our corona year

Maggi and Rosie Upstairs

2011-09-29T20:15:00.000-07:00

I am not allowed upstairs without my shadow. If I am outside on either of the upstairs decks, she has to be there. Ever since she learned what "up" was, she wants to be "up" there! And when I go down the stairs, I always have to let her go first, lest she run me down! She's big! I remember a few months ago, she and Tuli weighed the same, 19.5 kilos, or about 43 ponds. This moose is easily a third bigger than Tuli now.

Here she is with her pal, Rosie, who is the boss and doesn't take any guff from the dogs. Rosie's secret hiding place is the roof of our house, or the roof of our friend's house across the street. She was raised around dogs and has no fear. But she can move like lightning when she wants. Maggi will frequently like Rosie up one side and down the other. Rosie usually just takes it.

Blah at first, then WOW! at the end...

2011-09-29T19:45:00.000-07:00

It's getting closer!

2011-09-27T17:46:00.000-07:00

Soon the sun will set behind the spit of land which is the Chuburna lighthouse jetty. Then , for several months it will set further and further away from the Gulf, until it creeps back at the end of January and starts setting on the Gulf again. We had a celebration last time, and will probably have a celebration next time!

Telchac Puerto

2011-09-27T17:28:00.000-07:00

This is the Villa Del Mar restaurant in Telchac Puerto, a small beach town about 30 miles east of us. After measuring some windows for a curtain sewing job, my pal Joan McBurney and I had lunch at this little seaside restaurant. The place was deserted, as it was only 12:30, and there was a little boy getting ready to take a nap in his hammock. The pier is a new one and people fish from it, and gather and share stories , food and a couple of beers. We had two very different shrimp dishes, and went away full. I'll go back!

Bougainvillea gone crazy

2011-09-27T17:17:00.000-07:00

It looks like a giant, frilly, pink pompom. This particular pompom was about eight inches across. not like a normal bougainvillea!

Good dogs,and buffalo

2011-09-27T17:07:00.000-07:00

Coming out of Progreso today we had to do a double-take.it looked like a line of really well behaved dogs at first glance. Yes, I need glasses! But these are really cute carved animals. And the guys who sell them also sell car mats and dashboard covers. Go figure.

Beauty in my Garden

2011-09-25T20:10:00.000-07:00

I love this combo of orange hibiscus and fuschia bougainvillea. They are getting along in the garden pretty well, but I think the bougainvillea is going to crowd out the hibiscus soon. Hopefully we can separate them without any casualties!

Up on the Roof

2011-09-25T20:00:00.000-07:00

Thelma likes to be up on the roof. If she can travel between houses without touching the ground, she will. Here she sits on our neighbor's roof, probably wondering why there isn't a board over to our house, so her feet don't have to touch the ground.

Hangin' on the wall

2011-09-25T19:54:00.000-07:00

Doesn't he look handsome on the yellow ochre wall? I know there are zillions of these iguanas everwhere, but I still get a kick out of them.

Free Mexican Airforce

2011-09-25T19:50:00.000-07:00

My friend Judy Cruz wanted to know if the flamingoes had gas, or were those just clouds....Always a comedian! I told her they were contrails.
Whatever they are, this is a beautiful picture of flamingos taken by Mario Morales Fotografia.

Pleeeeeeease open the gate!

2011-09-25T19:46:00.000-07:00

She is so upset when we are on different sides of the gate. Nothing is better than running around on the beach, except maybe cadging a bite of someone's lunch!

The Nightly Light Show

2011-09-25T19:38:00.000-07:00

It's fall now, but we still have beautiful sunsets. Soon the sun will set behind the land to the west and we won't have sunsets over water til the middle of February. So we enjoy them while we can. And the rest of the time we go back into the archives.

I am NOT begging!

2011-09-25T19:35:00.000-07:00

She is either gazing adoringly at her daddy, or just plain begging.

Our sticks

2011-09-21T19:41:00.000-07:00

We love our sticks! They provide a good contrasting element for photographs, as well as a home for fish and the important job of keeping our beach nice and big. And the birds like to sit on them as well. It's a win-win.

Once more...this time with feeling!

2011-09-21T19:28:00.000-07:00

It's what my high-school music teacher, Connie Tarentino, used to bellow at us when we played in a lackluster manner.
Now, many gazillions of years later, we apply that statement to the nightly light show provided by Mother Nature. This time of year the sunsets are anything but lackluster!

