The insanity of  holiday weekend continues! There are sooooo many people here. The beaches are packed, the roads are packed, the restaurants are packed. And people drive sooooo badly. I did not go back to the beach today; maybe tomorrow, but Sam and I did go down to the park where I play ball with him and read. The back of the park was pretty empty as usual, but down one side is the main road out to Las Conchas- the beach I went to yesterday, and there were so many people, trucks with the backs filled with screaming young people, loud music, weaving in and out. On the way down there I saw the turn for the beaches at the other end, like Sandy Beach, and the cars waiting to get onto that road (Calle 13) were backed up for about 3 blocks. Calle 13 goes for about 8 blocks before the turn to hit the beaches, and I guess everyone was a vacationing tourist cause there's a couple of other ways to get there, but maybe struggling thru the most popular street is part of the fun. I saw a friend who has a hot dog stand, which he moved to Calle 13 for the long weekend, and he said he didn't get home this morning until 6am!! So people are partying all day and all nite.

Everardo is napping on the couch next to me, it's about 8:30 and he got home about 7pm, after heading out about 9am this morning. So he walked his ass off all day. People aren't buying alot of souvenirs; they are buying beer, and food, but he's doing ok. We are trying to make enough to live on, and that's working. (So it's all good) We had no hot water today- I found out when I jumped in the shower after exercising this morning...wow! So when he got here we turned around and went back out to get gas. Yeah, you don't get a gas bill and it's not piped into your house. You have tanks outside; one for hot water, one for the stove...and when it was really cold we had a little one for a portable heater we rolled from the living room to the bedroom. For the hot water tank, I think about 200 pesos lasts us a month or maybe a little more, so that's about $16. We just got the gas bill for 2 months and it was 432 pesos I think, so about $17 a month....this I can deal with! ha ha

Anyway after getting the propane tank filled, we went to grab some tacos for dinner. Everardo couldn't find the place he thought was by the gas place so we went to this corner stand near our house where they make the tacos in these thick tortillas, carne asada or pork. They serve them in these paper cones, and I ask for mine with just the guacamole and the meat; Poppi gets everything. BUt they always give you a little plate that has tomatoes, limes, radishes, and some spicy hot sauce so you can add whatever/how much you like. They are very filling and the place is very popular. Anyway we're sitting there after a table opened up (everywhere has the plastic tables and chairs), and I see this big suv trying to parallel park at the curb right next to where we're sitting. The license plates are Arizona. They get out, a couple, the man was driving, and he gets out with a cigarette in one hand and a beer in the other. These were not kids; this guy had to be in his late 50's, at least. Drinking and driving. And he's from the states so he knows it's not ok. What the hell is the matter with people??? He wasn't stumbling or slurring his words, but you know- that's not the point. From the kids? (and I mean over 18) I expect it in a sad way...but come on buddy!

Yeah last nite again there was music all nite, but it was faint and so kind of soothing. So I'm thinking it will all continue for another week cause the kids are out of school for 2 weeks. Then after that alot of people will go home, but the tourist season has begun, so we will see what that means. From the articles I've been reading about the area, this year seems to be shaping up better than last year; the Christmas season was better than last year....and so far the tourists are higher in number as well. It felt like a ghost town when we got here, and now it's kinda overflowing....so maybe after next week there will be a happy medium....wow we've been here 4 months next week. The time has flown by.
Viva!!

This is about the holiday weekend, Semana Santa. Today when I drove down the street from our house towards the main boulevard (Benito Juarez), in front of businesses and homes I saw people putting up little tables with purple tablecloths, red flowers, tall candles, and a cross with Jesus on it behind it. Almost all the table coverings were purple but I saw at least one white one. The crosses with Jesus on them went from big to huge. Some had just one candle in the tall glass, the ones with the pictures on them, but all the flowers were red.

Close to noon there was a procession down the same street, coming from the cemetery I think, going up to the Catholic church. The street was blocked off close to my street so I turned off and came down the next street, unfortunately I though the parade was going in the other direction like it usually does (well maybe not usually- but over the Christmas holidays), so I came inside, made a quick sandwich, yelled for Sam and went out to the street to take some photos and that's when I found out it was going the other way. I am just 2 houses in from the street on a dirt side street, and that main street has both a huge Catholic church and the entrance to a very large cemetery, so if it's a holiday- there's gonna be a procession going by, and here in Mexico- there's ALOT of holidays!

