February 28, 2022. Madison, Mississippi. My Meals.

Oh how the mighty have fallen. I ate my first breakfast on Saturday in Mississippi all by myself. And I prepared my own breakfast. Since the middle of December, Wendy has been preparing my breakfasts. Now on Saturday I made my own and was grateful for Wendy who looked after me all that time. When my helper Kashina is here with me, she prepares my breakfast but she always asks me what I want. Many times, Wendy just brought me something yummy such as avacado toast, or tostadoes with refried beans and cheese. And sometimes Anne prepared pancakes or scones. So I lived like a Queen with my coffee and breakfast was delived to me while we were all sitting on the balcony. Tonight I ate dinner by myself too while I watched hockey. Our meals in Mexico were always good. They were delicious and nutricious. Here in Mississippi, I have been eating rotissery chicken and salad, every evening the same meal. But tonight I ate mashed potatoes along with the chicken. Kashina cooked a container from the freezer. Christina brought me two chickens from the grocery store so I will nible the chicken until both chickens are gone. I use television for company so I eat both lunch and dinner while watching TV. In Mexico, I had plenty of company so we did not turn on the television at all except for the womens hockey game between Canada and the US who were playing for the gold. Now that I am home by myself, I turn on the television while I eat my peculiar meals. And I have happy memories of my time in Mexico with Wendy and Ken, and Kenny and Anne. Now I have come back to earth!!

February 27, 2022. Madison, Mississippi. Celebration Brunch.

Today I received exciting news. Kate is moving. She has accepted a position in Greenville, South Carolina, on the transplant section of the cardiology floor. Their specialty will be liver transplants. She is excited. She finishes work on the 5th here and will be moving on the 15th. Christina will drive with her and help with getting settled. For the moment she will rent the basement appartment of her friends house. Then she will get her own place. Her friend Mary Kennedy and her husband both teach there and had their wedding in Greenville before it was before Covid. While Kate was there for the wedding, she got to know a group of friends and she liked the town. Twice Kate has been to Greenville to visit, the last to interview for a job. She applied to four positions and each time she was offered a job. But she selected the one on the transplant section of the local hospital. Today we also celebrated the birthdays. I missed the birthdays of both Kate and Mary Frances so today we drank mimosas at Anjou, our favorite french restaurant. I gave Mary Frances a cheque because she wants to buy a new computer. Kate and I along with Christina will go shopping next week. She is in yet another wedding so she needs a party dress for the rehearsal dinner. Mary Frances is now totally finished with her Masters Thesis. Now she is enjoying her internship at the University achives. A man is writing a book about the Methosist Church and the civil rights in Mississippi. The other day she was reading papers from 1830, which was fragile and required white gloves. Soon she will graduate May 7. Meanwhile Molly is excited to have a prime part at the shool play. She will be the wicked Ursula in The Little Mermaid. They have started rehearsals. The play is April 1. So great activities with the Dickie Family in Mississippi. And I am delighted to be a part of the action.

February 26, 2022. Madison, Mississippi. The Journey Home.

The experience at the airport in Puerto Vallarta was excellent. The taxi driver hailed a young man with a wheel chair just as I was getting out of the cab. The young man stayed with me all the way to the gate, right from checking in through security and finally to the gate. In years past, we have experienced crowds of people and long lines. But not yesterday. The whole experience was perfect. I know to take over two hours in the Dallas airport to get from one plane to the next. Fortunately, I booked a three hour layover because I would have missed my flight with a two hour layover. The airport was a zoo. The place was jammed with people because the day before, Dallas had freezing rain so all flights were cancelled on Thursday. Everyone who missed their flights on Thursday were at the airport along with every passenger for Friday. Unfortunately, the staff was not increased which meant for long lines everywhere. In Dallas, we had to clear cuatoms and immigration plus go through security. Just getting through security took thirty minutes even though the wheel chair cut to the front of the line. From the time I got off the plane from Puerto Vallarta until I was at the gate for Jackson took two hours. But I was lucky because I planned ahead. Wendy arranged all my documents when entering the US and I had a copy of my negative covid test which was given to the airline official in Mexico. So I sailed through all check points. And every plane left and arrived on time. My Lyft driver Christ was waiting for me at the airport so I arrived home in a timely fashion. Jackson was chilly yesterday so last night I slept with a flannel night shirt and heavy wool socks. Today, everything in the house is warm so I am comfortable. Soon I will shower in my own shower which will give me great pleasure. My journey home was a success.

February 25, 2022. Playa Royale, Nuevo Vallarta. Moving On.

