March 31.2016. Madison, Mississippi.. The Bathtub.

The scene was fraught with danger.  At any time Ken could have slipped.  Trying to get him out would  have been difficult.  But we were looking at the funny side of the picture.  I was the helper, standing by to assist.  Ken had the warm water running into the tub trying to get himself down into the water.  We should have made a dry run and tried to get into the tub with no water, but it was too late.  He was half in and half out…and we had the giggles, so we quit.

Our new home was built 25 years ago at a time when elaborate bathtubs were in style.  Our has stairs up to the large jacuzzi tub with fancy tiles surrounding the area.  It looks splendid but is useless because we can not get in out out, at least not so far.  We have yet to even fill the tub, let alone get in.

Today we made a trip to Home Depot and bought fancy holders to help us get in.  And we bought a bench and two hand holds that suction onto the tub to help us out.  The purpose is to soak our legs.  Both of us might benefit from regular soaking in warm water.  Ken read it in a new study of neuropothy legs.  When all the hardware is installed, we will try to get in and out when the tub is dry.  We knew that getting older was difficult but it did not occur to us that getting in and out of this fancy tub would be our undoing.  Too funny.

March 30, 2016. Madison, Mississippi. The Art Show.

We were afraid we would miss the whole show but the owner of the gallery agreed to humor us and keep the show up until our return.   One of the pieces actually had been removed but Marci asked for it's return so we could see the show intact.  Ken and I along with Christina and Kate arrived at 11:30 which was perfect because no one was there but us.   Kate's portrait was the first painting you see upon arrival. which set a high standard.  We loved the whole show, but perhaps the most impressive  sight was her name in big bold letters on the stark white walls.   It seemed to make a statement about her as an artist.

Eleanor Greaves Sutherland is a good friend of ours.  She and her husband have been extremely gracious to us since we moved to Mississippi.  But Eleanor is a wonderful artist who made her living as an artist before she married and had four children.  She has been painting all along but this is the first solo show she has had in 15 years so it was an exciting event.  Her work was beautifully displayed and very impressive.  Most of her work on display has been sold.

Friday evening, Eleanor and Jim are coming for dinner when we will hang our new painting,  purchased  at the show.  It is a beautiful white on white still life.  Eleanor said it was the most difficult piece she ever attempted.  Now it is ours.  I can't wait to see it hanging on our wall.  Since we first saw Eleanor's work we have wanted one of Eleanor's paintings.  Now we have our very own.  We are so very pleased.

March 29, 2016. Madison, Mississippi. Scans.

This morning very early at 7:00, I had my scans, both Pet and Ct.  The technician was late.  He had a flat tire but we got it done.  The most difficult part of the scans is holding your arms over your head the whole time you are in the tunnel.  But I was a good patient and was still as a mouse.  Then I saw the Oncologist who thought that I looked wonderful.  She suggested that the time was not right to diet.  In fact, she said that nothing pleases an Oncologist more then to see a patient who has gained weight.  Because of the delay with the test, the results were not read when I left.

But she called late in the afternoon with very good news.   The scan showed no signs of cancer in my body.  No fluid in my chest and none in my bones, therefore no need to continue the Ibrance which is specific for fighting breast cancer.  Now I will take Letrizole only.  Dr. Sheehan commented that the results from the scans were as good as you could possible get.  Ken and I are pleased but we are not ecstatic.  We both know that cancer cells can hide,  mutate and come back in another form.   But for the moment, we will enjoy our success.  Modern medicine along with healing hugs and many prayers have won the day for the moment.

March 28, 2016. Madison, Mississippi. Airport Security.

We had no difficulty with security not only going to Mexico and but also returning home, but not everyone was so lucky.  Many folks took so long getting through security that they missed flights.

In Jackson, even being in a wheel chair took ages clearing through security.  The machines were slow.  The bags were being hand checked.  Many times the conveyor belt did not move at all.  Ken and I always leave plenty of time at the airport but many folks had left only an hour and they all missed their flights.  They were not happy.  When they complained to the officials, they were reminded that their ticket tells them to be at the airport two hours prior to their flight, even though Jackson is a very small airport.