I did not venture down to the malecon; I knew the streets are blocked for cars, and it was really busy down there 2 nites ago when we went down there about 8pm. The big pavilion was filled with people and bands and vendors with trinkets, and cart after cart of hot food. It was very festive and fun to walk around, dance a little, and people watch. But all the streets I was on today were packed, the beach was packed, and the music has been non stop for the last couple of days. Last nite I heard it faintly as I fell asleep and right now (about 7pm) I hear music and cars honking, and earlier fireworks. There are food carts and sidewalk restaurants all over the place. But it's not a problem; I mean the music, from hear is faint, the busy roads are busy, but not bumper to bumper- over here at least. I went to Las Conchas to the beach this afternoon with Sam, and Everardo was right; the sticker on the windshield that says "contractor" allowed me to be waved into the security neighborhood.


Las Conchas is a neighborhood of massive homes; and I'm sure 7 or 8 years ago, was busy all the time, but now like everywhere here, some  homes are in varying stages of construction that has stopped, many have for sale signs, and at the opening to the area there are half finished condos and a hotel, unfinished with a lonley tunnel slide going into an empty pool. We only moved here in December, probly the quietest time of year here, and almost all those bug homes stand empty. We have friends who live out there, caretaking a house, and whenever we go it's quiet. Ha ha- not right now. People are all over the place out there! Many of the really large home have up to 10 cars in front so I assume groups of young people are rent them together- I say young people cause I saw huge groups of them all over the beach. Families, too, but in much smaller groups. Driving to the spot where we go down is way down near the end, so I followed the main road out that way and people are driving like nuts, many probly on their way to a big buzz right?? Trying to pass me when they can;t see over the rise and of course someone was coming the other way. People jammed into SUVs and in the backs of trucks, dune buggys, atvs,- along the side of the road is just hilly desert, and I saw these kids- 4 of them in a dune buggy (or are they just called atvs now), but I'm telling you they were not over 12- I mean who rented the thing? One kid gave me this "suck 'em up" sing, thumb up, pinky out, rest of the fingers curled in...oh god I thought- how are they out driving???

The beach was amazing, the water warmed alot in just a week. Still WAY colder than Playa Ventura, but I waded out waist deep. I need some kind of float to hang out on...Sam chased the ball until he actually puked. That was after 2 hours of swimming in to get the ball, and digging holes around it behind and under my chair. Lots and lots of people. Lots of vendors as well. In fact I looked over and saw Everardo selling some jewelry to a lady down the beach! He came by us for a minute, but then after he left, Sam kept thinking guys he saw in the water swimming was him- ha ha!

So today is Good Friday. I am home from the beach; I left after Sam puked, and a good thing cause after my shower saw I was starting to burn. But I talked to my friend that lives out there and tomorrow we're going back. It was nice today, I really enjoyed myself, but I will also enjoy being at the beach with someone else. I was watching all the groups today and saw some funny stuff; like people flying off the banana boats, and kids playing along the shore. I tried to read but Sam would have none of it- he wanted my full attention ha ha. Oh and I won't worry about staying hydrated since I'll be able to go up to the house...ok scratch that- I can always pee in the ocean! I have no idea if they have crowds in front of their place as well, but I'm betting they will...I wish my hubby could come too, but maybe Monday we can take a picnic out there and spend the day.

I'm getting back my Playa Ventura tan...yipee

I had my students for English today, and almost all of them remembered the words in English for all the fruits I brought last Thursday. I was SO excited! I have at least one student however who is struggling, so I'm thinking that tomorrow I'll go over there and and see if she is there, then ask her if she'd like to have a private class with just me to work on the basics. If she's not there, then I'll ask her on Thurs before class if she wants to have a class with me and she can pick the day. Her name is Haliaria and she tries so hard, but then when I ask her something she gets paralyzed. Man do I ever know the feeling. When people talk to me, I say Mande? (what?) so while they repeat it, I have time to think of what they said, translate it into English, and form a reply!

I also had my Spanish class this morning, and she asked if I wanted an "extra" class tomorrow...I said no thanx....the "extra" class is not extra; we have 2 classes a week, but she's busy on Thurs so we agreed  to meet Monday. But when she didn't come, I had skipped my meeting and put off a phone call with my daughter. If I go for having a class tomorrow and then she doesn't show...I will be mad and probly have to stop taking class from her. Anyway class was good today. We practiced conversations, like chatting at a bus stop, or seeing a friend at the mall, talking about what kind of a day we had, every day things like that.