This morning I ate my last breakfast while sitting on the balcony overlooking the little boats on the Pacific Ocean. And I ate breakfast alone. We are all moving on. Wendy and Ken should be on the plane flying diret to Hamilton. Kenny and Anne are on their boat getting organized to sail south along the Mexican coast. I will leave Playa Royale at 11:30, heading to the airport. At 2:30, I fly to Dallas. After a couple of hours, I fly to Jackson where Chris my Lyft driver will pick me up and take me home. I will hope that all arrangements go according to plan. If not, I must figure it out. And as usual, I will try to find interestings things to find on the way. So here I go.

February24, 2022. Playa Royale, Nuevo Vallarta. The Lockers.

Wendy is pecking away at filling the two lockers. They are housed in a room just down the hall. Our system for unloading and loading the lockers is totally opposite. When we arrive, we use a cart from downstairs and bring everything out of the locker and put it all on the dining table. Then we distribute the belongings. And sometimes we return things to the locker. But when we are leaving, I have always returned objects to the locker in bits and pieces. This year, Wendy has done the same thing. After dinner tonight, when we eat all our leftover food, Wendy will return everything and I will put away the keys. Every fractional owner is given one locker for every 5 weeks of occupancy. As owners of 10 weeks, we have 2 lockers. They are not large, perhaos 4 feet tall and 2 weeks wide and 3 feel deep. But they are adequate and very useful. Ken and I have always kept our Mexican clothes and shoes here along with hats and other useful objects. Because of the lockers, we arrive with just our backpack along with a small rolling case for medications. Over the years we have aquired kitchen tools and the wooden platter given to us by Gill. And we keep five large coffee mugs in the locker. At this point, my drawers and closets are empty as is the pantry. The shoes and hats are in the locker too. We are beginning to look like a hotel. After dinner tonight, the whole place will be almost empty of everything that belongs to us. It will no longer look like home. We will be moving on tomorrow and the belongings in the locker will wait for another year.

February 23, 2022. Playa Royale, Nuevo Vallarta. La Isla.

Tonight we ate our last restaurant supper at our favorite little restaurant just down the road. It sets right beside the road. Every table is out of doors. Even the kitchen. The little lady who owns it started out selling tacos for $!.per taco with just a few tables and chairs. But every year she made improvements. First she installed a blue tarp to shade the sitting area. One year she installed a toilet out the back. Next year came the shower curtain for a door followed a couple of years with actual doors. The whole little place now is charming. And fortunately they have been busy. This year a cage with two parrots added to the decor. And tonight for the first time we were entertained by a young lady singing in Spanish. The parrots did not squack once while she was singing. And the owner has added more staff. In years past, the food was always slow to coming to the table. But not now. The place has become efficient. The food was always good and tonights dinner did not disappoint. Our food was delicious. As always the owner stopped by to say hello. I always enjoy watching a successful operation and La Isla certainly fits the bill. Now we five hope that she will continue her pattern of always getting a bit better. But the most important thing is we hope she will still be in business next year. This little place is a winner.

February 22, 2022. Playa Royale, Nuevo Vallarta. Getting Along.

No question about it. This date has lots of 2's. And is the same in both directions. Interesting. We five have gotten along very well, here in Mexico. I have pondered the question recently as to how this has happened. After all, we have never lived together. Many families would have difficulties living together but not us. I have been considering the question recently. And I have some answers. All five of us have a life in their head. No one is dependant on what is going on in front of them. When we get together at meals, everyone has been having other activities to bring to the table. It might be someting a person has read. Or perhaps something that happened at the boat. And everyone reads so everyone also has a life in their book. All five are quiet too. The condo is mostly quiet. And we do not watch TV so we have no noise except the sound of the waves which is soothing. Except for me, everyone works hard and efficiently. And no one complains. Whoever cooks dinner does not clean up. The cooks alternate making meals. Both couples work together in the kitchen so everyone helps. And everyone likes each other. No finding fault. So the five of us have enjoyed our visit together. I have enjoyed being with Kenny and Anne along with Wendy and Ken enormously. Now we will all be moving on. But we will gather together in 2023, God willing, at Playa Royale. We will all have tales to tell.

February 21, 2022. Playa Royale, Nuevo Vallarta. The Pie Lady.

