Hasta Luego Isla

We leave in 4 days and I am so bummed about it. It has taken me awhile to get into the swing here. The first 2 months were sooo blasted hot and living in one room was such an adjustment. But now the weather is perfect, I've adjusted to my "family room," and we have made several new friends. Even the building has taken off now that the seawall and infill are done. The walls will start going up rapido right when we are leaving! Don't get me wrong if you are my mother reading this. I do miss my family, I just wish we were having Thanksgiving here! Hey turkey tacos don't sound that bad- do they!? I guess that doesn't sound appealing. I am going to miss watching Sophia and Zoe laughing and playing in the ocean, beautiful balmy sunsets, and fish tacos at Bally Hoo's. I am already mourning the loss of evening strolls to get helados (ice cream) from Jose, a coke from Chevy, and chatting with locals as we pass. I am even going to miss Jose Louis, the persistent timeshare promoter, who keeps asking me when we are going to swim with the dolphins. Hasta luego - Senor rooster crowing in the morning. pelicans perching on posts, fisherman cleaning their nets, ceviche and moonlight at Velaquez, and prayer by my quiet inlet. When I am in Missouri snuggled in a blanket I will close my eyes and dream of yellow and green plank board houses, and bright turquoise doors. If you drive by my house in Springfield and I have painted it bright pink you will know what has happened. Yo te amo Mexico!

Another Taco Please

There is nothing like a hurricane to test your seawall. This past week was wild with the arrival of hurricane Ida. I don't know if you would actually say she arrived, but we definitely felt her passing by. Nothing really got hurt, but our neighbor said she has some pictures of the waves hitting our seawall. They will be interesting to see. Ida did bring in some big waves and of course building delays. Sophia and I, along with some thrill seeking tourists) had a great time on the normally tranquil North beach riding the waves onto the shore. We met some Aussies desperately looking for someone with a surf board. They were eying the monster waves on the other side of the island.
Just when I am beginning to think in Spanish, we are leaving. We have 2 more weeks before we return to Missouri for Christmas and I am already making my list of the things I need to bring back - a bread maker (for real whole wheat bread), a rice cooker (for steaming veggies and brown rice), brown rice ( doubt if I can find here), salad spinner and the list goes on. I know this is hard to believe and I never thought I would actually say this, but the same tacos and fish do get tiring after a while. Also Stan is losing notches on his belt and I am gaining them. Life is not fair! Love handles I now call the tortilla roll. I'm sure that the quacamole isn't helping either. (Notice I'm not tired of that.) Soon I will be back in Missouri enjoying my family and blustery Ozark weather, but until then I will savor the balmy tropical breezes, beautiful ocean sunsets and yes, yet another taco carne asada.