"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." ~George Bernard Shaw

"Look at everything as though you were seeing it either for the first or last time." ~Betty Smith, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn


Sunday, November 29, 2009

Leftovers from Mexico

Mexican leftovers??? Huh?
Thanksgiving has come and gone- but wait!
I have more photos from our Zihuatanejo vacation....
First- here's a lovely sunset photo taken by
the revered Don Roberto!
Our new friends Stan and Maggie left their
boogie boards with us...to pass onto
whoever we thought would get the best
use of them....but before they left-
Maggie got these great shots of us
playing on the boogie boards....Ready?
Set!
GO!
I am laughing so hard...so fun!

oooops........where'd I go?

Russell makes his landing.....

whew....do I have the WHOLE beach inside my suit?
We had a great time playing in the surf...
Thanks Stan and Maggie!!!
When we left we passed them on to Jose Luis
who runs a little rental shack next to the Catalina...
Next year we'll buy some the first day we arrive.....ole!

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Just Desserts and All That Other Nonsense....

It's Thanksgiving today and all I have to do

is make a few desserts for our friends Malia and Daniel

who have invited us over to have dinner with their family

(more photos on that later)

So, first I made a Tarte Tatin- French apple caramel tart...

Then the traditional Pumpkin Pie ....

....and I could NOT help myself-

I also made a Pear Caramel Gingerbread Cake...

whew....fun though!

Now- onto other just desserts....

While our chickens Moochy, Blondie

and Michelle spent time out in the rain....

they LOVE being out of the coop...and don't

try to convince them otherwise...


the local squirrel was helping himself to chicken feed...



Oodles of Bushtits were feasting on a little bit of

suet....need to go shopping for more tomorrow...


Russell was downstairs finishing the huge project

of installing a gas fireplace insert.

Other than getting some help moving the old wood

stove out and placing the new insert into it's place

Russell did it all himself-from hooking up the gas line,

installing the chimney liner and electrical connections required.

It took Russell about a week to complete and now the

city folks can come inspect his work.
Please note all the soot etc on his face....
Cinderfella????
Russell is amazing to me- he can do anything!

Below is a photo of the stove - what an improvement!

Looks great- will keep our downstairs warm

and no more hauling wood indoors...!


Friday, November 20, 2009

Vacation in Zihuatanejo Wrapup.....

It's been a few days since we got back home
and we've just now sort of settled down
to our old routines ....here are some goodby photos
of our time in Zihuatanejo....The mile long stretch of beach....dotted with restaurants
and mostly small hotels
Goodby to Illario as he checks on the hatching turtles..
they'll be released into the ocean as we are flying home..

One last drawing made for friends....

My last Jamon y Oaxacan Queso Omelet with Potato Patties

Saying goodbye to dear friends.......
we'll see them next year in Zihuatanejo-if not before!

Saying goodby to the infinity pool that we used after
hours of being in the ocean...

and look! We don't appear to be much worse for
all the cervesas and frioles consumed in the past 2 weeks!
Just a few hours after this photo we were on our
way home....had a great time- we'll be back!

Monday, November 16, 2009

Our last Sunday

Today was a very busy day as this weekend
is a 3 day holiday weekend.
Bus load after bus load came into town from all
over Mexico and boy did they all have fun!
On top of that a huge cruise ship came into the bay
and boat load after boat load of tourists were
left off at the port. A good day for all the
vendors and restaurants!
This view is from our palapa-its a bit blurry
but you can see all the people in the water...
I'd post more photos but the internet system here
is a bit cranky...

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Saturday Nov 14

This towel art is a very strange elephant...I think?
We think this bird is some sort of jay...
Russell with the Banderas Bay behind him...
our one fancy sit down dinner....



Sunset over Banderas Bay




Saturday, November 14, 2009

Friday the 13th.....in Zihuatanejo

Friday the 13th was uneventful...
no bad luck here in sunny Mexico!
I saw these flowers in our pool and couldn't resist!OUr towel art for the day!

I got a temporary tatoo of a zipper on my knee...
Russell always joked about that after my knee surgery-
so one year later I got one....
the concept is funny, but the result not so hot....


An Ibis in the midst of an almost dry river


Indigenous children from the mountains
singing in the town square.




Friday, November 13, 2009

Playa la Ropa

Yesterday I first went kayaking...Then Russell and I watched the world go by....
From our palapa....
Don Roberto and Wynn left for Abbotsford
and Bob and Judy left for Santa Barbara...
boo hoo ......but-
We will see them here next year


We finished off our day having a Marguerita at El Mare
before going downtown to Lety's for
Coconut Shrimp....totally devine....





Thursday, November 12, 2009

Typical Things to Do and See in Zihuatanejo

Eat.....
See new towel art everyday...

Ride the bus.....


See more towel art....

Do yoga on the beach....
Plop under a palapa...

Admire toilets.....


Admire more towel art.....

Go sailing....

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

A Day Trip to Barra la Potosi

A truely delicious Marguerita at La Barra

Due to technical difficulties today Wednesday 11/11

and yesterday-it's been almost

impossible to post photos....

here are only a few from our trip two days ago...

Barra la Potosi is a small town one hour south..

Here's one of many local fishermen catching by hand held lines...

Another reeling in a fish...

Not sure what kind of fish this is

Our spot under the palapa...


Guitar music while bussing our way back....