For desert a few days ago, we ate pie sitting on our balcony. The pie came from Yelapa. Kenny and Annd brought home three pieces of pie, purchased from the pie lady of Yelapa. They had read about the town prior to their journey. The write up about the town included a line about the pie lady who sells her pies on the beach. We all laughed because we knew that Mexicans do not eat much pie. It is never on a dessert menu and pies in the big grocery store does not sell pie so we guessed the pie lady would not be found. Much to their surprise, the pie lady appeared selling her pies. She makes four types of pies: pecan, coconut, chocolate and banana cream pie. They bought three pieces of pie to bring home. They were still finishing lunch sitting on the beach at Yelapa. She wrapped each piece in tin foil and put the pieces in a box so the three pieces arrived home safely. The pieces of pie looked lovely and we ate them for dessert a couple of days later. The pies were interesting. The crusts were thick. Ken's Mother would not have approved of those crusts. And the fillings seemed to have very little sugar. Even the pecan pie was not sweet The coconut pie was just made of coconut, no cream and the chocolate pie tasted as if it was made with chocolate pudding. All five of us got to taste a little piece of all three pies. We were pleased that we only had a small piece. So our question was: Who taught that lady to make pies? And how did she ever end up selling them on that tiny town on Bandares Bay? Wonders never cease!!

February 20, 2022. Playa Royale, Nuevo Vallarta. Winding Down.

We ate our last Brunch at La Isla today. It is our favorite restaurant but now we must wait a full year to dine there again. We leave on Friday, Wendy and Ken to return to Ontario. Kenny and Anne to get back on their boat to sail the coast of Mexico and me to return to Mississippi. We are winding down here at Playa Royale. I have taken everyone out for lunch and dinner once a week. This morning was the last, unless we run out of food. Wendy and Anne think we have enough food for us to last the week. If we run out, we will not buy anymore groceries. We will eat out. Bt now, I will have returned belongings to the lockers but Wendy prefers to move everything all at once. But I have started to bring my clothes to the dining table. After the cleaning lady comes tomorrow, I will begin to pack my case. I already has filled my black case with books. I like to plan ahead. The good part is that as Kenny and Anne will be on the boat and will be cooking their meals, they will be able to take any leftover sauces and crackers. Normally I must leave them for the cleaning ladies. But now Kenny and Anne will be able to take anything that will fit in their boat. But here we are winding down at 3701 in Playa Royale. We are sad about that because we have had a wonderful time but as always, we are looking forward to our next adventures.

February 19, 2022. Playa Royale, Nuevo Vallarta. Crossword Puzzles.

I am hopeless. We work a New York Times crossword puzzle every morning at breakfast. Anne downloads several days of puzzles on their boat. She prints them and brings them to the condo where everyone chips in to come up with the word. These four people are good at these puzzles. But not me. I am mostly silent. This evening while eating our sunset food, Anne brought out a new puzzle which was finished before dinner was over. They were having so much fun that Ken asked her to bring out another which she did. With all four making their contributions the puzzle was complete before we finished dessert. Dave and Irene work a crossword puzzle every morning over breakfast. Actually they work two: one from The Globe & Mail and the othr from the New York Times. They sit on the couch in the living room and eat breakfast and only get up when the puzzles are complete. Some how I did not catch the bug. I enjoy listening the conversations here in Mexico but are usless to help. I was never good at those puzzles anytime but after I lost my words I got much worse. I struggle to find words to speak let alone find the word for the puzzles. The bottom line is that these four young folks are much smarter than me at those puzzles. It is fun for me to watch their expertise. And I marvel.

February 18, 2022. Playa Royale, Nuevo Vallarta. The Ninety Degree Cut.

Anne has always had wonderful hair. It has a lot of body. And it is curly so it is easy to look after. All her life she has been blessed with hair that is easly to look after. The other day at breakfast I heard her ask Kenny if he would cut her hair and he agreed so they brought her sharp scissors back from the boat. I cut my Kens hair for years becaus he had that wonderful curly hair which was easy to cut and was forgiving so I was not anxious that Kenny would make a mess of Anne's hair. The next day, Anne came out with a new fashionable hair cut, done by Kenny. The haircut looked like a profesuinal job. It was cut over her ears and was shaped up the back. Her hair looked fancy. So I asked Kenny how he learned how to cut hair and he answered "On the Internet". Anne needed a hair cut so they looked on UTube and found directions. They selected the Ninety Degree Cut. He has cut her hair three times. He has never cut anyone elses hair although I tried to get him to cut my hair. Once upon a time, my hait was easy too but now my hair is limp and straight. I have not had my hair cut since last September so I need a hair cut. But Kenny will not do it. But Kenny learnded well. Anne's hair looks spiffy.

February 17, 2022. Playa Royale, Nuevo Vallarta. Our Pleasant Days.