After dinner we went to this store, like a big drug store, so has tons of little things from hair ties and barrettes, to lotions and shampoos, dishes, all kinds of toys for the beach, and cheap jewelry....Everardo has purchased cheap jewelry there and sold it for three times as much on the beach. When we were ready to check out, ha ha about 18 people working in the store, 10 people in line, and one cashier...sounds like Mexico AND the US!!

We went out looking for a place to get the best rate changing dollars to pesos. I guess when Everardo lived here before, the department store Coppel always gave a better a better rate than the bank. But when we got there, the woman behind the counter told us they haven't been exchanging dollars for pesos in about 3 years. Well this was after we hit the bank as they were literally locking the doors, but the woman told us the exchange rate was 12- which is acceptable. Then we went to this other place I just heard about this morning where they change money as well as send and receive money from the states, and have other services. But when we got there we saw the hours were 8:30am to 2:30 pm. I plan to go back over there tomorrow and find out what the rate is, and also to ask what the "other" services are. I have about $150 USD that Everardo made selling his stuff on the beach, and I want to get the best rate, then put it in our bank account, cause the stores give terrible rates. We went into another store and their rate was 11.87, and the OXXO's & Circle K's (like 7-11) post their rates in the window and are probly 11 or less....The grocery store, well any stores give less than the bank so it's best for us to change our dollars into pesos and use our ATM cards or take cash from the ATM. This is the first time in 10 months we have had dollars, so it's a new thing....But here you can use either, however I believe change will always be in pesos. Everardo's customer though, have dollars.

Everado made us beans and cheese and tortillas for dinner and it was perfect. And now I think an ice cream bar will top it off nicely. Magnum ice cream bars, not sure if they have them in the states but I love them, the inside is vanilla and it's very rich, and I like the chocolate outside with almonds...mmmm better get one now...

Still Monday but my day got progressively better...Everardo got back home around 2 and said- hey let's go to the beach! Sam heard the word "beach" and it's like when he hears the word "park"; he starts jumping all over the place. So off to the beach we went, but to a new place. The best place yet, My new place. It's down in Las Conchas, where some of our friends live. It's not gated, but it has security and it's a neighborhood, a huge neighborhood of HUGE houses, lots and lots of them; different shapes, winding stairs on the outside, stairs on the inside, decks on the roof, or big patios.

Now this area was hit just the same as everywhere else down here, and lots of houses are for sale. Lots of houses are in varying stages of being built and it just stopped. We have some friends who live in one nice house for free, as caretakers, but the electric is killing them. I know some other people who live out there, but the one complaint everybody has is the electric bills- $500 a month and up. We pay about $35 for 2 months, and we are not trying to conserve. I think it's a few things, maybe in winter these huge open homes use alot of heat, maybe in summer it's the same for the AC. I also hear that the electric is charged in these levels, and once you bump up a level (based on useage), you never go back down...The charges are higher on the beach side of town, especially in the condos and the mansions.

However, this mansion neighborhood, which has miles of beach, is the nicest beach I visited since I've been here. They have a security gate to drive in there, but if you say you're visiting someone, they give you this square of paper for your dash. I couldn't remember my friend's address the day I went to pick her up, but they gave me the paper anyway. And now the truck has this sticker, and when they see it we can just drive thru. Everardo's gonna get one for the car as well. He got it cause he walks the beach down there to sell stuff. They just write down the number on the sticker, and it just takes a second. Poppi says all I have to say is I'm taking my dog to the beach- they don't care cause they wrote down the number on the sticker. The sand is nice, I found a really pretty shell today, and the spiral shells I was collecting on the first beach (Sandy Beach), well they were on this beach in actual piles- piles way up on the beach. Both Sandy Beach and the second place I found that I liked, have this volcanic rock, like a slab in the whole beach, with craters and holes; once I saw Sam slip and actually fall on his side right on his shoulder, so I don't really like either of those beaches, except when the tide is high enough so that when he goes in the water, he's swimming by the time he hits that part. If he's just walking along, exploring it's ok, but the other day I left as soon as I saw the tide going out. But this place...no rocks, no slab of rocky holes. Ha ha no wonder the expensive homes were built in that area..duh right? But if I can go there anytime I want- then who cares? It's about 5 minutes more to get there past my number 2 beach (The Mirador). Yep I'm getting the names down and the streets...

