i lied

OK, well not on purpose.  The internet was just humming along for about 45 minutes.  I got all sorts of things accomplished and then it was over.  I waited about 10 minutes.  It came on again for about 5 minutes, went off and hasn't been heard from since.  So it's off to Tecoman to find out what the heck is going on.  I have a tiny suspicion that it just might be the modem, so we'll take that in, trade it for a new one and see if that helps at all.  Meanwhile, I am sitting on the patio at Jack's bootlegging off of his service.  I'll certainly let you know what the upshot might be.

Meanwhile, yesterday we went off to Armeria to pay our taxes and water for the year.  On our way back we took the back road through Paraiso ~ really badly hit during Patricia ~ and then on home.  This is the old road that, 25 years ago, ran from Cuyutlán all the way to Manzanillo, before the toll road was built.  Marie and I would walk down the hill from the casa where we both were staying, catch the local bus and ride into the tinaguis along this jungle-fringed road.  The passengers, mostly women ~ many with babies and toddlers~ all knew one another so the entire 20 minute ride was one grand gossip/giggle/gab fest.  We'd do our shopping, lug our bulging bags back to the bus station and climb on and grab seats next to the windows.  By this time it was hot and we were sweating like mad.  Back in town we got off at the bottom of our street and slowly made our way up the hill.  It isn't a very big hill, more like a rise.  But you can't see the ocean from the bottom  About three quarters of the way up we could start to feel the breeze and, a few paces on further and we reached the top and the cool air and the sparkling sea lay  in front of us.  For some reason we both would start to laugh at this point, as though we had defied the dangers of the rickety old bus and survived yet another shopping trip.  Then it was on to the casa where she would immediately start cooking and I'd jump in the pool to cool off.  Such great memories.  Every time I drive up that street I think of her and remember the intense heat and the sudden cool breeze and the laughter and how long ago it all was. 

Dinner at Dago's last night was, as usual, delicious.  Mrs. Neighbor Nelson has arrived and NN is once more a happy man.