One by one, we gather on the balcony for breakfast. Wendy is the first one up because she calls to obtain a palapa on the beach for tomorrow. First she makes coffee. Then she calls for the palapa. Then she retreats to the balcony to drink her coffee and read. Kenny and Anne appear next. Everyone makes their own breakfast. Next Ken arrives followed by me., when Wendy makes my breakfast. Sometimes Anne makes pancakes, which she will tomorrow. Or she bakes chocolate scones. Sometimes Wendy makes us all tostatoes with refried beans and cheese. While we finish our coffee, all four work the crossword puzzle together. And they all solve Wordy, each by themselves. Eventually people head off except for me. I stay and read all morning. We five gather for lunch again on the balcony. Either Wendy or Anne decide what we will eat for lunch and we eat together, talking and finishing up the crossword puzzle. At that time of the day the balcony is lovely with a cooling breeze. We often stay there talking until 2:30. Again, Wendy and Ken return to the beach and their palapa while Kenny and Anne either return to their boat or head down to the beach too. I put up my feet for an hour. Then I exercise and walk on the balcony. And at 4:30 I drink my orange drink before walking and reading. We gather on the balcony for sunset food and often a drink. Someone makes the dinner and we eat on the balcony. By the time we have finished dinner, the sky is pitch black and we can see the lights of a few boats out on the Bay. We never turn on the television so our house is quiet. Our days are pleasant but not dramatic. All five like our days and evenings. The weather is always perfect and the company always interesting. There is absolutly nothing not to like. I feel grateful.

February 16, 2022. Playa Royale, Nuevo Vallarta. Yelapa.

Today Wendy, Anne and Kenny took the boat to Yelapa, a tiny town on on Bandares Bay. It is the last twon before leaving Bandares Bay. The town is only accessible by boat. No roads lead to Yelapa. The mountains are directly behind the town. Yelapa has an interesting history. In the late 16th Century, the King of Spain deeded this bit of land to the indigenous people of the area. Of course, once upon a time, those people owned all the land but now they were given this area on the coast, to be held forever for the local people. In 1870, four families moved to Yelapa to live. The place is still owned jointly by the people. No one is allowed to own property. The same families are still there but now it a tourist destination. Vallarta Adventure takes trips there every day. There are several restaurants along the beach and there are many people helping the tourists. When our three arrived, at Yelapa, a man came out in a pango to welcome them and to take them to a mooring. Then he transported them to the shore and told them how to get to the water fall, which was about a 15 minute walk. After returning to the town, they ate lunch on the beach at the restaurant owned by the owner of the little boat. Their fish tacos were delicious. When they were finished lunch, their man took them back to their boat, which they then sailed back to Paradise Village Marina. Wendy, Anne and Kenny arrived home just in time to enjoy the sunset at 7:00. It was a long but happy day. Now we want to know how this place has survived all these years. Yelapa is an interesting place.

February 15, 2022. Playa Royale, Nuevo Vallarta. The Winter Olympics.

Normally, I love to watch the Olympics, both summer and winter. But not in Mexico. Winter sports are not a big deal in Mexico so the only channel where you can watch the Olympics here is on the Canadian channel, and mostly they only watch the Canadians. So here in Mexico, we five are watching no Olympics on television. I do not miss it a bit, which surprises me. For some reason, I could not get excited about the 2022 Winter Olympics. I thought it as just me but during a podcast this week I discovered that I was not alone. No one was paying attention to the Olympics. The number of people watching these Olympics is half the number who watched during the 2018 Winter Olympics. This will be a big deal for NBC who paid a bundle of money to telecast the games. They will be required to refund lots of money to the companies who paid for a certain number of viewers. We will see what happens in the future. The real question is why people are turned off from this Winter Olympics. Part of the answer is China. People are irritated by China and as the games are being held in China, they have no patience. Perhaps the dopig scandals have been an issue. But no matter what, people are not watching the Olympics. But tomorrow evening, we all five will watch the Canadians play the Americans for the womens Gold medal. At least we will watch it if we can find it on our television. Surely the Canadian channel will show the game. But when we wanted to watch the semi final game played by the Canadian women the channel was showing curling so no telling. I hope the Olympics will be restored to glory because I love the games. Next Winter Olympics will be held in France in 2026. I hope to be ready.

February 14, 2022. Playa Royale, Nuevo Vallarta. Waiting.

