We finished raking the gravel from the paths into the rock lined areas and Dave is still trying to get all the wood from the stairs he tore down, cut up for the fire pit. He has just a little more to go. The whale bone we got from Rafael is in one of the rock enclosed areas. It looks good but will look better with some cactus planted. However, I don’t want to get to wild in planting cactus until we know we can build our new house. No sense planting a bunch of plants just to move them again. The rocks are no big deal as they can be used anywhere in the yard, front or back and it won’t be hard to move them. Unfortunately the bougainvillea I dug up and replanted isn’t doing well at all. I am afraid I killed it. I’m not giving up on it just yet. I keep watering it in hopes it will come back. They don’t like to be messed with, but of course I found that out after I dug it up. Oh well. I will eventually get another one, but for now don’t have a spot to put it. Don’t you wish you had such dilemmas? HA!!! If that is all you had to worry about----life would be grand right?! I know, I know-----shut up!!!
You know the cardón we planted in our yard? Well Wednesday I went down to get my clean clothes off the line when I looked out toward it and saw an osprey sitting on top of it. He was big and so awesome!! I wanted to get a picture but thought if I moved it might fly away. I turned and went back upstairs, got my camera and came back and he was still there. So I took some pictures. Here are 3.
We have learned the calls of Osprey, Seagulls (of course), Turns (like small seagulls but more obnoxious), Ravens, and Mourning Doves. Spring is just around the corner because we are seeing more of the little birds and Hummingbirds coming around. Plus the weather is warming up.
Monday – Sunday, February 7-13.
The water pump has broken at the main watering hole in town. There are two. One is in town where a lot of the locals get their water and the other, where we get our water, plus some of the locals, is just before you get on our road to come to the house. Dave took the truck in to get water on Tuesday. He wasn’t back yet when I left to go to town with Joanne and Mary Ann. We did pass him on the road and he said they ran out of water so he didn’t get any. He will have to try again tomorrow. Bummer!! He waited a long time for nothing. That is how it goes sometimes. The gals and I went on and did our grocery shopping and snooping in a couple shops, then came home later in the afternoon.
Dave managed to get a ½ tank of water this morning, Wednesday. They were limiting the water giving out only half a tank. No worries. At least ½ a tank is better than nothing at all. He will try to get some more in a couple days.
As it turned out, there was a local Mexican who came by the house asking if we needed water and Dave told him we did, so we got our water tank filled a little higher. Now he doesn’t have to go into town for a while.
I haven’t been doing much outside due to me torking my back and irritating the sciatic nerve. I had trouble walking, bending over and lifting so I gave it a rest and did a lot of stretching which helped a lot. Dave has moved some rocks to finish outlining an area and mostly has been working on making a new fire pit. The old one had rocks that were crumbling and it was a small pit, so he made it larger and moved it over toward the center where we can get more people around it. He did a good job. We had some pretty good size rocks in the load we got, so that was nice to have them to line the pit with. We are still trying to burn up the bad wood before summer.
We found out this weekend that the water pump in town has been fixed so now things will get back to normal again. People were waiting 3 hours in line to get their tanks filled. Reminds me of when we had to wait in line for gasoline in the States. Remember those days?
Monday - Sunday, February 14-20.
We left this morning for Ensenada. It was cold. The weather is supposed to be fairly decent in Ensenada but we packed for cold just the same. It is a long trip but once we get there it is nice to relax. Dave does all the driving and I try to stay awake which doesn’t happen often. It is nice to see how the desert changes from our last trip in December. Some cacti are blooming and the Cirios trees are green. Some of the desert plants are coming to life. On this trip I spotted a cactus I hadn’t seen before because it was a light green due to it getting moisture. It’s a cool plant and wouldn’t mind having one in my yard. Can’t dig them up though because it is illegal and I don’t have anywhere to hide it!!
