioned it when he introduced Beverley to the audience at the Met. The show was filmed in 1975 so she was young. We also saw the tenor from Spain with a full head of hair. I wonder if we have the same talent on the entertainment scene today? Danny Kaye was a very multi talented individual and I am appreciative that Kitty sent him along to me. I had a delightful time this afternoon with Danny Kaye.

February 15, 2015. Nuevo Vallarta, Mex. Hair.

From my neck down, I look great. But my face is a wreck. My hair is odd. In the third week after my first treatment, most of my hair fell out. Big handfuls of hair came out every time I touched it. I was left with a residue of whispy hair all over my head. I assumed the rest of my hair would fall out after the next treatment but this has not happened. In fact, the hair that I have seems to be growing. It looks ridiculous. Every day I check to see if the last bit of hair will come out, but so far, it is firmly attached to my scalp. I asked Gill what is happening to my hair but she does not know. She thinks that most people lose all their hair. When I meet with my Oncologist in Mississippi I will ask if my hair is behaving in a normal way. It seems odd to me. Of course, when I go out I wear a hat but at home I leave my head bare, which means that the folks at home are subject to my ridiculous hair. But I have lost my double chin so it is not all bad. This hair is a puzzle.

February 14, 2015. Nuevo Vallarta, Mex. Lunch Outing.

Normally we eat lunch out often here in Nuevo Vallarta. But this year is not a normal year so we have stayed in the condo for most meals. Today was Valentines Day so we 6 went out for lunch. I suggested the restaurant at the Golf Club. Ian and Rita had not yet dined there so before they leave, I thought they should make a visit. And of course, being totally selfish, I enjoy eating lunch there. You sit right at the edge of a large balcony overlooking the 18th fairway where you can watch the players from the beginning to the end of the hole. The setting is beautiful and the food is good, so everyone agreed on the Golf Club Restaurant. We took the shuttle which was easy and we had perfect seats overlooking the green. As is normal in Mexico, the service is slow but we expected that so we ordered an appetizer. Lunch became our main meal as the quantities were ample. All 6 enjoyed the setting and the food and I was pleased with our choice of restaurants. And I did fine although getting on and off the shuttle was not easy. I have become very weak in my limbs, which is what it says in the list of side effects. But Ian hauled me in and out so all was well. The lunch outing was a big success as we celebrated Valentines Day.

February 13, 2015. Nuevo Vallarta. An Ordinary Day.

Despite it being a Friday the 13th, we spent a perfectly ordinary and delightful day in our condominium. The day was overcast so no one went to the beach or the pool. Instead we sat on the balcony and read and talked and enjoyed each other. Rita is the only productive soul in the house. She is embroidering patches for a quilt she is making for herself. While we are busy reading, Rita picks up her needle to work. So far she will have completed 5 of the 12 necessary for the quilt. When all 12 patches are completed, she will lay them out and decide the colors for the strapping and the back. The rest of us use our devices to listen to movies or to read. I of course, took my normal three naps, but all for short periods of time. Tomorrow, I might resort to two naps for the day. Everyone tells me to rest but no one tells me how much. I just lie down when I am tired, assuming that the medicine works best when I am at rest. The only activity we had all day was when Don and Doreen walked to the market. Our meals were delicious and everyone was happy just being together. Of course, we are coming to the end of our time here but I am still astonished that we are all happy and content staying all day in our condominium. We 6 spent an ordinary but delightful day here in Playa Royale.

Views from (street) Balcony

february 12, 2015. Nuevo Vallarta, Mex. Music.

The other activity I can do now is listening to music. You Tube videos are a great source of pleasure. This morning I listened to 90 minutes of The Marine Band playing Souza marches. I believe they have recorded all 136 marches that he wrote. The band is excellent, based in Washington, DC. It is a small band, 36 players, but each player is a superior player, and the total band is a joy. Each week I receive You Tube choices, all selected for my taste in music. I have great fun listening each week. In addition, on the side I can select other videos I might like. Of course, I like a lot of them from vocal to band and I spend a lot of time listening. Some weeks there are bunches of Salvation Army bands while today it was the Marine Band. You hear people speak of The Good Old Days, but when it comes to music, modern technology with music is wonderful. Here I can sit in my living room in Mexico and listen to one of the best bands in the world, using only my iPad. You must admit, it is a wonderful world.