My Ken once said that getting well was just like watching paint dry. It seemed to take forever. The same is true for waiting. Kenny and Anne were expecting to get back on their boat and sail down the coast of Mexico. But they are waiting. They have applied for a four year visa to travel in Mexico. Over two weeks ago they were given the visa but the final card would be available in two weeks. The Immigration office where they applied is right across the street so tomorrow they will walk over to see what is happening. In the meantime, they wait. In addition, they are waiting for two packages, one coming from San Diego and the other from Laredo. And neither package has arrived so they wait. In the meantime, they are enjoying themselves and we are enjoying their company. As Kenny commented the othe evening, "If a person must wait, this is a good place to wait." This morning they made a trip to the Mega to stock their boat, plus to buy groceries for our condo. After lunch here, they took their purchases to the boat. And Anne organized their boat pantry. Tomorrow they will go to the Farmers Market and Wednesday Wendy will join them for a day of sailing when they visit a little town on Bandares Bay that is only available by boat. Thursday we will dine at The Riviera Grill. So they keep busy and happy. But they would prefer to be out on their boat. Waiting is difficult, even if you are having a good time.

February 13, 2022. Playa Royale, Nuevo Vallarta. Beach Vendors.

Every day, they walk up and down the beach trying to sell their wares to people sitting on their loung chairs under the papala. These vendors work hard. First they carry their goods from Bucerias, the next town over. They sell everything. A person could buy blankets. Two years ago Wendy bought two blankets from the beach vendor. Or you could buy jewelry, always silver of course. You can see ladies selling beach cover ups, lots of them. Or you could buy shirts, both womens and mens. These people spend all day walking the full length of the beach trying to sell their wares. The vendors are always polite and friendly, at least according to Wendy. They stop by every day just to say hello. And of course to try to sell their goods. One friendly young man makes bracelets and necklaces with names on them. He makes them while you watch on a little machine. Last week Wendy overheard him telling a lady that he also makes a holder for sunglasses so Wendy called him over and ordered one for her sunglasses. He makes the holder and attaches it to the sunglasses, all neat and tidy. Now Wendy has no difficulty fining her own sunglasses. She is pleased. And so was he. Yesterday, Kenny and Anne had him make lanyards with the name of their boat. Also they asked him to make the sunglass holders a bit longer. On the boat, they run the holder through the hole at the back of their baseball caps to be sure they do not lose their hat. They are delighted with their purchases. Rosa buys all her Mexican dresses from the beach vendors. She wants to give them business. They work all day walking up and down the beach in the full sun. Our family has paid our dues. Both Wendy and Anne have purchased lovely silver earrings. And everyone is pleased with their purchases. Hats off to the beach vendors.

February 12, 2022. Playa Royale, Nuevo Vallarta. Johnny Cash Impersonator.

We five returned to Ciao this evening. We ate dinner last week and discovered that a young man was singing Johnny Cash songs this Saturday night, so we decided to make a reservation. And we did. Tonight was the night. We did a better job of ordering this time. The entertainment was supposed to start at 7:30 so we arrived early in order to get our food early. Plus we like to walk at least one way during the daylight to make things easier for me walking. First we ordered bruscuita. after we finished it we ordered tuna tartar and soon followed with two caprice salads that we divided. We had several different kinds of appetizers so we did not getting full before the pizza. Finally we ordered three different pizzas, which arrived after the singing had started, which was perfect because we could eat in the dark while the young man sang. The food was delicious, once again and we only brought home two pices of pizza to bring home. The young man who entertained us hails from Edmonton, Alberta. He worked hard and sang lots and lots of Cash tunes, most of which we did not know. We enjoyed our evening but I came away with two main themes. The first was singing in tune. The young man could sing in tune in his mid range but was hopeless up high or down low. I wondered if he knew he could not sing in tune. The second these was that Johnny Cash recorded many songs that never became popular. Most of the songs he sang tonight I had never heard before. And we left before he finished. Enough is enough. We enjoyed the evening. The place was lovely, dining outside and the food was top drawer. But I did wish that he could sing in tune.

February 11, 2022. Playa Royale, Nuevo Vallarta. My Winter Puzzle.

Now the last piece of my puzzle for next year is in place. This morning I was approved at Playa Royale beginning on February 11 for four weeks. Now my next winter plans are complete. Complicated but complete. This year was simple. From December 15 I celebrated birthdays and Christmas in Ontario with my family. Then on January 1st Wendy, Ken and I flew to Puerto Vallarta direct from Toronto. We moved in to Playa Royale and have been here ever since. But next year will be different. On December 18 I move into a Villa at Paradise Village. The Villa is large and has it's own small pool. Wendy and her family I hope will join me. We stay there until December 30 when we move to a two bedroom unit at the time share at Paradise Village. By then only Wendy and Ken will be with me. We stay there until January 7 when we return to Playa Royale. Kenny and Anne will join us at Playa Royale whenever they arrive on their boat. We stay at Playa Royale for three weeks. Then we five go next door to an all inclusive resort, The Hard Rock. The food is wonderful and the service is supurb so we all look forward to spending two weeks being pampered. Wendy, Ken and I are staying in a Presidential Suite while Kenny and Anne have their own room. Our suite includes two bedrooms, three full bathrooms, a large living room and dining room plus a kitchen. But on February 11, we must leave. Then we return to Playa Royale, where I will check in for four weeks. Kenny and Anne will return to their boat and sail out on the Pacific Ocean, heading to the French Polynesian islands. Wendy and Ken will return to Ontario after helping me get set up at the condo. I am hoping that a friend or relative might want to come to Mexico to join me for those last four weeks at Playa Royale. Now I am set for next winter in Mexico. It took a while to get all the parts of my puzzle put in place. But it is now complete. Hurrah.