Once we arrived in Ensenada, we stopped at the ATM and got some money. We are limited to a certain amount we can withdraw in one day so we spread it out. We are making a short trip, as usual, just to shop and then go back home. After stopping at the ATM we went to the Hotel, Santo Tomas. We like to stay there as it is inexpensive, clean and right downtown. After checking in we walked across the street to Baja Naval Marina to say hi to Roger and ask him a couple questions. They took good care of us and our boat when we stopped there on our way down the coast to Mexico, so we always like to stop in to say hi if we can. The last time we were there, he was on vacation so we missed him. During our conversation the boat came up and Dave told Roger we are trying to sell it. He told us there is a couple at the marina that just lost their boat in a storm coming down the coast and is looking for a boat. Dave just happened to read about this couple before we drove to Ensenada. They lost their boat December 28th of last year and still want to cruise so they are looking for a boat in Mexico. We showed Roger the web site where our boat is advertised and gave him Dave’s email address and mentioned that if he talks to the couple, have them contact us if they are interested. So he said he would. The couple wasn’t there that day so we didn’t get to meet them or talk about the boat, but hopefully they will at least look at the web site. Roger is also going to print out the ad and post it in the office for others to see. He said there are people coming in all the time asking if there are any boats for sale. So who knows? Something may come of this. Dave really doesn’t want to sail the boat up the coast to Seattle. So we are hoping we can sell it before he has to make that decision to do it in April or May. That was one of the things we were talking to Roger about that if we did bring the boat back up, we would stop and have them paint the bottom for us. So we needed a price list. So we shall see. At least another person or persons will know the boat is for sale. So keep your prayers and fingers crossed for us Dave doesn’t have to make that journey. Dave and I walked to our Mexican vehicle insurance office, but our agent wasn’t there. The lady in the office said he would be in Manaña. So we left and came back to the hotel and relaxed. Oh yeah. Happy Valentine’s Day. Dave and I had dinner in the restaurant at our hotel and it was delicious. The weather was pleasant and sunny so that was nice. It rained the last time we were here.
Today, the 15th, is our oldest granson’s birthday. Ethan is 16. It is also our daughter-in-laws’.
Dave called the insurance office and they said our agent wasn’t in yet but was expected soon and then he would be in all day. So we thought we would get our shopping out of the way first and then go see him this afternoon, Tuesday. We went to Home Depot first, got paint for the cement around the pila, and paint for the wood that is around the bamboo guest house. We looked around at other stuff just biding time until we could go to Walmart and be able to purchase booze. You can’t buy alcohol before 10:00am. When we left Home Depot it was a little past 10:00am. Next we went to Walmart where I started shopping and Dave walked over to the ATM machine. I also had a list of things to buy for Mary Ann, Joanne and Lois. I followed my list and got almost everything on it. Mary Ann wanted some cool whip but unfortunately they didn’t have it at Walmart. Once shopping was done there we went to Costco and finished getting the bulk items. We returned to the hotel and put a bunch of free ice, in the ice chest and would check it in the morning, draining it and adding more if need be before heading home. Dave called the insurance office again and asked for Tona, the agent and found out he had left for the day. What a bummer. We needed to pay and talk to him about the insurance but now I guess we will have to email him and work out a way to get him a check because we need to go home tomorrow. Dave was pretty bummed about that. He shot him an email but we never heard back from him. We repacked the jeep so everything fit snuggly and was secured and went back to our room to chill. We weren’t very hungry when dinner time came along so we ended up eating at McDonald’s up the street. It was either that or have pizza and have leftovers for breakfast on our way home. We decided to have a Mc D sandwich and tomorrow we would get an egg McMuffin sandwich before heading out of town. We went back to our room and watched T.V. and checked email, still haven’t heard from our agent, then went to bed.
We got up a little after 6:00am, got packed and loaded the jeep and checked out. We got some more ice to add to the chest and drained the water out of it. We were set to go. Before all that, we did walk to Mc Donald’s to have breakfast so that should hold us until we get home.
The ride home was o.k. It had rained over night and was still misting when we left Ensenada. The further south we get the better the weather will be. San Diego is having a series of storms coming in and Ensenada is in for more rain. Thank goodness we are going home today. We arrived home around 2:00pm, unloaded and I decided I would put the majority of the stuff away tomorrow. I was tired and just didn’t feel like doing much. We had grilled cheese sandwiches for dinner, watched T.V. then went to bed.
What a difference a day makes and a good night sleep. I was ready to dig in and start cleaning up the mess from yesterday. Once that was done, I had time to read. I want to finish the book I am reading about an Autistic boy. I want to be able to pass it on to another lady when I go to train tomorrow.