Going through Dallas was worse.  Again, we left plenty of time between one flight to the next but not everyone planned for a long delay.  Especially coming home, I thought a major  altercation might occur.  The security folks were not to be moved.  The number of officials was insufficient for the number of passengers.  There were only two lanes open to get through security.  People were frantic.  They were missing their flights.  They were begging but the belt would not move.  Evidently many people were carrying liquids in their bags which means that their bags must be opened.  The officials were cross and the passengers were upset.  Security was tight, especially after the mess in Brussels.  One couple had missed two flights on the same day, both due to security problems.  Unfortunately it will be the sign of the times to leave lots of time between flights just to be able to clear through security.  Ken and I were just lucky.

March 27, 2016. Madison. Mississippi. Feels Like Home.

We like our new home in Mississippi.  It seems like home.  Always when we have been away,  on our return, something does not work properly.  Usually we have trouble with the TV and Internet as when we are away, we order the service to be put on vacation.  But no problem this time.  We changed our service to AT&T and much to my surprise, the services were turned on before we returned.  We have always given the same instructions in the past but we still end up with a call to restore the system to active.  Last evening when we returned home everything was in order with the bed newly made and with groceries in the fridge placed there by Christina.   I thought that everything was perfect.

This evening, I sat st my desk.  When I left for Mexico, I closed the front to make it tidy but when I tried to open the desk it was locked.  How can it possibly be locked?  I don't even know that a key existed.  But I have been locked out of my lovely little desk.  Chantes will be here working on the deck so I will get him to help me.  I know I must have had a key but I can not find it now.  It must be magic for the desk to have gotten locked without a key.  My new home is magic!!

March 26, 2016. Madison, Mississippi. Decisions.

Sarah has made the decision.  She will attend The University of Texas in Austin for college.  We received a text from Suzanne where Sarah was flashing the horns sign so I knew right away that the decision had been made.  After all, she was Texas born as were both her parents.  In addition she has always lived in the city.  Looking at Furman University a few weeks ago must have been quite a contrast with the Texas campus.  When Sarah toured the U.of T. with a group from her school, she really only went because her friends were going, but she was surprised to discover that the school had it's appeal.  She commented to me that there were always things happening, so she applied.  But it was not at the top of her list, until now.

Congratulations to Sarah.  She will begin her University career at The University of Texas in Austin.  It is all very exciting.

March 25, 2016. Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. Moving On Again.

We have eaten our last supper and it was a good one.  Our setting was perfect, outdoors overlooking the sunset on the decking at a restaurant at Paradise Village.  The food was excellent.  The food is better than I remember.  Evidently they have a new executive chef and he has added zing to the menus.  One of the pleasures of life here in Mexico is eating outside each evening.  We will miss it but we are moving on.

Don and Doreen look forward to make major changes with their living arrangement.  They intend to sell their home and buy a condominium.  It will be fun for them but a lot of work.  Ken and I return to Mississippi and our new home.   We still have several tasks not yet completed.  And we must deal with our Ford Escape.  Kate has been driving it but she rear ended a truck so Ken and I must make a decision as to whether or not we should just send it to the scrap heap and take the insurance money.  We must figure it out.  Poor Kate is upset but I suspect she will be more upset if we decide to scrap the car.

We all four leave Mexico tomorrow.  Our time in Mexico has been lovely but now it is time to move along.  We are ready for the next stage.

March 24, 2016. Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. March Madness.

Perhaps it is the enthusiasm of the athletes.  Perhaps it is the energy of the fans.  Maybe it is for the nostalgia of watching those games for all those years with the boys, but I still love to watch basketball in March.  Some years we are not able to watch many games and I don't miss it at all.  Life goes on without watching the tournament.   But when I have time, and when I am in a place when I get to see the games, I feel as if I am in basketball heaven.

No one else other than me in our house  enjoys basketball.  Don and Doreen will watch lots of curling but do not enjoy or understand basketball.  Ken does not in love with any sports on TV but he humors me from time to time but he has little interest in March Madness.  As we have three TV's, I steal the living room TV for basketball.  The others are banished to their bedrooms if they want a change of channel.

Big games tonight.  Maryland playing.  And Duke too.  At the moment, they are both losing but not by much.  I don't care who wins really but I always cheer for ACC schools.  And I always wish for the underdog. I have no clue why I cheer for the lower seeds but I do.  This tournament is hugely entertaining for me and I don't really know why.  I guess it is tradition.

March 23, 2016. Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. Expectations.

As parents, we have every expectation that your children will outlive us and will help us with our old age.   But as we know, some times our expectations are dashed and we outlive our children.  This has happened to us and now it has happened to my friend Sara Lou Cardwell, whose son Bradley died of a heart attack at home in Charlotte this morning at age 45.