February 10, 2022. Playa Royale, Nuevo Vallarta. Leftovers.

I love leftovers. Tonight I was a happy camper because Anne assembled a delicious dinner of all our leftover dinners. We ate vegetables that were cooked with the roast pork. They even better the second time. We ate strips of pork shops. Last evening we had one and a half left over. And we ate rice from last evening that was served with the pork chops. Anne had prepared a delicious dinner she called goulash, made of bround beef and lots of vegetables and rice. That rounded out our plate, which we all enjoyed. My Ken enjoyed leftovers but he liked them served two days later. He did not want the same meal for dinner two days in a row. I on the other hand have no problem eating the same food many nights in a row. Once my friend Beverley came to spend the week with me to work on upgrading my agent hand book. Ken had gone to Ontario to check out his family tree. Bev. and I went to work every morning and every evening we would come home to lasagna. I cooked a large lasagna the first evening and much to her surprise we ate it every night for dinner. We ate the last piece when Ken arrived home on Thursday. It made sense to me but Bev. was astonished and regaled her friends with the story when she went home to Vancouver. So now our refrigerator has been cleaned out and we will start tomorrow to gather a new round of good food that has been left from previous meals. I am looking forward.

February 9, 2022. Playa Royale, Nuevo Vallarta. The Sail.

The story has not ended. The results may not be given for a couple of weeks. We five are waiting. Kenny and Anne are the most anxious of all because it is their sail. The sail was ordered and paid for in Vancouver. Their sail maker has the work done in Sri Lanka, to be shipped directly to Nuevo Vallarta to arrive after Wendy, Ken and I arrive on January 1. A huge under water earthquake shut the place down so the shipment was delayed a month. The sail arrived in Mexico two weeks ago. That is the end of step one. The courier, DHL, was holding the package until the temporary permit to import a sail was obtaines. DHL told Kenny they would work on the permin. But yesterday he was told that they can not get the permit so the sail is still sitting in their warehouse in Guadalahars, Mexico. Kenny was told he needed a Mexican import office. Or he was told to send the sail back to San Diago and use an import company, who would then get the papers. Kenny and Anne were advised not to return the sail to the US so they made an appointment with the Mexican Import company. They made arrangements to meet the importer this afernoon to sign the papers and pay the fee which was not inexpensive. And that is the end of step two. Anne and Kenny took a taxi along with their money to get the temporary permit started. All was doing well when the lady in charge told them they must give her the old sail when the new one has arrived. They would not do this because the old sail is fine but old so they needed a new one in case their old one is totally shredded. The lady broker told them that the system works that way. I get the new piece when you turn in the old part. Of course no one told them that information. Now they have a whole new system to retrieve the sail which I will report when the sail arrives. But this is the end of step three. This story will have an ending. But not tonight.

February 8, 2022. Playa Royale, Nuevo Vallarta. Beach Flags.

The flag pole is 4 feet high, stuck in the sand infront of the beach restaurant at my resort. The flags tell you about the water. A green flag tells you that the water is safe to get in. It is an all clear flag. I have never seen the green flag on the pole. They yellow flag is a danger flag. You are free to get into the water but the water might be dangerous so be careful. The yellow flag flies most of the time. The red flat means danger so a person going into the water needs to be careful. Either the waves are high or the current is swift. The red flag flies many days. But today, a black flag was flying. We went to the beach restaurant for lunch and the black flag was flying. It reminded us of a pirate flag. Kenny looked up the flag and found that the black flag means to stay out of the water. In other words, do not get into the water at all. We five could not figure out what had happened because the waves were not high. So we asked the waiter and he gave us the scoop. A crocodile had come onto the beach. Now the flaf is difficult to see but the message must have gotten around the beach because no one was in the water. After dinner, Wendy and I went to speak to the man at the front desk to find out the scoop. Two crocodiles were on the beach and in the water, diving and jumping. Thus the need for the black flag. They were spotted in front of the Riu hotel,which is several hundred yards along the shore. Our front desk man has a wife who gives beach masages on the beach in front of the Riu and he told us that the security man was trying to keep people out of the water but his wife said that as soon as the security officer walked away, the people went back into the water. Heavy rains fell in the mountains, bringing fresh water down the steams and rivers, thus bringing fresh water into the Bay. Our crodiles are fresh water crocs and about two feet of water stays on the top of the salt water Bay. Soon the crocodiles will return to their own stream but for the moment, the black flag will fly. And we will stay out of the ocean.