I did finish the book so now I can pass it on. I walked to Mary Ann’s house for train this morning, Friday, and had a nice time talking with the ladies and playing. Then after lunch I walked home. I only stayed half a day this time. Last week I got stuck playing the whole day and it is just too long for me. When I returned home, Dave had put the primer paint on the pila and it looks nice. When that dries and the wind stops he will put the final coat of paint on it. It will be an ivory color. When Noreen comes down to visit again, we are going to have her paint a desert mural on the pila wall. That will look soooo cool. We will have to measure it and send the measurements to her so she can draw it all out at home and bring it down with her to paint.
We found out that John and Sandy Eltrich, are going to be here, Wednesday the 23rd. Their daughter Angie had a baby boy and so they got some quality time with him. Sandy and John are heading back to their boat in La Paz and since they will be passing by our area, thought they would stop and visit. That will be nice. It is always good to see them. So now I need to get busy and clean. Oh yay!!!
I was going to vacuum the house this morning to get the sand up from our last wind storm, but guess what? We are having another one. It doesn’t do any good to try and clean it up until after the wind has stopped. So instead I cleaned the bathroom adjacent to the bamboo room and the trailer. Tomorrow I hope to vacuum the bathroom floor, bamboo room and trailer. I will need to get the mattress and sheets from Mary Ann again so John and Sandy will have a comfortable bed to sleep on. Dave took the puzzle Mary Ann gave him after she finished it, down to the bamboo room and has been working on it most of the day. Once he starts he stays with it. I laid down for a while since I was really tired. Didn’t sleep but did rest. The wind is still whipping out of the south with some strong gusts. Because of the weather in San Diego, we are getting wind and clouds here. It is warm though so no complaints. I managed to get the January blog at least on my blog site today. Now I will have to put the pictures in and then post it. I will try to do that in the next couple days. I am behind. I hadn’t even started the February blog until today. Been busy or Dave has been on my computer playing his war game. No worries. It gets done eventually.
Monday - Sunday, February 21-27.
Today is President’s Day. Happy day off for those of you who get it as a holiday.
Wednesday, John and Sandy came to visit. They could only spend the night, but we had a wonderful visit with them. They are anxious to get back to their boat. It has been 3 long months in the states. We caught up on news, walked the beach, had cocktails, dinner, played a game of train, cruiser style, had dessert chatted a little more then they retired for the night. We did too shortly thereafter.
Thursday morning was sunny and warm and John and Sandy were so happy to be back in warm weather again. I fixed breakfast and after saying goodbye, left for Santa Rosalia. They are working their way to La Paz slowly. Actually by Friday they will be in La Paz. It was nice they came to stay with us.
Friday, Dave went into town and got water. I walked to Mary Ann’s house to help load some things she has for the yard sale tomorrow. Then we went to the area where the sale is taking place and set up. I was home by 2:00pm and was able to help Dave with the last bit of water to be siphoned from the tank in the truck. After that I helped clean up and that was our exciting day. Tomorrow we need to be at the yard sale at 7:30am as it will open at 8 and close at 11.
Dave and I got up around 6:30am, got dressed, made coffee then headed for the sale. There already were Mexican families lined up waiting to get it. We told the gate keeper we were there to work the yard sale so he let us in and closed the gate behind us. I didn’t have much to sell, just about 5 tops and 2 pairs of sandals. I managed to sell a couple things and Mary Ann sold a lot of here stuff which was really good. As the morning was getting on and the people were slowing down coming in, we were able to browse. I found a couple treasures so that was cool. Just a little before 11, Mary Ann and I packed up and left. There weren’t as many people this year as last year. Money just isn’t flowing in the town like it was this time last year. It was a good sale anyway and a lot of the gringos got rid of most of their stuff.
Mary Ann drove back to her house where we unloaded what was left over from the sale, and then she drove me home. It was a fun morning. The rest of the day was spent reading and I managed to take a little nap. The wind was blowing pretty well when I came home and Dave said it had just started. Thank goodness we didn’t have any wind where we were. There were people in the yard sale that said the wind was howling at the north end of town. That system that is hitting San Diego is moving our way. So the wind blew hard all afternoon and also early evening then it quit. We were planning on sleeping in the trailer again if it had kept up. So when we went to bed it was calm.