How can this be, you ask yourself.  Brad was thin and fit, apparently healthy, but now he has died.  This is unbelievably sad for Sara Lou and the rest of the family.  Brad was a fine fellow who worked with Rupert Landscaping with Andrew and David during summers at college.  Over the years we knew him well.  He always had a ready smile and the energy needed for the task.  He was helpful for his mother when needed.  And his daughters will now be forced to remember his memory.

The main problem when a friend is in distress is to know what can be done.  I feel helpless.  All I can do is to keep her in my prayers and send her my support via e mails but the hard part of recovery will be hers.  She will need all her strength and faith to deal with her dashed expectations.  This too shall pass, but she will miss Brad for the rest of her life...and she will be grateful for the life that was Bradley Cardwell.

March 22, 2016. Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. Tea Time.

Some customs are worth preserving.   Afternoon tea is one of the finest.   Most afternoons, Doreen prepares hot tea.  We sit on the balcony in the warm air and monitor the comings and goings  on the canal, while we sip our hot herbal tea.  The tradition is lovely.  The public dock is a short way along the shore so we watch the tour boats disgorge the people from their excursion of the day.  We never know where the boats have gone through the day, so we just guess.

Every day we see three large boats loaded with people.  Half the folks are unloaded here in Nuevo Vallarta and the rest continue along to Puerto Vallarta.  We think those boats went to the islands to snorkel,  kayak and swim.  Two big sail boats return full of people too.   There are too many people on the sail boats to be just sailing but we have no idea where they go and what they do.  But every day they motor past us and dock briefly at the public dock to leave most of their people.  Then they too head south to Vallarta.

The water taxis are busy during tea time.  They constantly take people across the canal, or they head further south to the old city.  In addition, two small boats of fishermen  use circle nets to catch bait, which the pelicans follow everywhere.  Our tea time is  interesting and pleasant and is a wonderful addition to our life in Paradise Village overlooking the marina.

March 21, 2016. Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. The Steak House.

Ken has been wanting to have dinner at Steak 159 this whole winter season.  This is the restaurant which so kindly served our family New Years Eve dinner way before the place was open.  That was two years ago.    It has taken us that long to get back.  Going out for dinner last year was difficult but this season we were not willing to ignore the place.  We are running out of nights as we leave Mexico on the 26th.  Tonight was the night to enjoy their good food and to say thank you  to them for being so nice to us.

Dining outside is pleasant.  We four sat in the corner by the railing and enjoyed the warmth of the evening.  The moon was bright and big which added to the charm of the evening.   Nothing happens quickly in Mexican restaurants so we ordered a bottle of wine and relaxed.  We did what we never do.  We all ordered appetizer or salad.  And we ate steak.   The servers were charming and we enjoyed our food and each other while we whiled away the evening overlooking the canal.  I wonder why it took us so long to get there?

March 20, 2016. Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. Voyeurs.

All week we have admired this large boat, which was tied up in front of our balcony.  From our third floor balcony, we were able to watch the boat and the people without them ever seeing us,  which made us true voyeurs.   Our attachment to the boat, which was named MY WAY, was such that we looked up everything about the boat on the internet.   It is 123 feet long and 23 feet wide and requires a crew of 4.  The boat was refurbished by a Russian in 2003 and now is available for charter.

When we first moved into our apartment in Paradise Village,  nothing was happening on the boat so we just admired it.  On Monday, two young men cleaned the boat inside and out, which continued on Tuesday.  That boat was spotless.  On Wednesday, one young lady with a pony tail and a clipboard wrote down lots and lots of words.  Along with her were two young men, one with her and the other with the boat.  They seemed to be inventorying each item on the boat.  On Thursday, two young women and another young man moved into the boat.  They left for dinner with two other friends, perhaps the two who wrote down all the words.  It would have been much easier for us had we been able to hear what they were saying!!.

At 4:00 on Friday morning,  I heard the boat motor, so I got up to investigate the action.  First the young men removed the electrical and water lines and stored them on the boat, a not insignificant event.  By now, the two young ladies were holding walkie talkies and standing at both sides on the rear.  Finally, a man removed the lines and the big boat slowly left the slip and slowly turned up the channel to the sea.  And they were gone.

We had decided that the young man in charge was not the owner.  He was too young.  We think the four were the crew and were either taking the boat to take to another harbor or to pick up the owners for an excursion.  We had great fun being voyeurs with the MY WAY.  Now the slip is filled with a smaller boat registered in Toronto.  We want to know how the boat got from Toronto to Vallarta.  But we will never know.