Anyway just wanted to check back in to say the day ended nicely. Everardo & Sam went swimming- first swim in the ocean up here for Everardo...I didn't go in- it wasn't freezing but it was cold, and I thought, man I got so much time to do this, so for today I take pictures, sit in the beach chair that has the shade thing for your head, read...But I didn't read, I watched them play, I watched the water, I watched other people on the beach (not too many), then I laid on a towel like Everardo did when he got out of the water, and took a small nap. I worked on my tan. I was SO tan in Guerrero wiout trying ha ha...but I'm pretty tan here, too. On the way home we picked up a griled chicken, the Sinaloa way where they chop it up in front of you, give you the fixin's (shredded cabbage, onion, hot sauce, tortillas, corn and flour), brought it home, gobbled it up. Now lounging....

Monday already! And not turning out as planned either...Mexico is the best place for the saying...best laid plans.....This week Semana Santa and so the second big opening week of the season. Last Thursday my Spanish teacher, Isabel told me that she and her novio (boyfriend) have the same beer concession Thurs thru Sunday so we agreed to do class Monday and Tuesday instead of Tue-Thur. I sill wanted to get 2 classes a week in. I am very motivated and want to stay that way. So she agreed- then I asked if it could be from 12-2, since Monday is the day Everardo takes off work; then he could go to his nooner (AA meeting) which is an hour and a half, and I could have class. She said she'd get back to me, and when I didn't hear by last nite I emailed her. She replied about 9pm and said yes noon was good for her as well. Ok good.

So Everardo left around 10am cause there was a guy who wanted to buy a necklace with an elephant on it and he found one yesterday so thought he'd see if the guy was around. I think someone who was staying at the rv park. Some other people asked him the day before yesterday if he sold burritos, and he said no, but he could....they said they'd buy what he had. So yesterday morning he got up, spent about $5 USD and made burritos. Less than an hour later he called to happily tell me he sold them all, already, for $25 bucks- so $20 profit...not too bad eh? Friday, when I took Sam to the beach, I saw Poppi and he had found 2 key chains on the ground, they both had 2 little Mexican sandals on them-harachis? Tiny, one set green and the other blue I think...anyway he sold one of those for $5 ha ha. So he kinda has his finger on the pulse, I think he'll probly find the guy who wants the elephant necklace...then he's going to his meeting and there's a guy there who is interested in buying the trailer so he wants to talk to him too.

Anyway this morning at 9:58 Isabel emails me- she can't make class. I only checked my email on my phone cause I had been hanging laundry on the line right up until 10, and as I ram to pee really quick before she arrived I grabbed my phone to check email, actually more to see if Halla (my younger daugher) had sent me a msg. That's the other thing- I wanted to talk to her on the phone, since lately we mostly have been fb chatting and I don't want to lose the closeness we found when she visited. i want to ask her how she is, after the mess with her friend dying and the cover up that seems to have happened to protect the hotel I guess, and maybe the concert venue as well. Also 2 of her friends went to Europe for this semester for school, then there's someone she's kinda crushin' on, who is a friend but kinda...well I'm not sure if that person knows how she feels, or just isn't interested in anything more than friends...this daughter kinda hangs in a group of kids that are all really close. She's also about to finish her second year of college! I am sooooo proud of her! Ok so we were gonna talk about 1pm today, but then I had to send her a message and say I had a class that's not usually on Monday and what would be a good time to call later? She hadn't replied, but Isabel did with this story about a student from England in the beginner class at Las Conchas who was really sick and at some clinic and they didn't know who to call...so maybe we could have class later. I'm sure it was a valid story, ha ha I almost wrote excuse....but it feels like it's always something...I emailed her back and said ok no problem, but let's just skip it for today and I'd see her tomorrow for our regularly scheduled class.
I immediately tried to call Karen out at the center cause she told me she had asked a guy who had previously tutored her husband Mark, if he would teach her, Mark, and Kelly, and he's half the price. I was interested but felt bad to Isabel, but now, not so much. I understand this is Mexico and everything is inconsistent. If you don't have it in your hand, you don't have it. But I also pay her about twice the price it should be here. It's still not much, but for this area, it's alot. So- I can can switch to something more consistent I will. I didn't get thru to her and I'll try later and/or send an email. Like I said, I'm motivated and I want do this. I didn't do it in Playa Ventura for 6 months, my espanol improved a little bit. Buy here, between the center teaching English, Isabel and now my women's AA meeting, I think I can improve much more quickly.