February 7, 2022. Playa Royale, Nuevo Vallarta. Red Cabbage.

I use red cabbage in salads just to have another color in the salads. I use it both with mixed green salads and cole slaw. But last evening for dinner, Kenny cooked a delicious dish of red cabbage. Having never eated cooked red cabbage, I was looking forward to eating this warm red cabbage salad. It exceeded expectations. I loved it. Kenny found the recipe in "White Water Cook Book", pruduced by a west coast ski hill. By my standards, the recipe is complicated and includes pecans roasted in the oven, red cabbage sauteed in butter, cheese, bacon, red onions and radicchio, basil. Just before adding the dressing, you fold in the crumbled cheese. The dressing is made of olive oil and vinigar. The key is not to over cook the red cabbage according to Anne.. It was delicious. Along with the warm red cabbage salad, Kenny served sauges, split down the middle and grilled on the barbecue. Once again, we had just eaten a wonderful dinner but this time with a new dish, warm red cabbage salad.

February 6, 2022. Playa Royale, Nuevo Vallarta. Jackson, 1964.

I spotted the book on a table beside Ken's chair in his workshop in Nova Scotia. He must have brought the book with him from Mississippi expecting to read it one summer. But it was still waiting. Anna and I spotted it last year when we were organizing the workshop and turning it into a bedroom. Immediately I told Anna that I would take the book back to Mississippi, which I did. To my knowledge, I had never seen the book before. In Mississippi, I put the book on the shelf with all the other Mississippi books, which is right beside Ken's recliner chair in the TV room. When I am coming to Mexico, I bring a case of books and magazines. I carefully select the books I have been wanting to read but have not been able to get to. I included the Jackson book in my case. The author is Calvin Trillin, a journalist unknown to me. I asumed that the whole book was the story of Jackson in 1964, which saw much violence. Much to my surprise, on the cover page was an insciption signed by the author, made out to me. So evidently I had seen that book before. Ken and I drove to Oxford, Mississippi. While there, we visited "Square Books", a wonderful book store. While there, Calvin Trillin was having a book signing. And Ken had him endorse the book to me. I Have no recollection of ever seeing that book before. The book is actually much more interesting than I thought it would be. It is a series of the authors writings dealing with race, starting in Jackson in 1964 and ending in 1995, all over the US. It is a fascinating read and is much more than anticipated. Calvin Trillin is white and he is discussing race. I have enjoyed it immensely. Now it will return to Mississippi but now put on the shelf with all the other Mississippi books I have read. Finally, the book is back where it belongs. Ken would be pleased.

February 5, 2022. Playa Royale, Nuevo Vallarta. Loose Ends.

The sailing excursion was a great success. Wendy stayed at the end of the cockpit amd tried to stay out of the way while Kenny and Anne sailed the boat. The wind was stiff so they sailed quickly around the Bay. During their time at sea, they spotted many whales, some with babies at their side. The day was beautiful with full sun and a cool breeze. It was not until they docked back at the marina that they got hot and sweaty. They had a great day out on the SS Naida. My rock wall in Nova Scotia has been completed. Jeff the excavator is pleased with his work. Now we must send him money. But first I want some one with an educated eye to look at the finished product. I have asked friend David N. and Pete who look after the house in the absence of Mary and Walt. But the weather has been terrible so I must wait until they can drive. Right now everything is covered in ice, including my driveway. Kenny and Anne went into Puerto Vallarta yesterday to meet friends for lunch. In addition they visited a chandler to get supplies for their boat. Plus they stopped at Home Depot for additional supplies. PV was just as charming as ever. Their friends stay in PV for three months right downtown. They love it with all the activity and hustle and bustle. Kenny and Anne were happy to return to us at Playa Royale where there definately has not much action. For lunch today we ate cevichi made by Anne. Not only our dinners but also our lunches are incredible. We definately do not starve. In fact, we live like Kings.