March 19, 2016. Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. Brunch.

Every day the golf club serves a small buffet breakfast.   We knew it occurred but we had never partaken... until now.  Yesterday morning, instead of eating our normal breakfast we took the 10:30 shuttle to the golf club and we ate brunch.   We sat at the edge of the balcony and watched the golfers putt on the 18th hole while we ate out excellent breakfast.  This is the last week we will be here for 2016 so we are trying to catch up on things we have forgotten.  It seems silly that it took us so long.

The brunch was excellent with eggs prepared any way along with several Mexican breakfast dishes.  The fruit was ripe and ample and the sweet rolls wonderful.  We four ate our full and more.  We made it our main meal of the day.  And the whole thing cost $8. each.  Ken and I have a couple of restaurants we want to visit before departing.  But we better get moving!!

March 18, 2016. Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. Accidents.

We own an Escape, an old Ford Escape.  In the years when we always flew to Texas we drove it.  Once it was stolen from David and Suzanne's driveway but we got it back, non the less off and have been using it ever since.  Then we started driving from Maryland to Mississippi and Texas so we left the Escape in Mississippi and drove our truck back and forth.  It sat in Christina and Andrew's driveway, which they drove once a week.  When Kate began driving, we added Kate on our insurance policy and told Kate to used it, which she did.  It has served her well, even using it now at college.

This morning, when driving behind a truck on a residential road, the truck suddenly stopped.  Kate braked but was unable to avoid hitting the truck.  The truck is fine but the Escape was crushed and leaking.  The assessor thinks it will cost $3600. to repair the car and as the car is old, they think it is a total loss.  Poor Kate is upset.  She is a careful drive her but she hit the truck from the rear, so it was her fault.   And now she has no transportation to college.  Right now she is on spring break but soon, Christina must drive her back which is not nearly as good as driving yourself.  But most of all, Kate is upset that she has ruined her grandparents's vehicle.

We have tried to tell her that Ken and I are grateful that she is OK and not in the hospital.  And we tried to have her understand that it was only a car not a tragedy.   Kate will probably never have another accident  in her life, but the first one is traumatic for everyone.

Ready, set - another balcony view Piscatore

March 17, 2016. Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. Time to Plan.

One of the pleasures of life in Mexico is that you have time to plan.  Here,  we are not inundated with schedules and we have no list of things to do.  Instead we talk and think of what we should be doing down the road.   Ken and I have planned long trips while in Mexico, only some of which we have taken, but are still in the back of our minds.  One day we might be able to take those long train journeys  .

Don and Doreen have caught the spirit of Mexico and have been figuring out what to do next.  They live in a bungalow in Whitby, east of Toronto,  but they have been discussing moving to a condominium.  During this visit, they have decided to down size, sell their home and move into something smaller.  They have been spending time on the internet checking out options for where they might live.  I am preaching the gospel of selling their house first before they even look at condos.  I hope they are listening even though my information is out of date.

Last year we sold the farm and planned to buy a home in Mississippi.  This year, Ken and I have decided that soon we will fly from Mississippi to Texas and keep a car in each place, but not yet.  Our quiet time in Mexico is an excellent place to plan for the future without the normal distractions of activities.   Don and Doreen have found so too.  It is a great blessing to be able to have the quiet to plan ahead.

The Paradise Bar 3/16/16

March 16, 2016. Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. Two for One.

The bar at Paradise Village over looks the sky and the pool and the sunsets.  The glass is top to bottom so it is a pleasant place to sit and talk with friends.  Each evening, from 5 until 7 they offer drinks of two for the price of one, so when you order a beer you get two placed right in front of you.  This evening we invited Cathy and Ted to have a drink with us in the bar so when we ordered, our tables got full of 12 glasses.  It looked ridiculous but was fun.  In addition, we were given four free drinks upon arrival, which we did not take.   Tonight we took our free drinks along with the 12 glasses all sitting on the table.  For our free drinks we ordered cans of beer so we returned to our room with four glasses full plus four cans of beer to put in our fridge to be used tomorrow.

Cathy and Ted are new to Playa Royale and have never been to Paradise Village so it was a good opportunity for them to look over the place.  Tomorrow night they are dining at Il Piscatore so we will be able to wave to them from our balcony.  And next summer at the beginning of August they are coming to visit Nova Scotia on their way to Newfoundland.  We have enjoyed their company and look forward to seeing them again in Nova Scotia.  They have already booked their place for next winter at Playa Royale too.   Rita got to know Cathy by the pool and we are delighted she did..  We six partook of the 2 for 1 drinks at our bar tonight, toasting our new friendship.  Hurrah for 2 for 1 Happy Hours.