I tried to send another message to Halla, but I'll just call her in a little while.

At the beach on Friday with Sam, we stayed 2 hours and there were a few more people, and some were swimming, Sam too of course. I had his ball with me, the hard one that rolls farther on the grass than a tennis ball does. He was whinning before he even got out of the car, something he does now whenever we get near the water. It's funny, in my 20's I had this black lab named Sapphire. He was a good dog, too. And whenever we went camping or for the day to a lake, he would start whining when we got close to the water- I think they can smell it, you know? So Sam was bursting to get out of the truck, and I let him out and he started jumping at me to throw the ball. So I had a folding chair and a bag from Trader Joes with a towel (yep I smartened up yuck yuck), and my book, my purse at the bottom, a big bottle of water...and of course his ball. So I lugged it down the sand, and threw the ball...and realized.....it was the HARD RUBBER ball that I use in the park cause it rolls farther on the grass....but sinks in the ocean. I thought all that as it flew (ha ha flew like I threw it really far- which I did not cause now I have wimpy arms), anyway Sam chased it and spent about 5 minutes out in the water. I finally called him back in, and then kept telling him to "find it" so he'd go back in the water. He's such a baby...he needs you to be involved in his every movement at the beach...in Playa Ventura we were always throwing sticks in for him, but when we weren't he mostly stayed out, but after a few months, if we were just sitting on the beach he would go in and swim around in the pools in front of the rocks. Here it's more wading at the edge..and it doesn't get deep for a long time. It's best when the tide is really high cause that volcanic rock rock has all these holes and crevices and I don't want him to break his leg, or hurt himself.

I don't know why I called Everardo, but I thought maybe just maybe he was nearby- and he was! He was down the beach where the condos and hotels were, I could see there were way more people down there...anyway he was also near the car- the car that had the tennis ball in it. So a little while later he showed up with the tennis ball, and for Sam- it was all good. Like I said, I stayed a good 2 hours, when Sam got tired, he laid behind my chair and dug around his ball. He ended up digging a huge hole! The ball would fling out behind him and he'd jump on it and bring it back to the hole. Then I leaned back and my chair almost fell in the hole cause he just dug wherever ha ha! So I had to keep moving my chair....but I read and soaked up the sun- Oh I almosy forgot! When I was talking on the phone to Everardo, I spied a fin, maybe 2 out in the water. Dolphins I'm sure, but the fins seemed really black, so a whale?...It was nice though, almost like my rock when I'd sit out and talk to the universe...nobody was too close to me, so I talked some, and it was nice.

Last nite I found the mediation tapes I bought before we moved to Mexico, a Buddhist thing called "Eight Steps of Happiness". I listened to the introduction CD, and it was nice. As in- why the HELL didn't I listen to these CDs when were in Guerrero? I got to a place where I was so isolated, questioning everything in my life, about my life...ha ha I guess we get it when we get it. I even have a Buddha statue that I made Everardo make room for when we left Calif, that I wanted with me. It had been in our backyard and gave me comfort, I liked it, so he came with us. Of the few things were brought from down there, I mean we brought a ton of shit, but personal items mostly; clothes, pictures, knicky knacks, but hardly any big stuff like furniture. I think the kitchen table and Buddha were the 2 biggest things. And my poor table got all scratched and will probly not make the next move- I mean a far move like back to Calif, but Buddha will. So I'm gonna start the series, maybe today; I had been going only for a short time to a Buddhist mediation class before we moved and was really diggin' it. So I'll start. Oh and the other funny thing is- here we found out that magic jack is a free ap on a smart phone as long as you have internet, and altho' is was intermittent down there, we coulda had phone service, free to the states...just another thing that added to my isolation was not being able to talk to family and friends in the states with any regularity....as well I guess I had lessons to learn, and I think I did embrace some things I might otherwise have if I hadn't felt so lonely. Aceeptance, and my spirituality, doing some deep looking....sounds great but I don't really do unless there's nothing else ha ha.

Yeah now I'm learning some new lessons and yet they are all connected. Acceptance- letting go of my big ego, remembering everyone deserves compassion, people are on different parts of the spiritual paths than others. That maybe I'm not as smart as I like to smugly think so. That I need to learn to listen. and NOT judge! Ok I think it's time to try to call my Halla....