February 11, 2015. Nuevo Vallarta, Mex. What I Can Do.

My early upbringing has been a big help with my present situation. In our family, the focus was on what we could do. And we were grateful for what we had. I don't recall any complaints about where we lived or of the style of the furniture. The Salvation Army provided us with a house fully furnished and we were not to criticize or to find fault. We did not long for things we did not have, nor did we long to be able to do things we were unable to do. We just did the best we could with the talents we had. Right now, my life is constrained but my focus today has been on the things that I am able to do. I never pine for what I can not do. Dwelling on those things would only make me feel bad so I ignore them. This afternoon, while resting on my bed looking out the huge window to the sea, I listed in my mind all the activities I am able to do. The list is quite long, which surprised me. Just today, I did laundry. And I twice walked the outside corridor. My leg exercises I was able to do too. And I ate three meals, plus ice cream for dessert. I am able to talk with my friends and relatives and e mail messages to my e mail friends. And I can read. The list goes on and for that I am grateful. But my attitude started all those years ago from my Buckley Family.

February 10, 2015. Nuevo Vallarta, Mex. Singing.

For many years, whirling around my brain was the words of hundreds of songs. I knew all the words of hundreds of popular songs plus all the hymns and choruses I sang as a kid. Often, I could sing several verses of the songs we sang as Songsters plus many verses of the hymns. I even could sing several verses of Oh Boundless Salvation. But all that ended when I went loopy and lost my words. I also lost the words to all the songs. It took awhile to realize my loss and I did nothing to try to get the words to the songs back into my brain, because it did not really matter. The music was still there, perhaps because the music is in a different part of my brain. The result is that I know the first line of hundreds of songs, but nothing beyond the first line. When I walk the corridor, I sing the tune in my brain of some cheery upbeat tune suitable for walking. Then I make up the rest of the song. Some of the first lines also might be in error. One line I sing is "Singing along the highway of my heart". No one in their right mind would pen that line so I probably made it up. Another chorus I sing starts out "Happy now, I am so happy now". As I have no idea what comes next I put in lots of different things. It is all foolish but it keeps me amused. Perhaps the aging process has erased the words to the songs but I don't think so. It happened all at once. So I still sing in my brain, but the words are all new and many are ridiculous. But who cares.

February 9, 2015. Nuevo Vallarta, Mex. Side Effects.

"How is this possible?" I said to myself. On the list of side effects for the medication I am taking are constipation and diarrhea. Being simple, I assumed you would have one or the other. But I was wrong. In week one, you have the D kind. In weeks two and three you jump to C. So you get both side effects, one after another. I did laugh. At first I refused to read the list of side effects as I know the mind is powerful but after a few weeks I decided to find out if what is happening to me was expected. For instance, I had lost a bunch of vision, especially in my left eye, so I wanted to know why. Turns out that loss of vision is on the list. And it seems to be getting worse. Today I reviewed the list again and I was relieved to know that I do not have ALL the side effects. Just most of them. I am weak in my limbs. My tongue tingles all the time. My joints ache. My stomach is definitely not normal. My hands and feet tingle. My bones hurt. My hair is mostly gone. I can eat small amounts at a time. But I am walking and talking and am able to eat a good diet. And I am distracted by my friends both near and far so life goes on, despite the side effects. All these side effects are on the list. Now I hope I don't get all the rest!!

February 8, 2015. Nuevo Vallarta, Mex. Blood.

The system for ordering blood in Puerto Vallarta is different than at home. On Wednesday, we took two vials of my blood to the blood bank at the hospital. My Oncologist had called to set up the blood. On the way home, Doreen and I took a cab to the hospital. I waited in the taxi while Doreen took the samples to the blood bank on the send floor. The next morning, on the way to get the transfusion, we stopped again to pick up the blood, carrying it in a styrofoam box provided by the Oncologist. When we arrived at the doctors clinic, I received the transfusion. It took ten minutes after the transfusion began for color to return to my cheeks and scalp. It was amazing how speedy I came back to life. Up until then, I looked like a ghost. I can not recall ever receiving a transfusion of blood and I hope to never need it again, but it did the job.