From the Balcony

March 15, 2016. Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. A Busy Day.

There is a beehive of activities on the boats at the marina.  We have been busy watching them all morning, ever grateful that those boats do not belong to us.  Starting on Monday morning, the boats are being scrubbed, polished and varnished, done by local folks but not the owners.   One boat we thought was heading out to sea but it turned out to be only moving the docking to a place we can not monitor.  Since we arrived here on Saturday, we seem to be feeling possessive of the boats directly in front of us.   We think one boat is having a party tonight.  The boat has been thoroughly cleaned and I overheard a cell phone conversation about 16 people coming.  We will await their arrival.

Today we go from the sublime to the ridiculous.  Our dinner last evening was superb.  Now we will walk to the mall and eat our main meal at noon eating pizza.  Dominos has a two for one special so we will have plenty left over for tomorrow.  Last evening we three brought home boxes of our leftover food so our cook will not need to cook today, which is a good thing.  We are so busy monitoring the activity on our boats that we have no time for shopping or cooking.  Life is good.

Dinner at Il Piscatore

March 14, 2016. Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. Il Pescatore.

One of the pleasures of living on the coast of Mexico is eating dinner outside.  This evening it all came back to me as we ate our dinner sitting alongside the Marina at an Italian restaurant, El Piscatory.   This season, we have dined out at lunch.  Rita or Doreen cooked our dinners.  Ken finds things easier in the  daylight so we have avoided going out for dinner, but we are staying in an apartment that overlooks the restaurant.   The gaily colored table cloths looked so attractive that we decided to go tonight.

Our walk was five minutes.  Staying in the hotel makes life easier for us as there are four good restaurants we can walk to on the property.  We will do it again.  Sitting outside in March right beside the water gives real pleasure.   I wonder why we had forgotten the feeling?  Now we must make up for lost time.

March 13, 2016. Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. Dotage.

Each day I receive information from an organization called Bama Mail.  Some times I find the items interesting  and sometimes I delete and sometimes I save for later.  I have no idea how I get this mail.  Every few days, they send a quiz.  It might be a vocabulary test or perhaps a geography quiz.  I am a sucker for those tests,  perhaps because I mostly win.  They are not very difficult.   One reasons I take them is to  find out how much I still know about the world.  We read so much about the diminishing memory with age that you begin to believe what you read.   Since I went loopy and lost my words, I make serious errors with opposites and I often mess up personal pronouns but that is due to the stroke, not aging  Most of the time, I feel that I have not entered into my dotage....until now.

Yesterday, I messed up whether I was to gain an hour of sleep with the change of day light savings time.  Of course, in the Fall we gain the hour, not the Spring.  Oops.  Senility is on the way.  To be even more confusing,  the time change here has not yet occurred so we moved our watches ahead only to find that we were the only ones in Mexico.  Our automatic phones did not change which irritated us until we discovered tonight that it was correct and we were wrong.  We are all confused for sure.  Now we are straight and we are not senile but just a bit confused.

March 12, 2016. Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. Weary.

Doreen and I were just commenting how weary we feel even though it is only just after 8:00.   Change days are always tiring and I am not sure why.  The most important fact of the day is that we moved from Playa Royale to Paradise Village.  Our move went smoothly but there were still many tasks to be done to accomplish our goal.  

Our plan was to eat most of our food at Playa, which we did.  We brought just condiments, rice and soups.   Fortunately, our room was ready when we arrived but before we went for lunch, I was forced to take a short rest.  Our apartment is pleasant.  We get to watch how the other world lives as we over look huge yachts.  Tonight from our balcony we can watch a dinner party for six on the stern of a large boat.  Fun to watch when they can not see us.

So far this afternoon, while taking a tea break, Doreen and I saw dozens of brown pelicans and 2 great Kiskadees.   We over look a busy canal with many boats of all sizes coming and going.  We are enjoying our new digs and I think we will be very comfortable for the next two weeks.  But first we need a good night sleep.  The extra hour will help.

March 11, 2016. Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. Moving On.