Resident Iguana

2011-09-21T19:16:00.000-07:00

Chief took a nice shot of this cute little fellow...not bad for my point & shoot Canon Powershot!

Morning Clouds

2011-09-20T17:30:00.000-07:00

It's unusual to see these billowing clouds come from the north, and at the same time see such a glassy Gulf. These pictures were taken in the morning, before the wind came up.
It was so calm you could see the reflections of the clouds. It was so still it was eerie. We have come to expect a big blow when it's like this! So far, no storm.

Rosie

2011-09-12T21:32:00.000-07:00

Rosie is the undisputed boss of the dogs. She teases and twaps them til they chase her, then she turns on a dime and chases them back. She is a great hunter and is always bringing us trophies. She has such a snow white coat which just about glows in the dark and a tail that probably belonged to a racoon . A stomach rub makes her purr like crazy. She will eat almost anything and will beg steak and fish from us at dinner. She has a zest for life!

Moods of Maggi

2011-09-12T20:53:00.000-07:00

She digs holes in the yard. I'm so glad it's sand! She steals my shells, and hates to give them up. Just look at that face. And she roots in the sand. Just look at that face.

Just another beautiful sunset in Paradise

2011-09-12T18:54:00.000-07:00

Roseate Spoonbills

2011-09-09T20:42:00.000-07:00

These beautiful pink birds are not
seen very often here, so this
sighting was a treat. The photo-
grapher-in-chief fortunately had
a camera ready. They aren't as
blazingly coral-pink as flamingos, but they are a heavenly shade of pink. I don't think I have ever seen quite so many at once!

Nate

2011-09-08T17:56:00.000-07:00

Nate is stalled off Campeche,
which is to the west of us, on the
west side of the Yucatan peninsula.
When he decides to move, it will be to the Northwest, and maybe Texas will get some rain, finally. We are seeing some of the outer bands, and it looks like a good thunderstorm is working up. 5" of rain has fallen in the last few days, so we don't actually need it. However, when you think of the months that go by without a drop, maybe more rain is a good thing. At least we know where the house leaks!

Hearts of Palm

2011-09-07T11:18:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's just a palm tree. But such a useful plant. Our fence is woven with the center stalk of the fronds. Brooms are made from the leaves, as are beautiful hats, bowls and really neat grasshoppers!

Mexican scaffolding, one year ago

2011-09-02T18:27:00.000-07:00

Nope. I wouldn't go up there. But they would . No fear. I saw them make this contraption, and it consists of sticks, baling wire,maybe some bubblegum and not much else. No one was hurt!

Today, One year ago

2011-09-02T17:27:00.001-07:00

Since we weren't allowed to have a sunset tonight, I thought I'd go back into the archives to see what happened last year on this date. There was work being done on the house with a really scary scaffolding, and there was a thunderstorm, just like today!

Gobsmacked, or what you think as soon as you're 60

2011-09-01T20:43:00.000-07:00

I had a moment of clarity in downtown Merida, also known as Centro, today. I was driving up Avenida 60, turned left onto Calle 61, left onto Avenida 62, then left on Calle 63. These four streets surround the big square, or Zocalo, in Centro. I was amazed at this elegant symmetry! I love the numbers part of it. Am I the only one to notice this? It was too cool. Someone tell me I am not completely losing it! Maybe I'm watching too much Anthony Bourdain. This sounds like something he would say.

I'm a lucky dawg

2011-09-01T20:19:00.000-07:00

Maggi has just turned 1 year old. She loves to dig giant holes in the yard, but hasn't quite realized she could easily dig under the fence! She will root around in the sand, just like Tuli, and frequently looks like she's breaded. Oh yes, and she's a BIG dog. She almost barreled into me going down the stairs. Now I let her go first!

Beach Clean-up

2011-08-31T18:38:00.000-07:00

We noticed a group of Mexicans with rakes and shovels on our beach this afternoon. They raked up seaweed and junk on the beach and buried the organic stuff in big holes they dug. The other garbage went into big black bags which hopefully will be taken away before the street dogs get to them. They looked like the same group that works in Chelem and Chuburna cleaning the streets. After their day is over, they get paid, we are thinking, as an assistance program of sorts. The beach looks pretty good, and there is a big pile of trash bags ready to go!

2011-08-27T19:40:00.000-07:00

We found these flamingos on the way to dinner at Elio's in Progreso. The water in the ria was so still you could see mirror images of the strangebut beautiful birds.