February 7, 2015. Nuevo Vallarta, Mex. Don and Doreen.

Several people have e mailed me, asking how Don and Doreen became friends. After all, it is unusual for friends to drop everything and come to help without batting an eye. And of course, they have been helpful in every conceivable way, and we are grateful for that. We four all have Salvation Army background. We met at the Danforth Corps of the Salvation Army when we were teenagers. All four were born to Salvation Army officers. When we met Don, his parents were retired officers and Ken's Mother had left the work when she married, but Doreen's parents and mine were active duty officers. In fact, Doreen's father, Clarence Wiseman became the General of The Salvation Army. So we four were born and bred in the happy environment of The Salvation Army. We all four did what kids in The Salvation Army all do. We sang in the Songsters and the band and were active in Youth Group so we saw a lot of each other over the years. We married within a year of each other and we kept in touch, even when we moved to Texas. Don and Doreen, after their children were launched, became Captains in The Salvation Army, serving in Costa Rico, Mexico City and Newfoundland. Since we all retired, it has been easier to get together. They have visited us in Nova Scotia more than once and to Nuevo Vallarta too, also to the farm. And of course, they have attended all our anniversary celebrations. We have been friends for over 60 years. They have been a great blessing to us and we are grateful for their friendship. But it all started many moons ago in Toronto, Canada.

February 6, 2015. Nuevo Vallarta, Mex. Happy Cafe.

We would never have found this restaurant in a million years. The only thing signifying a restaurant was a statue of a chef stuck on the outside wall. No signs at all. One of the shots I needed to get at the Oncologist yesterday was delayed on the courier so Doreen and I decided to go out for lunch while we waited. Dr. Courvis gave us three recommendations, all within easy walking distance. We chose the closest. Doreen spotted the chef stuck to the wall but when we arrived all we could see was a hole in the wall, with two benches for waiting and the kitchen directly behind. We were afraid it was only a carry out. But Doreen asked if they had an area where we could sit and a lively lady assured us that we could walk through the kitchen into their dining area, and we could have lunch. So we did. The dining room was large with 30 tables We were alone. They serve lunch at 1:00 but we were there at 12 so we ordered from the breakfast menu, which was fine. It was a wonderful restaurant and one we would have never found on our own. Doreen and I call it The Hole In The Wall Restaurant but they actually call it The Happy Cafe. We were certainly happy. The food was excellent and the price was low. We were happy.

February 5, 2015. Nuevo Vallarta, Mex. The Taxi Driver.

You know all about the attitude. When a person is in a foreign country and tries to speak the local language, you are treated with great joy. Yesterday I observed this attitude from the back seat of the taxi. Doreen sat in the front seat as she had directions to the hospital. We had to stop at the blood bank at the hospital, wait for Doreen to carry my blood sample, then drive back home. The taxi driver was about 50. When she gave him directions in Spanish, he turned to her with great joy and exclaimed how wonderful it was that she was speaking spanish. All the way to the hospital, they chattered away in Spanish, both obviously enjoying the conversation. When Doreen got out, I expected the driver to turn to me sitting in the back seat and talk to me. But he did not even turn around. I stayed mute, which is not an easy thing for me to do, but I wanted to see if he really was going to ignore me totally, which he did. Doreen returned after ten minutes and immediately their conversation continued, all the way back to the condo. It was am amazing display of the pleasure of finding a gringo speaking spanish. Doreen was not aware what was going on. Of course, she did not know that I was mute the whole time she was in the hospital. She expected he would be talking to me too. The driver was a friendly guy but he was not interested to talking to the very white lady wearing a hat in the back seat. But he loved chatting with Doreen, and her to him. What a difference a bit of language makes in attitudes.

February 4, 2015. Nuevo Vallarta, Mex. Treatment Day.