For 8 weeks, we have enjoyed watching the sun setting from our balcony from the 7th floor.  Now we say good bye, but we expect to return in January of 2017.  This is a lovely spot to spend the winter.   This year we tried a different system which was to buy lots of groceries and keep the fridge and pantry stocked.  Of course, that only works if we have a willing cook.  I hope it was not too difficult for Rita and Doreen but our system worked well for us.  Eating home is much easier for Ken than at a restaurant.  And the food is better too, at least with our cooks.

Now our locker is loaded with our belongings.  Every year we are more efficient.  Friends tell me that every season their locker gets more crowded but we have the different experience.  Every season our lockers are less full as we throw out the clothes we have not worn.  Tomorrow morning we check out at 11:00.  A bellman will bring a large golf cart to pick us up and take us down the road to Paradise Village.  Our unit will not be ready but we four will have lunch at the restaurant on the beach.  For the next two weeks, we plan to eat out more often and we will enjoy the extra activity.  There are lots more people milling around down there.  Then we go home...but not yet.  Tomorrow, we  just move on down the road.

March 10. 2016. Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. The Back Seat.

When a situation is under control, we pay no attention to the organization.  We just enjoy ourselves.  But many folks come to Playa Royale or Paradise Village and involve themselves with the management of the place.  They seem to be continuously on a crusade to make things better.   For many years, the same three people were at the front desk.  They were efficient and pleasant.  They greeted us effusively when we arrived and always called us by name.   Then one young man was fired for doing something he should have never done.  He was asked by an owner to drive his car once a week while the owner was away.  The other workers knew and said nothing so they were fired too.

Several friends here wanted us to contact management on behalf of the workers.  My response was that we had no business being involved with management decisions when it does not interfere with our pleasure.  The new people are excellent.  We just do not know them as well.  We stay in the back seat and allow the managers of the place to make their decisions.

People get upset when they can not obtain a palapa, the little thatched roofs that provide shade by the pool and the beach.  Folks go down early and put their bags on the chairs to save the palapa for them selves.  But the rules state that you must not leave your belongings on a palapa for over an hour, if you are not there.   Every so often, a security man removes towels and bags, if the palapa is left unattended.  Whoopee.  The sparks fly.  I am astonished how upset people get over something so simple.  There are lots of chairs of all kinds.  Some want more rules and some folks want no rules.  I just laugh.   We take a back seat when it comes to making or enforcing rules.   Our goal is to enjoy ourselves, not to spend our time micro managing the place and to complain.  Everything seems fine for us.

March 9, 2016. Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. The Storm.

The wind started blowing yesterday afternoon.  When Doreen and I watched the sunset, we spotted a little sail boat having an interesting ride.  Night was coming and the sailboat was still heading north.  Eventually, he came about and tried to head for the marina but before he could get home, he needed to tack south west which he was doing.  This morning, we wondered when he got home.   The sight of that tiny boat bouncing around in the big waves and in the high wind was spectacular....and scary.

The storm kept getting worse.  All night we could hear balcony furniture moving,  both on our balcony and on the balcony above.  The noise woke you up.  This morning I was pleased to see that although all the furniture had been  re-arranged,  everything was intact and on the balcony.  No furniture had fallen over.

This evening we had an honest to goodness thunder storm, with lightning out at sea and thunder all around.  And lots and lots of rain.  Right now, the wind is blowing again but so far, all furniture has stayed in place.  Storms by the sea are always exciting, especially when the electricity does not go out.  The forecast for tomorrow is for fair weather with no rain or storms, which should keep everyone happy.  People come here for fair weather, not rain and wind.  I on the other hand, kind of enjoy the storms.

March 8, 2016. Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. Rain.

The day was overcast which is perfect for walking, so this morning after breakfast we four walked to the Hotel/Time Share at Paradise Village.   By now we are experienced walkers so we had no difficulty.  Doreen and I walk ahead and Ken on the walker with Don beside him catch up with us at the end.  Our business at the Hotel was to check on our reservation.   On Saturday morning we leave Playa Royale and move down the street to Paradise Village and we wanted to be sure we would get good accommodation.   We were told we would be assigned to The Copa Tower, the newest building and the only one that has a washer and dryer in each unit, so we were delighted.

As we were at the Hotel with their multiple restaurants, we decided to have an early lunch.  Ken chose the spot right on the beach that has glass enclosure surrounding the dining area.  We had just sat down when the rain came so we quickly left for our favorite restaurant at the end of the property, right by the canal.  By that time, the rain had stopped so we again sat outside.  The waiters assured us that more rain would come so we finally settled ourselves inside but right by the window.  Today was the first rain we have had this year in Nuevo Vallarta so it was kind of fun.