The Big Six-O

2011-08-27T18:17:00.000-07:00

Hey, all these shots are backwards! It was supposed to be a surprise, and it was, all the way up to when we turned in to go to Taco Maya instead of continuing on to Progreso and Elio's, where we were supposed to meet John and Sue for pasta.
The jig was up when I saw all the cars of our friends, so I decided to go in guns blazing, camera flashing, yelling "Surprise!" That got a big laugh, and I maaged to get some good shots of everybody with their mouths wide open. We had two types of tamales, ceviche, pizza and two birthday cakes. The highlight of the evening was Sue's special birthday song to me, sung to the tune of Y-M-C-A. The four gals with the letter cards behind her were supposed to put the cards up in order for the chorus, J-O-A-N, etc. Of course, they were in the wrong position. Sue couldn't tell, but I was facing them, and laughing so hard it brought tears to my eyes. They finally figured it out and shuffled around, which made it even funnier. My face still hurts. It was a great party, and it was nice to celebrate with our friends we have made over the past three years. My gift from the group was a Kindle! Yeehaw. I had dropped a few hints and somebody heard the thumps. I spent part of the afternoon with Buzz getting it set up and downloading some books. I am a happy camper, and I have to say that if you are turning 60, do it down here. Thank you to my sweet husband, friends Sue, and Carol and Stig for his valiant effort to deliver pizzas in the face of adversity!

My Orange Hibiscus

2011-08-24T19:57:00.000-07:00

My orange hibiscus has been blooming like mad for months...sometimes with seven blooms at one time. You could lose yourself in the intense colors of these beautiful flowers. Thanks to Chief for the beautiful photographs.

End of the World?

2011-08-24T19:22:00.000-07:00

Born to Fish

2011-08-24T18:48:00.001-07:00

This little boy was showing off his net throwing skills for his brother and dad. He had great technique, and threw the net in the approved Mexican style, which is to put part of it in your mouth before flinging. Not easy! Just ask Chief.

2011-08-24T18:28:00.000-07:00

Out for a stroll

2011-08-23T21:01:00.000-07:00

In New York City, you see people walking multiple dogs; here in Mexico, you see people walking multiple pigs.

Lleno de Magna

2011-08-23T20:54:00.000-07:00

Only in Mexico would you see this! One of the first Spanish phrases you learn down here is "lleno de Magna, por favor", which means fill it with Magna (unleaded, not premium). This picture has been cracking me up for months, and it needs to be here, if only for posterity.

Water like glass

2011-08-23T20:27:00.000-07:00

Three fishing boats headed out on a mirror-like surface. You can barely discern the horizon.

Subtle Sunset

2011-08-22T19:44:00.001-07:00

It was subtle, but pretty.

It's always siesta time

2011-08-22T19:31:00.000-07:00

Friends Rhonda and Sophia were driving through the village of Chelem when they saw this very innovative place to put that Mexican trademark....the hammock. Seems that it's always a good time to grab a siesta! Thanks to Sophia for a one-of-a-kind shot

Ho hum....another awesome sunset..yawn...

2011-08-20T21:21:00.000-07:00

I can't get over the wonderful sunsets in the summer. Each one is more dazzling than the night before. I can't stop myself from taking pictures of every one, anymore than I can ignore a really awesome piece of beach glass or tile on my daily walk with the dogs.

Still here!

2010-11-11T07:15:00.000-08:00

Yes, it's been many moons since the last post. A lot has happened, but a lot has stayed the same. In May, shortly after the last post, we were visited by an unknown burglar, presumably a Mexican, who relieved us of cameras, our computer, our wallets, cash, etc. Not pretty. However... we have some wonderful friends and neighbors who rushed over to our house clutching handfuls of pesos to save our bacon. THEN, our dear friend Robin came by with a stack of pesos from jewelry sales at his salon. Whew. Immediate problem solved. A many hour long session with the credit card companies and our bank started the process of rebuilding our lives. An emergency loan from American Express was on it's way to Merida and all we had to do was go get it. So far, so good. A call to our wonderful landlady in South Carolina started the process of getting protectores (bars on the windows) on all the ground floor windows. We we feeling very content and that's when life jumped up and bit us in the butt. Word to the wise: Always take your wallet, purse, phone, keys, etc with you when you go upstairs for the night. And don't make it too easy for them to get in. So we learned an expensive lesson, but no-one was hurt. Our dog , Tuli, never made a peep, which was also a disappointment. So, now we are much more careful and so are all our neighbors. There are very few jobs here as unemployment is rampant and the fishing bad. Add alcoholism and drugs and you get get thieves. Too bad, and sometimes even children are pulled into the web as they are small and nimble enough to squeeze in a screen which has been cut. Whatever. More later. Time to go make stuff with my friend Nancy Gerlach in her fabulous new outdoor kitchen!

