closing up the hacienda

Today I started in earnest to get the place ready to leave it behind for 7 months. Now that I'm in the departure mode it's full speed ahead . . . as long as I've started, I might as well see it through to the end. This morning I took down (and cleaned ~ a very nasty chore what with all the grime and salt that adheres to everything) all the outdoor lights strung along the balconies and upstairs around the palapa. Inside I gathered up all the several dozen candle holders. Washed, pried off melted wax, dried and stowed until the next romantic seaside evening. The Boze® system is packed and ready for the trip home.


My sweet muñecas have been dusted and packed away. I have collected these delightful paper maché dolls over the years; they live in a big round bread basket on a shelf in the living room. They range in size from 4" to 20", each one differently dressed and bejeweled. I am always on the lookout for new ones. Mine have gotten very faded in this strong beach light. They're actually called puta dolls but I pretend I don't know that. There are also some very rare boy dolls of the same genre; eyebrows are always raised when I ask for them, smiling sweetly. All my other chotchkies are now wrapped and boxed. Pictures are next. The next few days are going to be visually boring indeed.

The kitchen is for tomorrow. Meanwhile, Mr. C has been busy in the garden planting a couple of interesting shrubs gifted to us by our recent house guests. I've also cut slips from a common species of phylodendron and have stuck them in the sand in hopes they will grow and fill in a bald spot. We didn't do much in the garden this year but, as we say every May, "Next year we'll get to the garden." And when we finally do that, we're hiring a real gardener to look after it when we're gone. No more excuses.