Saturday night lights

Saturday night at the beach.

¡fuego!

Another gripping tale of life at the beach.

At about 1:30 AM Mr. C got up and walked out onto the upstairs terrazzo.  What caught his eye was a flickering glow coming from the housing for the hot water heater.  He opened the little door and there were flames shooting up the side of the house wall.  Always thinking fast, he first tried to smother the flames with . . .flour.  That didn't work so he raced downstairs and turned off the main gas valve.  When he got back, following in his flour-y footsteps, the fire was out.  There was apparently a leak between the hose and the regulator.  I slept on soundly.  I knew nothing until about 7 AM this morning when he said, "Come and get a cup of coffee and I'll tell you something to shock and amaze."  I must have looked stricken, because he added, "Nobody died."

This is the hot water heater (el boiler) in its little closet

Here are the controls, covered in baked-on flour

Scorched wall

Fernando was here by 8:30, checking it all out.  He turned off the water, took off some of the parts and went off to Armeria to buy new ones.  We should be back in business by this afternoon.

Never a dull moment . . .

Alex takes off for home this afternoon after 10 days of R & R, along with some dominoes, beach walks, good reads.  Kids went back last Sunday.  We head home two weeks from today.  Much to soon.

Dago's in black and white . . .

Dinner last night at Dago's, as usual.  The host and hostess in black and white.

The whole crowd in living color.  It was a lovely evening!  That's Em off in the blaze of shadow in the right.

Today I did not listen to the opera ~ Wozzeck by Berg ~ but instead played a fast game of dominoes, took a swim and got ready for comida prepared by Chuy but served at home.  This evening there was a little margarita party down at El Chino's to say adios to S and P who leave on Thursday to return to the US.  Now we're home to have a light supper of salad and whatever else we find.  Tomorrow we'll stroll over to the Siete Mares for desayuno and then Andrew and Em head off to the airport for an afternoon flight to Los Angeles.  It's been an awfully fast week!

besties

next stop: Argentina!

G-daughter got the word yesterday that she has been accepted into a program to spend a semester abroad in Buen0s Aires!  She leaves in July, returns in December.  I've penciled it in to our travel calendar.

She's feeling much better, thanks.  The power of drugs is a wonder to behold.

from Emily's diary

I went to visit my grandmother in Mexico and she took me . . .  not shopping, not to the beach, not out to lunch but instead to the doctor.  Why?  I arrived with a sinus infection and simply had to get some drugs.  First stop was going to be the village clinica but today is la doctora's dia del descanso..  Chuy recommended a doctor in Armeria but he was not in the office today.  Next stop was a pharmacy that directed us down the street to yet another pharmacy to see Dr. Antonio.  This place was a combo convenience store-pharmacy-doctor's office.  Sure enough he was there, asked a few questions (i.e., does it hurt here?  Do you have a headache?  Do you have a fever?) and with what he learned he prescribed an antibiotic and decongestant.  $126 pesos later ($8 US) we were headed home.  I popped the pills, went out like a light for a long sleep and am feeling better.

So much for fun in the sun!

on special at the tinaguis

Look what I found at the morning market!  I liked them so much I decided to bring them home with me.

Sunday at the beach

Met this wonderful Katrina at her coming out party a couple of weeks ago.  Hand made by Blanche.  Isn't she gorgeous?

first day of Lent blog

I truly thought I'd get back to the blog today, the first day of Lent. So this is my pathetic offering.  I went to a little social gathering yesterday and got a mini-storm of inquiries about what has happened to me ~ nothing  ~ and when would I get back to the sorely neglected writing?  What can I say?  I'm just lazy as all get out here.  In addition, nothing happens.  You know, it's Monday to tiagues followed by dominoes.  Tuesday Chuy comes to restore the house to some sort of order.  Wednesday is laundry and reading.  Thursday might be dominoes in the afternoon.  Friday is Dago's.  Saturday is opera.  Sunday is comida at Fernando's.  Each day is punctuated by a swim from 11:30 - 1:30.  And then it starts all over again.  What's to write about?  And who cares that the weather is perfect, day after day, and the vegetables are cheap, the fruits sweet and juicy, the beer is cold and the shrimp are delicious?  I need to get a more interesting life before I start blogging again!