Chief's Pride and Joy

2010-04-21T19:57:00.000-07:00

Boy, do we have sunflowers! And bees to go along with them. They are busy packing on the pollen . Soon they will produce tons of seeds and the grackles will be happy.

Sound of the Sunflowers

2010-04-21T19:19:00.000-07:00

Chief was out early this morning and heard a buzzing by the sunflower patch. He grabbed his camera and caught a bunch of busy bees packing themselves with pollen. He even got the sound on the video.

Buzz's Birthday

2010-04-19T19:07:00.000-07:00

We went to Buzz's birthday party the other day. He lives a few kilometers down the road and is in the process of reclaiming his backyard from the scrubby brush that is everywhere in the Yucatan. So far he has put in a pool, a bodega to put yard stuff, the filter, etc in, and a really nice barbeque. The fence is getting there. I'm kind of envious of his outdoor shower. Here is Buzz getting ready to take a picture of me taking a picture of him, then Nancy Draper and Joan McBurney holding each other up and Chief making a few friends.
We all had a great time and enjoyed a Snickers birthday cake made by Buzz himself.

Small street, big truck

2010-04-18T21:04:00.000-07:00

Our neighbors are eagerly awaiting the arrival of their household goods.
They have been shipped from the US in a container, which then was loaded onto a truck in Progreso and then driven to Chuburna. Long journey. However, backing the truck into their driveway proved to be the toughest part of the trip.They got wedged into the street for a while and even the police didn't have any ideas. Finally they got unstuck and presumably, our neighbors now have their stuff.

Take me out to the ballgame

2010-04-18T20:47:00.000-07:00

The local kids here really want to play baseball. but many of them are too poor to even have a bat or glove. Our friend Kaye Kirkes has sponsored a team called the Chuburna Indians. People have donated equipment, uniforms, and have helped getting the dilapidated ball park gussied up. They have started practicing with a couple of coaches from Merida and are really excited about their first game in a few weeks. Chief went to one of their practices and took a few pictures and set them to that all time favorite, one that everybody knows the words to: "Take Me Out To The Ballgame". Join us in wishing these kids the joy of baseball.

Great Lakes

2010-04-17T14:36:00.000-07:00

We had a drenching thunderstorm this morning as one can tell by the big lake in front of the house. Probably an inch of rain fell in an hour or so. We have had rain the last few days and everybody is happy including the birds. Hopefully they will eat all the bugs that will erupt in a day or two!

A big peach cloud

2010-04-17T14:30:00.000-07:00

Finally, some interesting clouds! We watched this bank build up toward the south all afternoon. And after the sun set, it turned the incredible shade of pink and orange. When it became dark, we were treated to a great display of lightning inside this beautiful cloud. We sat on the Godfather bench and watched the lightening for about an hour.

MMMMMMMMMMMMM!

2010-04-17T14:24:00.000-07:00

On the home from Progreso, we always pass the shrimp guy. They are 120 pesos per kilo...about 10 bucks for 2.2 lbs. Fresh, delicious and so good on the grill. We had some orange sauce from the Asian food section at the Superama in Merida and boy, was that good on everything. It also made a wonderful salad dressing mixed with a bit of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

So, how many shrimp can YOU eat?

Do something with all those shells, already!

2010-04-13T13:36:00.000-07:00

OK, OK. But it's not my project! Our friend and neighbor, Jan, is making shell framed mirrors. She already has a gigantic one in her house. Oh why, oh why, do I not have a picture? I was there yesterday... Anyway, this one is actually 2 projects, with a separate fish underneath. I like the way the two look together, and maybe Jan will too. I think she's going to go for it. She and her husband, Larry have a property management business in Playa de Carmen and are lucky enough to have their own wood shop to take care of the business needs. Perfect if you need some fish or giant circles cut out! The shapes are painted with flat white paint and then the shells are attached with silicon glue, a favorite down here. And yes, I'm getting ready to do some myself. After all, what else am going to do with all those shells?