February 4, 2022. Playa Royale, Nuevo Vallarta. Walking the Balcony.

Every day I walk on the balcony of my condo. I walk three or four laps every time, and I do it several times a day, generally for a total of eight. People ask me why I walk on the balcony because the grounds of the condo is all paved and level. The parking area surrounds the building so in the past I have walked on the parking lot. I started walking the balcony the year Ken was ill, which was 2018. He walked the balcony along with his nurse so I went out and walked with them, except not at his speed, which was slow. I got used to walking the balcony along with Ken and i have been doing it ever since. The balcony extends the whole width of my building three which is the largest of the towers. From the balcony you can see the mountains. And there is always a breeze. One lap takes 500 steps so if I complete eight laps I have walked for 4000 steps. With just walking around the condo or going down to the pool I walk around 5000 or 6000 steps a day, which is OK for me. The reason I walk on the balcony has to do with safety. One one side of the balcony is a railing so mostly I walk close to the railing. On the other side of the balcony ia a wall so either side allows me to steady myself if I suddenly lurch. There are only two places I avoid which are the stairs. I stay well away from both sets of stairs. The rest of the time I can walk along quickly without bothering to look at the floor. I almost never see anyone when I am getting my exercise so I am free as a breeze, enjoying the sights and the cool breeze. Of course, the view never changes so it a bit boring but I sing to myself to keep amused. Whenever we go out of the resort, I have Wendy by me so I am safe but here at Playa I feel most secure walking the balcony. It does seem wierd but it works for me.

February 3, 2022. Playa Royale, Nuevo Vallarta. Our Dinners.

Our dinners are spectacular. Kenny and Anne take turns with Ken and Wendy preparing the meals. During breakfast, they discuss the meals for the text two days and Ken takes meat from the freezer. And they volunteer to cook the meal. We have decided that with four people coming up with ideas, we have ended up with interesting, delicious dinners. Our system is working very well and we are all happy with our dinners. For example: This evening Kenny prepared spaghetti Carbonara which was splendid. Anne made the salad. Our dinner was top drawer. Tuesday for dinner we ate steak, cooked by Ken on the barbecue. Along with the steak we ate sauteed mushrooms and grilled zucchini and fresh bagette. In Mexico we tend to avoid the local beef but at the Mega store on Tuesday, Ken thought that the steaks looked good so he bought them. And he was right. The steaks were delicious. All five of us are delighted with our dinners. The people who cook the dinner do not clean up so everyone ges a break. Of course, they keep me out of the kitchen which is wise on their part. I just stand by and cheer...and enjoy our wonderful dinners.

February 2, 2022. Playa Royale, Nuevo Vallarta. Ciao.

The waiter tried to warn us but we ignored his advice. And we ordered too much food. We came home with enough caprise salad to serve all five of us at lunch plus two whole Pizzas. We are set for lunch tomorrow even after I eat a piece of cold pizza for breakfast. And the food was delicious. Ciao is just down the street from us so we pass it every time we are walking to La Isla, which we do at least once a week. But Ken and I had never eaten there. Wendy and Ken had been there once where they shared a pizza the evening they listened to the Elvis impersonator. It is directly beside The Vallarta Grill, where we have dined many times. But after tonight, we will return. The restaurant is all outside and is large. And they had lots of staff. Of course a weding reception was being held at the other end of the restaurant so they must have added staff. The wedding party was from Winnipeg and someone announced that the temperature tonight in Winnipeg was minus 35 degrees. The 30 people at the reception were all pleased to be at Ciao. And so were we. We were all delighted with our evening at Ciao. The food was delicious and the evening was beautiful, with a live musical group playing in the background. We will definately return.

February 1, 2022. Playa Royale, Nuevo Vallarta. A Day of Sailing.

Tomorrow, Wednesday, Kenny and Anne are taking Wendy and Ken out for an afternoon of sailing. I will not acompany them on their outing. There are several reasons why I will be staying home. I get sea sick in rough water. And getting me in and out of the boat would be difficult. Ken B. can also get quesy in rough water so when they walk down to the boat and the water appears rough, he may stay on dry land. But at the moment, all four are looking forward to getting out on Bandares Bay. They will leave here at noon to walk to the boat. Kenny will check the boat in the morning to be sure all is ready. Then they will have an early lunch before heading out. I will watch to see if I can see them out on the water. There is no breeze in the morning on Bandares Bay so they will await the afternoon breexes to allow them to sail. The weather forecast looks good: 75 degrees and sunny so it appears that they will be able to head out from shore. This is the first time that Wendy will have gone out in the Naida so she is excited. For me, I am just pleased to be watching from the shore.