This afternoon the wind came up and continued to blow hard.  Tonight,  going on the balcony would be impossible, what with the rain and the wind.  And we hear thunder too.  The forecast for tomorrow is  cloudy and rain.  The sun worshipers will not be pleased.

March 7, 2016. Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. More Curling.

The Brier is the Canadian Curling Championship for Men, held every year in March.  Many consider it to be the premier curling competition in the world.  All I know is that the Brier many years ago got us hooked on watching curling and we have enjoyed it ever since.  At home in the US, finding curling  on TV is impossible  but the cable TV here in Mexico has a Canadian station  so we are able to see the competition.  This year The Brier is being held in Ottawa and on Wednesday Rita and her daughter Renee will attend.  I am jealous as I have never seen a live game.

The Brier has a long and storied history.  I spent a couple of hours reading everything I could about The Brier and Canadian Curling.  I am boring the household with all my facts.  One thing I know for sure is that this group of curlers is top quality.   Many many past champions are competing.  And the young ones just get better and better.   The shot making has been marvelous.   So far I know all the rules and the terminology, and I am learning the strategy.  All the players are connected to the sound system so you can hear them talking together about what they want to be doing.  And the commentators help with options too.  I am becoming an expert in my own mind even though I have not thrown a rock.  It is great fun watching the personalities of the curlers come out throughout the week.  Next Sunday, a new champion will be crowned.  I bet it will be the team from Northern Ontario.  They look great so far.  I am thoroughly enjoying The Brier 2016.

March 6, 2016. Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. Our Cleaning Lady.

She cleans our condo every week and has been for the past two years.  I know this because last year I spent most of my time at home so I got to see her every week.  Her English is nonexistent so we communicate with me speaking English to her, which she does not understand, while she responds in her rapid Spanish, which I also do not understand.  But somehow or another, we are able to communicate.  Today, she wanted to know if I wanted her to clean the kitchen thoroughly as we had left lots of stuff on the counter and she wondered if I was about to cook.

Doreen speaks Spanish but everyone except me is at the pool, so I could not get help.  Body language is often better than words anyway,  so right now, she is cleaning the kitchen.

She is a sweet lady, at least,  she seems to enjoy her job.  Of course, I always give her a tip, especially at the beginning of our stay.   My message to her is that we appreciate her efforts.  The most interesting thing about her is her height and girth.    She is short and she is wide.  Even though her cleaning skills are not superior to other cleaning ladies I have known, she is certainly the most cheerful.   I wonder if being cheerful equates with poor cleaning skills?   My Nova Scotia lady is delightful and dependable but she cleans our whole house in 3 hours which means it gets a lick and a promise.  But I am delighted that I am not cleaning the house myself.    I am grateful for the little lady in Mexico who cleans our condo each week.  And I thank her in Spanish for all her work.

March 5, 2016. Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. Fridge and Pantry.

Our neighbors, Margaret and David, left for home today, so they brought us two bags of groceries  that they could  not eat.  No one leaves food in their locker.   In one week, we leave our condo at Playa Royale, and check into Paradise Village, the Time Share/Hotel down the road, where we will stay for two weeks.  Don and Doreen will join us in a 2 bedroom 2 bath unit  overlooking the marina.  Our task this week is to eat everything in the fridge and freezer.  We will have a kitchen at Paradise Village but we will be taking our belongings with us and as we must check out at 11:00 here,  our new unit may not be ready.  Thus our stuff may be sitting waiting in the heat.

We intend to take the condiments and dry goods, but we must buy new real food from the market down the street.   Our meals this week may be unusual.  Once in Nova Scotia I served chicken fingers to company twice in a week, just to clean out the freezer.  Norm and Diane still laugh about it.  And we ate so much lasagna last August when I was clearing out the freezer that Ken and I have not been able to eat it since.   Doreen thinks we are doing well with our supplies in the freezer.  This week, we are not buying. We are eating what we already have.  Our goal this week is to have the freezer and fridge empty which is easier said than done.   We four will do our best.

March 4, 2016. Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. Paddle Boards.

Two young men carried their boards to the ocean, with a paddle under one arm and the surf board under the other.  They walked into the water until about waist high,  put the boards in the water and kneeled on the board and paddled until they got beyond the breaking surf.   That was when they stood up.  Neither of them were standing for long.  They must have fallen off and gotten up 30 times while we watched.  They would each stand and paddle for a minute or two,  fall, then swim after their board and begin again.  It must have been exhausting.  Clearly, today was their first time with a paddle board.  They brought their boards back in paddling from their knees.