Mucha Gente (lots of people)

2010-04-11T16:08:00.000-07:00

We were thinking that it wasn't as busy during Holy Week as last year. That is, until we cruised through our normally tranquil fishing village of Chuburna on the way to a reggae festival. We turned down a side street to go back around the block and instantly got stuck in a huge clot of busses, all of which were able to seat at least 50 people each. There were literally hundred of busses and the street was full of people. Apparently this is the last dayof Semana Santa and everybody in all the inland villages wanted a day at the beach. The Diario, the local Progreso newspaper estimated a crowd of 50,000
at the beach for Sunday.
The reggae fest was a great deal at 35
pesos, about $2.75 US . There was great
people watching, some really cute kids and the music was way better than you'd think for 35 pesos. I think we are spoiled by California's music festivals, but you couldn't beat the price.
The blogger gods mixed up the pictures after I scientifically down-loaded them in a specific order to tell the story. Since I am not deleting them and re-doing tis post, just use your imagination!

My Beautiful Princess

2010-04-09T18:23:00.000-07:00

Here's Thelma reclining on her Sponge Bob blankie under the window in the spare bedroom. The breeze is billowing the curtains and there's a bit of a sunbeam lighting her up. I think she looks beautiful.

Beans, Beans...

2010-04-09T18:20:00.000-07:00

Here is the first harvest of beans!
They were delicious steamed lightly with a bit of butter. Yum!
Hopefully there will be more down the road.

New Necklace

2010-04-09T18:17:00.000-07:00

I'm finally doing something with the big chunky animal print beads I got from Andrea Menghetti in December. I recently found a store in Merida with lots of inexpensive crystals in great colors. Combine them with some antiqued brass beads and findings and this is what you get!

Sorry.....

2010-04-05T17:42:00.000-07:00

I know, I know. But it's really funny! And didn't you know there was a good reason not to swallow the gum?

Choose one

2010-04-05T17:35:00.000-07:00

Bag on the left: 50 pesos

Bag on the right: 37 pesos

What to do with all that extra money you save buying charcoal: Buy beads!

And if you get the bag on the left,a Mexican guy in Progreso is very happy, as opposed to giving the Walmart bodega 37 pesos that hardly benefits anybody!

Abuela

2010-04-05T17:29:00.000-07:00

Our neighbor, Carmen and one of her grandkids.

Kite Surfing

2010-04-05T17:11:00.000-07:00

We never get tired of watching this kid and his kite. He is good!

Good Dog

2010-04-05T16:53:00.000-07:00

This German Shepherd belongs to a family down the street who is visiting for Semana Santa. He stays with the kids and goes swimming and everything else with them. This is also the dog that taught Tuli a lesson in humility the other day. She ran up to him, thinking he would back down. Well, he didn't and the next thing she knew, she was on the bottom looking up! He is a really friendly BIG dog.
She needs to get over wanting to run every dog off. He is a big friendly thing and plays well with the other German Shepherd that visits.

Ice, the Old Way

2010-04-05T16:38:00.000-07:00

It's a precious commodity in hot weather...I wonder how long this old man has delivered ice, and how old his horse and cart are.

Girasol

2010-04-05T16:33:00.000-07:00

It's time for sunflowers and this is the first one of the year, with lots more to come. It even matches our house number tiles.
My camera takes pretty good closeups....now to see if I can catch a hummingbird in the act. (not likely!)

The Big Red One

2010-04-05T16:30:00.000-07:00

It's an hibiscus, not a military unit.

This flower is really big, almost 6" across. This particular hibiscus bush will only put out one flower at a time. But the flower you get is really beautiful. You can get lost in its color.

Thelma Report

2010-04-05T14:44:00.000-07:00

Thelma is hanging out under the palapa. Maybe she is communing with Foggy. Only she knows.

Carnival in Chelem

2010-04-05T14:23:00.000-07:00

Here we are at the carnival in the square of Chelem. The first picture shows me gazing rapturously at a couple of wooden crosses. Seriously, we didn't even realize they were in front of my face until we downloaded the camera. Too much.

Here we are gambling our hard earned pesos on Loteria. We did notwin.

Scary electrical work.

Fellini carnival..and rubber ducks

MMMMMMMarquesitas...the local Yucatec favorite. A thin crispy sweet shell with grated Gouda (!) rolled inside, melting and then Hershey's or Nutella poured inside. Completely to die for.

The mexicans are loco for foosball. There must have been 100 tables everywhere you looked at the carnival. They were all well used, too.

A cutie on the merry-go-round.