The medicine is working. My fluid will not drain off my chest. We thought that the catheter was stuck, but this morning at the Oncologists office she listened to my chest and agreed that I have fluid in my chest, but she wanted me to have an X-ray before doing anything. Doreen and I took a taxi to a walk in Radiology clinic and within an hour, we returned with the X-ray plates in hand. The place was busy but efficient with lots of doctors, technicians and nurses on hand to help. I could not have done the drill without Doreen. Her Spanish skills were invaluable along with her moral support. The Oncologist read the X-ray to discover that the fluid in my chest is now below the level of the catheter. Clearly, according to her, the chemotherapy is killing the fluid in my chest. This is a good thing indeed. In addition, while my treatment was being done, the nurse sent my blood to the lab for testing. The labs here call in reports in hours. It turns our that I am very anemic, which is why I look like a walking ghost. I am also weak and need of a rest morning and afternoon. My shortness of breath is due to the anemia, not the fluid on my chest. Tomorrow, I will have a blood transfusion. I should feel better immediately although the first week of treatment is always difficult. Treatment number three is now over and we have made progress.

February 3, 2015. Nuevo Vallarta, Mex. Cruise Ships.

They look their best when leaving the harbor at night, with the lights twinkling in the pitch black. But we watch them come in the morning too even though we can only see the shape of the big ships. Many cruise ships visit Puerto Vallarta. The dock area for the huge ships have been expanded so now several ships at a time cam come and visit at the same time. Normally, the ships come into port on Tuesday or Wednesday. We play this game of what ship it is from the distance. Then Ken looks it up on the computer and we know what ship it is and when it will arrive and depart. They just stay for the day. Today, two ships arrived this morning and departed tonight. Of course, we were on duty to watch as they left, although one left at 7:00 which was right at dinner, but the 8:00 departure we watched. By the time we can see the ship from our balcony, it was pitch black. Fortunately, all lights were lit on the Princess Star. It looked like a mystery ship. Rita and Ian have not taken a cruise so we answered their many questions, including the good question of what happens if someone is left on the dock? Perhaps we don't have much to do, but we do have fun tracking these cruise ships in and out of the port. I guess we are easily amused.

February 2, 2015. Nuevo Vallarta, Mex. Rain.

The sun worshippers are not pleased. For two days and two nights, we have had rain. Steady rain. This afternoon we finally saw the sun but just for ten minutes. Then it started raining again. When folks come to Paradise, they expect blue skies and sun. When they get rain, they get surly and everyone complains loud and long. We on the other hand, understand that you do not need to shovel rain so we ignore the rain. The air is still warm so we can sit on the covered balcony and watch the rain, which is actually quite pleasant. While they were watching the rain, they also spotted lots of whales and their babies. Big spouts and small spouts. Ian commented that we do exactly what they used to do at the cottage when it was raining. You read and talk and wait for the rain to stop. This afternoon, Rita and Ian walked to the mall at the only time the rain had stopped, but on the way home, the rains came again. But they had been in the condo for long enough. In all the years of living here, we have never seen such sustained rain. A couple times we have seen a short period of rain but nothing like this, where the rain just keeps coming, day and night. It is actually kind of interesting. But we never sit in the sun anyway. We want warm air!!

February 1, 2015. Nuevo Vallarta, Mex. Super Bowl.

Ken and I have seen every Super Bowl, as have most people our age. But no game has been better than todays game. We have seen boring games and we have seen blow outs but this game kept you on the edge of your seat. You never knew for long who was likely to win the game, at least until the very end. It was an exciting game. Congratulations to The New England Patriots. They are the Champions. Ken and I have also attended every type of super bowl party. We have attended parties big and small but we quickly decided that we prefer small parties at home either with family only or with a few friends. The first Super Bowl we were living in Galveston and we watched with our friends Bev and Lenore Ittman in their home. We had no television so they invited us to watch with them. I even remember that we ate pizza. Tonight we watched the game with Don and Doreen, Rita and Ian, down at the Hotel in Don and Doreen's suits, as their Tv was better than ours. And we ate pizza. Our party was perfect for us. I don't have much staying power so Ken and I came home at half time but Rita and Ian stayed to the end. They are happy, as they were cheering for the Patriots. Don cheered for Seattle while Ken and I did not care who won. We just wanted a good game, which was what we got. Great game. And good pizza too.