We four were eating lunch at the beach restaurant.  The day was beautiful and the food was excellent, and we had excellent entertainment with the two novices on the boards.

Soon two other young folks carried boards to the water.  While I watched,  one pushed his board in the water while still ankle depth and stepped on the board and began paddling out.  I was astonished.  Soon he was out beyond the surf.  The other person was a girl but she was just as good.  She jumped on the board in the shallow water and immediately started to paddle.   They surfed into the shore and they paddles along the shore.  And they never fall off even when they were racing.   Clearly they were having fun.  And clearly they were not novices.

Paddle boarding is a relatively new sport.  Today, right before our eyes we observed the beginner and the expert.  The beginners had more exercise but the experts had more fun.  These old folks watching had the most pleasure of all.

March 3, 2016. Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. Soup.

Tonight we served our company soup made from leftovers.  We were 6 at dinner and Doreen and I wanted to keep things simple so we decided to serve soup.  Fortunately, our four plus our 2 guests enjoyed the soup along with fresh bread,  followed by salad.  We always eat salad after our main course.  Our guests brought home baked tea biscuits and watermelon for dessert.

Doreen made the soup yesterday.  We began with three packages of dry soup mix to which we added chicken broth made from cubes.  And we put in about a third of a big bottle of clamato juice.   Doreen cut and cubed two potatoes and I cut up cooked carrots and put them in the soup.  We tasted and put in more seasonings.  Onions and garlic were added along with the left over chicken and beef from past dinners.  Also rice.   Doreen simmered the big pot for several hours.  Before bedtime, the soup was placed in the fridge.

This afternoon the soup was too thick so we added another two cubes of chicken broth.   After it simmered for another hour or so the soup was ready to serve.  Everyone ate two helpings so our dinner was definitely a hit.   We not only made a good meal but we also cleared out our fridge.  On March 12 we four move to the Time Share at Paradise Village so we want to eat everything in our fridge and pantry without resorting to buy anything new.  We succeeded..

March 2, 2016. Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. Social Life.

Our immediate neighbors in Playa Royale invited us for coffee this morning.   Over the years, we have gotten to know them well so we were delighted to sit on their balcony and eat banana bread and drink coffee...and talk.  Ken slept in,  so we three spent a pleasant morning with David and Margaret. I am not sure why we know them so well.  Other folks have stayed in the condo and we have never even seen them but over the years we have visited back and forth for dinners or cocktails or coffees.  They own 5 weeks here where we own 10 but we almost always are here for at least part of the time together.

They live in Kimberley, B.C., a charming town south of Kelowna.  David and Margaret are more energetic than us.  They ride their bikes every day and swim in the ocean.  At home, Margaret rides her new horse almost every day.  She along with Ken is a retired doctor so perhaps that is why we get along so well.  We exchange e mails and Christmas cards and always let the other know when we will be arriving.  Next year, we will overlap for four weeks in January.   And we always include each other's visitors.   We have gotten to know their family and friends as well as they have with ours.  

The pool is the center of the social world at Playa Royale but we manage to enjoy a semblance of a social life with our neighbors.  Our coffee was very pleasant this morning, with everyone sharing their books.  Made me eager to get home and read.

March 1, 2016. Nuevo Vallarta, Mexico. A Bread Man.

Doreen and I were walking across  a two lane road, just near a roundabout.   A car stopped closest to us and waited for us to cross, so we started across.  A young man came onto the second lane to be sure to stop any car that could be coming around the circle.  He had been standing beside an old pickup truck parked by the side of the road.   Doreen and I hurried across and thanked the young man for his help.

When we were almost to the sidewalk, I could see shapes in the back of his truck.  I thought he was carrying fruit,  so I asked him what he had in his truck.    He showed us his wares.   He was selling bread and baguettes and sweet rolls and cookies.  Also donuts and buns.  Wonderful stuff.   And it was all for sale.

For 55 pesos we bought 2 baguettes, one round loaf of brown bread, four large cookies and four buns.  All freshly baked that morning.  At 17 pesos to an American dollar,  that was inexpensive.  He told us he comes to that site 5 days a week around the same time of 3:30.  We had never seen him in the past but I am delighted to know he comes regularly.  You just never know what comes from walking across the street.