Busy, busy

2010-04-05T14:04:00.000-07:00

I'm a busy little bee. Taco Maya is reopening soon after a month away, Robin will be back soon and I am champing at the bit to use my new beads. So I have been on a non stop jewelry making binge. I found a store in Merida that has great buys on crystals. A 16" string of 5 mm cubes is 18 pesos...about $1.35. They aren't Swarowski, but at that price I can cull the imperfect ones out with no problema! I am not that thrilled with their metal components; I haven't been able to find a good source for them down here, but Fire Mountain Gems is a mouse click away and there is always somebody who will bring them down for me. There is a store called Mineralia that has beautiful pearls, turquoise and other gemstones and some other cool stuff. I found some beautiful electric blue glass with silver foil cubes about 1/2 inch square for just a few pesos each. I hope I can get more; they made a fabulous necklace (for me!) I am so happy to be playing with beads and looking out across the beautiful Gulf of Mexico. What's not to like? And if I sell some, I get to buy more beads!

The price tags are made from a sheet of Loteria cards. Loteria is the national craze in Mexico. It's kind of like bingo...you can even gamble on Loteria in a roulette kind of way at the little street fairs. These cards are a special version for the Yucatan and are really neat with local pictures and Mayan words. The original version is very cool as well. Everybody, and I mean everybody, plays this game. The family who comes to the house next to us plays it at midnight. The 10 year old kid who reads the cards sounds like an announcer. Hilarious, especially after midnight.

Zocalo's Shrimp Cocktail

2010-04-05T13:52:00.000-07:00

Even with all the great food down here, I still miss my favorite shrimp cocktail from Zocalo in Pacific Grove. Diane Wells, Koryn Stone and I used to get this every Wednesday.

Diane, who is a great food experimenter said she had made something that was as close as could be. The secret was Clamato! So here's the recipe:

1 avocado

2 tomatoes

1/2 cucumber

small white onion, chopped

cilantro to taste, chopped fine

cooked shrimp (Zocalo uses big ones, and so will I next time) I boiled mine with garlic salt and a bit of cumin.

lemon juice to taste

splash of apple cider vinegar

Clamato juice

Yucatan Sunshine, or any other hot sauce, to taste

Chop the onion, tomato, cucumber, avocado, cilantro. Combine in a bowl and pour Clamato over the top. Use a bunch; this shrimp cocktail is more like a cold soup. Add the shrimp...make sure they are cold. Splash some apple cider vinegar and a few tablespoons of lemon juice and he hot sauce (optional). Heat up a big flour tortilla and go to Mexican Food heaven!

Carry a big stick

2010-03-30T15:58:00.000-07:00

Looks like fun

2010-03-30T15:56:00.001-07:00

They flly by every now and then. We want to go, but it costs the earth. Looks like fun, though.

Sunrise, Moonset

2010-03-30T15:50:00.000-07:00

They're Back!

2010-03-30T15:32:00.000-07:00

For months we have not seen a soul on our beach. You could walk a mile in each direction and be all by yourself. But now it is Semana Santa, Holy Week (actually 3 weekends, two weeks) and here come all the Mexicans on their spring holiday. Their houses might stand vacant for 11 months a year, but they are here in force in the spring. A lot of them will be back for the summer as well. It is wall to wall people and they zoom around on scooters, ATVs, horses, jeeps, you name it. Music plays 24/7 and there are people on the beach and in the water all the time...even really late at night! Then we get our beach back. It is great people watching and all kinds of vendors come around. We are really glad when September comes though.

It's Semana Santa

2010-03-30T15:08:00.000-07:00

It's Semana Santa, or Holy Week and the Rio Norte Campamiento Christianos are here. They stay up really late at night, singing and partying on our beach. Their compound is directly south of us a few hundred yards and we can hear and see everything they do! Here they are having baptisms in the Gulf right in front of our house. Then they have a sermon in front of our neighbor's house...he's not home! Of course we sent him a picture of the whole gang camped on his doorstep. He'll be here in April and hopefully all the Christianos will be gone by then.

Otherwise, they will be treated to a wild-eyed Cuban American when they serenade him at 6:00 AM Sunday morning. It will be scary for both sides.

Bad Dog

2010-03-30T13:05:00.000-07:00

Chance is the humper. Tuli is the humpee. We think Chance is overly optimistic. Thank heavens they are both spayed and neutered.