Well the calm didn’t last all night. We were awakened by howling wind and the screens and windows rattling at 2:30-3:00am. We laid there for a while then decided it wasn’t going to let up for a while so we grabbed our pillows and went to the trailer. We were able to sleep. Dave woke first and figured it was well past 8:00am, but to his surprise it was only 7:00am. We had to get up because the propane guy is suppose to come today and Dave needed to bleed one of our tanks down and I usually watch for the truck. We hadn’t heard anything announcement it was in town so Dave called our neighbor Mary and she said it was over in Rincon. So we would hear when it left there heading back this way. Well the guys that live over there in Rincon forgot to alert us the truck had left Rincon and before I knew it the truck was behind our house going to Mary’s. Luckily they were watching and saw him coming. So we got our bottle filled and announced to the people south of us the truck was on its way. The clouds have thinned. Oh yeah. We got some sprinkles this morning but really not enough to do much but dirty the windows and solar panel. Now it is sunny and the wind did calm down and it was nice, but it is blowing again, this time from the north. I was able to wash the solar panels while Dave went to take the water pump back to Larry, and I washed a couple items of clothing, stripped and changed the bed, gathered the dirty sheets and clothes to take into town on Tuesday to be laundered. Dave was able to get another puzzle from Mary Ann so he is down in the bamboo room working on it. This afternoon is a reading one for me.
Monday February 28.
The weather is getting warmer which is nice, that is when the north wind doesn’t blow. We are starting a new month and more birds are showing up singing or squawking to each other. I’m sure they are starting to search out places to build nests. The doves are already calling early in the morning with their monotone, never changing call. It can wear on your nerves. During the day they are flying around and then when the evening comes they are back again talking before they disappear for the night. I truly understand now why some people hunt and kill doves!!!! Actually they are good eating!!
Dave started sanding the wood trim on the outside of the quest house and the railing above the deck. We got some very light pink paint from Larry to use as a primer so that is what we will treat the wood with before putting the Ivory color on it as a finish. Thursday, the 3rd we spent all day painting the front and south side of the guest house. Actually the light pink doesn’t look bad, but the ivory color is going to look really nice. Tomorrow we hope to maybe start with the ivory color. The weather was absolutely perfect today for painting. Only a small breeze and it was warm but not hot. The best weather ever so far this year.
I ended up torking my knee this morning somehow. All I did was step back from what I was painting and my knee gave out. I didn’t fall but I couldn’t straighten my leg all the way. I could bend my knee and it didn’t hurt but when I straightened it, ouch!!! I had to stop painting for awhile to elevate and ice my knee and take some ibuprophen. I had a spandex knee brace so I put that on and I was fine. Weird!!! My back got out of alignment also so I had to try and pop it back into place. So I was uncomfortable in the afternoon, and then I iced my knee again that evening.
The wind is supposed to blow today so no painting with the final color on the guest house. Instead Dave sanded the wood beams and posts on the west side of the guest house and then I came behind him putting the primer coat on. When Dave finished sanding and wiping, he started painting too. I had to quit just before 11:30am so I could get the water pump into the back of the truck so I could take it back to Larry, and I also have to go into town and pick up my laundry. I cleaned up and put my roller to soak and left for Larry’s house. Today is a train playing day, but I skipped it so we could paint. I did stop by on my way into town to say hi to the gals and chat for a few minutes. Then I went to town, bought milk and got my laundry and headed back home. When I got home Dave had used up all the pink paint and pretty much had all we wanted to paint done. Tomorrow is supposed to be windy so we probably won’t do any major painting. I think I would like to take a brush and paint around the posts and places where the roller wouldn’t fit. Then all we will have to do is roll on the ivory color. With both of us painting it doesn’t take much time at all. The job isn’t as overwhelming either. I put laundry away, had lunch and started the Janet Evanovich book series. Everyone here passes books around and I have read a lot of her books, just not in order. So I thought it would be fun to read them in order. We have lots of reading material now!!! I finished a book titled ‘Gringo’s in Paradise’. It was an interesting book. We are familiar with the town they were having a house built in. Dave is in the guest house putting a puzzle together. I thought this was a great time to catch up the blog because when he comes up he will want to play his game on my computer.
My knee is feeling better; however, when I am walking or working around the house I wear the brace. I know I have arthritis in that knee, but it also feels like the tendons were stretched. So I will be wearing the brace just so as not to damage it any more. When Dave and I come to Washington to visit, I will have my knee looked at again. The last time I was home I had an x-ray taken and all looked good, just normal wear and tear. So don’t know what this is!!!
Monday we are going to Santa Rosalia to check on the boat, pay moorage and make sure all systems run well. I need to do a little cleaning as well.
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