Another beautiful sunset

2010-03-30T12:54:00.000-07:00

Military Action

2010-03-30T12:48:00.000-07:00

We rarely see any air traffic, or even anyone going by in a boat. These guys were looking for two fishermen lost at sea when their boat sank. The other fishermen clung to a refrigerator and were eventually rescued.

A sad day

2010-03-25T19:52:00.000-07:00

Our beloved kitty, Foggy, our little friend for almost 17 years, passed away peacefully in Chief's arms on Monday, Feb 22. We knew she was at the end of her life and kept her warm and comfortable. She loved to be held and didn't seem to be in pain. As my friend Linda said, she has left a cat shaped hole in our hearts. She is buried under the palapa where she spent many happy hours in dozing in the warm sand. Rest in peace, Fogmeister, we'll miss you.

Puppy Pics

2010-03-15T20:25:00.000-07:00

We just got these cute puppy pictures of Tuli (and her sister Ruby) from Tuli's first human mom and dad, Candace and Phil. We never thought Tuli would get as big as she did! Just shows what a good diet can do.

Foggy and Tuli

2010-03-14T11:43:00.000-07:00

They are pretty cute together. Tuli is very patient; she has a maternal streak in her a mile wide. Here they are touching feet.

Road Trip

2010-03-14T11:10:00.000-07:00

We took a little road trip Saturday. Headed east as far as we could go to a teeny town called Dzilam Bravo. That part of the Yucatan coast is very sparsely populated with big stretches of scrubby beach vegetation interspersed with coconut plantations and small villages. Our little road trip lasted until almost 7 PM and ended with a dinner at Buddy's...shrimp fajitas and steak arrechera, both delicious.

Real Mexico

2010-03-13T08:38:00.000-08:00

Here is a little slideshow of some of our favorite photos, shot for the most part by Chief, accompanied by the incomparable James Taylor. Turn up your sound and enjoy!

What a good dog

2010-03-11T11:45:00.000-08:00

Tuli is the best dog...she lets Foggy crawl all over her, drink from her water dish, and walk underneath her while she eats. Really a mellow dog. I guess our phrase "leave that cat alone" really sunk in!

Foggy

2010-03-03T18:14:00.000-08:00

Here's a picture of Foggy in her younger days taken by my sister Carol.

Foggy and Tuli

2010-03-03T17:34:00.000-08:00

Foggy keeps on ticking. She came downstairs today and walked around for a while. She walked right over Tuli as if she were a pile of laundry. Tuli just laid there and let her walk all over her. I was lucky to get these cute shots of the two of them. We will miss Foggy so much; she's been a part of our lives for almost 17 years and has been the best cat ever.

Moonset

2010-03-01T19:31:00.000-08:00

Pet Olympics

2010-02-28T18:14:00.000-08:00

In the spirit of sisterhood in sport, Tuli and Thelma are competing in their two favorite events: Olympic Coconut Shredding and Olympic Couch Gymnastics. Tuli has just achieved world record volume from a coconut and Thelma shows her award winning form with her dismount in the pike position, after which she immediately falls sound asleep.
Bravo, girls!

Foggy

2010-02-28T17:34:00.000-08:00

Foggy, our beloved 17 year old kitty, is nearing the end of her life. We are keeping her warm and comfortable and letting her choose her time. She has had a terrific life and we will miss her. Here are a few shots of her and Tuli and of her on her red blankie. We know it's coming, but we are not ready to let her go.

Sunset

2010-02-28T17:24:00.000-08:00

Tuli says NO!

2010-02-28T17:09:00.000-08:00

She yells at him. He talks back. She yells again.

Something's Burnin'

2010-02-28T17:02:00.000-08:00

It's a perfect day for a fire!

Perfect Weather

2010-02-28T16:58:00.000-08:00

This is the reason we are here....it's the middle of winter, the US is having blizzards (paralyzing even), and it's about 80 degrees, the sun is warm, the sand is filled with beautiful shells and the sea is a mesmerizing turquoise. What's not to like?

Lapdog

2010-02-25T18:15:00.000-08:00

Mother Nature is mad

2010-02-25T18:01:00.000-08:00

It seems like just yesterday we were walking on the beach in bathing suits and shorts. It was! Then a norte came in. It arrived at about the same time a really high tide was happening. The log in the top picture is actually about 15 feet long and weighs about a ton. It has been on the beach to the west of us about six houses for a year. A few of us discussed the possibility of dragging it to the house, but before that could happen, Public Works started a beach rebuilding project and the log was buried under 3 feet of sand and packed down by a big loader. Eventually it emerged after all the winter storms and a few weeks ago Mother Nature deposited it in front of our neighbors house nest door. We watched it roll around and almost get washed out to sea during this latest norte. Nobody felt like going outside in our Cat .5 hurricane (winds were 40 mph) so the log is still in front of Linda's house with a ton of seaweed and all the junk which comes in with it. Usually we get the junk on the beach prize! This all happened yesterday. Today it is absolutely beautiful out and the shape of the beach has changed once again!

Just another day in Paradise

2010-02-25T17:57:00.000-08:00

It was a beautiful morning with a big catamaran sailing by close to shore.

Carnival parade in Merida

2010-02-19T19:27:00.000-08:00

Complete and total sensory overload! It was cold and windy, but nobody seemed to mind. We stayed in a beautiful hotel right on the parade route. It had a teeny little balcony, but Chief was able to get some great shots of the parade.. I decided to watch it from the comfort of the reading room downstairs at street level. It was a lot warmer there as well! Apparently there were 275,000 people in town for the parade! Yowza.

Love the leopard speedo and gold boots on him!

They didn't seem to feel the cold!

Yes, it's blurry...there were a lot of drumsticks flyin'.

Waiting for a parade

2010-02-17T21:56:00.000-08:00

It's hurry up and wait for these two Mexican policemen. They literally block off dozens of side streets leading to the parade route. These two were having a little break, well, one was having a siesta! The little chairs in the bottom picture were just so cute; one could imagine the little kids sitting ther and cheering and hoping to catch some candy. Actually, when we went back at night right before the parade started, the chairs had been replaced with grownup folding chairs and were filled with grownups. Broke that bubble! There were 275,000 people on the parade route on Saturday night. Fat Tuesday was supposed to be even bigger!

Mexican Fire Department

2010-02-17T21:49:00.000-08:00

We glimpsed this old fire truck through the bars of the back room of Amate Books, a good bookstore in Merida specializing in English language books, mostly about Central America. They also have a great cookbook section, including several by our friend Nancy Gerlach. There is an art gallery of indigenous Mexican art, including a fabulous tin frame with beautiful designs stamped in it. 600 pesos (USD $45) not bad, but I need to sell some more aprons or jewelry. Or tablecloths! I'll rationalize it somehow.

More aprons

2010-02-17T21:32:00.000-08:00

The top apron is for Bella, who is 6 months old and the cutest, calmest baby around. Her grandma, Deborah, commissioned me to make aprons for her, her sister Alyssa and Bella. Alyssa is 6 and loved the heart apron I made for Carol at Taco Maya. Apparently, baby aprons instead of bibs are the rage in England...maybe in the US as well. Who knows? I googled baby aprons and sure enough, a company named Zazzle makes really cute BBQ style aprons for babies, mostly with funny sayings on them. It's actually a good idea and I can't wait to see it in action on Bella tomorrow. Picture, of course!

I can practically guarantee Alyssa will have a fit when she sees hers; she's very dramatic and loves jewelry, pretty clothes and pretty much anything foofy! And of course, she is cute as a button.

Tug O' War

2010-02-17T21:13:00.000-08:00

They can have all the dog toys in the world, but what makes them really happy? A piece of rope they found on the beach. Just like a kid with a big cardboard box, or a stick!

Man O' War

2010-02-17T21:09:00.000-08:00

Whatever you do, stay away. It will sting like crazy. This is the first whole one I've seen. It is a Portuguese Man Of War. Trippy looking, eh?

Tuli's new friend

2010-02-17T14:11:00.003-08:00

This little guy is Chance. He belongs to Linda, our new neighbor. He is a cute little thing. Stubby legs, a long body, big feet and a big Kenworth head. Adorable. And Tuli just loves to play with him. Earlier today Linda came to fetch him off our porch ( He doesn't get the "Come!" command all the time) and he screeched and yowled as if he were being run over. Tuli started barking and whining in a very concerned way and wouldn't stop. Could it be a maternal instinct kicking in? Neither of us had ever heard her vocalizing in that way before.

Don't try this at home

2010-02-17T13:58:00.000-08:00

We were just going to pick up the laundry after breakfast at Taco Maya. However, the laundry wasn't done and we decided to wait for the parade...then five hours later we arrived back home to the smell of carbonized chicken soup and scorched metal. Seems like nobody checked the stove on the way out. The coffeepot was also left on. Is this any way for the family of a former fire chief to act? We are happy to report the house did not burn down. Or up.